Budget Books

Actually I'm reviewing 2003, which was delivered to me in March this year.Amazon only lists 2002 and 2004. (The Greekislandhopping WEB site keeps you updated anyway). It's better than ever. As before, it's not a book you need if you're on a cruise that goes to Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes, although even then you might enjoy reading it for its wit and delightful illustrations. It tells you all about the boats themselves, as well as where they go. I hate to sit inside without a view. I like to buy a first class ticket on one of the big slow car ferries, especially slightly off season, where I can stroll on the sun deck drinking a glass of wine and watching the islands glide past.
This even covers Istanbul, which is where I went this year, more cultural, less hedonistic. The only thing Poffley might have added is that Eminonu is a busy commuter area, crowded with people during peak hours. The regular ferries are also crowded with commuters at times. The Lonely Planet Istanbul explains the deals about Bosphorus cruises (shorter is more expensive but longer is is rather too long).

I have the big name guides like Lonely Planet, and they are very informative, but they seem to be pointing me toward where to find every other American tourist in the country. This book is different- It tells me how to get around- breaks it down into method of travel: car rental, rail, fairy, public transportation and backpacking (tramping). This book has schedules and routs for excursions which I have confirmed are current, and even includes walking route tours around towns. I find lots of information in each of the guide books I have picked. I am feeling well prepared for my trip and once I get back I can tell you for sure which guide was most helpful, but based on the information I have gotten from this book I am sure it will be something I rely on to live out my dream for this trip to New Zealand! If not your ONLY guide, it's a great compliment to any guide.

Ian McQueen's book is by far the best travel guide to Japan, even if you're not on a budget. He describes both the well known places and the out-of-the-way ones. He doesn't make up your mind for you, but leaves it up to the reader whether what's being described is a place the reader would like to go.

What amazed me most, of all the advice, was when he said that a certain beach in Hokkaido had washed-up fishing floats (those beautiful big glass balls) on it that people could take home (free) as souvenirs. I went there, and he was right!

When I first came to Japan, I tried various guidebooks. This one was the best for me. Now that I've lived here 18 years, I still refer to it occasionally before a trip, and I always recommend it to new visitors.

Everyone should read this book!Now!It's the best book ever!It helped me through all of my financial problems.Buy it right now! I said NOW!Thank you for reading my input on this book{It's the truth!}

I've made >20 visits to France all together. Here are my reviews of the best guides....to meet you r exact needs.....I hope these are helpful and that you have a great visit! I always gauge the quality of my visit by how much I remember a year later......this review is designed to help you get the guide that will be sure YOU remember your trip many years into the future. Travel Safe and enjoy yourself to the max!

Let's Go
Let's Go is a great guide series that specializes in the niche interest details that turn a trip into a great and memorable experience. Started by and for college students, these guides are famous for the details provided by people who used the book the previous year. They continue to focus on providing a great experience inexpensively. If you want to know about the top restaurants, this is not for you (use Fodor's or Michelin). Let's Go does have a bewildering array of different guides though. Here's which is what:
Budget Guide is the main guide with incredibly detailed information and reviews on everything you can think of.
City Guide is just as intense but restricted to the single city.
PocketGuide is even smaller and features condensed information
MapGuide's are very good maps with public transportation and some other information (like museum hours, etc.)

Michelin
Famous for their quality reviews, the Red Michelin Guides are for hotels & Restaurants, the Green Michelin Guides are for main tourist destinations. However, the English language Green guide is the one most people use and it has now been supplemented with hotel and restaurant information. These are the serious review guides as the famous Michelin ratings are issued via these books.

Fodor's
Fodor's is the best selling guide among Americans. They have a bewildering array of different guides. Here's which is what:
The Gold Guide is the main book with good reviews of everything and lots of tours, walks, and just about everything else you could think of. It's not called the Gold guide for nothing though....it assumes you have money and are willing to spend it.
SeeIt! is a concise guide that extracts the most popular items from the Gold Guide
PocketGuide is designed for a quick first visit
UpCLOSE for independent travel that is cheap and well thought out
CityPack is a plastic pocket map with some guide information
Exploring is for cultural interests, lots of photos and designed to supplement the Gold guide

MapGuide
MapGuide is very easy to use and has the best location information for hotels, tourist attractions, museums, churches etc. that they manage to keep fairly up to date. It's great for teaching you how to use the Metro. The text sections are quick overviews, not reviews, but the strong suite here is brevity, not depth. I strongly recommend this for your first few times learning your way around the classic tourist sites and experiences. MapGuide is excellent as long as you are staying pretty much in the center of the city.

Time Out
The Time Out guides are very good. Easy reading, short reviews of restaurants, hotels, and other sites, with good public transport maps that go beyond the city centre. Many people who buy more than one guidebook end up liking this one best!

Blue Guides
Without doubt, the best of the walks guides.... the Blue Guide has been around since 1918 and has extremely well designed walks with lots of unique little side stops to hit on just about any interest you have. If you want to pick up the feel of the city, this is the best book to do that for you. This is one that you end up packing on your 10th trip, by which time it is well worn.

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet has City and Out To Eat Guides. They are all about the experience so they focus on doing, being, getting there, and this means they have the best detailed information, including both inexpensive and really spectacular restaurants and hotels, out-of-the-way places, weird things to see and do, the list is endless.

This spring break my Fiancee and I went back to London. Since both of us had been with a tour group the first time we visited we got a copy of this book for reference while there. We used this book every day we were in London. We found great restaurants and had a great time while we were there. This book is highly recommended for anyone going to London.

I am reading this book in preparation for a trip to SA, so I cannot really rate its usefulness. However, I'd like to say that the book's general attitude, attention to detail and sound understanding of the needs of a backpacker promise that a trip with this book will be a good enough one. I have travelled a lot so far, usually using the Let's Go series, and I have always found the satisfactory. This one seems to fit into the general picture of a practical, detail-orineted, friendly guide book. 5 stars from me.

This guide was incredibly helpful when I was in Washington, DC. It let me know the best places to go on a tight budget (that I have as a student,) and was incredibly well written and edited.

This is the most accurate travel book that I've ever used. The prices for lodging and meals were correct (a rarity in travel books!) and directions were clear and accurate. Having used both Frommers and Lonely Planet, I still feel that this series, and particularly this Spain and Portugal guide, is the best bet. Although Fodor's contains more history and other books provide more maps, this Let's Go guide is really all you need. Local tourist offices easily provide the rest. This series is particularly suited to the traveller who hopes to spend between US $35-$60 per day. However, there are many options for cheaper or more expensive plans.

The best book for any budget traveler, but especially for students. The book has the comprehensive ins and outs of travelling in the U.S. with honest and often humerous commentaries