Most Helpful Customer Reviews
84 of 84 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Which is the right guide for YOU?, September 25, 2010
This review is from: Lonely Planet Discover Thailand (Full Color Country Travel Guide) (Paperback)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Lonely Planet (LP) has introduced a new line of guidebooks, the Discover series, including this one. To me they seem similar to the DK series - lots of color photographs, less text, attractively designed, glossy paper, usually one topic per open pair of pages, but that one topic is covered quite well. Color is used for the edges of pages, to make it easy to find a section for the part of the country you are visiting. Overall the graphic design and use of color of whitespace lends both excitement and useability to the guide. Unfortunately, there appears to be confusion about this new LP series. Although each LP Discover so far covers one country, it does NOT replace LP Country Guides. Some people have bought it thinking it is a new look for an updated country guide and are not happy with it - "This is horrible, this is like a travel advertisement, I'll never buy another LP again, etc.". Needless to say, it is not for everyone. Fortunately, you have a lot of choices in the best guide for YOU, so... WHAT'S AVAILABLE? There are many to choose from for your trip to Thailand. There are several from Lonely Planet (LP), plus there is the Rough Guide, DK, Frommers, "Travelers Tales" and "Culture Shock". Start at the library or a big bookstore and look them over briefly. I usually prefer LP, not because it is better than Rough Guide (for some places, Rough is much better), but because LP is available for more countries. Because the style is consistent, I can quickly find what I need. Now LP has TWO country guides for Thailand: LP Thailand (LPT) with 820 pages, and the new "LP discover Thailand" (LPDT), a.k.a. Full Color Country Guide, at 408 pages; LPT is larger but they weigh approximately the same. LPDT is comparable to DK: lots of color pictures, beautifully organized, larger type, nicer layout, heavier paper. Like DK, I think it is best for reading before you go, even before you decide WHERE to go. If your library has LPDT or DK, you might start with them, and then buy the LPT to bring with you. If you are only going to Bangkok, or the beaches and islands, LP has guides for these destinations that have even more info than LPT. LP DISCOVER THAILAND (LPDT) vs. LONELY PLANET THAILAND (LPT) This section is about comparing the two books without value judgements. I am not saying one is better than the other here, rather that one book may be better for you than the other. In particular, more is not always better. For example, if you have time to see only one site, and not a lot of time to read/research, it is useful to have the book present the most popular highlight. Other people want to see more choices and make up their own minds. Both styles are useful. Since LPDT has half as many pages as the standard guide, has larger type, more pictures, more white space, you would guess correctly that it does not have as much information as LPT. Mostly, it has the same KIND of information as LPT - where to go, how to get there, how to get around, where to stay, what to do, entertainment, food info, dangers, annoyances, health risks, etc - most of the basic info you need to get around. But LPDT has much less info than LPT, and it lists fewer actual locations. I'll use Phitsanulok for comparison. It is not a primary place to visit, but I enjoyed visiting there; it is covered in both guides. LPDT has fewer than 4 pages, part of which are used for pictures; it has 1 paragraph for 1 temple and a brief mention of a few other sights, lists 5 hotels and 6 places to eat, discusses only the city, and has no city map. LPT has almost 9 pages, describes 2 wats in about one page of text, covers the city plus nearby areas in the province, includes a detailed city map, no photos, and lists 17 hotels and 11 eating options. If you had a day in Phitsanulouk, LPDT is fine. Others would prefer the additional information in LPT, to see more or have more choices. [Note: I used LPT 11ed 2005 for this comparison.] LPDT has 46 pages for Bangkok; LPT has almost 100 (including daytrips around Bangkok). LP Bangkok has 296 pages. LPT describes many more locations in Thailand than LPDT. LPT has 83 pages on Northeastern Thailand (Isaan); LPDT has 26. LPDT excludes Udon Thani, a mid-sized city to the north popular with ex-pats. This does not make LPDT worse, because the places that have been excluded are not primary places to visit. While choices for cutting were probably difficult, I think they chose reasonably well. LPT has 12 pages on the history of Thailand, sections