What guidebooks do you guys like? - Page 2 - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**MolsonGirl** · 10-15-2007, 04:34 PM

I am 100% a Let's Go girl... it's written by people my age and on more environmentally friendly paper than the glossy Lonely Planets. But aside from the paper I just like the content better also.

**lilwings** · 10-16-2007, 10:45 AM

I'm a Rough Guide girl. I used them for a lot of the "Ruin Europe" tours that friends and I went on. They've got pretty good site maps to attractions (making it easier for you to have a self- guided tour without buying the site maps at the attraction). They update their information pretty regularly too, if you get the most current editions.

PhilBill · 11-19-2007, 06:04 PM

Lonely Planet ( based in Australia with USA office just bought out by BBC World ), Rough Guide ( Based in London ), Moon Publishing ( based in northern Cal ) and for the Philippines the JENS PETERS Philippines Guidebook in English or German. But now with SO MUCH INFO available DIRECTLY via internet forums such as this one there's less of a need and besides you automatically reeach out to other travelers when you do NOT carry a guidebook. Afew years ago on an Ezine I wrote a short article something like " DARE TO TRAVEL WITHOUT A GUIDEBOOK" .

SGRHewitt · 11-19-2007, 06:07 PM

Lonely Planet mainly. Though I do like Rick Steves as well.

glitterhairdye · 11-19-2007, 06:25 PM

Let's GO and On a Shoe String. But I own tonsssssss. Like lonely planet and rick steves and many more. When I'm actually traveling I bring lonly planet. It's my favorite and cheap.

**BigE** · 11-19-2007, 07:18 PM

I buy a bunch of them and just rip out the pages I am going to go. They do come in handy except in Bergen.

**Canadian Bacon** · 11-26-2007, 05:36 PM

The best guidebook is TPUNK
Then Virtualtourist.com
Trip advisor is good too.

THEN lonely planet... only cuz it has maps and misc info that you need on the spot. But the bulk of your research is best if it is online and first-hand.

shineonyou · 12-05-2007, 10:53 PM

i second that lonely planet advocates refer to it as the bible! literally! but i tend to choose with let's go. i think it best captures a backpacker's mentality. i find that guide books other than let's go and lp seem more geared towards a vacationing crowd.

i can't imagine venturing abroad without a guidebook! i know there's a bunch of info on the internet, but i wouldn't be able to collect and sort through it all and then write everything down, ready to go for every city.

whenever i'm considering going somewhere i check out guide books from the library. that way one doesn't have to commit to a particular location or guide book brand. then if i decide to go and that i like that particular book, i search for it used (cheap!) on the internet.

**expatben** · 12-06-2007, 05:17 AM

I use LP most of the time as it gives great tips and advice. I got the LP for South America which I intend on using. I am not like religious about it though and I will use other guidebooks.

**LiveFreeorDie** · 12-07-2007, 05:55 AM

I like Lonely Planet or Let's Go as well. I just picked up a LP for Mexico for my trip tomorrow. I was looking in Barnes & Noble for one geared strictly towards Mexico City, but no luck. Of course they had guide books for all the touristy towns...and Guadalajara (sp?)...wtf...not Mexico City? Anyway, LP Mexico has about 160 pages on mexico city, plus other sections on the immediate surrounds - they have subway maps, street maps etc. For comparison, Fodors appeared to only have like 20 pages on Mexico City. It's worth your time to thumb through different ones because depending on where you are going or want you to do, one guidebook might have more info specifically for that. If you are not sure, then LP or Let's Go are both great overall choices.