OnionMap for Tourists

Google Maps is great. But it is gigantic and thus has its disadvantages.

OnionMap is a tidy little alternative to Google Maps. It is a Flash website. Unlike Google Maps, it hasn’t many features and only shows 3D maps of a handful of large cities from across the world. The view too is not realistic, giving a SimCity-esque impression. Having said that OnionMap is not extensive like Google Maps, let us look at the several positives.

OnionMap is cleaner and clutter-free allowing site visitors to concentrate on the landmark or the route they seek. It loads faster. It is not a mapping service, but a ready referral of bare essentials.

More than anybody else, tourists and travel writers will find this more attractive compared to Google Maps. The Menu at the bottom center of the Flash app contains all information in a nutshell: attractions, hotels, restaurants, and transportation facilities available.

I couldn’t trace the origin of OnionMap. The hosting server is located in the Republic of Korea, most of the pages including the User Guide are in Korean, but the rich website doesn’t include a map of any Korean city yet. Moreover, Qriocity, Inc., the company behind OnionMap is Japanese (I think).