Which Guidebook?

We’ve posed this question before. You are on your way to some exotic location, what guidebook do you bring with you?

The right guidebook can make all the difference in your travels. It’s well worth spending a little extra time to make sure you bring the one that is appropriate to your style of travel and budget. But how do you decide which is the right one to bring?

Thankfully, the fine folks at Budget Travel offer a few pointers in picking the proper guidebook. Writer Zora O’Neill walks us through what to look for in a brand name, edition number, copyright, scope of work, maps, and index. One recommendation she suggests that I’ve never really paid attention to is the author’s bio. Make sure he/she has a long history with the region being covered and is an expert about it.

Sounds like some good advice to me, although, I think I’ll still probably stick to my favorite standby: Lonely Planet. But now I’m going to be a bit more discerning, however, before blindly purchasing my next one.