No comments about Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef (Regional Guide).

5 comments about Lonely Planet New Zealand.

1. The Guide is very informative, but there is a new edition that has come out in October, so wait to buy the new one!!



2. I looked at and compared this to all the other guides from Frommer's, Eyewitness, Footprint, Rough, Insight, Moon, and Fodor's, and I thought this one was the best.

   I used this guide on an intensive, 3-week trip to New Zealand several years ago in which I drove over 6000 kilometers and got to just about every part of the country except Ninety-Mile Beach on the tip of the north island. I visited spots ranging from Stewart Island, Doubtful and Milford Sound, and Queenstown in the south, to the Coromandel Peninsula in the east, to the Franz-Josef glacier and the small western town of Greymouth in the west, to Lake Taupo and the capital city Auckland in the north. I crossed the southern Alps several times, and got to just about every major city and town, and I found the book very useful and accurate and a very valuable resource on my trip.

   New Zealand is one of the most beautiful and delightful places you can visit, and there is something here for everybody. There is still quite a lot of wildlife, and in the south I saw lots of Tui birds, who are like myna birds in that they can immitate just about any noise, and shellducks, which are larger than any American ducks I've seen. One of them even raced me in my car on a road crossing the Alps for a while, until he surprised me by flying under my car and losing all his feathers. Oh well, I hope he grew back those feathers.

   If you're into wildlife, another fun activity is to see the little blue penguins and the yellow-eyed penguins in the southeast coastal town of Oamaru. But watch out for those big shellducks. The big Kea parrots in the southern mountains are surprisingly bold. They come right up to you and you can get great pictures. A famous kea was the one that lived in a park in Sydney, Australia. This might be the only world-famous bird I've ever heard of. He would let the air out of automobile tires while people watched and laughed, which he seemed to do for the fun of it. As the New Zealanders say, they're cheeky little buggers.

   Another thing not to miss is the New Zealand Wildlife Refuge on the main road north of Wellington on the way to Auckland. Several of the other things that I enjoyed that I learned about first from the book were (on the south island) the Te Anau glow- worm caves, the big boat tour of Doubtful Sound, the boat tour of Milford Sound (the wettest place on earth at sea level, with 25 feet of rain per year), and (on the north island) the Maori cultural town of Rotorua, which smells like rotten eggs everywhere because of all the volcanic steam vents containing sulfur dioxide. In fact, the steam comes out of the ground just about all over the city.

   If you're the adventurous type, don't miss Queenstown in the south, the self-styled (and rightly so) adventure capital of the world. There you can do things like bungee-jump from a helicopter, and fly this interesting plane around which is tethered to a central pole. I don't know how many people do those things, but a popular attraction here is a jet-boat tour up one of the rivers. The aerial tramway in Queenstown up to the top of a local mountain gives you a spectacular view of the entire area. There is a decent restaurant at the top, which makes for a popular dining spot with a great view in the evening.

   On the north island, another interesting and fun thing I did in Auckland was to take the Rangitoto Island tour in Auckland Bay on my last day there, which takes you around this small, volcanic island in the middle of the bay. Also Waiheke Island made for an interesting overnight stay in Auckland bay before flying out the next day. Kelly Tarkington's Arctic Experience is worth seeing. And last but not least, Auckland has some surprisingly good restaurants and dining.

   Overall, an excellent and well-written guide and worth the price. New Zealand is one of the best and most enjoyable countries I've ever visited, and this guide was an important part of that experience on my trip.




3. This book is a lot better than the other Lonely Planet books in that it is the same size as the others but as it is only about one small country, it can fit most (not all there's still work to be done) of the towns and attractions backpackers want to see in New Zealand.

   The main difference between this and Let's Go is that this is written for a North American audience whereas Let's Go is more for your British, European, Australian, South African and the like markets. This means those not from North America may find a lot of the information as common knowledge, especially historic things and would prefer to have more further detailed information which is contained in the competitor Let's Go. Since the American education system doesn't teach this stuff American audiences will find it fascinating and will have a need for it maybe.

   A fair amount of the hostels in New Zealand actually do appear in this book which is very surprising for a Lonely Planet as they usually miss about 75 per cent of them. Be aware that there are other hostels out there though, so don't completely rely on the book and use the best method word of mouth from other backpackers as well. Of course the price information is out of date as usual.

   If only Lonely Planet could achieve as good a book for their other country/continent versions then they might be a worthwhile purchase. I'd say buy this if you're a North American but get Let's Go if you're not. Well actually I'd say don't bother with either as you're just reliving someone else's experiences and it's better to explore for yourself but for hostel listings and background info if you don't know much about New Zealand then this is useful.




