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

Product Description
Lonely Planet is the expert on India. Our 13th edition eases you through the spicy diversity of India - from the thrilling bustle of Delhi's bazaars, to the laid-back beaches of Goa, the serene beauty of Himalayan Sikkim, and the majesty of Jaisalmer's ancient fort.

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:

Bonus activities chapter detailing camel treks, watersports and yoga
Tasty color feature reveals the best local food
Festive special section on India's most magical celebrations

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.


AS MUCH ABOUT TOURISM IN INDIA AS CAN BE PACKED INTO A BOOK   July 23, 2006
Denis Benchimol Minev (Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)
23 out of 24 found this review helpful

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.


It's not about the book.   December 10, 2006
Simon Foster (Clapham, London, UK)
20 out of 24 found this review helpful

A couple months ago I decided to go travelling. I wasn't really sure where to, I just needed a change. In the end I decided on India, because I've never been, and I'd always heard what a great place it was to go.

I didn't take much; a backpack, some clothes, and the Lonely Planet Guide to India. To be honest, I didn't even start reading it until I got on the plane. What I discovered was that it wasn't just something you read once, it's something to have with you the whole time.

Whatever your plans, the chances are you're going to lose your way or make mistakes or just change your mind, and that's where this book is essential. It's like The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy - no matter what need you're in, it has an answer for you. Maps, essential sites, local customs, everything you need to get by in this incredible country.

At first, I wasn't sure if I could manage by myself. You realise how much you rely on other people for so much. I found myself retreating, thinking about home, wanting to go back. But then I'd pick up the Lonely Planet, and find something to do, somewhere to go. And soon I was relying on it less and less, and after a while, hardly at all. Before I knew it, I'd been gone two months and hadn't thought about home in weeks. The book isn't India, it's a way in.

Over the course of my time away, the only thing I came back with that I took with me was this book; everything else I left behind; I realised in the end nothing else really mattered.




The Essential   February 1, 2006
S. Cunningham (Japan)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

If you plan to go to India whether on a guided tour or your own, get this book. I just got back from India, and this book had everything spot on. Our guide has been leading tours in India and Nepal for 12 years and said that he thought this was the best guide for India he's seen.

You will enjoy the trip a lot more if you read up on the history, culture, and sections on each place you are visiting. Knowing what to expect will help you avoid the culture shock many people experience arriving in India.

No guide has it all, and this one missed one thing. Do not mail anything from your hotel. The bell captains take the mail, steam off your stamp, and resell it. Unfortunately, we found out about this after we mailed our postcards.


Great Resource   October 19, 2006
Daniel Wilkinson-Gee (Hamilton, Waikato New Zealand)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Best overview on India. If you want more in depth you need to buy books related to a particular subject. This book gives an overview on everything Indian. Really important resource for a traveller in India.