7 free things to do in Marrakesh

I moved from a small town of roughly 8,000 residents to New York City over four years ago.

If you're looking for idyllic islands, rolling surf, untamed nature and showstopping wildlife, Panama is an ideal destination. It sits at the crossroads of the Americas, connecting two oceans, and beyond its cosmopolitan capital and legendary canal, Panama is a biodiversity hotspot. Did you also know it produces some of the world's  finest – and most expensive – coffee?

Prepare to be wowed: Djemaa El Fna is the dazzling heart of Marrakesh, with hordes of people all day long and into the night. It’s an exciting place to be, with shops, restaurants, herbalists, cats, kids going to school, drummers, fruit-juice carts, motorbikes, groups of tourists, bugle-players, women going shopping, and the odd snake.

On Antigua, there’s “365 beaches, one for every day of the year.” It’s a long-standing motto that keeps tourists coming to the shores of this dual-island country (along with neighboring Barbuda). Antigua is the bigger of the two, covering 108 square miles and more beaches than you’ll likely be able to squeeze into one visit, from the easternmost secluded white sands of Halfmoon Bay, to Galley Bay Beach, known for its surf-friendly waves and sea turtle hatchlings.

If you have your eyes set on island-hopping throughout the Lamu Archipelago or venturing on some of the most thrilling wildlife safaris in the New Year, we have good news for you: travel to Kenya is about to get a little bit easier.

Qatar Duty Free (QDF), owner and operator of all retail and catering outlets at Hamad International Airport in Doha, today unveiled Souq Al Matar – an experiential mixed retail and dining concept – at a grand opening event attended by QDF’s leadership, VIPs, international and local media, and KOLs.

Say “English countryside” and the Cotswolds might come to mind immediately. And with good reason.

Cairo is a magnet for travelers on a budget, and many of the capital’s attractions are free or cheap to visit – paying just $11 gets you entry to the Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.

Many experiences in Chiang Mai are ideal for the budget traveler – grazing on street food, enjoying relaxing traditional Thai massages, sipping red iced tea, renting a scooter to buzz out to waterfalls and hot springs – but everyone knows that the best things in life are free. And Chiang Mai has experiences by the bucketload that cost absolutely nothing at all.

As one of the world's favorite budget travel playgrounds, Bangkok has freebies galore. From golden temples, captivating monasteries and vast open-air markets to meditation sessions and people-watching on the most famous backpacker strip in the world, the Thai capital can keep you entertained for weeks, even on the tightest of budgets.

If you’re staying in Marrakesh, chances are you’re staying in its fabled medina.

If you’re looking for culture, activities, wildlife or sheer adventure, Indonesia is one of the richest countries in the world. With an estimated 13,466 islands, it's a whopper too. But Indonesia beyond Bali and Lombok (and the Gili Islands) remains largely unknown to many travelers. To pick just one example, Sumatra (80 times the size of Bali) is almost a world in itself. And yet people ask the question: “Is Indonesia worth visiting?”