Insight Guide South India

Rating:
Summary: great background reading
Review: I used this book while travelling in South India in December 2003. As a practical guide book with details about logistics such as transport and accommodation it is not particularly helpful. I would not recommend this book for the independent budget traveller for this reason. However, to dismiss this book as unhelpful would be a mistake. Firstly, it contains many beautiful photographs to illustrate the text. These alone make the book worthwhile and it is something that can be kept as a reference long after your travels are over. Secondly, all the essays are written by local writers with expertise in their fields. They are not written by a traveller who is only briefly passing through the country so the information given is far more insightful (perhaps this is where they got the name Insight Guides).

As mentioned above the independent budget traveller would be better off with Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. This book is clearly aimed at people on organised tours looking for additional background information. It would also make excellent background reading before you travel or even a great general reference for the armchair traveller.