Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook: Worldwide Route & Planning Guide (Trailblazer)

'...the definitive guide to how, where, why and what to do on a cycle expedition...' Adventure Travel Magazine (UK)

Every cyclist dreams of making the Big Trip, the Grand Cycle Tour abroad. Whether that's a two-week trip or a year-long journey, the Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook is the comprehensive manual that will make that dream a reality. Riding across Asia, cycling in Africa or pedaling from Patagonia to Alaska, whether you're planning your own Big Trip or just enjoy reading about other people's adventures, the Handbook is guaranteed to illuminate, entertain and above all, inspire.
This fully revised 3rd edition includes:

❏ PART 1 – Practical information

• How to prepare for a long-distance trip
• What to look for in a new bike with reviews of some of the world's best touring- and trekking-bikes
• Adapting a standard bike for the Big Ride
• Choosing components, equipment for the road and reviews of camping gear
• Health precautions, inoculations, visas, money and safety

❏ PART 2 – Worldwide route outlines
Across Europe, Asia, Australasia, North and South America and Africa; recommended routes within countries and overland. Everything from popular routes eg India's Leh-Manali Highway to lesser-known cycle-touring areas such as Mongolia.

❏ PART 3 – Tales from the Saddle
Ten first-hand accounts of spoke-bending biking adventures worldwide.

Introduction
Why are so many people going bike touring these days? A minority pastime during the heyday of the car, cycling has once again become a popular choice for travelling―especially for long overseas trips.

The first cycle-touring craze began in the 1870s. Then, as now, the bicycle offered a revolutionary way of touring: you go exactly where you want, when you want, and all under your own steam. This was before the age of the car and walking or riding a horse were the only other options until the bicycle. In 1885 the Rover Safety Bicycle came along, and for all the innovation since then, most modern touring bicycles would be recognizable to a Victorian, as would their derailleur gears.

Bike touring is undergoing a boom at the moment but it is really one of many periodic rediscoveries. Bicycle design, components and gear are evolving to suit the changing needs and tastes of people. It's a combination of experimentation and using tried and tested designs, such as the 'diamond' frame of the Rover Safety Bicycle. The Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook is all about looking at what people are choosing and using: what kind of bikes, what gear and what destinations are being chosen by today's bike tourers.

There are many reasons for taking a bike on your next long trip. My own guess as to why bike touring is back in fashion is that many travellers get burned out by backpacking, which really amounts to travelling by bus and train for most of the time. Buses are certainly fast but they go from one noisy town to another, leaving little possibility of exploring the spaces in between, the places where the bus doesn't stop.

Others use bikes to go even further off the beaten track: they want to go where buses don't go at all and perhaps where other vehicles cannot get to either. Paul Woloshansky built his own racks to carry extra gear after being told all too often: 'There's a prettier way to go but there's nothing out there at all.' Other adventurers, such as Sweden's Janne Corax (see p122), have said the same thing: there were times when there was no other way of getting to where they wanted to go. You couldn't get there on foot and you couldn't get there in a truck. It was possible only on a bicycle.

Half the adventure, though, is in the riding itself. Being out in the fresh air and seeing much more than is possible from a bus or train window is always a good feeling, whether you are wandering around France or riding across India. A lot of today's cycle tourists are interested in the riding but not that interested in bikes. It's a means of transport and a way to carry bags comfortably, while sitting down and enjoying the view. Not everyone is drawn to the high passes of the Andes or the Himalaya but they are all enjoying that same sense of freedom and all that comes with it―unexpected discoveries, off-route detours or an impromptu day off when you find a great place to stay. Trips like these are not as arduous as some expeditions but they are every bit as satisfying―and they are still adventures, for they allow for spontaneity. And if you are carrying a tent and camping gear, you're prepared for just about any eventuality because you've always got a place to spend the night.

