By HILARY ROXE

f the word "volunteering" evokes images of candy-stripers and church bake sales, think again. With a little planning and an open mind, volunteering can be a philanthropic recess from the office and a valuable cultural experience. Although it's hard work, spending vacation time in the field is a great way to learn about a country. The spectrum of opportunities in Asia for willing--and paying--volunteers is vast and varied. Among the options: work camps in Bangladesh, construction projects in South Korea and archaeological digs in Thailand.

If a volunteer vacation sounds like a worthwhile alternative to a point-and-shoot holiday, be warned: travelers lacking a serious commitment or realistic expectations could be in for a hard time. "I would caution people against a casual approach to these vacations," says David Minich of Habitat for Humanity, a U.S. Christian organization that arranges construction projects worldwide. "Management of expectation is critical." A 10-day contribution on a building site, he says, will allow you to see only a portion of a lengthy process. Don't expect to save the world in a week.

That said, immersion in a job provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the customs of local co-workers. And leave the guidebook behind. "For people who want to be a tourist," says Blue Magruder of Earthwatch, which offers a wide spectrum of volunteer opportunities, "this is the wrong thing."

So if you're intrigued, here are a few places to begin your inquiries:

Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org) builds homes through its Global Villages program. Working with local contractors, volunteers may be housed-with a host family or in a small hotel. Prices range from $1,800 to $3,000 for the average two-week experience, excluding airfare.

Earthwatch (www.earthwatch.org) matches field researchers with teams of-workers to assist in on-site studies, like documenting Buddhist musical traditions in China's Yunnan province, curating jewelry in a study of ancient Thai heritage and observing snow leopards in India's Himalayas. Tasks and accommodations depend on the location, and prices vary from $1,000 to $2,500.

Global Volunteers (www.globalvolunteers.org) sends workers to China's Xian and Vietnam's Mekong Delta to teach English. Participants, who are lodged in local hotels, can tour the region on weekends. Costs range from $1,850 to $2,100.

Volunteers for Peace (www.vfp.org) has field projects that last two to three weeks, costing an average of just $195. These international work camps are run by local organizations that focus on social welfare and community development. Volunteers generally are placed in rugged conditions, asked to bring their own sleeping bags and warned early on that no insurance is provided. Participants must be between 18 and 35 years old.

For those with more time to give, Medecins sans Frontieres (www.msf.org) places doctors, paramedics and non-medical staff in emergency situations, usually for six to nine months. Besides room and board, it provides a monthly stipend of about $650.

--By Hilary Roxe

HOT DEALS

Thailand continues to be one of the best travel bargains in Asia, thanks in part to new coupon books (called "cultural passports") Thailand is distributing through embassies and overseas Thai Airways offices to advertise special deals at restaurants, hotels and shops. Meanwhile, the "Thailand Grand Sale," which runs through the end of June, offers savings of up to 80% at major department stores and shopping centers for goods ranging from handicrafts to brand-name products. These marketing efforts (and the soft baht) seem to be having an effect: American Express says credit-card spending in Thailand by tourists in the first quarter rose 55% from a year earlier. Expect more deals in the coming months, particularly in the lead-up to the Asian Games in Bangkok in December.

WEB CR@WLING

HOT SPOTS
(www.airsecurity.com)

SAFETY FIRST Consult the Sultan of Brunei's travel experts for free by logging onto the Air Security International website. Users can register for free daily e-mail updates that list trouble spots around the world. Simply click on the "hot spots" button on ASI's home page, and receive the same travel-intelligence reports used by government leaders, corporate executives and celebrities. Bodyguards not included.

HUMAN LANGUAGES PAGE
(www.june29.com/HLP)

GREETINGS, EARTHLING For travelers who wish to pick up more of the local tongue than just the phrases for "one more beer, please" and "which way to the loo?", this site will be much appreciated. The Human Languages Page is brimming with links to language-learning websites, many of which contain dictionaries, user-friendly lists of useful expressions and even pronunciation guides for those possessing Internet audio software on their computers.

SHORT CUTS

WANDERLOVERS For the many Japanese couples who dream not only of honeymooning overseas but also of getting married abroad, the Japan Travel Bureau is now assisting nuptial peregrinations. Traveling weddings are growing in popularity: 45,000 Japanese pairs got married abroad in 1997, a 20% rise from the previous year. JTB hopes to cater to that market by offering wedding packages through its 70 offices worldwide. It recently opened its first overseas wedding bureau in Shinjuku, along with special wedding counters at its six Tokyo-area branches. JTB's marriage package for Hawaii--the most popular honeymoon destination--costs between $5,470 and $6,280 per couple for a four-night package including airfare, accommodation, meals, wedding ceremony and reception (both at a hotel) and island tours. Private firms are getting into the act as well. Watabe Wedding Service recently became the first company in China organizing Japanese-style marriages--including professional masters of ceremony and ritual candle-lighting--for mainland couples.

DETOURS

With the mesmerizing Namsan Mountain visible in the distance, the Namsangol Traditional Garden in downtown Seoul offers a taste of traditional Korean life. The historic village here almost didn't make it through the Korean War, and today only the gardens and five houses remain as a living testament. Gracious han bok-clad tour guides greet visitors to this urban sanctuary, a popular weekend and picnic spot for families. Sip jujube or ginger tea and nibble rice cookies served up as traditionally dressed women practice calligraphy and embroidery and perform music for heavy-footed visitors unused to walking on the ondols, or raised floors.