Start preparing for your own extraordinary adventures in Kauai, Palau, Alaska or Cuba, and you'll return with amazing tales to tell, as our contributors do in "New Explorations" (page 56 - April/May Issue, 2008). Your dream trip is closer than you may think.

ALASKA
BOOK your kayaking voyage with Above & Beyond Alaska, a tour operator that offers five-day trips exploring Admiralty Island from May to August. Rates start at $1,700. beyondak.com REPLENISH your energy after all that paddling by relaxing at the scenic Westmark Baranof Hotel in Juneau. It offers easy access to Douglas and Admiralty Islands. Rates start at $149. westmarkhotels.com LEARN MORE at travelalaska.com.

KAUAI
PADDLE SURF on the Hanalei River with waterman Titus Kinimaka. The 90-minute lesson from the Hawaiian School of Surfing is offered in three skill levels for surfers and non-surfers and includes one-on-one time with the instructor. Rates start at $65. hawaiianschoolofsurfing.com STAY at the Hanalei Bay Resort, situated within easy reach of the Hanalei River. Rates start at $215. hanaleibayresort.com LEARN MORE at gohawaii.com.

CUBA
SLEEP where Hemingway penned portions of For Whom the Bell Tolls. The charming Hotel Ambos Mundos is a fine base for exploring Old Havana. cuba.tc HIRE a charter boat from Hemingway Marina in Havana and fish for blue marlin, yellow fin tuna, mangrove snapper and grouper; ask a local to trade his filleting skills for a steak from the trophy. LEARN MORE at cubatravel.cu.

PALAU
FLY through Honolulu and then Guam aboard Continental Airlines to get to Palau. continental.com TOUR the lakes of this South Pacific island chain with Boundless Journeys' 10-day Oceania Odyssey, a comprehensive guided exploration of many of Palau's glasstopped treasures, including Lost Lake, Long Lake, Tarzan Lake and Jellyfish Lake. Trip departs Sept. 27. Rates start at $3,995. boundlessjourneys.com LEARN MORE at visit-palau.com.

4 MORE WAYS TO EXPLORE 

WATCH FOR WALRUSES IN ALASKA
Hop aboard a transfer from Dillingham to Round Island, courtesy of Walrus Island Expeditions, and you'll spend three days walking trails, observing seabirds and keeping an eye on magnificent walruses that line the island's shores. Tours available June 15-Aug.15. Rates start at $425. alaskawalrusisland.com

HIKE THROUGH THE HILLS IN KAUAI
Traverse the Kalihiwai Valley on your way to Kalihiwai Falls with Princeville Ranch Adventures. The private ranch provides exclusive access to the five-tiered falls, where you can float in an inner tube in a fern-lined swimming hole. Rates start at $129. adventureskauai.com

LIGHT A CIGAR IN CUBA
Witness every stage of cigar production -- from cooperatives at work in the tobacco fields to the sale of finished, rolled cigars in a Havana bar -- with USA Cuba Travel. usacubatravel.com

ROW AN OUTRIGGER CANOE IN PALAU
Cruise to Ulong Island in a kabekel, or outrigger canoe, the vessel ancient Palauans used to navigate the seas. On the Night Under the Stars tour from Fish 'n Fins, you'll hike through an ancient cave before spending the night on the island -- well, under the stars, of course. Rates start at $95. fishnfins.com

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