By SHIRLEY BRADY

Who wants to cook while on holiday? Quite a few people, it turns out, particularly those who are hard-pressed to find time to whip up a culinary feast at home. While nearly everyone loves to sample the local cuisine while vacationing, many tourists are finding that cooking for themselves is an ideal way to experience and appreciate the tastes and smells of a culture--while letting off a little steam of their own.

Hoteliers increasingly are catering to such needs by offering cooking classes for vacationers, recognizing that travelers often prefer hands-on experiences. "Hotels have been silly, thinking it's enough to give people a room and maybe a meal in the restaurant," says Hans Hordijk, assistant food and beverage manager of the Peninsula hotel in Hong Kong. "Using the expertise on staff and the equipment in our kitchens, we have been able to offer our guests more than just a chance to meet the chef and ask a few questions."

Here's a taste of what's on offer around the region, from roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-chopping affairs, to demonstrations and lectures for travelers who prefer to watch first and get their hands dirty later:

THE PENINSULA ACADEMY, HONG KONG Two years ago, the city's oldest and plushest hotel introduced "A Class Act"--a series of cooking lessons taught by the Pen's team of award-winning chefs. Despite the recent drop in visitors from Japan, openings still tend to fill up fast for the chance to learn the delicate art of dumpling-pinching and other food-preparation skills. Packages range from $595 to $1,525 for one to three nights (plus as many classes), including Rolls-Royce airport transfers, after-class meals, deluxe accommodation and a spot of high tea in the afternoons. A single lesson, with lunch, costs $115. (Tel: 852-2366-6251)

THE SERAI, BALI Australian chef Jonathan Heath, who has lived in Indonesia most of his life, mixes hands-on lessons with visits to nearby rice fields and wet markets. Courses run from two to five days, costing $250 to $625 per person. Hotel accommodation starts at $130. (Tel: 62-3634-1011)

RAFFLES CULINARY ACADEMY, SINGAPORE Classes explore the range of local cuisines, most notably Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan. Favorites include Peking duck and the hotel's renowned "Salmon Three Ways." There also are kids' classes designed for junior gourmets, as well as courses in wine-tasting and dessert preparation. Classes cost $35 to $100; suites begin at $480. (Tel: 65-337-1886)

THE COOKING SCHOOL AT THE ORIENTAL HOTEL, BANGKOK This four-day program teaches such intricate skills as carving pineapples and other fruit into clever shapes, and making perfect Thai noodles. At $2,110 per student, the package includes a stay of five nights, a massage and most meals. Single lessons cost $75. (Tel: 662-236-0400)

For information on other culinary opportunities in Asia, visit www.time .com/asia to see what's cooking.

--By Shirley Brady

WEB CR@WLING

TRANSITIONS ABROAD
(www.transabroad.com)

BEING THERE The website for Transitions Abroad magazine, a bimonthly journal for expatriates, is useful for anyone contemplating living, working or studying away from home, or simply hoping to learn more about the region they are visiting. The emphasis is on responsible travel and learning to live like a local--information on language schools and study programs is supplemented with thoughtful essays on how not to feel like a stranger in a strange land.

CLUELESS IN GUANGZHOU
(www.clueless.nu)

CHINA HAND This free monthly English-language magazine aimed at foreigners living in Guangzhou is now online. It gives an insider's view of the bustling southern city formerly known as Canton. The listings of cultural events, restaurant reviews (providing names in Chinese for showing taxi drivers), hotel events and other attractions are spiced up with first-person features, like a novice's experience trying out acupuncture and other forms of Chinese medicine.

HOT DEALS

With Japan Airlines' new promotion, you don't even have to arrive on JAL to take advantage of its "Welcome to Japan" domestic fares. The popular program, introduced last year, will return starting Aug. 26 (with a holiday blackout from Dec. 25-Jan. 4). The deal, which applies only to visitors who live outside Japan, offers discounts of at least 50% if they book two or more flights within the country before they arrive--regardless of which airline they use to get to Japan. The catch is that the domestic flights must be booked before travelers leave home, although there is no charge for changing plans after arriving. The savings are impressive: visitors pay only $180 per person for two flights anywhere.

SHORT CUTS

MOVIE MANIA The next wave in Asian cinema will soon be on display, as movie buffs and filmmakers prepare for the autumn festival circuit. Kuala Lumpur will host the Commonwealth Film Festival (Sept. 11-15), giving visitors to the Commonwealth Games a chance to see new films from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Singapore, as well as from Western member nations such as Britain, Australia and Canada. The first annual Bangkok Film Festival (Sept. 18-26) is scheduled to screen about 50 feature films and more than 30 shorts and documentaries (see www.nationmultimedia.com/filmfest for details). Another annual bonanza for cinema-lovers is the Tokyo International Film Festival (happening Oct. 31-Nov. 8). While Leonardo DiCaprio won't be in attendance this year, a range of new and classic cinema offerings will be. Keep watching the TIFF '98 website at www.tokyo-filmfest.or.jp for the inside scoop.

DETOURS

The tiny U.S. territory of Guam offers a respite from the region's tough times. Among its newest features: the roomy Sherwood Hotel in the Tumon tourist district, a Hard Rock Cafe and the Tarza Magical Adventure Zone water park. The tropical paradise, a three-hour flight from Taiwan and Japan, offers golfing and aquatic fun: scuba diving, fishing, jet skiing, dolphin watching, submarine cruises and "snuba"--a combination of scuba diving and sea walking (no tank, just an oxygen line to a boat). It's visa-free for most Asians, and its duty-free status makes it a popular destination for that other favorite pastime: shopping.