Experience With Garmin Zumo 595lm In South East Asia (thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia)

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Louis Harrewijn

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Oct 23, 2018
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Dear fellow riders,

I have been researching for on the ‘best in class’ motorbike GPS for use in South East Asia. I am living in Thailand and I am planning to do extensive motorbike trips to the neighboring countries like Malaysia , Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, as well as Indonesia.

From my own research the Garmin Zumo 595LM GPS seems currently to be the ‘best’ available GPS because it allows 3rdparty / Open Street Maps to be uploaded. Although there are mixed opinions on the screen (sun glare) quality. It seems that TomTom has a more user friendly GPS, however it does not allow 3rdparty software to upload and it has no (or very little) coverage in SE Asia.

I noticed that the Garmin Zumo 595LM’s ‘world coverage’ includes predominantly Europe, America’s, Middle East (in full detail), but South East Asia is not covered. You can buy additional the maps for South East Asia, however the coverage is not 100%.

My questions are:
  1. Does anyone has experience in Se Asia with Garmin or TomTom?
  2. What’s your experience with the coverage of the South East Asia maps (how much coverage do they actually offer as not all parts of the countries are mapped)
  3. does anyone has experience in downloading and using 3rdparty maps / Open Street Maps on the Garmin (or even TomTom)
  4. are there any other know GPS devices that are better to use / coverage in South East Asia (for motorcycles obviously)

I look forward to your responses.

Many thanks & safe riding…

Louis
 
i have a Garmin 595 lm from Australia with the powered mounts on both my bikes.
i found the SE Asia map from Garmin is completely useless but i bought the local Thailand map from Garmin HQ in Bangkok and it is excellent.
i have downloaded the open source Thailand map from a site and it works very well on both the laptop and the GPS itself.
i have not tried it outside os LOS yet but i will be using it to go to Singapore shortly.
last time i was in Malaysia , i used a phone app called WAZE, i found it excellent there, it is not as popular here.
Some of the features of the 595 are disabled here if you use local maps, such as the twisty road option but i prefer it to using my phone.

Rob
 
Same experiences as above, the Garmin SEAsia maps are totally useless. Even though it says it covers Laos and Cambodia - it didnt! A straight out scam!!! And it wasnt exactly cheap either...

OSM are free and even though a bit tricky to install for a computer illiterate like me they are everything considered the best.

Used on a Garmin Zumo 660 that nowadays is starting to fell apart but it had been used for many hundreds of thousands of kms.

A good smartphone with for example Mapsme are also good and great backup.
 
My Zumo 600 series was great when I bought it, but for the price they want for a comparable model now - like the 595LM, I would look elseware. Mine could not find Singha Park last year, and it has been there for 12 years ! A smartfone with OSM is way less money, and serves dual purposes. All the smart features of the newest model Garmins are only available when used in America and Europe. Just checked Amazon.ca and they want $900 for one. 555
 
My 660 was state of the art when New. With the advances in smart fones and OSM I would not buy another. In SE Asia the Garmin maps are total crap - could not find Singha Park, which has been there for 12 years and is a major tourist attraction. Good smartfone, OSM, and good to go. 595LM Amazon.ca wants $900. GPS4U in BKK wants 29,500 baht. 555
 
since my Garmin in died i have used Google maps in Europe ,, and on main roads and ciries in Thailnd its very good ,,, BUT of the beaten track Google maps is crap in thailand ,,, zero detail,, even with good connection ,, if i do a lot more off road stuff i will need a decent satnav again with local maps
 
moose65 said:
i have a Garmin 595 lm from Australia with the powered mounts on both my bikes.
i found the SE Asia map from Garmin is completely useless but i bought the local Thailand map from Garmin HQ in Bangkok and it is excellent.
i have downloaded the open source Thailand map from a site and it works very well on both the laptop and the GPS itself.
i have not tried it outside os LOS yet but i will be using it to go to Singapore shortly.
last time i was in Malaysia , i used a phone app called WAZE, i found it excellent there, it is not as popular here.
Some of the features of the 595 are disabled here if you use local maps, such as the twisty road option but i prefer it to using my phone.

Rob
Click to expand...
 
