Lonely what?

Who are you people, anyway?

Lonely Planet publishes the world's best guidebooks for independent travellers. Our books are known worldwide for reliable, insightful, pull-no-punches travel information, maps, photos, and background historical and cultural information. We've got every continent covered (yep, Antarctica included) with an ever-increasing list of travel guides, atlases, phrasebooks and travel literature.

If you want to know how Lonely Planet got started all those years ago, check out our potted history.

Seen us on TV?

Lonely Planet's guidebooks have been brought to the box by Pilot Productions. These award-winning TV shows, inspired by the joy of independent travel, take an honest look at the most exciting, picturesque and frustrating places in the world. Your hosts, Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro (and others), aren't anthropological experts but engaging storytellers who become fellow travelling companions as you share in their adventures and mishaps.

Who are your authors?

Lonely Planet authors are seasoned and enthusiastic travellers with an eye for useful and interesting information and quirky titbits in the destinations they cover. Rather than trying to lead travellers by the hand, Lonely Planet authors recognise that a large part of being on the move is making your own discoveries. With this in mind, authors gather accurate information to make the practical aspects of a journey run smoother, and historical and cultural background to enrich the travelling experience.

Most of our 200 or so authors work on a contract basis: they are based all over the world and tend to spend a large proportion of each year on the road. It's also Lonely Planet policy to give in-house staff members the opportunity to work as an author. Some 'jump the fence' and never hop back over; most go back to their regular work as a salaried gump.

How do books get updated?

Most of our guides are updated on a two-yearly cycle, with updated information incorporated in reprints through the life of an edition and in web Upgrades. For each new book or new edition, our authors travel to all the places mentioned in the guide, verifying and updating existing information and scouring the scene for new attractions, happening spots, and hangouts. Authors also take photos and update the maps.

No, they don't stay in every hotel mentioned, because that would mean spending a couple of months in each medium-sized city and, no, they don't eat at every restaurant because that would mean stretching the belt beyond its capacity. Many of our authors work 'undercover', others aren't so secretive: none of them accept freebies in exchange for a write-up.

How do I get my business in your guides?

Lonely Planet guides don't contain any advertising. The best we can do is promise to pass your spiel on to the relevant author. From there, it's left to their discretion how the information is used. If your operation has anything to do with the Americas, you can suck us in by email, or by post to 150 Linden St, Oakland, CA 94607. Anywhere else in the world, use our Aussie email or post to PO Box 617 Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia.

How can I find out when a new edition is coming out?

Check out what's Hot Off the Press. If you can't see what you're looking for, share in the shipping news by mailing our sales department.

Where can I buy your books?

Try your local bookshop. If you can't see what you want on the shelf, they'll usually be able to order the book in for you. If you don't know where to start looking, check our worldwide list of distributors. If you prefer to order on-line, our Propaganda department will happily take your money.

How do I get to be an author?

Lots of people would like to write or update books for LP but we aren't in the habit of picking travellers at random and handing out air tickets and expense accounts.

Before you knuckle down to your masterwork, read our author guidelines.

How can I tell you about all the mistakes you've made?

We're always happy to have reader updates or corrections for any of our books. Send them in to our updates gang by email or by post to PO Box 617 Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. If your info has got anything to do with the Americas, send it straight to our US office by email or regular post to 150 Linden St, Oakland, CA 94607.

All mail is passed on to the relevant author/s: some may need to contact you for further details or clarification, so please include a return address. We may also use your letter as a postcard to keep other travellers informed of what you've discovered.

Do you want to see these amazing slides of my trip?

The images you see in Lonely Planet products are sourced from our very own slide library, the cannily-named Lonely Planet Images (LPI). Most of these pix come via authors and in-house sources. In very exceptional cases, we accept uncommissioned pix, so if you're the only person who's captured the spotty-faced burger parrot in full flight, it might be worth letting us know. Send us a list of the subjects you have high-quality slides of and we'll add your details to a database.

What goes on in the LP offices?

Lonely Planet's head office is in Melbourne, Australia, where a couple of hundred people work in a partitioned playground. Most of the wage slaves are either editors or cartographers; the rest are sales and admin staff, warehouse crew, publicity pretties, designers, managers and mascots. We've also got a book production team, and a sales, distribution and publicity crank in London, a Paris office which handles our French translations and production of new titles in French and a big crew in Oakland, California, which takes care of all books for the Americas.

If you want to know how Lonely Planet got started all those years ago, check out our potted history.

Can I have a desk job then?

If us web bunnies had anything to do with hiring and firing we'd invite you all in immediately, but until the coup, you'll just have to send a CV to the relevant office.

Why don't you have more women authors?

Although Lonely Planet employs more women than men as publishers and production staff, the preponderance of male authors, especially in our Asian guides, is of concern to us too. The imbalance is being addressed, both by employing more women authors and by ensuring that our male authors are sensitive to the needs of women in their travel, research and writing.

Each of our guides devotes a page to Women Travellers in its Facts for the Visitor section, making reference to the type of conduct to expect from local men and how best to respond to this, as well as noting other precautions women should take. We recognise that this information is general and always welcome readers' letters drawing attention to specific regional behavioral nuances as well as comments about particular hostels etc which make things difficult for women in any way. Email us or send your comments to PO Box 617 Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia. You may also like to post your rave on the Thorn Tree's Women Travellers branch.

What are you guys doing about the environment?

Apart from taking turns on the pedal generators in the basement, we've got two staff members in our Melbourne office ensuring that environmental issues are covered in the relevant travel guides. Each new guide's Facts About the Country chapter has an Environment & Ecology heading addressing conservation efforts, erosion, deforestation, urban encroachment, pollution, environmental policy and damage as a result of tourism. It may also discuss how impact can be minimised by travellers and how responsible travel can be promoted.

If you would like to supply us with information on the state of the environment in particular countries or regions we would be pleased to hear from you. Email us or send your comments to PO Box 617 Hawthorn VIC 3122, Australia.

If you're so green, why don't you print on recycled paper?

If we printed on recycled paper, your guide would chomp way hard into your budget. It would also be as fat as a wombat, and be likely to pull RL 404s on you at critical moments. Believe us, we've looked into it.

Given that an LP write-up can make or break a business, what responsibility do you take for the places you include in the guides?

When you see a restaurant owner burst into tears when they hear the Lonely Planet author is in town, or a once quiet hill town transform into a big tick on the travel trail, you quickly become aware of the power of LP books. Every author approaches this differently, but sensitively, using their own discretion. Secluded beaches or fragile tribal areas may be purposely omitted: after all, travel is still about making your own discoveries and we don't ever want to change that.

Real bleeding hearts, aren't you?

We do believe that travellers can make positive contributions to the places they visit, both through their appreciation of the countries' culture, wildlife and natural features, and through the money they spend. Lonely Planet donates a percentage of sales to ventures such as famine relief in Africa; aid projects in India; agricultural projects in Central America; Greenpeace and Amnesty International.

How many people work on the website?

From humble spare-parts beginnings in mid-1994, Lonely Planet's e-team has finally cracked the baker's dozen. The roster includes a handful of writer/editors, a smattering of designers, a whip-cracker or two and a techie, with desk space (and brain cells) split almost evenly between our Melbourne and Oakland offices. We also call upon the expertise of our authors and other in-house staff.

How can I get involved?

One of the most exciting things for us in the e-team is being part of a community of Lonely Planet on-line users. Some of the most popular areas of the site are Postcards, where you can swing on the traveller's grapevine, and the Thorn Tree, where travellers talk plans, pals and possibilities. We're always looking at ways to stoke the warm glow, so flood us with your feedback, your travel stories and your suggestions.