As a blogger it may seem counter-intuitive what I am about to write, but bear with me… I still use and love travel guide books. From my first trip abroad in 2005 to my most recent trip to Asia, technology has certainly had a huge influence in how I plan my trips and travel, but at the end of the day I heavily rely on a good ole fashion paper book. First of all I need to clarify that not ALL guide books are equal. I have to pledge my allegiance to Lonely Planet. The organization and content are up-to-date, thorough, and easy to read. With that said, here are my thoughts on why and how I use the guidebooks:
1. Provides a complete overview of a destination
This the number 1 reason why I love travel books. If I google France, 90% of the websites that pop up are about Paris and maybe a handful of other cities. But with a travel book, the authors cover ALL (or a good majority) of the cities and towns in a destination. This means that you discover hidden gems that only a handful of tourists bother to visit and provides you with the basic information necessary to feel comfortable heading outside of main cities. Moreover, Lonely Planet books cover 195 countries guaranteeing that if you plan on taking a road less travelled you will have something to rely on to guide you through your trip.
2. Disconnect from technology
With the boom of smart phones and public wi-fi, you could be thousands of kilometres from home and still be iMessaging with family and catching up on your Facebook feed. While staying connected is great, it can also be a huge distraction. I love travel books because it means I can turn my cellphone off and focus on the travelling. Sure it’s great to check out Trip Advisor to see what fellow travellers recommend as a restaurant in a given city, but the temptation to start browsing my emails and other websites is too strong to resist. Not surprisingly, the more isolated I feel from the digital world, the more I feel I can enjoy my travels and live in the moment. Not having the GPS on your phone to rely on while you navigate a strange city forces you to interact with the locals when you inevitably get lost and will make for some wonderful memories to look back on. Ditch the technology and use a paper guide book.
3. Useful reviews
When I plan a trip I comb the internet for reviews on hotels and attractions. I find that reviews online seem to be very polarizing and not always the most trustworthy or very informative as to why a place was ‘amazing’ or ‘horrible’. I’ve learned to trust what the Lonely Planet authors recommend and have yet to be disappointed by one of their recommendations. It also provides details that seem to be forgotten from other online accounts. For example I was thinking of caving in Borneo. I read so many reviews about how amazing the experience was, but ONLY Lonely Planet informed me of the hundreds of cockroaches and centipedes that would be waiting for me. As someone who is not very fond of the creepy crawlies, I knew that it would not be a good fit for me. Sure it does not necessarily have the latest, hottest details in the new editions, but it provides a solid base on which to start designing you itinerary and provides plenty of online resources that can complement the information they give.
4. Built-in maps and listings of ‘mundane’ services
You get off a train at 11PM at night in a strange city and the tourist information booth is closed, the platform is nearly deserted, and you don’t speak the language. How will you find your way to your guest house? The trusty map that comes with the travel book, of course! Sure you could print maps ahead of time, but why go through the hassel when you can have all your key information in one place. Another advantage is the rather unexciting list of services included in most books like the post office (or phone number for a trusted taxi company). I am one of very few people who still sends postcards. Yet it’s becoming increasingly difficult to locate post office, not a problem with a travel book!
5. Testament of your trip
When planning a trip I make tons of mark-ups in my books and use plenty of sticky notes. They represent little time capsules and travel diaries of the places I’ve been and the things I’ve seen. After travelling so much, some of the details get blurry of names of churches or museums, but with a travel book it’s easy to return, consult, and reminisce. When I’ve done multi-country travelling I have a times left the books behind in the hostel bookshelf for other travellers to read and discover my own insights. I will add some new comments to indicate the activities or places that were really worthwhile for other to contemplate their own plans.
What are your favourite travel books? How do you find them helpful?
[…] been following my blog than you know I am still a huge fan of travel guide books (check out my post here). They are such an awesome resource for summarizing the most important details of a destination. […]