Which China Travel Guide Book is Best for YOU?
One look at the travel section of your local bookstore and you’ll realize that competition in the guidebook business is fierce. The mistake that most people make is that they end up buying a guidebook based on name recognition (Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, etc.) without taking into account their individual needs for that trip. Before you buy your travel book take a moment to look over this China Travel Guide comparison chart – get even more details by clicking on the book title!
| Pages | Weight (lbs.) | Color | Maps | Subways | Target Traveler | Planning | Cost (USD) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disclosure: The above links to Amazon are affiliate links. If this guide is helpful, please consider using them. Thanks! | |||||||||
| LONELY PLANET | 1032 pgs | 1.8 |  |
|
Budget | Poor | $31.99 | ||
| DK EYEWITNESS | 672 pgs | 2.2 | |
|
|
Mid-Range | Helpful | $30.00 | |
| FODORS | 720 pgs | 1.4 | |
|
Budget | Decent | $25.99 | ||
| FROMMERS | 884 pgs | 1.4 | |
|
Mid-Range | Poor | $25.99 | ||
| ROUGH GUIDE | 1232 pgs | 1.6 | |
|
|
Budget | Decent | $27.99 | |
| GORILLA BUSINESS | 332 pgs | .8 | |
|
Mid/High | Helpful | $17.77 | ||
| FODOR’S SEE IT | 448 pgs | 1.2 | |
|
|
Mid-Range | Helpful | $24.99 | |
Lonely Planet China
Lonely Planet stands out as one of the most recognizable travel guides all over the world. In addition to the China guide, LP also offers guides for China’s Southwest, Tibet, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
Target Traveler:
Budget travelers, backpackers, people who know what they want to see
Top Features:
- Mind-numbing detail you won’t find anywhere else
- 263 Maps of every part of China
- Language guides in Mandarin, Cantonese, Portuguese, Tibetan and Uyghur
What it Lacks:
- No Pictures! The 2010 edition has fewer than ever before
- No dedicated subway maps for Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Summary:
The Lonely Planets greatest strength is also its Achilles heel: so much information! The book is an animal to carry around (almost 2 inches thick) and tries to cater to every type of traveler, which it proves is difficult but possible. The maps are good but are almost unreadable because there is so much information crammed inside. Same goes for the language guide. How many travelers are going to need to know the phrase “How long can I park my car here”? I mean, really.
Aside from this, however, there is a reason that the Lonely Planet is such a popular travel guide. They meet a need and do it well.
DK China Eyewitness Travel
The DK Eyewitness Travel guides “truly show you what others only tell you”. The visual appeal of these books is unrivaled among China travel books in my opinion. Also available from DK: Beijing & Shanghai, Top 10 Beijing and Top 10 Hong Kong.
Target Traveler:
Mid-range budget, likes tourist spots, needs ideas for places to go
Top Features:
- Incredible pictures, maps, and 3D illustrations
- Subway maps for Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
- Pleasant, colorful design backed by great travel advice
What it Lacks:
- Restaurant and Hotel selections sparse for smaller regions
- Only scratches the surface of available destinations in each region
Summary:
What it lacks in information is tries to make up for with pictures and beautiful illustrations. If you’re a traveler who wants to visit someplace different but needs ideas on which places would fit their desires, this guide will help you plan.
Fodor’s China
Fodor’s claims that having this guidebook along is like “having a friend in China”. It provides a good balance between the necessary details and helpful tips and illustrations. Also available from Fodor’s is a more compact guide called Exploring China.
Target Traveler:
Low/mid budget, travels outside the big cities, has a general idea of what they want to see
Top Features:
- Great maps and diagrams
- Fantastic location guide that names each location by Chinese character and corresponding pinyin
- Useful “If you like [this], then go [here]” section to help travelers plan itinerary
What it Lacks:
- There are plenty of pictures, but they’re not big and they’re all black-and-white
Summary:
Fodor’s is a cross between the Lonely Planet’s dedication to detailed information and DK’s liberal use of photographs. It’s a mid-size book that does a great job of educating travelers to be smart when visiting China.
Frommer’s China
According to Frommers, “the best trips start here”. This is another medium-sized book similar to Fodor’s. Also available from Frommer’s: Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Target Traveler:
Mid-range, periodically ventures off the beaten path, knows itinerary and may join tour group
Top Features:
- Easy-to-read pages with bigger fonts
- Useful “Popular Dishes” guide for eating in China and other language helps
- Rates destination on whether they might be good for kids, a great value, or perhaps overrated
What it Lacks:
- No Pictures: like Lonely Planet, Frommer’s expects travelers to know what they want to see
- It has subway maps for Beijing and Shanghai, but for some reason not Hong Kong
Summary:
Frommer’s seems to be the most comprehensive guide for the mid-range budget. The bigger text almost confirms that this was published with the more mature traveler in mind.
Rough Guide China
This is by far the largest of all the China guides, beating the Lonely Planet by almost 200 pages. Very handy (and hefty) for the wandering backpacker.
Target Traveler:
Low budget backpackers, wants off the beaten path, just wants to explore
Top Features:
- Extensive language section for those who need the basics
- A colorful description of festivals in China
- More information than you’ll use in a lifetime
What it Lacks:
- No suggested itineraries
- Ad-free environment. Their “Store” is a glorified classifieds
Summary:
If you have the extra space and the desire to lug around a couple extra pounds, the Rough Guide provides one of the most detailed views of China, which even includes pictures of the different dishes you might want to order. Not recommended for anybody whose whole trip will be spent in hotels instead of dorm rooms. If you’re not roughing it, don’t use the Rough Guide.
Gorilla Guide’s Business Travelers China
Gorilla caters to the specific needs of the China business traveler.
Target Traveler:
Mid/High range budget, doesn’t have much time to leave the city, can’t really “plan” their trip
Top Features:
- China-specific industry tips and insight
- Maps of the key business districts
- Details on China business etiquette
What it Lacks:
- Not meant for the casual traveler
- Already a year old, which for China business is a long time
Summary:
If you have a tourist visa, this isn’t the book for you. Those who will be coming over for a short (1-2 week) business stay, however, might find this useful.
Fodor’s See It China
Only in its 2nd edition, Fodor’s See It China is a scaled-down version of it’s monster big brother, Fodor’s China.
Target Traveler:
Mid-range budget, sticks to the cities, loves to look at photos
Top Features:
- As it claims, very practical: great advice on tipping, haggling, and counterfeit goods
- Good selection of hotels and restaurants for each city covered
- Includes a Beijing bus chart
What it Lacks:
- Useful maps: the maps are a bit too confusing
- In-depth coverage of history and culture
Summary:
If you’re a first-time visitor to China and plan on staying within the major cities, this compact guide is a great companion. The photos and practical tips will make planning your trip that much easier.
