Australia & South Pacific Books

Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (2000 Edition)

Andrew Doughty, Harriett Friedman

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Subjects -> Travel -> Reference & Tips -> Guidebooks

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 332 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Maui Guide Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great Maui guide. I had previously used the 1st Edition and will be needing the 4th Edition updates for my upcoming trip. Having traveled to Maui several times--this guide book is right on--from accomadation to dining. I always have this guide book with me when I travel and use as a reference. Very useful for driving around Maui.

Outstanding Guidebook 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The most redeeming quality of this book is its brutal honesty in the information it provides and recommendations it makes. When something sucks, the book says it sucks and to avoid it. That's the kind of information I want when I know my time and money are at stake on a vacation.

Web reviews of hotels and condos are free on their website and they are short, candid and informative (if a place is bad, they say it's bad). They also provide an aerial photograph of the property that really lets you know what you're getting--which is worth the price of the book itself.

Road maps are outstanding and directions are good for the most part. Occasionally directions are a bit vague, but it's still better than any map you will find anywhere else. The real value comes from the stuff that you won't find in other guidebooks like backwoods hiking trails, little known spots off the main path and insights that come from the fact that the authors actually live in Hawaii. The chapters are well organized and information is easily found thanks to a detailed table of contents, color-coded chapters (tabs would have been better, but probably more expensive) and index. Related info is cross-referenced throughout the book, which is also helpful. Best of all, the book is small and easily carried wherever you decide to go.

Perhaps the only negative aspect of the book is that the authors do tend to get lost in their narrative at times--mixing collateral trivia with the guide information. It's a nice story, but at times I could have done without the extra stuff.

This book is truly and outstanding guidebook for all types of tourists, but is especially valuable for those kind of people that hate guided tours and prepackaged vacation experiences. It adds a sense of adventure to your trip and a satisfying feeling when you realize that your time and money were spent on your own terms.

Editorial Review:

Finally, there's a guide to Maui that covers the island right. The authors are residents who personally and anonymously review every facet of the island. From restaurants to helicopter companies to scuba diving to beaches to trails--they see it all and show visitors the best Maui has to offer. Photos.

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook

Andrew Doughty, Harriett Friedman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 429 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Time-saving book made our short vacation packed with the best things to do! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I want to qualify my opinion to say this book worked best for us and our idea of what a vacation on Kauai is....outdoors-y, hiking, beaches, kayaking, biking, scuba/snorkeling, etc. AND NOT resort life, spa sessions and 5-star dining. The author shares his first hand experiences with each helicopter tour, scuba shop, trail, restaurant or not-to-miss sights so you don't waste your precious vacation time sorting through the endless brouchures and ads.

What made this better than the others is the first-hand descriptions of the locations, great maps, and advice on what to do and where. Then it is separated by localized areas...helpful when you want to stay local to avoid driving/Kauai Traffic or to plan where to stay.

Beaches: Some hard to find and not to miss so this guide was invaluable in suggesting parking and how to find the hidden access trail. Also traveling with kids...it laid out what was safe and what to expect. Not all beaches have "facilities" and can involve a neck-breaking tumble or two to get there. The back of the book has a pull-out photo listing of the best beaches in the North East of the island.

Trails: He lists his favorite trails, what to expect and what to bring/wear. Follow his advice and you will be rewarded!!

Food: We ate in most of the time but his suggestions on local hamburger joints and shave ice where right on the money. Advised where to shop and about the Farmer's Markets. Yes, Costco was the best deal on Hawaiian gift products. No, we didn't eat at a luau.

Sight-Seeing: We saved all the plantation and Botanical garden tours for next time but the suggestions and descriptions helped us decide what our group was most up to do for the one-week time span we had on the island.

Sporting Activities: Helped us plan which Kayak place to use and to skip the 'Tubing down canal' activity. Also gave excellent suggestions on what to see along-side most of the activities. BTW-Dude is Funny! His comments and writing style is fun to read in layman's descriptions. It felt like he was our personal tour guide.

Accomodations: Again, not for the resort-minded individual...geared towards condo rentals. We skipped this part of the book as we already had a place to stay.

Maps: One reviewer said that it was difficult to have area maps located in different parts of the book. I would agree but it's not bad as the front folds out to give an overview map of the island and the page locations to the area maps.

