What's your favorite Travel Guides?
King
Thanks everyone for your opinion. I know everyone has their favorite
guides. They're probably all good in their own way.
How would you rate,
Fodor's
Frommers
Rough Guide
Lonley Planet
other?
Raoul Duke
In my opinion, Lonely Planet, hands down. But, I think it depends on what
kind of travelling you like to do. If you like to avoid chain hotels and
restaurants, and, instead, prefer to enjoy locally owned places, LP is the
best guide book. LP tends to target those who want to venture off the
beaten path a bit.
If, on the other hand, you prefer larger chain hotels and the like, Frommers
or Fodors might be better.
news.verizon.net
wasn't anything else out there. I still use it but I also give very high
marks to Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. Of those three, I believe your
choice depends on what you are as a traveller. As far as I am concerned, all
the others are great if you have an Amex card and like needlessly paying
high prices.
"King" <king...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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Orzowei
place just buy the book and follow the sheeps, anybody posting in ng, who
needsa book nowdays?????
"news.verizon.net" <louis....@verizon.net> escribió en el mensaje
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philipj
cheers, philip
"King" <king...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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Miguel Cruz
Really each book (Lonely Planet India, Frommers Singapore, etc.) needs to be
evaluated on its own sinec they are written and researched by different
people.
But mostly I think that over-reliance on a guidebook is not a great idea.
Rather than worrying about the books, worry about whre you want to go and
what you want to do.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.
JohnM
<king...@earthlink.net> writes
For South America, the South America Handbook - now published by
Footprints and split into individual country books is as complete as you
get. Lonely Planet - well, it is too opinionated for my liking, though a
better read. I liked it better in the olden days when it had one-liners
like 'Brasilia is a vast architectural wank' - expunged from later
editions.
--
JohnM
Author of Brazil: Life, Blood, Soul
http://www.scroll.demon.co.uk/spaver.htm
Ben
dunno about english versions)
Ecuador/peru: le routier (french, LP)
Kenia: Rough guide
New Zealand: friends & LP "tramping in NZ"
India: my wife;-), the LP, Rough Guide & Footprint (LP is organized better,
better maps but generally they're all lacking)
Canada: friends & LP
Basically, i only use the books for the maps and to find out what places NOT
to go to. I'm always amused by those silly warnings about dangers &
annoyances but if you're completely unprepared it's better to have that than
nothing.. However, don't put your common sense in second place to what's
written in those books.. observe the people and talk to them to find out
things (esp. in south america). Speaking the language (however little it may
be) is probably the biggest step to get there.
HTH,
Ben (belgium)
"King" <king...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
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Bijapuri
here's what I do:
I read a general history of the place to which I am heading. I then look in
the back at bibliography and see if there are any travelogues in reprint
from long ago. Then I read them. That gives me a description of historical
and religious sights to see. THEN I hit LP or Footprints to see what the
scene is there today..
Examples: Travels in the Mogul Empire- Francois Bernier's marvelous
description of North India from the 1600's.
Ibn Battuta (don't have a copy of him here, so I can't cite the name of his
book) The guy was EVERYWHERE a thousand years ago- India, China, and pts in
between.
If you just want beaches and whores, I guess this method soesn't help, but
if you want to find GREAT places to visit, without another westerner for
miles. . . well, it's worked for me for many trips.
Enjoy
BiJ
"Ben" <B...@nospam.be> wrote in message
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Bruce Burger
vary from place to place and everyone's interests are different. I've
found extremely valuable tips in just about every guidebook series at
least once.
Lonely Planet is the best for independent travel logistics, and for
low-budget travel. I love the way they're organized. They do list mid-
and upper-price restaurants, but their heart really isn't in that. LP
is also the most fun to read. And it has the best maps.
Moon Publications ("the ___ Handbook") is similar to LP. Depending on
the freshness of the guide and the particular authors involved,
sometimes it's better. But I prefer LP's format and writing.
The Rough Guides and Let's Go also emphasize budget travel. I'd rate
Rough Guides 3rd in this market and Let's Go an amateurish 4th. But
again, I've had trips greatly enhanced by info I've found in each of
these.
Frommer's is best for mid-range hotels and restaurants. For major
cities you can also get their listings on the web. Fodor's is similar,
but not as reliable or comprehensive.
Access Guides is great for wandering in cities (e.g., Paris).
Insight Guides can be fun for photos and background, and may help you
choose areas you want to visit.
And of course there are special-purpose guides for one or a few
destinations (e.g., Guide Michelin, Time Out). These days I always
seek out a book on visiting the destination with kids, which is
invariably not part of a series.
Finally: Consider Guide Routard, a French-language series that all
French backpackers seem to carry. It's like LP but more biting and
with way better taste in food (of course). They have books on all
regions of France and lots of countries frequented by French tourists.
If you can read a little French, give them a try. You can order them
on the web.
Bruce Burger
Seattle, WA, USA