Rough Guide or Lonely Planet
- Thread starter sleaterkinney
- Start date
alef
Needs to take more photos
Between RG and LP I buy the one that was published most recently for the country I'm visiting. Slight preference for RG as I see it as a more British POV rather than Aussie -- if that's a good thing?
Another factor is the part of the world in question, for China I remember LP being considered essential. In most African countries there's too much change for a guide book being useful, best to just go and start talking to people.
Another factor is the part of the world in question, for China I remember LP being considered essential. In most African countries there's too much change for a guide book being useful, best to just go and start talking to people.
CyberRose
أرفع الشفرات
All the "cool" people will tell you Rough Guides are better cos oh, look at those gimps sat in the cafe with their Lonely Planet guides, their soooooooo touristy! Not me, I'm like DiCaprio out of the beach cos I got a Rough Guide!
NO! You're a middle class pretentious student twat on a gap year in South-East Asia cos you're soooooooooooooo unoriginal yet think you are! And no amount of looking down your nose at other people cos you think you're more "native" than them is gonna change that! Not even a Rough Guide!
Phew! Don't know what came over me just then!
Erm, anyway, I prefer Lonely Planets cos I find them easier to use (especially the maps)
(And no, I've never been "travelling" I just don't like that really pretentious type that fuck off to Asia for a year on mummy and daddy's money so they can have an "experience" - not that there's owt wrong with that per se, just as long as you're not a pretentious twat about it!)
NO! You're a middle class pretentious student twat on a gap year in South-East Asia cos you're soooooooooooooo unoriginal yet think you are! And no amount of looking down your nose at other people cos you think you're more "native" than them is gonna change that! Not even a Rough Guide!
Phew! Don't know what came over me just then!
Erm, anyway, I prefer Lonely Planets cos I find them easier to use (especially the maps)
(And no, I've never been "travelling" I just don't like that really pretentious type that fuck off to Asia for a year on mummy and daddy's money so they can have an "experience" - not that there's owt wrong with that per se, just as long as you're not a pretentious twat about it!)
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
CyberRose said:
You sound like me
Errol's son
Well-Known Member
CyberRose said:
I agree pretty much...
I hate all this guidebookoneupmanship...
They are all fairly shite but very useful if you don't know an area...
Maps are the most useful thing... they enable you to work out a city's layout... and if you need a place to stay can be useful to fall back on.
They pass time on a bus/train but I find their general quick synopsis of a country's history fairly uninspiring.
Sunray
Its sunny somewhere.
The Lonely Planet is quite poor. The maps are quite poor. The selection of accommodation is very limited and hit so hard by the LP crew.
The best series by far is Footprint guide, lots of decent solid and useful local information, decent accommodation thats not been trampled to oblivion by the LP holders.
The best series by far is Footprint guide, lots of decent solid and useful local information, decent accommodation thats not been trampled to oblivion by the LP holders.
QueenOfGoths
Fuck you Dave!
CyberRose said:
You have just summed up my exerience of an evening on Khao San Road in Bangkok!The general impression I got from some little darlings was that if you dressed like a hippy it meant you were one - despite the designer labels on their flipflops and sunglasses. Arseholes. You don't have to look it to be it and living it is different to looking it.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
It's daft to say which one is the best as it varies from region to region and through the various editions.
Although saying that LP is the obvious choice and so places that are recommended there are often over populated with backpackers. This is not always a bad thing.
Footprints has more information written in a far less patronising tone than LP or RG.
LP can be more out of date than RG and footprints even more so.
But again it's all down to the particular region.
Although saying that LP is the obvious choice and so places that are recommended there are often over populated with backpackers. This is not always a bad thing.
Footprints has more information written in a far less patronising tone than LP or RG.
LP can be more out of date than RG and footprints even more so.
But again it's all down to the particular region.
