Lonely Planet West Africa

This book is practically the bible for W. Africa travel. I lived and worked in W. Africa for 3 years (2 years as a Peace Corps volunteer) and I never went anywhere without consulting LP. The information is as accurate as anything out there. It offers you suggested itineraries and "off the beaten path" suggestions as well as the traditionally touristy destinations. Many parts are less objective than other parts and the writers tend to harp on corruption. But W. Africa is a pretty corrupt place in general. If you don't like the editorial sections, skip 'em, the info you need is still there.

I really enjoyed this book. I feel it is the best written LP I've ever read (and I've read and traveled with many LP titles). I used the Sénégal section and found the hotel listings current and the maps very accurate. I really liked the special boxes with additional information on dangers, scams, and personal safety. I personally witnessed many things that I had read about in this book, making me ready for would be scam artists. One guy approached me and said "Remember me from the hotel lobby?" I had to keep myself from laughing. I replied back "I think so, which hotel?" and he didn't know what to say. With LP West Africa you will be well prepared to travel in one of the hardest places to travel in the world.NOTE: The book is 4 years old and the region is even more unsafe now then it was 4 years ago. Be careful when traveling there.

I spent several weeks travelling through Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and Senegal in late 1999. it was the first time i had ever travelled alone and this book served as my primary companion. although i didn't always agree with the ratings of particular establishments (especially in Cote D'Ivoire), I found it to be very well researched and handy to have both for its quick maps and background information on the countries. I also purchased the Rough Guide to West Africa, b/c I am a big fan of their series, but the Lonely Planet guide was by far the best for this region. Keep in mind that the political situations in these countries change so abruptly that you still need to be prepared for anything. For example, there was a coup d'etat in Cote D'Ivoire while i was there. I still had a tremendous time on my trip, and i know that lonely planet deserves some of the credit.

YES! Lonely Planet continues to show us the trail others have blazed! I have used Lonely Planet guides extensively while traveling the interior of West Africa. I have always found them to be candid and accurate pertaining to lodging and dining accommodations. The backpacker's Bible! Thanks for keeping up to date with the rapid changes taking place in W. Africa! See you on the trail......Johnny Connelly

This is a very thourogh travel guide for anyone who is going to be traveling anywhere in West Africa. It lists great spots to eat, nightclubs, and sights to see plus much more. And it has maps of the larger cities that you may be visiting. Also included are helpful tips for taveling around from country to country, as this can be a huge ordeal- remember, this isn't Europe with a Eurorail! This book is an invaluable resource for travelers in West Africa, and Lonely Planet definately knows their busisnes!