POST-TRIP UPDATE:
Ok, I just returned from spending a couple of weeks in Bolivia. I wrote the original review below while I was planning the trip, but now that I have first hand knowledge I thought an update would be in order.
In the original review below I complain about the absurd "carbon credit" scheme the Rough Guide tries to guilt-trip the reader into buying. It's definitely a despicable practice, but the Rough Guide is not sludging through the misleading sewers alone here, the Lonely Planet guide has the same section.
The Lonely Planet guide is more outdated. I mentioned in the below review that I saw no reason this new edition was published. While in Bolivia we were unable to fly back to La Paz from Rurrenabaque, however, and found ourselves on "The World's Most Dangerous Road". The Rough Guide beats the Lonely Planet guide here with updated information, detailing the new paved section from Corrioco to La Paz. However, the Lonely Planet guide had more detailed information on how to charter the flight to Rurrenabaque in the first place, whereas the Rough Guide didn't have any information regarding this.
Overall, the Lonely Planet guide was more useful, but the LP guide has it's weaknesses also. If you can only buy one, buy the LP guide. If you can buy two, go ahead and pick up the Rough Guide also. We brought both with us and they both came in handy for different reasons.
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ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I recently returned from El Salvador and had purchased the "Rough Guide to Central America ". I found it a good suppliment to the Lonely Planet guide to El Salvador. I do not like any travel guides to contain advertisements, and although the Rough Guide to Central America had adverts, there were hidden in the back of the book in a special section. Not to mention, travel information to El Salvador was scarce.
With a somewhat positive experience from the Central America Rough Guide, I decided to give the Bolivia Rough Guide a chance and purchased it.
When I purchase a travel guide, I am purchasing information, pure and simple. Unfortunately I discovered that in the case of "The Rough Guide to Bolivia", the information is completely contaminated with in-line advertisements, both as boxed inserts and hidden deceptively within the text.
Take for example, the "Travel Essentials" sections. On page 61 we are told, "It is essential to take out an insurance policy before travelling to cover yourself against theft, loss, illness or injury". One paragraph later we are told, "Rough Guides has teamed up with Columbus Direct to offer you travel insurance that can be tailored to suit your needs". It goes on to explain why this particular travel insurance is better than what the competitors offer. Not only is this bad advice in the first place, it raises serious ethical considerations and makes all information contained in this guide suspect.
In the "Basics" subsection of the book entitled "Getting There", there are no less than three paid boxed advertisements for travel agencies and commercial services. The guide later mentions, several pages away, that these particular services are top rate and highly recommended. Why so highly recommended, I wonder.
The Rough Guide to Bolivia also decides to make you feel guilty about your upcoming trip in the "Travel and Climate Change" section on page 29. Here they tell you that "flights account for around 3-4 percent of human-induced global warming". While no credible citation is given for this wild claim, they do suggest, "we all have a responsibility to limit our personal 'carbon footprint'. That means giving thought to how often we fly and what we can do to redress the harm that out trips create."
Not letting the opportunity pass, the Rough Guide offers the "Carbon Offset Scheme" section where it is suggested you purchase, yes with real money, a carbon offset scheme. The guide preaches, "Offset schemes ... allow you to 'neutralize' the greenhouse gases that you are responsible for releasing". Of course, you are directed to the rough guides website to purchase this offset scheme where "you can pay to fund projects that will reduce future carbon emmisions by an equivalent amount". Absolutely ridiculous. They even provide a calculator to determine how much of an offset you should buy.
In addition, there is a seperate section in the back entitled "Travel Store" where you are invited to explore many more, not so concealed, paid advertisements.
Another reason I purchased this book was because it was published recently (Feb. 2008), therefore I thought the information might be fresh. I now doubt that this is the case. I now believe that the release schedule of these new "Rough Guides" have much more to do with paid advertising inserts than with the updated travel information. I saw no reference, other than the advertisements, that new and relevant information had been discovered to warrant a new publication.
The author of this book is listed as James Read. It is suggested that the book was "written and researched" by this gentleman, with no indication whether he has traveled to Bolivia recently. Comparing this with the author biographies of the latest Lonely Planet edition is telling. The Lonely Planet Bolivia guide book reveals how long each author stayed in Bolivia, where they traveled while in country, and the dates they were there.
I am giving this book two stars because it is not without some merit. The color photography is nice. Nothing you can't see elsewhere, but it is offered at least. The quality of the book itself is nice. The binding is tight and can survive a lot of fold backs and abuse. The paper stock is strong and very high quality. Although only dual-toned, the font and layout are pleasing to the eye.
And at over 450 pages, there are sections in the book that are enjoyable to read. The small History section in the back of the book is well written and informative. There are also little gems of knowledge hidden throughout that appear to be sincere. The cartography throughout is professional and abundant.
If you are simply curious about Bolivia and want to do some armchair exploring, then you will probably enjoy this book. However, if you are an adventurer looking for critical information, then you should approach this book with caution. As a last resort it might be useful, but seperating what is in the commercial best interest of the publisher with what is in the best interest of the traveller is difficult.
