Our Story
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
Our Writers
Nick Ray
A Londoner of sorts, Nick comes from Watford, the sort of town that makes you want to travel. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife Kulikar and children Julian and Belle. He has written for numerous guidebooks in Southeast Asia, including Lonely Planet's Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam titles, as well as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand. When not writing, he is often out exploring the remote parts of the Mekong region as a location scout and manager for the world of television and film, including projects from Tomb Raider to Top Gear Vietnam. Motorbikes are a part-time passion (riding them a passion, maintaining them part-time) and he has travelled through most of Indochina on two wheels.
Isabel Albiston
Since her first trip to Malaysia six years ago, Isabel has grown to love clambering up slippery trails on sweaty jungle hikes. After three months exploring Borneo’s forests and longhouses, feasting on Sarawak laksa, downing shots of tuak, dancing at the Rainforest World Music Festival and dropping in on the sultan at his palace in Brunei, the temptation to stay nearly won-out. Isabel is a journalist who has written for a number of newspapers and magazines including the UK’s Daily Telegraph.
Greg Bloom
Greg has lived in Southeast Asia for more than a decade, dividing his time between Cambodia and his current home of Manila. This is his fifth straight stint on LP's 'Yellow Bible.' As always, his latest assignment brought plenty of highs (ginebra-fueled begnas in Ifugao and Sagada) as well as the occasional low (losing a money-filled wallet mid-typhoon Ineng in Bontoc). When not writing about Southeast Asia, Greg might be found snouting around Russia or patrolling Asia's ultimate frisbee fields.
Ria de Jong
Ria started life in Asia, born in Sri Lanka to Dutch/Australian parents; she has always relished the hustle and excitement of this continent of contrasts. After growing up in Townsville, Australia, Ria moved to Sydney to work as a features writer before packing her bags for a five-year stint in the Philippines. Moving to Singapore in 2015 with her husband and two small children, Ria is loving discovering every nook and cranny of this tiny city-country-nation. This is Ria’s first Lonely Planet title.
David Eimer
David first travelled to Myanmar back in the days of the military junta. Since then he’s made repeated visits that have taken him throughout the country. When not travelling, David lives in Bangkok and works as a journalist for several newspapers and magazines. Originally from London, he was previously based in Beijing and LA. He has contributed to over a dozen Lonely Planet books.
Sarah Reid
Lonely Planet Destination Editor and travel writer Sarah Reid added Timor-Leste to her travel wish list after interviewing the cast of Balibo in her past life as an entertainment journalist in Sydney. Getting the chance to visit this poor but wonderful country for the first time six years later (on the 40th anniversary of the events that inspired the film) to research this guide was a great privilege. Originally hailing from Byron Bay, Australia, Sarah has lived on three continents, and visited more than 80 countries in between. For now, she calls London home.
Simon Richmond
Simon first travelled in the region back in the early 1990s. A lot has changed since, but Malaysia remains among Simon’s favourite destinations for its easily accessible mix of cultures, landscapes, adventures and, crucially, delicious food. An award-wining travel writer and photographer Simon has helmed Lonely Planet’s Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei guide for five editions. He’s also the author of Lonely Planet’s Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang guide as well as a shelf-load of other titles for this and other publishers. Read more about Simon’s travels at www.simonrichmond.com and on Twitter and Instagram @simonrichmond.
Iain Stewart
Iain Stewart has been visiting Vietnam since 1991 and has explored virtually every province in the country in search of the perfect bia hoi and ca phe sua. On this trip he travelled the coastal road between Vung Tau and Hoi An taking some stunning coastal scenery and numerous memorable meals.
Ryan Ver Berkmoes
Ryan Ver Berkmoes first visited Indonesia in 1993. On his visits since he has criss-crossed the archipelago, trying to make a dent in those 17,000 islands. Recent thrills included the ancient villages of West Timor and finding his new favourite beach on Flores (it's near Paga). Off-island, Ryan travels the world writing and calls New York City home. Read more at ryanverberkmoes.com and at @ryanvb.
Richard Waters
Richard’s first night in Laos was back in ’99 when he broke down in a speedboat on the Mekong, and marooned on the riverbank, twilight sent a body floating past. Since then it got a lot better (that very night he eventually saw Luang Prabang for the first time). As an LP author he’s also written about Malawi, Transylvania, Greece and Borneo; while as a journalist he regularly works for The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times and The Independent, and has won the odd international writing award. He lives with his wife and kids in the Cotswolds. He also writes a wellbeing blog called Soul Tonic.
China Williams
China Williams first travelled to Thailand in 1997 to teach English in the rural northeast. Since then she has filled two passport books and has inaugurated both of her children’s passports with Thai entry and exit stamps. Before children she wandered all over the US but is now firmly planted in the suburbs of Baltimore, MD, USA.
Stay in Touch
Australia
Levels 2 & 3, 551 Swanston St, Carlton, Victoria 3053 
%03 8379 8000, fax 03 8379 8111
USA
150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607 %510 250 6400, toll free 800 275 8555, fax 510 893 8572
UK
240 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NW %020 3771 5100, fax 020 3771 5101
Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
ABN 36 005 607 983
18 edition - Sep 16
ISBN 9781786577351
© Lonely Planet 2016 Photographs © as indicated 2016
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.