10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ready for Thailand!, November 12, 2009
This review is from: Fodor's Thailand, 11th Edition: With Side Trips to Cambodia & Laos (Full-color Travel Guide) (Paperback)
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.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent in general, February 14, 2010
This review is from: Fodor's Thailand, 11th Edition: With Side Trips to Cambodia & Laos (Full-color Travel Guide) (Paperback)
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.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fodor's Thailand Travel Guide, April 18, 2010
This review is from: Fodor's Thailand, 11th Edition: With Side Trips to Cambodia & Laos (Full-color Travel Guide) (Paperback)
Excellent source of relevant material. Very accurate and up-to-date. The only thing I would like to see them incorporate is a more detailed fold-out map of Bangkok. Otherwise very informative and a "must have" when travelling this country. A good value for the money.
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