This book looks at the possibilities out there, the different styles of travelling and the basic gear and know-how that you need. We also look at some of the more exciting cycling destinations around the world, complete with suggestions as to which routes to take and what you need to plan a trip in that region. The Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook does not set out to tell you exactly where to go: it's your adventure, after all. But it's good to have a general idea of a destination and what you're likely to find when you're there and this is what this book aims to do.

In the final part of this book we include stories from all around the world, not just about the biking but also about the adventures cyclists had on their journeys. It's the old idea that a bike ride isn't just about the riding but also about the places you were able to get to and the people you got to meet―and all because you decided to travel by bicycle.

Review for previous edition: 'the definitive guide to how, where, why and what to do on a cycle expedition...' Adventure Travel Magazine.

Neil & Harriet Pike have cycled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America.

They began their travels by buying bikes in Istanbul, Turkey, and cycling home to Oxford. An 18-month bike tour through the Andes followed, igniting a passion for cycling high roads which led to a traverse of the Himalaya and other parts of Asia.

They blog at pikesonbikes.com and run the website andesbybike.com. They are the authors of another Trailblazer title: Peru's Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash – The Hiking & Biking Guide.

When not travelling they live in Bristol, England.

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Not only for beginners, but will take cyclist to the next level...
By Jeffrey Fritts
In my journey from competitive cyclist to a more sensible approach and use for the bicycle, at least for me, I have researched and read many treatises about the enjoyable past time of touring by bicycle. The third edition of Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook has been a Goldilocks experience for me. The guide not only provides easy soft beginning information for the novice, but also ascends to the mountain pass level of story about the real world hard experiences of many different travelers and adventurers. The list of contributors reads like a who’s who of touring cyclist many I have already read and enjoyed. If I were to only suggest one guide for a touring cyclist the Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook would be it.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Five Stars
By Henry Jackson
The book for adventures by bike.

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Expat Guide: Moscow

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
Moving overseas to work? You need all the help you can get!
By Jennie Swann
Expatriates do ordinary jobs in extraordinary places. Moving yourself and your family anywhere out of your home country needs careful planning and planning a move to Moscow is a particularly bewildering experience considering all the negative publicity Russia and Russians receive. Travel books just don't focus on the things you need to know. Reading a book such as Expat Guide: Moscow makes it so much easier to imagine what lies ahead and remove a lot of the doubt. I wish I'd had a book like this.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Must Read before Moving
By Chris Rasmussen
I traveled to and from Moscow and lived in the belly of this Mega City. This book highlighted many known factors, but provided me with enough insight to issues not thought of, that the value is priceless.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Out of Date
By Explorer77
This book may have been quite useful once, but it is several years out of date, a significant amount of time for a city that has changed as much over the past decade as Moscow has. At this point it is mostly useless.

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Take the Kids: England, 2nd (Take the Kids - Cadogan)

The second edition of Cadogan's comprehensive child-friendly guide has everything travelers need to make any family vacation, day trip, or outing a thumping success and keep both kids and adults thoroughly entertained and tantrum-free.

"Everything you need to know."
--The Observer (United Kingdom)

"We tout these guides a lot, we must confess, but we're suckers for good, humorous writing."
--Book Passage

"Packed with ideas."
--Junior Magazine (United Kingdom)

England is a great place for the kids – it's simply choc-a-block with fantastic things to see and do. Whether you're visiting from abroad, planning a special holiday or just looking for fun things to do on the weekends, this guide takes the pain out of researching and planning your options. From Land's End to Hadrian's Wall, Joe Fullman and his team of researchers give practical advice and tips on how to explore England from top to bottom, plus plenty of unusual ideas and suggestions to make your stay unforgettable – from fishing with gnomes at Bradworthy and touring the sewers of Exeter to floating down the river Thames on a 'duck tour'!
Inside you will find: the best of 'mini' London – both the obvious and the unexpected; top towns, special trips, regional highlights and calendars; sports and activities for all ages; quizzes, challenges and stories; practical tips throughout; advice on choosing your ideal holiday; hundreds of child-friendly attractions, restaurants and hotels; detailed travel information, itineraries and color maps.

