Guidebooks Books - Page 4

Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die: Diving Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations

Chris Santella

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Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General AAS
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> General

Editorial Review:

The earth’s oceans hold many wondrous surprises—be they the small, colorful “critters” off the coast of Papua New Guinea, opportunistic red demon squids in the Sea of Cortes, or naval wrecks in the lagoon of Bikini Atoll. In Fifty Places to Dive Before You Die Chris Santella has invited diving experts from around the world to share some of their favorite destinations, so ardent divers can experience these underwater wonders for themselves—either on location in their SCUBA gear, or at home in their armchair.

 

The fifth in Santella’s bestselling “Fifty Places” series, the book takes divers from hot-spot destinations like Raja Ampat (off the coast of West Guinea) to old Caribbean favorites like Grand Cayman Isles. Readers will swim among whale sharks off Myanmar, befriend wolf eels off the coast of Maine, and marvel at the giant mola mola of Lembognan, Indonesia. These wonderful creatures—plus the brilliant coral reefs that often provide their backdrop—are captured in 40 gorgeous color photos from the world’s greatest underwater photographers. And for readers who want to travel to these breathtaking locales, Santella provides complete “If You Go” suggestions to help you plan your trip.

Quiet Corners of Paris

Jean-Christophe Napias

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Paris of my dreams 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

A charming book that will lead you to places known to seasoned and local Parisians. Not the run of the mill tourist spots. You will become part of "secret Paris".

Dull 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 7 people found this review helpful.

To say that this is a little dull is an understatement . the quiet corners are DEAD .

Just my style 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

These are the kind of experiences I seek on every vacation. But I only have a week in Paris so thank you so much for doing the "leg work" for me.

Editorial Review:

More than eighty of the loveliest, most tranquil, and sometimes hidden places in Paris are celebrated in this charming guidebook

Quiet Corners of Paris is a beautifully illustrated peek into eighty-one often overlooked, always beautiful, locales: hidden villas, winding lanes, little-known 19th-century passages, serene gardens, and cobblestone courtyards. Some of the places have breathtaking views, others are filled with historic and architectural details, from stone archways, garden follies, boxwood mazes, ornamental statuary, stained glass, and Renaissance fountains. Follow a stone path under a trellis of blossoms or wander through a gate to discoverÉ

National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States, 5th Ed. (National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States)

National Geographic Society

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Featuring 80 all new maps and more than 350 photos, this guide is the most comprehensive, up-to-the-minute book of its kind on the market today. A perennial favorite with almost a million copies sold in previous editions, it reflects National Geographic's century-long association with America's national parks system and its peerless reputation for travel expertise and cartographic excellence.


The book opens with an essay by Yellowstone authority Paul Schullery, and an introduction to the guide with a locator map showing all 58 of these American treasures (including the newest, South Carolina's Congree National Park). Next, the parks are presented alphabetically region-by-region, with individual maps and geographical profiles of each. These colorfully illustrated descriptions offer tours tailored to the time available, whether it's an hour or a week, and tell visitors the best spots to enjoy hikes, spectacular vistas, wildlife and more. Itineraries and directions, special activities and advisories, and suggestions of hotels and campgrounds are provided, along with scores of ideas for excursions to nearby wildlife refuges, monuments, and other nature areas of exceptional interest—140 in all.


From planning a trip to making the most of every minute, here's all the information anyone could want on the scenic national parks plus invaluable recommendations and advice from the National Geographic writers who know them well.

Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations

Chris Santella

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• Coffee Table Books
• Hard Cover

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Subjects -> Sports -> Golf -> Courses
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Subjects -> Sports -> Golf -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

There's an incredible similarity between the mechanics of a fly cast and the swing of a golf club. Perhaps that's why Chris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die, can be found on the links when he's not on the stream. With Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die, Santella gives voice to his other sporting passion, interviewing 50 people intimately connected to the sport about some of their favorite courses around the world.

