Low Fare to the Riviera, Whether It Rains or Not

Glide into some of Europe’s most fashionable ports on a low-cost cruise in the Mediterranean that will carry you through the Italian and French rivieras, beginning near Rome and ending in Nice.

The nine-day trip, including air fare from Los Angeles and a seven-day Windstar Cruises voyage, costs $1,445 per person, double occupancy. And the price includes an outside cabin, a tour escort and all transfers.

The drawback? You probably should pack an umbrella.

The Nov. 2 trip, aboard the 308-passenger Wind Surf, comes during the rainiest month in the region. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get rain,” said Can Cetin, president of Troy Tours Inc., the Los Angeles agency selling the trip. “It’s never all that rainy there. It will be wetter than in summer, no doubt, but that’s why the trip is a bargain.” The package usually costs $2,200 or more.

The ship anchors at a different port each day, allowing full-day visits, and then sails overnight. Monte Carlo, with its glittering casinos and jet-set glamour, draws a two-day visit. Other port stops include St. Tropez, France, with its legendary beaches; Portofino, Italy, considered one of the world’s most picturesque ports; and Porto Vecchio, a resort town near the tip of Corsica.

There is also a stop at the colorful village of Portovenere, Italy, where small houses--some only 3 yards wide and as much as seven stories tall--line the shore.

Contact: Troy Tours Inc.; (800) 748-6878, www.troytours.com.

California: Harvest Fun

Wine lovers can get down and dirty this fall with a one-day package being offered by St. Supery Vineyards and Winery in the Napa Valley. The hands-on program includes grape picking--and some good, old-fashioned grape stomping.

The event takes place Fridays through Oct. 18 at St. Supery’s Rutherford estate, a 50-acre vineyard planted in red Bordeaux grape varieties.

Besides participating in the harvest, guests get a tour of the winemaking facility, a blending seminar, a lunch prepared by vineyard chef Ron Barber and an opportunity to talk to winemaker Michael Beaulac.

St. Supery Winery, one of the top 10 estate holders in the Napa Valley, specializes in Bordeaux varietals, including Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Cost: $250 per person.

Contact: Marilyn Munk at St. Supery; (800) 942-0809, Ext. 46; www.stsupery.com.

Vietnam: Historic Sites

A low-cost 12-day tour to Vietnam will visit Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) before moving into Cambodia and the ancient temples of Angkor Wat.

The itinerary includes a daylong Hanoi sightseeing tour and a three-night stay at the Hilton Hanoi, two nights at a resort hotel in the imperial city of Hoi An near Da Nang, and three nights at the Equatorial Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, with a half-day city tour and visits to the Thien Hau pagoda and the infamous Cu Chi tunnels, once a haven for North Vietnamese fighters. The next stop on the tour is Siem Reap in Cambodia and Angkor Wat, where tour members spend three nights at the Princess Angkor Hotel.

Although the tour visits several areas that became well known during the Vietnam War, it doesn’t draw many veterans, said Pannir Murugesu, president of Scenic World, the San Francisco agency packaging the tour. “Mostly the veterans know the area, and they come and backpack. Most of our clients are Americans over 50 who are curious about the region and have never been here before. They want to see Angkor Wat, and they like the price and the hotels.”

The package is available for daily departures through Nov. 30 and between Jan. 1 and May 31.

Cost: $2,045 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare on Singapore Airlines from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Las Vegas, first-class accommodations, all internal flights, private sightseeing tours with an English-speaking guide, taxes, service fees and entry fees.

Contact: Scenic World Inc.; (800) 952-0226, www.scenicworldtour.com.

Scotland: Bonny Views

Visit the castles, gardens and palaces of Scotland on a low-cost tour planned for first-time visitors to the country.

The nine-day escorted package, available at a discount on several dates in October and April, offers an overview of urban and rural highlights. The itinerary includes Loch Linnhe, Glen Coe, the Isle of Mull, Loch Ness, Inverness, St. Andrews, the Victorian city of Glasgow and the Georgian capital of Edinburgh.

Also on the itinerary is a whiskey-tasting and distillery tour, a stop for tea and scones at a farmhouse and a Scottish banquet with entertainment.

Cost: $1,568, including round-trip air fare from LAX on British Airways, accommodations, breakfast daily, six dinners, sightseeing and admissions.

Contact: CIE Tours International; (800) CIE-TOUR (243-8687), www.cietours.com.

Kenya: On Safari

Visit the hippo pools of Nairobi, the flamingo sanctuary at Lake Nakuru and the game preserve at Masai Mara--known for its herds of wildebeests--during an 11-day African safari.

The trip includes two days of game viewing at Samburu National Reserve, a visit to the Rift Valley and a stay at Mountain Lodge, a tree hotel in the Mt. Kenya forest where large animals gather at a floodlighted watering hole. Two nights are spent on the open plains at Masai Mara.

Cost: $2,895 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare from Los Angeles on Swiss, accommodations at Serena properties, meals, entrance fees, transfers, guides, day rooms in Zurich on the way to Kenya and overnight rooms on the way back.

Contact: Miller Travel and Tours; (877) 284-5913 or (949) 364-0567, www.wildlife-safari.com.

Thailand: Study Abroad

Spend a month overseas visiting the temples of Bangkok, the resort beaches of Phuket and the hill tribe country surrounding Chiang Mai on a study abroad program sponsored by Glendale Community College.

The program, which focuses on the culture and anthropology of Thailand, will be headed by Kim Foong Chong, a mathematics teacher at the college. Wendy Fonarow, a cultural anthropologist, also will accompany the group. The instructors will offer three courses while in Thailand. Students may receive up to nine units of credit.

Program dates are Jan. 6 to 9 at Glendale College and Jan. 10 to Feb. 8 in Thailand.

Cost: $2,495, including round-trip air fare from LAX to Bangkok, three domestic flights, land transportation, accommodations, activities and side trips, breakfasts and a farewell dinner. Community college tuition is extra.

Contact: National/International Study Programs; (818) 980-3730.

*

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. These should be confirmed with travel agents, cruise lines or tour operators.