1. ISBN13: 9781400008292
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Ancient temple ruins, lush rolling hillsides, deserted-island beaches, and mouthwatering cuisine–it all shines with new vitality in this full-color guide to Southeast Asia’s most popular tourist destination. Fodor’s Thailand covers top sights, Thai festivals, the best beach bungalows, how to negotiate a great deal at the market, and more.
• More than 250 color photographs illustrate Thailand’s natural beauty and vibrant culture and help readers choose sights that will make their trip unforgettable
• An all-new, “Experience Thailand” chapter gives readers a peek into Thai culture and features on classic Thai massage, beach-side lodging, local transportation, and eco-travel
• All-new magazine-style features illustrate Thailand’s top sights and attractions, including the Grand Palace, Bangkok street food, Buddhist statuary, southern beaches, and traditional arts and crafts
• Side-trip chapters cover top destinations in Laos and Cambodia
• New dining features and photos provide in-depth introductions to Thailand’s four delectable and unique regional cuisines

Customer Review :

Great book, but not itself travel friendly

I'm planning a trip to Thailand and Cambodia so this book seemed the perfect fit. The descriptions are generally good for hotels/restaurants/attractions. I would like a more graded rating system for attractions so I can budget my time properly. The articles featuring the Grand Palace and Angkor Wat are very good, as are the features on the food. I also appreciate the tidbits on the pictures because it gives more information and makes the pictures even more interesting. The major complaint I have is that the book is heavy due to the full color and high quality paper, but that's because I personally like to carry books with me.

Rating :

Ready for Thailand!

Thailand has long been identified with Southeast Asia's uniqueness and has also been a powerful magnet for travelers, explorers, and entrepreneurs. Its abundant resources, striking architecture, natural beauty, fascinating people and amazing cuisine have continually proved irresistible. On my latest reading episode, I discovered to my delight, that all of this and more have been included in Fodor's Thailand, 11th Edition Full Color Guide. [...]

The book has been neatly divided into nine major sections which allow the reader to quickly focus on their primary area of interest. As a wiki review, the book covered Bangkok, the Central Plains, the Southern Beaches, Northern Thailand, Isan, and a brief overview of Cambodia along with Laos. In addition, they have thoughtfully included 65 maps, illustrated features and 170 color photos. The amount of detail, information and easy to read style was greatly appreciated. These critical points are not a given when purchasing guide books. Just spend some time in the travel section of your neighborhood bookstore. You will quickly see that all guide books are not created equal!

In my opinion, the mark of an excellent guide book is that it becomes much more than a book. Amazingly, it can become a personal friend. It literally takes on a life of its own. I'm sure some of you can relate. This friend does that plus more by providing "Insider Tips" and directs you to some "Great Finds" that only a savvy local would be capable of sharing. Just like the commercial says, "Don't leave home without it."

Frequently, many guide books do a poor job of bringing a country or city alive in print. Not this one! The writers enable you to experience the energy and pulse of the people, infact the entire nation from the get-go. You can almost taste the spicy hot Thai cusine and smell it being prepared in a back alley kitchen in Bangkok. They even take you for a tour of the Thai markets for an authentic Thai shopping experience. As the writers say, "Take a deep breath and prepare for an intoxicating medley of colors, sounds, smells and tastes." Have you ever tried to bargain in a foreign market? Sound intimidating? Not to worry! Your new friend will share with you a list of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to haggling.

This guide book went well beyond my expectations. If you're considering a visit to Thailand soon or just want a fascinating read, pick up a copy and you'll be smiling before you know it.


Rating :

Excellent in general

Fodor's has done an excellent job with this book. It is clear and well-organized (as compared to Lonely Planet which was a bit overwhelming with information). We stayed at several of the Fodor's Choice hotels (although we used TripAdvisor because of their recent reviews and ranking system), and they were truly amazing choices. On the other hand, given the vast number of restaurants in various cities in Thailand, the Fodor's Choice restaurants were decent but certainly not the most tasty.

Fodor's also gave good information about the Similan Islands, a great place to go scuba diving. We also went to the Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga bay because of friend's recommendations and Fodor's concurrence.

We stayed in Thailand for two weeks and absolutely loved it! Fodor's helped us with accurate information about the markets, hotels, and maps. A separate map for the Skytrain/Metro in Bangkok would have been helpful. Still, a travel guide like this shows why Fodor's has been successful in the guidebook business for decades.

Rating :

1. ISBN13: 9781741791747
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Nobody knows the Greater Mekong like Lonely Planet. Our 2nd edition will take you on a boat down the mighty Mekong, visiting hill-tribes in Thailand, trekking Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, exploring Angkor's temples in Cambodia, whizzing through the jungle canopy in Laos and kicking back on palm-fringed beaches in Vietnam.

Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

In This Guide:

Detailed advice on a everything from food and drink to transport and health
Full-color chapter on the Ancient Wonders of the Greater Mekong
Unique Green Index to help make your travels eco-friendly

Customer Review :

A decent starting point

I spent six weeks in May and June 2008 backpacking around Southeast Asia, and this was my primary guidebook. Overall, I found it to be helpful for the macro-level stuff: planning my itinerary, getting a general overview of each country's history, and budgeting.

I give it three stars, however, because although it's unreasonable to expect it to be as in-depth as the individual guidebooks for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, I often found that the authors omitted useful listings for lodging, places to eat, and sites that were included in other books.

If you plan on taking only one guidebook for VN, KH, and LA, this is a good choice. (Another option is Moon, but at the time of my trip it was even more out-of-date than the LP guide.) Just keep in mind that you'll want to refer to other guidebooks, which I found to be readily available from hostels, cafes, and other travelers in this well-traveled region.

Rating :

Disappointing

A guide book should be updated at least annually to ensure accuracy of it's information. Lonely planet has failed this task.
I just traveled (2009) to South East Asia, using this guide book. The prices in the book were outdated (double now), some restaurants are not there anymore, and many of the reviews are inaccurate now.
For such a famous brand, they should pay attention to their core concept..provide accurate up to date travel information.

Rating :

Good guide but bit disjointed

Lonely Planet guides are very good but this one is a bit disjointed. Information on visas is located in a few different areas for the same country & is not very clear. Otherwise it is a very good guide.

Rating :

The Worst LP I've used

First off, I almost always stick with Lonely Planet, been through 25 countries with them. now:

No info at all about Bangkok's domestic airport, other than one line about "domestic flights fly from, Don Mueng." As a book for backpackers and by backpackers shouldn't it at least give a little transit info about the hub of all the budget airlines in Thailand?!!?

And that was just my first day...

I struggled for three weeks trying to find info I needed (even the basics) which seem to be omitted for no reason other than replacing it with useless info.

I know the editor just combined small snippets of the single country books to make something sorta useful, but he succeeded at creating a pointless book which I lugged around in my bag and kept having to ask other travelers to borrow their LP Laos or LP Thailand.

My recommendation, by the single country guidebooks

Rating :

Perfectly adequate for a short Southeast Asia tour

We just returned from a three week trip to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. We spent about 10 days in Thailand, one week in Laos, and only four days in Cambodia at Siem Reap visiting the Angkor Wat complex. As we only had time on this trip to hit the highlights, this book was just fine. We actually brought along the Lonely Planet Thailand book and for such a short trip, it was too big and definitely in the way. If you're really backpacking and traveling for many weeks or months through Southeast Asia, I wouldn't recommend this book (buy the individual country books), but for a standard vacation it was a great resource.

Rating :

More reviews...

1. ISBN13: 9781741045680
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Discover Laos

Weave your own path through the temple-lined streets of World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang, p. 134
Find out why Katang villagers sleep with their heads pointed towards an outside wall, p249
Explore the ancient Khmer's 'imitation of heaven' at mystical Wat Phu Champasak, p265
Join locals for a riverside Beerlao as the sun sets over the Mekong in Vientiane, p110

In This Guide:

Three authors, 1472 hours of on-the-road research, 61 maps
Our guide is dedicated to providing travelers with environmentally and culturally aware travel advice
Visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler insights

Customer Review :

Lonely Planet Laos 6 -- worth every kip

What a difference a new edition makes. Lonely Planet's brand new guidebook, Laos 6th edition, released August 2007, is easily the best on the market. The traveller looking for comprehensive coverage in a guidebook need look no further. An extra 60 pages long, this title packs an impressive punch, with a good balance of exhaustive coverage of the key destinations along with sound information on the lesser known spots.

