Best guide book

Diddles · May 24th, 2005, 15:54

Hi there,

Can anyone recommend a good guide book for India ? I know alot of you don't seem to use them but I reckon I'll need one. I've read up on forums here and Rough Guide has been recommended, has anyone used this and if so is it any good ? What about Lonely Planet or Lets Go, are they any good ?

Thanks for your help.

cyberhippie · May 24th, 2005, 16:02

Footprint, LP and Rough Guide are all pretty comprehensive guides both for the independant traveller and the two week tourist!
I use the LP but mainly because I'm used to the format! All of these guides will furnish you with the info you need to steer your way around India!
Just don't use them as your total persective on India

Diddles · May 24th, 2005, 16:34

Yeah, I've used Lonely Planet before too and am kind of used to it, the one for India is massive aswell so am assuming there's lots of info in it. We're going to Nepal aswell as India so I was looking at the Lets Go India and Nepal combined guide and was wondering if it would be any good ? It's only about the same size as the Lonely Planet guide to India which is good for fitting in the back pack but then I'm wondering how comprehensive it can be if it's that much smaller, anyone used the Lets Go guide ?

wandering_kat · May 24th, 2005, 16:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diddles

What about Lonely Planet or Lets Go, are they any good ?

Don't get us started!

Just kidding - some threads on guidebooks have ended up in heated debates... Most IMers seem to go for Rough Guide/LP/Footprint. Let's Go doesn't seem to feature much.

I like LP personally, tho apparently Footprints better for a cultural perspective.

Agree with Cyberhippie - use it as a guide, not a be-all-and-end-all....

Another thought: Since LP is the most popular guidebook, you will have no problems en-route borrowing copies from other travellers. If you go for Rough Guide/Footprint and combine that with reading others' LP, you'll have two for the price/weight of one!

cyberhippie · May 24th, 2005, 16:47

LP in PDF format on a disc now that would be good!

yugenji · May 24th, 2005, 17:09

Lonely Planet for a general idea but you have to go and see...

Nick-H · May 24th, 2005, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by wandering_kat

... ...some threads on guidebooks have ended up in heated debates...

Kat: you could not be more wrong about that

Never happened

Never could happen... ... ...

I've got a Rough Guide on gthe shelf ...largely because they do a separate South India volume, which suits me. I think there are others for the South only, though...

Karma Queen · May 24th, 2005, 17:43

yeah, search for some other threads about guide books. they go on forevvvverrr. i think the bottom line is that it's a very personal choice. have a look at all of them and then decide. they're all pretty much as good as each other. just remember not to take them as gospel

wandering_kat · May 24th, 2005, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Kat: you could not be more wrong about that

Never happened

Never could happen... ... ...

Nick -

are YOU calling ME wrong?!?!?!?

Wanna take this outside?

[/quote]I've got a Rough Guide on gthe shelf ...largely because they do a separate South India volume, which suits me. I think there are others for the South only, though...[/quote]

LP does a South India version that served me very well last year.

BTW, the new LP and new Footprint editions are coming out in September - another thing to take into consideration before buying a guide....

Diddles · May 24th, 2005, 17:54

That's interesting the new books are coming out in September cos I'm not going till then and I have an older book which will probably give me an idea of places to go till I get the updated one, thanks for all the advice guys.

Sprocket · May 24th, 2005, 19:20

Diddles, remember you can always buy secondhand in Pahar Ganj etc. at a bit of a saving. Theres always a few on e-bay, but I'd wait until Sept. if you're going then for the new Footprint, in my humble opinion the best overall.

AnneT · May 24th, 2005, 19:23

I use LP also for the format but their maps are shockers...or is it just me. My sense of direction isn't overly well developed so I am careful, but with LP it's a real hit and miss operation. Other maps don't seem to cause me problems. I remember sending a letter to Tony Wheeler way back before email and websites telling him a long story about me, Kolkata and the second (I think) ed of LP India. I can't remeber all the details but a simple walk took nearly a day! When a I bought a local map of Calcutta it bore no resemblance to the one in LP. Oh, and Tone never replied!

