Fiji Books

Getting Stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu

J. Maarten Troost

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

With The Sex Lives of Cannibals, Maarten Troost established himself as one of the most engaging and original travel writers around. Getting Stoned with Savages again reveals his wry wit and infectious joy of discovery in a side-splittingly funny account of life in the farthest reaches of the world. After two grueling years on the island of Tarawa, battling feral dogs, machete-wielding neighbors, and a lack of beer on a daily basis, Maarten Troost was in no hurry to return to the South Pacific. But as time went on, he realized he felt remarkably out of place among the trappings of twenty-first-century America. When he found himself holding down a job—one that might possibly lead to a career—he knew it was time for him and his wife, Sylvia, to repack their bags and set off for parts unknown.

Getting Stoned with Savages tells the hilarious story of Troost’s time on Vanuatu—a rugged cluster of islands where the natives gorge themselves on kava and are still known to “eat the man.” Falling into one amusing misadventure after another, Troost struggles against typhoons, earthquakes, and giant centipedes and soon finds himself swept up in the laid-back, clothing-optional lifestyle of the islanders. When Sylvia gets pregnant, they decamp for slightly-more-civilized Fiji, a fallen paradise where the local chiefs can be found watching rugby in the house next door. And as they contend with new parenthood in a country rife with prostitutes and government coups, their son begins to take quite naturally to island living—in complete contrast to his dad.

Moon Fiji (Moon Handbooks)

David Stanley

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Avalon Travel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $7.48

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Best resource for Fiji travel! 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

We've been talking about going to Fiji for years, and have looked at other books, but this book trumps them all. It's very thorough, with excellent descriptions that make us wish we could pack our bags and go today. Author David Stanley obviously loves Fiji, and his passion comes through in his writing. We also appreciate the way he doesn't sugar coat the less than perfect. This seems like a book you can really trust. And the history sprinkled throughout (great stories of Capt. Bligh, for instance), the interesting boxes full of fun information, and the very useable maps make it easy to get educated in all things Fijian. We also love the beginning section with beautiful color photography. It would be nice if all photos could be in color, but we'd happily trade the excellent info in the book for color pictures.

This book provided us with our new dream adventure vacation: A stay on the Yasawa Islands, where there are no motorized land vehicles or roads. You can stay in a thatched "bure" and make a vacation exploring the island chain via a catamaran line that offers a kind of "Eurail Pass" for island hoppers. Who knew such a place still existed?!

Editorial Review:

South Pacific expert and veteran travel writer David Stanley knows the best way to experience Fiji, from making waves at one of the world’s premiere diving spots to getting away from it all in lesser-known villages. Stanley provides great trip ideas like Best of Fiji, Island-Hopping, and Diving in Fiji. Packed with information on dining, transportation, and accommodations, Moon Fiji has lots of options for a range of travel budgets. Every Moon guidebook includes recommendations for must-see sights and many regional, area, and city-centered maps. Complete with details on the best beaches and tips on prolonging a trip to the islands, Moon Fiji gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience. With expert writers, first-rate strategic advice, and an essential dose of humor, Moon guidebooks are the cure for the common trip.

Fiji (Country Guide)

Justine Vaisutis

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 49 new & used starting at $4.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Comprehensive Authoritative Guide 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

If you're goint to Fiji, this is the book for you. This recently updated guidebook is very comprehensive and provides excellent information on Fiji. I strongly recommend also buying the Fiji map, too.

Editorial Review:

Lonely Planet's guide to Fiji covers all aspects of this most-popular of Pacific Island travel destinations. Bula and welcome to the diverse islands of Fiji! There are white-sandy islands here perfect for a relaxing beachside holiday, or little-visited islets and rugged hinterlands for the more adventurous. Wherever you're based, coral gardens teeming with life are only a short paddle away.

CHOOSE YOUR ISLAND - large or tiny, party or romantic, exclusive or family-friendly... there's an island in Fiji for you.

