Gap-year Cuba
I would like to spend part of my gap year (before university) in Cuba and am thinking of doing volunteer work but the only thing I can find lasts the whole year, whereas I only want to stay for part of it. I will be 18, am female, vegetarian and on a budget.
Ellie Mond, Bristol
There aren't many opportunities to participate in volunteer schemes in Cuba but an organisation that is particularly popular with gap-year students is the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. It organises international working brigades to carry out voluntary labour in Cuba.
The work is usually agricultural or construction-based and stints last three weeks (although you can arrange to stay on in Cuba for longer if you like). No special skills are required but under-18s must be accompanied by an adult. Additional activities are organised including educational, cultural and political excursions.
The scheme is entirely self-funded and participants are expected to pay about £770 to £850. The fee includes flights, lodging and food but you'll need to organise personal travel insurance. For further details contact The Red Rose Club, 129 Seven Sisters Road, London N7 7QG (020 7263 6452).
This year the brigades depart from the UK in September and December. Placements should be booked in advance. All specialist dietary requirements can be catered for if requested at the time of booking.
Cycling in Croatia
A friend and I are hoping to visit Croatia at the beginning of September for a maximum of 10 days. Could you offer any advice on the following: ease and mode of travel within the country/out to the islands; the feasibility of cycling while we are there and accommodation.
Nicola Martin, via email
Getting around Croatia is quite simple, thanks to its comprehensive transport network.
Bus routes are extensive and because price is determined by kilometres travelled, journeys tend to be particularly good value. There are usually several daily express services linking major towns. Tickets need to be booked in advance especially in the summer months.
Train services are less frequent and routes less extensive, but they are much more comfortable and about 15 per cent cheaper.
Coastal ferries and local ferries operate almost daily. There are a huge number of routes available and fares vary accordingly. Tickets should be bought in advance. The main operator is Jadrolinija; if there is no ticket office in town, there is usually a booth on the harbour side.
Cycling is a great way to explore the islands and bikes are easy to rent. The tourist office should be able to supply you with a list of rental outlets as well as maps of suggested routes. The island of Mali Losinj in the Kvaerner region is particularly suitable for cyclists, as the scenery is relatively flat but the winding roads on the other islands also offer challenging routes and spectacular views.
Many of the hotels in Croatia's resorts are characterless and impersonal. You'd be far better opting for the family-run establishments known as pensions. They are of an excellent standard and offer good value for money. Don't rely on glossy tourist brochures, as these tend to co-operate mainly with the larger hotels - ask a local tourist office for recommendations.
As you are visiting in September, considered to be one of the shoulder months, you should be able to secure a discount of about 20 per cent.
For more information on travelling to this region contact the Croatian National Tourist Office (020 8563 7979, 2 The Lanchesters, 162-164 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 9ER).
A good value way to get to Croatia is to fly to Ancona with Ryanair and get the ferry across the Adriatic to Split, Zadar and other destinations.
Maine roads
My wife and I plan a two-week driving holiday in north-east America this summer, flying to Boston, renting a car and driving up the New England coast. We then intend to meander inland ending up in Albany, NY. We will continue from there by train to New York City. Can you advise on a suggested route, bearing in mind our interest in architecture and good food? Will we need to book ahead for reasonable, fairly cheap hotels? And what is the best way of renting a car?
Roger Morris, Highbury
If you haven't started booking accommodation, you should do so now. Many more popular destinations such as Boston and New York will already be filling up. In less well-known spots you should still consider reserving ahead for peace of mind, at least for your first few nights.
Get off the main highways and onto country roads. The coast north of Boston in particular has rich historical, architectural and culinary attractions on offer.
Salem, famous for witches, is a commuter suburb of Boston with great museums and is worth stopping off at on your way to Marblehead, a wealthy yachting port with many historic buildings.
Gloucester, made famous by the book and film The Perfect Storm, and the dramatic south-east Maine coastline are interesting diversions on the way to Portland, which boasts a surprising degree of nineteenth-century architectural unity.
From here you can turn inland and head up into the mountainous interior of New Hampshire. The Kancamagus Highway, running through the White Mountains National Forest, offers a fantastic drive with lots of lakes and rivers to cool off beside. From here you can amble across southern Vermont to Albany.
Another potential route from Boston heads south to explore Plymouth and Cape Cod, before turning back inland over to Albany via the Berkshire Hills. The coast south of Boston will however be very busy at this time of year.
See www.visitnewengland.com for more information; www.boston.com is also a good resource, especially for your time in the city.
Moorea money
I am just about to order some currency to take with me to Moorea in French Polynesia. Is it better to take US dollars or cfp (Pacific francs)? I am planning to use credit cards for most payments, but should I take traveller's cheques too?
James Johnson, by email
You'll find most denominations accepted, but the best deal will normally be with US dollar travellers' cheques. To lessen charges, change large amounts and do so in towns rather than at hotels or resorts.
Moorea is a very popular destination, and not only because it's so easy to get to from Tahiti. It boasts classic Pacific island scenery, great hiking, postcard beaches and a very laid-back tropical air.
You may not think of this when considering a holiday in this part of the world, but there are a wealth of archaeological sites, particularly in the Opunohu Valley.
It's simple to get to Moorea once in Papeete, the main gateway to the islands. You can just turn up for the 15-mile crossing and go for about £6 each way. For information see www.mooreaisland.com
Flying to Mongolia
I hope to travel to Mongolia later this year, to visit a friend. I'm having problems organising the last leg - to Ulaanbaatar, from either Moscow or Beijing. My travel agent says there are no UK-based consolidators for Mongolian Airlines and has quoted me £5,000 tourist class.
Caroline Footman, by email
Air China (020 7630 7678) flies from Beijing to Ulaanbataar return for about £390, depending on the time of year, or about £690 from London.
For flights from Moscow to Ulaanbaatar try Aeroflot (020 7355 2233), which has 21-day returns for £390 including taxes. It also offers deals from London, and though many people are put off by Aeroflot's reputation, it is working hard to change perceptions.
If time is not important, you could look into going by train; packages are available from Regent Holidays (0117 921 1711).
· We welcome letters. Tom Hall and Rachel Suddart from Lonely Planet address as many as possible here. Email travel.tips@observer.co.uk or write to Escape, 119 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER. The writer of the week's star letter wins a Lonely Planet guide of their choice (so include a daytime telephone number and postal address). No individual correspondence can be entered into.
