Daniel Austin

This thoroughly updated 14th edition of Bradt's Madagascar remains the leading and by far the most detailed guidebook to this unique African island nation - a place like nowhere else on Earth. Its authors are both established Madagascar experts: Hilary Bradt, who first visited in 1976 and has returned roughly 35 times, and Daniel Austin, who has visited 30 times across 20 years and continues to spend several months a year there. The world's oldest - and fourth-largest - island, Madagascar is fascinating not only zoologically and botanically, but culturally, linguistically, historically and geologically too. Evolution has transformed the country into an unparalleled hotspot for biodiversity, with four-fifths of its flora and fauna occurring nowhere else on the planet. More than a fifth of the world's 533-odd primate species exist only here, and Madagascar is the sole country to harbour wild lemurs. Offering itineraries to suit all interests and budgets, with Bradt's Madagascar you can visit tropical rainforests to seek out the country's remarkable animals and plants (including a thousand species of orchid); explore otherworldly eroded limestone spires, famously at Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park - Madagascar's most striking landscape; discover beach-fringed islands around Nosy Be with their fabulous scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, whale-watching and fishing; and make the most of a host of adventuring and sporting possibilities, including surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, rock climbing, tree climbing, caving, river trips, mountain biking, distance running, quad biking and hiking. Bradt's Madagascar also features the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ambohimanga, the renowned Avenue des Baobabs (one of the country's most photographed scenes) and information on the best birdwatching spots: the so-called "eighth continent" hosts almost 300 avian species, with a high proportion of endemics, including six families wholly endemic to the country and surrounding islands. National parks and protected areas are given detailed treatment, around a thousand hotels and restaurants are covered, and Madagascar's cultural richness is celebrated: the world's only truly Afro-Asian nation is geographically part of Africa but has an indigenous population that primarily originated from present-day Indonesia, and emerged from French colonial rule as recently as 1960. Madagascar truly is 'a world apart'.

With a year-round tropical climate and relaxed atmosphere, Barbados is the ideal Caribbean destination for some fun in the sun. This new, thoroughly updated fifth edition of Bradt's Barbados - still the only standalone travel guidebook to this Lesser Antilles island - offers extensive coverage of famous and lesser-known sights, from the glamorous celebrity-studded Platinum Coast to the wild, untamed remoteness of its Atlantic shoreline. The easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles is English-speaking and has a distinctly British vibe - both colonial legacies. Today the sun-drenched isle is especially popular with Europeans and North Americans. In-depth advice on accommodation features strongly, from luxury villas and multi-starred retreats to local guesthouses and family-friendly resorts, as do informed perspectives on where and what to eat, from gourmet beachside restaurants to Barbados street food and rum shops, where gossip is shared over a speciality tipple. Also covered are events that capture the culture, music (notably Caribbean jazz and calypso), food and drink of Bajan life, such as a Friday night 'lime' or 'fish-fry', plus sports and the much-loved Barbados carnival. Alongside excelling at toes-in-the-sand relaxation, Barbados richly rewards those who explore by bus, on day tours or by rental car - and doing so is straightforward, inexpensive and safe. The wilder east and north coasts are pounded by Atlantic waves: here you will find surfing, intriguing caves, coastal rambles, and charming and colourful villages comprising wooden chattel houses. Dotted amidst the sugar-cane fields of the interior are stately plantation houses, pretty botanical gardens and traditional rum distilleries. In the sleepy capital of Bridgetown, there's fine sightseeing around the Garrison Historic Area, in particular. You can even venture both underwater and underground - respectively gawping at nocturnal marine life on the Atlantis Submarine Night Tour or taking a tram through limestone caverns at Harrison's Cave - or trek through the tropical rainforest of Welchman Hall Gully. So whether you crave white-sand beaches fringed by an emerald-blue sea or duty-free shopping along Broad Street, fancy indulging in vibrant nightlife or clifftop hikes, or visiting traditional villages or local rum distilleries, this fifth edition of Bradt's Barbados has got you covered.