Joseph Fullman is a professional travel writer who has lived in London all his life. He is the author of Cadogan's Take the Kids London, Take the Kids Short Breaks from London and coauthor of Take the Kids Paris & Disneyland® Resort Paris. He contributes articles to various newspapers, websites, and WAP guides.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Lots and lots of useful information.
By Marcy G.
This is a great must-have for those who are planning to take their kids on a trip to England. Whether this is your first time or a repeat visit, this book is invaluable.

This excellent Cadogan Guidebook has chock full of up-to-date information on family-friendly sites. This includes attraction descriptions, costs, hours of operation and tips on how to get there. There are also tips on whether sites have special amenities for babies/toddlers. Each section (chapter) is divided according to geographic location - London, the southwest, south, Thames Valley, etc. The authors also rate their favorite or highly recommended spots. As a frequent visitor to the UK, I marvel at how much ground they cover. Everything from gardens, historic buildings, palaces, castles, zoos, parks, amusement centers, beaches, kid-friendly restaurants and shopping areas are covered in great detail.

My only complaint with this book is that it is almost completely text - no pictures and few maps. However, the book itself is almost 2 inches thick which really does show how much ground this book covers.

This book is an excellent resource for what to see and do on your upcoming trip. If you're into visuals, then I recommend that you get this book and the Eyewitness Great Britain guide. If you're planning to spend most of your time in London and only a couple of days in the countryside, then pick up the London version of this book instead. However, if you're planning to spend a lot of time trekking around London and the English countryside, this and the Eyewitness Guide combined should put you on your way to planning and enjoying a fun-filled family trip to England.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Not Perfect, But Worth A Read
By Pam - because someone has to be GOOD
This is the edition that my local library has, and it's the book I'm going to review. However, I have purchased the newer, 3rd Edition which shall be more up-to-date, one hopes.

I found this book useful. The author definitely has children in mind, although his exact advice isn't available for every age-range on every topic. He advises parent's of little ones to be careful in old trains as the windows can go all the way down. And he warns people that charter planes are a terrible choice for families, but advice on which site is best for which age group is frequently absent.

Still, the author does give an idea of what hands-on activities are available, and that's very, very helpful.

The book is written with a good dose of humor, which makes it a pleasure to read, and he tackles areas of Britain in a logical fashion, giving examples of what a day tour might involve. He talks about Passes (to save money) and restaurants, and the usual sorts of things that travel guides include.

Surprisingly, there was nothing about dress, nor much about hotels. BUT I'm glad I read this book --it gave me lots of idea for organizing my own expedition-- as is indicated by the fact that I purchased the newer edition. (I'm hoping he has another coming out this year or next.)

Worth a read.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Best Guide Book for Parents!
By K. A. Dix
We have two toddlers, ages 3 & 4. We take this book whenever we set out on a trip around England. It's so helpful to find child-friendly restaurants (not all pubs will allow children because of alcohol license restrictions), free parks, and fun activities for the kids. Let's face it, even though I could spend a day touring a museum or castle, that's not exactly the kids' favorite activity. We've found petting zoos, nature parks, playgrounds and great restaurants with this book. It's easy to reference and not a bad size for throwing in a tote bag. It's made our days out much more child friendly!

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The Instruction Manual for Kids - Parent's Edition

Whenever a new baby is born, someone usually says, "Good luck with your kid, because he doesn't come with an instruction manual" Well, Kerri Yarsley, a successful mother of four, is about to change all that. The Instruction Manual for Kids - Parent's Edition is an eminently readable, informative, and entertaining book that takes the reader on a journey from pre-pregnancy preparation all the way through to the late teenage years. It covers the basics as well as some interesting behavioral perspectives that you might not expect in a parenting book. So whether you have one or many kids, be prepared to change your thoughts, words, and actions, and have a brilliant and joyful life with your amazing kids. This comprehensive book sets out many "rules of engagement" between children and their environment during the formative years from birth to early adulthood. Written specifically for parents - both new and seasoned - the book contains information that makes practical sense on all levels. If you are a resident of Planet Earth, then I highly recommend Kerri's book to you. It will inform, amuse, inspire, and move you. -Author Bill Statham, The Chemical Maze Shopping Companion

