Tim Leffel: I feel your pain. I am going to Argentina this summer and am paying a much higher price for internal flights than the locals pay. It's annoying and unfair, especially when it's official policy. You see this a lot in former or current communist countries--it's the "soak the rich foreigners" concept. These practices don't usually stand the test of time, though, as we've seen in Vietnam. Eventually it starts hurting the tourism growth and you see a lot of anger in visitor satisfaction surveys and travel articles. So the practices start going away because it's hurting business.
In Costa Rica, however, there's a lot of "dumb money" floating around because of all the American investors and retirees who own property there. Costa Rica has become one of the most expensive places in Latin America because they've done a good job at marketing to retirees and bringing in hordes of free-spending vacationers--even though their neighbors offer similar attractions at a better price. If you went to Panama or Nicaragua, you wouldn't see this two-tiered pricing so much.
The only way to really avoid this, besides skipping the offending country entirely, is to bargain hard for souvenirs and avoid restaurants geared to tourists. Don't be afraid to walk away if you're being overcharged. If enough people vote with their wallet, things will change.

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San Juan Capistrano, CA: After reading your wonderful review of best kept hotels of Costa Rica my husband and I would like to plan a trip there. We have two boys ages fourteen and four. Most of the hotels featured don't include any activities for kids so I was wondering how it would be traveling there with them?
My boys like the water so that would be great but are they family friendly? Do you recommend me booking everything on my own to save money or should I use a travel agent. I am quite adventurous and love researching and trying to find the best deal. We absolutely love your magazine and I am on your website all the time trying to decide where to go. Thank you very much. Lynley P.S. it seems like CR would be a cheap destination for our family, yes?

Tim Leffel: This article is a little old, but it's a good one about traveling to a nature reserve in Costa Rica with kids. Lots of good links: http://www.gonomad.com/family/0204/costaricafamily2.html
Here's another one, covering more ground:
 latimes.com/travel/
 I would suggest booking the hotels and maybe transportation in advance (on your own), but working the rest out after arrival. If you book the adventure tours with a U.S. agency before you leave, you're going to pay a lot more to cover marketing and commissions. If you're the type who likes to have everything set up before you arrive, however, the peace of mind could be worth it. Just keep in mind that the best-laid plans are often fouled by weather when you're dealing with jungles, volcanoes, and beaches. Don't preplan too much or you'll be committed to tours that might not work out.
As for hotels, a beach and a pool are often enough to entertain a child or two, especially if you are doing jungle excursions and the like. One major thing a day is probably enough. There are some recommendations in the above articles though.
Unfortunately, Costa Rica has not been a cheap destination for quite a while--it is the most expensive country in Central America, battling with the coast of Belize to attract the wealthy Americans on a too-short vacation. But the tourism industry is more developed there than in neighboring countries, so in exchange for higher prices you will find it easier to get things scheduled and taken care of, especially if you don't speak Spanish.

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Waukon, IA: I will be traveling to Norway next year, possibly in May. I know it is an expensive place... any way to enjoy the country but keep the costs down? I will be traveling from LaCrosse, WI or Cedar Rapids, IA My niece who will be 18 and myself will be traveling together. I do use hostels at times. Thanks, Nancy

Tim Leffel: Scandinavia is one of the most expensive regions in the world, unfortunately, but although your destination has the greatest bearing on costs, there are certainly plenty of other variables under your control. Going in May rather than over the summer should help, first of all. Try to take public transportation most or all of the time if you can; renting a car and buying gas there will really hurt the budget. Use a guidebook that is geared more to independent travelers, such as Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, when searching out hotels and inexpensive places to eat. If you have any friends, relatives, or friends of friends there, seek them out by e-mail for advice. The inside scoop is usually best when it comes to dining and finding local bargains. There's bound to be plenty you can do for free.
If you can spend part of the time in an apartment rental or a room with a kitchen, that would help reduce costs at times. Camping is another option. If you are sociable and aren't put off by the thought of staying with strangers, there are organizations where you can arrange to stay with kindly hosts in the country. I'm a host at GlobalFreeloaders and Hospitality Exchange and have had good experiences. They're free to join, so it might be worth checking out.
The best would be to set up a home exchange with someone, but the chances of finding a Norway to Iowa exchange are admittedly not too great.

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Bethlehem, PA: My husband, 14-year old son, and I want to go from Paris to Amsterdam on July 12th or 13th 2006. What is the cheapest way to do this without us driving? Thanks!

Tim Leffel: The cheapest way is probably by bus, on a carrier such as Eurolines. http://www.eurolines.com/
For a tad more, you can take the train and probably get there faster. http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm
 For both options, your son's ticket will be a discounted one. Don't rule out budget flights though. These days, inter-European flights can be a great deal--as long as you don't carry too much luggage. To see who flies on which routes, go to the following: http://www.whichbudget.com/

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Auburn Hills, MI: Since you have visited many of the world's cheapest destinations-name one of your favorites and tell us why?