what guidebook?

redleader

greetings.

I'm getting ready for my first trip to india in October. I'd like to get a nice guide book to use. The two obvious ones that come to mind are Lonely Planet and Let's Go. What do you all recommend?

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Callous

On both our trips to India we have used LP,it is quite good and there will be a new edition coming out in Sep I think.You glean so much info from other travellers once you are there,that is always the best way to go.Have a great trip.

diamond

I prefer Footprint Guides - they seem more reliable than the others in terms of contact info etc. They also have a new India edition coming out soon and have current up to date editions on Rajasthan and South India. See www.footprintbooks.com for more details. Have a good time.

ine b.

I also like footprint guides, I used one for my trip to Thailand last year and was very satisfied.
There 's a new footprint guide for India coming out in october according to Amazon uk, but maybe that's too late for you. You can already order it on amazon.
I also noticed that the footprint guide for india has about 400 pages more than the lonely planet, but it uses thinner paper so the book is not bigger or havier.
Anyway, whatever guidebook you use, Lonelyplanet, Footprint, Let's Go or another one, I think they all will be ok.

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Dr Funkenstein

Prefer the Rough Guide myself, although the India one's due an update. I think the current one's a few years old now.

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Valentine of 79

I prefer Eyewitness Guides- they're a little more expensive and heavy- but they're full color and concentrate more on sights and activites and less on hotels and restaurants. Seeing that you are travelling with a organised tour, like me, you don't need all the extra hotel and train information. (I have the Rough Guide as well but I will take with me and use the Eyewitness Guide.)

jens

I used Footprint and LP - it was sort of heavy but not to bad...I thought Footprint was a bit more accurate especially about trains, buses in more remote areas. We didn't really use the books too much except for transportation though.

janwillem

new LP 26th of september

woodlouse

Hi
don't know what the libraries are like where you live - but ours is great! They have loads of different brands of guide books for many locations. Read/refer & make notes from them, then buy the one you liked best. I prefer rough guide (or LP sometimes) to give an overview (and ofen an opinion!)- but if you're into architecture/history one of the others might give more detail.

MeCasa

Good idea Woodlouse, I was happy when I saw this thread beacause I wanted to know but didn't want to be the one to ask.

Then everybody gives a differing opinion which puts me back at square one

But I understand now that different books may fit differing people's agendas, one book for trekker's and rural guests. one for transport etc.

So it's best to get a look-see at what's available and which book fits your needs

ine b.

Hey for all you Rough Guide lovers, i just discovered on Amazon uk there will be a new Rough Guide coming out in November.
So it seems all major travel guides for India are getting an update this fall ...
That makes choosing one even harder

ruins_explorer

I always pick up an Eyewitness to complement the LP or RG guide I've bought. I love the 3/4 views of neighborhoods and buildings. At times, these have been a real help for me to find my way when I'm lost. Also, they are just plain fun to read.

However, for food and hotel recs, they are definitely not tops. they usually put that stuff in the end and only review a few places, usually only the top-end.

anjunaangel

lonely planet every time glad the new one is out soon

Anders

I prefer Lonely Planet, but in reality it does not really matter what you buy, all of them will have maps, accomodation lists etc. The major disadvantage with Lonely planet is that everyone buys it. When you read about that lovely guest house in town X there is about a million other people that have read the very same thing and all of them are now trying to get in to the same guesthouse that is now permanently full and have raised there prices and lowered there standard.

torryquine

Agreed, they also have a tendancy to "gloss over" certain realities - this is what they say about the Bhopal disaster:

"In December 1984, a toxic gas leak from the Union Carbide factory claimed the lives of 5,000 pople, in one of the worlds' worst industrial disasters. With the wounds of this tragedy now healing......"

hardly a true picture from what other members of this forum report.

Their India book is a bit heavy to travel with too. I generally use their guides to plan trips, then leave it at home. If they ditched the listings section and supplied better maps I'd take it along.

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