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SOUTH ASIA TRAVEL GUIDE by John C. Caldwell

SOUTH ASIA TRAVEL GUIDE

By

Publisher: John Day

Although crammed with clear and concrete facts, this guidebook succumbs with irritating frequency to offhand bits of condescension in the form of drollery and somewhat caustic mockery, both of American tourist habits and some Asian customs. Many of its particulars can be helpful to the serious traveler who is already somewhat knowledgeable about that part of the world, but the average tourist whose concepts of Asia are hazy would do well to compare Caldwell's opinions with other widely-accepted sources of information on the area. Countries treated are Indonesia, Burma, Ceylon, India, Pakistan, and Nepal, with minor mention regarding other places. Religion and history are discussed only superficially, in spite of the fact that several pages on each country may be devoted to them. Caldwell stresses, convincingly, his reasons for advocating dealing with travel agents, a question of some concern to those whose time and money are limited. His basic contention, and wisely so, is that travel in Asia is different from travel in Europe, that tourists can expect to find accommodations and conveniences a bit primitive by Western standards, but that the beauty and novelty more than justify the exercise of discretion and tolerance.