on food, and some but not many color pictures. LPDT and LPT weigh approximagely the same, but I estimate that LPT has 3-4 times as much information but far fewer pictures. LPT makes compromises on the paper, pictures, type size, layout, white space, etc in order maximize the amount of useful information needed during a trip. LPDT is more glossy (one reason it weighs more). WHEN IS LPDT USEFUL? For a first time traveler, especially if you have limited time or prefer fixed itineraries, LPDT (or DK) might be all you need for your trip. LPDT and DK are great for a traveler who is unfamiliar with a country; they give you a good idea of what you will see, which helps you decide where to go and learn a lot quickly. I have been to Thailand several times, but I still find LPDT useful to find parts of Thailand I have not yet visited, with pictures to help me plan which ones to visit. But I will use it at home, and bring LPT with me. For people with middle-aged eyes, LPDT is easier to read with its larger type, whiter paper for more contrast, more white space, and color coding to navigate more quickly, though LPT isn't that bad. BOTTOM LINE For me, both the LPDT and DK guides help me decide where I want to go more quickly with pictures and easier organization, but I bring LPT with me instead because it has a far more information. I prefer to travel with only a rough plan and make it up as I go, so having LPT with me is essential. It also helps when problems come up - something is closed, there is bad weather or trouble, etc. All of the books I discussed are good, but their purposes and depth of information vary considerably. Buying the right one for YOUR needs is worth a bit of research. NOTE: I am an Amazon Vine reviewer. This book was provided to me free for my review, but I am not paid. My opinions are not influenced by getting a free book, nor am I asked to write positive reviews: I call them like I see them. I have been to Thailand more than a dozen times and have spent a lot of time in many places. I know the country reasonably well, speak some Thai, and I have read most travel books about this country.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Colourful inspiration guide, but less detailed than their old series, April 28, 2010
This review is from: Lonely Planet Discover Thailand (Full Color Country Travel Guide) (Paperback)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I'd recently ordered the full colour Japan guide, and figured I'd check out the Thailand guide too since I'm interested in Thailand. A lot of what I wrote for the Japan guide is relevant here too so I'll recap with changes specific to Thailand.
What's new:
The highlights of the country are greatly expanded, and the guide starts with "Thailand's top 25 experiences" ranging from markets to visit, islands to relax on and activities to engage in. Everything was in full colour with large photos and a paragraph description. I felt like I was able to quickly get a sense of the experiences I would get in Thailand, and I liked that there were a wide range of activities described from rock climbing in Railay to travelling by sleeper train to which beaches looked the most inviting.
They've also introduced highlights to the beginning of every city or region section, bumping back the overview description to deeper into the guide. The "Things you need to know" section recapping logistical information like emergency contact information, explanations of the neighbourhoods, and other tips are shown right after highlights.
I always find LP's suggested itineraries section really helpful and the latest colour guide is no exception. Choosing what cities to visit in a country is always tough ( I want to see it all!) and the itineraries gives me a good sense of my tradeoffs between visiting one region versus another. I like that the Thailand guide also includes mini suggested itineraries at a city level for Bangkok too. I wish they extended that to all the major regions / cities like Chiang Mai too.
Colour maps are great! They are so much easier to read!
What's gone:
It might be because of the different audience, but detailed information about the history and culture of the country is gone. You'll still find quick explanations for each city or region, but not as much for the country in general. Also, the fonts are bigger in the coloured guide and the pages thicker, so overall there is less information in the guides.
As with the Japan guide, I find the full colour guidebooks are a better and more engaging read. I'm definitely willing to pay more as it helps me visualize and understand a place better. My one complaint with this series in general is that the font spacing and contrast makes actually reading the text harder than with their traditional guides.
