The maps have remained popular in part because they offer a lot more than just a way to get from one place to another. They also offer carefully curated recommendations. Rather than depicting a traditional city layout, or firing off a laundry list of attractions in the style of a guidebook, Chandler's maps combine the best of both worlds, plotting destinations while adding pithy advice or useful tips about what to expect. The expertise come from meticulous research and well-placed connections. "If we stopped selling maps," said Nancy Chandler, "we could become taxi drivers."

I love Bangkok, and I love Nancy Chandler's maps. In fact the two have been almost inseparable in my mind since my first trip there seven years ago.