South-West China (Lonely Planet Guide) (Paperback)

by Bradley Mayhew (Author), Korina Miller (Author), Alex English (Author) "For much of its early history the empires of central China held only nominal sway over the South-West..." (more)
Key Phrases: sleeper buses, northern bus station, barbecue stalls, Hong Kong, Bank of China, China Post (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

From Tibetan turquoise lakes to sublime karst landscapes, the south-west is China's most colourful and traveller-friendly region. This definitive guide will lead you off the beaten track and into the heart of ancient cultures.

• 79 detailed maps with script and translations
• extensive coverage of individual ethnic groups and their spectacular festivals
• invaluable Mandarin language section, with script throughout
• detailed information on new sites recetly opened to tourists and covered nowhere else
• full coverage of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi and Guizhou provinces

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 2 edition (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 186450370X
• ISBN-13: 978-1864503708
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,264,413 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the same as the China guide!, January 4, 2003

By	Kelli Hahn (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews

A couple of the reviews below complain that the coverage of South-West China was just lifted from Lonely Planet's China guide and this is really misleading. To prove a point, the following destinations are covered only in the SW China book and are not covered at all in the China guide:

YUNNAN - grottoes of Shibaoshan, stone city of Baoshan, Weixi county, Tiger Leaping Gorge trek map, Birang Gorge, Dondrupling monastery, Cizhong Catholic Church, the Nujiang Valley, Menglian, Chengjiang, Jiangchuan, architecture of Jianshui, Gejiu, terraces of Yuanyuang, Luxi Caves
SICHUAN - dinosaurs of Zigong, Yibin, Bamboo Sea, Bo Hanging Coffins, Yi people of Xichang and the Cool Mountains, Tibetan area of Muli, Tibetan monasteries around Tagong and Ganzi, Dzogchen Monastery, Pelpung, Dzongsar and Kathok monasteries around Derge, trekking around Derge, Daocheng and Yading Nature Reserve, Woolong Nature Reserve, Barkham, Wenchuan, Langmusi, Aba
GUIZHOU - Xingren, Miao towns of Leishan, Taijiang, Fanpai, Shidong, Huangping, Shibing, Zhenyuan, Tongren, Fanjing Mt nature Reserve, the Dong settlements of Ronjiang, Congjiang and Zhaoxing, waterfalls and caves of Chishui,
Guangxi - Nanning, Beihai, Chongzuo, Detian Waterfall on the Vietnam border, Jingxi, Baise, Guiping

The bottom line is that if you are planning a trip around China and/or only have a week or two in SW China, then take LP's China. But if you want to get off the beaten track, have more time to explore SW China and/or have an interest in Tibetan monasteries, hilltribe villages and minority nationalities in general, then SW China is DEFINITELY the guide to take.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is The Updated Version 2002, February 8, 2002

By	Joseph McLaughlin (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This edition will take the traveler beyond the main sites detailed in the China 2000 Lonely Planet. Ignore the other two reviews as they criticize the earlier edition for being out of date. This edition will be very helpful for those exploring the diverse regions of Yunnan and beyond in the Southwest of China.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Much improved, September 13, 2002

By	Mark Elliott (Baku, Azerbaijan) - See all my reviews

The negative comments re the first edition are justified, but for this much better second edition clearly a lot of work has gone into improving the Yunnan section (the bit I can comment on).