One for the Road: Great Escapes Around the World

by Kelly Amabile on

We’re featuring several heavyweight titles this week. First it was a 600-pager from Rough Guides, and now TASCHEN gets heftier with a 720-page look at Great Escapes Around the World. This new release from the stylish German publisher features a top-notch collection of accommodations hand-picked by design diva Angelika Taschen. Previous Great Escape Hotel guides from Taschen have each focused on a different continent, but this latest one combines them all.

From Kerala to Sorrento to the Napa Valley, Great Escapes takes readers on a visual tour of luxurious guesthouses, ecolodges, spas, ranches, houseboats and hotels of all kinds. Glossy photos of private beaches and lush hideaways whisper wanderlust nothings in our ears. It’s an eclectic mix that’s sure to leave folks daydreaming for beds far beyond their own.

One for the Road: Ghost Hunter’s Guides

by Kelly Amabile on

Calling all paranormal adventurers — ready for a Halloween ghost hunt?
Cardiology specialist and ghost hunter Jeff Dwyer’s latest guide reveals details about over 70 haunted hangouts around the Crescent City. The Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans provides historical background on the spooky stories that have made these locations legendary.

But no fears or frets if NOLA is not on your Halloween travel agenda. Ghost-lovers in Los Angeles and San Francisco can do hunting as well, using Dwyer’s guides to those cities. Folks who might be up for hunting goblins in between sips of chardonnay will want to pick up his Ghost Hunter’s Guide to California’s Wine Country, due out next year. (A guide to haunted locales in Seattle is forthcoming as well.) Whether or not you believe in the paranormal, these guides might be fun to have if you are traveling to these cities this Halloween season, or on any family vacation when you want to spook the heck out of your Aunt Martha.

Bonus for California residents: You can actually join up with Dwyer for ghost hunts taking place on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Acres of Books (1 pm) and Under the Bridge (5 pm). And he’ll be signing books at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose on Oct. 27 (6 pm). Boo!

One for the Road: Moon Guatemala

by Kelly Amabile on

Has Grant’s alert about cheap fares to Guatemala got ya thinking about planning a spontaneous getaway? Or maybe you want to expand your travels beyond Guatemala City and the old capital of Antiqua and spend a week or more exploring the scenic wonders of this magical country?

Consider picking up a copy of Moon’s guide to Guatemala to throw in your pack. The second edition of this handy guide has just hit bookstores. The first two places covered in the book are the ones mentioned here already, but it then goes on to provide equal attention to El Oriente and Izabal, Las Verapaces, Peten, the Western Highlands and the Pacific Coast regions. Special sections include background about the Mayan culture and tips for those who love bird-watching or adventure hiking.

The 480-page book was written by Al Argueta, a Texas-based photographer of Guatemalan decent who lived there for two years and has explored much of the country. His passion for the joys of this nation can be sensed throughout the book. Be sure to check it out before making your own visit to discover Guatemala.

One for the Road: Make the Most of Your Time on Earth

by Kelly Amabile on

There are books that suggest what you should see before you die. And others that offer up vacation ideas that will enrich your life. Rough Guides takes a different approach with their just released mega list of 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences. Their challenge to each of us — Make the Most of Your Time on Earth. Simple, right? They label these 1,000 activities as must-do, but with an invitation than I find much more appealing than “Hurry up and visit all these touristy locations before you croak!”

This massive Rough Guide to the World includes all 625 experiences previously released in the 25 Ultimate Experience mini-guides (which we reviewed when we interviewed Rough Guide founder Mark Ellingham in May), plus an additional 375 new experiences. From punting on the river Cam in Cambridge to voyaging into the unknown of Antarctica, Rough Guides presents travelers with adventures that appeal to all types. The book is loaded with inspirational photographs and descriptions. It’s meant to be thumbed through again and again — for daydreaming sessions when stuck at home, or as a prompt to get going with actual travel planning. This fantastic collection is a must have for anyone who experiences frequent bouts of wanderlust. Just one flip through the 600-color pages will leave you motivated to get moving…somewhere! Do you need more proof that no shortage of possibilities exists!?!

One for the Road: Tribe – Adventures in a Changing World

by Kelly Amabile on

Last month in the UK, Penguin released Tribe: Adventures in a Changing World, by Bruce Parry, a companion to his documentary series of the same name. Tribe, the TV show, has been around for a few years now (known as Going Tribal on Discovery), documenting Parry’s courageous and sometimes controversial encounters with remote tribal groups around the world.

Some of the groups he lived with for a month at a time include the Anuta (Solomon Islands), Kombai (Indonesian Papua), Babongo (Gabon) and Adi (India). The book shares stories from his experiences, and also raises challenging questions about whether or not these tribal groups should be protected.

There are separate DVDs available for all three BBC seasons of the show, with a compilation DVD coming soon. But if you prefer to read firsthand about Parry’s experiences with these fifteen tribal groups, than hunt down a copy of this recently released hardcover book.