General Books

Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, 13th ed

Nancy Scott; Simon Scott

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Not very in depth guide 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This guide only gives basic information about cruising the Virgin Islands. It's not much better than the free guides that are given out and supported entirely by ads. It only gives information on islands where a commercial interest has supported the write up. It only gives a mention of islands or anchorages where some one is collecting a fee, so if there is a secluded spot that is free you won't read about it here. It doesn't provide any critique on establishments so you won't know if you are walking into the best restaurant on the island or a complete dump. I don't know if there are better guides for the Virgin Islands but it is a poor example of a cruising guide.

Editorial Review:

Completely revised and updated with full color sketch charts, these guides have been indispensable companions for sailors and visitors to these islands since 1982. Includes a free 17" x 27" color planning chart covering the Virgin Islands from St. Thomas to Anegada. Anchoring and mooring information and fees. Customs, immigration and National Parks regulations. Particulars on marina facilities and the amenities they offer. Water sports - where to go and where to rent equipment. Shore-side facilities, restaurants, beach bars, shops, provisions, Internet connections. Alphabetical - by island - Directory of goods and services. Everything you will need to help make your vacation an enjoyable and memorable experience in a concise easy-to-use format.

Caribbean Islands (Multi Country Guide)

Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Jens Porup, Michael Grossberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Perfect for trip planning 5 out of 5 stars.
67 of 68 people found this review helpful.

At 800+ pages, this is too heavy to lug around, but it's perfect for planning a trip and deciding where to visit. After you've planned your itinerary, I suggest buying a more specialized LP (Lonely Planet) guide to take with you - a small price to pay for a successful vacation.

Cuba gets the longest chapter (a whopping 59pp), followed by the Dominican Republic (48pp), Trinidad & Tobago (47pp), Bahamas (43pp), and Jamaica (42pp). However, the book's warnings about Jamaican crime will cause most travellers to rethink their itinerary. Haiti receives a token 18 pages due to the turmoil there. At the other end of the spectrum, the shortest chapters are on Saba and St. Eustatius (10pp each).

I enjoy the LP writing style, and I like their emphasis on practical tidbits. For example, don't fly directly from Aruba to the U.S. because you'll be in line for two hours at the Aruba airport due to understaffing by U.S. customs officers (yes, U.S.) who handle pre-clearance procedures. This is the kind of nuts-and-bolts information for which LP is famous, and enables visitors to avoid vacation hell.

Pet peeves: The chapters covering the 26 jurisdictions seem to be in random order - why not alphabetical? LP has always been famous for their maps, but lately their maps have been using one shade of gray for water and a slightly different shade of gray for land, which is tough on the eyes.

Editorial Review:

With coconut palms and white-sand beaches, vibrant cities and tranquil coves, the Caribbean's rich mix of islands offers endless possibilities for the ultimate tropical escape. Whether one is diving among shipwrecks or cast away with a glass of rum, this practical guide is the key to unlocking a Caribbean dream.

Panama Canal By Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide To Cruising The Panama Canal (Panama Canal By Cruise Ship)

Anne Vipond

Amazon Price: $14.93 List Price: $21.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Ocean Cruise Guides Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $14.93

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Guide for upcoming partial transit of canal 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This will be packed and going on my upcoming cruise. It has not only the historical, cultural, political perspectives on the canal, but has all the Central America, Mexico, South America ports where you stop during the cruise. Wonderful maps, pictures, and discussions about the surrounding areas.
I am enjoying studying it each night in prepartion for our cruise.
Well write and easy to pack. This author did a tremendous job with this guide. I would definitely buy other guides from Ms. Vipond.
Linda Canada

Editorial Review:

One of the greatest engineering feats ever, the Panama Canal is becoming one of the world's most popular cruise itineraries. Ports of call span the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera, but the highlight of the cruise is the eight-hour transit of the Canal in which six massive locks raise and lower the ship 85 feet. Read about the monumental construction of the Canal as well as the history, culture, flora and fauna of this tropical region. Detail provided on popular ports, from Florida to California. Over 400 maps and photos most in color. Includes giant color fold out map of Panama Canal

