The Travel Guidebook Dilemma: Why Multiple Sources Matter + DK Eyewitness Giveaway
Imagine consulting a guidebook for every decision in your daily life—what a relief that would be!
Yet with countless guidebooks available, relying on just one could limit your unique experiences and discoveries.
So why settle for a single travel guidebook? Even for avid travelers like us, it's best to draw from multiple trusted sources. Carrying them all would weigh down your luggage, and even digitally on a Kindle, too much information can overwhelm.
That said, guidebooks remain essential. They provide a solid framework for must-see sights, detailed insights, and practical transportation advice—while still leaving room for serendipity and wandering.
After three years of full-time travel, we've worn out several guidebooks and reviewed countless others in hotels and bookstores worldwide. The key is the right combination. While housesitting in Santiago, Chile, we discovered the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Chile & Easter Island
—a revelation. It became our constant companion for seven weeks, thanks to its thorough content, stunning photographs, and exceptional maps that brought destinations to life.
For instance, Santiago's iconic Piscina Antilen and Piscina Tupahua public pools might have seemed unappealing from text alone. But the guide's vivid images revealed their massive scale, nestled in forests with panoramic city views. Its aerial downtown map, cutaways of major sights, floor plans, and full metro guide—inspiring photos, tips, and lists even motivated our 2,000+ km journey from Valparaiso to Punta Arenas.
Impressed by its quality, we've partnered with DK Eyewitness for an exclusive giveaway: three sets of their Top 10 series—Top 10 Cancun & Yucatan, Top 10 Puerto Rico, and Top 10 Caribbean—for newsletter subscribers. We've reviewed them; they're as spot-on as the Chile guide, matching our own 'Places to Get Away From It All' picks perfectly.
Already subscribed? Reply to the simple question in our newsletter on the 16th for entry (U.S. and Canada residents only). We'll use random.org to select three winners, each receiving the three-book set.
Not subscribed? Sign up here or below for your chance. This month's edition features a fresh travel tip we discovered, our latest adventures, upcoming plans, and more!
Guidebooks are a cornerstone of our pre- and mid-trip research, alongside online resources like Foursquare, Wikitravel.org, and top travel blogs.
What guidebooks and apps do you recommend? Share in the comments below!
