Frommer's Hawaii 2006 (Frommer's Complete) Review

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(More customer reviews)Another terrific Frommer guide. Things are organized the way you plan a vacation. Looking for accommodations? They are all in one place for each island (grouped by location). Same with meals, activities, etc. I especially appreciate the honest descriptions and opinions of each property. If it's run down, the author says so. That's the type of information I need. I can get simple descriptive info (like other guidebooks) from the tourist bureau. I want to know what stuff is REALLY like and this book tells me.

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You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Hawaii features gorgeous color photos of the stunning beaches and thrilling adventures that await you. Meticulously researched by one of Hawaii's most noted journalists, this is hands-down the most reliable, up-to-date, and comprehensive guide to the islands.
Each of our candid hotel reviews is based on a detailed personal inspection. You'll find lavish beachfront resorts, intimate rain-forest B&Bs, family-friendly condos, and much, much more. Our dining reviews are simply the best in the business, whether you crave cutting-edge Asian-fusion cuisine or a hearty, affordable plate lunch.
Our author makes sure that you'll truly experience the spirit of aloha, and she'll help you steer clear of anything that's overpriced, touristy, or inauthentic. With Frommer's in hand, you'll know where to find secluded beaches; secret spots for snorkeling; the best outfitters to choose for everything from diving to deep-sea fishing; and where to find the top galleries and shops.
Inside you'll find extensive coverage of family-friendly accommodations and activities; tips on how to get married in the islands; recommendations for the best honeymoon resorts; and valuable advice on finding the best airfares and package deals. Whether you want to watch the fiery spectacle at the Big Island's volcano, play a challenging round of golf, snorkel with sea turtles, or simply kick back with a mai tai to watch the sunset, you can design the perfect trip with Frommer's Hawaii. You'll even get a color fold-out map, and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!

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Frommer's Hawaii 2008 (Frommer's Complete) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchase Frommer Guides when I'm going someplace new, and I have always been happy with them. This one, however, is not up to their usual standards. I took it along on my recent trip, and it was less than helpful. Many towns and places in HI have native names, but the translation is not in the book, so asking for directions was harder than it needed to be. Several hotels and good local restaurants were not listed. Travel times (either by car or bus) between cities were mentioned in passing, if at all. Local landmarks might get a word or two in description, but there was a detailed listing of every mall and shopping plaza. Overall, I got the impression that this was written largely from an impression of HI that hadn't been updated in a while.

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You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us!
Completely updated every year (unlike most of the competition), Frommer's Hawaii features gorgeous color photos of the stunning beaches and thrilling adventures that await you. Meticulously researched by one of Hawaii's most noted journalists, this is hands-down the most reliable, up-to-date, and comprehensive guide to the islands.
Each of our candid hotel reviews is based on a detailed personal inspection. You'll find lavish beachfront resorts, intimate rain-forest B&Bs, family-friendly condos, and much, much more. Our dining reviews are simply the best in the business, whether you crave cutting-edge Asian-fusion cuisine or a hearty, affordable plate lunch.
Our author makes sure that you'll truly experience the spirit of aloha, and she'll help you steer clear of anything that's overpriced, touristy, or inauthentic. With Frommer's in hand, you'll know where to find secluded beaches; secret spots for snorkeling; the best outfitters to choose for everything from diving to deep-sea fishing; and where to find the top galleries and shops.
Inside you'll find extensive coverage of family-friendly accommodations and activities; tips on how to get married in the islands; recommendations for the best honeymoon resorts; and valuable advice on finding the best airfares and package deals. Whether you want to watch the fiery spectacle at the Big Island's volcano, play a challenging round of golf, snorkel with sea turtles, or simply kick back with a mai tai to watch the sunset, you can design the perfect trip with Frommer's Hawaii. You'll even get a color fold-out map, and an online directory that makes trip-planning a snap!

