India (Lonely Planet Country Guide) [Paperback]

Sarina Singh (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.

Explore the myriad wonders of India with this useful guide in hand. Whether you wish to cruise the backwaters of Kerala on the rooftop of a ferry, explore the Buddhist gompas of Leh, drink Darjeeling's namesake tea, get lost in the dusty bazaars of Hyderabad, or stroll the 16th-century ruins in Hampi, this book will help you get there. Highlights include more than 200 traveler-tested maps, thousands of places to stay and eat for all budgets, excellent health information, all you need to know about transportation options, and a 32-page color section on India's religions. --Kathryn True --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Lonely Planet guides are a must-pack” --Toronto Star, February 2006
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1244 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet; 13 Updated edition (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741791510
• ISBN-13: 978-1741791518
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #13,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

238 of 244 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't make India sound too great!, December 29, 2001

By	"mdw408" (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet India (India, 9th ed) (Paperback)

I just returned from a month in India, traveling with both the Lonely Planet (9th ed.) and Rough Guide (3rd ed.) If you are considering a long trip across the breadth of India, I would strongly suggest taking BOTH books. The Lonely Planet is great for practical details (train times, phone numbers, etc.) but spends too much space reviewing individual restaurants and hotels. Even though the book tops out over 1000 pages, the sections devoted to actually explaining the sights and the wonderful culture and history of India are very short.

In contrast, the Rough Guide spends much more space discussing the background and culture of individual locations, and is packed with lots of interesting details not found in the Lonely Planet. The RG spends less space on restaurant/hotel reviews, which was perfectly fine - I'd rather know more about the places I'm visiting than worry how much chicken shahjani costs at some particular restaurant.

The tone and approach of the books are different too - the RG takes a much more optimistic, romantic view of India, while the LP is often so terse and cynical that it doesn't really inspire you to visit many wonderful places.

Get the LP for the listings. Get the RG to appreciate the beauty of India.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best guidebook, even for experienced India travelers, November 28, 2001

By	Gary Worthington (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet India (India, 9th ed) (Paperback)

When Lonely Planet India first appeared in 1981, it raised the standard for all India guidebooks in the comprehensiveness of locations covered and the detailed information useful to independent travelers, especially those on lower budgets. Twenty years later, it remains the guidebook I personally rely upon most, despite my familiarity with India from extensive travels since 1980 researching my historical novels such as India Treasures. I first learned about that wonderful nonprofit home-stay organization Servas from a Lonely Planet guide, which led to many of our best experiences in India, including lasting friendships. Although my wife and I aren't backpackers, and we're probably mid-range in terms of the amount we spend on accommodations and food, the book is extremely helpful. It's the most up to date and highly detailed regarding such information as transportation options within India, the scams travelers can encounter, and a wealth of other tips too numerous to get into in a brief review.

Given the India guidebook's thickness and weight, I've found it convenient to cut it into sections and only take the parts with me for the regions I plan to visit. It's still desirable to get supplemental maps for any city or region one plans to spend much time in, as the maps in the book are usually pretty minimal in terms of detail. And other guidebooks do indeed have useful information this one doesn't (browse the travel shelves in your favorite bookstore to find the additional guides most suitable for your own interests and style of travel). I also advocate reading the better novels set in India, to experience insights into daily life that guidebooks can only hint at.

No single guidebook on India can be all things to all persons for all occasions, but this one surely comes the closest, especially for travelers who don't have their arrangements taken care of on organized tours.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AS MUCH ABOUT TOURISM IN INDIA AS CAN BE PACKED INTO A BOOK, July 23, 2006

By	Denis Benchimol Minev "Amazonia" (Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: Lonely Planet India (Paperback)

It is almost a crime to try to fit a great country such as India into a one volume guidebook. However, being such the understandable proposition -- tourists are unlikely to want to carry many guides -- this guidebook does a very nice job of putting it all together.

There are very interesting historical section which are often deeper than what one would get from a local tourist guide. It covers all the major attractions (at least in the places I visited) and gives the tourist a good idea about the culture, history and socio-economic conditions of the places being visited. The list of hotels, restaurants and places to go out at night is quite current, as of July 2006.

It is the only guidebook I used in India, so I cannot compare, but this is quite a good guide that is unlikely to let you down.