The Rough Guide to Peru 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Peru tells you all there is to know about one of the most thrilling countries in South America. The 36-page, full-colour section introduces all of Peru''s highlights, from the soaring Inca citadel of Machu Picchu to the high altitude Central Railway. The guide includes extensive listings of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, plus the lowdown on some of the liveliest nightlife in the Americas. There is plenty of practical advice on a range of activities, including rafting and trekking in the Amazon jungle. The guide takes a detailed look at Peru''s culture, history and indigenous communities and comes complete with maps and plans for every region.

Customer Reviews:

Ditched me!.......2007-10-16

If you are looking for a travel book, that gives you good descriptions of a tourist site, perhaps this Rough Guides would be a good choice. I didn't read too many of those since I would get a guide usually at a tourist site, but then I sure could see that the descriptions are long and detailed.

But if you are backpacker who is looking for a travel guide that has the correct address/location of a hotel where you plan to spend the night when you reach Arequipa at 8pm, this is certainly not the reliable guide! Well not to mention that in Lima my first two choices of hostals did not have correct location in the map in the book. And then in Trujillo the hotel I chose to go to was shut down...and where really was that creolle restaurant that the book recommended and I wanted to hit that night. And the story goes on - Well sometimes they wouldn't have correct address, and more often than that they would not have the correct location on the map..
You know being off by a couple of blocks matters sometimes ( you just reach a new city, its night, you are alone and tired and want to hit a hostal and sleep).

SO yes since the book was unreliable when I needed it the most, its good points like great long descriptions of sites got overshadowed.

Really Bad Book.......2007-09-21

Nothing in this book is up to date. The prices are all incorrect and the descriptions of some places and things are just plain wrong. This book almost ruined my trip to Peru. Stay Away From It!!! I bought it in the first place because I loved the rough guide to Tanzania, and trusted that the guide to Peru would be just as good. I just don't know why Rough Guides allowed this tragedy to be published.

Very good reference.......2007-01-03

I'm Peruvian, and this guide contains everything i need for someone who wants to visit our amazing country !!

Average customer rating:

not great
Opening the door to Ecuador

The Rough Guide to Ecuador - Edition 3
Harry Ades , and Melissa Graham
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Tourist Destinations & Museums | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Lonely Planet Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands (Lonely Planet Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands)
Laminated Ecuador Map by Borch
The Rough Guide to Peru 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Birds of Ecuador Field Guide
Moon Handbooks Ecuador: Including the Galapagos Islands (Moon Handbooks)

ASIN: 1843536943

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Ecuador is your ultimate handbook to this fascinating and dramatically diverse country with complete coverage of the Galapagos islands. A full colour introduction gives an insight into the country''s many highlights from snorkelling in the Galapagos to exploring Quito''s colonial churches. There is plenty of practical advice on a range of activities from learning Spanish in Quito to climbing Volcan Cotopaxi. There are up-to-the-minute reviews of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, plus a brand-new ''Authors'' Picks'' feature to highlight the very best options. The guide includes over fifty maps and expert background on Ecuador''s history, culture, indigenous peoples and environmental issues.

The Rough Guide to Ecuador is your perfect companion to this unique country.

Customer Reviews:

not great.......2007-08-06

I ordered this guide and the Lonely Planet Guide. I had previously toured Costa Rica using the Lonely Planet Guide and it worked out very well. This time I wanted to see if there was any additional information in the Rough Guide that would be helpfull. I have not yet gone to Eucador so I can not comment on the accuracy, but the detail in the Lonely Planet guide is much greater than that of the Lonely Planet Guide. Besides that it is much more compact. 440 pages vs 590. Basically Lonely Planet is more concise and more informative. If you are going to Ecuador and have room for one book, I recommend Lonely Planet rather than Rough Guide.

Opening the door to Ecuador.......2001-01-02

We have just returned from a month in Ecuador and found the new Rough Guide invaluable. Each chapter is clearly laid out and gives an accurate summary of regional highlights. It definitely made our trip planning and travel much easier. Ecuador is an amazing Andean country, with rainforests, tropical pacific coastline, high active volcanoes and the Galapagos Islands.

The Rough Guide provided us with essential information on how to travel and tips on safety and health proved very helpful.

Thanks also to the authors for including information on the damage being done to Ecuador's pristine rainforest and indigenous communities by a few oil companies. This is something that senstive tourists need to be aware of - the rare and fascinating tribal communities, the jungle wildlife and natural beauty we travelled to see are in real danger because of the actions of a few short term organisations who are right now planning a big push into the Oriente region.

