Guidebook tips

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Pack your bags, quiet that nagging, never-satisfied inner critic, and set off on your very own solo odyssey.

For some travelers, the mere thought of packing a carry-on bag can sour even the most potent vacation anticipation. But packing light can also be a creative endeavor that helps build excitement for your upcoming getaway. And with fees for checked bags on the rise, it makes economic sense to master the art of packing a carry-on. Here are some tips on how to save space — and your sanity.

Want to travel from Rome to Tuscany on a day trip? Lonely Planet writer, Paula Hardy, tells you how to make that happen.

Another year in travel, another 12 months of meltdowns and debacles. As one analyst put it, 2023 “took chaos to a new level.” Yikes. Still, travelers kept flying, including in record-breaking numbers on Thanksgiving weekend.

Hawaiian legend tells the story of the goddess Hi‘iaka, who travels down a dusty trail on the windward coast of the Big Island of Hawai‘i to a beach where she meets her sisters, including Pele, the volcano deity.

Like exercise, flossing and college, travel has long been held up as an incontrovertible good — an essential part of the modern human experience. Lately, though, there’s been some pushback from the smart set, if not the jet set.

In this series, Lonely Planet’s team of writers and editors answer your travel problems and provides tips and hacks to help you plan a hassle-free trip. When it came to a question about a 4WD self-drive safari in Africa, we knew Namibia-based guidebook writer Mary Fitzpatrick would have the answer.

When is walking in circles a good thing? When following a trail through villages, forests and fields using open-access paths that begin and end at the same train station.

In our 5 Shops series, we’ll point you in the direction of our favorite independent shops across some of the world's best cities. From food markets and bookshops to vintage and homegrown design stores, we’ve found a diverse and exciting mix of local retailers where you can pick up one-of-a-kind pieces.

AnneMarie McCarthy, Lonely Planet's destination editor for France, recently traveled to Normandy for an autumnal foodie tour that was packed with farm-to-table treats and cozy accommodations. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip. 

For her family vacation next year, Liz Thimm has booked a 10-day trip to Bocas del Toro, Panama, in February. She requested time off from her pharmacist job a year in advance, checked out guidebooks from the library and has shared itinerary ideas with her daughter and son — who are 11 and 9 — to involve them in the planning process. One thing she has not and will not do? Schedule the trip around a school vacation.

Lonely Planet, a leader in the travel industry best known for its blue-spined guidebooks, just released its annual Best in Travel report. 

“I went to Italy when I was 23. It was the first time I had left the country or traveled by myself. It was June 2008, and I had just finished doing Spring Awakening on Broadway for two years. Over a week, I visited Assisi, Siena, and Florence before meeting my brother in Rome, following the Rick Steves guidebook to the letter. On my last day alone, I went to see David at the Accademia Gallery. When you turn the corner, there are rows of other unfinished sculptures by Michelangelo. These figures are so constricted, like they're straining to be released from the marble and fighting for air. I ached just looking at them. But they lead up to this perfect, liberated form. I started crying and wondered, What is it about this naked man that makes me so emotional? Afterward, I sat in a piazza, journaling, thinking about how nobody here knew or cared about me, and I decided to come out to my brother—who is also named David—the next day. Only my roommate knew I was gay, because he was also my secret boyfriend. I took the train to Rome, and David and I spent the day as tourists. In the evening, we went to this restaurant called Saby's near our hotel, the Locarno. We were getting pasta, we were getting wine, and I knew that if I didn't tell him right then, I would never do it. My hands were shaking; my voice was hoarse from talking, because I hadn't spoken to anyone in seven days. But David also seemed nervous. He said, ‘Jonathan, there's something I need to talk to you about.’ He told me all about this girl that he was in love with, who is now his wife. It was like he was coming out to me, because we'd never talked about relationships or sex or love in our entire lives as brothers. He teed it up perfectly, and once he gave me all of the details, he said, ‘This is the first time I've ever felt this, and I'm wondering, What about you?’ And I shared everything with him. We just showed all of ourselves to each other. It never could have happened anywhere else.”

The often-portrayed dream of working as a travel writer features images of exotic locales, rich cultures, and thrilling adventures. It’s a profession that seems to offer endless freedom and exploration with a paycheck attached.

After contributing to three guidebooks and writing over a hundred travel stories about Vietnam, my conclusion is that there are no no-go destinations. Every town, city, and province has its merits. But I would question some of the must-see destinations that pop up on the typical travel itinerary. The highlights are popular for a reason, but with popularity comes over-tourism, and with over-tourism comes crowds, noise, and disruption.

Travels and Textiles in Central Asia Textiles expert Chris Aslan explores a crossroads of history where ‘fortunes were made and lost through shimmering silks, life-giving felts and gossamer cottons’. Most travellers know of the Silk Road, but older still are the Wool Road and Cotton Road, whose tightly woven stories Aslan seeks to untangle. 

In March, as she planned for an upcoming trip to France, Amy Kolsky, an experienced international traveler who lives in Bucks County, Pa., visited Amazon.com and typed in a few search terms: , , . Titles from a handful of trusted brands appeared near the top of the page: Rick Steves, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet. Also among the top search results was the highly rated “France Travel Guide,” by Mike Steves, who, according to an Amazon author page, is a renowned travel writer.

Forget review sites and apps, local tips and even (whisper it) guidebooks – maybe the best way to find your perfect destination is to spit in a tube. Not just any tube, of course, but one you send to a genetic testing company, who will then analyse your DNA and tell you where in the world your genes come from. And what more rewarding way to travel than to connect with your roots?

Professional travel photographer Tim Draper has shot images for 24 Rough Guides guidebooks, visiting far-flung corners of the world. Here he shares some of his stunning shots taken in northern Laos , where he spent time with the Akha people.

We can’t think of a time when purchasing power has carried this much weight, nor when tourist dollars have counted more. In the same vein, never has there been a more important time to postpone your trip rather than cancelling it altogether. Let us tell you why.