Lonely Planet Libya

I have been living in Libya and this book gave great beginning insight into places to travel... many people complain that the book put too much of a positive flare on things, for example 5 star hotels being 3 star.... you have to keep in mind that in this culture a 5 star hotel may not meet the standards of your country. I have found US, Japanese, and Aussies/New Zealanders have much higher standards for hotels than other Middle Eastern cultures or Europeans. Many hotels in the more rural areas of Libya are not that great even though they claim to be 5 stars. I found once you are there it is best to ask locals or speak with a local travel agency. You can ask them about the hotels you read about and make a decision. The larger cities like Tripoli really do have nice hotels. The Radisson Blu for example was a very nice as well as the Corinthian. Pros: Covered many cities/towns in Libya and gave good insight into some of the history. The book has good maps. It has a few key Arabic sayings in the back of the book. The book had good traveler's tips and travelers short stories. Cons: The book is close to 5 years old so some of the things mentioned may not be found (although I have not had that problem)

This guide isn't lacking in detail compared to other brands of guide books. I just wish it had more pictures, and color pictures.

Libya is not a country yet used to having many visitors from the western world (with the possible exception of Italians) so vistors should not expect too much in terms for five star comforts - or at least not yet as things are already beginning to change. It is a place well worth visiting however and this guide is very helpful in both planning your trip and finding your way around. One of the greatest tourist assests this country has are the remarkable Roman and Greek ruins at various sites throughout the country - in particular the spectular Greek ruins at Cyrene in the east of the country. (These make the acropolis of Athens look pathetic by comparison). The outlines and maps provided by Lonely Planet of these archeological sites proved accurate and helpful and allowed us to get much more out of guided tours than we could have otherwise. The guide proved remarkabley accurate in assessment of the quality of hotels, restaurants and sites to visit. So much so that our Libyan guide from one of the local tour companies was delighted when we gave him our copy at the airport on our departure. It should be noted that the authors have a somewhat rosey view of things - they don't mention the fact that a lot of litter is strewn throughout the country, a lot of people are not especially friendly (though many are) but they are right in pointing out that it is a relativley safe place to visit. All in all a smart investment for anyone visiting the country.