4. new zealand is a beautiful place



5. If you're going to New Zealand - and want to enjoy the country to the fullest - DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT THIS GUIDE! I embarked on a 6-week long trip last June with this edition of 'Lonely Planet New Zealand' and fate as my only guides. I was impressed to the max! The only other guide I needed was a road atlas I picked up at the airport in Auckland (and since I was touring some of the Lord of the Rings film locations, Ian Brodie's lovely 'Lord of the Rings: Location Guidebook'). I do recommend renting a vehicle - as someone under 25 years old, Budget was a good bet for rental. Just remember, "Left, left left." It's a cinch! With the US dollar exchange rate favorable, we cheaply rented a top notch 4WD SUV for the entire time based on the recommendation of this book. I love the Lonely Planet series for the sheer fact that it gives you pointers on fantastic locations that may be slightly off the beaten path while at the same time informing you of the best of the best in those tourist meccas. It's a lovely balance. My only regret is that 6-weeks is far too short a time to see everything there is to see in New Zealand!

   The top 5 places you shouldn't miss on the North and South Islands:

   North Island
   1) Take the short ferry ride from Auckland to Rangitoto Island and hike to the summit - otherwordly!
   2) Do a touristy bus tour to Cape Reinga out of Paihia - on the bus to Cape Reinga you'll get to: learn a lot about the Maori culture, hug a Kauri tree, stop and surf down sand dunes, wonder in awe at the northern most point of the North Island where untouched white beaches are visible as the Tasman and Pacific Ocean meet and clash (an amazing scene), and to top it all off you'll cruise down 90-mile beach as waves lap the wheels of the bus (yeah, the beach is actually a registered roadway).
   3) Drive around the gorgeous Coromandel Peninsula - leave the Thames area just before sunrise and the landscape will just take your breath away! You will come to understand the meaning of Aotearoa/New Zealand: land of the long white cloud.
   4) Wander the volcantic parks of Rotorua - Wai-ti-pau was a highlight! Don't forget to sign-up for a traditional Maori concert and haka at the Tamaki Maori Village for a cool cultural experience!
   5) Cruise Cuba Street in Wellington for food and shops, and don't forget to visit Te Papa - the national museum of Wellington.

   South Island
   1) Plan a kayaking trip out of Motueka: the Tonga Island wildlife option is cool - we saw wild Orca and New Zealand Fur Seals up close and personal and then lunched on a secluded beach reached only by kayak!
   2) Take a helicopter ride up to Fox Glacier and do an afternoon hike - see where semi-tropical rainforest meets glacier meets the Tasman Sea.
   3) Go white water rafting on the Shotover River in Queenstown (be sure you get an option with the Oxenbridge Tunnel)! Then go jet boating, then bungy jumping, you name, it they do it there! Don't miss Deer Park Heights either - say hello to the free roaming buffalo for me!
   4) Head to the beautiful city of Kaikoura for whale watching and a dolphin swim.
   5) If you love wildlife - head to Dunedin and take a tour out to the Otago Peninsula (you'll see albatross, fur seals, sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins and a variety of bird life up close and personal - by up close I mean walking on the beach less than 10 feet away from a Hooker Seal Lion twice your size). While in Dunedin, visit Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world, and don't miss the Cadbury Factory! It's well worth the admission price!

   There is so much more to see and do that I haven't listed - and this guide helped me find it all and point me in the right direction every step of the way. The only thing the guide failed to mention was the abundance of rainbows in this enchanted country - I don't know about you, but where I come from rainbows are a special once in a great while occurance. In New Zealand you see them on a daily basis. I guarantee that with the help of this guide you will leave New Zealand with enough fantastic memories to last a lifetime. Kia ora.

3 comments about Wave-Finder Surf Guide Indonesia.

1. This is the most comprehensive guide to surf spots in Indonesia of the 3 or 4 that you can get, as of September 2005. This one has more spots, more info on each spot, and better general information (eg best tides, maps, swell direction, seasonal winds, access, prices, surf camps, transport issues etc). It also fits neatly in you pocket for travelling ease, but unfortunately, to keep prices down it is not the most robust little booklet (my pages fell out after just 2 weeks in Indo).
   
   Other surf guides for Indo include 'Surfing Indonesia Action Guide 2002/3' which has only one page on anything east of Sumba, only a few pages on Sumba itself, and nothing at all on Southern Sumatra, the Banyaks, and very little on the Mentawais. This guide has around 10 spots on Sumba alone, several spots on Rote and Sabu islands (east of Sumba), a handful of spots in Southern Sumatra, numerous Mentawai spots, but only short descriptions on the Banyaks and Simeuleu islands. 'Indo surf and Lingo' by Peter Neely has even less on some of the more out-of the-way-places, although the well-known spots it does describe have very good info (particularly Bali). World Stormrider Guides Volumes 1 and 2 is probably the second best buy for Indo surf information, with reasonably comprehensive information on a number of Indo areas, but these volumes are pricey, and the information is spread over 2 volumes (volume 3 out in 2007), and they are bulky books to travel with.
   
