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Ask the average person to start naming the countries in Central America and there is a good chance that they will miss Belize. There is a reason for this. It is a small country that has rarely ever been in the news. It is not a country that has undergone conflict and outside of the occasional hurricane, it has been largely spared from the disasters that have hit other countries in the region.

Belize also may escape the mind because linguistically it is different from the rest of Central America. A former British colony (it was called British Honduras, for those scoring at home), the official language of Belize is English, although many people speak a form of English called Belizean Creole.

While you may not associate Belize with Central America, chances are you have heard that it is a pretty decent place to visit. It has excellent beaches, world class scuba diving and an ex-pat community that is seemingly growing by the second. Given its proximity to the United States, it is also very easy to reach for a short little get away.

Airfare to Belize often depends on the time of the year, but you can usually find a deal if you are persistent. You can also find loads of great information about what to do, where to stay and what to eat by visiting the handy Belize Travel Guide.

It doesn’t seem long ago that the Canadian dollar couldn’t buy you the cheapest spot in Monopoly. My how times have changed. The Canadian dollar has leveled against the US dollar and is only getting stronger. What that means for you, dear traveler, is that your vacations to Canada are becoming more and more expensive by the day. That pint of Molson is going to cost more. That gallon of maple syrup is going to eat away at your savings account. The medicines you can’t afford in the US…well, those are still a bargain but not as much as they used to be.

To offset the sticker price shock, United Vacations has a deal going where you can save $200 off your next trip to the Great White North. Their packages include deals on beautiful mountain spots like Banff, Jasper and Whistler. If city life is more of your thing, you can also visit Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. If you want to get your French on, Montreal and Temblant will welcome you to Parlez-Vous Francais.

The value of its currency might have changed, but one thing that has not is the fact that Canada is still an excellent country for both urbanities and outdoors folks to visit.

If you blink while you are in Bangkok, Thailand you may miss the construction of another high rise building. A city teeming with millions of people, Bangkok continues to grow up each and every day. That growing includes the rapid construction of high rise buildings that are changing the landscape of Thailand’s capital.

More than 15 million visitors a year arrive in Bangkok. That is quite a number for a city that used to be small and sleepy. It neither these days. Bangkok is full of life and full of activity. All of this is taking a toll on some of Bangkok’s most historic and unique sites, but even with the spread of modernity you can’t help but feel a connection to the past while you are there. From the Grand Palace to Wat Pho to Wat Arun, Bangkok is a city that is rooted in its tradition, a tradition that happens to hold much beauty and intrigue to those who visit.

Because of its popularity, affordable airfare to Bangkok is a possibility, especially if you are willing to travel during the offseason. Just remember to keep your eyes open while you are there. You won’t want to miss out on seeing something historic and you certainly don’t want to bump into one of those new buildings that are seemingly built overnight.

Tell people that you are taking a trip to Iran and you will receive a look of shock and amazement. Iran isn’t exactly a popular destination in the travel magazines and on Rick Steves these days, but for the adventurous traveler now is an excellent time to visit Persia.

I went to Iran a few years ago. As an American citizen, securing a visa meant working through the Pakistan embassy in Washington, DC. It took a little wrangling, but no worse than getting a visa to countries in the former Soviet Union. My flight path took me from the US to Amsterdam and than on to Tehran. Once I arrived in Iran I expected customs officials to interrogate me. They stamped my passport without even an eyebrow raised.

The reaction I got throughout my stay in Iran was one of appreciation. I was never hassled or bothered. People were genuinely happy to have an American visiting their country and to show off their renowned hospitality.

That isn’t to say that travel in Iran is easy for everyone. Certainly as a single male I had an easier time of it than a single female would. The language barrier was also a bit of a challenge. Many people in Tehran know some English, but when you leave the capital it gets harder and harder to find people who can help with translations.

All in all, Iran is a fascinating culture to see, especially with the headlines you read daily in the news. It is a rich culture with historic sites that are second to none. It is also a country that is not overrun by tourists, which means you will feel like your experience there is truly unique.

The cheapest airfare to Tehran, Iran generally is on flights that go through Europe and the Middle East. They can be spendy. Flying between cities in the country, however, is super cheap. I took a three-hour flight that cost less than $30 round trip.

There are certain places that exist as a launching pad and not as a final destination. Dalaman is one of those places. Situated on the southwestern coast of Turkey, Dalaman primarily serves as a place of arrival and departure for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock to Turkey each year for sun, fun and a glimpse of history.

The Dalaman Airport, an air conditioned oasis on a steamy summer day, serves people from all over the world traveling to the more famous beach resorts like Marmaris, Fethiye, Köyceğiz, Dalyan, Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü. Chances are you too will choose to bypass Dalaman on your way to the surf and sand, but the town itself is worth at least a quick glimpse. A small farming town situated near the Mediterranean, Dalaman is remarkable in its unremarkableness. In other words, it is the perfect backdrop for your trip elsewhere.

If you are looking to explore Turkey, flights to Dalaman are often the cheapest rates on the Web. Even if your idea of a Turkish holiday doesn’t involve sitting on a beach drinking yourself into a stupor, it is worth looking into Dalaman, the gateway to elsewhere.

