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Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World: See 101 Spectacular Sights on Any Budget | Expert Advice on How & When to Visit | Features Famous & Lesser Known Places
Extraordinary? You bet. Elusive? Not quite. From Antarctica and the Amazon to Victoria Falls and the Great Wall of China, Lonely Planet reveals 101 spectacular sights and how to see them on any budget. Inspiring and practical, with expert advice on how and when to visit, where to stay and a range of itineraries, you'll discover how to visit the world's wonders in a way that suits you.
This collection includes both natural and human-made sights across the world. We've selected locations that represent the best and most extraordinary 'places to be seen'. There are sights that most people have heard of: the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat and the Great Wall of China. But also less famous sights that cannot fail to captivate: the entwined tree bridges of Meghalaya in India, the intricate Islamic architecture of Naqsh-e Jahan in Iran, and the massive Buddhist temple of Borobudur in central Java.
We've added museums with remarkable collections of wonders too, such as the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The planet's natural wonders are no less awesome: giant trees in California, cascading lakes in Croatia, multi-coloured hills in China, great waterfalls, and natural phenomena like the wave of cherry blossom that sweeps across Japan each spring, and the light show of the auroras across the planet's northern and southern extremities.
The book also explains how you can visit each wonder, whatever your budget. We've compiled a guide to each one that recommends the best times to visit, how to get there, and where to stay and eat - however much you want to spend.
About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.
This collection includes both natural and human-made sights across the world. We've selected locations that represent the best and most extraordinary 'places to be seen'. There are sights that most people have heard of: the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat and the Great Wall of China. But also less famous sights that cannot fail to captivate: the entwined tree bridges of Meghalaya in India, the intricate Islamic architecture of Naqsh-e Jahan in Iran, and the massive Buddhist temple of Borobudur in central Java.
We've added museums with remarkable collections of wonders too, such as the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. The planet's natural wonders are no less awesome: giant trees in California, cascading lakes in Croatia, multi-coloured hills in China, great waterfalls, and natural phenomena like the wave of cherry blossom that sweeps across Japan each spring, and the light show of the auroras across the planet's northern and southern extremities.
The book also explains how you can visit each wonder, whatever your budget. We've compiled a guide to each one that recommends the best times to visit, how to get there, and where to stay and eat - however much you want to spend.
About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published October 15, 2019
About the author
Lonely Planet
4,091 books963 followersOUR 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 and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
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 and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 21, 2020
I've always had bit of wanderlust and this book has fanned it into a flaming fever.
January 12, 2020
Here is a lovely coffee table edition of travel to 101 places on earth. Each chapter is devoted to a different continent, and the brief details include places to stay, brief travel itineraries, places to eat, and how to get there. The photos are just beautiful! I definitely want to visit Lake Louise in Canada’s Banff National Park, not to mention at least a dozen others in the book.
December 23, 2023
So little time and so many places to go to!
March 24, 2020
Divided in six regions of the world: Africa, North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, this book is basically a travelogue of 101 locations.
For each location -
- A short description as well as which country.
- How to travel to the location via international and regional/local methods.
- Recommended stay locations from 'shoestring', 'midrange', and 'flush' in local and U.S. currency. - - Eatery recommendations with the same shoestring, midrange and flush costs and what the restaurant is known for.
- Timing when is the best time to visit during the year as well during the day. Also if reservations are recommended and their costs.
- Best value itineraries from a couple of days to nearly two weeks.
- Three to five vivid photos of the 'wonder', nearby areas and people.
Absolutely gorgeous book for the traveler for any budget. From the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef. The Burj Khalifa to CERN. Petra to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro. Victoria Falls to St. Basil's Cathedral. And that is just as a taste of what you will see and read about.
2020-056
For each location -
- A short description as well as which country.
- How to travel to the location via international and regional/local methods.
- Recommended stay locations from 'shoestring', 'midrange', and 'flush' in local and U.S. currency. - - Eatery recommendations with the same shoestring, midrange and flush costs and what the restaurant is known for.
- Timing when is the best time to visit during the year as well during the day. Also if reservations are recommended and their costs.