Quite simply, Australian co-authors Andrew Burke and Justine Vaisutis have put together what is the best English-language offline resource for travel in Laos. From a tourism perspective, Laos is a rapidly developing nation, especially in the major tourist centres where new accommodation options multiply at a seemingly ever-increasing rate, yet they've done a fine job of boiling down a snapshot of the country into a guide that will be more than enough for the most demanding traveller.

Matters get off to a good start -- a good, easy-to-read colour map (even if some of the roads look a tad sketchy), suggested itineraries and a completely rewritten history section by Professor Martin Stuart-Fox, author of A History of Laos (1997). This is followed by a pretty stock-standard introductory section -- the people, government and culture are all covered, though the government -- arguably the most repressive and certainly the most secretive in Southeast Asia after Burma -- gets off the hook pretty lightly.

What does stand out in the introduction is the generous space given to Laos and its natural environment -- particularly its budding eco-tourism industry. As Burke says in an upcoming interview with Travelfish.org, "If there's anywhere in Asia where eco-tourism can be a success, then it's Laos". There's an outstanding summary of all the main trekking opportunities in the country's NPAs -- this alone makes the book worth buying (or at least a quick use of the library photocopier).

At the other end of the book, the "Directory" section, covering everything from getting a flight to what you should have in a medical kit is informative and rather well organised. As with other Lonely Planet titles, I think it's a bit too lengthy and hand-holding in nature.

Listings
The guidebook's listings are comprehensive, not exhaustive -- if you expect every place on Don Dhet to be listed, prepare to be disappointed. Perhaps half the available options in Vang Vieng are listed, similarly so in Luang Prabang, but what are listed are the best, and these can be taken as representative of others in the offing. Burke and Vaisutis do a fine job of brushing away the slimy rambutans and spoiled sticky rice to leave you with a feast of the best options to choose from.

The accommodation listings are generally easy to digest, with one exception -- Luang Prabang. There, the listings have been divided up geographically into "Near the Mekong", "Historic Temple District", "Thanon Pha Mahapatsaman", "Ban Wat That" and "Elsewhere". This is confusing in a number of ways -- "Near the Mekong" and "Historic Temple District" could easily be taken to be the same area -- neither is marked on any of the maps of Luang Prabang -- nor is "Ban Wat That". "Thanon Pha Mahapatsaman" is a short strip of around 200m of road that carries just three accommodation listings, and "Elsewhere" is just vague and meaningless. All this for just 37 listings -- Luang Prabang isn't that big a place!

Where this guide does come into its own is regarding things to do -- and this is particularly the case with the Southern Laos section. While it tends to be motorcycle-focused, there are lots of good tips and suggested day-trips to week-long adventures you can undertake. Less of this type of material is suggested in the north, where the focus is more orientated towards trekking and the tried and tested destinations, but you'll find ample material within the book to point in the right direction.

Transport
One of the big issues people face in Laos is the time it takes to get from A to B. Over time the road network has improved considerably but it still takes a while to get around, so it's refreshing to see that most of the bus and songthaew travel information includes an estimated trip time.

Border information is outstanding. Every main international border has a boxed section containing detailed information on how to get to and from the various border crossings and what's particularly good is there's information on onwards travel as well.

Text and design
As always, the densely-packed text has been put through the Lonely Planet humour wringer, so don't expect too many Laugh Out Loud moments, but the facts are all there and that's what really matters. As with all the new Lonely Planet titles, there's more fact boxes scattered throughout the book than I'd like, but at least in this case they're mostly interesting or of some practical use.

Maps
With 61 maps you'll struggle to find yourself needing many more. Some -- the Wat Phu locale (p 267), Wat Xieng Thong (p 142) and Around Vang Vieng (p 124) -- seemed superfluous, but all the key spots are mapped out well.

I had two issues with the regional maps: they're difficult to read, and make frequent use of the "unsealed road" indicator. Some of these roads are really little more than foot-trails. Perhaps they need an extra map indicator for goat-tracks.

Photos
The guide contains a pretty good collection of pics. There's one of kids fooling around in the Nam Song at Vang Vieng (p 11) which really caught my eye, but it's a shame that given the weight the NPAs get in the text, there's only one photo taken in one -- and that of an easily visited waterfall. Having photos taken of the more remote (and beautiful) parks would have been a great means to showcase some of Laos' more challenging destinations. People aren't going to go if they don't know about it!

