A great resource for the independent traveler, this guidebook, mostly focused on Vietnam, features a thorough introduction to the land, history and culture, as well as astonishing practical detail on getting around, where to go and where to stay. It has a few unobtrusive color plates, as well as a small fold-out map on the inside back cover.  (SEA09, $21.95)

Indochina (Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia)