Tours & Cruises

SURINAME

See South America’s true colors

MEET some of South America’s most colorful residents on a 15-day expedition to the rain forests, rivers and reserves of Suriname, a onetime Dutch colony known for its biodiversity.

Suriname, which borders Brazil and French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America, is home to one of the largest protected tropical forests in the world and is a refuge for unusual species, such as the cock-of-the-rock, a tropical bird marked by a fan-shaped crest of feathers that extends from its bill tip to the top of its head.

“It’s a spectacular, unspoiled country with amazing diversity, scenery and species,” said Randy Reiremo of the nonprofit Oceanic Society, which is organizing the April 5 tour.

The itinerary includes the capital city of Paramaribo, Zanderij savanna, Arawak Indian settlements, Brownsberg Nature Park, Raleigh Falls Nature Reserve and Galibi Sea Turtle Reserve. The Oceanic Society has an ongoing research program at Galibi, a nesting site for green, olive ridley and leatherback turtles. Nine-day research programs, which are open to the public, are scheduled at the reserve March 22 and May 10 and 24.

Cost: The 15-day tour is $3,190 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $425), including airfare from Miami to Suriname, accommodations, meals, transportation in Suriname, excursions and guides. Airfare to Miami is not included. The research program at the Galibi reserve is $2,290 per person, including airfare from Miami, lodging and meals.

Contact: Oceanic Society, San Francisco; (800) 326-7491, www.oceanic-society.org.

VIETNAM

From cities to shining sea

WiND through the crowded streets of Ho Chi Minh City, then swim and snorkel at the beach resort of Nha Trang on a 17-day tour of Vietnam.

The March 31 trip has a varied itinerary and includes a tour of the Cu Chi tunnels used during the Vietnam War; the Mekong Delta town of Cai Be; the ancient port of Hoi An, the onetime Imperial city of Hue; and Hanoi. Several boat trips are planned, including sails on Halong Bay, the Perfume River and tributaries of the Mekong Delta.

Cost: $2,490 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $350), including round-trip airfare from LAX, accommodations, some meals and a bilingual guide.

Contact: World Expeditions, San Francisco; (888) 464-8735, www.weadventures.com.

ENGLAND

Shakespeare’s the thing

Go Globetrotting -- in more ways than one -- on a 10-day London theater tour sponsored by Pasadena City College.

The April 9 trip includes tickets to five plays, including one at Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare.

Pasadena City College English professor Jane Hallinger and Amy Ulmer, dean of its English division, will accompany the group. The itinerary will include tours of the Globe theaters in London and Stratford.

Cost: $1,925 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $515), including airfare, accommodations, breakfasts and a transportation pass for London’s buses and Underground.

Contact: Pasadena City College English Division; (626) 585-7027, www.pasadena.edu.

CALIFORNIA

Embrace the snow at Tahoe

Snuggle up by a fireplace in a lakeside cabin or barrel through drifts on a snowmobile on a three-night vacation at Zephyr Cove Resort on Lake Tahoe.

The winter package, available Sundays through Thursdays from Jan. 4 to April 8, includes an Emerald Bay sightseeing cruise and a guided snowmobile tour. The resort is four miles from Stateline, Nev.

Cost: $329 per couple, including accommodations, two meals and activities. Transportation to Lake Tahoe is not included.

Contact: Zephyr Cove Resort; (775) 589-4907, www.zephyrcove.com.

CARIBBEAN

Seeing isles by bike, ship

Ride off into the sunset on a Caribbean isle during a weeklong bike-and-cruise holiday aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Sky.

The itinerary for the March 21 cruise includes San Juan, Puerto Rico; Dominica; St. Lucia; Barbados; and St. Kitts. Bikers will take four 25-mile rides. Courses range from moderate to hilly.

Cost: Cabin prices start at $806 per person, double occupancy (singles must pay for double occupancy), plus $450 per person for bike rental, guides, support vans, transportation, snacks and lunches. Airfare to San Juan is not included.

Contact: Bike and Cruise Tours; (503) 252-3699, www.bikeandcruise.com.