Conclusion
My gripes are minor and mainly focussed on the layout and in some cases organisation of the title. These are factors that will be minor inconveniences once you're on the road. Lonely Planet's Laos 6 really delivers the goods -- it isn't exhaustive (that's why it's called a guide), but it's succinct, accurate and very easy to use. Be you a first time visitor to Laos or a repeat visitor looking to get off the beaten track, you'll do well with this title in your backpack.

The friendly people at Lonely Planet sent me a complimentary copy of Laos 6, so even though I didn't pay any money for it, we'd suggest you do -- it's worth every kip.

Rating :

This guide was useful

When I first read the reviews at amazon, I thought I just ordered a worthless piece of paper. In fact that guide was as useful as I used lonely planet in other countries. It gave me maps of where I was, general knowledge of many regions of Laos and much more, exactly what a guide book is intended to do.

I agree though that some of the information in the book is no longer right, but it is as always in a country opening up to tourism, constantly evolving. Anyway, if you live by the book, you will be deceived so use it as a reference when needed and try to go beyond the book (same for every lp).

Rating :

Not for everyone, but my choice Part 2

I agree 100% w/ Bryan below. (So, you could stop reading my review now) But when planning a trip to Laos, one needs to do allot of research on one's own. You can't leave it up to a guidebook. But why would you really want to anyway? Of all the guidebooks on the market, I'd still pick this one as my top choice. It's respectful of Laos, imparts a firm sense of culture, history and identity with the reader and then let's you figure some things out for yourself. Laos is a beautiful country... but you need to relax and keep in mind the motto" LAO PDR...please dont rush".... same thing with any guidebook, relax, enjoy the read and let the journey take you where you need to be.

Rating :

Handy

This guide is a little bit dated now but is still very useful for the maps and some easy tips on what you might expect in certain places.

Things are changing so quickly in Laos and I dare say it is not for the best, please travel as gently as possible. Talking louder will not help.

Rating :

Great traveling companion

This book made traveling through Laos a fantastic experience. Though prices in the book can't keep up with increases, most of the information was very timely and accurate. Very useful as a reference guide and helped make our trip go smoothly.

Rating :

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Editorial Review :

Imagine that on the eve of your upcoming trip to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, you are invited to a party. At this party are fifty guests, all of whom live in or have traveled extensively through these countries. Among this eclectic and well-versed group of connoisseurs are authors of acclaimed guidebooks, popular newspaper columnists and pioneering adventurers. As the evening passes, they tell you tales from their lives in these exotic places. They whisper the names of their favorite shops and restaurants; they divulge the secret hideaways where they sneak off to for an afternoon (or a weekend) to unwind. Some make you laugh out loud, and others mesmerize you with their poetry and lyricism. Some are intent on educating, while others just want to entertain. Their attitudes are as unique as their personalities, but they are united in one thing … their love of the region. If you can envision being welcomed at such a party, then you can envision the experience that this guidebook aspires to give you.

Customer Review :

For Connoiseurs Only

Imagine lush, evergreen forests with waving palm trees under the warm, humid tropical weather. Imagine a hutted village with friendly locals and curious children with perpetual shy smiles and sparkling eyes devoid of the mundane dim of city-life; old ladies lingering on the streets with their handmade wares. Imagine yourself sitting cross-legged on a rattan mat enjoying a full meal of spicy South East Asian delicacy that cost less than half a cheeseburger; or lying on a white sanded beach surrounded by crystal-clear sea that seems to be frozen in time.

Yes, imagine. That is the operative word that To Asia With Love begins with.

Spanning Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, author Kim Fay, an avid traveler herself, collected anecdotes and travel tips from Asia-lovers and skillfully compiled these snippets into a very readable book, helped much by seductive and poignant photographs. This book tells you where to get the best chow, see the most attractive sights, buy the most impressive souvenirs, and even how to get a holiday from your holiday, in case you decided to become an expatriate. For those inclined as such, even where to visit the most historical sites. Because they were written by different individuals; young and old; from loaded to clam-less, the information is extremely varied and colorful.

What makes To Asia With Love stand out, compared to run-of-the-mill backpackers' experiences strewn about the internet is that the articles were actually written by veteran travelers; most of them bestseller authors in their own right. They provide interesting insights which are both informative and humorous.

For example, suppose the delicious dumplings you tasted at a nondescript stall in Phnom Penh turns out to be disappointing the following week, it is because the ownership has changed and will likely change again based on the rotating fortunes at the local gambling dens. Aside from the local loan sharks, I don't think anyone else would know these behind-the-scene goings-on; except maybe the foolhardy expatriate dumpling-hunter in the person of Nami Nelson.

