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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK, not great., August 23, 2008
This review is from: South Africa (Eyewitness Travel Guides) (Paperback)
Just returned from 2 weeks in South Africa on a hybrid business/pleasure trip, where I went on Safari in Kruger, visited Soweto, Newtown, Sandton and Benoni in Johannesburg for work, went to Port Elizabeth, and then to Durban (Scottburgh, Amanzimtoti, Umhlanga and Shaka Zulu), and finally back to Pretoria for work. I took two books with me: this "Eyewitness Travel Guide" and the Frommers' South Africa book. I really found the "Eyewitness" to be more along the lines of something you might read BEFORE you go. There are beautiful pictures and descriptions of things, but it doesn't tell you how to get there, who to contact, where to stay (in an easy way) that's close by, etc. It's more of a teaser, really. When I unpacked my suitcase, it was clear that the Frommers book is much better - it was well worn by the time I got back, with highlights and notes and dog-eared pages. For my money, I'd get Frommers to keep with you while you are in WILD South Africa. If you want to see beautiful photos, get "The Eyewitness Guide." Just my opinion. Have a wonderful trip - it is an intense and beautiful country.
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sets a high standard for travel books, December 1, 2004
Before I went to Cape Town, a thoughtful friend gave me this book, and I couldn't thank her enough. And although my comments below apply to the South Africa volume, they could well be applied to the entire series, which is excellent.
The layout of the book is immediately arresting. Rather than imposing blocks of sheer text, the editors use tons of photographs, maps and other graphics. Just randomly flipping through this book is entertaining, which is not always the case with these types of publications. The typefaces are clear and well-chosen, and the enticing pages include many illustrations, the most unusual of which are cutaway diagrams of major buildings. These drawings are quite beautiful, and an unexpected delight in a book like this.
Other sections deal with history, art and business. And still more sections cover "nuts and bolts" items like hotels and restaurants, and vital information such as availability of banks and ATMs, doctors and hospitals, and other trip considerations that one might overlook in the rush to depart. The book is a nice size to tuck into a bag, and will give hours of pleasure even after the trip is over.
I've used guides by Fodor, Michelin and others, and although those are quite good, these Eyewitness publications really raise the bar.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A picture is worth a thousand words., February 28, 2004
I bought South Africa (Eyewitness Travel Guides) and have found it very helpful. We already had an itinerary planned and this guide showed us where we would be visiting, the weather, and gave useful background on each area. This guidebook gives pictorial views of historical sites, attractions etc. This was enlightening information, some of the places we will be going are far larger in area than we would have imagined. Also the attraction maps will help us keep oriented so time is not wasted being lost. With this guide and a good detail map of South Africa we gained insight about the length of travel needed each day. The biggest plusses were the pictures and drawings, they really are worth a thousand words as used in this guide. There is plenty of "survival" information; important phone numbers, medical suggestions, lodging recommendations etc. Lots of fun to read just for enjoyment!
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