Lonely Planet Bhutan (Country Guide) [Paperback]

Lindsay Brown (Author), Bradley Mayhew (Author), Stan Armington (Author), Richard Whitecross (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country Guide | Publication Date: April 1, 2007

Lonely Planet Bhutan

Search for fried ferns, jellied cowskins, and dried yak cheese at Thimphu's weekend market.
Be blessed with a 10-inch penis at Chimi Lhakhang, the home of the 'Divine Madman'.
Dance with snowlions and banter with clowns at the pick of Bhutan's colorful festivals.
Hike up to the gavity-defying Tiger's Nest monastery, reputedly held on to the sheer cliff face by the hairs of angels.

In this Guide
Understand murals and monsters with in-depth coverage of Bhutanese Buddhism and culture by our regional expert.
Special trekking chapter brings Himalayan peaks that little bit closer…
Find out more and swap yeti-spotting tips at lonelyplanet.com

Editorial Reviews

Review

Best for curious and independent-minded travelers' --Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travellers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
* We offer travellers the world's richest travel advice, informed by the collective wisdom of over 350 Lonely Planet authors living in 37 countries and fluent in 70 languages.
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* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travellers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
We believe that travel leads to a deeper cultural understanding and compassion and therefore a better world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 3rd edition (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740595297
• ISBN-13: 978-1740595292
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #610,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Travel > Asia > Bhutan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In the Thunder Dragon Kingdom adorned with sandalwood, August 12, 2002

By 

Greg Ford (Boulder, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Bhutan (Paperback)

Lonely Planet is unbelieveable! They continually pump out the HIGHEST quality guidebooks, and they've done it again with this edition covering Bhutan. I have spent a good portion of my life researching, and hording information on Bhutan, and have found Lonely Planet's guidebook to contain everything and more that the traveller could ever want...with two exceptions. I think that the lack of the U'cen script in the language chapter is a serious mistake. Lonely Planet has the capacity to print in the U'cen script as they did so in their Tibet edition. My other qualm is with the sparse coverage of the smaller and admittedly FAR less visited dzongkhags (districts) (i.e., Daga, Samdrup Jongkhar, Pema Gatshel, Zhemgang, Tsirang, etc.). Lonely Planet, resolve these issues and your book will be the best it could be.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Again, Lonely Planet got there first - excellent outcome !, December 30, 2000

By 

Maurizio Giuliano (Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Bhutan (1st ed) (Paperback)

I have no bounds whatsoever to the Lonely Planet publishing house, other than a deep emotional affection towards their guidebooks. Yet, as a world traveler, I cannot but admire their comprehensive coverage of virtually every corner of the world. Almost every place you could dream of visiting is covered in one or more of their guidebooks. And as one would expect... they also made it to this tiny Himalayan kingdom, where less than 4'000 tourists visit each year. The guidebook is great and contains all you need - plenty of information, data, tips, advice, as well as very well written (actually fascinating !) sections on the local history, culture, religion, architecture, etc. At first impact, the guidebook may prove a little disappointing to you, as it explains that most travelers can only go to Bhutan on a guided tour. But this is not quite what it sounds: a guided tour will be tailored just for you - with only 4'000 tourists a year you won't mind being 'guided'. Since you are likely to be in Bhutan with your own guide, this book may not be an essential tool for travel survival, but it surely is a wonderful tool that will make your stay more enjoyable and fascinating. It will enable you to tell your guide what you want to see, to make your itinerary, etc. It will enable you to choose your preferred hotels or restaurants (to be agreed with your tour operator in Bhutan), and even decide where to do your shopping (the choice in Thimphu consists in two or three superb local markets !). But the most valuable sections are probably those on the local culture, an unspoiled culture where the people practice their faith through millenary religious traditions. The guidebook will tell you things you will want to know about the people, their monasteries, their life ! If you go and don't have it with you, you may regret it. ...

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cut above the rest, August 21, 2001

By 

J. Marren "jtm497" (Glen Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Bhutan (1st ed) (Paperback)

If you're thinking of going to Bhutan, be advised there's not a whole lot out there to read in preparation, and of what there is, this guide is one of the best. Tourist travel in Bhutan is strictly controlled, and your itinerary is usually planned in advance, so lots of info on hotels, etc. isn't all that necessary. This guide focuses on history, culture and the life of the people--food, housing, dress. Along with the Passport/Odyssey guide by Pommerat, it's all you need. Have fun!