Aruba & Netherlands Antilles Books

Frommer's Portable Aruba, Bonaire, & Curacao (Frommer's Portable)

Christina Paulette Colón

Amazon Price: $10.39 List Price: $12.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Frommers Amazon Marketplace: 57 new & used starting at $4.98

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

First Trip to Aruba 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I found this book very helpful and easy to read. This was my first trip to Aruba and it provided me with a wealth of knowledge. My traveling companions were passing it around and reading it on the plane and once we got there. This saved us asking the front desk innumerable questions.I felt quite confident leaving the US to vacation in Aruba.

Covers only Aruba in detail 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The title of this book is very misleading. I was primarily interested in the section on Bonaire. However, there is only 1 chapter (22 pages) on Bonaire and only one chapter (25 pages) on Curacao. Most of the book (8 chapters, 150 pages) is devoted to Aruba. So, if you are going to Aruba this book might be useful, but if Curacao or Bonaire is your destination there are much better guides available.

Slight disappointment 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The biggest downfall to this book is the majority of the book is dedicated to Aruba. That is fantastic if that is where you are going, unfortunately we were going to Bonaire & Curacao. Information on Bonaire and Curucao is reasonable, would be helpful if more information on the restaurants was provided like hours and days closed, we seemed to have some problems with that.

Editorial Review:

Tourism in Aruba increased 5.7% from 2001 to 2005, with 1.2 million people vacationing there in 2005. In 2006, one-fifth of the travelers to Curaçao were from the U.S.

Fodor's In Focus Aruba, 1st Edition (Pocket Guides)

Fodor's

Amazon Price: $8.76 List Price: $10.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Fodor's Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $5.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.

Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. While you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Aruba!

•Fodor’s In Focus Aruba features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.

•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Aruba.

Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.

D & S Bonaire (Diving & Snorkeling)

Tim Rock

Amazon Price: $16.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Lonely Planet Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $15.27

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General AAS
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Swimming

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Essential Diving Guide for Bonaire 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Tim totally "Rocks"! This is the most up-to-date, useful, and well laid-out diving guide when going to Bonaire. Tim's descriptions made it very easy to plan dives, especially shore dives (Bonaire has tons of them!). Combined with his great pictures, we felt like we had already visited each site before actually getting there! The only (very minor) discrepancies were on some sites which were classified in the (blue shaded) summaries as "Boat" access, whereas they were described in the text as shore dives also (and we confirmed this while there). We can't wait to try out Tim's guides to other locations. Thanks!

Editorial Review:

Located to the north of Venezuela, Bonaire is a paradise for divers and snorkelers of all levels. This guide describes the best sites to explore, from beautiful reefs to sunken wrecks.

In This Guide:

Detailed dive information to 92 sites.
Insipiring full-color photos throughout.
Easy-to-read maps of dive regions.
Guide to marine life.
Island dive operations and topside attractions.

Pocket Adventures Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao (Pocket Adventures) (Pocket Adventures) (Pocket Adventures)

Lynne Sullivan

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hunter Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $8.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Color maps and photos throughout. By the author of the top-selling Virgin Islands and St. Martin & St. Barts Adventure Guides, here is the latest and most detailed guide to the three fascinating islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Diving, sailing, hiking, golf and horseback riding are excellent here. Enjoy gourmet cuisine, charming small inns and superb five-star resorts. Duty-free stores and unique island crafts makes the islands a shopper s delight. All of them are fully explored, with details on the history and culture that makes each one so appealing. Details the best diving spots, all types of accommodations, dining, tours, local lore and festivals, services. Extensive background on the history, government and economy of the island. Filled with inside information on which festivals are worth your time, where to find the best music, classes that will teach you the local cooking and artistic styles, the watersports, the best hiking trails.

