Maybe you're addicted to the History Channel, or perhaps you stockpile old issues of National Geographic in your basement (because you know you're going to need them someday). You've always been interested in the world outside your window--where people live lives and practice customs unfathomably different from your own, and where soup slurping is encouraged and showing the soles of your shoes is highly offensive. To you, the idea of exploring the ancient tombs of pharaohs sends shivers down your spine and swells a yearning in your heart. Our advice: Just go. Reading about it isn't even a close second.

Top 10: Our favorite destinations
The Right Trip: Choosing a vacation to suit your interests
Going Native: Distinct cultures well worth seeing
(Way) Off the Beaten Path: Offbeat places to avoid the crowds
New Discoveries: The latest excavations from around the world
Resources: Associations, schools, books, and magazines