From Library Journal
Although this book has about 300 very detailed maps everything from a map of Potala Palace to downtown Cheng-du it is essentially a travel guide rather than a history of mapping the Tibetan region, as the title may suggest. In the first chapter, the authors, all experienced travelers captivated by Tibet, are admirably forthright about the drawbacks of travel there (e.g., Tibetan mastiffs that bite on sight, the need for vaccinations, altitude sickness, and the absence of gourmet meals) and then spend the rest of the book focusing on the good points, such as the many monasteries and cultural sites and the ability to travel on $12 a day. Pages are filled with practical tourist information, basic tours, very detailed instructions (e.g., the building in front of which a bus leaves), and plentiful photos. Recommended for all travel collections specializing in Asian geographic areas. Mary Lynette Larsgaard, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Whether you are visiting the central Tibetan plateau or more easily accessible Tibetan areas in northern India, Nepal, Bhutan, or western China this is the guidebook that gives you all the information you require to truly explore this wonderful region. The Tibetan way of life thrives in many areas outside of the area commonly known as "Tibet". With a unique collection of over 280 highly detailed, tried and tested maps in combination with more than 400 pages of practical travel information and 339 illustrations, color and black & white photographs, "Mapping the Tibetan World" is a one-stop guide and map book to this entire Tibetan region.
The more than 280 maps are clear, concise and packed with useful information as well as all the relevant towns, villages, monasteries, trekking routes and base camps as well as other points of interest along the way. There are country maps that cover all of the main Himalayan destinations including double page maps of Nepal and Bhutan. Bus route & highway maps, which help with planning your routes into the region and in getting around. The regional & local maps along with special ones showing large monasteries and sights of special interest will allow you to relax and soak up the atmosphere of the place without those nagging worries that you are missing out on something just around the corner. This collection of maps is the most comprehensive ever offered in a guidebook covering the Himalayas and many of them are simply unavailable anywhere else. Please see the Interior Artwork provided above for a taste of what to expect.
The travel information provided includes difficult to find bus and train timetables, air schedules, sample budgets and model routes as well as hotel rates, restaurant suggestions and hundreds of interesting sights to see. This is supplemented by a balanced look at the historical, cultural and religious backdrop to the Tibetan way of life.
There are language sections covering both the Tibetan and Chinese languages. Each town is identified by it's Tibetan and Chinese name (and at times Nepalese) and also by it's local name where the regional dialect is different. To further assist in your endeavors to get from A to B there is a full map and location index alongside an appendix crammed full of place names in English along with their names in Chinese characters.
Readers who stand to benefit from this book include: *Independent Travelers Any traveler planning to explore any part of the Tibetan Cultural Area, whether in Tibet, China, Nepal, India or Bhutan. *Group Tours Anyone who is joining a group tour to the Himalayas and is in search of background information on the history of the area, the culture and customs of the people or the festivals and complex world of Tibetan Buddhism. *Trekkers Those adventurous souls who are aiming to tackle the Everest routes from either the Nepal or Tibet side, challenging the Annapurna sanctuary or attempting Mt. Kangchenjunga among the many other peaks in the region. *Travel Professionals
Travel and trekking agencies will be able to offer better organized and more in-depth travel packages to their clients by using this book. *Scholars & Others Anyone studying, researching or with a general interest in the region will gain invaluable information and gain access to a unique set of maps. You will gain further knowledge of the Tibetan people and the areas they call home and it will act as reference resource for years to come.
