Related Items: Search

Average Rating:

.China (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: Damian Harper

May 01, 2007
I normally swear by Lonely Planet guidebooks and didn't think twice about buying the China guide. However, I found that some of the practical information (which is normally so reliable in Lonely Planet guides) was thin on the ground as well as sometimes misleading (there was a subway stop on the Beijing map which didn't exist and some of the phone numbers for hostels in Xi'an were incorrect). What disappointed me the most however was that a lot of the sights descriptions /background info have clearly been copied from signs displaying onsite. I found that I had to take a tour guide on several occasions to get a less superficial overview of the place I was visiting. A big disappointment then although basic info is covered and will allow you to ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on China (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £10.40

Average Rating:

.Hong Kong (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide)

by: Liam Fitzpatrick, Jason Gagliardi, Andrew Stone

August 31, 2006
Despite saying that this book was revised in 2006, some entries were already out of date. For example, it lists "James Bond" Bottoms Up in Tsim Sha Tsui. This bar closed in 2004 (and is different to the bar with the same name which is now operating in Wan Chai).

Apart from a few exceptions, most things are still accurate, and the "10 best..." format works well for a concise and pocket-size guide, and with several thumbnail pictures per page, is light and easy to dip into.

It ranges in detail from "10 Highlights of Hong Kong" to "10 places to People Watch in Tsim Sha Tsui", with pages on bars, places to eat, 10 Security Tips, the 10 best sights in each region etc. Around 85 "10" lists in all (by my reckoning), plus overview ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Hong Kong (Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide)

Used Price: £7.33

Average Rating:

.Hong Kong (Lonely Planet Encounter)

by: Steve Fallon

May 01, 2007
I bought this, along with the Rough guide to Hong Kong & Macau and the Rough guide DIRECTIONS: Hong Kong & Macau (as I couldn't make up my mind which seemed best!) and have to say, this is the one I used on my trip. The pull out map is a lifesaver & I would have been completely lost without it. The book is divided up into sections by geographical area and then tells you what to see and do/where to eat and drink there. I found this much easier to use than the rough guide, which had an "eating" section - you then had to decide what type of food you were in the mood for and then see if any of the restaurants in that category were in the district you were visiting. Confusing! Obviously, the book is titchy which is great for stuffing in yourr ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Hong Kong (Lonely Planet Encounter)

Used Price: £5.19

Average Rating:

.Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: Simon Richmond

January 01, 2007
As travel guides go, this one combines three very different places... first there's Singapore with its very modern outlook. Then there's Malaysia bridging the vibrant outlook of Kuala Lumpur with the colonial history of Georgetown. Finally there's Brunei which is a whole lot more laid back.

In terms of contents, there's the usual details of history, etiquette, sights etc. There's also the usual combination of excellent maps with only the occassional mistake where a particular landmark has been put on the wrong side of the road. Restaurant and accomodation advice are as usual mixed (many are gone by the time you visit) but it certainly provides good ideas if you are struggling to find somewhere, and also tells you the general area to find ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £9.36

Average Rating:

.Australia (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: Justine Vaisutis

November 01, 2007
Previous editions of this book have been criticised for focusing too much on mid range and expensive places to sleep and eat whilst leaving out cheaper, more budget-orientated options. This edition (14th) is aimed at restoring the balance slightly, and from what I can see it appears to be an improvement. There are a lot of guidebooks for Australia on the market so it is just a matter of finding one that is to your taste, but this one is definitely full of comprehensive information for your trip.
>>See More Reviews & Details on Australia (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £10.00

Average Rating:

.Thailand (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: China Williams, Aaron Anderson, Becca Blond, Brett Atkinson, Tim Brewer, Virginia Jealous, Lisa Steer

August 01, 2007
Previous editions of this book have been criticised for focusing too much on mid range and expensive places to sleep and eat whilst leaving out cheaper, more budget-orientated options. This edition (14th) is aimed at restoring the balance slightly, and from what I can see it appears to be an improvement. There are a lot of guidebooks for Australia on the market so it is just a matter of finding one that is to your taste, but this one is definitely full of comprehensive information for your trip.
>>See More Reviews & Details on Thailand (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £9.00

Average Rating:

.Shanghai (Lonely Planet City Guides)

by: Damien Harper, et al

February 01, 2008
Previous editions of this book have been criticised for focusing too much on mid range and expensive places to sleep and eat whilst leaving out cheaper, more budget-orientated options. This edition (14th) is aimed at restoring the balance slightly, and from what I can see it appears to be an improvement. There are a lot of guidebooks for Australia on the market so it is just a matter of finding one that is to your taste, but this one is definitely full of comprehensive information for your trip.
>>See More Reviews & Details on Shanghai (Lonely Planet City Guides)

Used Price: £9.65

Average Rating:

.New Zealand (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: Carolyn Bain, George Dunford, Korina Miller, Sally O'Brien, Charles Rawlings-Way

September 01, 2006
The previous editions (see other reviews) may have been great, but the new Sept 2006 version is a real disappointment. Just used it for 3 weeks in NZ. For years I have used Lonely Planets. They give you information. Something has gone wrong with this NZ one. Far too much is the worst sort of travel writers' gush. Far too little is the sort of info LP are otherwise justly famous for. A real shame - lets hope LP are going to quickly revise and re-write it. Meanwhile, I'd suggest checking out the alternatives.
>>See More Reviews & Details on New Zealand (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £10.00

Average Rating:

.Bali and Lombok (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

by: Iain Stewart

March 01, 2007
Took this book on our Honeymoon to Bali in September. Absolutely essential tool for finding the huge number of hidden treasures. We were at Nusa Dua which was poorly covered, but bare in mind that the Lonely books are for your globe trotting surfer.
But the rest of the island was very well covered and gave some great detail on the main attractions.
The Island guide was very useful giving details of local customs and amenities.
Would make sure this is in your pocket when you go.
A few tips
1. Watch the "helpers" at the airport, they will swamp you at the conveyor and fleece you for the pleasure of carrying your bag. Just say no.
2. If you are at one of the big resorts/ hotel complexes, hire you first taxi through the hotel. Then ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Bali and Lombok (Lonely Planet Country Guide)

Used Price: £6.24

Average Rating:

.Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Greater Mekong (Lonely Planet Multi Country Guide)

by: Nick Ray

September 01, 2007
This book covers Bangkok and the Centre and East (Issan) side of Northern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Yunnan in China.

This is a very good loop for travelers who are going to be doing this circuit around Southeast Asia.

The book is too condensed for my liking though. The book is small and lightweight (about 1/2 size of the Thailand guide book) but with that compromises have had to be made. It therefore seems to be similar in content to the Southeast Asia guidebook for the areas it covers. I would have preferred the book to be the size of the larger guides and covered more detail.

The are also some quirks with the book. Although the sections (countries) have a similar look and feel there are major information emissions in ... Read More:
>>See More Reviews & Details on Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Greater Mekong (Lonely Planet Multi Country Guide)

Used Price: £6.88