Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Hong Kong & Macau (City Travel Guide)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have visited both Hong Kong and Macau over the years and always turn back to this guide for a reliable reference, particularly for the maps and transport info, as their are many transport options here. There are some mistakes--some significant--as other reviewers have pointed out, but 99% of the content is useful and accurate, with insightful background information and great restaurant, sights, and outings recommendations.

All guidebooks are a snapshot in time--this book is no exception. Hong Kong and Macau are fast-paced and therefore always changing (part of the allure...), so the accommodation and eating sections are bound to change.

The pullout map has a few errors, but can generally be relied upon for getting around central HK when you want to leave the book in your hotel. Hopefully next edition's map will be better. A previous reviewer noted troubles finding the Peak Tram. The Admiralty map is downright incorrect--use the map of Central HK map instead. About the tourist bus: trust me, it's quicker and more enjoyable to walk.

The guide is particularly useful for information on accessing the long hiking trails around HK. I have used this info extensively.

About Macau: It's a small place and this has most of it, with great coverage of the restaurants and sites. There are too many good restaurants in Macau for all to be included...more to discover for yourself!

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

I'm a fairly well seasoned traveller, especially around Asia. Lonely Planet has always been my first choice although I only tend to delve into them for 'help' reasons.
First time in HK, I was surprised to find that there was so much I could have missed unless I hadn't read this book from cover to cover on the long flight from USA. Without wishing to bore anyone with what I did each day, my advice is that Hong Kong is glorious, secretive and complicated at times. I definately maxed out with my sightseeing and ate possibly the most interesting food I've ever tried. The quality of writing is superior to other guides I have used and really explains the quirkiness of the city well. Didn't get to Macau, so I can't judge. However, to offer a free map, they could easily have pushed the boat out a little and provided more detail as I soon disposed of it after I realised its inaccuracies. That said, it really enhanced my trip to HK.

As opposed to other Lonely Planet guides, this one is shoddily researched and edited. Its central problem is that it's outdated by years, even though it's dated March 2010: its subway plan doesn't even show the East Rail Line, which has been there for years; the Alan Chan shop is listed as in the Peninsula Arcade, where it hasn't been in a good many years, and the guide doesn't list the Elements Mall, one of the most important newer malls in Kowloon. Because of constant mistakes like that, I wasted time and ended up in the wrong places several times during a visit to Hong Kong in November 2010.

The book is also simply not carefully edited. On p. 138, it has the sentence "They can also be hired from two bike kiosks" - but there's no earlier sentence that "they" or "also" refers to. You have to figure out from the term "bike kiosks" that its bicyle rentals they're talking about. This is the kind of stuff that a copy editor should catch. A minor problem, perhaps, but it reflects the incredible shoddiness of research that characterizes this guide as a whole. A big disappointment for me, since I've had better experiences with other guides in the series.

I think the last review was very unfair towards the book, besides it's critique of the pull out map. I exclusively used the Lonely Planet Hong Kong City Guide on my recent trip to Hong Kong, and it was spot on every time I used it. From the time I used it to find free internet (the cafe it pointed me to was exactly where it promised and had free interent), to the step by step directions for getting to the famous Wishing Tree and 10,000 Buddah's Temple (two separate, hard-to-find locations), to the reviews and locations of restaurants I went to, to the places I slept, everything was 100% accurate. For some reason, who ever edited the pull out map did mess up a few times, many locations and streets on it are innacurate. But the maps inside the book are all accurate. Highly reccomended.

This guidebook was very helpful! Because of this book we decided to visit Macau and it was one of the best parts of our trip! The maps are especially helpful; we were able to navigate the city with just the help of the guidebook most of the time. Definitely recommend!

The book was a necessity for a first time trip to Hong Kong and Macau. The map was very helpful, and the book did offer some very good information and background. I thought that the recommendations for restaurants did not meet my expectations as with other Lonely Planet guides that I had used, All in all, my trip would not have been as rich and full without the book.

I am usually a fan of LP but beware: this edition is trying out a new layout, which I find very cumbersome! Have not got acustomed to it, even after a few weeks of usage...

I used this guidebook in my recent trip to Hong Kong. The book provided some useful information about Hong Kong in general, but many errors in specifics. The map insert's MTR lines were not up to date (I had to use another one from my hotel). I also tried to visit two of the restaurants recommended in the book, but failed. There were no such restaurants in the addresses they listed in the book.

Wonderful book. After using other types of city guides, I definitely like Lonely Planet the best. I was able to take walking tours on my own without expensive guides. Maps are accurate and very detailed. Usage of the subway was a breeze thanks to this book. Definitely recommend Lonely Planet for all of their city guides. I bought 3 different ones while visiting asia and all did not disappoint.

Very useful and lots of background. Maybe could have used a more in-depth section on shopping and eating, but overall helpful. Still better when you buy the separate Fleximap.