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continued from page 43 Zanzibar does have its glitzy Club Med-like resorts, but it's also a Bengal, is the Andaman (from the Hindu monkey god, "Hanuman") and Nicobar ("land of the naked") Islands. Located about 800 miles off the east coast of India, they are a great place to have a go at it alone. "All you need is a hammock and an eye for two good trees, and you're set. You can have a beach all to yourself for weeks," reports an I've-been-everywhere Australian traveler. The islands are home to big game fish , rare reefs and scattered shipwrecks. They also have some good swells, though most are only accessible by boat. Get primitive: Located on North Sentinel Island, and reminiscent of the headhunters of Gilligan's namesake getaway, the Sentinelese-only about 100 or so left-are known to greet visitors with spears and arrows, making it clear they do not enjoy company. Places to stay on North Sentinel: far away! This is one example of the seclusion of these islands. Experienced Andaman vacationer, painter and surfer Sandow Birk says, "The Andamans feel a little bit like Apocalypse Now." Sandow reported difficulties finding a beer here- the horror!- because the Hindus in the Andamans discourage its consumption. To get to the Andamans and Nicobars fly to Calcutta and then catch a smaller plane to Port Blair. Port Blair is the capital and best place to stay-a small village with government houses, resorts, cottages, and hotels- though think of it more as a base for touring the islands. Try Sampat Lodge (US$2-4, 011-91-32-937) or Hotel Sinclairs Bay View (US$50 per night, 011-91-32-937). Indonesia is a mecca of remarkable winter escapes. Composed of over 13,000 islands straddling the equator from latitudes six degrees north to eleven degrees south, it is no wonder. The ultimate escape might be spending a year and a half exploring all the islands, where you would certainly find encyclopedias of great secret island escapes. And Indonesia's appeal lies not only in beautiful beaches and other predict?ble ingredients of tropical paradise, but in a culture rich in diversity. Take Bah for example. Balinese culture and its Hindu religion are apparent everywhere you go on the 2,150-square-mile island-from hearing Gamelan music in the streets, to riding through the rice patties on a rented motorbike and discovering a colorful Hindu religious procession, to visiting monkey temples at Ulu Watu, to finding Islands are a drop in the translucent blue sea. Frank Lloyd Wright's golden rule of architecture was: A structure should not be on the land, it should be of the land. In the case of the Seychelles, the islands are not of the land they are of the water. The beaches are a powdery white and the interior is a dense jumble of coconut palms, cinnamon trees and rare bird species. The Seychelles are made up of two types of islands: granitic (the only islands in the world made up entirely of granite rock) and coralline. The islands' past is rich in folklore, stories of pirates and old vani lla plantations. The inhabitants, the Seychellois, are a mix of Asian, African and European and lead a basic islander lifestyle. The Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa and if this isn 't novelty enough for you, they also lay claim to housing the largest colony of giant tortoises. (Spearfishing, by the way, is prohibited.) The cuisine is Creole with lots of coconut curries. They offer up quality reef diving, game fishing, windsurfing, waterskiing and paragliding. To get there you fly into Mahe, the main island. From there, look for the Sunset Beach Hotel (US$146, 011-248-261-111). Another island paradise, across the Indian Ocean and into the Bay of major stop on the Africa budget traveler circuit. If you want a quiet time, go east where you can stay in your own hut right on the beach with no electricity and get to bed by nine every night. Check out Eddie 's Bungalows (US$6 per person, 011-255-33-789) on Nungwi Island. For electricity, a few more amenities and a much higher price tag, try Matemwe Bungalows (US$130-160, 011-255-33- 789) on Matemwe Island. Once you are back in Stone Town with money to spend, try the Zanzibar Serena Inn (starting at US$185 a night, 011-255-33-470). And while we're hovering in the Indian Ocean, the Seychelle offerings to the gods in the form of banana leaves and flowers alongside your local beachside surf rental. Arriving in Bali, you will inevitably find yourself in busy, touristy Kuta. While Kuta Beach is considered the best beginner surf break in the world , you may not want to spend too long here. If you do want to stay here, either on your way in or out, or if you're on a surf safari, there are an abundance of supercheap places to stay on the little alleyways Poppies Gang I and II , ali/osmens (cement huts) for less than US$lO per night, within walking distance of the beach. In Kuta Legian, about 30 minutes outside of Kuta, there's a great place to stay, Three Brothers Inn (011-62-361-751-566), which has tropical bungalows for about US$30 per night, and a great mellow atmosphere. From this point, a great deal of Bali can be explored. Legendary surfing exists on all corners of the island, and conditions vary according to the breeze. However, the North American winter is the low surfing season-which is good news for the beginners, because in the high season wave heights exceed 20 feet. Other Bali challenges, some of which are day trips or overnight trips from Kuta Legian, include whitewater rafting the Ayung (class 2 with some class 3 rapids) or Unda (class 2 to 4) rivers, climbing Bali's highest mountain Gunung Agung (over 3,000 meters, October to April is the ideal time); trekking around the volcanic cone of Gunung Batur (over 1,700 meters) and paddling Lake Bratan. The green, mountainous, rice paddy interior of the island, near Ubud Islamic Philippine province of Tawi-Tawi, which literally translates to "far far." From China that is. Tawi-Tawi lies at the southwestern most tip of the Philippines, bordering Borneo. Tawi-Tawi's three main islands are surrounded by white sand beaches, limestone cliffs and great, but shal low, diving. "This is a place for those fond of Joseph Conrad," says author and professional danger- seeking traveler Robert Young Pelton. "It's beautiful, dramatic, exotic. It's filled with kidnappers and honest-to-god pirates and there are zero tourists." Pelton admits that he's never heard of any tourist kidnappings and there's no fighting going on here, despite reports to the contrary. Just to be on the safe side, though, he recommends hooking up with the locals who are laid back and more than happy to help you out and show you around. Many of the Muslim locals own boats and are happy to give you a lift to the other smaller islands of Tawi-Tawi. If you are looking for some madness, check out what Pelton calls his favorite part of the main island: the jail. He says you can actually just walk in and hang out with inmates, some of whom are in for murder. Tawi-Tawi is inexpensive: there are several decent, but typical, Asian hotels and guest-houses for under US$lO, like Kasulutan Beach Resort (under US$10, no contact info, just ask when you get there). Expect to eat a lot of fish, shrimp, bananas and rice. To get to Tawi-Tawi from the western US you must go through Manila and, once there, hop a ferry or a plane to the capital Bongao. It's cheaper to get your ticket to Bongao once you're in Manila. Looking southeast, the South Pacific boasts many islands with great is where to go for a shanti shanti retreat. For the ultimate in relaxation, pamper yourself for half-an-hour with a US$5 massage. Ubud is an artisan community full of wood and stone carvings, and also some pretty amazing places to stay. In Ubud you can stay in a bungalow built over the water or in your own dwelling with your own outdoor garden and pool. Remember, Bali, as well as being on the budget traveler trail, is also home to some of the finest five star hotels in the world. Indulge at either the Four Seasons (starting at US$525 for a double) or the Amandari (US$605 for a double). But it's a tough decision between staying a few days at one of these places and getting something like 150 hours of massages for the same price. If Hindu tranqui lity bores you, then go far, far away to the fundamental surfing, diving, snorkeling and land and underwater caving. But Tonga also continued on page 77 73