Lonely Planet Bolivia (Paperback)

by Andrew Dean Nystrom (Author), Morgan Konn (Author) "Although Sucre remains the judicial capital, La Paz, Bolivia's largest city and centre for commerce, finance and industry, is the de facto capital..." (more)
Key Phrases: hotel rosario, cooperative mines, cemetery district, Santa Cruz, Parque Nacional, San Ignacio (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
For sheer global reach and dogged research, attention must be paid to Lonely Planet…' --Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2003
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Wind your way through mountain passes and jungle lowlands. Experience the bustle of indigenous markets and festivals. Explore the world's highest capital. Whether you're seeking a quiet retreat or rip-roaring adventure, Bolivia will leave you breathless at every step. Our authoritative guide will help you uncover the secrets of this Andean gem.

* GET READY comprehensive itineraries and planning sections get your journey started * FIND ADVENTURE detailed coverage of premiere hiking, biking, skiing and river rafting opportunities * HIT THE ROAD with 77 maps - more than any other Bolivia guidebook * TALK THE TALK with our convenient guide to Spanish, Quechua and Aymara * REST EASY frank, in-depth hotel and restaurant reviews steer you toward the country's best offerings

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 5 edition (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741040183
• ISBN-13: 978-1741040180
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #729,746 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most current and best guide available., September 16, 2007

By	Allan M. Gathercoal "fdoamerica" (Norcross, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bolivia (Country Guide) (Paperback)

I come to Bolivia twice a year and over the past three years I have reviewed more than a dozen guides on Bolivia and this is the best guide available.

Lonely Planet guides are known for their no-nonsense, off-the-beaten-path advise. The descriptions of the towns and cities are top rate. Each area has its history and climate explained. This is one of the few guides that will give you the population and altitude of major cities and towns. Kudos!

The "must see" places are listed and explained. Trekking routes are explained and mapped! There are excellent descriptions of the seven geographical areas of Bolivia (Southern Altiplano, Central Highlands, Eastern Lowlands, Amazon Basin, etc.). The section on health is "top drawer" and needs to be read before traveling here. Sidebars, or text boxes, are found throughout the book and provide you with wonderful sources of miscellaneous information, i.e., "Bolivar - El Liberatador," "Traditional Andean Musical Instruments," etc., .

There are two other books that can enhance your time in Bolivia. The first is, William Powers' excellent and powerful account of living in Bolivia, "Whispering in the Giant's Ear" and Herbert Klien's, "A Concise Short History of Bolivia". In short, this is the most current(as of Sept. 2007) and best guide out. Strongly Recommended.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Comparison with Other Guides, January 9, 2005

By	Matthaeus - See all my reviews

This was the most recent guidebook for a trip to Bolivia for December 2004. (Rough Guide and Footprint were positively elderly.) I did also check out the Let's Go (2003) and Footprint (2002) from the library to bring along also. I ended up using all 3, which is to say none of the 3 had everything, and each of the 3 had some bit of useful info lacking in the others. The numbering to Sucre's map was off, as I recall (Let's Go was not much better, with south facing up and north facing down!). Also in Sucre one popular attraction (the dilapidated but worth-seeing La Glorieta mansion) was omitted in LP. I ended up using Footprint in Sucre. I found that hotels and dining that were cited in all 3 books were indeed highly recommendable. Lonely Planet seemed to have the most up to date info, which on occasion prevented some trouble. Aside from these serious errors, the 2004 Lonely Planet did definitely have a 'completely rewritten' feel as advertised. If these editorial errors could be fixed, it might just have edged out the competition. One positive it that it's thin but still manages to pack as much info as the thicker Footprint and the Let's Go (which was thick because it covers 2 other countries). None of the guides to Bolivia out there is a clear leader. Unfortunately, the best advice is to use at least 2 books in conjunction: Lonely Planet (or perhaps Let's Go) for currency and another of your choice. Maybe in 2005, some new edition will appear....

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid LP material, October 18, 2005

By	G. Petrov - See all my reviews

This book is nicely revised for the modern age as it quickly helps you make up your mind where to go in Bolivia by using photo highlights and sample itineraries. The advice on activities I found to be solid and reliable. Alas, the book suffers from several imperfections, such as listing places to stay and eat that no longer reflect the description and overly enthusiastic highlights and recommendations (the biggest bummer for me was the promise that Salar de Uyuni reflects the sky with "any amount of water in it" - not true, I paid for extra trip to see the Salar before and after a rain because of LP and then learned from my experience and the locals that the Salar fills up only in Jan/Feb during the height of the rainy season, but most of the year when it rains the place is just gray and gloomy...) You can address those imperfections by ignoring accommodation recommendations (just walk the street where you want to stay and ask to see the room before you check in - there are plenty of better and cheaper places to stay in Bolivia than the book mentions) and don't expect to see "Lonely Planet moments" anywhere you go (you will see some, if you have luck and good weather, but the sun does not shine every day even in Bolivia). Anyway, Bolivia is a great country to visit and the book was useful on my trip. Too bad it got stolen at an internet place in La Paz :(