Overall, I think this guide does a really good job of orienting you to what Thailand has to offer at a cursory level. Thai cooking classes are big, and I like that they've taken the time to mention that as a highlight as well as give you some recommended cooking schools to visit. There's a good mix of explanations about the top attractions in an area e.g. visiting Sukhothai and Erawan National Park, and things to try (elephant trekking, snorkeling). While it does a great job of separating out different regions o f the book by colour, I did had a hard time finding specific sections within a region (e.g., Food, Drink, Lodging) because the font was so colourful all over the page (but the actual section headers were just black).
======
UPDATE
======
There was a question on what detailed information was "removed" in this version of the guide, so here's more information on what's different in the History & Culture section:
History: the old guide had information about pre-historical ages in Thailand, as well as more detail about the earlier Kingdoms (e.g. Dvaravati, Khmer) whereas the new guide only covers Sukhothai and La Na Thai periods. In general, coverage on each period in Thailand is much shorter.
Food: The new guide talks about the differences in regional cuisines, delving in to talk a bit more about breakfast, noodles, curries and soups with a side bar on drinks. The old guide went into that plus information on Thai Salads, stirfrys, the fruits you could expect in Thailand, sweets, and a whole page on drinks. There was also information for vegetarians, vegans, nightmarket eating plus a page on popular dishes and condiments (along with how to pronounce them.)
Culture: The main information about the national culture and psyche are there, including the Asian concept of saving face, social status, etc. The lifestyle section is gone and etiquette section is much shorter.
Population: This section appears to be completely taken out in the guide. While I didn't care much about the breakdown of the Thai majority versus the Chinese, I did find interesting information about the Hill Tribes, their whereabouts and information about their way of life and garb (tribes include: Akha, Lahu, Lisu, Mien, Hmong, Karen.)
Sports & Media have been removed.
Culture: Most of the major sections on Thai architecture, information on temple architecture and contemporary Thai architecture is still present, including interesting information about puppet theatres (very cool, if what I saw in Vietnam is representative!) Information about Folk dances is present, but they've taken out the section on Thai music and literature.
Environment: The old guide was a lot more encyclopedic in its description, talking about Thailand's landmass and its topography. The colour guide puts more of an emphasis on the differences in each region. There was also a section on the plants and animals you could expect to see in Thailand, as well as a breakdown of Thailand's National Parks in the old guide. This has been reduced to a paragraph in the new colour guide.
The old guide also drew more attention to environmental issues, the pressures of deforestation, population pressures and pollution as well as ways you can minimize your environmental footprint while in Thailand with a list of dos and don'ts. I am a bit sad this is gone.
So overall, the most relevant information is present, but much shortened.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The First Guide to Get: A Discover Thailand Lonely Planet Travel Guide Review, June 19, 2010
This review is from: Lonely Planet Discover Thailand (Full Color Country Travel Guide) (Paperback)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Lonely Planet's Thailand travel guide begins with a list of 25 top experiences, top itineraries, and information for planning your vacation. Thailand is then divided into chapters covering Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, Northeastern Thailand, Southeastern Thailand, Gulf Coast, and Andaman Coast travel regions, each containing color maps, highlights, itineraries, colorful images, and venue details. The travel guide ends with historical and cultural information, travel directories, and transportation details.
The Gay and Lesbian Travelers directory provides little detail, but mentions "a fairly prominent gay and lesbian scene in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket." However when looking through the chapters, I only found a brief mention of three venues in Bangkok. Since the directory doesn't recommend alternate sources and lacks detail, the interested traveler would be on their own to find a supplemental source.
Venue details, events calendar, and travel tips provide the information needed to plan a vacation. Color images make for a pleasing read, while adding excitement. The itineraries and highlights can make trip planning simple, or one could create their own itinerary from the venue listings.
This guide isn't complete, but for most travelers may be the only guide needed. When looking for information into something more specific, supplemental guides may be necessary. However, I'm confident Lonely Planet's travel guide is a great starting point for planning a vacation.
PROS:
Enticing color images
Detailed venue information
Ready made travel itineraries
CONS:
Some information lacking
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
