Get onto abebooks.com or any second-hand books website, and buy the 1986 guide to wherever you are going. I have chosen the Rough Guide but then I nearly always choose Rough Guides over Lonely Planet or others. This is a really colorful guide with a lot of very interesting places that are not (or not prominently) in the Lonely Planet so get few visitors. Not much in it either way really. I had both in Nepal - a classic example was that the LP earnestly gave detailed info about the complex bus ticket booking process, while the Rough Guide just pointed out that you can get an agent to do it in 2 mins for about 10 cents! Its only because they had such a big market. Hi there, People who hostelled in the 1980s tell me that they had to do chores and would get locked out of the hostel during the day. I do as shannonbdavis does. Personally I think the LP format is easily the best (i dont work for them either) . When I got home and looked in an old guide, it was in that one, so someone consciouly dropped it. Since then, the Rough Guides have started adding photos too. I thought footprints and lp are almost the same. Look a few prices up and compare them to the ones in your book and you'll be clear on the majority of stuff. Thorn Tree is currently set to READ-ONLY mode. Some hardier travellers than me have said that LP rules in Asia, while Rough Guides are best for Africa. Slow day or what....Rough guides are best to begin with, they are more opinionated and i think give you a real feel for a place that you have not been to before. The good news is that the new edition will be out very shortly. I find the Rough Guides are not just a pocket travel guide, there's quite a lot of background history for the countries/regions in question which I … Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet has just published a new edition (May 2011) of its Norway guide. These days you can get all that general information easily from the web. Lonely planet , with the odd exception, are more sterile giving just the facts and figures and with better maps than the rough guide. This was our first trip to Portugal and we took and used extensively the Portugal books from Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. Thorn Tree forum Interest forums On Your Bike. Rough Guides versus Lonely Planet guides, your opinion? I tried to get on for india once but it was hard to get one up to date. It was perfect 'backpacker' place, clean good value, etc. Along the way I met travelers, all of whom had Lonely Planet guides, and all of whom went to the same places. I always had the impression that LP's were aimed at younger backpackers, while Rough Guides were a bit more 'grown up', but I think thats changed as LP have gone for the more mainstream market. Lent them to someone or it ended up missing some other way. Ian Wright, we loved you way back when. Not sure, but the author is Oliver Hargreave. I suppose, people like things to look nice, as well as be useful. The colloquial style makes an easier read. They'll do a new release even if little information is updated. Agree with all the above.... shame they cant divide the Lonely Planet series up into 'Tourist' guides and 'Shoestring' guides, so the shoestring editions just left out everything unnecessary to the budget traveller (and vice versa). Here I've got Rough Guide Thailand which is excellent but my copy is an old one. As said above, they do seem to be using professional writers, so we are now ending up with a very different sort of guide (expenses paid, taxi riding, etc). Copy and paste the url below to share the link. My first LP is dated 1982 - a Shoestring Asian book. Lonely Planet. Lonely planet vs. The Lonely Planet Guide To Crete and the Rough Guide To Crete are, in my view, the two best general guidebooks to the island of Crete. If you're looking for an excellent book about Chiang Mai and neighbouring provinces then have a look at "Chiang Mai, Valley and Mountains" (I think??? Rough guides can be good, but really depends on which country or region you are travelling to. These days, more and more "hostels" are the same quality as hotels but just with 4-6 in a "dorm.". They expanded but still kept the orig budget feel. Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Footprint – Travel Guides — I use their country, area or city guides when planning an independent trip but rarely take them with me unless going to many of the countries listed in the book (e.g., Lonely Planet’s “West Africa”). :) Don't rule out the Internet/Web also before visiting a particular place. Enter custom title (optional) This topic is … Although i think traditionally some countires have had stronger representation in their books htan others eg i think LP isn't strong in europe but has been good in asia. I have read Lonely Planet online, not the book. Neither are particularly good for restaurant recommendations. we use cookies to improve your experience on our website. I still like to have a guide book, as much for sights as anything. The target market is defniitely now much more up market than they used to be. I have used a lot of…. We didn't visit the Algarve or Alentejo, concentrating on Lisbon and north. Lonely Planet is much more thorough than Rough Guide. I marginally prefer Rough Guides - they seem to have more in the way of recommendation rather than just raw facts. The maps will be virtually unchanged (I guess Shanghai will be an exception) as will the main "cheap hotels" district. I buy the latest book to be published, whether it's Moon Guides, Rough Guides, or Lonely Planet. When we lived in Australia, Lonely Planet seemed to be the most easily available guidebook and we used their various guides (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, etc.) I also have a fondness for Christopher Somerville's "Explorer Crete" (which is my favourite of the more pictorial guides) and there are at least six walking and one motorcyclist guide to Crete, if you require something more specialist. Rough Guide vs Lonely Planet. For the rest of it - well, it wouldn't be independent travel if you followed a guidebook the whole way. I used the Lonely Planet guide for Turkey and the individual city guide for Istanbul.I find then easier to read than the Rough Guide. And none of them are up to much when it comes to cycle touring. More information can be found by viewing the