Of course, beneath the fantastic tales are the nitty-gritty details. What is the best way to travel? How to book tickets? What are the regional time differences? What are the languages spoken? These questions and more that one could hardly pump up in the excitement of `go first, think later' mode, are explored by those who have done it all.

Western travelers respond differently to what are seemingly destitute socio-economic conditions in these countries. The feelings generated could span a spectrum from utter indifference to the `guilt syndrome'. And if one stays in a place long enough, the urge to respond becomes increasingly stronger. In this, To Asia With Love proves to be more than just a fanciful title in the chapter `Paying It Forward.' Littered with touching anecdotes, it advises travelers on how to give back to the countries they enjoy; be it helping out in a foundation or eating at a charity-linked restaurant.

Be warned. This book is not about going to Asia. It is about going to there again and again, and perhaps even staying there for good. A beautiful collage of travelogues with a seductive theme and convincing pleasures, I think I am going to book the first flight to South East Asia.

Oh wait a minute; I am from South East Asia.

Rating :

Lack of logic in book's structure

I'm disapointed with this book. The information provided is interesting but the way the book is structured is very strange. I can't see any logic there. It would make sense if a chapter (each chapter has a theme) had a section for each of the countries. But no. Eg. you go to chapter on shopping and you have one page of info about Thailand, than a page about Laos, Thailand again, Cambodia, Laos again etc. Very weird.... It makes the book difficult for me to read and stick to....

Rating :

This is NOT a traditional guidebook

...although I happen to be packing it around with me on a 6-month trip. As I move from country to country, I discard my Lonely Planet or Rough Guide at the border, but even when my bag is bursting at the seams, I hold onto this book for the practical, personal recommendations and high caliber of writing, and for inspiration. Written by 50 different people who have lived or traveled extensively in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, the passion and enthusiasm they share for this fascinating region is contagious.

To put the book in its proper context (I'm paraphrasing here from the excellent foreword), the editor invites us to imagine attending a dinner party with a group of intrepid, experienced Asia-philes and whiling away an evening collecting their stories, insider tips, and invaluable advice. Such an invitation may not appeal to someone who is merely "doing Asia" and wants only a directory of services and costs. But readers who have lived in Asia (or would like to) will relish it, as will every traveler who dreams of having a knowledgeable friend in each of these countries. To Asia With Love is a wonderful resource and worthy travel companion, a journey to a land that unfolds itself "slowly-slowly". My only complaint is that I still want more....



Rating :

Beyond the run-of-the-mill travel guides

When I read this book, I felt like someone was whispering secrets in my ear. Sure, you should bring along the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide to give you directions to the closest bank, but is that trip to the bank the experience you will most fervently remember about your travels in Asia? I doubt it. You're likely to remember, however, "clambering over a dam" in Cambodia to find the lonely temple Ta Nei, or sitting at a table made from a tree trunk in Northern Laos eating "phar nam" (watercress salad) made by the daughter of the last king's personal chef. This book is for people anxious to go beyond the run-of-the-mill guidebook information. It's for people in search of the special experiences that make these countries so extraordinary. If you're that kind of traveler (or armchair traveler who simply likes good writing), then you should buy this book.

Rating :

A Dinner Party of Advice

The introduction of this book says its intent was to be like going to a dinner party with a mix of guests who have lived and extensively traveled thoughout Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. At then end of the dinner, you leave with pockets full of tips, advice, and stories.

That is exactly how I would describe this book. It is full of experienced and varied travelers who tell stories about their favorite noodle stand in Bangkok or their favorite secret shopping area in Vietnam or how to best take coffee in Cambodia. It is most definitely not a lonely plant guide book, but it is an excellent read before your trip. Not only giving you valuable insider advice, but also gives you a glimpse at the love that so many others share for this area.

Rating :

More reviews...

Editorial Review :

Home to two World Heritage Sites; the magnificent Angkor Temple complex and the beautiful town of Luang Prabang, Cambodia and Laos have emerged as must-see destinations on the Wonders of the World List. And while 'hospitality' as a concept may be relatively nascent, if you know how to work it right, you'll have a ball. Welcome to LUXE. You just worked it right....

Customer Review :

No review yet