"Packed with dependable information." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"An admirable blend of the cultural and the practical." -- The Washington Post
Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over. Completely up-to-date, Fodor's Gold Guides are essential tools for any kind of traveler. If you only have room for one guide, this is the guide for you.
The best guide to Southeast Asia, completely updated Golden palaces, ancient temples, and tribal communities Jungle treks, smoldering volcanoes, and pristine beaches Where to shop -- colorful bazaars, gracious artisan villages, stylish urban megamalls Where to stay and eat, no matter what your budget Beachside bungalows, mountaintop villas, palatial high-rises Grand dining rooms, garden bistros, and seaside cafés with Asian and international fare, colonial tea salons and expat pubs, classic noodle stands and hawker centers Fresh, thorough, practical -- from writers you can trust Costs, hours, descriptions, and tips by the thousands All reviews based on visits by our own savvy correspondents 73 pages of maps, vacation itineraries, and more
Important contacts, smart travel tips - Fodor's Choice - What's Where - Festivals - Vocabulary - Background essays - Comprehensive index
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Asia on Internet Time Comment: I love the Rough Guides, Moon Guides, and Lonely Planet. The only problem is, they often assume you're going for 3 weeks or 6 months. I can seldom get away for more than 8-10 days at a time. Fodor's doesn't just dump a lot of destination info on you. They help you prioritize by listing "must-see" sights and presenting multiple alternative itineraries for trips of different lengths, etc.
Last December, Fodor's SE Asia guide helped me figure out that the Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore odyssey we wanted just wouldn't fit comfortably into 10 days. So we postponed that trip until someday when we have at least 2 or 3 weeks. Instead, we simply flew into Bangkok and immediately booked a 3-day Phnom Penh/Angkor tour. In all, we did 3 days each in Cambodia and Bangkok and 4 days in Tokyo. It was a fabulous trip.
This time I'm using Fodor's Japan, together with the Moon and Rough Guides (and of course the Internet), to plan a 10-day solo trip to Hokkaido. From Fodor's I get the highlights, along with a good idea of what I can expect to fit into 10 days. From the other two I get obscure (but equally important!) details, such as the fact that the little farming town of Furano (not mentioned in Fodor's) gets a lot of Japanese tourists because it was the setting for the long-running TV drama Kita no Kuni Kara (From the North Country). I've only seen a few early episodes of that show, but it's enough that now I want to see Furano too.
To sum up, I use Fodor's as my starting point, then read other guides to get extra details. I've done 2 Asia trips this way, and I'll be doing the 3rd one very soon.
Customer Rating: Summary: A concise and easy-to-use guide Comment: As Fodors does like no one else, this pleasing digestible guidebook gives practical information to the traveller for an incredibly large and diverse region. A great starting point for trip planning in southeast Asia.