Kerri Yarsley was born in Melbourne, Australia. She studied Biochemistry, Microbiology, Education, and Computers at university. After marriage, Kerri worked as a Systems Programmer and attained Fitness Leader's qualifications and trained in martial arts. Kerri and Frank had four children in six years, so Kerri began her 20 year career documenting from home.

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
There Is A Lot Of Information Between These Covers
By Maria Gagliano
The 411 by Maria:

Every parent thinks it, I wish there was a manual that came home with the baby. We have this beautiful baby and some of us have no idea what to do once our baby is brought home from the hospital. then we find that babies were way easier than kids. Kids are a whole other group. They now think and talk for themselves and we are challenged in a whole other way so I loved the title The Instruction Manual for Kids.

The Book is broken down into chapters:

Preparation or Get a Pet
Anatomy of a Kid
Simplicity or No Dramas
Rights and Responsibilities
Education or Set a Good Example
Nice Guy vs Tough Guy
Prevention is Better than Cure
Parents and Friends
Baby Basics
Toddler Basics
Pre-teen Basics
Teenager Basics
Death or Separation
Final Words

I love reading. I also love reading books about things I am interested in. I am interested in my kids and being the best parent I could be so I was eager to open this fun cover book and jump in. I sat down on the couch and opened it the words are small, the margins are small the headings are small. It seemed like a whole lot of reading before I even started.

While there are some really interesting sections like the nutritional requirements and that kids need water to live as well as the keep it super simple (Kiss Principal) idea which is don't over control things (which was a problem for me as a new mom); I felt that it the layout was a little different I would have enjoyed it more.

Kerri definitely covers a lot of interesting information and re-opens my parent mind to things that I believe but have put aside for a moment every once in a while like The Rights Of Childhood. Basically how kids have the right to be a child, run around and play games, laugh loud, cry, etc. It is how I parent but every once in a while you need the gentle reminder in the stress of your day.

The other section I wish more people would read was called Keep Your Language Clear and Polite. I think this is something that should be given to every parent. I remember my sister-in-law commenting on how polite I was to my kids. I would knock on their door even when they were 3 or 4 and say, can I come in or ask them to pick something up and with a please and thank you. It wasn't something I consciously thought about but if I wanted them to be polite I needed to show them how.

You can get a lot of prospective from this wise parent who is kind enough to put it all down in one place for us to read.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Parents -this book is for you!
By Paula C. Dirkes
The Instruction Manual for Kids - Parent's Edition seems to cover all the topics parents could possibly need, ranging from before they give birth until children reach adulthood. As the parent of 4 children (very close in age), Kerri has done an impressive job creating a user-friendly parenting textbook - complete with personal stories - to educate parents, calm their fears and inspire them to be the best parents and mentors they can be. She touches upon physical, emotional and even psychological topics that benefit both parent and child, boy or girl. This is a book every parent needs for their personal library. I highly recommend it!

Paula C. Dirkes
Author: Mentor Me! The Complete Guide for Women who want to Mentor Girl
http://www.amazon.com/Mentor-Complete-Guide-Women-Girls/dp/0983793603/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359216905&sr=8-2&keywords=mentor+me+dirkes

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Every parent should own this book!
By Sophie
After reading this book I gained a much greater perspective of how to manage and build my parenting skills. You can definitely tell that this book was written by an experienced parent. I am much wiser for reading this. I like the little personal stories - they help me to relate to my own situation and give me hope that I can be the best parent I can be for my kids.

