If you plan just a weekend trip to a city you will need a guidebook, with updated information and that is handy and pocket-friendly. You want to get along there, after all, that’s what the book must be for.
Travel Guidebooks
Many tourists just need a guidebook that gives the main facts about the country they are planning to visit. This includes all of the dos and don’ts for people who are not familiar with the place and the local culture. They want to have an overview about the major landmarks in the region, get some recommendations for day trips, some insider information. You want to know the best places to stay for your budget and where to get good food.
Many of this information available nowadays is also available online with your smartphone, but maybe you like to have a piece of paper in your hand. Or you even do not go for a local sim card during your holidays. Many well-known guidebook brands for exactly this purpose are available.
Culture and Background
But there is another type of tourists who like to discover the country they are visiting in a different way. Maybe they plan the trip well in advance. They do not just want to have a checklist with the top landmarks and visit one by one. They want to compose what they are going to visit. That might be a famous Buddhist temple or a national park or any other destination. For this type of tourists there will not be a general recommendation what kind of book they should buy.
The recommendation must be individual in the same way as the person who is asking for it. For people interested in architecture the book should give enough details of the buildings they can visit. For nature lovers, a guidebook about birds or plants of the destination might be helpful.