The Rough Guide to China 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) | 
 enlarge | Authors: David Leffman, Simon Lewis, Jeremy Atiyah, Simon Foster
Publisher: Rough Guides
Category: Book
List Price: $29.99
Buy Used: $1.99
You Save: $28.00 (93%)
New (18) Used (22) from $1.99
Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 278068
Media: Paperback
Edition: 4
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 1272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.5
ISBN: 1843534797
Dewey Decimal Number: 915.1046
EAN: 9781843534792
ASIN: 1843534797
Publication Date: November 21, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: GOOD CONDITION. FORMER LIBRARY BK. A WONDERFUL BOOK!!
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Product Description
With over 1300 pages and 150 maps, the Rough Guide to China is the essential handbook to this vast and extraordinary country. In-depth coverage of the entire country, from buzzing Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai to the ethnic minority regions of the southwest and Tibet. The authors give expert practical advice for every budget on where to stay, where to find the best local cuisine and getting round by public transport. There are also invaluable translations into Chinese script of place names, accomodation and restaurants. The guide also gives a detailed background on China''s history, politics, cultures and peoples. "Best guidebook" Sunday Times "Historical and cultural erudition combined with down-to-earth practical advice puts this guide streets ahead of the competition" Watersone''s Books Quarterly.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Desperately in need of a new edition December 25, 2007
Overall this book is very detailed with a lot of background information and interesting reading. However, as a practical guide, the book is way too dated for fast-changing China. For example, five new subway lines have started operation in Shanghai since the book was written. Although this edition was published only 2 years ago, it glaringly omits one of Shanghai's hottest new destinations for the past decade: Xintiandi, a must see for any visitor to the city. It also has no mention of Qiandao Hu (Lake of a Thousand Islands), a major scenic area in Zhejiang Province.
The author's attitude is sometimes bewildering. In the paragraph for Wulingyuan National Park (Zhangjiajie), the author complains in the same sentence about overcrowding and the admission price (160 yuan, or about $25), which it calls "exorbitant". I personally think 160 yuan is a bargain for a major national park like this. Besides, what do you think would happen to the crowding issue if the price were lowered? Also in the Hong Kong chapter, it calls the Discovery Bay "nightmarish". True, the Discovery Bay is mainly a waterfront residential development popular with expat families, and is of relatively low interest to the tourist. But calling it nightmarish is way overboard.
 The best, but needs a new edition. August 15, 2007
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Having consulted the Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, and the Eyewitness guides to China on my last trip to the country, I can definitely vouch that Rough Guide is the way to go, with Eyewitness taking second and Lonely Planet a distant third. For my money, the Rough Guides have the edge on Lonely Planet in their critical-but-not-jaded tone, detailed practical information (more detailed than Lonely Planet), superior maps, informative and comprehensive background essays, and general elan (subjective, I know, but there you have it). That said, Lonely Planet does seem to have a slight edge in restaurants, but every place we ate at out of the Rough Guide was delicious. In the end, of course, which guidebook you buy depends on the kind of travel you'll be doing; I would recommend the Eyewitness guides without reserve for armchair and group travelers, or for those map-obsessed travlers who compulsively want to find their way around on their own. That said, the Rough Guide maps are more than sufficient, especially when supplemented with local tourist maps, which will inevitably be more up-to-date.
That really is my only caveat about the book; things in China (especially Shanghai and Beijing, cities most travelers pass through) are changing so rapidly that a new edition can't come soon enough. I marked an additional 20 subway stations on the Shanghai map in January 2007; this book was published in October 2005. In the meantime, I'll just say that the Suzhou Museum is now a must-see.
Much better than Lonely Planet August 15, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After faithfully using Lonely Planet for my trips to Western Europe and Southeast Asia, I can honestly say that I am a Rough Guide convert and will be using Rough Guide books from now on after using this book on my recent trip to China. Aside from the good maps, one thing I love about this book is the depth it takes to explain the historical and cultural significance of the places being described. The logistics isn't bad either since it contains information how to get from one place to the other. This has been a good read while on long-distance train rides and have been with me throughout my trip to China.
Good guide to China June 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In short, there are two good guidebooks to China - 'rough guide' and 'Lonely Planet'. You can't go wrong with either of them, however 'Lonely Planet' is slightly more comprehensive.
Worth its weight May 23, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is the cream of the crop in China travel guides. Its is large and thorough and indispensible.
All information in this guide is thoughtfully organized and easy to follow and read. I also had the LP guide and did not find it as useful when navigating my way around the country.
As with any travel guide, it will not serve as your only travel resource, but will no doubt start you in the right direction when you are looking for something not covered in this book.
Well recommended, don't leave home without it.
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