The Inside Passage gets wildRide the wind...

The Inside Passage gets wild

Ride the wind on a century-old tall ship during an 11-day voyage this spring through the fiords, inlets and bays of British Columbia’s Inside Passage.

The April 15 trip, aboard the 92-foot schooner Maple Leaf, is timed to coincide with spring wildlife activity in the coastal region.

“You see grizzlies awakening and digging roots, mountain goats with their kids searching for new grasses, seabirds flying in great squadrons,” said Kevin Smith, organizer of the trip. “It’s very replenishing to visit this wild area.”

The ship sails out of Port McNeil, on northern Vancouver Island, and cruises to the islands of Queen Charlotte Strait and Princess Royal Island, where white spirit bears (or kermode bears), a rare subspecies of black bear, are sometimes seen. One of the highlights will be a visit to Kitlope River Valley, one of the largest temperate rain-forest wildernesses in the world. Accompanying the group will be Cecil Paul, chief of the Killer Whale Clan of the Henaaksiala, a community that has lived in the Kitlope for centuries.

The trip is suitable for novice sailors and combines natural and cultural history with light cruising. Participants will go ashore on remote islands and visit small villages and recreation areas.

Cost: $3,150 per person, including the cruise, simple berths, meals and beverages. Transportation to Port McNeil is not included.

Contact: Maple Leaf Adventures of Victoria, British Columbia; (888) 599-5323, www.mapleleafadventures.com.

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PANAMA

Folk art and other wonders

Explore the sandy Caribbean coastal islands of Panama on a 13-day folk-art trip.

The March 13 tour visits the Kuna of the San Blas Islands, known for their colorful molas: collage-like cloth art created by reverse appliques. The itinerary also includes Panama City, the Panama Canal and Miraflores Locks, and Bocas del Toro Archipelago.

Cost: $2,495 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $495), including accommodations, some meals, entrance fees and activities. Airfare to Panama and within the country is not included.

Contact: Gordon Frost Folk Art Tours, Point Reyes Station, Calif., (415) 663-1919, www.gordonfrost.com.

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CALIFORNIA

Whale tours off the coast

Stalk the Pacific gray whale as it migrates along the California coast on daylong tours that visit Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, 25 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara.

The tours, which depart on weekends from Ventura and Oxnard, land at Anacapa or Santa Cruz islands in Channel Islands National Park. Half-day tours, which do not land at the islands, are also available.

Pacific gray whales often travel close to the Channel Islands during their annual migration, which takes them south from Alaska to Mexico’s coast in December and January. They return north during February and March, and the peak of the northern migration takes place in March, the whales’ mating season.

Cost: Anacapa Island tours, which depart from Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, are $37 for adults, $34 for seniors and $20 for children 12 and younger.

Santa Cruz Island tours depart from Ventura Harbor and are $42 for adults, $38 for seniors and $25 for children. Half-day tours range from $17 to $25.

Contact: Island Packers; (805) 642-1393, www.islandpackers.com.

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CARIBBEAN

Sisterhood

on the seas

ESCAPE to the West Indies for a weeklong girlfriends’ getaway cruise.

The western Caribbean sailing, which begins April 24 in New Orleans, is for mothers, daughters, colleagues and friends. “It’s a chance to chill out and not worry about anything,” said organizer Nadja Piatka.

The Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas will call in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, and Grand Cayman.

Cost: Cabins start at $655 double occupancy. Single rates are not available, but organizers will try to match roommates.

Contact: Signature Cruise Events; (800) 289-0348, www.ultimatepaja maparty.com.

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TUNISIA

A journey back in time

Scout the shifting sands of the Sahara on a three-week cultural and historical tour of Tunisia that will focus on Phoenician and Roman archeological sites.

The tour, April 18 to May 9, will be led by Tunisian archeologist Nagib Ben Lazreg, and will visit Carthage, Tunis, and the ruins at Sbeitla, among other sites. The group will visit walled cities, souks and private homes.

Cost: $5,600 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $800), including accommodations, meals, insurance and tips. International airfare is not included.

Contact: Christine Robison of Baraka Journeys; (626) 799-2700.

The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send items to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, 90012, or travel@latimes.com.