Product Description: The Rough Guide to South India is the ultimate handbook to this fascinating region. The guide opens with a full-colour section introducing the authors'' highlights with some inspirational photography and essential information on the region''s diverse attractions, from enjoying an ayurvedic massage to exploring the ruins at Hampi. The Rough Guide offers comprehensive and practical advice on everything from finding the best places to stay and the most comfortable means of transport, to spotting elephants in the Cardamon Hills and negotiating Mumbai. The guide also provides a lucid and informative insight into South India''s history, religions, architecture, music and dance.
Great guide, better than LP I have been travelling for a couple of weeks through Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka using the Rough Guide, together with a friend who had the Lonely Planet to South India. Overall I found the RG a very good guide, both in terms of practical information (maps, transportation, budget hotels) as well as for providing sufficient background information about the temples in that region (which is definitely not the case for the LP!).
Indispensable I used this guide on a recent study abroad trip to Bangalore. It was indispensable for traveling alone (i.e. without the guidance of a local). For example, on a weekend trip to Chenni (Madras) it helped me find the only place in the city with a plethora trees and gardens - The Theosophical Society grounds - as well as make my way around the city and get to a high class restaurant when I was craving comfort food. It also provides little bits of local knowledge; for intance, it tells the story of how J. Krishnamurti was 'found' by the Theosophists on the beach and recognized as the 'enlightened one'- where else would you find that information?! I would have been lost if I didn't have this guide, or relied on the National Geographic India guide my parents gave to me. I don't know about restaurants or hotels as I didn't use it too much for that purpose, but it listed all of the major bookstores in the area, even some that my host mother (raised in Bangalore) didn't know about!
Rough Guide to South India This book gives ou a nice overview of the region, and incredible specific tips for visiting South India.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
