Comments on: Lonely Planet Arab Gulf States: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Oatar, Saudi Arabia & the United Arab Emirates

By: Stephen H. Franke

Stephen H. Franke — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:02:48 +0000

This is an essential reference for any tourist, traveller or expatriate relocating to the Arab Gulf states.

The book’s information and advice enable a new-comer to develop a sense for local atmospherics and sensitivities so one adapt, integrate and thrive in the host country culture and in the supportive expatriate communities.

Good coverage of cultural, commercial and logistical (i.e., “Where can I find…?”) details.

Highly recommended. Written with imagination, humor, and attention to detail.

FWIW, the earlier (1993) edition of this book I used when I was in the United Arab Emirates and Oman in 1995 was 100% accurate. The maps and guides to local services in the smaller cities were exceptionally helpful.

An impressively well-researched and high-quality work, as is typical of Lonely Planet Press titles.
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:40:46 +0000

Having just returned from a 5 week trip through Oman, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain I can say that Lonely Planet has again produced an accurate and useful guide. And despite the fact that it is several years old, prices and descriptions were still right. The guide’s advice to try to get to the Musandem Peninsula in Oman was a fine piece of advice–it is amazingly beautiful.

And to the person who gave one star to this guide because of it’s reference to the “Arabian Gulf”: relax. If you say “Persian Gulf” to anyone in the Arab Gulf states they will have no idea what body of water you are talking about. I suppose you would be equally upset if 25 years ago a guidebook to China refered to the capital as “Beijing” instead of the Western imposed name “Peking”?
Rating: 5 / 5

By: Reza Saberi

Reza Saberi — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:05:39 +0000

I used this book for my travel to Saudi Arabia following the footsteps of Nassir Khusraw, the Persian poet and philosopher who went to Mecca in 1045. According to this book the distance between Medina to Jeddah and Mecca is 390 and 410, respectively. Nassir Khusraw in his “Safarnameh” says the distance between Medina and Mecca is 100 Farsang (about 600 kilometer). I was wondering why he overstimates the distance. In my book, then I added a paragraph explaining the reasons and theorizing that he might have travelled a longer route, due to dangers on the road and search for water. He was always correct in his estimation of the distance between many cities he travelled. Then I found out about MSN Encarta World Atlas. I typed the name of these cities and found out the distance was 629 and 605 kilometer, respectively.

Well done Nassir Khusraw a millenium ago! and Mr. Robison, correct this big mistake as soon as possible. The book has little practical use as far as Mecca and Medina is concerned
Rating: 2 / 5

By: Arabian Prince

Arabian Prince — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:52:00 +0000

First of all this Iranian guy is correct. The official name of this body of water is PERSIAN Gulf. The term Arabian Gulf was invented in 1970s by some Pan Arabists who failed to show up at their geography classes. The author’s use of this term shows simply his arrogance and fact that he does not know the region nor its people. By using “Arabian Gulf” he simply wants to impress ignorant Arabs into buying his book.

Other than that his book is useless as it does not touch on the cultural aspects on the region.
Rating: 1 / 5

By: CS

CS — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:47:20 +0000

The book makes repeated references to the “Arabian Gulf” – but there is no such thing. There is an Arabian Sea, and a Gulf of Oman, and the PERSIAN Gulf, but no “Arabian Gulf” exists. The Persian Gulf is the official name of that body of water, and has been known by that name since ancient times. Even the ancient Greeks referred to it by its correct name. One has to wonder, if Lonely Planet is so willing to pander to the Arab governments of the PERSIAN gulf in this manner by renaming the PERSIAN Gulf, then how accurate can their travelogues really be?
Rating: 1 / 5