Contents

The Lonely Planet India is a brick of a book. Its 1244 pages weigh in at 1kg/2 pounds, but are packed full of practical information covering every region in the country.

The structure and layout is the same as the Lonely Planet South India, so see my review of this for more details. As in the other guide the Highlights, Getting Started and Itineraries sections provide a great overview of India and help to plan a trip to this huge country. The main differences are the lack of colour food section (although the food section is quite detailed), and language phrases are only listed in Hindi and Tamil.

Each state is covered in its own chapter. The Lonely Planet South India guide has slightly more info on the Southern states, but not a great deal more. As usual the Lonely Planet guides are very strong on budget accommodation listings, transport information and maps.

Pros

• The guide covers the whole of India
• It was recently released in September 2009 so is the most up to date India guidebook on the market
• Lots of accurate and easy to use maps
• The suggested itineraries section is very useful for planning a trip
• Helpful transport information. I believe Lonely Planet provide the best advice on how to get from A to B.
• Activities section is great for planning a trip around an interest such as bird-watching, kayaking or yoga.

Cons

• This is a huge and heavy book. I recommend doing what we did and cut out the chapters of the states you won’t be visiting. We also cut out the state we were in so that we didn’t have to carry around the whole book for daytrips.
• Only Hindi and Tamil are included in the languages section
• Lonely Planet is the most popular guide with travellers in India, so you could end up following the crowds, especially with the accommodation recommendations.

So which guidebook is right for your trip to Kerala and India? If you are just visiting Kerala go for the Rough Guide to Kerala for the most specific cultural and practical information in a very compact book. The Lonely Planet South India is a great choice if you are travelling further afield, and if you are venturing all over the country then you won’t go wrong with the Lonely Planet India. Just do your back a favour and cut out the pages you don’t need!

Buy the Lonely Planet India Now

Related posts:

1. Kerala Guidebook Review: Lonely Planet South India In the last Kerala India Travel post we reviewed The...
2. Kerala Guidebook Review: The Rough Guide to Kerala This is the first in a new series reviewing the...
3. How to Find Great Kerala Accommodation (Part 1) Great accommodation can really make your stay in Kerala, and...

Contents

The Lonely Planet South India is a 576 page guide that is surprisingly compact and lightweight, considering it covers such a large region. It features information on Mumbai, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It includes:

South India Highlights – a run down of the top ten highlights in the region with large colour photos. Three of the highlights are in Kerala (Kerala Backwaters at Number 1, Fort Cochin and Kannur). This is a nice visual introduction to the region.

Getting Started – I like this useful section that focuses on the key practicalities you need to plan your trip. It introduces you to South India and deals with when to go, costs, key items to pack and includes Top Picks for books, festivals and trips.

Events Calendar - featuring major national festivals by month. State specific festivals aren’t included here, but there are festival lists in each state chapter.

Itineraries – I find the suggested itineraries section in Lonely Planet guides one of the most useful features when first planning a trip. Especially with a region as large as South India it can be overwhelming deciding where to go and working out what is possible in a certain period of time. This section shows suggested routes on a map with a description and recommended time frame.

You get an idea of what the most popular attractions are, as well as suggestions on how to avoid the crowds in the Road Less Travelled itineraries. The Tailored Trips routes are great for focusing on an area of interest – in this case temples, ashrams, festivals and beaches. I’m not suggesting you slavishly follow these routes but they are a great starting point for planning a trip around your own interests.

History & Culture – These sections are essential for improving your understanding of South India. The detailed culture section covers lifestyle, religion, women in India, arts and sport.

Food & Drink – Another vital chapter focusing on South Indian food that features a lovely full colour section with photos and a helpful glossary.

Environment & Activities -The useful activities chapter highlights the best places for certain activities such as elephant rides or birdwatching. This is helpful for choosing an itinerary based on an interest. It includes a holistic and spiritual activities section telling you where to go for ashrams, yoga and Ayurveda etc.

Main Guide – The main guide is divided up by state. Each state chapter starts with an introduction, map, key facts (such as when to go, language etc) and a list of festivals. It lists 9 festivals for Kerala. Information on destinations covers practical information, sights & activities, sleeping, eating, drinking, entertainment, getting there & away, and getting around.

Directory, Transport & Health – The detailed practical information that applies to the whole region is listed at the back of the guide. Here you’ll discover what to expect from Indian toilets, scams to look out for, how to send a parcel or book a train and a huge amount of other invaluable information.

