Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Jordan (Country Travel Guide)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have visited Jordan at least 20 times in the past few years, and I use the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide in parallel. Sadly, the 2009 Lonely Planet edition represents another low point on LP's downward quality spiral. I say this with sadness, as a longtime LP user whose bookshelf is full of dog-eared LP classics. The Jordan guide is just modestly updated from the 2006 edition. There are hard-to-justify omissions (Qasr Bshir), laughably outdated facts (such as the Amman municipal bus fares or the access route to Qasr al-Mushatta) und tons of information that is just plain wrong. The book reads like a sloppy, unenthusiastic desk update. From the content it is abundantly clear that the authors have not even bothered to read the country information in the discussion forum on LP's own website...! The only improvement is a two-page snapshot of scenic routes down to (or up from) the Dead Sea. I am forced to conclude with a single piece of advice: Buy the Rough Guide instead!

Like always, Lonely Planet has problems updating their travel guides, but generally it is an easy to navigate source of information. I noticed that the list of hotels in the Lonely Planet guidebooks has become very limited and we often had to search for accommodation after arrival as the listed hotels tend to be booked out first.

Information is valuable and useful. I always like to have a map included but this did not - - But that is OK. The book is just the right size for traveling.

I was recently on a tour of Petra and Jordan and realised that since I do not hear well I would not be able to hear the Tour Guide giving his explanations. While we were at lunch in Jordan I used my Kindle to download the Jordan Lonely Planet Guide.

Two of us on the trip could not hear well, so we used my Kindle on our walks around. We found that the Guide itself was excellent, maps and diagrams were clearly downloaded and having a Kindle was an unexpected bonus.

I tried to do the same thing recently in Babylon in Iraq, and in Bahrain, but no Whispernet cover in either of these countries, so I have to try when I reach home.

The Lonely Planet Guides are easy to read, but detailed enough for immediate interest.

My wife and I were only in jordan for 1 day, so we only used the Petra content in this guide. I found it extremely helpful, since we like to set out own pace and are not really the "guided tour" types. Reading about each of the sites was a nice rest from the heat, but i think my wife got tired of hearing me read :) Next trip we will definitely see more of the country and use the rest of the book!

This guide book was great for our recent visit to Petra and Wadi Rum. Highly recommend

Jordan is full great religious and Arab history, and most people are Arab being either ( Jordanian, Palestinian, or Iraqi) numbering 97%, then there are Circassians and Armenians.

And most Jordanians are Sunni Muslims while there is a small but very influential Christian community being mainly Greek Orthodox.