1. ISBN13: 9781741045482
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

Discover Taiwan

Take your tastebuds touring around the buzz of food stalls at Taipei's Shilin Night Market
Soak yourself in the steaming, smooth waters of the Taian hot springs
Hike the Walami Trail to the sound of monkeys crashing through the jungle canopy
Emerge from the temples of Penghu straight onto some of East Asia's finest beaches

In This Guide:

Two resident authors, 42 helpings of stinky tofu, 15 swims in waterfall pools, 1 run-in with the police
New coverage of places and activities along the east coast and a fresh chapter on Taiwan's islands
Visit lonelyplanet.com for up-to-date information

Customer Review :

Great guide book for Taiwan

For the seventh edition of their Taiwan guide Lonely Planet didn't just stick a new cover on an old book. The guide has been extensively updated and includes some new places. The east coast section has been expanded with details of many of the interesting places between Taidong and Hualian as well as the expected coverage of these two cities. There is also more detailed coverage of Taiwan's islands such as Penghu and Kinmen.

There are always a few places that will get left out of any guide book. Nanzhuang and Taipingshan were two that I thought were notable for their omission. However, I don't think this is such a bad thing. It still leaves a few interesting places for the traveller to discover and adds an element of surprise. There are also a number of places listed in the book that I had never heard of but am certainly curious to visit. The Danayigu Ecological Park is one. I suggest you read the book if you want to find out more.

The coverage of hiking is great and there a range of hikes covered from easy walks that take a few hours to multi-day expeditions. I like the writing style of the with its many interesting little anecdotes.

There are plenty of maps, as is the standard for Lonely Planet guides. The map keys have place names written in English/Pinyin as well as Chinese characters. Names in the text also have pinyin with tone marks which should be useful for getting the pronunciation right.

Overall, this is an excellent guide that would serve any traveller in Taiwan very well.

Rating :

An excellent companion for Taiwan travel

Forget the negative reviews in this list...they are for the 2004 edition, which had many problems. For some reason, they've lumped the reviews for the 2004 edition in with those for the far superior 2007 edition. Many of the problems people complained about regarding the 2004 edition were addressed and fixed in this one.

The 2007 edition has excellent information about hiking, which is fitting, since Taiwan is a hiker's paradise. And there's a lot more about hot springs, of which there is a great variety, from luxury hot spring resorts to remote wild hot springs; fitting all budgets from free to bank-busting. An added innovation is the maps which include Chinese characters.

My main complaint with the book is the photos...too many of them are uninteresting, unrepresentative of Taiwan (especially the cover photo). Lonely Planet would do well with seeking out the fine work of some of the many outstanding photographers in Taiwan's expat community.



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It's a bummer Rick Steves doesn't do Asia books...

... but all the same this is a good guide. I used it in conjunction with the National Geographic Traveler book. The lovely photos of the NG book showed me what locations to visit, and the LP book told me roughly how to get there. I found it quite useful to use the two books together. The maps which included the Chinese characters were useful to show cab drivers, or to identify the correct bus to get on. There could have been a lot more detail about the nuts and bolts of getting around, how to use the libraries for internet access, and I agree with a previous reviewer that there needed to be more detail about Kaohsiung. Sure made the country more accessible than it would have been without it!!

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Throroughly updated, and now very good!

For a long time, Taiwan was rather neglected by Lonely Planet, and their guide to the country used to be awful - many reviews here still refer to old editions! That has changed with publishing this edition, which is very good. Completely rewritten by authors resident in the country, it now covers diverse attractions with accurate, detailed practical information of the sort LP specializes in.
If you simply want to tour the main tourist sites of the country, aided by prior knowledge of prices and the like, this is pobably the best book to take.
However if your interest extends to exploring further off the beaten track and especially to hiking in the national parks, or would love to know more about Taiwan's culture and history, get the Rough Guide, which is even better!

Rating :

Buy It Used

With international travel booming, the travel book industry churns out books like this, short on historical perspective, long on mother hen nagging, and eager to show political correctness at every turn. Worst of all is the hype. When are these people going to figure out that we buy the book because we're Going To The Country? We don't have to be Sold On The Country. Let me now join the international call for a moratorium on the following words in travel books: vibrant, boasts, awesome, enjoy, proudly.

