The first Matador Travel Writing and Photography contest is currently underway, with a prize of $500 for the winning entry. The deadline for articles (1,000-2,000 words; must be accompanied by at least three photographs) is May 15.

Matador, an emerging online travel community, aspires to be the “Craigslist for Travelers.” The SmallWorld Travel Classified section allows users to post or search over 60 cities worldwide for almost anything travel related, including couch-surfing opportunities, professional eco wildlife outfitters, and paid employment in the travel industry.

The site says, “Matador is a real community. It has a heartbeat. It features real people, traveling to real places, doing amazing things.”

The site also features articles, user blogs, and a virtual version of the traditional traveler world map speckled with push-pins of places one has been or aspires to go. The virtual push-pins include dots for traveler locations, featured articles, and the locations of travel blogs.

Matador also sells a variety of original and artistic t-shirts to support the site. And, aiming to be a socially and ecologically responsible travel community, Matador donates 1% for the planet, contributing to the Surfrider Foundation .