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No Worries Hawaii: A Vacation Planning Guide for Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island Review

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(More customer reviews)In my work at Guide to Travel Guides, we concentrate on finding excellent travel books from smaller publishers, books that travelers may not yet be familiar with. No Worries Hawaii, newly published in late 2007, is just such a book. Really a travel planning guide without peer. Its 160 pages are fabulous stuff, chocked full of helpful information and some of the loveliest color photos around. If you play ball with the Sprouts, they'll help you zero in on the greatest island vacation you've ever had. The Sprouts are veterans of the Hawaii guidebook scene. Their deservedly much-praised Trailblazer series includes four titles on the islands of Hawaii: Kauai Trailblazer, Maui Trailblazer, Oahu Trailblazer, and Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer, all of which focus on outdoor activities of every kind: walks, hikes, bicycle rides, snorkeling, driving tours and on and on. In No Worries Hawaii they use their expertise to help you decide the type of vacation you want, the setting you want, the activities you value most, and where best to find them. Moving from an armchair voyage in which you envision and clarify your wants and needs to a clever, simple self-test to help you prioritize your wish list, No Worries Hawaii then relates all this homework you've done to a highly detailed, 36-category Best of Hawaii section. If you spend the time, the system really works. If you are too lazy, just focusing on the Best of Hawaii section, plus a good look at the Best of Hawaii scoreboard to see which island ranks highest for your needs will take you a long way toward paradise. Practical information abounds, with lots of money saving advice and a wonderfully detailed "Wiki Wiki Phonebook" for all the contact information you'll ever need. This is one great travel planning guide--if only other travel destinations had something this good.

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Get To The Heart of Your DestinationHalf of Hawaii's 8 million yearly tourists are first-timers, often unsure of which island to visit, where to stay, and what to choose to do. NO WORRIES HAWAII, a companion book to the Sprout's adventure guides for each of the islands, comes to the rescue. The book is also useful for repeat visitors or locals looking for new adventures. Readers first take an armchair voyage, in which they nail down their vacation style (a scouting expedition, a romantic getaway, a solo or group adventure, invigorating, relaxing, healing). These likings are matched with what Hawaii has to offer. A clever but simple self-test allows readers to sort through Hawaii's assets: beaches, nightlife, trails, gardens, attractions, cultural sites, surfing, snorkeling, 36 categories in all, to determine which are important and which island is best. In the second part of NO WORRIES HAWAII, readers take their decisions from part one and receive all the practical and money-saving advice needed to book a vacation that makes the armchair voyage become a real one. Included also is a complete list of what to pack. The third part of the book is full of tips on what to do and what not to do after arriving in the islands. Readers will deplane as kama'aina (locals), having the benefit of the Sprout's 20 years of exploration. Sections include how to plan days to maximize fun and avoid hassle, finding free entertainment, car rental and accommodation money-savers. Readers are advised on how to, and whether to, book tours (snorkeling, sailing, helicopter, horseback, etc.). The book's safety tips are a literal lifesaver, and the everyday advice on driving, hiking, and beach-going are essential forgetting the most fun out of every day.The meat of NO WORRIES HAWAII is its Best Of section, a listing of Hawaii's top attractions: museums, rainforest dayhikes, snorkeling coves, walk-around beach towns, surfing spots, places to watch surfers, mountain bike trails, people-watching beaches, botanical gardens, short strolls to views, cultural sites, luxury resorts, volcano hikes, bird-watching forests, waterfalls, churches, remote beaches, family beach parks, golf courses, and more. Taken together, the 50 categories neatly sum up the best of Hawaii. Readers can use these listings as a reference when they get to their chosen island.NO WORRIES HAWAII is beautifully designed, complimented by more than 100 color photographs, and also contains a "wikiwiki phonebook" with all the contact numbers needed to put a vacation together.

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Explorer's Guide Hawaii's Big Island: A Great Destination (Explorer's Great Destinations) Review

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(More customer reviews)There's nothing like a guidebook that's beautifully written and a pleasure to read. I expect to find lots of info in any guidebook I pick up, but it's a real bonus to find, as I did here, lots of insider tips and details about the kinds of things a first-time visitor would want to know. I picked up this book because it was the newest available - - a good choice, because it helped me plan my days. It's packed with necessary nuts-and-bolts info plus the kind of stuff that makes you treasure a guide: intriguing background details and suggestions for interesting [not generic] activities and destinations.

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A complete guide to this increasingly popular Hawaiian paradise known for its simmering volcanoes, sugary beaches, and exotic landscape.
As with all Explorer's Great Destinations guides, the author provides unbiased critical opinions and candid reviews about lodging, food, attractions, culture, and recreation. With up-to-date maps and photos throughout, this is an invaluable guide for your next trip. Black-and-white photographs and maps

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