Remember that brief period of time when the Jamaican bobsled team was all the rage? Their every move was followed by the television cameras at the Olympics. Their travails were documented in the John Candy film Cool Runnings. They made an already cool Jamaica even cooler. That was all the way back in 1988. Yes, you and I are both getting old.

The Jamaicans are planning on having another bobsled team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which means now is the perfect time to head to the island and do some advance scouting of the prospective teams.

Actually, I don’t have any delusions that you will travel to Jamaica to watch men sliding down a track, but nevertheless it is a good time to visit the country because airfare to Montego Bay is cheap.

Montego Bay is home to one of the world’s most famous beaches, which is something you wouldn’t know if you based your perceptions purely on the origins of its name. According to Wikipedia: The name “Montego Bay” is believed to have originated as a corruption of the Spanish word manteca (”lard”), allegedly because during the Spanish period it was the port where lard, leather, and beef were exported.

Lard Bay. That sounds almost as plausible as a bobsled team from a Caribbean island.

Exclusive offer! Tropical wake-up call: Vacation Packages From $356

Ok my travel buddies, gather around and let me tell you a little secret. You know how when you talk to people who are planning a trip they almost always tell you they are going to travel in the summer or during one of the holidays. That is because almost everyone actually does choose to travel in the summer months or over the holidays. That is why airline tickets to Europe are always through the roof in the summer.

Now, my friends, you are a savvy traveler and you know that great adventures can occur any time during the year. You know that you don’t need it to be a perfect summer day to enjoy the experience of being in another country. You know that it is worth it to use your vacation time off from work to travel when you can actually enjoy it. You know that fighting crowds everywhere you go is not much fun.

You also should know by now that Autumn is absolutely the greatest time of year to travel to Europe. The crowds are gone, the sites are empty and the prices are amazingly cheaper. Witness the price on flights to Ireland. If you can swing it and go in November, not only will you save a bundle on your airfare but you will own the country by being the only one there.

For more on travel in Ireland, check out the awesome Ireland Travel Logue.

Make it to Ireland this autumn: One-Way Flights From $159+

Visitors to Casablanca, Morocco might be disappointed to find that Humphrey Bogart is not on the local currency nor is his presence very evident at all. The Moroccan capital, forever brought to the attention of moviegoers through the 1942 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, is far from the sleepy outpost portrayed on the big screen.

Modern day Casablanca is home to 3.1 million people. It is the chief port and economic hub in North Africa. Its skyline is dominated by slick, glass high rises that would not look out of place in the world’s wealthiest countries. Its amenities are first class and navigating the city’s public transportation system is relatively easy.

While modern Casablanca is bustling and familiar, there are still sections of the city that cling to the traditional past. The Old Medina is not as touristy as the ones found in Fez or Marrakech, but it still has its charms and it is worth a visit to walk inside the old town’s mud walls.

Getting to Casablanca is fairly easy with frequent flights directly from Europe. Iberia Ailines even has deals where you can fly to Casablanca round trip from the United States for less than $800.

I’m a big geography buff so any time I see a cheap ticket deal to a destination I don’t know I am quick to take notice. Today I saw that United Airlines will fly you from Los Angeles to Zihuantanejo, Mexico for under $200 round-trip. I was familiar with Los Angeles, it is somewhere on the west coast and home to famous people who are always having their pictures snapped while they sip cocktails at nightclubs at 4am. I was not familiar with Zihuatanejo but correctly guessed that it is in Mexico. Hooray for me and hooray for United for flying there. It looks like a cool place.

Situated on the Pacific Coast about 145 miles northwest of Acapulco, Zihuatanejo is a sleepy and beautiful looking fishing village nestled around a quiet bay and pretty beaches. It is the antithesis of Acapulco. There are no high rise buildings and it is a wonderful alternative to staying in the much busier and touristy Ixtapa, which is five km away.

As for the name which I will probably never be able to pronounce correctly, it means “the place of women” in Chiuatlan. You learn something new every day.

Quick, what is the largest city in Central America? If you answered “Guatemala City”, give yourself a big pat on the pack. If you answered anything else, well, don’t worry you probably weren’t alone. Even though it is the largest city with more than 5 million residents, Guatemala City is often overlooked when people think about traveling to Central America. It shouldn’t be.

Like many large cities in Latin America, Guatemala City has its share of grime, but it also has areas of beauty. The cities many old churches lend architectural charm to the bustling city with the Cerrito del Carmen, Catedral Metropilitana, Calvario and Iglesia de Santo Domingo all worth a visit.

There are also many fine museums in Guatemala City including the Ixchel Museum of Tradional Costumes, Popul Vuh Museum – which has great pre-Hispanic Mayan archaeological items – and the Archaeology and Ethnology Museum, home of the famous Tikal mask.

While in Guatemala City you’ll also want to check out the textile shops, which are famous for their colorful patterns.

Flights to Guatemala City and Central America are very reasonable right now thanks to TACA airlines. Now’s your chance to see Central America’s largest city and to learn more about its residents’ dynamic way of life.