If you think I'm exaggerating about Mother Hen, just turn to page 23. There, you are advised not to leave home without tissues or tampons or shoes or clothing. It's hard to pinpoint the exact time that travel book companies got the idea that the bulk of their readership was under the age of ten, but social scientists have theorized that it was in the early eighties when many leaders of the Nanny States in the US and UK lost their jobs in government and went into publishing.

Mother also wants to remind you to be "out of any river by 3pm or 4pm." (p.141) It seems "afternoon showers are a daily occurrence and rivers can become swollen very quickly. Also, be on the lookout for snakes." If you forgot to bring your shoes to Taiwan a snake could bite you on the toe, and if you traveled to Taiwan without health insurance against Mother's advice (p.354), "emergency evacuation is expensive...over US$100,000". Page 72 boasts a sermon on recycling as well as an admonition to refrain from "extensive gawking" at the aboriginal locals, who've complained that tourists "treat the locals with less respect that the locals would prefer".

In addition to not venturing to Taiwan without clothing, readers should also not go there without reading the LP guide to its very end, because some of the advice given at the beginning changes by the end. For example, page 63 touts local food and drink: "Fresh fruit stands selling juices are all over Taiwan...wonderful thirst quenchers on a hot summer day. All you have to do is point (not gawk) at the fruits...and the person standing behind the counter will whiz them up in a blender for you after adding water." You might be gullible enough to fall for this seduction (clearly offered in jest) if you don't read all the way through to page 358, which sternly warns: "Avoid fresh juices--they may have been watered down."

Well! Dear reader, you KNOW they have been watered down! By that local person behind the counter!

But all kidding aside, Taiwan offers much more than just the fetishization of aboriginals and opportunities to protect yourself against foreign danger. A quick look at Wikipedia reveals that the aboriginal languages of Taiwan are thought by many linguists to be the source of the Austronesian language family which comprises over 1200 related languages spread over an area from Madagascar to Easter Island and from Taiwan down to New Zealand. Is it too much to ask that the makers of the LP travel guides dig up some striking vignettes or anecdotes relating to the Austronesian language family? Must we beg for fascinating information regarding the fifty years that Taiwan was a part of Japan? What about the childhood home of Wen Ho Lee, the Taiwanese American scientist who was falsely accused by the FBI of espionage? Why isn't that included in this guidebook? How about some locations of tea plantations where one could go see how it is cultivated? And considering Taiwan is less than half the size of Ireland and has an excellent circumferential railroad, wouldn't it make sense to discuss a few walking tours, which have long been acknowledged by seasoned travelers to be the best way of seeing a country? I could go on, but I've gone on enough.


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1. ISBN13: 9781843535270
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

The Rough guide to Taiwan is your definitive guide to this fascinating island. From the vibrant, frenetic streets of Taipei and teahouses of Taichung to the laid-back, historic Tainan, the full-colour section highlights all the ‘things-not-to-miss’. Taiwan’s enticing markets and vast range of culinary specialities are covered in full with comprehensive reviews of all the top hotels, restaurants, bars and spas to suit every budget. There is in-depth information on all six National Parks and Taiwan’s highest mountains, including Taroko Gorge, the country’s most popular natural wonder. The guide also looks at Taiwan’s history, culture and indigenous peoples and comes complete with maps and plans for the whole island.

The Rough guide to Taiwan is like having a local friend plan you trip!

Customer Review :

Comprehensive, Compact Information

I bought this book while researching for a trip we're planning to Taiwan later in the year. I checked out 4 or 5 different guides from the library and after reading through them all I bought this one because I felt I would like to take it with me. It's better organized than the Lonely Planet Taiwan guide, but written with the same general target audience in mind -- the independent traveler. I enjoy doing the research, and would rather get lost and find something really neat than be on a packaged tour. I was in Taiwan several years ago and this book has been helpful for me to reacquaint myself about Taipei and Taiwan -- and see how much things have changed!

The book has mini glossaries in each section that gives the Chinese characters and pinyin pronunciations for places and points of interest described in that section. This is very useful, but might be more useful if they were listed in the text where these places are described rather than being listed separately.