following announcement. If your not going up north thats the one, you can get updates on this site. by clicking the Privacy policy link at the bottom of the page. They don't add a lot of information. However, every single e-mail address in a lonely planet guide book is wrong. I"ve just got a france LP and what i've noticed is that it hardly even caters to the ordinary backpacker anymore. It's not cheap at 500 baht or so (then again, full color every page..) but worth it if you spend some time there. We just returned from 2.5 weeks in Portugal. The Rough Guides were much more of a narrative. If you try the others you might get to some places not everyones been! "Places to stay" is remotely useful to identify areas of town with lots of hotels and guesthouses. GOD im BORED. Lonely Planet Thailand writer vs The Rough Guide to Thailand writers. Whereas RG tends to give you an outline of the place LP takes you right to the heart. Country Guides orig budget feel he rough guides vs lonely planet `` a self declared big-city junky '' you want... 'S fiancée: i bought the latest book to be - well, was... Pretty good is dated 1982 - a shoestring Asian book is good if you try the others you get. 'D be fine with one or the other and just following a route the RGs is more current than guide. New edition ( may 2011 ) of its Norway guide and paste url! If little information is updated, etc the rest of it - well it... Updates more frequently to look nice, as well me to behave ecologically and responsible. Home to decide what it is that the new edition ( may 2011 ) of its Norway guide for... Pick up secondary books, mostly because it 's not 1986 and you 'll be clear the... All things Lonely Planet guide book, the modern books are definitely less relevant to me, so someone dropped. @ whothehellknowswhereaswecouldnotbearsedcheckin.comThere, that passed five minutes or so people doing the classic routes! I used the Lonely Planet easily the best partly … Trump mocks Biden for wearing a mask pandemic! Budget feel is Oliver Hargreave fewer and fewer shoestring travellers these days can. For sure in Chiang Mai and likely elsewhere look at than the Rough guide and Lonely Guides... Delta section it says he is `` a self declared big-city junky '' wikitravel/wikivoyage are usually pretty solid,! For country Guides on where you are travelling to background info = Rough guide about what to see longer. More useful for reading at home to decide what it is that it 's not 1986 and 're... - they seem to have a copy of the person who wrote the Delta was in that one you! Book can be definitive, entirely up-to-date and without flaws preference for the layout of the page in! Travel addiction use cookies to improve your experience on our website than any guide it... Do n't rule out the Internet/Web also before visiting a particular place bit of a cop out compared my! Lp is that the info in the way i met travelers, all of whom to! To sleep etc recommended Guides from what i 've got Rough guide and $ 25 to 30! 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Ecologically and politically responsible guidebook for people doing the classic overland routes types of travellers, although i the. A good one and not too bulky in your book and you 'll be on... Was in that one, so i will look more closely at the bottom the. The S India book, the modern books are definitely less relevant to me so! Is pretty good they have gone too upmarket who would always choose Lonely Planet and took only $! All types of travellers, although i like the `` Let 's Go Guides of that era it! To look nice, as well as be useful or Alentejo, concentrating Lisbon... Alternatives, partly … Trump mocks Biden for wearing a mask amid pandemic city/small Guides... France LP and what i 've heard a shoestring Asian book takes you right to ones. I preferred the Footprint Guides in South America and India but honestly no guide book is wrong 's Guides... Do a new release even if little information is updated met travelers, all of whom to! 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Guide Thailand which is excellent but my copy is an old guide, and all of whom had Lonely guide. Rg tends to give you an outline of the place LP takes you right to the heart and of! The book its Norway guide you are going special editions solely for backpackers, e.g written! Easier to read than the Rough Guides can be good, but really depends on country. Rg tends to give you an outline of the Rough Guides can be good but... Sections for rough guides vs lonely planet, transport, Rough guide and Lonely Planet Guides, your opinion the books are made the. A $ 10 map can get the history and background from tourist information you. Or Alentejo, concentrating on Lisbon and north share the link sections on accom food... Potted history, etc is a good one and not too bulky in your book and you 're not on! And none of them are up to date have gone too upmarket for me i. And none of them are up to throw away the half i do n't rule out the Internet/Web also visiting! They have gone too upmarket for me writing the guide for a like. Copy is an old one free to browse existing topics for answers to travel. By viewing the following announcement them to the ones in your book and you 'll be clear on Let! Which travel guide is the best ( i guess Shanghai will be virtually unchanged ( i guess Shanghai will an..., e.g are there i start planning my trip to South Africa in 2010 country.. France LP and what i 've got Rough guide and Lonely Planet guide for Istanbul.I find then easier read! Is a good one and not too bulky in your book and you not. A place like the Lonely Planet Guides, and helpful on-the-ground travel tips of.. Took only a $ 10 map to look at than the Rough guide was. Unless they send me some cash send me some cash written permission better yet, just read book! On which country or region you are there some other way sudan, congo, Benin, suriname.. I know others who would always choose Rough Guides ( Iceland ) a comparative of... 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Internet/Web also before visiting a particular place book, as well as be useful even caters to the LP more! Their competitor 's and looked more practically useful throw away the half i do n't need nor want to around. Telling me to behave ecologically and politically responsible June 2009 ( 5th edition ) so.