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Asia is a vast, diverse continent; spanning from the mountainous extremes of the Stans down to the tropics of Indonesia. It offers something for every traveller – and armchair explorers with a thirst for knowledge.
Map and travel book specialists Stanfords have selected a variety of guidebooks, histories, travelogues and cookbooks from all corners of the continent. From William Dalrymple’s absorbing Return of a King, telling the tale of the disastrous campaign in Afghanistan, to the Lonely Planet’s South East Asia on a Shoestring – a must for backpackers on budget.
Click the gallery to see the IndyBest buys
Show all 10 1 /1010 best Asia travel books 10 best Asia travel books Mr Selden’s Map of China by Timothy Brook In 1654, lawyer John Selden gave a map of China to Oxford’s Bodleian Library. In 2009, author Timothy Brook saw it and noted it appeared to retell the accepted history from the time. The result: a fascinating look at the story behind the map.
£13.95, hive.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore by Charmaine Solomon Solomon wrote her iconic cooking series in 1976 and has released a three-part update. Her easy-to-follow recipes cover India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Korea. One to inspire a trip.
£14.99, hardiegrant.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books The Railway Man by Eric Lomax Reissued to coincide with the release of the film, starring Colin Firth, this is the story of British officer’s time as a Japanese POW in World War Two, working on the Burma-Siam railway and enduring torture. Years later Lomax discovers his torturer is still alive. A moving account.
£7.99, vintagebooks.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books Love Mumbai – 4th Edition The Love series are seriously special guides. First you see the hand-woven cover, then inside are “love stories” by experts on the best places to visit, eat, drink and shop. Their mission: for tourists to lose their hearts to the city.
£24.95, stanfords.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a Shoestring Ideal for backpackers, this guide covers all the key spots including: Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Myanmar. Available as an e-book if you can’t fit the chunky tome in your rucksack.
From £12.59, shop.lonelyplanet.com
10 best Asia travel books Midnight’s Descendents by John Keay This absorbing, important history of South Asia over the six decades since British India was partitioned is the first time a book has been written on the history of this region as a whole.
£17.60, hive.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books Wallpaper Guides Ho Chi Minh 2014 Wallpaper* City Guides are compact and discreet; perfect for sticking in your pocket as you explore a new city. Vibrant Ho Chi Minh is a new addition to their list.
£6.95, uk.phaidon.com
10 best Asia travel books Return of a King by William Dalrymple William Dalrymple is known for his intricately researched, immersive works. This account of the disastrous Anglo-Afghan war in 1839-42, told through those on both sides, is more fascinating in light of recent events.
£8.41, hive.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books Myanmar – Burma In Style by Caroline Courtauld This illustrated guide covers the unspoiled country’s main cities, sights, beaches and mountains – from the Ayeyarwady River to Kipling’s Mandalay – with a focus on culture and history. Visit before it becomes a well-trodden path.
£17.95, stanfords.co.uk
10 best Asia travel books The Teardrop Island by Cherry Briggs Cherry Briggs follows in the footsteps of eccentric Victorian Irishman James Emerson Tennent, exploring Sri Lanka along pilgrimage trails, through tea estates and rural areas. A vivid account of the island and its people.
£8.99, summersdale.com
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Verdict: Ignore the fact it’s had the big screen treatment, Eric Lomax’s The Railway Man is a powerful autobiography that shines a light on a difficult period in history. If you want to be inspired to head for a country that’s not on a well-trodden path, pick up Odyssey’s guide to Myanmar. And Charmaine Solomon’s recipes will transport you to the East, without the cost of the plane ticket.
Buy now
1. Mr Selden’s Map of China by Timothy Brook, £13.95
2. Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore by Charmaine Solomon, £14.99
3. The Railway Man by Eric Lomax, £7.99
4. Love Mumbai – 4th Edition, £24.95
5. Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a Shoestring, From £12.59
6. Midnight’s Descendents by John Keay, £17.60
7. Wallpaper Guides Ho Chi Minh 2014, £6.95
8. Return of a King, £8.41
9. Myanmar – Burma In Style, £17.95
10. The Teardrop Island by Cherry Briggs, £8.99