Oh, and if you're concerned about weight, at 500g (17.6 oz) this book has the lightest weight per page count (584 pgs) of all the Taiwan books I've read! The Lonely Planet Taiwan guide weighs less (360g, 12.7 oz), but also has over 100 fewer pages than this book.

I'll update this review after the trip to report on its accuracy and usefulness "in the field" but so far I find it pleasant to read and easy to find things.

Rating :

Buy something else

This is the worst guide ever. It tells me how cool Baoan Temple is but not how to get there. It tells you how cool everything is, but very little about how to get anywhere. If you use this guide, you will get lost, and you will spend too much money. Buy the Lonely Planet, I wish I did. I have used it before. The Lonely Planet conveniently provides Chinese characters, which has helped me out a few times when there were no English signs posted, I was able to match the characters. Not possible with the sub par rough guide. Worst guide ever.

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Buy the Lonely Planet instead!!

Maybe if you're only going to be in Taipei for a week, this is fine. But if you're on an all-island trip or are in Taiwan on a semi-permanent basis (like myself) this book is all broad strokes. If I weren't a poor English teacher I too would buy the LP.

Trying to figure out whether to train or bus to Tainan? Look elsewhere. Don't trust the author's words on finding a room in Kenting during holidays. You'll pay triple what he quotes - and that's in Sail Rock, not Kenting proper. Yep, voice of experience right here.

Rating :

Fantastic!

I travelled around Taiwan armed with both this book and the latest edition of Lonely Planet.
Both were very good, but if I had to choose one, it would be the Rough Guide. I found it just as good for practical info, but it is much more detailed, covering activities like hiking, and in general exploring off the beaten track, in far greater detail.
It also has excellent, insightful and up to date background info on various interesting subjects, such as religious life and aboriginals.
Can't recommend it highly enough.

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rough guide review

this is a nice reference book, but too big to take on our trip. Very informative but in my advancing years I like larger type! Still a great educational text.

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Editorial Review :

Taipei In A Day is the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide to thoroughly enjoy Taiwan. Discover relics and know where to stay and play by using the included maps, complete Taipei dining, hotel, museum, night market, parks, temple and pub guides. Active globe trekkers will appreciate the detailed Taipei Guide to Mountain Climbing. For a soothing spot of tea, find serenity at Tea Station. Names and addresses are also listed in Chinese, along with local phone numbers, so major attractions and interesting out-of-the-way locales around the island are readily found. Helpful communication tips, important vocabulary and useful phrases are at your fingertips. The encompassing "Taiwan From A To Z" section introduces local cues, customs and important cultural information so readers can be travelers rather than tourists. After reading Taipei In A Day you should be prepared for your visit, whether it spans a month, week, or weekend.

Customer Review :

Reliable Insights

Taipei in a Day was recommended to me by a friend for a recent trip to Taiwan. This book wowed me with it's local insights, humor and off-the-beaten-path directions and suggestions. The more I used this book to get around, the more comfortable I became in traveling in a strange land. I more than highly recommend this book for any travel to Taiwan. I hope to use it again and again. Thanks to Scott Freiberger for taking the time to know and understand Taiwan for all of us.....

Rating :

Not worth the time or money.

There were a lot of gushing reviews for this book, so I took the bait. A mistake. I think I'm a fair judge of travel guides, having used them to good advantage for 30 years. Here are my findings: (1) The book looks like the product of a black and white copy machine. The few photos in it are grainy and consequently of no value. (2) The few maps are the same photocopy quality and appear to be details from a larger map set. It's too bad the full set of maps were not included because without them orientation is difficult, if not impossible. (3) A lot of local color is discussed and written in a 'modern' breezy style. It's somewhat cute, but my spouse (not a native speaker of English) gave up trying to understand what author was trying to convey. (4) There is information about areas around the core of Taipei which may be helpful for those who will be traveling outside of the 'city'.

Summary: I still need a good guide for Taipei with useful maps and information. As a 'do it yourself' traveler, this guide doesn't pass muster, although for folks on a package tour it may meet the minimum qualifications.

