A beautiful magazine that is not for me

I have had a subscription to Islands for several years because various friends and relatives keep thinking they are being kind by renewing my subscription as a Christmas or birthday present. In truth, I do not find this magazine very useful to me. I was surprised that other reviewers found Islands to be a useful travel planning tool. I find it to be almost useless in planning a vacation and, therefore, not suited to my needs.

I primarily purchase travel magazines for travel planning, including picking a destination, hotels, restaurants and activities. I have found that the articles in Islands are more in the style of travelogues, focusing on the writer's feelings and memories of their trip, rather than informational pieces. The magazine is well written and beautifully photographed, but it just does not contain the kind of information I am looking for.

I would recommend this magazine to those looking not for a travel planning tool, but for interesting essays on visiting various islands. The pieces in this magazine are thoughtfully chosen and, as mentioned, well written. If you enjoy sharing a traveler's experiences in a somewhat "diary-esque" style, you might like this magazine. I actually enjoy Conde Naste and Arthur Frommer's magazines more because the articles provide the type of information I find useful.

Islands is by no means a bad magazine, I just do not find it useful for travel planning and, therefore, not for me.