Like I mentioned before, the author is a hoot and makes this book entertaining to read...far from dry. The cover seams a little dull but you know what they say about judging books. I usually like Eyewitness and Fodor guides but this one was FAR superior to anything I've read before.

Editorial Review:

This new third edition has more useful information, up-to-date maps, and scores of hidden gems listed nowhere else. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes the Garden Island so special. "An excellent book . . . strongly recommended".--"Conde Nast Traveler".

In a Sunburned Country

Bill Bryson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 409 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Every time Bill Bryson walks out the door, memorable travel literature threatens to break out. His previous excursion along the Appalachian Trail resulted in the sublime national bestseller A Walk in the Woods. In A Sunburned Country is his report on what he found in an entirely different place: Australia, the country that doubles as a continent, and a place with the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, and the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on the planet. The result is a deliciously funny, fact-filled, and adventurous performance by a writer who combines humor, wonder, and unflagging curiousity.

Despite the fact that Australia harbors more things that can kill you in extremely nasty ways than anywhere else, including sharks, crocodiles, snakes, even riptides and deserts, Bill Bryson adores the place, and he takes his readers on a rollicking ride far beyond that beaten tourist path. Wherever he goes he finds Australians who are cheerful, extroverted, and unfailingly obliging, and these beaming products of land with clean, safe cities, cold beer, and constant sunshine fill the pages of this wonderful book. Australia is an immense and fortunate land, and it has found in Bill Bryson its perfect guide.

Hawaii the Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Hawaii the Big Island Revealed)

Andrew Doughty, Harriett Friedman

List Price: $14.95 By: Wizard Publications Amazon Marketplace: 57 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 244 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The most comprehensive yet easy to use guidebook ever written for the Big Island. This island is so big and diverse that many visitors never realize all that it has to offer. We unlock its secrets. Our brand new third edition has more useful information, the most up to date maps, and scores of hidden gems listed nowhere else. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes the Big Island so exciting.

Our 38 specially created maps include clear, concise directions to even the most remote beaches and other hard to find places, mile markers (so you always know where you are), hiking trails, and numerous details in an easy to follow format.

Deserted black sand beaches, secluded freshwater lava pools (some volcanically heated), pristine rain forests, lava tubes, hidden waterfalls, and the most dramatic part of the erupting volcano.

Fascinating stories and legends from all around the island.

Symbols quickly identify recommended sights and companies. We identify which companies really are the best…and which to avoid. Frank, honest opinions from anonymous reviews—No advertisements.

Special expanded sections on Hiking and Adventures.

Web site with links to every business, last minute updates and more. Plus Web pages available exclusively to our readers that expand on all accommodation reviews with aerial photos of all the resorts (so you'll know if oceanfront really means oceanfront).

Only book ever banned at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Visitor Center for being "too honest" and "revealing too much."

Written by island residents who know the island.

We've covered it all—from the snow-covered top of Mauna Kea, to the sparkling underwater reefs. This is the best investment you can make for your Big Island trip. Whether you are a first time visitor, or a long time kama‘aina, you will find out more about the Big Island from this book than from any other source. Discover the Hawaii you've always imagined with Hawaii The Big Island Revealed.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific

J. Maarten Troost

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 100 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

At the age of twenty-six, Maarten Troost—who had been pushing the snooze button on the alarm clock of life by racking up useless graduate degrees and muddling through a series of temp jobs—decided to pack up his flip-flops and move to Tarawa, a remote South Pacific island in the Republic of Kiribati. He was restless and lacked direction, and the idea of dropping everything and moving to the ends of the earth was irresistibly romantic. He should have known better.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals tells the hilarious story of what happens when Troost discovers that Tarawa is not the island paradise he dreamed of. Falling into one amusing misadventure after another, Troost struggles through relentless, stifling heat, a variety of deadly bacteria, polluted seas, toxic fish—all in a country where the only music to be heard for miles around is “La Macarena.” He and his stalwart girlfriend Sylvia spend the next two years battling incompetent government officials, alarmingly large critters, erratic electricity, and a paucity of food options (including the Great Beer Crisis); and contending with a bizarre cast of local characters, including “Half-Dead Fred” and the self-proclaimed Poet Laureate of Tarawa (a British drunkard who’s never written a poem in his life).

With The Sex Lives of Cannibals, Maarten Troost has delivered one of the most original, rip-roaringly funny travelogues in years—one that will leave you thankful for staples of American civilization such as coffee, regular showers, and tabloid news, and that will provide the ultimate vicarious adventure.

