Treasures & Pleasures of Thailand & Myanmar

Welcome to two of the world's most fascinating and seductive places. Going far beyond the standard eat-sleep-sightsee-history-culture-budget approach to travel, this book introduces you to the richly rewarding world of travel-shopping. Designed for discerning travellers who enjoy exploring roads less travelled, meeting local talent, and discovering the best a country has to offer visitors, this guidebook literally takes you on an adventure of a lifetime. Indeed, it may well change your life as it has hundreds of others who have used the authoritative books in the 'Impact Guides' series. Charming, colourful, and chaotic, exotic Thailand and Myanmar are filled with unique treasures and pleasures that will touch your life forever. Visit these neighbouring Southeast Asian countries and you'll discover intriguing lands of exceptionally friendly and gracious people, talented craftspeople, bustling cities and towns, picturesque countryside, idyllic beaches and villages, colourful festivals, exciting cuisine, gorgeous hotels and resorts, fun activities, and fascinating cultures. Thailand and Myanmar also are shopping paradises where you can literally 'shop til you drop' and still want to come back for more. Representing the first 'how-to' travel-shopping guide for these destinations, the book unravels in enormous detail the many hidden treasures and pleasures of Thailand and Myanmar. Focusing on the 'best of the best' of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and nine other locations in Thailand, as well as Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Inlé Lake in Myanmar, two seasoned travel-shoppers explore key markets, shops, factories, department stores, shopping centres, studios, and homes for acquiring quality arts, antiques, furniture, jewellery, textiles, clothes, handicrafts, and home decorative items. Combining great shopping with fine restaurants, hotels, sightseeing, and entertainment, this insightful book represents the ultimate lifestyle adventure. Like a personal local guide, the book introduces you to quality products, outstanding buys, and talented, interesting, and friendly people. Special highlights of this guidebook include: 24 key shopping rules - 14 for Thailand, 10 for Myanmar; 12 rules for effectively bargaining; Tips for buying gems, jewellery, and tailoring services; Savvy shipping methods and shippers; Scams, rip-offs, and commission games; Popular cosmetic surgery services in Bangkok; Approaching 'politically incorrect' Myanmar; Fortune tellers in Yangon to discover your 'good luck'; Shopping for illegal goods and using the black market.