GO NATIVE OR DO IT IN STYLE - our authors tell it like it is with frank, opinionated reviews of backpacker digs, homestays, luxury resorts and everything in between

IMMERSE YOURSELF - with a detailed special section on diving in Fiji

DIG THE LOCALS - we reveal the inside scoop on history, culture, and how to fit right in

Lonely Planet Diving and Snorkeling Fiji (Diving & Snorkeling)

Casey Mahaney, Astrid Witte Mahaney

List Price: $16.99 By: Lonely Planet - Model: 0864427719 Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $3.67

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Features:

• Dive site topography and conditions
• Diving services and live-aboards
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside attractions from Polynesian dancing to pearl farms
• 14 easy-to-read maps

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Forget Snorkeling Info 3 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book primarily because I am going to Fiji in two months and wanted info on snorkeling. Boy was I surprised to find only half a page devoted to snorkeling. The rest of the book is a brief description of various dive sites.

The book does have nice pictures and basic information regarding the more popular dive sites in Fiji. But as a snorkeling reference, it is worthless.

Editorial Review:

Countless reefs, walls and pinnacles painted in a patchwork of soft corals earned Fiji its reputation as the soft-coral capital of the world. The 332-island archipelago offers remote, pristine sites, thrilling drift dives and more than 1,000 tropical fish species. Feed hungry reef sharks at the Supermarket, pay a dental visit to cleaner shrimp or seek sanctuary in the sun-dappled Alacrity Rocks. From the snowy slopes of Great White Wall to the teeming depths of the E6 seamount, this book highlights 74 of Fiji's best sites, with full-color photos throughout. You'll get specific information on:

• Dive site topography and depth range
• Typical diving conditions
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside information, from dive resorts and live-aboards to Fijian culture and customs
• 16 easy-to-read maps

Fiji Islands Map (Travel Reference Map)

ITMB

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

3 for Fiji 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

We used the Moon Handbook Fiji and the Lonely Planet Fiji books along with this map and got along fine. All three were useful for different purposes. Although weight is a factor when traveling this far and dragging all the baggage through checkpoints, its worth having all the right information to get you in tune with the customs and on the rightroad. You can never have enough maps, this one is one of the most current.

Editorial Review:

Travel map of the islands in color. Color changes show elevation levels. Distinguishes roads from major roads (mostly paved) to tracks; railways (for sugar cane); ferries and cargo vessels; airports; national parks; cities and other settlements; accommodations; beaches; diving/snorkeling; surfing; points of interest. With information about cruises, temples, and other things to do and see. Shows airports, ports, bus stations, gasoline stations, post offices, medical facilities, accommodations, museums, points of interest, archaeological sites, mines, oases, caves, beaches, hiking, more. Index of islands and villages. Reverse side has close-up maps of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, Suva City, each with its own index. Latitude/longitude grid. Main map scale 1:525,000. Distances in kilometers and miles. Printed on both sides.

Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Fiji (Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling Guides)

W. Gregory Brown

List Price: $14.95 By: Pisces Books Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $2.35

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 1.5 of 5

Mediocre Basic Guide to Fiji Diving 2 out of 5 stars.
17 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This book gives limited information on approximately 20 dive sites in Fiji. The descriptions and photos are adequate, but are relatively brief. The book makes few recommendations, but provides a decent place to start rough planning of an independent dive vacation.

Limited and outdated information in a handy size. 1 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

As a master diver who has dived over 40 years and has visited many of Fiji's dive sites, I would advise any potential diving visitor to save their money here and buy the newer and much more complete Lonely Planet "Diving and Snorkeling Fiji" by renowned dive guides Casey Mahaney and Astrid Witte (also available on Amanzon). Just be aware- Fiji has so many and varied dive sites visited by day operations and liveaboards NO book can really do justice comprehensively. Nope, no connections with LP or Mahaney, I just want to save other divers the trouble... and if you love diving, you will LOVE Fiji diving!

Editorial Review:

This illustrated guide provides details of 21 dives around Fiji's 300 islands. The information for each site includes: depth and visibility; required diving expertise; bottom terrain; currents; marine life; safety tips; history, geography and climate; and local dive shops and charters.

