Travel to Asia

Lonely Planet Thailand

Format: Paperback
Author: Joe Cummings
ReleaseDate: 30 September, 2005
Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications
Rating:

Great Guide Book
That's really true. I have read this booking and really love it, I am Thai citizen, but some part which Joe has written in the book is reflect the real thing, something which I never look down and realize (I think insider might see different from outsider).

Excellent book - best Lonely Planet guide I ever had
That Thailand guide is an excellent guide that gives you info you are looking for, historical highlights, maps and short stories, and, is not 'dry' as other guides. I travel a lot and, as a consequence, i do purchase a lot of the guides by Lonely planet.

If you never had it and you are going to Thailand - get it - it is a must. .

Outstanding for the first time visitor
Several things to remember is that:

a) if the publishing date is 2005 the content is probably several months to a year older. I just returned from a month in Thailand and found the Lonely Planet Guide to be very impressive.
b) if you have local friends and/or family the guide will still be useful but not nearly so compared to a traveler who is on their own. You might keep thinking why the guide doesn't cover something that your in country friend gives you great info or insight into. Relax, the LP guide, despite its heft can only provide so much info.

Comments on LPs logistics and highlights. . .

1) Logistics.
Negative. There wasn't a lot of coverage given on the new low fare airlines that are now available but this might be because these airlines did not exist in force when the research was done.

Positive. I traveled on local bus, long distance bus, train, taxi, moto-taxi, sky train, subway, regional airplane and even tuk-tuk. The guild had very precise information on how to get around locally and through out the country. This was probably the most helpful part of the book with information I was not able to find easily elsewhere. (Always keep in mind that prices and times will change though. )

Highlights.
Negatives. I could tell that the writers have a particular perspective on what is a highlight and what is not. They love the Wats or temples. I admit that many are incredible and worth the journey. But there are many, many, many of them. After seeing a few Wats, Wat fatigue set. The point is to keep your own interests in mind and not let the guide pick too much of what you decide to do.

Positives. I enjoyed many of the suggestions in the book including the cooking school in Kanchanaburi, walking the alleys of Chinatown in Bangkok, a particularly spectacular guest house in Koa Tao, etc. . My highlights were definitely not the guide's highlights but were found in the guide.

Thailand has a lot to see and the LP guide does an admirable job within the limits of the print format. Now get out there!.

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