BudgetTravel

Caribbean

Bahamas for $499
Air from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, transfers, and three all-inclusive nights at the Breezes Bahamas on Cable Beach, next door to the Crystal Palace Casino and 15 minutes from the airport. The hotel has four restaurants, four bars, a disco, and a variety of watersports and activities (windsurfing, tennis, beach volleyball, gym, climbing wall, trampoline, etc.). When: July 1--Sept. 30. Other Gateways: New York ($599); Atlanta, Atlantic City, Detroit ($683); Providence ($723). Details: Extra nights $129. Single supplement $179; travelers can be paired with other singles to avoid the supplement. Contact: Leisure Link International, 888/801-8808, eleisurelink.com.

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Bermuda for $883
JetBlue flights from New York, transfers, and four nights at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess (includes the fourth night free). Nicknamed The Pink Palace, the historic hotel overlooks the harbor and has two pools, a gym, and spa. It's not beachfront, but there's a free ferry to the Fairmont Beach Club in Southampton, 20 minutes away (spa, beach, golf, tennis). When: Sunday--Wednesday departures until Aug. 31 (from $883); Sept. 1--31 (from $975). Other Gateways: Boston, Burlington (add from $25); Buffalo (add from $45). Details: No extra nights. Call for the single price. Contact: JetBlue Airways, 800/538-2583, jetblue.com.

St. Lucia for $825
Air Jamaica flights from New York, transfers, and six nights ina standard room at the Coco Kreole hotel in Rodney Bay Village, a lively tourist city on the northern tip of the island. The hotel has a pool and bar. When: July 1--Dec. 15. Other Gateways: None. Details: Book by Aug. 31. Price includes hotel taxes and service charges. Extra nights $50. Single supplement $50. Contact: Air Jamaica Vacations, 800/568-3247, airjamaicavacations.com.

Central America

Belize for $1,089
American Airlines flights from Miami to Belize City, a seven-day 4x4 rental with unlimited miles, and seven nights' lodging. Spend the first three nights inland at the Jaguar Paw Jungle Resort on 215 acres of rain forest. (The hotel has canopy tours, cave tubing, horseback riding, visits to Mayan ruins, and tours of a local butterfly farm.) Then stay four nights at the Jaguar Reef Lodge, on a 600-acre peninsula lined with seven miles of white-sand beaches. Activities include fishing, sailing, biking, diving, kayaking, and snorkeling. When: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday departures July 1--Aug. 31 ($1,149); Sept. 1--Oct. 31 ($1,089). Other Gateways: Dallas ($1,194/$1,134); New York ($1,248/$1,188); Chicago ($1,349/$1,289); L.A., San Francisco ($1,409/$1,349); Portland, Seattle ($1,453/$1,393). Details: Add $25 each way for departures on other days of the week. Extra nights from $60. Single supplement $655. Contact: Capricorn Leisure, 800/426-6544, capricorn.net.

Costa Rica for $814
American Airlines flights from Miami to San Jose, a seven-day car rental (manual Toyota Yaris or similar) with unlimited miles, and seven nights' accommodations. Spend five nights at the Hotel Costa Verde (with two pools and three restaurants) on a coastal bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean outside Manuel Antonio National Park, and two nights at the Hotel Villa Lapas eco-resort (with a pool, two restaurants, and two bars) in a 500-acre rain forest just south of the Carara Biological Reserve. When: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday departures July 1--Aug. 31 ($874); Sept. 1--Oct. 31 ($814). Other Gateways: Dallas ($896/$836); New York ($939/$879); Chicago ($972/$912); L.A., San Francisco ($979/$919); Portland, Seattle ($1,084/$1,024). Details: Add $25 each way for departures on other days of the week. Extra nights from $40. Single supplement from $350. Contact: Capricorn Leisure, 800/426-6544, capricorn.net.

Panama for $799
American Airlines flights from Miami to Panama City, transfers, and six nights at the all-inclusive Royal Decameron Beach Resort on Playa Blanca along the Pacific coast, about 90 minutes from the airport. There are four pools, eight restaurants, six snack bars, two pool bars, a disco, and both tennis and beach volleyball courts on the property. The hotel also offers free scuba-diving instruction and unlimited use of wind gliders, kayaks, snorkeling gear, paddleboats, and sailboats. When: Wednesday and Thursday departures until Aug. 16 ($879); Aug. 17--Dec. 7 ($799). Other Gateways: Dallas, Houston ($1,039/$959); Atlanta, D.C. ($1,059/$979); Boston, New York, Philadelphia ($1,079/$999); Chicago ($1,139/$1,059); L.A., San Francisco ($1,179/$1,099). Details: Add $60 for weekend departures. Extra nights from $65. The singles price starts at $1,150. Contact: Tara Tours, 800/327-0080, taratours.com.

South America

Argentina, Uruguay & Chile for $1,329
Air from Miami or New York to Buenos Aires (the return flight is from Santiago), transfers and transportation (high-speed hydrofoil ferry from Argentina to Uruguay, flight from Uruguay to Chile), seven nights' accommodation (three in Buenos Aires, two in Montevideo, and two in Santiago), breakfast daily, and half-day tours of each city with English-speaking guides. When: Until Aug. 15 ($1,329); Aug. 16--Dec. 9 ($1,379). Other Gateways: Boston, Philadelphia (add $15); D.C. (add $40); Charlotte (add $105); L.A., Las Vegas, San Francisco (add $175); Atlanta, Dallas, Houston (add $185); Chicago (add $240); Portland, Seattle (add $350). Details: Hotel taxes, service charges, and fuel surcharges are included in the price. Extra nights from $28. Single supplement from $500. Contact: LanVacations, 800/435-3593, lanvacations.com.

Buenos Aires for $599
Copa Airlines flights from Miami to Buenos Aires (via Panama City), transfers, five nights at the Regis Orho Hotel (on pedestrian-only Lavalle Street downtown), breakfast daily, and a half-day city tour with an English-speaking guide. When: Until Aug. 15 ($699); Aug. 16--Dec. 1 ($599). Other Gateways: L.A. ($929/$829), New York ($939/$839). Details: Extra nights from $27. Single supplement from $140. Add a full-day excursion to an estancia (ranch) outside the city for $45, including horseback riding, gaucho skills demonstrations, and lunch. Two-person tango lessons are available from $20 per hour. Stop over in Panama City for $122 (includes transfers, one night at the downtown Hotel Marbella, breakfast, and a half-day tour of the Panama Canal). Contact: Escapes Unlimited, 800/243-7227, escapesltd.com.

Peru for $1,250
LanPeru flights from Miami to Cuzco (via Lima), transfers, and six nights' accommodations (three nights in Cuzco at the Terra Andina Hotel, less than a block from the Plaza San Pedro, and three nights camping on a fully guided trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu). The package includes breakfast daily in Cuzco and a half-day city tour. While on the trek, all entrance fees, meals, luggage transport, and a guided tour of Machu Picchu are covered, as is a ride back to Cuzco from Aguas Calientes (at the base of the ruins) on the famous Backpacker train. Camping equipment is provided; bring your own sleeping bag and backpack. When: July 1--31 ($1,325); Aug. 1--31 ($1,250). Other Gateways: L.A. ($1,450/$1,375), New York ($1,525/$1,450). Details: Extra nights from $32. Single supplement $140. Contact: Marnella Tours, 866/993-0033, marnellatours.com.