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Graphic Fiction For Kids with Comic Illustrations: Graphic Novel Dog

Black & White Illustration Version BONUS - Includes FREE Dog Farts Audio Book for Kids Inside! For a very time limited period you can download a FREE audiobook chapter of this funny dog FART BOOK: Blaster! Boomer! Slammer! Popper, Banger! Your kids will LOL and tear their pants at this funny audio chapter. This is the New & Enhanced Version Of The Famous Fart Book: FART BOOK: Blaster! Boomer! Slammer! Popper, Banger! All illustrations are in full color now + Each chapter includes a narrated audio version of the chapter so that your child can learn by reading and by listening at the same time. This version also includes one new and never before releases fart story that can be characterized as pant ripping because it is so hilarious so make sure to check your pants right after you LOL! Let me introduce myself, I am El Ninjo and I am the master butt-whistler because I simply can not resist exposing my family with my expressive face-melting fart art! I guarantee you and your kids will LOL at this hilarious fart book with these amazing bean blowing color and audio rich illustrations. Yes, I am the true master of bottom-burping disaster and I am going to impress you with my creative bottom belching ways. I will not only show you every stinky fart trick that I have in my collection, but I will also make sure to show you how to apply each individual fart situation for your own benefit! These short moral stories for kids are not only entertaining to read, to look at and to listen to, but they are teaching your kid about all kinds of life lessons the smart and not the annoying way. With this smart dog farts book your kids do not turn into little farting monsters over night, but they become smarter! This is how Einstein would have taught his kids the gravity of farts:) The list of fart situation goes like this: * The Wake Upper Popper * The Straight Up Breakfast Table Shot * The Flying Carpet * The Backpack Burster * The Gasification In The Car * The Neighbour Detonator * The Imaginary Bone Shot Or Fart Expressionism * The Blue Hour In The Elevator (this is a brand new and never before released story. It is included for the first time in this new and enhanced color and audio version of the Fart Book) * The Delivery Boy Truck Detonater * The Stinky Tsunami * The Lego Blower * The Hand Stinker * The Marshmallow Shooter * The Steamy Sweat Blanket Pooper * The Gas Eruption in the Chicken Coop and many more steamy bean blowing farting dog episodes... Purchase my "Fart Book" right now for your kids while this low introductory price is still available. Go ahead...purchase "FART BOOK: Blaster! Boomer! Slammer! Popper, Banger!" right now and download the Audio version that is included inside each chapter of the farting dog book. Each bottom burping story also comes with a beautifully colored illustration so that the fun becomes triple fun with this hilarious dog farts book. Each chapter includes: the hilarious English story in text format, the colored illustration, and the audiobook format. This is the New & Enhanced Version of Volume 1 including Part 1 + Part 2

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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Ha!ha!
By Joy
It's true kids laugh out loud to farts and a darting dog story had them rolling around laughing, and wanted to read it again and again lol

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Dog Farts
By WorkingMommy
My kids, twin boys of 6 and my little girl, are already big fans of El Ninjo. They read through all his past fart escapades and just kept bugging me every day if there is a new dog fart book up by El Ninjo. This weekend they finally got lucky because this one is the best one ever released. It includes the most hilarious new story that takes place in an escalator in Rome, Italy and the dog is just so farty and witty at the same time. This is a must read for little boys and girls who just love stuff like this but who are also loving the fascinating aspects of it because El Ninjo is just a smart farting dog. He does not just fart for the sake of it, but he does it with style. The whole family loves his new book and the colorful illustrations are just making this book pop and the stories become even more hilarious because the colors are just bringing the stories to life. We are looking forward to listening to the audiobooks that are included in this version, too. We are all thinking what a great deal: text, color and audio! Three times the fun for my kids. My kids are all praying for the series to be continued. Thumbs up for El Ninjo - the smartest farter around the block!

I have to add another review because my kids just asked me to tell the world how funny this gross out book is. It is their favorite book series.

This book is obviously not at all targeted to an adult reader and it would be totally unfair to be judged by an adult since this is not at all an adult book. Everyone who actually reads the book descriptions gets this idea that this is targeted to a kid not an adult!

