Yunnan: China South of the Clouds (Odyssey Guides)

I purchased and read this book as preparation for my recent trip to Yunnan. This is not your typical travel guide book because it does not focus on recommending restaurants and hotels. But that is exactly why I liked it. Instead, Goodman focuses on capturing Yunnan through descriptions of the geography, ethnic groups, history, cultural, etc.By the way, there's a reason Yunnan is called "south of the clouds". During my two week stay (March) there was not a single cloud in the sky. At an elevation of 2500 meters (8000 feet) the high plateau weather is comfortable most of the year - much like California weather. If you go, stay at the Linden Centre in Xizhou which is a boutique hotel created by restoring a Bai ethnic estate house. Don't miss this opportunity, because fast-changing China is sweeping away much that is old and unique.

I haven't made my trip yet but the book gives me all of the aras I wanted. It gives me all the data I want without tryingto "sell" the area. The photos and the maps are excellent.

The book provides some useful background information about the cultures and history of Yunnan.The maps are unhelpful. There are nice photos but not enough useful information. There isn't much else about this beautiful province.

good pictures--but they are hard to place on the map, but well worth reading

I expect the photos in this title as good as those in other Odyssey Guides. There are few outstanding photos, some are very dated. Overall, very disappointed.

This guide is well written and comprehensive and will be of great utility to anyone planning to visit Yunnan Province, China. It covers the region's history and numerous cultures with enough detail to make looking elsewhere mostly unnecessary and is thorough in its recommendations of what to see, where to stay, and where and what to eat.Where it fails, however, is in its coverage of the biota of Yunnan Province, and if you're going to see the region's wildlife or extraordinary plant diversity, this guide will provide no help as there are precious few references to plants, birds, or mammals, let alone the other vertebrate groups, and only very brief lists of a few of the most common species are provided.This guide will be helpful to most visitors to Yunnan Province, China but is insufficient for those with an interest in the plants and animals there.

The best, most in depth guide to Yunnan That I've ever seen. Excellent!

Traveled to Yunnan providence..wished I had the book before I left, but fun reading now that I have been there. Very accurate .