My main complaint with the Zumo 595LM is the screen brightness. I just can't get it bright enough & the display theme options for the map are all washed out. No contrast between the colours on the map. The 660 was a lot better in that regard, but almost impossible to get hold of now. Your other option may be an old BMW Nav 4 or Nav 5 as they are brighter & have good contrast, but you would need a Zumo 660 mount for those & Garmin aren't making them anymore.

I also use the OSM maps for Thailand - don't bother with the Garmin official one. Their SE Asia used to be good - not any more.

I also have the Tom Tom 450 - a lot cheaper than the Zumo but the fiddliest piece of !@#$ I've ever tried to use without a desk and a stylus. It's really really really not designed to be used while moving and/or with gloves on.
 
Hi guys,

I've recently bought the ZUMO595LM. For my trip I require maps SEA, Stan-COuntries, Russia, Georgia, iserbaidschanm Armenia & Turkey. The unit I bought came from Europe and covers all Europe (but what exactly does it mean, European Union Countries or all Europe including above mentioned.

Any valuable input is highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dom
 
Oddvar is correct that it is the OSM maps you want.

Get them here. Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap

Install them here. Note - if you use a Mac it's a whole lot simpler than this. Download the file & drag it into Basecamp.

You need basecamp to programme your Garmin in Windoze or Mac version. BaseCamp™ | Garmin | United States

You need a tutorial in how to use Basecamp. http://www.newenglandriders.org/GPS/Learn_BaseCamp.htm

There is some work required in all the above - My Daddy used to say "Good, cheap, easy - pick any two"

 
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Always a delema gps. I bought a Garmin Montana 650 after reading the votes for them on GT Rider. And it’s not been a disappointment. I bought a Thai map off ebay, 2015/16 edition and it’s been very useful. A mate bought a Zumo and couldn’t get a decent map, copied mine all good. From what I gather Tomtoms are great everywhere but Asia.
I used the M650 at Easter in northern Thailand, great asset. 2 weeks ago did a map shuffle to go trail riding, the only thing that worked was the power button, display was up, it was working, lat/long changed, basically the finger didn’t.
Usd62 a new digitiser and screen on its way. In the mean time bought a new Montana 680T, why not. I have the cradles, I know they are good and I like them. Rechargeable battery is removable and you can power up with AA bats in a squeeze.
As another member suggested, use Waze/GMs or similar for tight town stuff on your phone or pad. Get an intercom, makes it even more enjoyable.
Speaking of intercom and as mentioned in another thread, I bought cheapies and they work great. Last time away, the wife and I used them. Fantastic for finding cafes, hotels and just enjoying the scenery. You look right, I’ll look left....The only issue in 3 yrs was 1 mic failed, mine. They come with 2, a boom and a stick on. And it will mate with your phone and waze through the headset and get you to the gas station etc.
Cheers Wazza
 
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Hello

I've been using the OSM in Thailand a Lot. Though, I only used them to plan, since I was using an Etrex10 for the navigation I had to create waypoints and routs by hand.
The maps are good and growing. I only once had a road going over a submerged bridge in Petchaburi (N13° 11.267 E099° 39.475) 2 years ago, but when I went back in February it wasn't. Anyhow the actual road is 500 meters away from there...

Now ... my problem is:

- is there a way to put the OSM map on my garmin 396 WITHOUT Basecamp?

- has anybody managed to put maps on a garmin device from a computer running ubuntu or other linux?

- is there a way to so without a computer, just over the wifi?
 
Yes to the first two questions. The internal and external memory of a Garmin works just like any other file storage system. Copy-Paste-or drag and drop. Mac, Windows and Linux not much of a difference as they do the job of copying differently but to the user looks very similar.

Garmin needs a folder in the root called Garmin.
Some Garmin units need the file name to be "GMAPSUPP.IMG", where some Garmin models accept any name.
(If so, keep one copy in the internal memory and the other map on the external SD card. Easy to mix up the maps, but your Garmin map setup will display the map info.)

The wireless system on Garmin is more to share tracks, routes, waypoints, and so on.

I keep an updated copy of OSM on my Android phone and with a USB/SD card reader I can share OSM maps with anyone who wants a copy.

You mention that you enter waypoints. That is the key to ride the roads you planned. Otherwise you end up on "new roads".:)
 
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