This books would not even make sense to adults and without seeing this book from the perspective of the eyes of my 6 year olds and their perspective.

So it totally makes sense, my kids totally hated my above explanation about farts and they told me this is stupid Mommy and vice versa adults who are looking at this book probably have the same reaction and say oh boy this is the most stupid thing I have ever seen.

I totally recommend this book to boys in the age group of my boys because this is what boys with 6 like to read about and this is what they think is really funny. A grown up would hate it or review it as stupid and probably would prefer what I wrote about farts from the perspective of an adult.

I do not ask them to understand my world and they do not need me to like or understand there gross out fart world.

I hope that I clarified my point by giving a real writing and working example about farts and the fact that adults prefer the mentally more challenging mental reading experiences and kids like it loud, graphical, colorful and very very fart intensive.

My review is from the perspective of 6 year olds which is the target group of this book and it should only be bought for kids not for adults. Adults should not review this book neither because it is just not fair.

It is like giving a kid a book that is for grown ups and then ask the kid for a review. It would come out like this: "This is the most stupid book that I ever read and I hate it!"

In order to be pleased with your purchase, I only recommend to buy this book for your kids because the like stuff the gross, colorful and graphic way!

My twins hated my fart explanation and they asked me to instead buy them Volume 3 of the fart book so that they could complete their collection. They actually asked me to scan the marketplace daily not to miss any fart book release of El Ninjo.

They prefer to read about farts the gross out way and the El Ninjo way and hate everything that makes too much sense.

I am not judging their educational process and development because I know they are going to turn into boys with manners. I am only happy that they like a fart book series that is gross and exciting on one hand, but what I specifically like about this specific fart book series is that kids still get some cool nuggets to benefit from for their own personal development and growth. El Ninjo always teaches some cool ninja nugget about the benefits of farts and some other interesting facts that are just cool to know for kids.

It somehow makes sense in a naive and kids type of way and they still learn manners in a way that is packaged in a cool and exciting fun way. I am just hoping that El Ninjo comes up with many more funny episodes for new books in his series because this is how I keep them interested in reading and developing their reading and reasoning skills.

I do not know what I would have done without this fart book series. My boy would love just one like that.

Anyways, I can not thank El Ninjo enough for having changed our difficult boys into boys who like reading now and this is all thanks to this awesome book series that my husband even calls the Einstein way of learning because nothing we tried worked before this fart book series.

Thanks El Ninjo for your awesomeness and my boys are fans for life! They really get involved and this is how learning happens with lots of interaction, fun and smart interesting stuff.

This is what this fart book is all about making your kid fun in a fun and hilarious and sometimes gross out way. However, not in a gross out way that is plain stupid where all the annoying fart kid characters do is fart without even making sense and just for the sake of it. El Ninjo is farting, too, but in a way that makes it funny and involving.

I really have to stress that I only recommend this fart book series to kids because they love this type of weird fart stuff. The artistic value of the illustrations is just awesome and totally under prized because usually these types of comic roman books for kids are way more expensive and especially with so much artistic value added to this compilation. The book talks to kids and is written in kid's language that might maybe offend some grown ups and adults so if you are easily offended by gross out stuff this does not mean that the book is bad, it only means that you did not read what this book is about and for whom the book is written.

I do not get these ignorant consumers who just buy whatever they find fun at first sight and without educating themselves about what it really involves and what it does for them. These ignorant buyers or haters or negative people in general then are offended by something that they got out of it.

Our family defends this hilarious fart book series because each book that we have bought gives more value back and the books are under prized. The artistic value that is included in each book is awesome and the highest quality that we have ever experienced in kid books.

People who do not like them either are negative or haters and they obviously have no idea what they bought. It is unfair to leave a review unless you are a kid or a parent who writes the review for the kid because this book is not an adult book.

Read the product description before buying if you are not buying the book for a kid. The artistic value and the colored illustrations are the highest quality and they alone are worth more than the ridiculous prize. I have paid 10 or 20 times the amount of this book series for books that did not include half the quality and amount of illustrations as they are provided in this hilarious fart book series!