Overall this is a really good, clear guide book with excellent recommendations for where to stay, what to do and even good tips on where to eat, drink and party. Don't go up the jungle without it! Thanks from Carmel McConnell and Catherine Purkiss

The Rough Guide to Argentina 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Average customer rating:

My first Rough Guide

Better than some, but not for the student traveler

book

good reviews

Best Argentina Country Guide

The Rough Guide to Argentina 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Danny Aeberhard
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | South America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Argentina | South America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Rough Guide to Argentina Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

Lonely Planet Argentina

Time Out Buenos Aires (Time Out Guides)

The Rough Guide to Chile 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Frommer's Buenos Aires (Frommer's Complete)

ASIN: 1843533375

Book Description

The second edition of the Rough Guide to Argentina explores the country in its entirety, from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to the spectacular Rio de la Plata and Iguazu Falls in the north and remote Ushaia in the far south. The Rough Guide also includes areas often visited on short trips from Argentina - Tierra del Fuego, Chilean Patagonia and Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. The Rough Guide includes a 24-page full-colour introduction to the country''s highlights, hand-picked by the authors. As well as all the first-hand reviews of the best places to stay, eat, drink and party in every town and province, there is detailed advice on the many outdoor activities available - from horseback treks to white-water rafting to heli-skiing. Throughout the guide there are also insightful boxes on Argentinian culture, including the birth of tango, the rise of Peron and the religion of football.

Customer Reviews:

My first Rough Guide.......2007-08-08

Three things:
1. I have not yet been to Argentina so I have not verified my conclusion.
2. I have not seen other Argentina guide books.
3. I have a shelf full of other guide books for other countries and this is quite simply the best and most comprehensive travel guide I have ever seen. In the future I will consider Rough Guides first above all others, then evaluate.

Better than some, but not for the student traveler.......2007-06-22

I liked this better than the Frommer's guides, but I think the Lonely Planet guide does a better job. As a traveler on a student's budget, I didn't find this particular guide to be that useful or user-friendly. It IS informative and can be useful (language section, brief culture/history section, health section, etc.) but as I said, it wasn't right for me.

I suggest the Lonely Planet guide to Argentina.

book.......2007-01-22

book arrived much earlier than other I'd ordered at same time, great condition, but extra box packaging is not necessary. Books like that only need padded envelopes.

good reviews.......2006-11-19

I agree with pretty much with what has been said in the reviews below. The Rough Guide is a better value from the Lonely Planet, if nothing else for the additional number of pages (a third) that allow the authors to get into more detail on the history, politics and minutiae of places to stay and see.

There are a few problems or personal recommendations I would make, or emphasize. The Guide is absolutely on target by recommending not to bring travellers checks. Not only are the banks loth to take them (only a minority actually do, the maximum is $100 per day) but there is an extraordinary amount of paperwork and they charge enormous fees. I brought most of the checks back home. There is a problem with Argentinian ATMs not listed in the Guide. Most ATMs use a 4 letter code and do not recognize 4+ codes from the USA or European debit/credit cards. You will quickly recognize and love the small minority that do (such as the Columbia Bank).

The maps were very helpful to me.

Some of the places described in the book were apparently never visited by the Guide's researchers, who must have relied on second-hand info from tour operators or Information agencies. A case in point is the Baritu National Park and its launching pad, the village Los Toldos, which are described from a standpoint of someone who has never been there.

In general, I would say that the country is best experienced if one avoids organized tours. Argentines are a warm, interesting and interested people. It is one thing to sit in the bus with a bunch of Europeans and gringos and another to sit together with the locals... indigenous ladies returning from the market, old men in old hats, groups of seductive young women... you will see more of the land and experience more of the people. If you visit Iruya (which I thoroughly recommend), don't just stay for a couple of hours before returning to Humahuaca; i suggest renting a room in the village (for ridiculously low proces) and staying for a couple of days.

There is very little about other countries and potential issues involved in crossing the borders. This goes for Brasil, Bolivia and Chile.

Still, this is the guide to get. Enjoy the travels.

Best Argentina Country Guide.......2006-11-11

The Rough Guide to Argentina (2nd edition published in January of 2005) is the best guide available for the entire country. I phrased it this way because Time Out Buenos Aires (published July 2006) is by far and away the best guide for the city of Buenos Aires.

If you are a little leery of purchasing a guidebook printed almost two years ago I would recommend purchasing Time Out Buenos Aires as well because it seemed that only in Buenos Aires have things changed so rapidly that a newer guide would be necessary.
Having said that you certainly can get away with just having The Rough Guide (just know that prices have gone up - which happens with all guide books).

