A holiday is always exciting to think about, especially if it is to a wonderful place which you have only dreamed of hitherto! But to enjoy all the benefits that the place has to offer, especially if it is an international arena where local information might be hard to come by, you need some advance planning and travel maps. People only think of guidebooks, never of maps. Think of all the advantages they can provide. In case you are lost, the travel map is there to take you to the right place. You can explore the unknown and find places not even listed in the guidebook. Additionally, travel maps prove to be very informative and come at a low cost, plus they are portable.
One of the biggest reasons that people do not buy travel maps is because they often do not know how to select the right map and make good use of it. The purpose of travel maps is to provide information about the area covered so that the user can locate any feature shown. The scale of a map is an indication of how much detail the map contains. Large-scale maps have the most detail while smaller-scale maps contain less detail but usually show a wider area.
The symbols on travel maps are the cartographer's shorthand, and must be explained. Usually there is a legend, or box showing the meaning of each symbol. Each symbol can be decoded quite easily on the map once you have located the legend. Some travel maps are more detailed than others, giving every street name and main building, while others show only hotels, restaurant and entertainment sites. Still others are more historically and culturally focused, so may leave out necessities and expand on the points of interest. The decision about what is shown on any given map is normally determined by the cartographer and publisher, and is often about their own particular style than it is of convention.
The topographical map indicates the physical features of a place. The forests, marshes, roads, railways, other means of communication, water sources, type of terrain--all these are depicted on the map. They could be natural or man-made. So a traveler may opt for such a map or a thematic one or a combination of both.
Thematic travel maps can be quite different. The most common types a traveler will come across are tourist and trekking maps. Tourist maps tend to simplify a lot of the geographical features and show only main roads, established walks and sites. These can be viewing points, beaches and museums, picnic areas, and main cities. Trekking maps show the route of a trek overlaid over the landscape, and are simplified to show just the main features for the trekker, such as ridges, canyons, rivers and settlements. These are mainly just guides if well-known routes are established, but if you trying to get off the beaten path, a more detailed map is advisable.
So now that you are familiar with the scale and features of travel maps, compare the various kinds of maps, and choose what suits your holiday plans the best!
One of the biggest reasons that people do not buy travel maps is because they often do not know how to select the right map and make good use of it. The purpose of travel maps is to provide information about the area covered so that the user can locate any feature shown. The scale of a map is an indication of how much detail the map contains. Large-scale maps have the most detail while smaller-scale maps contain less detail but usually show a wider area.
The symbols on travel maps are the cartographer's shorthand, and must be explained. Usually there is a legend, or box showing the meaning of each symbol. Each symbol can be decoded quite easily on the map once you have located the legend. Some travel maps are more detailed than others, giving every street name and main building, while others show only hotels, restaurant and entertainment sites. Still others are more historically and culturally focused, so may leave out necessities and expand on the points of interest. The decision about what is shown on any given map is normally determined by the cartographer and publisher, and is often about their own particular style than it is of convention.
The topographical map indicates the physical features of a place. The forests, marshes, roads, railways, other means of communication, water sources, type of terrain--all these are depicted on the map. They could be natural or man-made. So a traveler may opt for such a map or a thematic one or a combination of both.
Thematic travel maps can be quite different. The most common types a traveler will come across are tourist and trekking maps. Tourist maps tend to simplify a lot of the geographical features and show only main roads, established walks and sites. These can be viewing points, beaches and museums, picnic areas, and main cities. Trekking maps show the route of a trek overlaid over the landscape, and are simplified to show just the main features for the trekker, such as ridges, canyons, rivers and settlements. These are mainly just guides if well-known routes are established, but if you trying to get off the beaten path, a more detailed map is advisable.
So now that you are familiar with the scale and features of travel maps, compare the various kinds of maps, and choose what suits your holiday plans the best!
About the Author:
Dane Masters is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about maps of rivers in China, please visit famous places in China for current articles and discussions.