Well done and we are all 5 looking forward to see what El Ninjo is getting himself into in the next fart book.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
awful
By pjeanie
I didn't make it thru. It was gross then it was gross boring. I took it off kindle same night. Wouldn't recommend.

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Lonely Planet Thailand's Islands & Beaches

As well as providing practical travel advice, this travel guide includes background information on Thailand's islands and beaches. To assist travellers in transit, this guide also covers Bangkok.

Destination Thailand's Islands & Beaches

If you fancy a holiday where the sun is as hot as a bird's-eye chilli and palm fronds whisper in the breeze, head to the glorious islands and beaches of southern Thailand. Close your eyes and imagine towering limestone islands, dripping with stalactites and ringed by shimmering white sand. Conjure up images of crystal-clear waters teeming with exotic fish, and steamy tropical jungles. Of course, you've seen it all a million times on postcards and tourist brochures, but Thailand is one place where the reality lives up to the ideal.

There are literally hundreds of tropical islands on both sides of the Thai-Malay peninsula. There are established backpacker hang-outs (Ko Samui) and paradise getaways (Ko Tarutao). The mainland has virgin jungles full of tumbling waterfalls and secret caverns, and hundreds of kilometres of immaculate sandy shoreline.

Other destinations may have white-sand beaches and azure seas, but where else can you combine the sea and sand with adventure activities - scuba diving with whale sharks, rock climbing on limestone sea cliffs and sea kayaking through mangrove forests and prehistoric caves?

Thailand is cheap and well organized, and the steady flow of travelers moving up and down the coast means that travel can be as comfortable or as rugged as you want it to be. If you want to escape the crowds, rent a boat to an uninhabited island and live on the beach. If you want company, head to Ao Phra-Nang's full-moon party. Add some of Asia's finest food to this heady mix and the only question you need to ask yourself is, when shall I go...?

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful.
Wait for next version - No tsunami updated
By Pablo Nicolas Pecora
Despite all SE Asia - tsunami affected guides - say: "you can update online" you don't get lot of information on their website.

Practically half of the areas detailed by this book is affected by the tsunami. The information is good, but not certain due to all the problems in the area. I've been in the andaman beaches and the guide was usefull, but I would wait for next version of this book. Lonely Planet Thailand (the next version, tsunami updated) is ready in august 2005, I think. So it's worth waiting...

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
A very helpful guide to a very beautiful part of the world
By Pretzels!
Although I didn't make it to half the places in this book, I certainly enjoyed reading about them, and more importantly, thoroughly enjoyed the places I did make it to.

Remember: this is the guide to use if you're only going to LOS (the Land of Smiles) to island hop. Use the general Thailand book if you want to see the mainland as well as the beaches (it will detail quite a few of the islands and beaches as well.)

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
A Paradise awaiting the reader and the traveler
By Dodie Cross
I started reading Loney Planet years ago when I planned my trip to Thailand and have never been disappointed. I am an author and my memoir, soon to be released, takes place in Thailand in 1993. The beauty then and now has not changed in the outer islands. I would recommend anyone visiting Thailand to read this book first to get a feel of the country and its wonderful people.
Dodie Cross, Author of A Broad Abroad in Thailand: An Expat's Misadventures in The Land of Smiles.

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Malta (Bradt Travel Guide Malta)

With some 300 days of sunshine a year, Malta has long been known for package holidays. But anyone going to Malta merely to lie in the sun is seriously missing out. Packed into this island nation are 7,000 years of fascinating – and visible – history, and the Bradt guide delves into Malta’s temples and archaeology more comprehensively than any other guidebook. Also covering birdwatching, summer festas, the less commercialized islands of Gozo and Comino, and highlighting accommodation and restaurants of interest and character rather than just looking at convenience and budget, this guidebook discovers the Malta beyond the tourist resorts.

