Why books are best

Five reasons why physical guides trump online information

1 Quick and easy reference

Books are relatively easy to flick through quickly to namecheck a restaurant or site, compared to trawling through a multitude of web pages. Speed things up further by using sticky notes to mark key pages.

2 Save your data

Using a guidebook avoids incurring expensive roaming charges for using the internet on your phone. Even if your data plan includes overseas usage, having a guidebook means you can save your data allowance for times when you really need it.

3 All-in-one tool

A guidebook doesn’t just contain on-the-go bits such as emergency contacts and useful phrases, but they provide history and culture sections too, putting the area in context – topics you might not research otherwise.

4 Doorstop!A guidebook might help you in the most unexpected ways. For instance, a hefty book can make a handy doorstop or paperweight!

5 A nostalgic keepsake

Guidebooks are romantic reminders of our amazing adventures. Years later, a quick flick through the scribbled notes and creased Post-its inside can bring back a flood of memories.

■Online Reader Poll How often do you use paper guidebooks when travel planning?