Insight Map Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao: Fleximap Plus Travel Information (Insight Fleximaps)

American Map Corporation

Amazon Price: $7.95 List Price: $7.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: American Map Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $7.50

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Reference -> Atlases & Maps -> World
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
Subjects -> Travel -> General

Adventure Guide Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series) (Adventure Guides Series)

Lynne Sullivan

Amazon Price: $14.24 List Price: $18.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hunter Publishing (NJ) Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $7.80

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

By the author of our top-selling Virgin Islands Adventure Guide, here is the latest and most detailed guide to the three fascinating islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Diving, sailing, hiking, golf and horseback riding are excellent here. Enjoy gourmet cuisine, charming small inns and superb five-star resorts. Duty-free stores and unique island crafts makes the islands a shopper s delight. All of them are fully explored, with details on the history and culture that makes each one so appealing. Color photos.

The Dive Sites of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao : Comprehensive Coverage of Diving and Snorkeling

Jack Jackson

List Price: $19.95 By: McGraw-Hill Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $2.69

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General AAS
Subjects -> Travel -> Caribbean -> Aruba & Netherlands Antilles

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

A Reasonable Guide 3 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I ordered this book because I was planning a professional assignment to the ABC islands and had many questions to ask. Having previously reviewed other titles in this series with somewhat mixed results I had some idea of what to expect.

In addition to learning about the various Dive Sites, the information I require is; Something about the people - a potted history of the country and an insight into their language and customs etc, plus a few lines about shopping, how to get there, airlines, excess baggage, airport tax, tourist boards, hotels, time difference, local transport, currency, electricity, language, photography, diving facilities, safari boats, available equipment, what to bring, what to wear - and so forth. Thankfully, most of these questions (though not all) are answered with additional information on diving for the disabled and Nitrox. Furthermore, this is a destination with no direct flights from the UK - so the detailed variables of how I might get there were particularly valuable.

"The Dive Sites of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao" is paperback measuring 9½in x 6½in containing over 170 pages. Commencing with a two-page explanation of the legends and symbols used throughout the book, we then have chapters on; An overall Introduction to the country, Travel, Diving and Snorkelling in general, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, the Marine Environment, Underwater Photography & Video and Health & Safety for Divers.

The first map is across pages 10 and 11 and shows the islands (there are actually 5 altogether), in relation to each other and the Caribbean. That and the first 3 chapters are a very good start. Now we get down to the diving found off each of the 3 main (and two smaller) islands and this is where the book could so easily be improved. Altogether, there are brief details on 180 dive sites but each chapter commences with "Site No 1" whereas it would be far more useful had they been numbered consecutively from beginning to end.

For each of the islands/island groups, only one map is required in order to demonstrate the approximate position of all the dive sites. Whilst this is used to good effect as far as Aruba is concerned, Bonaire and Curaçao are separated into 3 and 4 artificial divisions respectively. When studying the diving detail, it is always the little things which reveal the amount of research undertaken by any author. For many years Aruba has claimed that their shipwreck "Antilla" is "The largest shipwreck in the Caribbean." Whilst I can't fault any Tourist Board or local Diving Facility for making such a claim, the Author really should have done his homework. I know of at least 2 Cruise Liners found elsewhere in the Caribbean (Grenada and Mustique) that are easily 200 feet longer than this particular shipwreck and, for me, the diving detail in this book is, therefore, suspect.

My final criticism is reserved for the blatant advertising for "Captain Don's Habitat." This amounts to several photographic captions where no name even needed to be mentioned and a double-page eulogy about this particular diver. I fully appreciate how the Author's diving had to be sponsored by somebody, but subsequent reference to that sponsor should be limited to the acknowledgements page and, perhaps, the occasional plug in one or two (and no more) photographs. If the Author wishes to write a testimonial to Captain Don Stewart (I am well aware of his contribution to the local Diving scene.) - fine by me, but it's inclusion here gives the impression of this book being limited to the Diving provided by this particular facility - and nobody else. And that is the wrong impression to give.

Having said all that, almost all the information you are likely to want is here. That - coupled with a good cross-section of high-calibre photographs throughout, make this the best diving guide to the ABC Islands I have yet to see. With a few improvements here and a few deletions there, this book could so easily have obtained a 5 star rating.