   There is a continuing general need for a comprehensive guide to Indonesian surfing, (which this Wavefinder Guide partly fulfils), as more and more spots are being discovered all the time. Part of the reason there isn't more available info is that there is always a bit of a war going on over whether to reveal new spots. In this guide for example, the authors note that they were tempted to put in some other little known gems, but didn't out of respect for those who spent months travelling throughout remote Indonesia finding them. And this guide still has MORE spots than any of the others. (Note also that surf operators don't always want any OTHER spots known, so they can get your money rather than someone else-which is partly why the Mentawais are now getting so crowded-there are other waves nearby on the Telos, and southern Sumatra that are just as/nearly as good).
   
   I am of the view that spots should be documented, published, and responsibly developed, which is pretty much what this guide is about, but I'd still like more info on eg Simeuleu, the Banyaks (eg "seek this spot out for yourself"), and northern and southern Sumatra in particular. There is also mention of several islands in this guide which just say they are very hard to get to, but have no info on the actual surf, (eg Engano Island).
   
   Anyone who has been out at Uluwatu on Bali in recent years will realise just how crowded this place has become, but there are numerous other lefts in Indo in the same class as Uluwatu, but which are only just being revealed and/or developed (eg Nembrala on Rote, Nihiwatu on Sumba-with a new resort, several in Southern Sumatra, Asu in the Hinakos, and Mengkudu in Sumba-also with a new resort). Even the Mentawais are now getting crowded. However, at least in my view, the more that become known, the less crowd pressures in all of them. There are literally hundreds of world class waves in Indo (some still not known/discovered-particularly in remote Sumatra). These, developed responsibly, will spread the crowds out, I should think. Mainland Sumatra is one place in particular that is going to open up further, because its cheap and there are very good waves-in fact there are oodles of coastline just waiting to be discovered/revealed, where you won't have to deal with crowds. This guide has some info on these, particulary in the Krui area, but not really enough (however other guides have none or barely any).
   
   One thing that many guides don't have enough of, is spot or area consistency ratings. One of the reasons places like G-Land are so good is that it breaks almost every day. There is a big difference between turning up a spot like that for a week or 3, and one which gets very good but only breaks once in a blue moon. Both the World Stormrider Guides volumes 1 and 2, and this Wavefinder guide, have at least some info on spot or coastline/island consistency per month, but in my view, not really enough. (eg There are some spot consistency descriptions, but not always, and no actual symbol for spot consistency. eg How often do the better breaks on the Banyaks get good, or the right on Mengkudu Island? Doesn't say.)
   
   One final point, there are some omissions on some spots wind or other information (in particular some with world class quality) (possibly deliberately).
   
   Despite the above criticisms, this is the best guide I could find as at September 2005, and I found it extremely useful whilst travelling through Indo.



2. Book seems to have alot of info (I am going next spring) The first book fell apart. I sent it back Amazon and got another copy and it fell apart also. This is kind of frustrating for a book that I had planned to travel with. I have a copy of the central america book and it seems fine.



3. The info in here is unparalleled. Several times on my indo trip people asked to borrow my little book because it has the low down on what conditions a spot is good in and what to expect experience wise.
   
   Unfortunately, this book has a SERIOUS flaw. It falls apart. I've seen 3 or 4 copies, all of which are missing pages. They just don't stay in. I had my book for about 2 weeks and the back sections started falling out. Then you either lose them or they get jumbled and you can't find the spot you're looking for. Futhermore, as they start falling out it only gets easier for other pages to come out. Frustrating.

4 comments about Streetwise Sydney Map - Laminated City Street Map of Sydney, Australia - with integrated monorail lines & stations.

1. Streetwise Sydney is essential to experiencing a city rich in history. It is laminated, so it's easy to fold, and it fits almost anywhere - a breast pocket perhaps. The map color codes different points of interest and of necessity- i.e. the Royal Botanic Gardens, Restaurants and Hotels. This map made a trip to a foreign city not so intimidating, and I wouldn't want to use any other kind when I plan my next adventure.



2. prompt delivery by amazon. Product quality extremely dependable. Very clear and significant details well highlighted.



