Product Description

Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11595 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Turtleback
• 616 pages

Amazon.com Review
As the name implies, the Eyewitness Travel Guides bring you the world in full living color. In the Australia edition, each information-packed page is splashed with enticing photographs of the people, animals, plants, rock formations, deserts, and ocean vistas that make the country Down Under famous the world over. On the practical side, there are thousands of details to help you find your way to the must-see spots, plus full-color maps and useful at-a-glance tables that make it easy to sort through and locate food and accommodation choices.

The introduction offers an overview of Australia's world-heritage sites, aboriginal culture and art, artists and writers, wines, surfing and beach culture, climate, annual events, flora and fauna, landscape, as well as a detailed history section. --Kathryn True

Review
...You feel, looking at them, as if you could close the book and step into the street. -- Contra Costa Times

...considered to be the world's best travel resource to over 30 destinations around the world, make it easier to plan a splendid vacation. -- North American Press Syndication

A new breed of guidebook. -- Travel & Leisure

Both novice and experienced travelers will be captivated. -- US News & World Report

Each book is a visual as well as informational feast about a particular place. -- The New York Times

Easily the best city guides available today. -- PLAYBOY

Encyclopedic in scope, it's meant to be used before, during, and after your stay. -- Travel & Leisure

It has an authority and clarity that make it indispensable on the road. But the illustrations are so good that it could also provide hours of armchair diversions. -- The New York Times New Service

The best travel guides ever. -- Sky Magazine -Delta In flight Magazine

The most graphically exciting and visually pleasing series on the market. -- Chicago Tribune

Want to know where to get a great espresso on your way to the Uffizi? Or how much to tip a hotel maid in New York City? Try these travel guides, each an intricate trove of 3-D aerial views, landmark floor plans, color photos and essential eating, shopping and entertainment info. With titles covering Paris, Prague, and London, these pocket-sized guides are like a Michelangelo fresco: deliriously rich in detail. -- People Magazine

From the Back Cover
Clear and concise maps give you instant access to towns and regions. Unique cutaways and floor plans help you explore important sights, no need to purchase other guides. The survival guide section gives you information on using local transportation and services. Carefully selected hotels, restaurants, and cafes are provided in all price ranges.

Customer Reviews

Australia Eyewitness Travel Guides - fantastic overview
Eyewithess Travel Guides give the most complete overview of any travel book or other travel product - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & concise text and descriptions about history, national foods and beverages, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. They are excellet resource and reference books, but they are concise enough to give a relatively complete overview but short enough to quickly convey information, especially if you do not have a lot of free time.

I believe that carefully reading about a desination is important for planning any trip. The Eyewithess Travel Guides are the best way to obtain that overview and prioritize where you want to go. Australia is a large country and this book covers alot of territory. The Australia guide is enormous help to us with our planning.

OK, but.......
I live in Australia and wanted a nice guide, and have always been drawn to the DK travel books with their lush photos, beautifully illustrated maps, building cut aways etc. In addition, this book was the 2006 version, latest update and later than many of its competitors.

As another reviewer has noted, all these photos and illustrations come at a price, which is lack of detail. In addition, I am not sure how rigorous the update process is. For example, the 2006 version does not cover the most significant new building in Brisbane, the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), which cries out for inclusion in such a guide. This building was completed in 2006 and under construction for some years before.

Probably best as a supplementary guide or photo history of your travel.

Planning a holiday to Oz?
I love the DK eyewitness travel series because of the fine detail in describing geographic regions of the world while also including useful information about accommodation based on your budget, how to get around etc. The books have valuable information about each country ranging from culture and history to government and natural beauty.

The Australia book was very useful on my holiday over to Queensland and New South Wales. I had never been to Australia and so it was nice to have a guide that provided not only visual appeal with its pictures of the landscape and coloured maps but also had info detailing places to stay and see. I highly recommend this book and any other DK books offered for your next trip because unlike other travel books they not only offer an insight to the history and culture of the region but also offer info on the sights you may want to see. The thing I love the most is unlike other travel guides DK isnt just in black and white (thin pages) which are sometimes difficult to read and not as appealing to the eyes. DK books make you want to engage and get you excited to travel.

Only downside to the series is that they can be a bit more expensive than other books though amazon has good prices compared to other stores. Also they havent got books for many other countries/regions of the world, so Ive had to use other brands, I recommend Fodors Exploring series, theyre also colourful and affordable.