In the last five years a dizzying wave of change on the Island has sent Bermudian travel guide writer Rosemary Jones back to the keyboard on numerous occasions.

Ms Jones, who has just released the second Moon Handbook Bermuda, said that with all the new restaurants, attractions, hotel closures and hotel openings it's hard even for a local to keep up with it all.

"Gathering information and detail is very time consuming," she said. "You want to be as accurate as possible and keep it as current."

Ms Jones is a freelance writer, and also works with her husband Paul Shapiro who runs Brimstone Media.

The Moon Bermuda Handbook was her first travel guide – the first edition was released in 2006. She is also the author of 'Bermuda: Five Centuries', a history book about Bermuda.

"Things are changing all the time. I was updating things right down to the time when I went to press. It is quite astonishing how much has changed.

"There have been a lot of new attractions added to the Bermuda landscape and Hamilton has changed a great deal. There are also a lot of new restaurants. Any destination is constantly evolving. Nothing is worse that getting a guide that has outdated information."

She said many of the changes added to the book are positive ones.

"In this edition, the new currency was just being released when we were writing," she said. "I had to contact the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) to get a look at the new currency so I could describe it. That is quite a landmark change given that it happens so infrequently.

"We also have a lot of heritage type attractions like the St. George's World Heritage Centre. There are also new ecoparks like the Cooper's Island Nature Reserve.

"I think there is more to do, more places to go and more places to eat. There is more to see. There are more interesting ways to explore Bermuda history. There are many more events that bring people in. I think the changes are all positive. As a writer I found there was a lot more to say."

She said there had been some hotel closures in the last couple of years, but there were also new places like the Tucker's Point Club.

The American produced Moon Handbooks are unique in that they are written by residents of the featured destination, or people deeply familiar with the area.

"So many other guides will parachute a writer in for a few days or a week," said Ms Jones. "Moon really tries to get the local perspective. They look for people who can write with detail and accuracy. That is what I found appealing about producing a guide for them."

Ms Jones added insider knowledge to the guide like 'how to dress like a Bermudian'.

"I talked about the typical Bermudian uniform vs. what tourists look like," she said. "It was more of a case of 'what not to wear'. Remove those white socks, sneakers and baseball caps. There was also a section on Bermuda shorts.

"I wrote about the reality of life on a tiny Island in the Atlantic Ocean, such as the dampness in our homes. I made suggestions about buying real Bermuda souvenirs.

"Something that is truly Bermudian, maybe a Heather Nova CD, or Nadia Aguiar's new book 'Lost Island of Tamarind', or a piece of Jeremy Johnson's cedar animals, rather than just a t-shirt."

She tried to give visitors and new residents a unique perspective on what Bermuda was all about.

"In the second edition I discussed the issues that Bermudians frequently talk about," she said. "This included plans for the new Harbour Front, and making outsiders aware of issues like Independence and what the status of that was. I gave the history of that and where it is going."

She said this edition was different from the first because there is a larger front section.

"That is a change across the board in all Moon guides," she said. "That allowed for more coloured images. There is a special section devoted to the writer's choice. I included a section on travelling with kids. All the things there are to do.

"As a mum with an eight-year-old son, I always find plenty to do in Bermuda. That is probably not always apparent to visitors."

She said the section on children ranged from the outdoors stuff like going to some of the best beaches for different ages and different interests.

The newly reopened Deliverance replica, was also one of the new things on offer for youngsters in the guide.

"The Deliverance had been closed for quite a few years," said Ms Jones. "That was one of the late breaking newsy things that I included. They were just about to open at that time."

She said seasonal events like kite flying on Good Friday, the Boat Parade at Christmas and the annual Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF) for children can be enchanting for young people.

But she said transporting a family around Bermuda could be a challenge for visitors.

"If you have small children you really have to take the bus, ferry or taxi," Ms Jones said. "We talk about how to get around and the most cost effective is tokens for public transportation.

"It is about perhaps choosing wisely where you are so you may be within walking distance of what you want to see. If you are just in it for the beach holiday, then it is probably best to choose a hotel or guest house nearer to the beach.

"I talked about the great variety of accommodations that are available in Bermuda from hotels to guest houses, to renting Bermudian homes through online booking agencies that are also more cost effective, especially if you are staying a long time. Some of these options also allow you to live as Bermudians do."

The Moon Handbooks also offer a great deal of information about different destinations on their website, www.moon.com.

"It is a good site for preplanning a vacation or a trip," said Ms Jones.

"You can dip into some of the guides. There is an online version of some of the guides including the Bermuda one. You can get an overview of the guide itself, or things to do in that destination. They can tailor your vacation to suit your needs.

"You can choose via region, and then browse the activities in a particular area. Or you can select an activity such as beaching, boating or nightlife and find out what region it is offered in.

"The website also has author blogs, and chats with authors, although I haven't done that yet. There are also certain seasonal highlights on the website."

The guide is available locally, and also in large bookstores such as Borders in the United States and Chapters and Indigo in Canada.

"These stores always have a big travel section where Moon Handbooks feature prominently. I have been in those stores and seen it on the shelves. That is very exciting. I have seen it.

"As a writer, for me was a big reason for doing it – to write internationally about my place of birth and to be able to tell people why it is worth visiting."