This new, fifth edition of Bradt's Madagascar Wildlife, first published over 25 years ago, celebrates the unique fauna of this remarkable Indian Ocean island. Written by naturalist tour-leaders and Madagascar experts, and aimed at visitors and natural-history enthusiasts alike, this guide has been thoroughly updated to reflect both the latest discoveries - on an island where new species for science are continuously discovered - and the latest developments at the country's top wildlife-tourism locations. Wildlife is the key draw for English-speaking visitors to Madagascar. Enjoying nature couldn't be more different to continental Africa. Rather than going out on safari to see the Big Five from the safety of a jeep, in Madagascar you approach wildlife on rainforest strolls, without fear of encountering dangerous snakes or angry elephants. From its endearing lemurs and comical chameleons to the endemic birds and bizarre insects, this is the only guide to showcase the whole range of Madagascar's captivating wildlife. It features lively descriptions of animals and their behaviour - perfect for the interested layman - complemented by 280 sumptuous colour photographs. A 'Habitats and Hotspots' chapter details the island's various ecosystems and presents concise information on where best to see fascinating species, helping readers choose which parks and reserves to visit - from Masoala and Ranomafana to Ifaty and Berenty. An incredible 90% of Madagascar's plants and animals are unique to the world's oldest island. Accordingly, this guide also tells the story of how Madagascar came to be so different from the rest of the world, and why evolution took a different tangent to create such an extraordinary and unparalleled array of creatures. Read about Madagascar's remarkable chameleon diversity: half the world's species occur here, including the smallest and largest. And prepare to be astonished by an orchid with a ridiculously long nectary tube that prompted Charles Darwin to correctly predict that there would be a moth that had evolved an equally absurd 30-cm-long tongue to reach it. As a practical guide to help you plan your dream wildlife trip to this special destination, Bradt's Madagascar Wildlife is readable, user-friendly and inspiring; as a souvenir, it's unbeatable.

A new, thoroughly updated 13th edition of Bradt's Madagascar, the leading and most comprehensive guide to this unique island nation, written by Hilary Bradt, who first visited in 1976 and has returned roughly 35 times, and Daniel Austin, who has visited more than 15 times and continues to travel there annually. Bradt's Madagascar is by far the most thorough guide to the country in English and is written and updated by established experts whose unparalleled knowledge of Madagascar combines with contributions from over 50 specialists in a book which has been the most authoritative guide to the country for three decades. It covers national parks and protected areas and includes itineraries to suit all interests and budgets, plus details of around 1,000 hotels and restaurants. Madagascar is like nowhere else on earth. It is fascinating not only zoologically and botanically, but culturally, linguistically, historically and geologically. This vast island is the fourth largest in the world and also the oldest, which partly explains why it has evolved into an incredible hotspot for biodiversity, with a truly unique flora and fauna that is more than 80% endemic to the island, and with new species being described virtually on a daily basis. Madagascar is also the only place where you can see wild lemurs. Almost a quarter of the world's 450-or-so primates exist only here. With Bradt's Madagascar you can visit tropical rainforest and seek out its incredible flora and fauna; explore otherworldly eroded limestone spires, most famously at Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park - Madagascar's most striking landscape; discover the beach-fringed islands around Nosy Be with their fabulous scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, whale-watching and fishing; and make the most of a host of adventuring and sporting possibilities, including surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, rock climbing, tree climbing, caving, river trips, mountain biking, distance running, quad biking and hiking. Also covered are the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ambohimanga, the renowned Avenue des Baobabs, one of the country's most photographed scenes, and information on the best birdwatching spots: Madagascar has almost 300 avian species, with a high proportion of endemics, including five whole endemic families.

From the world's most adventurous travel publisher, a unique collection of quizzes, puzzles and brain teasers for intrepid globetrotters and armchair travellers alike. Whether you're planning a family quiz night, looking to while away a long-haul flight or just keen to brush up on world facts, The Travel Quiz Book will have you scratching your head and dreaming about places far away. There are 2,200 questions to suit every level and age of traveller, from the deceptively simple to the downright diabolical. The flag of which country is neither square nor rectangular? What three US states have four-letter names? The name of which animal is Greek for 'horse of the river'? What number is considered unlucky in China as it sounds like the word for 'death'? Which European country produces more than half the world's supply of cork? Playful, inspirational and just occasionally fiendish, The Travel Quiz Book will put your global knowledge to the test.