When comparing The Rough Guide to Argentina to Lonely Planet Argentina (the only real competition since Fodors, Frommers, and Bradt just don't compete) I can easily recommend Rough guide over Lonely Planet. The Rough Guide simply has more information (it has 372 MORE pages than Lonely Planet has). A few times I found that I'd read about a very intriguing and little known attraction in the Rough Guide only to find it missing altogether in Lonely Planet. I know that most guides are striving to also highlight the off the beaten track activities as well as the major ones and The Rough Guide achieves this in a much better way than Lonely Planet.

I don't fault Lonely Planet for this because they produce good travel guides (especially in Europe), but it seems that they made the decision to not go as in depth as The Rough Guide has in South America (since I also found the same to be true with the Chile and Peru guides).

The maps are very easy to use and more intuitive than Lonely Planet's, but it would be nice for Rough Guide to copy LP in printing the elevation and population of cities and towns.

All areas of the country are represented well in the guide. Some are a bit more heavily detailed but it does not come at the expense of others.

The "Basics" section is very detailed in highlighting entry requirements, transportation, health and safety issues, etc. There is also a lengthy discussion on the history of Argentina, it's peoples, culture, political system, food, etc.

You will definitely not be disappointed after purchasing this guidebook.

Average customer rating:

Don't bother with this book!
A Very Good Guide - with a few idiosyncrasies...

The Rough Guide to South America
ROUGH GUIDES
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Rough Guide to Central America 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Footprint South American Handbook 2006 (Footprint South American Handbook)
Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring
Insight Guide South America (Insight Guides South America)
South American Handbook 2007: 83rd Edition (Footprint South American Handbook)

ASIN: 1858289076

Book Description

INTRODUCTION Stretching from the shores of the Caribbean to the icy waters off Tierra del Fuego, South America is a vast and remarkable mosaic of climates, landscapes and peoples. Almost twice the size of Europe, the continent takes in an enormous geographic and cultural diversity, comprising enormous primeval rainforests, vibrant metropolises, stunning mountain ranges, vast desert plains and remote indigenous villages.

The thirteen countries that make up South America are fascinating in equal parts for their supranational commonalities and for their differences within individual borders.Geographic realities, earlysettlement patterns, French, Dutch, English and, especially Spanish and Portuguese colonization and their legacies of independent states, have moulded a continent where differences within countries can appear greater than between them. Brazil's huge northern region, for example, has far more in common - language aside - with the neighbouring portions of the Amazon basin located within Peru or Colombia than it does, say, with Rio de Janeiro. Extreme social and economic disparities are striking, nowhere more so than in the cities where extreme wealth can exist side by side with extreme poverty, the once burgeoning middle classes being squeezed out of existence. South America shares a common history based on its original Amerindian population, European colonization, slavery and immig! ration. Indigenous peoples - whose ancestors migrated to South America thousands of years ago and went on to develop complex societies and rich cultures - are still presences in many parts of the continent, in particular in the central Andes, the Amazon basin and Paraguay.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century Spanish and Portuguese explorers established settlements in South America, and soon the continent was divided between European powers - mainly by Spain and Portugal, but with England, France and Holland also staking small territorial claims. To Europe, South America was a land of fabled wealth, but it was seen to lack a sufficient or suitable supply of labour. The colonizing powers soon turned to Africa, and by the mid-nineteenth century millions of enslaved Africans had been introduced to toil in South America's mines and sugar plantations.

With the independence of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the early nineteenth century followed by the gradual suppression of the slave trade and the emancipation of slaves, South America became a target of mass immigration. Irish and German farmers were placed on Argentina's and Chile's "Indian frontiers", Italian and Japanese were directed to Brazil's expanding coffee plantations, while tin, copper and gold mines throughout the continent attracted Cornish miners. Meanwhile, skilled and unskilled workers from throughout Europe headed for burgeoning cities, playing vital roles in the development of South America's transportation, power and banking networks and industrial capacity. Immigration even played a vital role in the Guianas - the continent's last European colonies - with the importation by sugar plantations of tens of thousands of East Indian, Javanese and indentured labourers from other lands.

Customer Reviews:

Don't bother with this book!.......2007-02-25

I am currently travelling through Peru, Boliva, Chile and Argentina and if you are only taking one guide book (which you probably would since they are relatively heavy), I *strongly* suggest that you do not waste your time with this book.

The accomodation listings are inconsistent - eg: they list whether some hostels have private bathroom and then don't bother mentioning it for others. The maps are hopeless and miss out important information. Can you imagine standing on a crowded Cusco street staring at the map looking for the main bus station, only to find that there is an arrow on the side of the map with a caption 'to bus station, airport'.

Go with the Lonely Planet Shoestring guide - not perfect, but miles ahead of the Rough Guide.