Judi · May 24th, 2005, 21:15

Hi Diddles
I use the Rough Guide myself - and even my LP- devoted husband felt that this one was the best for India. Just use it as a 'rough guide' of where to go etc. and don't let any guidebook colour your impressions! You'll soon find that you have plenty of your own.

alfa · May 24th, 2005, 22:11

hi

I have used both LP and Rough and they are largely similar and are good. Though one must use guides as a "guide" and not get tied down with it. Taking help of fellow human beings and talking to them is always helpful

May 24th, 2005, 15:54	#1
Diddles Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ireland Posts: 33	Best guide book Hi there, Can anyone recommend a good guide book for India ? I know alot of you don't seem to use them but I reckon I'll need one. I've read up on forums here and Rough Guide has been recommended, has anyone used this and if so is it any good ? What about Lonely Planet or Lets Go, are they any good ? Thanks for your help.

May 24th, 2005, 17:43	#8
Karma Queen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: England Posts: 365	yeah, search for some other threads about guide books. they go on forevvvverrr. i think the bottom line is that it's a very personal choice. have a look at all of them and then decide. they're all pretty much as good as each other. just remember not to take them as gospel __________________ Make Poverty History

May 24th, 2005, 22:11	#14
alfa Always in Sin Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 89	hi I have used both LP and Rough and they are largely similar and are good. Though one must use guides as a "guide" and not get tied down with it. Taking help of fellow human beings and talking to them is always helpful __________________ Now is the time baby!

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May 24th, 2005, 16:02	#2
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,013	Footprint, LP and Rough Guide are all pretty comprehensive guides both for the independant traveller and the two week tourist! I use the LP but mainly because I'm used to the format! All of these guides will furnish you with the info you need to steer your way around India! Just don't use them as your total persective on India

May 24th, 2005, 16:34	#3
Diddles Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ireland Posts: 33	Yeah, I've used Lonely Planet before too and am kind of used to it, the one for India is massive aswell so am assuming there's lots of info in it. We're going to Nepal aswell as India so I was looking at the Lets Go India and Nepal combined guide and was wondering if it would be any good ? It's only about the same size as the Lonely Planet guide to India which is good for fitting in the back pack but then I'm wondering how comprehensive it can be if it's that much smaller, anyone used the Lets Go guide ?

May 24th, 2005, 16:47	#5
cyberhippie Account Closed by User's Request Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: the Netherlands Posts: 6,013	LP in PDF format on a disc now that would be good!

May 24th, 2005, 17:09	#6
yugenji Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 2	Lonely Planet for a general idea but you have to go and see...

May 24th, 2005, 17:54	#10
Diddles Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Ireland Posts: 33	That's interesting the new books are coming out in September cos I'm not going till then and I have an older book which will probably give me an idea of places to go till I get the updated one, thanks for all the advice guys.

May 24th, 2005, 19:20	#11
Sprocket Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: U.K Posts: 40	Diddles, remember you can always buy secondhand in Pahar Ganj etc. at a bit of a saving. Theres always a few on e-bay, but I'd wait until Sept. if you're going then for the new Footprint, in my humble opinion the best overall.

May 24th, 2005, 19:23	#12
AnneT Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 43	I use LP also for the format but their maps are shockers...or is it just me. My sense of direction isn't overly well developed so I am careful, but with LP it's a real hit and miss operation. Other maps don't seem to cause me problems. I remember sending a letter to Tony Wheeler way back before email and websites telling him a long story about me, Kolkata and the second (I think) ed of LP India. I can't remeber all the details but a simple walk took nearly a day! When a I bought a local map of Calcutta it bore no resemblance to the one in LP. Oh, and Tone never replied!

May 24th, 2005, 21:15	#13
Judi Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: England Posts: 458	Hi Diddles I use the Rough Guide myself - and even my LP- devoted husband felt that this one was the best for India. Just use it as a 'rough guide' of where to go etc. and don't let any guidebook colour your impressions! You'll soon find that you have plenty of your own.

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