For both passionate golfers and armchair travelers, this gorgeous full-color book presents the world's greatest golf venues, the personal favorites of renowned players, course architects, and other experts in the sport. From Ballyliffin, Ireland's northernmost course, whose rumpled fairways wander along the North Sea in the shadows of Glashedy Rock, to New Zealand's Cape Kidnappers, perched atop dramatic cliffs some 500 feet above the ocean, the book's beautiful photographs capture the architecture, noteworthy holes, location, and ambiance that make these courses standouts for ardent golfers. A brief history of each course, an experiential account-filled with local color-from the person recommending the venue, and trip-planning advice provide adventurous readers with all the information they need to chip and putt their way around the globe.

A close-up look at golf's top courses around the world, recommended by such experts as Nick Faldo and Christie Kerr (pro golfers), Pete Dye and Tom Doak (course architects), Brian McCallen (editor and author), and Donald Trump
With breathtaking color photographs of each site, this is a great gift for avid golfers and armchair travelers alike

Rick Steves' Germany and Austria 2008 (Rick Steves)

Rick Steves

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

For Rick Steves sycophants only 3 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This book is typical Rick Steves. He has preordained that only certain places are worth visiting and has therefore excluded all others. It is true that his coverage of the Rhine and Mosel valleys is the best of any English-language guide book, but his omissions are many. He completely avoids any mention of the many castles and palaces in Bavaria, save the overly popular Neuschwanstein and a handful of others. Gems like Eisenach's Wartburg Castle, Coburg's Schloss Ehrenburg, Gotha's Schloss Friedenstein, and Kempten's Residenz are given a miss. Could it be that his guide books only cover the places his tours visit for obvious personal financial reasons? If you are a Rick Steves groupie, then feel free to buy his books. But if you want to see the best of Germany, read Eyewitness Travel Guides, Lonely Planet, or Rough Guides, and decide for yourself.

Editorial Review:

Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers how to take the Do-It-Yourself Dresden Baroque Blitz Tour or the Short and Scenic Black Forest Joyride? With Rick Steves’ Germany and Austria 2008, travelers can experience Steves' favorite destinations in Munich, Bavaria, Baden-Baden, Rothenburg, Würsburg, Frankfurt, the Rhine Valley, Dresden, Berlin, Vienna, and the Danube Valley — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, this guide includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights, friendly places to eat and sleep, suggested day plans, walking tours and trip itineraries, and clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot. America’s number one authority on travel to Europe, Steves' time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Mexico (Country Guide)

John Noble

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 55 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Is Lonely Planet Losing Its Touch? 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have about five editions of Lonely Planet Mexico. All previous editions (this is the 11th) were better, if not a lot better. They have quit pricing in dollars, so you have to convert to pesos (admittedly not too hard when the exchange rate hovers at $10M to $1US) for hotels and restaurants. (Forget that travel guides for high inflationary countries are obsolete the day they are distributed.) Worse, they have ceased categorizing hotels as "Budget," "Mid-range" and "Top End," instead using a listing in ascending order of price (no help if the lodgings remodel and go up in price). Worse still, they continue to avoid money saving tips, like staying in San Juan del Rio (which they oimit entirely) when hotels and restaurants in nearby Tequisquiapan are out of sight: the latter caters mostly to rich "Chilangos" (Mexico City people), who go over for a weekend getaway. Some of the comments are downright absurd, e.g. calling Orizaba an industrialized dump, while praising the pricier, relatively boring Cordoba. All in all, this is a B- effort. I am considering taking some other travel guide next trip. In L.P.'s favor, I must admit it still covers small, out of the way spots that are in reality must see's: Rio Atoyac for its tasty, garlicky langostinos and Cuetzalan, Puebla, for its charm.

Editorial Review:

Offering coverage of Baja California, the Yucatn Peninsula, and the Central Pacific Coast, this guide features a GreenDex directory listing of sustainable vendors and contains a special color section on regional Mexican delicacies.