- Best value itineraries from a couple of days to nearly two weeks.
- Three to five vivid photos of the 'wonder', nearby areas and people.
Absolutely gorgeous book for the traveler for any budget. From the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef. The Burj Khalifa to CERN. Petra to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro. Victoria Falls to St. Basil's Cathedral. And that is just as a taste of what you will see and read about.
2020-056
June 14, 2020
I think I expected more pictures and less info. When I marked it to-read, I must’ve missed the line at the bottom that reads ‘101 great sights and how to see them on any budget.’ Still, this is a handy book for the potential world traveler.
Each location is well-laid out with three pictures, a description of each picture, how to get to the location, where to stay (shoestring, midrange, flush... websites and prices are listed), where to eat (shoestring, midrange, flush), when to go, and best itinerary- a short and long visit. An interesting observation- most temps are listed in Celsius but money is listed in local currency and USD.
The reason for three stars is that this book is bound to become out of date as the prices change or hotels/restaurants go out of business.
Each location is well-laid out with three pictures, a description of each picture, how to get to the location, where to stay (shoestring, midrange, flush... websites and prices are listed), where to eat (shoestring, midrange, flush), when to go, and best itinerary- a short and long visit. An interesting observation- most temps are listed in Celsius but money is listed in local currency and USD.
The reason for three stars is that this book is bound to become out of date as the prices change or hotels/restaurants go out of business.
December 25, 2019
Zoals we gewend zijn bij Lonely Planet: mooie opmaak, prachtige foto's, interessante en levendige teksten, met wat concrete reistips. Veel dingen ken je al, sommige dingen zullen nieuw voor je zijn, maar alles blijft verwonderen.
Enige puntje van kritiek: er blijven toch wel redelijk wat typfouten staan in de Nederlandstalige uitgave. En ik ergerde me mateloos aan het gebruik van '4wd'. Oké, blijkbaar is het opgenomen in de Nederlandse woordenboek, maar mijn goden, gebruik dan iets als '4x4' of 'met vierwielaandrijving'.
Enige puntje van kritiek: er blijven toch wel redelijk wat typfouten staan in de Nederlandstalige uitgave. En ik ergerde me mateloos aan het gebruik van '4wd'. Oké, blijkbaar is het opgenomen in de Nederlandse woordenboek, maar mijn goden, gebruik dan iets als '4x4' of 'met vierwielaandrijving'.
September 23, 2021
I enjoyed looking through this book. I always love a good "Best Of" travel book, especially when they include plenty of photographs. I definitely added a few new places to my bucket list!
I enjoyed the suggested itineraries and food/lodging examples. It was interesting seeing how much food and lodging costs in different parts of the world.
I enjoyed the suggested itineraries and food/lodging examples. It was interesting seeing how much food and lodging costs in different parts of the world.
February 23, 2020
Gorgeous coffee table book, set to inspire you on where to go next to see some of the truly marvelous travel spots in the world. Almost wish they had editions for different areas as it felt like some fantastic spots were not highlighted.
July 7, 2021
Excellent book covering many different places to visit in practically every country around the world with recommendations on other things to do in the area, places to eat and stay based on budget, itineraries based on days available and best times to visit.
February 8, 2020
Pretty pictures of some of the most wondrous places on planet earth. With modest travel tips thrown in.
August 6, 2020
Even if you will never be able to go to these places, the pictures are beautiful. Suggests how long to go, where to stay, what to eat, and the sights.
Read
June 13, 2021For a while, haven been reading until now.
March 30, 2022
Fantastic book with practical travel advice as well as stunning pics. 💯 recommend
November 6, 2023
4.5 stars, so many wonderful places.
April 3, 2024
Engaging Photos. Helpful text. Slightly dated travel info.
I want to see all these place. Oh for the time and money.
I want to see all these place. Oh for the time and money.
January 24, 2025
101 Stunning Trips I Can No Longer Afford
Nevertheless, a 5-star book
Nevertheless, a 5-star book
February 2, 2026
Lonely Planet's Wonders of the World is a beautiful book full of amazing pictures of many wonders of the world. Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania are all covered. The photos are incredible.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews