New York to Moscow for $502: Every once in a while you come by one of those deals where you think to yourself, “Well, I wasn’t planning on going there, but at that price . . . ” This deal from Aerosvit Airlines is one of those, and it includes taxes and fees (yes, that’s a final price), and is valid for travel until the end of April.

AA’s International Flight Special: Well, hello gorgeous. Yeah I’m talking to you, international flight deal from American Airlines for trips next weekend (March 9 – 12). How about you and I go back to my place and chat about that New York to St. Thomas for $260 deal, or that Chicago to Los Cabos deal for $460?

New York to Morocco for $587: If you didn’t know already, this flight usually costs around $1,000, but right now Iberia’s offering the same flight for only $587 (including taxes) for travel from April 13 — May 20.

Lonely Planet’s doling out accolades to these ten countries as being very topping, with El Salvador being the toppingist of them all. Okay, they don’t really elaborate as to what this list mean, other than being the “hottest countries for next year,” but I assume they mean destinations that are, or have been, under the radar and are just coming into their own as hot spots for travelers. Which usually means one thing: Get there now before they’re firmly on the tourist trail.

Rounding out the top five are Germany, Greece, Malaysia and Morocco. And at number 10, experiencing a little Obama bounce, the U.S.A., which given the likelihood of a an anemic dollar for the near-term future, will likely be at the top of the list for many visitors, especially those carrying the enviably strong euro.

So what’s missing here? I may sound like a broken record, but let’s give a shout out to Colombia, a country whose culture and diversity, not to mention accessibility, makes it a great “top” country in 2010. A few of my own honorable mentions: Panama (have you seen how cheap it is to fly there in the winter?), Ireland (see Panama), and Namibia (everyone I met in Africa who was visited the country raved about the outdoor adventures that can be had there).

For those looking for a little surfing getaway while in North Africa, look no further than Taghazoute, Morocco, a small fishing village in Southern Morocco that has started to gain a big following in the surfing community. Prime surfing season is September through April when you can expect swells from 3 – 15 feet, or for wusses you can come in the summer and ride the bunny hill-like waves.

Matador has the low-down on where to stay, what to eat, and most importantly, where to catch some waves. (Do surfers actually say “Catch some waves”? I have to admit, most of my surfing knowledge comes from the movie “Point Break.” Surfers rob banks to finance their lifestyle too, right?)

“In desert we have time but no watch. In America you have watch but no time.” The enlightened words of my Berber guide reverberated in the silence of the Sahara. Just a speck on one of the many majestic dunes, I sat there — phone in one pocket, iPod in the other — gazing up at the star-studded sky, contrasting my own fast-paced, self-isolating culture with that of his people’s; one strongly tied to tradition, community and an appreciation for the present moment in time.

The Berber’s words came back to me as I listened to Richard Bangs explain his own exploration of those very same differences while traveling throughout Morocco. Speaking from The Explorer’s Club in New York, Bangs was in town promoting his upcoming PBS documentary, “Morocco: Quest for the Kasbah,” his fourth in a series of eco-friendly jaunts around the world.

Instead of the desert, Bangs’ focus is on the Kasbah — a fortressed community that has remained the epicenter of Moroccan life and culture since before Islam violently swept across Africa. As a safe haven, it has been a place for people to exchange goods as well as ideas, providing the breeding grounds for multiculturalism and tolerance.

Like my own unforgettable excursion in Morocco, the first half of Bangs’ quest begins in Marrakech where he explores the massive square, Djemaa el Fna, and the city’s eclectic souks. From here he moves west to the coastal city of Essaouira, then crosses the snow-capped High Atlas (or Grand Atlas) mountains to the Sahara where he spends a night beneath the stars in a nomad tent. The second half of his exploration takes him north to the cities of Fès, Tangier, Rabat, and finally to infamous Casablanca where his epic journey comes to an end.

“Morocco has a world view developed through centuries of nomadic movement,” Bangs says wistfully. “It is a berth for people of all backgrounds and faiths to gather and share, a country that celebrates and respects the interconnectedness of the family man. Morocco today, and always, is a Kasbah with an open door.”

Many travelers skip Tangier on their way to the rest of Morocco due to the city’s sordid history and dodgy reputation. But, as I discovered, sometimes all it takes is just a little help from a friend from the inside to discover the wonders of the city.

By Jeffery Smith

“Why don’t we go to Marrakech tomorrow?” somebody casually suggested during a lull in the conversation. It was late into the night, and I had just spent the last several hours sipping wine and sherry with a group of Britons at a ranch located in the verdant hills between Vejer de la Frontera and Barbate in southern Spain. A few minutes later it was decided: Oliver — a friend of mine — and I would hop on a ferry on the southern coast, make our way to the train station in Tangier and take the overnight to Marrakech. We were wary of spending too much time in Tangier because we both had parents with dubious experiences there in the 70′s. But if all went to plan, we’d only have to spend a few hours in the fabled city. As it turns out, a few hours in Tangier wasn’t nearly enough time.

Most travelers familiar with the region would suggest going to Algeciras to catch the ferry to Tangier, but instead we opted for a 45-minute bus trip bound for the wind-swept town of Tarifa, a city we had been to a few weeks prior. Tarifa is the windsurfing capital of the world and ten minutes on the small peninsula reveals why: the levante, or dry, hot wind, is unrelenting. Ten days in Tarifa — for those of you who are not inclined to windsurf — and you will quickly understand why the area has such a high suicide rate. From here we took the Tarifa-Tangier ferry. Run by a monopoly called FRS, the voyage is a short 35-minute jaunt across the Strait of Gibraltar. (more…)

Seedy coffeehouses, hashish-smoking partygoers, and a long history of counterculture, Tangier may be cleaning up its act a little due to the efforts of King Mohammed VI, but it doesn’t take long to see the city like Burroughs did back when he holed up here to write Naked Lunch, or how the countless number of spies who were stationed here did when the city was in limbo and without a country.

Looking for a calm, relaxing spot to spend your holiday? Then forget the Jebel Sahro mountain range. About a day’s drive from Marrakesh, Morocco, and just on the border of the Sahara Desert, these sparse but magnificent peaks offer some of the best winter hikes in the world for those looking for outdoorsy adventure in relatively close proximity to Europe and North America.

Tours, as described here, through the region can be arranged which offer insight and close-encounters with these mountainous cultures. Now the real question: How are you going to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with no electricity?