Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks)? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks). Check out the link below:
>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers
Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks) ReviewI used this book when travelling in Shanghai for about 10 days. We will probably go back again but I think I will try another guide next time - probably Lonely Planet Shanghai instead. On the trip I took the Moon guide Beijing & Shanghai in paperback form, and the Lonely Planet China on the Kindle. I wish I had just brought the Lonely Planet China in paperback (the maps on the Kindle were useless but otherwise was like having the book).My biggest complaint is that the sights (and other places, restaurants, etc.) do not have the name listed in the Chinese characters (just the English translation and occasionally the Pinyin name but without tonal indicators) This means I couldn't use the guide to show the taxi driver where to go. We found that if we don't pronounce the place name with the right tones the driver has no clue what we are saying. Instead we had to use the Lonely Planet China book which did show the Chinese character name.
The most useful part of the guide while in Shanghai were the maps of the neighborhoods. I ended up just ripping out the maps from the back of the book and taking those out with me during the day and left the rest of the book in the room. The maps were easy for me to read and indicated the metro stations. I personally wished some of the maps showed a little more of the city but that was because I was staying just south of the French Concession so it would have been nice to see where I was on the map as well.
Overall the book did have good information on the sights in Shanghai. I read the overviews of what to go and see in Shanghai prior to the trip and it gave me an idea of how to plan my days. But I also found myself reading the Lonely Planet China section on Shanghai, and also googling for more info on what to do in the French Concession (I found a good site with suggestions on streets to wander which was helpful). The Lonely Planet had a walking tour of the Bund which was nice and something like that in the Moon guide would be welcome.
The subway map is either out of date or just incomplete - the line we were staying near wasn't even shown on the map. So the subway map was mostly useless - we'd just go to the metro and look at the map there.
The glossary has at least one error - I got sick and wanted to just eat white steamed rice. But the phrase for white steamed rice in the book is incorrect. There are chinese characters provided in that section though which is helpful, and I think the characters are correct for it (my husband went out with the book to get me some rice so I wasn't present). But whatever the phrase in Pinyin was was wrong. I think the book said it was "rice bai fan" or something when in reality it is "mei fan". (Fan means rice). Something along those lines.
Finally, we went on a day trip to Suzhou. The lack of a map was difficult - we ended up buying one there. The map was essential of course, as it was the only way to communicate with the cab driver about which garden to take us to (because again, the garden descriptions in the book did not show the Chinese name, just the English translation). I was annoyed that the book didn't really indicate how far the train station was from the sights of Suzhou and also about the lack of Chinese names. It turns out it was walking distance which we figured out after we had taken a cab in. No big deal but it would have helped if the book had clued us in regarding that.Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks) OverviewJournalist and TV reporter Helen Iveson offers her unique perspective on Beijing and Shanghai, from experiencing the grandeur of the Forbidden City and slurping noodles at the open-air night market in Wangfujing to sipping a cocktail while enjoying the Pudong skyline. Iveson includes many unique travel strategies, including Gourmet getaways, which covers all of the varieties of Chinese food, and Architectural Highlights. Including experienced advice on taking the slick Maglev train from Shanghai's airport to downtown and seeing world-class entertainment at the Nation Grand Theater, Moon Beijing and Shanghai gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.
Want to learn more information about Moon Beijing and Shanghai (Moon Handbooks)?
>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now
