When I travel, I can count on having as many guidebooks as fellow travelers. That’s because I travel with the friend who loves the photo- and map-heavy guide; the one who relishes reading about our destination’s history and cultural climate; the traditionalist; and the trend-spotter. Then there’s me, a wild card who hasn’t committed to a particular publisher’s philosophy and shows up with a different book every time.
So there’s a guidebook (or seven) for every traveler, but each of us also has our opinions about which ones aren’t up to snuff. Which brings me to the question, how much should you expect from your guidebook? Can you blame it when things go awry, or must you take its advice with a grain of salt and cross your fingers that it contains a crumb of helpful information?
When I went to Colombia in February, there were only three books to choose from, so I (in hindsight, stupidly) went with the one which had the biggest name, but which had been subject to scandal last year when one of its contributors admitted to never having visited Colombia. I’m certain the writer’s absence from Colombia wasn’t fully to blame for the book’s faults; he wasn’t the book’s only author, and the country’s rapidly changing tourism industry surely had a lot to do with it. But in any case, it didn’t take long for me to start consciously doing the opposite of whatever the book advised, and for me to find out that this 2006 edition is the biggest inside joke among travelers in Colombia. At least it served as a good ice-breaker.
The publisher is releasing an updated version in June, with a new author and a much-improved cover photo (I know you can’t judge a book by its cover, but it is a noticeable upgrade). But I can’t help thinking it may have been beneficial for travelers if the company had pulled the old book from shelves in the meantime, or perhaps even rushed the 2009 version. And I can’t help having a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, even though I’ve enjoyed the publisher’s guides in the past and will continue to use them in the future.
So is a book ever to blame for bad hotels, awful restaurants, and off-base descriptions of activities and neighborhoods, or does all blame lie with the traveler who blindly (or not so blindly) follows its advice? And is there a type of guidebook you swear by?
Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member Wildcat Dianne
Comments
Apr 14, 2009
I'm not going to lie, I hold Lonely Planet personally responsible for the monsoon that destroyed my honeymoon. We consulted the book about traveling to Koh Samui that time of year and it cautioned that there could be HIGH WINDS.
I kept saying to the locals, "Gosh, this is some weird weather!"
They'd say, "No, it's very normal. It's like this every year."
I'll never buy another LP guide again. I've sworn them off.
Tip: Don't visit Koh Samui during November. It's MONSOON SEASON.
Apr 15, 2009
things and places do change but not those written text.
My take is that, I will use the guidebook as a first cut research. It is a good source as it covers quite a fair bit about the places, weather, etc..
I will then compared with the information in the website, for example, the country's tourism website to check for consistency.
When I reach there, I will go to the tourist information center to pick up the latest and also get some more information from the hotel also.
So is a book ever to blame for bad hotels, awful restaurants, and off-base descriptions of activities and neighborhoods, or does all blame lie with the traveler who blindly (or not so blindly) follows its advice?
My opinion is that, take the advice with a grain of salt and do your own due deligent. At the end, you will enjoy yur trip.