A Very Good Guide - with a few idiosyncrasies..........2004-07-27

I have just finished driving 8,500 mile, through six countries (Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina & Chile), and I had with me this guide and 'Footprint - South America'.

Rough Guide, though not as exhaustive as Footprint, is one of the best South American guides out today.

The guide starts with a basic, but very good, sixty-page information section on South America. Then each country has it own basic information, history and a few recommended books. When Rough Guides has city maps, they are very usable, each having numbers and letters that show you where hotels and eateries are located in the city.

Its primary strength is its excellent descriptions and recommendations of a select few of the better restaurants and accommodations in each location.

It is far better than 'Footprint' in its description of select accommodations and restaurants. These reviews are the primary reason to purchase this guide. Each review clearly describes the hotel or restaurant, allowing you to have a good, solid comprehension of what you will be getting, both in lodging and in food. For example: "Red Mangrove Inn" - this secluded bohemian hotel was designed and built by its artist owner and has many idiosyncratic flourishes. Rooms are built with bay views and have hot water. There is a whirlpool on the veranda" and the Restaurant, "La Bonga del Sinu" specializes in local Caribbean cuisine, especially beef dishes at low prices".

Because good reviews take space, this guide, though 1100 pages, has far fewer recommendations than 'Footprint'. Thus the guide provides you with a small (occasionally paltry) selection of what the writers considered to be the best accommodations and restaurants available. For example in Puerto Iguazu (AR) 'Rough Guide' has 4 recommended accommodations, whereby 'Footprint' has 13. In Cusco, Peru this guide lists 8 recommendations, whereas 'Footprint' has 32. This also holds true with restaurants.

'Rough Guide' is best for those who stay on the main roads, as it is not as extensive, or complete as 'Footprint' when you leave the pavement. 'Rough Guide' lacks coverage of smaller cities and towns that 'Footprint' covers. This will not be a problem for the majority of travelers, but for those that have wanderlust, or those that seek to drive South America and take the road-less-traveled, they occasionally will be without help.

I found 'Rough Guide's' recommendations for accommodations to be better than their recommendations for restaurants. Another flaw is there is no price range for the restaurants (expensive, moderate, cheap, etc). Thus you can go to a restaurant and you meal can cost $3.50, and your next restaurant meal may cost $35. Also, there is an incongruity with website listings for recommended hotels. One country listing may give you the website address for each hotel, but most countries are hit and miss with the website address. As you know, seldom today does a hotel NOT have a website and a hotel's website is extremely helpful in giving you a vivid picture of what you get for the buck.

Caveat: Any guide's research was conducted one to two years before its published date and accommodations, and especially restaurants, come and go, so call to confirm before you pay for the taxi.

Ultimately, the biggest flaw that the guide has is its serious deficiency of maps. Maps are imperative to a good guide. When you arrive in a city or town the first thing you want to do is orient yourself. Many, far too many times, this book fails to publish a map for its locations. If 'Rough Guides' could do one single thing to improve this guide it would be provide a map for each location in the book.

If you are going to spend time in South America and be in various countries then I recommend that you take both guides: 'Rough Guide' and 'Footprint'. If you want only one guide then it is a decision between excellent descriptions (Rough Guide) or numerous recommendations and sundry maps (Footprint). Even with its idiosyncrasies and shortcomings this is a great guide. Strongly recommended.

The Rough Guide to Chile 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)

Average customer rating:

A Descent Guide to Chile
Nothing rought about this guide!
very detailed information - but no enthusiasm
very useful
Excellent Travel Guide

The Rough Guide to Chile 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Rough Guide to Chile Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
The Rough Guide to Argentina 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island
Frommer's Argentina & Chile (Frommer's Complete)
Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes

ASIN: 1843535491

Book Description

The third edition of the Rough Guide to Chile explores all corners of the country from the vast Atacama Desert and magnificent, snow-capped VolcÃ¡n Osorno to the granite spires of the Torres del Paine massif in Southern Patagonia and the mysterious moai statues on Easter Island. The guide includes reviews for all the best places to stay, eat and drink, to suit every taste and budget - plus a new ''Authors'' Picks'' feature to highlight the very best options. There is plenty of practical information for a range of outdoor pursuits, from trekking and white-water rafting to skiing and snow-boarding. The guide takes a detailed look at Chile''s history and culture and comes complete with maps and plans for every region.

Customer Reviews:

A Descent Guide to Chile.......2007-08-23

The Rough Guide to Chile is a good guide book that offers more than its name suggests. I used it in Santiago, Valparaiso and Vina del Mar to discover what Chile could offer to a traveller. I got a chance to exchange information about other books on Chile, with the help of which some other visitors were, like me, trying to find out their way through the country. As far as the content is considered, the Rough Guide to Chile surpassed all of them. However, Chile is a fast-changing country: some attractions and places are classics, yet others come and go. The book requires minor updates for the latter. In addition, information about specific places--museums for example--is brief.

Nothing rought about this guide!.......2002-11-24

If you're planning a trip to Chile (or wish you were) this is the book to get you ready. Dealing with everything from money exchange to lodgings to transportation, it has invaluable information to carry you from "tourist" to "traveler." The content is divided by geographical sections (much as the country itself is) to make it easier to plan a trip or get the specific information you need on a trip already planned. If you're interested in getting away from the escorted "back on the bus in five minutes" type of trip, this guide will get you there. There are wonderful descriptions of each region and its attractions, plus names, phone numbers and prices for food, lodging, transportation...even the location of the cambios de change for changing money, ATMs, and tourist informtion centers in each town.
We picked this up by chance in a local library and found it so valuable we're planning to purchase our own copy before our upcoming visit. We'll let you know how well it represented reality when we return!

very detailed information - but no enthusiasm.......2002-11-21

The Rough Guide is full of useful, accurate information ( a little out of date) - but the writers lack a certain enthusiasm for this country. An enthusiasm that can be found in other books such as the Open Road guide.

very useful.......2002-08-06

having spent a couple of months travelling through chile, i got to know my rough guide well, and had chance to compare to many of the other guide books out there, there are speciality books which cover other areas better and in more detail, some only available in chile. but of the mainstream guides this is definately the best. the cultural information is where the rough guides stand out, in fact a couple of our favorite places in Chile didnt even warrant a mention in one of the better known guide book series. the section on accomodation was the most lacking although occasionaly useful, as none of the guide books seem to have discovered the backpackers hostels which cover chile. but aside from this if you want a guide to chile, this is one of the best.

Excellent Travel Guide.......2001-04-29

My husband and I loved this book. We are senior citizens who wanted to spend a few days in Chile on our own, prior to a cuise around Cape Horn to Argentina. This guide gave us very accurate, detailed information in many areas: transportation, hotels, restaurants, sights. We used it during the cruise to tailor our own shore excursions. It contains every bit of information that you would need for a very enjoyable trip to Chile. Chile is safe, very modern, and beautiful. English is not common but people were friendly and very well educated. Take a phrase book along. If you speak Spanish, you will not want to leave. This is a better experience than Mexico.

The Rough Guide to Peru Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

Average customer rating:

The Rough Guide to Peru Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map

World | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Cuzco Region of Peru - Machu Picchu Map by ITMB (Travel Reference Map)
The Rough Guide to Peru 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour
Lonely Planet Peru
Peru (The Traveller's Wildlife Guides)

ASIN: 1843533367

Book Description

The Rough Guide Map Peru is the most comprehensive map to this fascinating South American country. A hugely popular destination for independent travellers and escorted tourists alike Â- trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu is the top attraction. Pinpointed on the map are places of interest, including archeological sites, hiking trails, churches, campgrounds, nature reserves and national parks. The map is designed for all visitors, whether travelling by car or public transport, as it includes train lines, stations and airports, as well as distances between towns, road numbers and details of road surfaces.

Average customer rating:

For the money this is the best Bolivian guide available

The Rough Guide to Bolivia
Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

A Concise History of Bolivia (Cambridge Concise Histories)
Lonely Planet Bolivia
Bolivia Laminated Map (B&B)
Bolivia Handbook, 4th Edition (Footprint Bolivia Handbook)
Whispering in the Giant's Ear: A Frontline Chronicle from Bolivia's War on Globalization

ASIN: 1858288479
Release Date: 2002-09-12

Book Description

INTRODUCTION

Landlocked and isolated at the heart of South America, Bolivia encompasses everything that outsiders find most exotic and mysterious about that continent. Stretching from the majestic icebound peaks and bleak high-altitude deserts of the Andes to the exuberant rainforests and vast savannas of the Amazon basin, it embraces an astonishing range of landscapes and climates. The strangeness and variety of this natural environment are matched by the ethnic and cultural diversity of the country's population: the majority of Bolivians are of indigenous descent, and the strength of Amerindian culture here is perhaps greater than anywhere else in Latin America.

Indeed, to think of Bolivia as part of "Latin" America at all is something of a misconception. Though three centuries of Spanish colonial rule have left their mark on the nation's language, religion and architecture, this European influence is essentially no more than a thin veneer overlying indigenous cultural traditions that stretch back long before the conquest. Though superficially embracing the Catholic religion brought from Spain, many Bolivians are equally at home making offerings to the mountain gods of their ancestors or performing other strange rites, such as blessing motor vehicles with libations of alcohol. And although Spanish is the language of business and government, the streets of the capital buzz with the very different cadences of Aymara, one of more than thirty indigenous languages spoken across the country.

