- ISBN13: 9781741791556
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
South India is distinct from the north and Lonely Planet knows how. We've explored the lush waterways of Kerala, bartered in Mumbai's bazaars, taken tea in charming hill stations and sampled seafood in Goa's beach shacks. Of these, we've picked only the best and our 5th edition takes you to them.
Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.
In This Guide:
Spicy full-color section reveals the tastiest local delicacies
Exclusive itineraries guide you to the top temples, beaches and more
Green Index helps you tread lightly
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
India is really too big to be adequately covered in a single guidebook. That was one of the main reasons I used Lonely Planet’s “South India” while travelling there in December 2003. Some of the information, particularly prices for accommodation was out of date, but this is to be expected of a guide book that has been in print for more than two years. What disappointed me about this book was that even though it only covered part of India and should be less constrained by space considerations it was frustratingly short on detail in various ways. Some places could have had more detailed coverage and there were still many places omitted completely. I also think Lonely Planet stretches the definition of South India a bit far by including chapters on Maharashtra and Orissa. Less states and more detail would make this guide book much better value for money.
Rating: 3 / 5
I ventured to South India, Bombay and Goa, last January, and this book never left my side. As a first-time visitor to the country, I was nervous at first, but the information found in this book helped me to prepare adequately for the trip and navigate my way through this often confusing (but always amazing) country. The guide caters to travelers on a variety of budgets, and offers tips for escaping the white-washed tourist trail to really get a taste of local culture. I would recommend ordering a copy a couple months before leaving- there is much to peruse in the book and region, and it will help you to plan out what you want to see, what you need to pack, and how to get by when the culture shock is hitting hard.
Rating: 5 / 5
This book proved helpful on my recent biycle tour of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. It’s one of Lonely Planet’s better guidebooks, however some sights suffer from rushed research. For example, the fort at Gingee–one of India’s best–has three sections, but the authors failed to mention the most spectacular of the three. The authors should have mentioned Suchindram Temple, just north of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu; the beautiful stone temple is famous for its musical columns and 6-meter-tall statue of the monkey god Hanuman. I found the book weak on off-the-beaten-path destinations. I would have liked more information on culture–places to visit and background; if this is your main interest, I recommend that you also check out the Rough Guide edition on South India.
Rating: 3 / 5
You can never go wrong with lonely planet.
The Wheelers have made life so much easier for travellers the world over. Even though I live in South India I have bought this book and use it like a reference. It gives me ideas for what to do over weekends.
South India is probably wrongly named as it also includes states of India which are not considered to be ‘south’ of the country (e.g. Maharashtra and Goa). Nonetheless an absolute must for anyone living / travelling to ‘south’ India.
In some places the info is dated (the edition is of October’01) and needs to be updated.
Rating: 5 / 5
The guidebook does not include all the options or highlights of places but it has sufficient information for your first or second time visit. Very useful opening times and price guidelines!
…In fact I found myself returning to South India many times after the first review of this book. Even though these are always business trips I try to get the most out of them spending weekends in the more or less touristic places. Thanks to LP I’ve even guided some Indians around Chennai and Mumbai!
Try out bird sanctuaries or Gingee Forts for example – you’ll be surprised by the fact there are places in India charming though not overcrowded (and not located in Himalaya). The book does a pretty good job in this field.
After a while you’ll need to search for some more info on the web or in local resources however LP always provides with good ideas and directions for exploring.
Rating: 5 / 5
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