Best Travel Books

jank

Im wondering what is regarded as the best travel book out there?
Lonely Planet were the standard but recently i heard that they are not what they used to be.
Rough guides and Frommers seem to be just as good if not better.
So which in your experience is the best, or will i buy the book based on how new it is. i.e when it was published.

ANy thoughts?

useeme

one word, bradt

jackbhoy

I've found Lets Go to be pretty good, but they are more geared towards backpacker market...

Glowing

Rough Guide's - all the way.

It's not called the 'Lonely Paranoid' for nothing!

jonny68

None of them...the www is the best by far,search and download stuff,can be easily binded into a travel book.

SlummyMummy

I think it depends on where you're going?...The Lonely Planet are still good for South East Asia..Time Out are great city guides..web forums are essential especially for the independent traveller...finding tripadvisor forums brilliant as I'm planning an independent family trip to Thailand and being able to ask questions not covered by the books is invaluable

Irish_Nomad

I usually go with the Rough Guides but for my last trip touring around Spain someone recommended Rick Steve's Guide and I found it to be very good. It would be less comprehensive the the others but has more of a personality to it.

I hit on some gems for dining and accommodation using it's recommendations.

jonny68

I would as i said tend to research online,you get independent alternative views from various different people so you can make your own mind up to what you do,rough guide though isn't bad for one of the more popular publications.

mathias

Dorling kindersly , Im a photo nut so maybe its the quality of the pictures , but I find them great anyway, especially the pocket map and guide jobs.

http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,,00.html?path=c614078%2D00000000%23%23%2D1%23%23%2D1%7E%7Eq6d6574612e636f6c6c656374696f6e3a696d70756c7365%7E%7Enc614078%2D1156A%23%233%23%23v1&homeNav=Y&newTitle=

jank

Cheers, I went for some lonely planet ones but will keep my eye open for the rough guides. Maybe ill get them for OZ and NZ. The lonely planet seem to do more of a combination like they do a Malayza, Singapore and Bruni one aswell as a Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam. Anyway ill have a look and sure i can always return them within the 3 weeks, thank you waterstones!

finbarrk

I find the Time out guidebooks the best.

hot fuss

I have a mix of lonely planet and rough guides but I think the lonely planet guides are better.. I find them easier to use with better maps and directions..

kenmc

hot fuss wrote: »

I have a mix of lonely planet and rough guides but I think the lonely planet guides are better.. I find them easier to use with better maps and directions..

whereas i'm exactly the opposite, can't stand lonely planet, rough guide is way ahead in my opinion. I reckon it's personal preference tbh.

dudara

I've generally found Rough Guides to be the best. I had a Time Out recently for Madrid, and wasn't overly impressed, though it did the job.

There's just something about the Lonely Planet that I don't like.

Scoobydoobydoo

mathias wrote: »

Dorling kindersly , Im a photo nut so maybe its the quality of the pictures , but I find them great anyway, especially the pocket map and guide jobs.

http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,,00.html?path=c614078%2D00000000%23%23%2D1%23%23%2D1%7E%7Eq6d6574612e636f6c6c656374696f6e3a696d70756c7365%7E%7Enc614078%2D1156A%23%233%23%23v1&homeNav=Y&newTitle=

I have about 30 of these, they're the best, clearest ones to me. I have a few other types but I really think the DK ones are just far better all around. I like the photos also, I find it helpful to have photos.