Lonely Planet Taiwan (Travel Guide)

Evidently, Lonely Planet has completely upset the apple cart in regard to their recent editions. This Taiwan book was published in September 2023, and the layout has been completely changed (for the worse). Highlights for each section are no longer included. Accommodation and eating options have been scrapped. The book is no longer a helpful/easy reference (as in I'd like to check on X, and therefore I turn to this page whether I know the page from the Index or just basic logic). You turn pages not knowing what the next page holds. It's laid out like a novel. I don't have time to read a novel before planning a trip.Travel guides are GUIDES, not novels. I'm looking for information that I can easily REFERENCE.This frustrates me deeply because I've been using Lonely Planet's books heavily since 2006. I've probably bought a couple hundred.I'm so upset by this, that I bought the Taiwan 2020 version. If LP continues with this new format, then I'll have to stock up on the used copies, which were gold.With this new format, I'll have to read the entire 370-page book in order to plan a trip. Shame, because it used to be so easy to plan trips...

This 2023 guide is unlike any other Lonely Planet guide book I have ever seen and not in a good way. It does not even pretend to follow the standard format. There is a lot less content - less sites of interest, less background information, no list of embassies and consulates, basically no health information. This is a massive downgrade from the previous edition from March 2020.Points of interest do not have their closest MRT station listed and the index is pretty much useless. The pull out Taipei city map states there’s a transit map - but there isn’t, not even just MRT and the regular rail. It’s incredibly disappointing considering that the first two authors are the same between versions.I really hope that this is a one off issue because there is no way I would ever buy another travel guide from them if this is the format going forward.I suppose the one good thing is there are lots of lovely color pictures, even if the egret on page 80 is erroneously labeled a crane.

I am extremely disappointed with this guide. Lonely Planet for so many years was and still is the only travel guide that I would rely on. They were detailed, comprehensive, locally-grounded, and had excellent recommendations for off the beaten path travel. It was an actual travel guide, it wasn't something for tourists. This is not a Lonely Planet guide. It's way too general, has a poor level of detail, and is not organized in a similar way that the previous guides are. I regret buying this -- I would instead buy an earlier version of this guide that has the comprehensive detail. I don't know if LP got bought out or corporatized, but this just reads like another fluffy Froder's travel guide or a pamphlet you get at the airport. Don't buy this -- try to buy an older version for the comprehensive detail.

This $25 book is possibly the worst value guide book I have purchased in 10 years. It contains lists after lists, numerous canned Shutterstock pictures, but no insights, let along any soul. There are virtually no help on logistics, transportation, pros and cons of various districts of Taipei.

The updated guide is completely and 100% washed of any mention of cross-strait relations with China which--if anyone has actually step foot in Taiwan--defines a huge part of the day-to-day in this country. It's an embarrassing concession for a western publication. With this obvious and glaring omission one cannot trust LP to provide objective information for any locale.

I just spent a month in Taiwan with this new Lonely Planet guide, the 2018 Rough Guide and the 2018 Rough Guide. I agree with the negative reviews of this guide because it is unconventional and has no practical information like how to get anywhere, and lacks comprehensive listings of things to see. But it is ok to have and use as an adjunct to the Rough Guide, since it does have some interesting information and listings not found in the other guides. I’m glad I had it with me but it was certainly the least helpful of the three guides I took. Don’t forget to get lots of information from the many local tourist offices. They were all well supplied with brochures and maps.