Idaho
continuity character
The 1970's are that way grandadif6were9 said:where have all the hippy guides gone
i remember the rough planet when you got info about the best place to hitch out of Athens and if the pigs were likely to come round with their truncheons if you crashed in the station and what were the best freak cafes and where you could get the local rot gut.
now when i fucking open them im told a "cheap but tantalising" meal for 2 will be a "snip" at a 100 fucking euros. im told where all the trendy people are and how a few cuntishly displaced "art happenings" have made a area "up and coming."
where is all the information on the pigs and getting busted and the freak shops
ATOMIC SUPLEX
Member Since: 1985 Post Count: 3
As a former Lonley Planet employee I would have to say Lonley Planet.
I wonder what Rutabowa thinks.
I wonder what Rutabowa thinks.
butterfly child
Well-Known Member
twisted said:
Of course, I don't waste my money on crap
I gave them both up after a horrifying revelation 5 years ago in a cafe in La Paz, Bolivia. I looked around and suddenly realized that *everyone* in the place, literally *everyone,* had a copy of the Lonely Bastard open in front of them. Including me. Since that day my travels have been far more interesting and rewarding, I thoroughly recommend it.
Errol's son
Well-Known Member
With internet cafes widely available in most places, you really don't need them anymore...
phildwyer said:
This to me gets to the heart of why some choose not to bother with guide books! It's a fair call.
However, if we forgot about what others may think about us and what kind of traveller we are, what do posters actually want from their guidebook?
I know maps will feature, but what else?
And yes, i do have a vague agenda in asking this question because for a while i've nurtured the idea of coming up with another kind of guide book for thailand, purely because i've been here so long now. I just think the market could do with a 'proper' kind of guide book...
northern red
New Member
sleaterkinney said:
Imbecile.
Fodors are decent for the traveller with a little class and who wish to experience a little culture.
RG and LP are for good maps - but usually you can pick them (good maps) up online or in Information centers if you are going to western areas of the world.
northern red
New Member
Errol's son said:
Amen brother.
chilango
Ha! Ha! Armageddon
They're both pretty crap.
I mean if you've just arrived in a place, needa bed for the night and a map of the town centre they're ok.
The LP recomndations for bars etc is awful. But thats cool with me.
I like footprint, trailblazer and even used a fodors once.
Me? I´'d like a guide book with bus/train timetables. ssome maps and a list of hotels. The rest is pointless.
I mean if you've just arrived in a place, needa bed for the night and a map of the town centre they're ok.
The LP recomndations for bars etc is awful. But thats cool with me.
I like footprint, trailblazer and even used a fodors once.
Me? I´'d like a guide book with bus/train timetables. ssome maps and a list of hotels. The rest is pointless.
Depends on the writers and how up to date they are. I have in the past found them useful, but now don't really see them as an essential item as if I really need to I can pop into a internet cafe and look something up. Thorn Tree is better in this respect than most of the actual LP guides. Many tourists seem to be afraid of trusting their own judgement - for example in choosing a hotel - go in, have a look at the room, is it clean? Do the staff seem at least reasonably helpful? Can you afford it? Is where you want to be? If so, check in and do much the same when you go and look for something to eat/drink.
CyberRose said:
I know a few people who write for LP/Rough Guide and they're nothing like that. Just people who are/have been resident in foreign countries and know the places well. Most of them saved up for years doing menial jobs to get to the places, and then in between travelling supported themselves through spots of TEFL and writing articles. Why would trustafarians need to write for the hardly lucrative terms that LP/RG offer?
sleaterkinney said:
Don't use the LP for chinese words or phrases. They've changed the pronunciation guide in their books from pinyin to their own guide, presumabley to make it easier for foreigners. Of course menus and street signs don't use the LP pronunciation guide so it's a bit pointless.
Where in China are you going? If you stop by Beijing you can pick up a great phrase book and guides to eating, drinking, activities etc. http://www.immersionguides.com/products/4/Mandarin-Phrasebook
"I don't use a guidebook - I just bring a map for a *real* travelling experience. Now, if I can just borrow your Lonely Planet for seven or eight hours, there's a few things I'd like to copy down..." 
I prefer the Rough Guide out of the two, a lot of Lonely Planets seem to be written in a slightly preachy tone that annoys the hell out of me.
I prefer the Rough Guide out of the two, a lot of Lonely Planets seem to be written in a slightly preachy tone that annoys the hell out of me.
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