Rough Guides for the typical tourist. (Rough Guide in general)

Member Name: LoolooMe

Product:	Rough Guide in general
Date:	06/07/09 (5 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gives good overview of everything

Disadvantages: Not for you, if you are travelling off the tourist track.

Travel guides are very much like pets or computers all down to personal choice, but if you choose the wrong one for your purpose you will be kicking your self about it for months/years to come. For myself (and many others) the choice of guides is Lonly Planet or Rough Guide. The one you choose should suit your purpose. For me a Rough Guide is typically suited to the standard torist who wants to know good places to eat and where to visit. They have helpful walking tours and tell you interesting little tip bits about what you are seeing. The descriptions for places to visit are usually correct (with only one or two being off), and they include very handy colour maps which are located in the back of the guides (making them ideal for the typical tourist). They also include sepearte sections on hotels (separated into the standard travel guide format or area and then price), restaraunts, sightseeing, cafes and bars, shopping and a out of town section for further travelling tourists.

They are a very helpful guide although only contain about a paragraph on each place. I have found that on the whole they contain no hidden gems and do not give the insiders advice that I have found with other travel books. The vocab section is also limited and I have never found it sufficient to get by on.

I do recomend these books and have found them invaluble when travelling, although there are areas for improvements.

Summary: Worth the money, decide on travel guides based on personal preference of what you need from them.