The Reef Set: Reef Fish, Reef Creature and Reef Coral (3 Volumes) (Reef Set)

Paul Humann, Ned DeLoach

Amazon Price: $75.60 List Price: $120.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: New World Publications Amazon Marketplace: 23 new & used starting at $69.68

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 31 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The "Bible" of Identification for the Carribean! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a must-have set for the SCUBA diver who is serious about knowing "exactly what is that fish/creature/coral" . And, even for the recreational diver, the books are laid out in a format to allow one's curiosity to help one to learn more about what exactly one can see while diving. Just about every live-aboard dive boat that I have been on counts this as a staple amongst its reference library. It is a nice set to have at home to review before or after diving - or even just to learn more about possibly what one MIGHT see on a future dive!

Don't leave home without it! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My husband and I are passionate divers! He takes fabulous pictures and I like to identify what he takes pictures of. I have a couple of the plastic i.d. cards of fish, but so many critters aren't on them. However, these books have everything! It's nice to go to a reef and know what everything is and what it might do to you! This set is expensive, but you'll make up the cost by not having to buy multiple I.D. books.

Editorial Review:

This title contains 3 books in slipcase. It includes copies of "Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean & Bahamas" (3rd Edition), "Reef Creature Identification: Florida, Caribbean & Bahamas" (2nd Edition) and "Reef Coral Identification: Florida, Caribbean & Bahamas" (2nd Edition) packaged in a beautifully printed shelf case.

An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude

Ann Vanderhoof

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Under the Tuscan Sun meets the wide-open sea . . . An Embarrassment of Mangoes is a delicious chronicle of leaving the type-A lifestyle behind -- and discovering the seductive secrets of life in the Caribbean.

Who hasn’t fantasized about chucking the job, saying goodbye to the rat race, and escaping to some exotic destination in search of sun, sand, and a different way of life? Canadians Ann Vanderhoof and her husband, Steve did just that.

In the mid 1990s, they were driven, forty-something professionals who were desperate for a break from their deadline-dominated, career-defined lives. So they quit their jobs, rented out their house, moved onto a 42-foot sailboat called Receta (“recipe,” in Spanish), and set sail for the Caribbean on a two-year voyage of culinary and cultural discovery.

In lavish detail that will have you packing your swimsuit and dashing for the airport, Vanderhoof describes the sun-drenched landscapes, enchanting characters and mouthwatering tastes that season their new lifestyle. Come along for the ride and be seduced by Caribbean rhythms as she and Steve sip rum with their island neighbors, hike lush rain forests, pull their supper out of the sea, and adapt to life on “island time.”

Exchanging business clothes for bare feet, they drop anchor in 16 countries -- 47 individual islands -- where they explore secluded beaches and shop lively local markets. Along the way, Ann records the delectable dishes they encounter -- from cracked conch in the Bahamas to curried lobster in Grenada, from Dominican papaya salsa to classic West Indian rum punch -- and incorporates these enticing recipes into the text so that readers can participate in the adventure.

Almost as good as making the journey itself, An Embarrassment of Mangoes is an intimate account that conjures all the irresistible beauty and bounty from the Bahamas to Trinidad -- and just may compel you to make a rash decision that will land you in paradise.


From the Hardcover edition.

Cuba (Country Guide)

Brendan Sainsbury

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

Editorial Review:

Controversial and just a bit conflicted, Cuba is a nation like no other – rhythmic, colorful, sophisticated and whimsical all in one sumptuous breath. Unlock the syncopated beat of this island paradise, revel in Habana Vieja’s culture and traditions, ramble along history’s trail in the Sierra Maestra or simply sit back on a secret beach till mañana dawns with this unparalleled and comprehensive guide.

Wanna Cha Cha? – the secrets of salsa, son, mambo and more are revealed in our special Music chapter.

Gaps On The Map – informed do-it-yourself content, day tripper itineraries and more than 60 maps open the doors to Trinidad, Santiago, Cayo Coco and more.

Travel Back – the revolution didn’t need to be televised, it comes to life with informed features and in-depth historic and cultural coverage.