Geographically, Bolivia is dominated by the mighty Andes, the great mountain range that marches through the west of the country in two parallel chains, each studded with snowcapped peaks which soar to heights of over 6000 metres; between these two chains stretches the Altiplano, a bleak and virtually treeless plateau that has historically been home to most of Bolivia's population, and whose barren and windswept expanses are perhaps the best-known image of the country. Northeast of the Altiplano, the Andes plunge abruptly down into the tropical rainforests and savannas of the Amazon lowlands, a seemingly endless wilderness crossed by a series of major rivers that flow north to the Brazilian border and beyond. East of the Altiplano, the Andes march down more gradually through a drier region of fertile highland valleys that give way eventually to the Eastern Lowlands, a vast and sparsely populated plain covered by a variety of ecosystems ranging from dense Amazonian rainforest in the north to the dry thornbrush and scrub of the Chaco to the south.

This immensely varied topography supports an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life - the Parque Nacional Amboró, for example, is home to over 830 species of bird, more than the US and Canada combined - and new plant species continue to be identified every year. The country's underdevelopment and lack of infrastructure have been a blessing in disguise for the environment, allowing vast wilderness areas to survive in a near-pristine condition and serve as home to a variety of wildlife, ranging from the stately condors that glide above the high Andes to the pink freshwater dolphins that frolic in the rivers of Amazonia.

Though it covers an area the size of France and Spain combined, Bolivia is home to fewer than nine million people, most of whom live in a handful of cities founded by the Spanish. Some of these, such as Potosí and Sucre, were once amongst the most important settlements in the Americas, but are now half-forgotten backwaters, basking in the memory of past glories and graced by some of the finest colonial architecture on the continent. Others, like La Paz and Santa Cruz, have grown enormously in recent decades as a result of mass migration from the countryside, and are now bustling commercial cities where traditional indigenous cultures collide with modern urban environments. Given all these attractions, it's perhaps surprising that Bolivia remains one of South America's least-visited countries. This is largely due to its very remoteness and inaccessibility: even from the capitals of neighbouring countries, Bolivia is a distant and peripheral land, cut off by towering mountain chains or endless expanses of forest and swamp. Ignorance, too, plays a part. Following a diplomatic slight in the nineteenth century, Britain's Queen Victoria is said to have ordered the Royal Navy to bombard Bolivia's capital; on learning the country was landlocked and the capital lay high in the mountains, she supposedly crossed its name from her map and declared, "Bolivia does not exist". Bolivians often cite this apocryphal anecdote to illustrate the outside world's lack of knowledge about their country, and not without reason - over a century later, Victoria's mistake was repeated by a US senator, who demanded an aircraft carrier be sent to Bolivia's coast to enforce compliance with the War on Drugs, only to be told that Bolivia didn't have a coastline. Amongst outsiders who have heard something of Bolivia, meanwhile, the country has a reputation for cocaine trafficking, military coups and chronic political instability. But though these clichéd images have some basis in reality, they obscure the fact that Bolivia is one of the safest countries in the region for travellers, and largely free of the violent crime that blights some of its neighbours. In addition, for those who make it here, the fact that Bolivia is not yet on the major tourist routes is an added advantage, since you're unlikely to find yourself sharing the experience with more than a handful of other foreign visitors, whilst local attitudes have yet to be jaded by the impact of mass tourism.

Customer Reviews:

For the money this is the best Bolivian guide available.......2004-07-12

I have reviewed travel guides for seven years and this is one of the best I have used. Recently (5/04) I traveled for three weeks through Bolivia and found this guide to be very reliable, user friendly and exact.

The guide has excellent maps, brilliant descriptions of what to see and do, a very good 'Brief History' section, a good 'recommended books' section and the layout is excellent.

Everywhere possible James Read has included the internet addresses and web pages for additional information.

Most important James Read's recommendations for accommodations were always "spot on".

If there is a downside to the guide it is the restaurant recommendations. You need to take his recommendations 'with a grain of salt'. His praise of establishments (4 out of 11) did not live up to the hearty accolades he gives out, though most did. That and the accommodation price code (why not just state the US dollar amount?) are the only distracting aspects of the guide.

