A NEW guidebook about Bermuda hopes to lure visitors with a fresh approach to the island and its attractions.

Written by Bermudian Rosemary Jones, it was published as part of a series of handbooks praised throughout the travel industry for expert advice and attention to detail. The author believes the combination offers tourists a more intimate exploration of the island than is afforded through other guidebooks.

"Moon Handbooks cover more than 100 destinations in the US, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Asia and the Pacific," Ms Jones explained. "In this business, what often happens is the publisher parachutes writers into a place they don't know very much about so guidebooks don't offer that insider knowledge and as a result, there can be lots of inaccuracies.

"I think it's important for the writer to know the area as intimately as the locals. I think it's interesting to write about your own country for outsiders. And what's great about the Moon series is that the writers are either local residents or natives of the places they're writing about and so the handbooks are typically guides with a very strong insider knowledge quality to them."

The series is published by Avalon Travel Publishing. An imprint of Avalon Publishing Group, Inc., it is the largest independent travel publisher based in the United States. In addition to Moon Handbooks, its series include Rick Steves' Europe, Moon Metro, Moon Outdoors, Moon Living Abroad, The Dog Lovers' Companion and Road Trip USA.

Ms Jones was referred to the company through the editor of a magazine she had written for in the past. The work was completed over the past year.

"Bermuda is often lumped with the Caribbean, so to have our own book, that also made it very appealing to me," she said of her commitment.

An experienced writer, Ms Jones' resum? spans work with newspapers and magazines including , the and the , magazine and . A correspondent for magazine, she also authored a coffee table book history of the island in 2004, . Since 1999, she has served as president and editorial director of Brimstone Media Ltd., a multimedia company she launched with her husband Paul Shapiro, to produce and package books, magazines, museum exhibits, films and other creative ventures.

She accepted this most recent task aware a standard had already been set.

As described by the : "One of the finest travel series around. What sets Moon apart is the attention to detail, and more importantly, a respect for the topic." magazine was equally as complementary, giving the series "an A for Hipness". The praised the "most impeccably eccentric and well-travelled backgrounds" of the writers involved.

"It was a very detailed kind of information that needed to be gathered even for someone who lives here and grew up here. You never know everything. It took a lot of research but it was interesting exploring and getting to know the island better."

The opportunity granted her a glimpse of the tourism industry that isn't always portrayed in the media, she said. "I was pleasantly surprised by the commitment the people in the industry have to giving visitors a novel experience. As a Bermudian who's not in the industry, you read a lot about the negative side of tourism. I was pleasantly surprised by the personalities and the enthusiasm ? the opportunities for the future, the reinvestment of several properties. I came away more optimistic about the potential for the future."

A 380-page guide to the island along the lines of Lonely Planet, the Bermuda edition "coversloads of things most of the major guides written by foreigners don't ? truly Bermudian places and attractions, newsy, up-to-date tidbits and advice, kid-friendly holidays and local knowledge such as the allure andhistorical importance of our forts", Ms Jones said.Travellers are provided with an overview of the island. A host of information is available to visitors looking to plan their perfect trip.

"The front section lays out travel strategies," the author explained. "It gives an overview and offers different types of trips - for example, a ten-day 'Best of Bermuda', a beach lovers guide. The largest part of the book is dedicated to touring through the island. It goes through all the parishes, covering everything from shopping to entertainment and events in different seasons. It looks at the main sights and attractions, the restaurants and hotels."

Suggested attractions include a visit to Plea Court, for "a real slice of Bermuda life" however the book covers "everything from geology, flora and fauna, government and history" to provide an accurate snapshot of the island.

"I've featured North Hamilton as an area. I think it important, especially in the context of what's happening at the moment, the new plans for that neighbourhood. Other guidebooks put it off-limits, which seems a shame given that the whole neighbourhood, whatever problems it has, has so much to offer. Having grown up here I was familiar with it but I walked through it more recently and could see a new energy - there are great restaurants, little stores that Bermudians don't visit and tourists are not encouraged to visit and of course, there's the architecture. Given that neighbourhood has an interesting historical background, that it's the birthplace of the civil rights movement and that important personalities have come out of it, I featured it as a sidebar - a place not to be missed.

"Moon Handbooks try to focus on giving an authentic picture," she added. "They try not to sugar coat. As a traveller I prefer not to read something that smacks of a tourism brochure and Moon talks about the warts and all ? they give a real context of place. I think there's room in a guidebook to admit there are social and racial issues. It helps people and appeals to visitors more."

As a mother, she said she found it extremely gratifying to include information generally overlooked by travel guides on Bermuda.

"There's a gaping hole in a lot of guidebooks ? and in the way we've chosen to promote Bermuda. There is the idea that it's not kid-friendly. I have a five year old. I know that's not true. I really think Bermuda is one of the most magical places for kids. There is a challenge with transport because families can't rent cars here, but I've tried to highlight ways to get around and some amazing things that often don't cost a dime."

Others might find it equally as fascinating to learn "how to pour the perfect Dark 'n' Stormy, where to go ghost haunting at Victorian mansions and the best way to treat jellyfish stings," Ms Jones added.

"It's a book with so much context. Both Moon and Lonely Planet are known for providing context to a place. It's something you often can't get online. In order to capture the essence of a place, it's nice to read about it in depth. It's nice to be able to take the information with you."

Moon Handbooks Bermuda is available in local bookstores and online, at barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com and booksense.com.