Customer Reviews

Top 10 Singapore (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm planning a trip to Singapore in the near future, and I always buy the DK Top Ten books as the starting point before I buy a more informative book. So when it comes to learning something new about a city and wanting to see what the major attractions are, DK helps you plan them out and give you enough information to start to mentally plan out the trip.

I would never use the DK Top Ten books as the sole means to plan a trip, since they're meant for quick reference and a high level overview. Still, time after time, these books always reside in my cargo pants pockets on trips and are borrowed by others because it's quick and to the point.

For the price, you can't beat it, but you'll want to shop for another book after you get this.

The PLUS: 5 Stars!
The guide takes a pyramidal approach to the sights of your destination. So you slowly can work yourself through the areas that really interest you by easily skipping things you would not want to see or visit at all.
It also makes it easy to find the things that are important to you because the descriptions are small enough and pictures further make it easy to attract your interest or pass things by.

The MINUS: 4 Stars!
The good about the Maps is that they are there at all and also that there is an index of some streets.
The contained foldout maps though helpful when there is nothing else at all are not my favorite because they are quite small and are more an overview to identify the area where something is to be found on a better more detailed map. The same maps as the foldouts are also on a separate map that is detachable. This is a good idea but they are way to small and hard to read especially in dim light and in an awkward format to be really useful. - When available, I rather get a local map from the tourist office and transfer my destinations to it.

SUMMARY: 5 Stars!
This guide is an extremely useful sightseeing guide and small enough to be carried with you all the time for quick reference. It also allows you to choose the amount of detail you want to follow for the town: top 10 Highlights - top 10 to each highlight - top ten to some general categories like museums, bars, hotels, restaurants, shopping, and also some specific categories just for this destination like stunning places to worship or top 10 hawker centers and food courts.
Insider tips or as they call the sections: "Street smart" round up this little guide. The maps are OK but could be improved. The deficiency of the maps though should not detract from the overall usefulness of this guide for your destination. This is true for a first time visitor with limited or all kinds of time and also for the return visitor, who wants to to repeat some destinations in more detail or avoid the same old top ten but venture out into new territory.

Nice little book to slip into a bag and it has great fold out maps even though they are small (not a problem for us with reading glasses). I wouldn't use it as the only book on Singapore; it's meant as a quick reference and an overview of the city, so buy an in-depth book to supplement it. I always buy a DK book when I travel to unfamiliar cities and I haven't been steered wrong yet! Besides, this little book is convenient to peruse while on a long plane ride and it does make a great souvenir when you return home.

Of all the travel books on Singapore, this seems to be the most useful by far. I'm a big fan of both visual and written descriptions, and this has plenty of each. I love that it is light and will definitely be coming on our trip with us. I know the plastic-coated map will be invaluable while in Singapore.