To Asia With Love

Travel in Asia can often be a mystery: the cryptic languages and congested cities can stymie Westerners. To ease the confusion, former Vietnam resident and world voyager Kim Fay twisted the arms — and pens — of 50 expatriate travel writers to share their inside knowledge of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Dine on stuffed frogs and roast quail in Vientiane with Lonely Planet author Joe Cummings or savor som tam in Thailand with Bangkok Post columnist Roger Crutchley. Seeking satori? In the Secret Gardens chapter, grade school teacher and Nova Scotia native Candace MacKay will guide you through the temples of Chiang Mai.

And for diehard souvenir hunters, Nancy and Nima Chandler of Bangkok shopping map fame reveal privileged tips on crafts fairs and markets. There is even a chapter on giving back to the countries you visit. Adventurers, history buffs and shoppers will all find sections that speak to them.

Fay, whom we should reveal is also Gayot’s hotel editor, includes tips about everything from local etiquette to travel bookings. The 248-page paperback, published by ThingsAsian Press, features beautiful full-color photographs by Fay’s sister, Julie.