A Round of Applause for Michelin
I just want to take a moment to pay homage to the guidebook I have been using in Indonesia. The
Neos series from Michelin Travel.
When I first spotted the NEOS (New, Expert, Open, Sensitive) series at the bookstore, I realized this
could be the best guidebook series ever! It is available only for a select list of countries - usually the
less traveled ones (Refer to my JOIN THE CIRCUS section for a set of links to guidebook publishers).
The combination of paper quality, color coding (many colors, not just a couple), hand drawn art,
the right amount of photographs - not too many or too few, and photos layed out within each
location - not just in separator pages (Like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide), use of bolding, color
maps, and recommendations seemed to make it the perfect companion.
I am now putting the book to the test and it is living up to exactly how I thought it would. My
only gripe is more accommodation choices. Overall though it is easier to read, more digestible
information - due to presentation style, and less time with my head in the guidebook rather than
traveling.
The book is also turning out to be more a little more opinionated than I thought - which is good.
I thought initially the remarks were limited to the use of 0-3 stars but the actual text has good
author insights. This is also the first time in a country that I have actually begun to utilize the
language section within a guidebook - it is easy to find due to the color coding of pages. Every
other guidebook I have ever used the language section is harder to read and/or find that I usually
have relied on a separate pocket phrase book.
Many travelers I have met rely exclusively on Lonely Planet. In Australia, other than a single
Rough Guide I spotted, I don't think I met many travelers without the ultra thick Lonely Planet
there. As if it was a Bible or Koran for the faithful. I have already spotted a couple of travelers
here with the Lonely Planet Indonesia - Java edition.
I have used Lonely Planet a fair number of times in the past, though seldom exclusively. When I
left home in September 2003 these are the guidebooks I packed at the bottom of my backpack:
1) Signpost Guide: Australia - a driver's guide to Australia (From my trip in 2001) - gave away
2) Culture Shock: Australia - shipped home
3) Lonely Planet: Australian Phrase book - shipped home
4) Servas Australia contact book - shipped home
5) Lonely Planet Japan - shipped home
6) National Geographic Traveler Series - Japan - shipped home
7) Neos Indonesia
8) Trailblazer - Southeast Asia - The Graphic Guide
(Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore - only 5 pages!, Burma, Yunnan (China), Vietnam, Cambodia,
Laos - Nutshell info on Indonesia, Brunei, East Timor, Philippines)
(Uses innovative maps and less text) Only 240 pages (Compared to who knows how many 100s
or 1000s for the competition). This book so far has worked well for advance planning. It was
sufficient for Singapore - though Singapore is small and easy to get around. We'll see soon
enough how well it works on the ground.
9) Neos Sri Lanka
10) To Be Purchased - Lonely Planet India (Buying it in Singapore / Bangkok)
11) Lonely Planet Middle East
Travels beyond India guidebook plan to be determined when I return to the US in May 2004.
Yes, it is a lot of weight in books but carrying most of the books ahead of time has allowed me to
plan future tours anytime. Buying guidebooks on the road is expensive too.
On the road I also rely on Frommers.com (I have bought a lot of Frommers in the past...though I
don't take them traveling - better to use their website) with its concise easy to read research,
opinionated descriptions, and when I need more upmarket accommodations.
Of course...every country / region now has websites with traveler information and hotel
reservation systems, etc...that I utilize too. Japan and Singapore's excellent tourist organization
websites come to mind. Though I often I don't know about / visit them until I am in the country
due to lack of time in my pre-preparation. Too much time required / spent on the big picture of
round the world trip planning. But, I put them in the DESTINATIONS section as I find them.
Easier for my future return visits and for you to plan your trip(s) in the future!!
Before I forget.....here is my round of applause for Michelin. CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP.
It pays to get off the beaten track...both during traveling and while preparing for it.
Neos series from Michelin Travel.
When I first spotted the NEOS (New, Expert, Open, Sensitive) series at the bookstore, I realized this
could be the best guidebook series ever! It is available only for a select list of countries - usually the
less traveled ones (Refer to my JOIN THE CIRCUS section for a set of links to guidebook publishers).
The combination of paper quality, color coding (many colors, not just a couple), hand drawn art,
the right amount of photographs - not too many or too few, and photos layed out within each
location - not just in separator pages (Like Lonely Planet or Rough Guide), use of bolding, color
maps, and recommendations seemed to make it the perfect companion.
I am now putting the book to the test and it is living up to exactly how I thought it would. My
only gripe is more accommodation choices. Overall though it is easier to read, more digestible
information - due to presentation style, and less time with my head in the guidebook rather than
traveling.
The book is also turning out to be more a little more opinionated than I thought - which is good.
I thought initially the remarks were limited to the use of 0-3 stars but the actual text has good
author insights. This is also the first time in a country that I have actually begun to utilize the
language section within a guidebook - it is easy to find due to the color coding of pages. Every
other guidebook I have ever used the language section is harder to read and/or find that I usually
have relied on a separate pocket phrase book.
Many travelers I have met rely exclusively on Lonely Planet. In Australia, other than a single
Rough Guide I spotted, I don't think I met many travelers without the ultra thick Lonely Planet
there. As if it was a Bible or Koran for the faithful. I have already spotted a couple of travelers
here with the Lonely Planet Indonesia - Java edition.
I have used Lonely Planet a fair number of times in the past, though seldom exclusively. When I
left home in September 2003 these are the guidebooks I packed at the bottom of my backpack:
1) Signpost Guide: Australia - a driver's guide to Australia (From my trip in 2001) - gave away
2) Culture Shock: Australia - shipped home
3) Lonely Planet: Australian Phrase book - shipped home
4) Servas Australia contact book - shipped home
5) Lonely Planet Japan - shipped home
6) National Geographic Traveler Series - Japan - shipped home
7) Neos Indonesia
8) Trailblazer - Southeast Asia - The Graphic Guide
(Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore - only 5 pages!, Burma, Yunnan (China), Vietnam, Cambodia,
Laos - Nutshell info on Indonesia, Brunei, East Timor, Philippines)
(Uses innovative maps and less text) Only 240 pages (Compared to who knows how many 100s
or 1000s for the competition). This book so far has worked well for advance planning. It was
sufficient for Singapore - though Singapore is small and easy to get around. We'll see soon
enough how well it works on the ground.
9) Neos Sri Lanka
10) To Be Purchased - Lonely Planet India (Buying it in Singapore / Bangkok)
11) Lonely Planet Middle East
Travels beyond India guidebook plan to be determined when I return to the US in May 2004.
Yes, it is a lot of weight in books but carrying most of the books ahead of time has allowed me to
plan future tours anytime. Buying guidebooks on the road is expensive too.
On the road I also rely on Frommers.com (I have bought a lot of Frommers in the past...though I
don't take them traveling - better to use their website) with its concise easy to read research,
opinionated descriptions, and when I need more upmarket accommodations.
Of course...every country / region now has websites with traveler information and hotel
reservation systems, etc...that I utilize too. Japan and Singapore's excellent tourist organization
websites come to mind. Though I often I don't know about / visit them until I am in the country
due to lack of time in my pre-preparation. Too much time required / spent on the big picture of
round the world trip planning. But, I put them in the DESTINATIONS section as I find them.
Easier for my future return visits and for you to plan your trip(s) in the future!!
Before I forget.....here is my round of applause for Michelin. CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP.
It pays to get off the beaten track...both during traveling and while preparing for it.
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