The World's Most Dangerous Places

By Robert Young Pelton
1022 Pages
Quality Paperback
2000, Harper Resource
ISBN: 0-06-273738-4
$21.95
Review by Cheri Sicard
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Yes, you read that page count right. At a whopping thousand plus pages, this is the ULTIMATE guide ALL of the world's most questionable tourist locations: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Bosnia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, North Korea to name just a few of the countries covered in these pages.

I personally know a travel writer and photographer who love going to such controversial locales (you can read about some of their adventures in Uzbekistan and Iran on this website). But outside of this duo, and myself on occasion, I haven't run across a lot of folks who seek out these destinations for vacations. But I'm sure there are a lot more of us out there -- people who view the chance to go practically anywhere as an opportunity. There's also lots of people who have to travel to dangerous places for business, and special attention is paid to the business traveler, throughout the book.

But even if you're not so adventurous and you don't have overseas business interests, you can still benefit from this book. The practical advice and safety tips alone are well worth the price, even if you never intend to set foot in any of the dangerous locations involved. If you do any kind of travel, anywhere, you'll no doubt learn something of use. The entire book also makes for fascinating armchair traveler reading. I couldn't put it down.

A third of The World's Most Dangerous Places focuses on travel statistics, tips, resources and advice that we can all put to practical use. Encyclopedic in scope, the general information covers:

• What is Dangerous -- general travel stats that help tourists assess their travel risks and put things into prospective.
• What Danger Awaits the Weary Traveler -- Teaches you about the safest mode of transport statistically -- including third world airplanes, buses, trains and taxis.
• Making the Best of Nasty Situation -- Including dealing with terrorist territories, thievery, impoverished countries, political upheaval and more.
• Business Travelers -- Dangerous places for business travel and dealings with gangsters.
• Tourists -- Dangerous places for tourists.; Bribes -- When to, when not to and how to.; Dangerous
• Diseases -- Covers STDs and AIDS, malaria, worms, Hepatitis AB and C, the fevers, old fashioned diseases and more.
• Drugs -- Covers cocaine, heroin, cannabis and dangerous drug hotspots.
• What to do if You're Arrested.
• Guns --covers different types of weapons.
• Intelligence -- Safety information for journalists ad writers as well as the traveling public.
• Kidnapping -- Security resources and kidnap, rescue and extortion insurance.; Land Mines -- more than you ever wanted to know about land mine dangers.
• Military and Paramilitary Organizations -- dealing with military rule.
• Terrorism -- Staying as safe as possible in terrorist situations.

The remainder of the book focuses on the World's Most Dangerous Places themselves and even includes a "Grim Reaper's Cheat Sheet" that gives you the important risks and information about a dangerous place at a glance. Each country chapter breaks it down in more detail, covering the region's history and politics, how to get into the country, how to get around the country, especially dangerous towns or territories, what dangerous things to look out for (examples include land mines, high crime alerts, terrorist activities, anniversaries of terrorist events and other dangerous days and political unrest), what to do if you get sick or arrested. Throughout the book are personal essays from writers living through experiences in very dangerous places, as well as tons of good common sense information and tips, and tricks of the trade to help you make the best of bad situations and stay as safe as possible, regardless of how extreme the circumstances.

The World's Most Dangerous Countries covered are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bougainville, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Chechnya (Ichkeria), Colombia, Congo, Dagestan, East Timor, Ethiopia/Eritrea, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Kurdistan, Liberia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, The Philippines, Russian, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey Uganda as well the most dangerous places in the United States.

The "coming attractions" section of the book highlights areas the author feels are likely to be included in the next edition of the book and what you should watch out for when traveling to these areas. Countries include Akhazia, Central African Republic, Ceuta and Melilla, China, the Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Corsica, Cyprus, Equatorial Guinea, Greece, Kenya, Laos, Morocco, Nepal, Northern Ireland, Peru, Senegal, the Spratlys, Taiwan, Venezuela.