So, if you are going to explore this isolated, landlocked, astonishing country, you will not find a better guide out today. This guide along with Herbert Klein's "Concise History of Bolivia" (see my review) would be a great package. Highly recommended 4.5 stars

The Rough Guide to Brazil 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Average customer rating:

Certainly the best guide to Brazil

ridiculously bad

One Star Above LP

Incomplete at best

Take Any Other Guide Book

The Rough Guide to Brazil 6 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | South America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Brazil | South America | Latin America | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Lonely Planet Brazil

Brazilian Portuguese: Lonely Planet Phrasebook

Brazil Map (International Series)

Fodor's Brazil, 4th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Frommer's Brazil (Frommer's Complete)

ASIN: 1843536595

Book Description

The Rough Guide to Brazil is the most comprehensive and detailed guide to the largest country in South America. Filled with entertaining indepth accounts of all the major cities and towns, as well as the best beaches, jungle tours, and hiking trips. A full colour introduction gives an immediate flavour of the vibrant country with striking photographs of the country''s many attractions and activities, from joining the parades at the Rio Carnival to taking a boat trip up the Amazon. There is informative background on everything from Brazilian art to the most infamous favelas (shanty towns) giving the reader a sound context to help understand the country they are visiting. Practical advice on getting around is supported by over 70 maps and plans and extensive listings sections giving insightful reviews into accommodation, restaurants and bars for every budget.

Customer Reviews:

Certainly the best guide to Brazil.......2005-07-23

Have the other reviewers been using the same guide book as I have? The Rough Guide is simply the best guide book to Brazil. The Lonely Planet offers no understanding of the country, the book is written for idiots and the much of the material is seriously out of date. The authors of the Rough Guide seem to really know, understand and appreciate Brazil. The chapters for Rio, the South and the Amazon are, in my opinion, the most comprehensive, including lots of detail on places that Brazilians I know were unaware of. The Northeast is probably the weakest chapte but the area is so vast. One problem is prices, but you quickly learn to ditch the price guides -- seriously out of date and in US dollars and not in Brazilian "reis".

ridiculously bad.......2005-04-03

This is one of the poorest guidebooks on Brazil, if not the worst. And I've used all of them. For starters, it is horribly out of date. But the major problem with this book is that it focuses on random road-side towns while barely paying attention to popular and happening spots (AKA places where people are actually interested in going). It is as if the writers took at trip around, wrote about a few obscure places where they stayed and disregarded the rest.

The best guidebooks on Brazil right now are the newish Let's Go (although they tend to only focus on major towns) and the new Lonely Planet.

One Star Above LP.......2004-08-02

Well, one of the first positive things I can say about the Rough Guide is that it is noticeably superior in coverage and writing quality to the LP guidebook, which in my mind has been the #1 reigning worst guidebook to Brazil on the market.

My biggest complaint about this book is that the writing quality is incredibly uneven. Frankly, it is quite evident that the authors have not visited all of the places the write about. For example, I found the description of Mossoro (Rio Grande do Norte) superbly written. Not only was the description true to the way I remember Mossoro on my last visit 11 years ago, but I ended up learning a great deal about historic sights in Mossoro that I was never aware of. On the other hand, the coverage of Barreirinhas and the Lencois Maranheses National Park was pathetic, to put it mildly. It is abundantly clear that none of the authors have ever been near there. I visited Barreirinhas 13 years ago (when there were already 4 pousadas in town) and slowly travelled down the coast to Rio Novo and Tutoia, and then by boat from Tutoia to Parnaiba. It was a fantastic trip, but you wouldn't be able to do it with this book because as far as Rough Guide is concerned, Tutoia doesn't even exist. Off the coast of Tutoia there is a very exclusive privately owned island that has small ecotourism visits called "Ilha do Caju"... also no mention in the Rough Guide.

But the biggest scope-of-coverage oversight to me seems to be the shoddy coverage of Sao Paulo state. SP state has an abundance of excellent tourism opportunities. Maybe the authors' travel priorities are just different from mine, but when I think of "Brazil" I think of outdoor adventure travel. And frankly, ecotourism is a huge part of the Brazilian tourism industry. But this book is all about big cities, beaches, and architecture. Sao Paulo state has great rafting, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and fishing opportunities, but you wouldn't know it from this book. Likewise, the Central West (Mato Grosso, Goias) have INCREDIBLE rock climbing opportunities. No mention here.

We get an idea of where these authors' priorities are when we read on p. 497 that "Goiania and Anapolis, with their rising affluence and acres of new high-rises, already look like the cities of the paulista interior - and are about as inetresting to visit, which is not very." Clearly this book is of the "urban-poverty-chic" genre of travel guides... If you are into that.. this book is for you. If you plan your trips with a goal in mind - snorkelling in the Caribean, mountain climbing in Mexico, bike riding in Utah - this book will not help you at all with your Brazil vacation.

Incomplete at best.......2003-05-20

Just to be upfront about everything, this review is based on the 3rd edition of this book. But based on that book, I won't buy this one.

