Best Road Atlas for China

**foxy88** · 05-13-2014, 05:55 PM

After doing a bit of a search can't seem to locate any lowdown on this on MCM.. Any one have any suggestions for most detailed road atlas for China, particularly for the west i.e. Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and XJ?

I've dropped into a couple of bookstores, including XinHua, and looks like there's a lot out there, so wandering if anyone has any personal experience on what's good?

**NZBrakelathes** · 05-14-2014, 01:32 AM

I've been using iPhone to get around - bit if a pain tho
I'm looking for a GPS map as I've found a ok motorbike GPS but maps are just in Chinese
If anyone knows?! There win CE device

**humanbeing** · 05-14-2014, 03:05 AM

ISBN: 9787503166570 http://www.amazon.cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B...=9787503166570

**bikerdoc** · 05-14-2014, 03:21 AM

^cheapest on Taobao T-Mall... but these atlases are in Chinese...

**humanbeing** · 05-14-2014, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

^cheapest on Taobao T-Mall... but these atlases are in Chinese...

That link is [便攜詳查版]!!!
Trucker recommends [超级详查版] b4 this
http://www.amazon.cn/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B...9B%BE%E9%9B%86 appear in market

**bikerdoc** · 05-14-2014, 04:04 AM

Here's the Taobao search for the same atlas...
The main problem aside from the many different map editions, is that there are really none that are up to date (2014) in English on Taobao...

**modron** · 05-14-2014, 04:17 AM

Ive bought mine in Xinhua. Just sat down and opened all the atlases they had at the same area. I chose the most detailed one although none of them was detailed enough despite the size of a couple of bricks (big country). XJ was rubbish in all of them, 2 pages out of 300 for the biggest province.
Ive only got an atlas in case there was something wrong with my phone on the trip. Never used it tho.

IMO invest in power outlet and cheap android phone with autonavi app

Originally Posted by NZBrakelathes

I've been using iPhone to get around - bit if a pain tho
I'm looking for a GPS map as I've found a ok motorbike GPS but maps are just in Chinese
If anyone knows?! There win CE device

I have an I phone and google map and autonavi both work fine. But I never use corner to corner navigation, just the out look cos this does not use your data

**NZBrakelathes** · 05-14-2014, 04:35 AM

Originally Posted by modron

Ive bought mine in Xinhua. Just sat down and opened all the atlases they had at the same area. I chose the most detailed one although none of them was detailed enough despite the size of a couple of bricks (big country). XJ was rubbish in all of them, 2 pages out of 300 for the biggest province.
Ive only got an atlas in case there was something wrong with my phone on the trip. Never used it tho.

IMO invest in power outlet and cheap android phone with autonavi app

I have an I phone and google map and autonavi both work fine. But I never use corner to corner navigation, just the out look cos this does not use your data

So you just use the overview function?

**modron** · 05-14-2014, 05:16 AM

yup, with google maps I just use the overview. You just need to choose you route and then stay on that blue line.

Autonavi is different, you download all the maps before and your phone doesnt need to acces the internet at all so you can use corner to corner but somehow I never liked to use this app. GM fits my purpose

**foxy88** · 05-14-2014, 11:45 AM

Thanks guys, that's all good info, I'll have a look into that 'trucker's atlas', seems more comprehensive than the others at 600+ pages. I've already had a bit of a look at the green 'Road Atlas‘，I'll check that again though.

To be honest I agree with modron, phone maps are the way forwards, just want a backup in case of lack of internet or other issues, and if I'm spending money on an atlas may as well get the best one.

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet but could be of great help, the latest version of Google Maps (on the Apple store at least, not sure bout Android) lets you download and save maps for usage when there's no network connection. If you've downloaded version 3.0.0.21895 you can load up on maps when you have WIFI access, head out into the wilds, and load up again for the next leg when you reach the next civilised spot. I haven't used these saved maps yet except to have a brief look at how they work, and seems you can still zoom right in to the lowest street level.

I've attached a few snaps below which should help with this:

image.jpg

image (3).jpg

image (1).jpg

image (2).jpg

Click on the little black man in the top-right corner of the home map page, scroll down to View All and Manage, select Save a new offline map, follow instructions from there on panning and zooming, and hey presto.