Lonely Planet Mexico, 9th Edition [Paperback]

John Noble (Author), Andrew Dean Nystrom (Author), Morgan Konn (Author), Michael Grosberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2004

An updated guide to Mexico that delivers the whole enchilada, from Aztec and Mayan temples to desert drives and highland hikes.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination Mexico

To explore Mexico is to walk through rain forests and along tropical beaches, to traverse vast deserts and gaze at snow-capped volcanoes, and to walk the streets of teeming cities, sleepy indigenous villages, chic resorts and the ruined cities of the great Aztec, Maya and other civilizations that flourished here centuries ago.

Mexico offers a multitude of cultures, cuisines, landscapes, activities, music, environments, languages, handicrafts, art and history. Its Spanish conqueror, Hernan Cortes, when asked to describe Mexico, simply crumpled a piece of paper and set it on a table. The rugged mountainous topography he was indicating has yielded a boundless colorful variety of distinct places, people and traditions - which today are more accessible than ever before. Thanks to steadily improving communications and innovative tourism initiatives, it has never been easier to hike Mexico's remote canyons, watch whales or flamingoes, climb volcanoes, dive waters teeming with tropical fish or bike ride to remote indigenous villages.

If you're slightly less activity-minded, delight your senses with Mexico's endless palm-fringed beaches, world-class museums and galleries, unbeatable handicrafts shopping, hectic markets, distinctive tasty food, hospitable hotels and beautiful colonial cities.

At the end of the day, sit back with a margarita or a cold Mexican beer and take it all in at a beach bar or in a plaza with splashing fountains. After dark, indulge in the bars, music and stylish nightclubs of Mexico's cities and hip travel destinations. Or lose yourself in the color, music, fun, fireworks and spectacle of one of the country's noisy fiestas: there's one happening almost every day, not far from you!

Product Details

• Paperback: 1028 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 9th edition (September 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740596862
• ISBN-13: 978-1740596862
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I live in Mexico. Great guide, June 9, 2005

By 

Diego (Guadalajara, México) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Mexico, 9th Edition (Paperback)

I live in Mexico, and I bought it to have a better reference while traveling in my own country. I've found places that I didn't know that existed, it has not let me down. The maps are accurate and the recommendations always are correct. The only problem I see is that the prices are not up to date, but it gives you an idea of what to expect to pay in hotels or restaurants.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mexico is pretty big to cover in one book, but Lonely Planet is the best., December 29, 2005

By 

Karen F. Hensley "kfh" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lonely Planet Mexico, 9th Edition (Paperback)

We first used this book to decide where to go in Mexico, and we read various chapters then picked just one state. The sample itenaries for various types of trips are really helpful for figuring out what you want to do.

We used this book for 2 weeks in Oaxaca and while there compared it with other travellers who had a book from another company that covered only Oaxaca. The bigger book did not seem to have any more or better information in it!

Although my husband and I are in the "gray ponytail" age group, we still grab backpacks and do the lower end style travel. Lonely Planet had some natural areas and hiking descriptions that others did not.

If you are looking for the best 5-star resturant in Mexico City then perhaps some other guide is for you. If you are looking for the best deals on some unusual experiences then the staff at Lonely Planet seems to know their stuff.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise, Readable & Practical, December 3, 2005

By 

K.A.Goldberg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Mexico, 9th Edition (Paperback)

This is an excellent guide for budget travelers, backpackers, and even people looking for a more expensive visit. Lonely Planet specializes in cheap sleeps (budget hotels & travel hostels), affordable meals, and local customs. There's solid coverage of major attractions, plus off-the-beaten-path ideas for those wishing to skirt the tourist haunts. I particularly liked the vital information on getting to and from airports, city centers, bus and train stations, plus using local busses and the subway in Mexico City. The information in Lonely Planet guides is clear, concise and direct - perfect for travelers needing vital knowledge at their fingertips.

This 9th (2004) edition is very good, yet has two weaknesses. First, Mexico is too big for any travel guide to list every pueblo, motel, mountain, beach and sight - even in a large (1,028 pages) yet compact book. Second, places and prices can change, so travelers need to beware. Still, this is an excellent travel guide - visit Mexico and you'll probably see others carrying this book.