Scouting Report 2008
Our third-annual rundown of the best new places—like Tanabe, Japan—as determined by people lucky enough to have exploration be part of their job description.
Our third-annual rundown of the best new places—like Tanabe, Japan—as determined by people lucky enough to have exploration be part of their job description.


Some boys are mad for soccer or skateboards. But writer Dorothy Kalins's son, Lincoln, has always been a sushi-rolling, Pokémon-watching kind of kid. At 13, he asked for Japanese language lessons. At 14, he spent two weeks at Japan camp in Minnesota. And at 15, he finally got to go to the country he'd always loved from afar.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we invited readers to pitch us ideas, and we sent five of them on assignment. This writer, her husband, and their two kids headed to Hong Kong for a week.
As an expat living in the Thai capital for the past three years, Maddy Fain Ellis has learned a thing or two about getting the best buys for your baht.
It has the potential for more embarrassing moments than Candid Camera. San Francisco's Kevin Boynton, who lived in Osaka, offers up a few bits of advice.
Arranging transportation to and within China isn't as complex as you might think.
Beijing has never welcomed travelers as eagerly as it is welcoming them now. We've put together a series of features offering a fresh look at the Chinese capital—plus practical travel tips.