When comparing Couchsurfing.com vs Lonely Planet, the Slant community recommends Lonely Planet for most people. In the question“What are the best sites for discovering attractions in your travel destination?” Lonely Planet is ranked 3rd while Couchsurfing.com is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Lonely Planet is:
Lonely Planet provides plenty of information about the area It tells you about attractions and restaurants, provides a map, and links you to articles about the area. Under "Survival Guide", you can find information about transportation, the currency, and costs.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Gives you a chance to talk to locals
Group members are made up of both locals and travelers. Participating in the groups gives you a chance to ask locals questions and get insider information about the best spots.
Pro Very friendly, welcoming community
Most people on couchsurfing are very friendly and love to chat with others. Members are often very happy to help out with suggestions.
Pro Detailed overview of each destination
Lonely Planet provides plenty of information about the area
It tells you about attractions and restaurants, provides a map, and links you to articles about the area. Under "Survival Guide", you can find information about transportation, the currency, and costs.
Cons
Con No feature specifically for finding attractions
Couchsurfing does not provide a list of available attractions in various locations. The only way to discover things to do on your trip is by chatting in the groups or by sending messages.
Con Recent move to subscriptions has greatly decreased its appeal and thus community size
Con Limited exploration features
You can only explore destinations by continent. There are some interest categories that you can also check out, but they don't have a focus on specific destinations.