New Zealand (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE)

DK Publishing

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

New Zealand Eyewithess Travel Guide is great for planning 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Eyewithess Travel Guides give the best overall overview of any travel book or other travel product - good organization; great pictures, maps and other graphics; interesting & concise text and descriptions about history, national foods and beverages, etc.; good suggestions for lodging and eating. They are excellet resource and reference books, but they are concise enough to give a relatively complete overview but short enough to quickly convey information, especially if you do not have a lot of free time.

I believe that carefully reading about a desination is important for planning any trip. The Eyewithess Travel Guides are the best way to obtain that overview and prioritize where you want to go. The New Zealand guide is enormous help to us with our planning.

Editorial Review:

Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell.

New Zealand (Country Guide)

Charles Rawlings-Way et, al.

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Editorial Review:

Featuring contributions by Kiwi food experts, historians, and musicians, this guide contains loads of information on New Zealand's thriving organic establishments and Maori community-based tourism operators. Expanded chapters on outdoor activities and Maori culture.

Frommer's Australia 2008 (Frommer's Complete)

Ron Crittall, Marc Llewellyn, Lee Mylne

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

I am planning a second visit based on descriptions in Frommer's Australia 2008 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 23 people found this review helpful.

This well-organized book breaks down places to see in Australia by thier states. The sixteen Best of Australia lists; descriptive reviews of hotels and suggested itineraries; and 'Fun Facts' such as where to cuddle a koala are interesting to note. I am already planning to go back for a second visit because I cannot see it all in two weeks.

As always, Frommers delivers - excellent for first-timers 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I have been using Frommers for many years. So naturally I chose this book to prepare for our first trip to Australia. It is the only guide book that you will need, though you might want to pick up a free AAA guide after you arrive if you need hotel info as Frommers can't cover every property.

This book will provide basic info on all the major sites. In addition, you will find a great deal of info on smaller towns that you may visit if you decide to do any driving. It was invaluable for providing info on the fly.

If you buy one guidebook, this one should be it.

Editorial Review:

Frommer's. The best trips start here.

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer.

• From the Outback to the Great Barrier Reef and everywhere in between, let our expert authors guide you around Down Under.

• Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.

• Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.

• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.

Australia (Country Guide)

Justine Vaisutis, Becca Blond, Lindsay Brown, Terry Carter, Lara Dunston, George Dunford

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A valueable asset 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This book is a wealth of information all contained in one volume. The travel tips, itineraries and even restaurant information are well researched. My only complaint is I'd like to see more detailed maps of some of the more off the beaten path areas - such as Kirra Beach, were I am going. Other than that, this book is a great product and I'd highly recommend it for anyone going to Australia for their first time.

Editorial Review:

Discover Australia

Feel the wind in your hair as you cruise the world's longest road; tips for driving across this magnificent, monster country.
Find out where Lonely Planet's favorite Australians would rather be.
Seek refuge in Cape Tribulation's Wet Tropics where the rainforest greets the sea.
Join the dots; hear about Aboriginal culture from Australia's first people.

In This Guide:

12 intrepid authors, over 70 weeks on-the-road research, 204 maps, one possum in a tent.
Wine regions boxed and packaged, brilliant food in every state, decent coffee every 300kms!
Visit lonelyplanet.com for reviews, daily updates and traveler suggestions.

Frommer's New Zealand (Frommer's Complete)

Adrienne Rewi

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Alright, could be better 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book because it had a good name behind it, but this guide is lacking what I need, pictures and MAPS! Not a great start to a trip to a country I've never been. After recently browsing a book store I found New Zealand by Insight Guides to be much more sufficient! It is under Discovery Channel so it's legit! Overall this book has been helpful but I think the target audience is older and much better off monetarily than I.

Editorial Review:

Written by a New Zealand resident, and full of personal insights and opinions, this guide takes you to one of the world’s most exciting ecotourism destinations! It’s much more complete and in-depth than its major competition.
Whether you’re dreaming of hiking along the Marlborough Sound, trout fishing in Lake Rotorua, driving the Milford Road, or feasting on sumptuous green-lipped mussels or succulent lamb, this detailed guide will help you plan the trip of a lifetime. You’ll also find the latest on nightlife in Auckland and Wellington and the best places to lay your head after an adventure-filled day.