3. Don't waste your money. This map shows such a small part of Sydney it is worthless. Using this map is like riding through one of the prettiest cities in the world while looking through a pipe. I threw it away the first day in Australia!



4. I love these maps, they never disappoint. The Sydney one covers all the parts of the city that most tourists are likely to visit, with sufficient detail to keep you from getting lost, even on the smallest streets.
   
   There is no better map on the market today.

3 comments about The Complete Guide to Easter Island.

1. This guide is absolutely fabulous, whether you want to plan a trip to Easter Island (in the South Pacific, about 7 to 8 hours flight from Santiago, Chile) or just want to read about this exotic and remote island. I found the Guide fascinating and extremely helpful about all aspects regarding Easter Island, including where to stay, what historic sites to visit, and the eclectic history regarding Rapa Nui (as it's Polynesian name is known). A lot of thought and detail has been put into this hearty book. If Easter Island is on your mind, I recommend this book whole heartily.



2. The title of this book says it all. It is a complete guide to Easter Island--history, geography, banking and groceries all in one package. Definitely a must-read prior to a trip to the island, and to have on hand while trekking across Rapa Nui.



3. What an awesome book! We studied the book carefully before our visit to Easter Island 3 weeks ago. Then we took it with us everywhere on the Island and used it constantly for the 6 days we were there. It was our Easter Island bible. It is packed full of helpful hints, historical background and all the information you could ever want to know about the ahus, moai and caves on the Island. Plus, the maps, drawings, etc. at the back of the book were SO helpful. You don't need any other book to visit Easter Island. And thanks to the author's recommendation, we ate at the wonderful restaurant Au Bout du Monde on our last night on the Island and loved it! Thank you Shawn McLaughlin for enriching our Easter Island experience so much!!

No comments about Tasmania (Regional Guide).

No comments about Insight Guides Melbourne (Insight Guides).

5 comments about Family Baggage: A Novel.

1. I loved Mcinerney's previous book, The Alphabet Sisters. But this book was weighed down with weak characters and a plot centered around a discovery that I didn't think warranted the reaction of the character most affected. Mcinerney was reaching throughout the whole book. She reached with a weak main character and a weak discovery that was supposed to be shocking but fell short. If you haven't read her previous book, go for that one and skip the Baggage.



2. Never having read any of Monica McInerney's books before, I didn't know what to expect with Family Baggage. I have to say, the first chapter kept me only mildly interested. However, the further I read, the more I enjoyed the story. For anyone interested in the dynamics of a large extended family, this book will provide a fun, interesting read. The characters really grew on me - none were stereotypes and I particularly enjoyed the Patrick Shawcross character. Although I suspected the truth about the main area of conflict pretty early on, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story and how it unfolded. Any book that can make me both laugh out loud and get teary-eyed certainly gets my appreciation. My only complaint - no hospital would have kept James there for so many days!!!
   
   I will certainly be checking out Ms. McInerney's other books.



3. This was the first time I've read Monica McInerney. The explaination and title caught me. I love books about family, Ireland and travel. I thought the book was slow at first but it delveloped into a very interesting story. I particulary loved the Questions and Answer's in the back of the book. I got a real in-depth look at the author and she is someone I would want for a friend.



4. This is the first Mcinerney novel I've read, but it won't be the last. The novel shifted point of view between several family members, but I was happiest when Harriet was the focus (and was disappointed that the last point of view of the novel was her niece instead). I found Harriet to be both a likable and believable character. Maybe it's just because I'm the youngest girl in my family like Harriet was, but I think there's more to it: Mcinerney shows how family members tend to misread each other and focus more on their own place in the family than on trying to understand each other's difficulties.
   
   It's true that some of the "big deals" of this story were actually very little things...but isn't that how it is in real life? For us worriers, the smallest of hurts can turn into monstrous offenses---sure, it's all in our heads most of the time, but that doesn't change the emotional impact.
   
   All-in all, the story line was charming (perhaps predictable but never boring), the writing style was easy to read and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, and the insights often hit close to home.



5. I thought this book would never end. It could have been over with in 200 pages tops. The characters were uninteresting and the story was boring. The writing was tedious and read like a romance novel. I am not passing this on to anyone, I wouldn't want to put my friends through the torture.

5 comments about Frommer's South Pacific (Frommer's Complete).

1. It is very obvious that the author of this book has actually been to the South Pacific - he is very enthusiastic about the area - and sincerely wants his readers to love it too! We have followed the book's on two trips and have found the advise to be 100% accurate. I highly recommend this book - it can be trusted.



