Each year travel publications and organizations issue their lists for the top 10 destinations for the coming year. Each has its own focus, but I particularly like travel guru Arthur Frommer's approach to composing his company's list: "A mix of emerging spots, under-appreciated cities, and places you need to experience before they're overrun by tourist crowds." I've combed through all the newly released 2010 lists I could find — Lonely Planet, Kraig Becker, Frommer's, British Airways, etc. — of proposed "hot spots" and hereby offer a condensed version of destinations that I have visited and believe will appeal to thoughtful travelers.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: While all the focus has been on its flashier — and crisis-stricken — neighbor Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the capital of the seven city-states that make up the United Arab Emirates, has pursued similar global playground goals, but with more restraint and focus. For travelers, 2010 will be the year that defines whether Abu Dhabi will be a flash in the pan or the next serious entrant on the global stage. Beautiful beaches, swathes of greenery, traditional Islamic architecture among skyscrapers, and a distinctly Emirati character hold great promise for tourism.

Suriname: South America's smallest country, both in area and population, is easily one of its most diverse. Some three quarters of Suriname's people are descended from Chinese, Javanese and Indian laborers that arrived in the 18th century, and West African slaves in the 17th. Add indigenous Amerindians and Lebanese, Jewish and Dutch settlers for the ultimate example of peacefully coexisting cultures. This diversity is most emblematically represented by the country's biggest mosque and synagogue situated side by side in the capital of Paramaribo. With everyone speaking different languages, celebrating different holidays and worshipping in different temples, Suriname is a melting pot that actually works.

Isles of Scilly: England's smallest official "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" lies sprinkled in the Atlantic Ocean 28 miles southwest of Land's End in Cornwall. The islands form an archipelago of secluded sandy beaches, Bronze Age burial chambers, rocky promontories and charming villages. Five inhabited islands — St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martin's, St. Agnes, and Bryher — along with more than 150 uninhabited ones boast pale sand beaches fringed by shallow turquoise seas, a balmy, frost-free climate and colorful subtropical plants. This is paradise at a higher latitude.

Tunisia: Tunisia is a magnet for European tourists but still new to Americans, who tend to visit Morocco instead. This intriguing country is a microcosm of North Africa's charms — Islamic culture mixed with Mediterranean spirit and beauty, modern colonial landmarks from the French, and ancient colonial remnants from the Romans. The capital Tunis has the best of both local architecture, exemplified by its sprawling and bustling medina, and colonial legacies of wide boulevards that stretch eastward from the Porte de France. Tunis' Bardo Museum exhibits an unparalleled collection of ancient Roman mosaics.

Kerala, India: Far from the crowds and seeming chaos of India's megacities, the western coastal state of Kerala is treasured for its stunning beaches on the Arabian Sea, classical dances, ancient martial arts forms, and some of the country's best food. The flavors come from a rich mix of Hindus, Muslims, Syrian Christians, Jews and Chinese who've been passing through or settling down here in relatively multicultural peace for six centuries. For an outstanding immersion in the true India, cruise for two or three days in a traditional kovalam (houseboat) on the sleepy backwaters of this district where the natural environment remains untouched.

Cuba: Generational changes in Miami have diminished the anti-Cuba lobby's strength, as have changes in the U.S. capital. This means that 2010 may be the year that everything changes for American tourism to Cuba. Visit this pulsating island where a thriving capitalist system succumbed to the failed hope of communism over five and a half decades ago. Castro wasn't the first revolutionary to make his mark here: Cuba has a turbulent history of slave uprisings and attempts to overthrow its Spanish oppressors. The capital Havana offers exquisite but crumbling colonial monuments, lively, toe-tapping music, and iconic cars from the 1950s held together with a prayer.

Himalayas: The legendary mountain range across Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, featuring the world's highest peak, is among the most breathtakingly beautiful places on Earth. These three countries offer inspiring opportunities for trekkers, climbers and paddlers, plus a healthy quantum of unique cultures, spiritual traditions and lovely carved wooden temples, palaces and houses.

Antarctica: One of the most coveted destinations on any traveler's list has always been Antarctica, the coldest, highest and driest place on Earth. This dazzling polar wilderness, with its teeming waters and two-mile-thick ice cap, attracts the few and fortunate visitors who are willing to spend the big bucks required to sail to the bottom of the world. Despite the expense to get there, The Last Frontier never disappoints.

El Salvador: This small Central American country, between Guatemala and Nicaragua and bounded by the Caribbean and the Pacific, is a surprise to the small number of American travelers who visit each year. Overcoming a violent history, El Salvador offers a trove of atmospheric colonial towns and pristine natural beauty — cloud forests, active volcanoes and crystalline alpine lakes.

Madagascar: Located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, the planet's fourth largest island captivates visitors with its diverse topography, from mountain highlands to deserts and rainforests, that hosts 5 percent of the world's plant and animal life. Eighty percent of these, including certain lemur and baobab species, can only be found there. A well-organized four-wheel drive safari will take you in relative comfort to remote and wild places that you've only dreamed of.