Moon Handbooks Fiji

David Stanley

List Price: $17.95 By: Avalon Travel Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 30 new & used starting at $0.01

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For more than 30 years, the award-winning Moon Handbooks series has been the top choice among independent travellers who want a unique experience, a new perspective, and a few new stories to tell. With Moon Handbooks, travellers are given the tools to make their own choices and create a travel strategy that's theirs alone. The result? A more personal and ultimately more satisfying travel experience. For those wanting to travel to any of the 322 islands in the Fiji archipelago, Moon Handbooks Fiji has everything they need. From coverage of Fiji's top-rated resorts to the newest adventure tourism facilities and little-known backpacker areas, travellers of all interests will find the destination to suit them. This guidebook includes vivid descriptions of the islands' dazzling beaches, rainforests, and reefs, with a special focus on scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing, windsurfing, rafting, kayaking, hiking, bicycling, and golf. Complete with practical essentials, including 53 easy-to-use maps and transportation tips for island hopping by sea or air, Moon Handbooks Fiji is the guide to a uniquely personal travel experience.

African American Travel Guide to Hot, Exotic & Fun-Filled Places

Jon Haggins

Amazon Price: $11.21 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 6 to 7 days By: Amber Communications Group, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $7.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Going Someplace exciting? 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I picked up this book because I'm planning a long trip to West Africa and need a good travel guide. I found Jon Haggins' book to be VERY informative on preparations to West Africa and other places, but not on the actual destinations.

This book is excellent for tour groups and for people who strictly want to stick with the tourist sites. However, since I'm traveling off the beaten path and doing the "backpacker" thing, I'm afraid I have to find another travel guide since there's no help in that area.

I must say that the travels the author has done to South America, South Pacific, and Africa have encouraged me to do more traveling to exotic places.

Editorial Review:

This Comprehensive guide has over 30 pictures of hot, exotic and fun-filled places and lets you explore magical and historical landmarks through the author’s eyes.

After reading this book, you’ll feel as if you’ve personally been to each country and mingled with the locals. Jon Haggins teaches you all about the cultures and traditions of the people in Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and South Pacific. You will explore the flavor of several selected countries in the intriguing worlds of Africa, Brazil and other exotic destinations while walking the lush beaches and historical paths in Gambia, Ghana, The Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, Brazil, Fiji and the Caribbean. You’ll travel to Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, where everything is larger than life; cruise the Nile; tour the temples; journey to the Valley of the Kings and Queens and tour the Museum of Antiquities.

Stopover

Amazon Price: $19.95 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks By: University of Hawaii Press Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $10.26

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Editorial Review:

Indians first came to Fiji as indentured laborers in 1879. Since the Rabuka coup d'etat in 1987, and three subsequent Fiji coups, Indian-Fijians have been emigrating from the country in earnest. Stopover is a haunting suite of photographs by New Zealand artist Bruce Connew from the tiny Indian-Fijian sugar cane settlement of Vatiyaka, taken during seven visits between June 2000 and November 2003, placing an extended family inside the story of migration. Connew's narrative captions and a story by Brij V. Lal take the reader to the heart of an embattled life.

Circumnavigation: Sail the Trade Winds : Volume 1, Fort Lauderdale to Fiji

Sue Moesly

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

Circumnavigation: Sail the Tradewinds Ft. Lauderdale to Figi 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

As a sailer planning a world cruise, I view this book as one of the best cruising books I have read because it touches so much on the cultures and people along the way rather than merely on the sailing aspects. I have only read volume one and am eagerly awiting volume two. If you are not a sailer, this is a superb armchair travel book. You will really feel you are meeting people all over the globe. Sue manages to convey the excitement, beauty, learning and sharing of a couple sailing around the world.

A msut for cruising the Maine coast 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is a companion book to Don Johnson's Cruising Guide to Maine Vol I Kittery to Rockland. See my review under that title.

Excellent Book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Really well done. Meticulous, hand-drawn charts. Very approachable style. Now if I can just find Volume II ...