Fodor's Beijing and Shanghai, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) (Paperback)

by Fodor's (Author)
Key Phrases: lama temple, drum tower, riverside promenade, Huangpu District, Chaoyang District, Luwan District (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Hike to the top of the Great Wall, sample the street life on a riverfront boulevard, watch the sun set over the Forbidden City, spear a steamed pork dumpling or be soothed in Suzhou's age-old sculpted gardens—Fodor's Beijing & Shanghai, 1st Edition offers all these experiences and more! Our local writers have traveled throughout these cities to find the best hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities to prepare you for a journey of stunning variety. Before you leave for China's fastest growing cities, be sure to pack your Fodor's guide to ensure you don't miss a thing. With a glossary of Chinese phrases, and essays on Chinese culture, this guide is a must for any trip.

The San Francisco Chronicle sums it up best —"Fodor's guides are saturated with information."

-New compact trim size make these guides even more portable
-Two-color interior design makes it easier to find the information you need
-Fodor's Choice Ratings flag must-see sights and hidden treasures
-Hotel and restaurant reviews cover all budgets
-Plus multi-day itineraries to help you build the right trip for you and/or your family

About the Author
Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by experts who live locally

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's (January 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400013399
• ISBN-13: 978-1400013395
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #760,176 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #33 in	Books > Travel > Asia > China > Shanghai
  #35 in	Books > Travel > Guidebook Series > Fodor's > Asia
  #45 in	Books > Travel > Asia > China > Beijing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Serious drawbacks, September 30, 2005

By	Kuru (Seattle) - See all my reviews

It makes sense to market a guidebook focusing on the two cities in China that many Americans will bundle together in one trip. I found the site, hotel and restaurant reviews consistent with my own experiences (albeit my sample size was small). But this book has key drawbacks that made me regret the weight it took up in my baggage: (1) place names for hotels, restaurants, sites, etc. are generally given only in English. Most tourists will get around these cities by cab. Cab drivers in China almost never speak any English. Nor will most Chinese on the street, should you want to ask directions. Thus, giving these names in both Chinese characters and Pinyin (romanized Chinese, so American travelers could at least try to pronounce them), should be mandatory for any guidebook you actually want to take with you to China. (2) The maps are confusing and, worse, sometimes inaccurate. Separate maps are given for hotels, sites and restaurants, and the formats differ, making it harder than it needs to be to figure out, say, how to reach a given site from your hotel. Many streets are unlabeled, making it hard to use the maps when walking around. It's not clear whether the maps are to scale, and scales aren't provided, so the maps can't be used to predict how far away things are. (3) Little information is given even on key sites. It would be better to find a guidebook that included little maps of large sites and major museums, as well as detailed background information. (4) The phrasebook section is far too limited, includes phrases you won't actually need (e.g., phrases for checking into hotels, although every hotel listed will have English-speaking reception staff), and omits phrases you definitely will want (e.g., phrases for asking directions and navigating customs) as well as phrases that could make your trip more fun (e.g., a basic foot-massage vocabulary). Finally, it should be noted that, like other Fodor's titles, this book is geared towards travelers who might be somewhat afraid of leaving their "luxury bubble." Unless you are willing to set the book aside and explore on your own, using this book will shield you from a lot of wonderful experiences.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than expected.., January 11, 2007

By	K. E. Keating (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When we went to China..we bought the Eyewitness Guide that everyone raved about...as well as Lonely Planet for Shanghai and Beijing...and we usually love Lonely planet books...this book was a gift..and since we don't usually like Fodor's..we didn't expect much..however we did find it very helpful on the places to eat, places to visit, things to see. Although Eyewitness..and the Insight Guide were much more informative on China culture/history etc..but for getting around.. I would reccommend this book.