Here's just 2 reasons why:

1) The basic introductions to the each area/city are a great idea, but I couldn't seem to find one that ever made the place sound interesting. I live in Brasília, and granted it hasn't got the excitement of Rio, but it's much more interesting than they make it sound, and Natal, despite having the second cleanest air in the world sounds like a drag.

2) The information is incomplete and rather superficial. The section on Pirenópolis, a great little spot in Goiás, for example, has no mention of the dozen or so waterfalls (with guided tours if you need them) in the area.

Perhaps the authors are just used to travelling in "1st World" countries, or maybe they know little or no Portuguese, or maybe it's something else altogether, but wherever they're coming from and whatever their experience, this book has ended up a somewhat depressing, and extremely rough guide that misses much of this enormous, gorgeous, and amazing country.

Take Any Other Guide Book.......2002-11-04

Just returned from my second six week trip to Brazil. I own practically every guide book on the country and foolishly brought along this one. The information in the latest edition seems not to have been updated for a couple of years and I wasted a good amount of taxi fares or time walking to recommended places that were no longer in business. Even in the major cities, English isn't often spoken by the people outside of the tourism infrastructure. This can be frustrating without some preparation. Fortunately, I speak Portuguese and found many of the best restaurants etc. from the local people or through the particular city tourism authority. Another thing that I didn't like about the "Rough Guide" is that it doesn't include locations of internet cafes like other guidebooks do. For the price of the book, I give this particular Brazil edition one star.
Take my advice and take any other guide book with you or you'll truly have a "Rough" time with this "Rough Guide".

The Rough Guide to Chile Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

Average customer rating:

review of rough guide map of chile

The Rough Guide to Chile Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
Melissa Graham
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map

Atlases | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Rough Guide to Chile 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
The Rough Guide to Argentina Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island
Santiago de Chile Map by ITMB (International Travel Maps)
Chile, 5th Edition (Footprint Chile Handbook)

ASIN: 184353486X

Product Description

The Rough Guide Map Chile combines clear modern mapping and up-to-date research and is an essential companion to anyone travelling by public or private transport. It provides invaluable information for those exploring the country, from the Lake District's volcanoes to the Central Valley's vineyards, with detail on everything from road numbers and petrol station locations to national parks and railway lines. Printed on-toxic plastic paper. Scale 1:1,600,000. Printed on two sides in full color. GPS-compatible, with latitude and longitude. Contour lines show topography. Exhaustive index of named places.

Customer Reviews:

review of rough guide map of chile.......2007-01-14

Great waterproof map, with enough detail to plan a road trip. Reliable, up to date information, and excellent quality graphics

The Rough Guide to Argentina Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)

Average customer rating:

The best in English
Argentina guides
The right way to make a map.

The Rough Guide to Argentina Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
Rough Guides
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Map

World | Atlases & Maps | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

General | Travel | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Rough Guide to Argentina 2 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
The Rough Guide to Chile Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
Lonely Planet Argentina
Buenos Aires City Map
Footprint Argentina, 4th Edition (Footprint Argentina Handbook)

ASIN: 184353231X
Release Date: 2003-11-20

Customer Reviews:

The best in English.......2007-04-19

We are traveling to the Patagonian lakes region next week. I ordered four Argentina/Patagonia maps to compare them: ITM's Patagonia, Rutas de la Argentina, Rough Guide Map Argentina, and Map Guide Patagonia. I ended up keeping the Rutas de la Argentina and returning the others. This was the best English map of the lot. I found the road designations to be overly thick and difficult to distinguish. If you can handle the Spanish, Rutas is better.

Argentina guides.......2007-01-05

This reads very well, but the real test will come next month when I am actually using it in Argentina. Lots of good suggestions, hope they are realistic!

The right way to make a map........2004-04-03

I drove through various counties in South America. Before leaving on this 16,000K trip I sought out the best maps. In comparison to other maps, this map of Argentina is a must have.

I was trained by two gorillas with Tourette Syndrome on how to re-fold maps. My maps always look pristine on the first day, by the time I have arrived at my final destination the maps are beyond redemption, often consisting of segments and various pieces. This map holds up! The Rough Guide Maps are "Rip-Proof" & Waterproof because they are printed on a high grade sheet of plastic (kudos). Because of the plastic fabric it is easier to fold than paper maps.

The roads (expressway, highway, secondary and other) are cleanly printed and in sharp detail making reading this map a breeze. The coloring and shading used allows for a good decimation of physical features, such as mountain ranges, valleys and peaks (Altitude noted). What is lacking is that the map is without any inset maps of major cities. This is a short coming but all-in-all this is an excellent road map of Argentina. Highly recommended. 4.5 Stars.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books