The world of travel is full of guides. There are guides for every budget, area of interest, special needs, and more. So, when we go looking for travel guide books, it is usually with specific needs in mind. I recently found an incredible series of travel guides, called Little Cream Book. Each Little Cream Book comes in a well-made box, and when you open the box, you just smile at the gorgeousness of the treasure inside. I love new books, hardcover books, books that are made to last. As are these.  One of their books, Goodwill, is definitely an important one to me, as I am always looking to give back to communities in which we're traveling. I also devoured the Little Cream Book: Drives - and am dreaming of the Kingdom of Kerry (K) and Mozambique's Xai-Xai (X), among others (and the cars to drive these routes with!).  Other books in the Little Cream series are: Cool, Powder, Romance, Golf, and Architecture. More are in the works!

I was lucky enough to sit down and talk with the creator and publisher of Little Cream Book, Winnie So, about her series and in particular, the GoodWill Book.. Here's what she had to say...

WE:  Please tell us about the Little Cream Books...

WS: Little Cream Book is a play on the little black book address book concept, with cream being "the cream of the crop". That's why each book only features 26 destinations, one for each letter of the alphabet from A-Z. We aim to highlight interesting destinations from all around the world, rather than focus solely on one region.

WE:  Please tell us about the Little Cream Book, Goodwill...

WS: Each Little Cream Book covers a particular theme. Goodwill came out of our interest to promote philanthropic travel, whether through interaction with local grassroots organizations or through volunteer work. We focused on three types of organizations: poverty alleviation, nature & culture conservation and child & youth welfare.

WE:  What is the philosophy behind the Goodwill book?

WS: Little Cream Book aims to present luxury travel ideas. We believe that luxury travellers can make a huge impact on the sustainable economic development of the destinations they visit. At the same time, tourism, if not developed mindfully, can actually exacerbate problems facing developing communities. So Goodwill was our attempt to raise travellers' awareness of the impact that their positive choices might have on the destinations they visit for their own enjoyment and enrichment.

WE:  How did you choose only 26 opportunities for goodwill? I think there would be so many to choose from, it would be difficult!

WS: Because of the structure of the book, A-Z with representation from around the world, we are limited to 26 destinations. Our aim is not to be comprehensive. Rather, our books are meant to start a dialogue and will hopefully inspire readers to come up with their own ideas for "cream" destinations in regions they may not have considered before for each theme.

WE:  What is your travel background? How did you get into publishing the
Little Cream Books?

WS: I founded a bespoke, luxury travel planning company 6 years ago. I've always enjoyed travelling the world and have studied in the US, Europe and Asia. I've been lucky enough to have travelled to many places around for both work and leisure and realized that there was a demand for bespoke travel planning services, because traditional travel agents often could not meet my needs. We started publishing Little Cream Book as a gift to our clients. We got such great feedback that it became an additional line of business!

WE:  What can travelers do, while abroad, to give back?

WS: The most important thing travellers can do while abroad is to interact with the local community. It's through a real understanding of their situation, their life, and their needs that real solutions to their problems can be created. Done well, with a long-term vision, the tourism industry is a great driver of economic, as well as social development. I believe the best goodwill that visitors can give back is to leave with a real appreciation for another person's condition and to share the inspiration and hope from their own journeys.

WE:  Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

WS: Little Cream Book is published by WANLILU Play Ltd., which is the bespoke travel planning service. WANLILU means 10,000 miles in Chinese. There is a saying: One is wiser for travelling 10,000 miles than studying 10,000 scrolls. That is, in essence, our philosophy about travel, which also informs our books.

WE: Thanks so much, Winnie! This is a gorgeous product, filled with great tips and ideas. Your take on the luxury travel guide is an excellent one. For me, I've got 26 new places to support while we travel.

For more information, to purchase any of the seven Little Cream Books, and to read the Little Cream Life blog, please see:
www.littlecreambook.com