Rating :

An excellent travel guide

While attempting to plan a trip to Taiwan from Australia I found practically nothing existed on Taiwan. The travel agents knew nothing about the country and even questioned why anyone would want to go to Taiwan.
While reading the Travel Advisor Forum I came across a reference from another Forumer who had read "Taipei In A Day" and found it very helpful.
I immediately ordered a copy from Amazon and found that the book not only covered Taipei but the whole of Taiwan. Without reading the book before going on our trip we would have found it more difficult than we did.
I recommend the book as an excellent guide to Taiwan and Taipei.


John D Smith
Salisbury East
South Australia

Rating :

A personal guide

I'm researching for a trip I'm planning to Taiwan with my wife and son -- and I bought this book because of the great reviews on Amazon. This book reads like a great collection of personal notes that a long time resident of the region would write on note cards and a loose leaf binder. These tidbits are grouped alphabetically by category (museums, parks, shopping, etc), so it makes it easy to find a type of place you want to visit. The book contains only smaller black and white pictures, so if you're looking for color glossies you'll need to check out other books like National Geographic Traveler: Taiwan 2nd Edition. Chinese characters are provided for many place names which is a big plus for getting directions or telling taxi drivers where you want to go. I'll update this review after the trip to comment on the accuracy and usefulness of the information.

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Wonderful and Informative Guide Book

Taipei in a Day is the best country guide I have seen about Taiwan. This is a clearly written and informative travel book. The author offers detailed information about the country, culture and people that makes for some very interesting reading and travel preparation. I like the fact that different day trips are arranged for visitors, and the maps, site names and addresses are listed in both English and Chinese, which makes getting around very easy. It is obvious that the author has a passion for travel and for Taiwan. He goes into detail about fun things to do, not only in Taipei but also around the entire island, as well as in Taiwan's outlying islands. He provides helpful information about how to get around, what to see and where to dine. The bilingual names and addresses come in very handy for non-native Chinese speakers. The information is very up-to-date and the included Taiwan from A to Z encyclopedia is very informative. I also like the bilingual menu translations, the communication tips, the hiking, hotel and dining guides and the holiday information. While I have found most travel books to be quite dry, the author took the time to add interesting photos and illustrations as well as humorous commentary about the language and culture. I found the book very useful for Taiwan travel.

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1. ISBN13: 9780761454977
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
4. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Editorial Review :

A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

Customer Review :

Good introduction to Taiwan; can be read through quickly

I've been reading a handful of books around Taiwan and China; relating to their history, business, traveling there, etc.

This was a nice, concise, easy to read (especially skim) account of things. While it's not always on the mark 100%, I think it errs on the side of caution which I appreciate. A nice read.

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not what I was looking for..

I didn't like this book, we are planning to go to Taiwan to pick up or adopted daughter and I was hoping to learn about the culture to pass on to her. This did not have much about the family rituals and traditions and had alot of business info instead.

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A Generous Four Stars

This book was... fair. It might be a great for, say, an American businessman planning on a one or two month stay in Taiwan, although it is doubtful whether what it has to teach will really apply. It barely scratches the surface, but I suppose it was never meant to. In short, it's a good start for those who don't know anything about Taiwan and/or Taiwanese culture and want to lessen the impact, as it were. As a basic guide it works, but don't expect the sun and the moon. Enjoy your travels in Taiwan.

Troy Parfitt, author

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Must read before your first visit to Taiwan (or any other foreign country for that matter)

This book provided tons of facts and very useful information about Taiwan and its culture. I spent a few years in Taiwan while I was young but my husband (fiance at the time) had never been to Taiwan or any part of Asia. To prepare him for his first trip to Asia (Taiwan), I got him this book. I of course read / scanned through it before I purchased it and found that this book included the facts that I can vouch for and more. I highly recommend this book and a trip to Taiwan!!

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Fairly accurate cultural descriptions, but focuses on Taipei male businessmen's experience

Compared to the cultural sections in the Lonely Planet for Taiwan, this book was much more up to date (having been revised in 2005 verses LP being revised in 2000). The only drawbacks were the book's heavy focus on Taipei (I moved to southern Taiwan) and the books focuse on MEN in the business world and men's night ctivities like ladies' clubs etc. These sections weren't applicable to women at all. Not being any sort of feminist, I was still rather disappointed that there was not any similar commentary provided specifically for women in business and women's nightime activities!

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