Language – The language section includes key phrases in all major South Indian language- Tamil, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam (for Kerala), Marathi and Telugu.

Green Index List – A list of organisations featured in the guide that are committed to sustainability.

Pros

• The latest version of Lonely Planet South India has just been released, so the information is very up to date.
• Lots of accurate and easy to use maps.
• The suggested itineraries section is very helpful for planning a trip.
• Accurate and detailed transport information. I believe Lonely Planet provide the best advice on how to get from A to B.
• Compact and not too heavy (especially compared with the huge Lonely Planet India).
• Useful colour food and drink section for making sense of the range of delicious food on offer.
• Activities section for planning a trip around an interest.
• Green Index List helps you find sustainable organisations.
• Language section features all six major South Indian languages (including Malayalam for Kerala which is not included in Lonely Planet India).

Cons

• It doesn’t cover Keralan specific culture and destinations in as much detail as The Rough Guide to Kerala.
• Lonely Planet is the most popular guide with travellers in India, so you could end up following the crowds, especially with the accommodation recommendations.

Summary

Lonely Planet South India is a comprehensive, detailed guide to the region packed with useful information.

I personally like the Lonely Planet format, but if you are a Rough Guide fan you might also want to consider the Rough Guide to South India. However the latest version was published in October 2007 so is two years older than the Lonely Planet South India.

There are only six more pages of Kerala information in Lonely Planet South India than there is in the Lonely Planet India, so if you are travelling all over the country it’s worth getting this complete guide to the country. Read my review of the Lonely Planet India guidebook here.

Buy the Lonely Planet South India Now.

Related posts:

1. Kerala Guidebook Review: Lonely Planet India This is the final part of our Kerala Guidebook Review...
2. Kerala Guidebook Review: The Rough Guide to Kerala This is the first in a new series reviewing the...
3. How to Find Great Kerala Accommodation (Part 1) Great accommodation can really make your stay in Kerala, and...

The Rough Guide to Kerala is the only major guidebook that covers Kerala only and is ideal for travellers who are just visiting Kerala, and not the rest of India. This comprehensive guide is suitable for all independent travellers, whether on a shoestring budget or in search of comfortable resorts.  It covers all the major attractions as well as more off the beaten track destinations.

Contents

The Rough Guide to Kerala is a compact size with 351 pages. It includes:

• A Colour Introductory Section - This includes a good introduction to Kerala, a colour map, an overview of ‘where to go’, and a useful ‘when to go’ section featuring average temperature and rainfall charts.  The ‘19 Things Not to Miss’ feature includes colour photos and alongside the most obvious sights, lists interesting aspects of Keralan culture such as Kalarippayattu, an acrobatic martial art, and Sadya, a banana leaf feast. This section is a really useful overview and gives a good sense of what there is to see and do in Kerala.
• Basics Section – Here you’ll find all the important practical information you’ll need to plan your trip. It includes information on transport (getting there and around), types of accommodation on offer, health, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette (very important for India), shopping (what are the best souvenirs to buy), travelling with kids, and travel essentials such as costs and changing money.I particularly like the comprehensive festivals list which details 48 Keralan festivals that take place throughout the year, and the detailed guide to delicious Keralan food and drink. This features a section on Keralan spices, and a list of ‘10 Great Places to Eat Authentic Keralan Food’.
• The Main Guide – This is divided up into Southern, Central and Northern Kerala. Each section includes an introduction, a map, a list of highlights and some history for that area. The guides are detailed and for each place cover transport, accommodation, sights, eating and practical listings for hospitals, internet cafes etc.

Both popular and smaller off the beaten track destinations are covered. The accommodation reviews cover the full range of options from rock bottom budget to luxury resorts. There is a colour section on the backwaters, but mostly the guide section is text with the occasional black and white photo.

• Contexts – At the back of The Rough Guide to Kerala there is detailed information on the history, religion, sacred arts and wildlife of Kerala, which is very helpful for learning more about the state. There is also a comprehensive book list for further reading.

• Language – The final section features basic Malayalam phrases and a helpful food glossary.

Pros

What is your favourite guidebook to Kerala? Leave a comment and let us know.

Related posts:

1. Kerala Guidebook Review: Lonely Planet South India In the last Kerala India Travel post we reviewed The...
2. Kerala Guidebook Review: Lonely Planet India This is the final part of our Kerala Guidebook Review...
3. How to Find Great Kerala Accommodation (Part 1) Great accommodation can really make your stay in Kerala, and...