NM

Editorial Review:

Beneath the sparkling waters of the southern Caribbean lies a coral-reef paradise teeming with a spectacular variety of marine life. This practical yet stunningly photographed guide offers extensive coverage of all the area's diving and snorkeling sites. Divers won't have to look any further for user-friendly maps, travel and hotel information, and advice on safe diving.

Aruba, Bonaire And Curacao

Madeleine Greey

Amazon Price: $31.20 List Price: $40.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: MacMillan Caribbean Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $27.17

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Travel -> General
Subjects -> Arts & Photography -> Photography -> Travel -> General AAS

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

Aruba Wedding Sign In Book 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I went to several bookstores to find a hard cover picture book on Aruba but could not find what I wanted. When I searched Amazon.com and came across the Aruba, Bonaire And Curacao hard cover book I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. I am using this as a guest sign in book for my wedding. I did not want the typical sign your name type wedding book. This book will allow guests to write in memorable words for my fiance and I to look back on for years to come.

Editorial Review:

There comes a time in many a Caribbean traveller's voyages when all those gorgeous beaches framed by palms and etched by azure seas may blend into one lovely, hazy memory, a record playing the same tune. Was that Bahamas or Barbados? Have I seen the Virgins or the Saints? Not so, once you have touched down on the ABCs: Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. From Curacao's historical renaissance to Aruba's endless sandy fun to Bonaire's well-finned waters, this part of the world overflows with unexpected delights and engaging surroundings. Like three sisters, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao share in familial traits but are each uniquely endowed. Taste one or savour all three. The only thing you can expect is an unquenchable thirst for more.

Caribbean Lesser Antilles Map by Nelles (Nelles Maps)

Nelles Verlag

Amazon Price: $10.95 List Price: $10.95 Usually ships in 2 to 4 weeks By: Nelles Verlag Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $5.69

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Foreign Language Nonfiction -> French
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Foreign Language Nonfiction -> German
Subjects -> Reference -> Atlases & Maps -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Folded paper road and travel map in color. Scale 1:2,500,000. Distinguishes roads ranging from (toll) expressways to minor roads/cart tracks. Legend includes railways, mountain peaks, places of interest, national parks/nature reserves, beaches, international airports, airports/airfields, golf courses, caves, hotels. includes maps at various scales of the Virgin Islands, Anegada, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Barbados, Anguilla & St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius, the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, Montserrat, St. Vincent, Barbuda, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, La Desirade, Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, Haiti & the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.

Diving Bonaire (Aqua Quest Diving Series)

George Lewbell

List Price: $18.95 By: Aqua Quest Publications, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $33.84

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Scuba -> General AAS
Subjects -> Sports -> Water Sports -> Swimming

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Information is too old to be useful 1 out of 5 stars.
19 of 23 people found this review helpful.

This book was published in 1991. Unfortunately in November 1999, Hurricane Lenny inflicted a massive underwater storm surge on Bonaire that destroyed many of the dive & snorkel sites referenced in this book. Many sites have nothing to look at until 30' depth. I also found this book to be lacking in local color.

The best book on Bonaire diving & snorkeling is "Shore Diving Made Easy" that you can buy for US$10 at the island dive shops. It is up to date with recommended entry/exit points and suggested landmarks while diving.

Not bad, but there are better guides available 2 out of 5 stars.
6 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I bought both this book and the Schnabel "Diving and Snorkeling Guide to Bonaire." This book was by far the better of the two, with more information (both diving and non-diving), excellent pictures, and just overall a better guide to diving on Bonaire. If you only take one guide, this should be it.

Terrific Book! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very pleased with the content of this book! There are extensive details about the location, underwater terrain and marine life of 58 of Bonaire's dive sites. There is also a section on lodging, restaurants, dive centers, grocery shopping... right down to where to get the best local ice cream! We're diving Bonaire in April and I've already chosen some of those must-dive sites!

Editorial Review:

Famous walls; incredibly clear, calm, warm waters; 58 dive sites including Klein Bonaire.