The Rough Guide to New Zealand 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)I fancy myself somewhat of an expert in New Zealand travel, with numerous lengthy trips there, including two group trips that I organized and led. I have used DK, Lonely Planet, Let's Go, and Rough Guide, and there is absolutely no question which is best. Rough Guide. It is more thorough and more intelligently written than any of the others, and its graphics have gradually improved as well. Though not as glossy as DK or as famous as Lonely Planet, Rough Guide provides the traveler/reader with the best understanding of New Zealand. If in doubt, go to a bookstore and read the descriptions of a given place in Lonely Planet, and then in Rough Guide. It will be obvious which is better. I recently purchased the recent editions of both Rough Guide and Lonely Planet (both published Sept 2006) but have decided that it won't be necessary to bring both on my next trip to New Zealand. Rough Guide has everything found in Lonely Planet and much, much more. Highly recommend.

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The Rough Guide to New Zealand is the essential guidebook to this spectacular destination, with exhaustive practical information, a full-colour introduction and hundreds of restaurant and hotel listings. Make the most of the astonishing variety of New Zealand, from the craggy coastlines and sweeping beaches, to the bubbling volcanic mud pools and fast-flowing rivers. More detailed than its competitors, this completely updated guide features colour sections highlighting Maori culture, adventure sports and the country's unique ecology. Catering for every traveller, from wine buffs to Lord of the Rings freaks, The Rough Guide to New Zealand is heaving with historical and cultural detail and is packed with new maps and more photos – it even finds time to teach you the world-famous haka!

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The Rough Guide to East Coast Australia 1 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the finest guidebooks I have used. The authors write concisely, to the point and with some humor as well. Content is comprehensive -- they have really put some mileage on their shoes and gotten far down into the details for us. Organization is functional and easy to follow, or to skip around in the book. Authors use to advantage many insert boxes to highlight special content or discussions of places of outstanding interest (e.g., Great Barrier Reef). Users should be aware that the geographic coverage of the content is a fairly narrow band all along the east coast of Victoria, NSW and Queensland. What is covered is covered extremely well. But if you want or need detailed information on areas inland from the coast, you must use the internet or buy a guidebook with comprehensive coverage.

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Discover a land of roaring surf, towering rainforests and day after day of sunshine with The Rough Guide to East Coast Australia. Be inspired by the cosmopolitan cities, the countless wine regions, gorgeous Byron Bay, the Great Barrier Reef and all the fascinating, less-travelled places in between. With full-colour sections of Taking the Plunge, diving and surfing on the east coast and Ecotourism, the guide takes you way off the beaten track to discover the real Australia. Covering every region, from remote and unspoilt beaches where kangaroos hop along the shore, to alternative country towns with a character all their own, the guide also highlights unforgettable side-trips to the Torres Strait Islands and Uluru. Places to stay – the funkiest hostels, the glitziest resorts, the leafiest rainforest lodges – are covered in detail and with our hand-picked restaurant and nightlife recommendations you'll always know where to find the action. Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to East Coast Australia.

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The Rough Guide to Japan Fourth Edition (Rough Guide Travel Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been dissapointed with Lonely Planet over the last few years.
So I again bought both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. This is my last time, from now on Rough Guide it is.
The best thing about the guide is that it organizes information in a way that makes planning very easy. Overview of country, overview of region, overview of town. I planned my two week trip in a matter of hours.
Lonely Planet, in contrast, essentially lists places, one after the other. Unless you follow one of their 5-8 itineraries, the only way you plan your trip is reading the book cover-to-cover.
Also, a friend of mine lived in Japan for 10 years. All the tips he gave me were in the Rough Guide.


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The Rough Guide to Japan provides invaluable advice on everything from getting there (including overland routes) to tracking down the latest and best places to sleep, eat, drink and shop. There is comprehensive coverage of all the major sights – and many off the beaten track - from the northern tip of Hokkaido down to the islands of Okinawa, closer to Taiwan than Tokyo. Full-colour sections introduce manga and anime, arguably Japan's most successful cultural export, its rich variety of festivals and its stunning traditional gardens. All this is accompanied by in-depth coverage of Japan's history, religions, arts, movies and music plus a discussion of environmental issues. There are maps of all the main towns and tourist destinations, together with separate colour maps of the Tokyo subway system and the rail network in Osaka.

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Bulgaria (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE) Review

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(More customer reviews)I picked up this book purely out of curiousity while browsing in the bookstore. The only exposure I'd had to Bulgaria as a tourist destination was the show from Rick Steves, which whetted my appetite but didn't leave me compelled to go. Then I picked up this book expecting a ho-hum response (after all you hear so little about it) and instead Bulgaria has shot to the top of my list of most desirable destinations. I'm working on going next year and am learning some of the language now. After viewing the amazing photos in this book, it compelled me to do further research online for more photos and information and I now realize what an underrated gem Bulgaria is. Black and white words in your ordinary travel guide can't do it justice, and I would never have realized what I was missing without the gorgeous full color photographs and architectural cutaways of this book. I wouldn't rely on the hotel and restaurant listings in the DK Eyewitness guides because I would want to use a guide that is more frequently updated and budget minded (I recommend Rick Steves Eastern Europe), however, this book cannot be beat for the armchair traveller, someone deciding where they should go (the pictures really help), or someone inspired by beautiful photos. It covers a lot of the countryside and small towns as well as big cities.

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Despite its European location, Bulgaria is a surprisingly undiscovered country rich in natural resources, history, and culture. This lavishly illustrated DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is all you need to cover everything from Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, to the ancient countryside villages of Koprivshtitsa and Veliko Turnovo. Soak up the many flavors of Bulgaria region by region with sights, beaches, markets, and festivals listed town by town. Full-color maps and city plans enable you to explore the capital and the regions in depth, while special features explain the history, cultural heritage, traditional festivals, and local cuisine. Walks, scenic routes, and thematic tours are also included, showing you how to make the most of the country's stunning areas of natural beauty, including the spectacular wild mountain ranges and the dramatic Black Sea coastline ensure you won't miss a thing!HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: -Packed with photographs, illustrations, and maps -Cutaways and floor plans of all the major sights -3-D aerial views of the city's most interesting districts -Huge selection of hotels, restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues -Specially devised walking tours, special events info

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