Travel Tips

Cayman's `sub' culture. Visitors to the Cayman Islands, B.V.I., 480 miles south of Miami, will agree that these islands are one of the world's finest diving locations. Therefore, it's an ideal place to experience the underwater world in the first passenger submarine, Atlantis. At depths of 150 feet, the 28 passengers on Atlantis glide along seeing the spectacular marine life near the famous Cayman wall. For deeper dives, to depths of 800 and 3,000 feet, passengers may travel aboard Research Submersibles Ltd. or the new Pisces 2 craft. Both subs carry two passengers. For specifics, call (305) 443-1151 or write Cohen Associates Ltd., 250 Catalonis Ave., Suite 702, Coral Gables, FL 33134, or call your travel agent. Festivities in Virginia. Nearly a million visitors are expected to attend the 10-day Annual Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach, Va., Sept. 18-27. The festival, now in its 17th year, is listed as one of 20 top US events of this month. Events include a Coronation Parade, an air show, sporting events, a sandcastle competition, art shows, and fireworks, plus a variety of music and dance. For details write Virginia Beach Neptune Festival Inc., 4512 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23462, or call (804) 490-1221.

Spain and Modern Art. A tour starting in the city of Barcelona is being sponsored by the Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Oct. 4-18, and focuses on the evolution of modern art in Spain. Itinerary includes visits to architectural sites, and art museums such as the Picasso Museum. In some cities, dinner receptions provide the opportunity to meet with leading art personalities. For more information contact Travel, the Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, PO Box 7646, Philadelphia, PA 19101, or call (215) 787-5496, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Golfing in Britain. Many top golf professionals believe that some of the finest courses are found in Britain. The British Tourist Authority agrees. It has published a new map folder called ``Britain's Golf Courses'' that offers advice on how and where to play Britain's famous and less well-known courses. There are over 1,800 golf courses in Britain and the folder gives details of the type of course, yardage, par, greens fees, and club and cart rentals. For a free copy, contact BTA offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas.

Germany on a budget. Germany-bound travelers should investigate the WunderCheck voucher plan, where you can have a choice of staying at 84 participating hotels for as low as $37 a person (double occupancy) including daily breakfast. The WunderCheck voucher lists the names, locations, phone numbers, and other details of all participating hotels. Travelers simply purchase the vouchers for the total number of nights' accommodations. The 1987 ``WunderHotels in Germany'' brochure outlines the WunderCheck program and includes a list of American tour operators. A copy is available from your travel agent or the German National Tourist Office, 747 Third Ave., New York, NY 10017; or 444 S. Flower St., Los Angeles, CA 90071.

Best Fares. Best Fares, a monthly publication offering information on the latest discount air fares, claims to save the conscientious flier 30 to 70 percent almost every time he flies. The publication has no ties to travel agents, ticket brokers, or airlines. Each month Best Fares researches thousands of fares to find unpromoted, unadvertised flight bargains. In addition, a listing of all fares to each location allows the traveler to compare various flights and choose the one that suits his needs. Subscription price is $78 per year. Contact Best Fares, PO Box 171212, Arlington, TX 76003, or call (817) 588-0024.

Guidebook to planning meetings. Especially for the business travel planner, Inter-Continental Hotels offers a guidebook to meeting planning. The hotel chain has conducted extensive research and found that the number of meetings held by businesses has increased 66 percent over the past 10 years, with 93 percent of corporate meetings run by non-professional meeting planners. This 60-page guide is for the novice planner. It includes budgeting, negotiating hotel contracts, producing international theme parties, and evaluating a meeting's outcome. The book is free and may be ordered by calling Inter-Continental Hotels Reservations, 800-33-AGAIN.

Travel with assistance. Americans traveling abroad now have some place to turn when faced with the unexpected. Europ Assistance, a worldwide organization headquartered in Paris, quickly helps travelers out of predicaments 24 hours a day. Travel Assistance International (TAI) provides financial support, sends messages, and advances cash in emergencies. By becoming a member of TAI before leaving, Americans can receive information on weather, visas, and ski conditions. For free pre-trip information, call 800-821-2828 or write to Travel Assistance International, 1333 F. Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20004.

Sunfish World Championship. Aruba will host the 18th Sunfish World Championship, Sept. 26-Oct. 4. Eighty boats from around the world are expected to compete. Participants must be members of the International Sunfish Class Association. They will be offered special rates at the Golden Tulip Aruba Caribbean Hotel as well as Eastern Airlines' lowest air fares. Registration is $100 plus a $20 deposit. Contact the Aruba Tourism Authority, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2212, New York, NY 10020, or call (212) 246-3030.

La Carte Paris museum pass. Art lovers now have greater access to 60 of Paris's museums and historic monuments with La Carte. This card offers savings from 20 to 50 percent to museums like the new Orsay Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the National Museum of Modern Art (Georges Pompidou). For $16.50, museumgoers may visit all permanent collections and save 5 percent on books, reproductions, and catalogs in museum shops. La Carte may be bought in participating museums and monuments and from the 240 agencies of the Bank Cr'edit Agricole Mutuel d'Ile-de-France.

River rendezvous. River Rendezvous 5 on Oct. 1-4 will bring together private and commercial boatmen in Telluride, Colo. Here they will share information, compete in river-related games, attend educatonal seminars, and address conservation and political issues that affect the rivers of America. All proceeds will go toward funding river conservation. For tickets, write to River Rendezvous 5, PO Box 1838, Telluride, CO 81435, or the Telluride Chamber Resort Association, PO Box 653, Telluride, CO 81435. For airline and lodging reservations, call your travel agent or Telluride Central Reservations, 800-525-3455 (outside Colorado) or 1-728-4431 (within Colorado).