Rick Steves' France 2007 (Rick Steves)

Rick Steves, Steve Smith

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Subjects -> Travel -> Europe -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Rick Steves doesn't just list where to travel in Europe, he leads travelers through the "Back Door," and reveals how to give every journey an extra, more authentic dimension. He shows travelers how to delve into European culture, make friends with the locals, and experience each region's natural wonders — economically and hassle free. Rick Steves' France 2007 is no exception. It covers Paris, Provence, and the French Riviera. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves' France 2007 includes:

• Opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights
• Friendly places to eat and sleep
• Suggested day plans
• Walking tours and trip itineraries
• Clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot

America’s #1 authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Argentina (Country Guide)

Danny Palmerlee

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Not worth the paper it is printed on. 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Lonely Planet misses the mark so badly on Argentina that there is no way anyone should give it a good review. The section on Buenos Aires is absolutely terrible. The free literature that our hotel left in our room was far superior to Lonely Planet's research. As a whole this guide book is geared towards homeless people that are for some reason traveling around South America. So many of the hotels that the book describes as "clean" are absolute dumps. If you do not book one of the "high-end" suggestions in Buenos Aires, I guarantee that you will not be staying in a nice hotel. Restaraunt and sight-seeing recommendations barely scratch the surface of what there is to eat and see in Argentina. In total, it appears that no work or thought was put into creating this guide book. Definitely not worth the money.

Editorial Review:

Better and cheaper than ever, Argentina beckons. Grab this top-selling guide and tackle the tango, gallop with gauchos, and prepare for a thrill ride across enchanting cities, lush jungles, windswept plains, and over Patagonian glaciers to the tip of the world.

The Smart Traveler's Passport: 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers

Erik Torkells, the readers of Budget Travel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Tips harder to find than ShangriLa 2 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Hard to find specific tips, as no index nor organizational sequence by topics. Is very random, and while I have found good suggestions from the magazine issues, this is just too random to be of great assistances

Editorial Review:

Budget Travel magazine isn't just about the best travel experience at the lowest price it's also about traveling "the right way." Their philosophy, "Vacations for real people," has led them to their readership for guidance, and this collection of their readers' best 399 travel tips is an essential addition to any traveler's library. In The Smart Traveler's Passport, you'll learn:
13 different uses for Ziploc bags
How dental floss can double as a tape measure
Where to find the best street food in cities worldwide
How a digital camera can help you find your rental car
Why clearing your Web browser's cache will lead to lower prices on airfare and hotel reservations
How to avoid long lines at the world's most popular attractions

Designed to look and feel like an actual passport, these tips on planning, booking, packing, flying, safety, security, and getting around make the perfect bon voyage gift!

Costa Rica (Country Guide)

Matt Firestone, Wendy Yanagihara

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Find a new author Lonely Planet 1 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

If you want to enjoy traveling to Costa Rica I would recommend another book. If you want to spend your time lamenting about how Costa Rica has changed, how Americans are annoying, and be afraid to take your valuables out of your hotel safe than I recommend you check this book out. I would often read passages out loud to different people I was traveling with. You would think that Jaco is similar to Jersey but with more crack and lots of prostitutes from reading this book. In fact, when I went it was mostly families, a little sketch, but man get a grip. I read the chapter on San Jose and was to afraid to take my camera to the central market and downtown. What a regret! The people everywhere in Costa Rica were so nice. Downtown was crawling with tourists with their cameras and police. It wasn't even remotely sketchy. We could only get reservations in Tamarindo for Christmas day and I was terrified that it was going to be like Myrtle Beach on Spring Break. Yes there were lots of condos but it was still Costa Rica! Dirt Roads. you could walk from one end of town to the other in less then 10 minutes, everyone was nice, the beach was pretty. I just couldn't understand why the authors seemed to hate travel so much and be so hateful towards places where we were going.

Also, the book didn't give a lot of key information about how to get around without a car. We wasted so much time in La Fortuna trying to figure out how to get to the different places we wanted to go. It turns out there isn't a bus, there are only guided tours. They are all expensive. We finally hitchhiked which worked out well but I never go to go on the hanging bridges. I loved Cahuita (it wasn't dangerous) and Dominical. I loved Costa Rica. I am ready to go back.

I just wanted to warn people to stay away from this book. I love guidebooks. I am the kind of psycho that gets them from the library and reads through them even when I am not going anywhere. This one was the worst.

Editorial Review:

This guide provides details on the less frequently visited Central Valley and Highlands regions, interviews with locals who offer contemporary cultural tidbits, and a chapter on sustainable travel options. Maps throughout.