'Bang up to date and easy to follow. ... full of fascinating asides.' Journal of the International Map Collectors' Society - Spring 2011

Juliet Rix has been a journalist for 25 years, and has worked for the BBC (television and radio), magazines, the internet and British national newspapers.

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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
POMSKIZILLIOUS AND GROMPHIBEROUS
By DAVID BRYSON
300 pages of small print (although including several pages of colour photographs) might seem a lot for a guide to such a diminutive country as Malta. Not really: not when the country is home to some of the oldest surviving buildings and artefacts in the entire world. They go back to the 6th millennium B C, but of course they are `silent witnesses'. The Maltese antiquities greatly predate Mycenae Tiryns and Cnossos, but if anything was written by their creators none of the writing has survived. We have no equivalent of the Linear B tablets, let alone any such bardic tradition as has come down to us under the name of Homer.

As tourist guides go, this one is decidedly upmarket. The stuff we would normally expect is here of course, like ratings for hotels and restaurants, information on travel and transport, and the best locations to find sea, sun, sand and whatever else. If night-spots get proportionately less coverage than they do in most guide-books, that must be because, according to the author, Malta largely closes down around 9 p.m. (as does eastern Berlin, or it did when I was there 5 or 6 years ago). There is also the sort of general commentary on the look, feel and atmosphere of the place and its culture that ought to be here, and politically correct inclusiveness is dutifully represented by a brief paragraph on the gay scene. What is different about this guide is the amount of space that is devoted to `places of interest'.

That kind of material can be desperately laboured and boring in other guides to other places, but anyone who is bored by the history and pre-history of Malta is really missing something. There is a fascinating summarised account of it all, 5000 B C to 2010 A D, and Juliet Rix is obviously enthralled by it, as well she might be. By `Malta' of course I mean the whole country by that name, comprising the eponymous main island plus its smaller northern neighbour Gozo and the mini-island Comino lying just south of Gozo. Malta has the highest population density of any European country, but mainly on the larger island. Gozo is quieter, it is Gozo that I know better from my one visit with my family in 1985, the little Gozitan village of Xlendi in its miniature canyon leading down to the sea is where we were based for two weeks, and Xlendi is the very last place mentioned in the book. Throughout the last millennium Gozo was as prone as Malta itself to attacks by Turks, Arabs and Napoleon, but during WWII, when Malta was being intensively bombarded, Gozo was left largely unscathed by the Axis. Edward Lear (he of the limericks) was entranced by Gozo, so was I, and it is still what he called it `pomskizillious and gromphiberous'.

Where the larger island scores is simply, I suppose, in being larger. The Grand Harbour is awesome, the antiquities are more numerous, and the seaward fortifications are unique and colossal. See those and then see whether you don't want to know more about the history behind them. There are more fascinating sites per acre on Malta, I guess, than anywhere else in the world, and this guide has been compiled by an author with a genuine interest in them. When they start to get a bit much for you, then that is perhaps the time to retreat to Gozo, and you will start off with a very favourable impression after sailing out of the rather ugly and functional harbour of Cirkewwa and being welcomed to Gozo by the beautiful sight of Mgarr. Comino I know only from swimming in the Blue Lagoon, but that experience converted even a dry-land sportsman like me to swimming for the time being, and Gozo harbours, inter alia, the cave where the nymph Calypso supposedly detained Odysseus for several years, not that he minded.

Perhaps I am beginning to explain how such a small place requires a long guide. There was far more there than I could get my feet around, let alone get my head around, in two weeks. Considered just as a selling job, something that makes me itch to go back and stay longer, this approach has done the trick for me.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
Trip Preparation
By Joe Higgins
Guide very thorough and informative. A must in my opinion for Malta vacationers regardless of island familiarity. A good universal, detailed discription of Malta history, accommodations, restaurants and year-round activities for the short or long-term visitor! If you are not planning a trip to Malta, this guide will make you want to visit!

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Five Stars
By Dan Matz
Detailed and informative guide.

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