Guide to Hiking China's Old Road to Shu Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is great. I know the author and had an opportunity to do some editing on it prior to publication. I am joining the author in China mid-March for our second trip to do some light hiking and touristing. I have found the book very useful, especially the detail she gives regarding both preparations and the actual journey itself.

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This is the first guidebook specifically written for people who speak no Chinese but would like to go hiking on their own in China off the beaten track. The hikes are through the beautiful Qinling and Daba Mountains in Sichuan and Shaanxi Province along the few remaining stretches of one of China's old imperial roads known as the Road to Shu. There are nineteen hikes, most in the six-hour range, but some two-and three-day hikes as well. There are maps, hotel and restaurant listings, specific information on bus and train travel, and Chinese phrases to help you secure lodgings on your own. There are five handy pages of local menu selections in Chinese, as well.
Also included is some unusual information you won't find in any other guidebook: Is it safe to drink Bad Weather Beer or eat in a restaurant that advertises "Englishmen delicious"? When staying in a Chinese farmhouse should you wash your face and feet in the same basin? The most important question though is: How cheaply can you do this trip? The answer is for as little as $25 a day in cheap lodgings or for $80 a day in costlier ones.

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Travel Around China: The Guide to Exploring the Sites, the Cities, the Provinces, and More Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is lovely to look at, but the information inside is very minimal and completely uninteresting. The maps are uninformative (such as giving you an idea about what surrounds the province) and the narrative is so boring. Within the first few pages I felt like screaming. There are dry lists of roads, or festivals or possible itineraries, and the narratives contain lots of numbers (the square feet and height and dimensions, etc.) but nothing that tells you a place is exciting, or crumbling, or friendly or any sort of personal connection. To keep the book attractive they have used some lovely pictures, framing and lots of white space around the written areas. So they have had to seriously cut down on the number of attractions and cities they can include. If you only plan on hitting the most common places, this book might be for you. But if you want something that includes lesser know attractions and cities, you best keep looking for another book.

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Travelers from all over the world have grown to appreciate China's history and scenery. In 2008, the growing world power is sure to become an even more popular destination with the start of the Beijing Olympics. Officially sanctioned by the Chinese government, Travel Around China is an overview of tourism in this intriguing country, from Beijing to the Great Wall and beyond.

Considering a trip to China? This beautiful, four-color guide gives you a full account of everything to expect. Each province is broken down into regional sections—perfect for planning tours. Also included are local cuisine, popular festivals, recommended travel routes for long and shorter tours, and transportation and accommodation tips.

Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of color pictures of China's highlights, this book is a must-have for anyone planning a trip to this unique country.

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