Que Bola Asere? – learn what this phrase means and more with our authoritative Language and Glossary chapters.

A Small Place

Jamaica Kincaid

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

The lovely tourists 1 out of 5 stars.
12 of 34 people found this review helpful.

I had to read this book for a Multicultural Literature class at my Uni, and, far from being informative, all it did was fill with me a contempt of my own. I am not a racist by any means, but when confronted with such a bitter, snide voice as the one Kincaid displays, I find myself unconsciously getting defensive. When she says, "you are a tourist; you are ugly," I find myself saying, "Fine, I'll keep my money and let you trade with seashells and beads." Kincaid is a master of the self-fulfilling prophecy: she says Antiguans are so oppressed and so downtrodden and so angry, and rather than doing anything to help it, she's exacerbating it by using such a bitter, over-the-top voice.

Other reviewers have stated that the vision of Antigua portrayed is a warped and extremely limited one, biased by Kincaid's apparent small mindedness, and I must confess that I'm glad to hear that. To think that the entire island is solely occupied by bitter people who imagine themselves to be ex-slaves would make me steer clear of the area any time I go on vacation.

Because, yes, I am a tourist. And no, being a tourist does not automatically make anyone ugly, despite what Kincaid's bitter rant might say.

Editorial Review:

A brilliant look at colonialism and its effects in Antigua--by the author of Annie John

"If you go to Antigua as a tourist, this is what you will see. If you come by aeroplane, you will land at the V. C. Bird International Airport. Vere Cornwall (V. C.) Bird is the Prime Minister of Antigua. You may be the sort of tourist who would wonder why a Prime Minister would want an airport named after him--why not a school, why not a hospital, why not some great public monument. You are a tourist and you have not yet seen . . ."

So begins Jamaica Kincaid's expansive essay, which shows us what we have not yet seen of the ten-by-twelve-mile island in the British West Indies where she grew up.

Lyrical, sardonic, and forthright by turns, in a Swiftian mode, A Small Place cannot help but amplify our vision of one small place and all that it signifies.

Fodor's Caribbean 2009 (Fodor's Gold Guides)

Fodor's

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

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. Although 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 the Caribbean!

•Updated annually, Fodor’s Caribbean provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.

•Fodor’s Caribbean 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 the Caribbean.

•Experience the Caribbean like a local! Fodor’s Caribbean includes choices for every traveler, from scuba diving, horseback riding, and sailing to just lounging on the beach, and much more!

•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.

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

Puerto Rico (Regional Guide)

Brendan Sainsbury

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

Not too bad 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is not LP's best outing, but not the worst. Compared to its competitors, it was better if you are interested in visiting the eastern part of the main island (fajardo, etc.). The culebra and san juan parts are also excellent. Could use a little more of everything, though - feels thin at times.

Editorial Review:

Featuring expanded coverage on music and outdoor activities, this reference is packed with essential information for visitors to Puerto Rico. It includes a GreenDex directory listing of sustainable vendors.

National Geographic Traveler: Panama (National Geographic Traveler)

Christopher Baker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Panama traveler 4 out of 5 stars.
21 of 25 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book in anticipation of traveling to Panama in January. I was able to find every place we intend to go and also find a lot of useful hints for our travels. We have traveled to a number of countries and always buy some sort of guides to let us know what to expect and to help us plan our trip. This book gives a concise description of the areas without being too concise but also without being too verbose. I also have the Frommer's guide to Panama and much prefer the much more colorful National Geographic guide.

Editorial Review:

In Panama, the new Traveler guide takes the visitor beyond the famous canal to the Darien, a biological Eden teeming with wildlife, to the homelands of indigenous cultures that predate the conquistadores to Bocas del Toro, synonymous with a funky lifestyle to the steamy cosmopolitan capital, Panama City.

Each guidebook in this series details how to get around and what not to miss... the most gracious hotels and recommended restaurants... the best spots for festivals, wildlife watching, water sports, and more—all presented with the reliable reporting and magnificent photos and maps that are the hallmarks of National Geographic.