Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Mexico, 10th Edition

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

 

 

I've been living in Mexico for almost a year now and used this book on a lot of travels throughout the country. The information is concise and extremely useful, the maps are great and the price indications help you stay within your budget.
I also bought Footprint's Mexico & Central America and have to say that even though it was from the same year the Footprint book was a lot less accurate and information a lot more difficult to find.
The only thing I critizise about the book is that the information about Culiacán is missing (?) and since there are a lot of new cheap Mexican airlines, there should be more airport information included (e.g. Cuernavaca's airport isn't even mentioned)

I took this book and Frommer's Mexico 2007 with me to Oaxaca. The organization and readability (print size) was not as good as Frommer's, but the content (number of overall recommendations for places to eat, stay and see) seemed better, and it also appeared to have more information than Frommer's. Reading on the fly was a little harder, since I usually had to pull out my reading specs and had to rely heavily on bookmarks(dog ears). So I wound up relying it less in this regard, and read it more for study during the hotel stay in the morning and evening. I wound up taking Frommer's with me more, and leaving the Lonely Planet in my hotel room. I found that a synthesis of both books (readability and organization) would be the ideal book. Both books, however, should have an appendix for additional listings as I found that what there were frequently popular restaurant sites not listed in neither book. Places to visit seemed to be most reliable in both books. Hotel accommodation recommendations seemed the second most reliable source, followed by eateries. The maps also seemed about equal with better details (although Frommer's offered a free Map to Mexico, which could be could for traveling from state to state, but hot too helpful in the actual locales, for this I bought local maps at the "librearias.")in the Lonely Planet, although sometimes oddly placed.

Just got back form Mexico, great guide. Every question I had I found answers for.

I've used these guide books for years. Chalcatzingo, Morales isn't even in the book. It's an important Olmec site. The major museum in Mexico City (National Anthropology) wasn't high lighted in the index. You have to hunt through every museo entry and there are many. This stuff is annoying.

simply put. it's great. up to date and very helpful in the field.

my only criticism would be that it's overly generalized. but that's
the kinda book this is. i just wish they published two versions of
each book: one for the budget backpacker types. and one for the
moneyed vacationers. these categories in themselves are already
vague enough to require some generalization, but it's a start.

anyway, i highly recommend this as well as
The People's Guide to Mexico (Peoples Guide to Mexico)
to prime you for some great adventures south of the border.

Honestly, you don't even need to buy this, because everyone else will have one if you're staying at hostels. But I took it on a 2-week trip in May 2008, and it does the job. I wasn't disappointed with any of the hostels or restaurants that were recommended, and they all existed, which is nice.

A few minor criticisms:

The Mexico City Metro map is awful. Too gray and too hard to read. The maps in the station are easier to use to navigate, which is sad.
All the prices are in dollars. That's just silly, and sometimes confusing since they use $ for pesos in Mexico. Further, all the prices are wrong. I assume this is because it's a couple of years old, but maybe it's because the exchange rate changed. In particular, every single archaeological attraction was a different price (48 pesos, not $3.50).
The abbreviations for the bus services are annoying since they don't use them locally.
Should the Author's Choice hostel in a Lonely Planet really be a $325 / night room?

as like any other lonely planet series, it's nice to have for journey.
there are plenty of informations and nice maps in the book.
but, in some parts, it's out of dated.
For example, I planned to stay at Vallaloid, because book says there are very cheap nice hostel. but it was closed.. like 1 and half year ago.
maybe all the fees should be changed (You should add money about 10 % more or more than 10%)
but it's like another guidebook.
you can meet lots of travellers who travel with lonely planet.
you will enjoy this book for making your route for traveling.
but don't rely on your book, too much.
you can get good information in the information center,
and from local people or even traveler.

Unlike any other guide books, LP Guide books are still better for budget travelers, and had more information than any other Mexico guide books. However, Since it had published in 2006, update is needed because the price aren't the same as book described.

Unlike the some of the other reviewers, I thought this book was generally informative and had lots of good info on Mexico, including suggested itineraries. The maps are good and handy, a major plus. The descriptions of restaurants and hotels I also found well-described.

HOWEVER, I was mislead completely by the exuberance over San Cristobal de las Casas (State of Chiapas). This town is known for the Zapatista movement from about 15 years ago. Now, instead of being some kind of center of the leftist vanguard, it is over-run by Anglo & European tourists seeking some kind of 'authentic' experience. The local population is poor, uneducated, and NOT politically active. That's not a value judgment, that's just how it is. There are interesting things to see around San Cristobal (such as some villages known for weird religious rituals and waterfalls), but don't spend more than 2 or 3 days. You will have seen everything.

Oaxaca, on the other hand, is quite politically active and was recently the scene of a major crackdown by the Mexican government. If you want interesting politics, look here. There are also interesting side trips to all kinds of natural and man-made (ie carpets) wonders. Don't miss the mezcal tour!

While I like Lonely Planet because it lists budget hotel and restaurant locations, We found that every hotel we checked was about 10% higher than their listed rate even in the off season. There were other discrepancies as well which were frustrating at times.