2. Having been a resident of French Polynesia and Tahiti for over 35 years, the author-in my opinion-has produced an accurate, objective and encompassing report and guide for the American traveling public.The subject matter to review and relay is quite extensive--and this requires a fine tuned view of each island. Although I have not visited as many islands as the writer, I find the ones I know in the edition to be correct and concise--in fact, I learned details I was not aware of.
   
   It is important to remember this guide was presented by an American-with an American viewpoint and cultural value-for the American market.
   
   In closing, before coming to these islands, I highly suggest you extend your credit card limits and/or bring lots of cash as most of it probably won't be returning with you. French Polynesia is expensive--yet the lagoon colors, vibrant mountains and handsome people make it a memorable experience.



3. If you are looking for information to help you decide where to go in the South Pacific this is a great place to start. If you know you are going to a specific Island you may want to consider a book on just that Island but this is a great overview and a resource for travelling between the islands.



4. Bill Goodwin has continually updated and improved this book since the 6th and 7th editions. Why does Amazon.com retain such outdated reviews from two years ago and more? So much has been changed since the edition one of these early reviews refer to. For example Goodwin points out the best snorkeling and other outdoor activities, and tells exactly where to go to rent bicycles. Goodwin's professional advice is highly relevant to travelers of all price ranges, including backpackers (he began as one after all), and all advice is given with an eye to making the most of your money. No travel guide can possibly be up to the, minute (the time need to print the book causes this), but Goodwin provides frequent updates on his own website, [...].
   This guide is entertaining as well as useful. It is indispensable for all of us who have outgrown Lonely Planet. Please remove the out of date reviews of this excellent book.



5. This book has a 2006 copyright date in it so don't count on all the prices for hotels, dining, etc. to be up to date. We generally buy Frommer's books more for learning about the area and signts to see than for hotels and dining.Web sites we have researched don't contain a lot of great information as they are loaded with items to sell you. We have visited this area one other tiem and this is the place to go to relax and really take life easy. The book gives you some very good insight into the area and what to visit and where to spend you time. This book has some items and locations that appear in another Frommer book, Tahiti and French Polynesia. Areas in this book include Fiji, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rarotonga and Cook Islands, Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga. Even if you are visiting only a couple of those islands you will find the book worth while.We first looked at major book stores in Dallas and locating copies of South Pacific books was next to impossible. Every store though did offer to order a copy for us. That meant paying full retail price and having to make another trip to the bookstore. You spend less time and money by ordering as we did through Amazon.

3 comments about Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands (Country Guide).

1. Once upon a time, Lonely Planet had a good guide to Papua New Guinea (371 pages), and an excellent one to the Solomon Islands (279 pages). For better or worse these fascinating countries don't exactly attract hordes of holidaymakers, so after leaving those books unupdated for many years, the publisher has now decided to dump them together in this new edition (272 pages).
   The result is basically a new, much slimmer guide to Papua New Guinea, with fewer than 30 pages on the Solomons (where it only actually covers half the country even nominally).
   Not only has much of the detail been thrown out, the quality of information has also gone downhill sharply! :-(
   The authors have very obviously never visited even major tourist destinations of PNG described in the book - as confirmed by owners of accomodations included in it, who told me they had merely received phonecalls from the author who didn't even visit most of the Sepik Region or the Highlands, for example!
   Much of the "updating" seems to have been done by surfing the web, and as a result the book abounds in recommendations for expensive, upmarket places and tour-operators that do have websites, while completely ignoring cheaper, budget guesthouses which have no info on the net. Even excellent, small locally owned places that were in previous editions of the PNG guide are conspiciously missing! And as for what the authors consider "budget": their itinerary recommended for budget travellers includes staying at a 150 USD/night resort!
   
   This book is a real shame to Lonely Planet.
   If you are planning on resort-hopping on a short holiday, it will be sufficient, but if you want to explore these two countries in depth without spending a fortune, you are far better off trying to find copies of the now out-of-print old editions, which still contain far more useful information than this new guide.
   Check Amazon for reviews and availablity of the old Papua New Guinea guide and Solomon Islands one.
   
   Another cheap little book that may well enrich your travels in either of the two countries is LP's Pidgin Phrasebook.
   Those keen on getting way off the beaten track in PNG on foot will still find Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea invaluable!



2. The book does not really give sufficient information about the villages which are, in fact, memorable experiences. Nonetheless, I am not aware of a better source for information about places in PNG and so recommend that someone traveling to PNG buy this book. There are a few other good books about the culture and art.



3. I bought this book hoping it would be helpful for the Solomon Islands. There was only about 30 pages about the Solomons. This book is a great guide for Papua New Guinea. I would suggest looking for older guides. I bought an older guide from lonely planet that was strictly about the Solomon Islands. It was much better, only the finacial info was definitely out of date.