To Cambodia with Love (To Asia with Love)

Andy Brouwer gathered 60 people who love Cambodia in very different ways. He asked each to contribute a few hundred words on the one place or person or custom that explained that love. What emerged is a rich and engaging portrait that comes truly from the heart. We go on a hunt for the sacred swords of Baray. We ride the rails on a nori, a make-shift cart powered by a generator engine. We learn how Cambodians become ill if their inner wind gets out of balance. We consider the pros and cons of giving money to street children. And yes--the temples are there too. Among others, there's Angkor Wat, experienced in a November rainstorm. You can open this book anywhere and start reading, never knowing quite what you'll find but confident that it will delight and surprise and educate. There are detailed tips on how to find your way to the treasures described in these pages. But many readers will feel inspired to discover their own.

... from the "Trampled Paths"!I give my conclusion here right at the beginning.This is one of the most helpful guides I ever had the fortune to stumble over.It contains all the informations a dedicated lover of Southeast Asian countries ever wanted to know, and never had the luck to find them...It's a finely printed masterpiece put together by some people who have choosen to travel the regions of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand stricktly OFF the trampled paths of those legions of backpackers, travellers "on a shoestring", only in search of the cheapest food and guesthouse and booze bars and beaches full of semi-naked tourists, etc. etc. etc....You will find in this guide, like in all the others of this series, all but the facts I annoted in the chapter before...All the counseling is made on the most personal base: The "counselors" have tried out everything by themselves, are even of Southeast-Asian or Asian descent.You will come to know of food, hotels, trips, and yes - coiffeurs and massages (strictly NO sex business!!) etc. that don't cost much more that the "shoestring" version - but make a lot of a difference.All the informations are backed up by wonderful websites You can find all around the globe. And that is more than some of the "Big Guides" can say from themselves...You can read this guide just to give You the right "appetite" to plan a tour to this so unsettling (because of the history) but in the same time so fascinating country that is opening up for the travellers more and more! An exciting experience!And then take a look at the big travel guides - they all have now the newest editions for Cambodia, and especially for Angkor Wat in a lot of languages - and not for nothing! And they sell them. And they help the interested travellers in their own way.The editors of this special guide want to encourage more people to visit the country - but not to wander around blindly.So here You can read all about the (troubled) history, customs, Buddhist etiquettes of the Nation - it is like having a "CultureShock" book together with a Tour Guide.And how to invest in a way of travel - and life - that really supports the locals instead of being of benefit only to the big tour operators...A big "Thank You" to all the unselfish writers of personal experiences for let us be part of them. This book takes You into an unknown world - THAT side of Cambodia that only a few and very lucky people come to know once in a lifetime!Try it out - it's worth every cent!Word of one very but very very dedicated lover of Asia!PS: The same editor has gone further into the details and brought out several To-Asia-with-Love Guides for a lot of countries of the region.I have the  To Asia with Love: A Connoisseurs Guide to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam , To Vietnam with Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur (To Asia with Love)  and  To Myanmar with Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur (To Asia with Love)  right now for my next SE-Asia trip and can't await for the "To-Thailand-with-Love" finally coming out!

To Cambodia With Love is an attractive, useful guidebook for any traveler headed to Cambodia. Its secret is that this book offers a unique collection of tips and ideas that readers simply won't find anywhere else.When I began traveling internationally in the 1970s trips were always too expensive and too short. So some things never change! Info about exotic destinations was sparse, but even a few ideas about sights, food, transport and lodging could make the difference between a memorable adventure and a stressful fiasco. On my first trip to Laos in 1992 I just ripped the 20 page Laos supplement out of the Thailand Lonely Planet Guide (there was no  Lonely Planet Laos (Country Guide)  back then!) so I didn't have to carry the whole book...but even those 20 pages made my Laotian trip easier. Knowledge is power!With the advent of the Internet, travel research has evolved. So have travelers. Finding mainstream attractions and accommodations is fairly easy. If anything, there's too much information available and online sources aren't always reliable. Beyond that, most modern travelers are seeking insights and experiences much deeper than "been there, done that". Enter senior editor Kim Fay with a new concept to create "travel guides for the connoisseur".To Cambodia With Love is a perfect example of how well her formula works. Working with Phnom Penh-based British writer Andy Brouwer, they sought out more than 60 expert contributors with one thing in common: a passion for some aspect of Cambodian life. Food, history, sights, temples, Buddhism, wildlife, art, music, nature, charity, adventure, education...you name it...these contributors all live and love their Cambodian dreams.And to each they posed one question: If you were giving advice to a friend who was headed to Cambodia, what would you tell them?And so To Cambodia With Love was born, the newest edition in a brilliant series of travel guides. In addition to Cambodia, ThingsAsian Press now offers guides for Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Shanghai, Northern India, Nepal and Japan.I can honestly say that I wouldn't go to any of those places without one of these clever compact guides in my luggage. Why take a chance of missing the most inspirational experiences that await you in these exotic lands?<<<<<>>>>>As this book doesn't yet have Amazon's See Inside This Book feature, I'm adding the Table of Contents and a couple extra pix to this review.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. MOVEABLE FEASTS - A tasting menu of exotic flavors2. SEEING THE SIGHTS - Fresh perspectives on exploring must-see attractions3. SECRET GARDENS - Where to hide away from the touring masses4. INTO THE WILD - Outdoor experiences for adventurous travelers5. WHEN IN ROME - Lessons on living local and making yourself at home6. PAYING IT FORWARD - Suggestions for giving back while you're on the road7. RESOURCES FOR THE ROAD - Practical advice to help you prepare for your travels8. EPILOGUE - One writer takes his sons on a local detour in Siem ReapThe book also features an Introduction, detailed Contributor Biographies, Credits and an Index.

Another fascinating volume in the "To Asia with Love" series of travel books. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews for this book, it really is a handy and informative guide for anyone curious about this complex, scarred, amazing, and beautiful country. The editor, Andy Brouwer, has an unbridled passion for Cambodia and it shows in the variety of essays that he includes in this book, covering everything from standard travel experiences to food, culture, books about the country, and ways that travellers can "give back" the country via charities and volunteer work. Really, this is the product of writers who love the country and want to share their myriad experiences with the reader. This book is well worth buying and will inspire you to visit Cambodia, a country well worth visiting. Other volume in the series, covering Myanmar and Vietnam are also highly recommended.