Lonely Planet West Africa (Multi Country Guide) [Paperback]

Anthony Ham (Author)

Book Description

Series: Multi Country Guide | Publication Date: October 1, 2006

Salt caravans in the Sahara, imposing forts on the Ghanaian coast, urban buzz in Lagos, the steamy lushness of Casamance- West Africa's attractions are as diverse as they are intriguing. Whether you want to set out for Timbuktu, laze on a sandy beach or overland it from desert to jungle, Lonely Planet shows you the what, where and how.

Move To The Groove - our expert music chapter tell who's who, where it's happening and what's hot.

Be Inspired - highlights, itineraries and planning sections help you plot your path.

Get The Background with in-depth discussion of West Africa's history, manifold cultures and distinctive arts and crafts.

Talk The Talk - our language chapter will have you greeting locals in 25 regional languages.

Go Your Own Way with detailed transport information and 150 user-friendly maps.

Editorial Reviews

Review

…Lonely Planet, the intrepid traveler's bible...' --Los Angeles Times, April 2005

From the Publisher

Who We Are
At Lonely Planet, we see our job as inspiring and enabling travellers to connect with the world for their own benefit and for the benefit of the world at large.

What We Do
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* We tell it like it is without fear or favor in service of the travellers; not clouded by any other motive.

What We Believe
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Product Details

• Paperback: 904 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 6 edition (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740597710
• ISBN-13: 978-1740597715
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From a returned Peace Corps Volunteer, November 9, 2003

By 

Jason Chance (Middlebury, VT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet West Africa (West Africa, a Travel Survival Kit, 4th ed) (Paperback)

This book is practically the bible for W. Africa travel. I lived and worked in W. Africa for 3 years (2 years as a Peace Corps volunteer) and I never went anywhere without consulting LP. The information is as accurate as anything out there. It offers you suggested itineraries and "off the beaten path" suggestions as well as the traditionally touristy destinations. Many parts are less objective than other parts and the writers tend to harp on corruption. But W. Africa is a pretty corrupt place in general. If you don't like the editorial sections, skip 'em, the info you need is still there.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Job!, February 14, 2001

By 

"travel-holic" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet West Africa (West Africa, a Travel Survival Kit, 4th ed) (Paperback)

I spent several weeks travelling through Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and Senegal in late 1999. it was the first time i had ever travelled alone and this book served as my primary companion. although i didn't always agree with the ratings of particular establishments (especially in Cote D'Ivoire), I found it to be very well researched and handy to have both for its quick maps and background information on the countries. I also purchased the Rough Guide to West Africa, b/c I am a big fan of their series, but the Lonely Planet guide was by far the best for this region. Keep in mind that the political situations in these countries change so abruptly that you still need to be prepared for anything. For example, there was a coup d'etat in Cote D'Ivoire while i was there. I still had a tremendous time on my trip, and i know that lonely planet deserves some of the credit.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!, January 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lonely Planet West Africa (West Africa, a Travel Survival Kit, 3rd ed) (Paperback)

This is a very thourogh travel guide for anyone who is going to be traveling anywhere in West Africa. It lists great spots to eat, nightclubs, and sights to see plus much more. And it has maps of the larger cities that you may be visiting. Also included are helpful tips for taveling around from country to country, as this can be a huge ordeal- remember, this isn't Europe with a Eurorail! This book is an invaluable resource for travelers in West Africa, and Lonely Planet definately knows their busisnes!