4 comments about Diving Off the Beaten Track.

1. For the diver looking to expand their geographical horizons. The info for the most part is very general. It's an overview of interesting and less visited dive spots. If you're serious about travelling & diving 'off the beaten path' you'll need to supplement this with a more specific guide for your destination. But a good 'idea book' for those casting about for new travel & dive destinations.



2. Informatively written by veteran diver and journalist Bob Burgess, Diving Off The Beaten Track is an engaging travelogue showcasing superb diving locations in the Bahamas, the Caymans, Belize, and Bay Islands. Full-color photographs wonderfully enhanced Burgess' engaging narration making Diving Off The Beaten Track superbly fascinating reading for armchair travelers as well as an invaluable Caribbean travel planning guide for avid divers.



3. The content of Burgess's book is very good as you'd expect, but as a graphics/visual person I'll opin that what really makes it shine are the photos. Burgess has a great eye, especially for diver photos which really put the beautiful scenery in context. Recommended.



4. After having read this book by Bob Burgess I have plans for sailing and diving in the Carribean in the near future. This is a very well written and informative book. I would even go as far as to say that it could be used as guide for some outstanding places to sail and dive in the Carribean.
   I usually dive the Gulf of Mexico and local caves, but now I see that I am missing out on even better diving. If you like to dive, sail, or just have fun in the water, this is a must read book. I highly recommend it.

2 comments about From EUROPE to the Caribbean Sea.

1. This travel book by Art Zavarella was so different from the usual, hum drum travel books I've seen giving advice and facts for travelers. The author takes us on his personal journeys throughout Europe and the Caribbean with often funny and always real life situations as he and his wife travel. He offers a ton of historical, interesting and unusual facts and stories regarding the different destinations that no other travel book or tour guide could give. I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of traveling in the near future or just interested in learning a lot about the beautiful, fascinating places Mr. Zavarella describes so well in this book.



2. I have just finished reading this book and I truly enjoyed it! This book is certaintly not your traditional guidebook that leads the reader to places that only offer comfort to travelers, but rather it is an account of his impressions of traveling written with humor, passion, and a wonderful sense of history. He visits some of the most magnificent cities in the world such as Rome, Florence, Naples, Capri, Athens, Istanbul, Monaco, Barcelona, and Vienna. His descriptions of these cities are vivid and written with an appreciation of the culture of the land. I found myself laughing on several occasions at many of the humorous events the author experienced as he and his wife travel through different parts of the world. This is an excellent book for people who plan on traveling or have already traveled to these parts of the world and want to relive the experience. It is also a great book for those who want to travel without leaving home!

1 comments about The Caribbean: A Walking and Hiking Guide (Caribbean Walking and Hiking Guide).

1. After having bought Adkins' "Appalachian Trail: A Visitor's Companion," I thought I would give his guide to walking the Caribbean a try. Thoroughly researched, the book directed me to some of the best walks and hikes I've ever had. Using it, my vacation became an exploration of isolated and uncrowded beaches, desert landscapes, wet rain forests and steaming volcanoes. As examples: on Dominica, I caught a glimpse of the endangered Sisserou parrot, on Saba I followed century-old step trails and in the British Virgin Islands walked completely around an island without seeing another person. If you are unsure of venturing out on your own, local guide companies are identified. For those who want less of an adventure or who only have a few hours (such as cruise ship passengers), Adkins has included walking tours of the historic port towns and botanical gardens. He even directs you to beaches where you and everyone else is permitted to enjoy the sun sans clothing. As far as I know, this is the only book dedicated exclusively to walking and hiking the islands.

No comments about Adventure Travel in Latin America: Where to Backpack, Camp and Find Adventure in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

No comments about Puerto Rico: A Simplified Reference to Attractions, Dining and Public Transit.

No comments about Adventure Guide Cayman Islands (Adventure Guide to the Cayman Islands) (Adventure Guide to the Cayman Islands) (Adventure Guide to the Cayman Islands).

No comments about Marco Polo Barbados (Marco Polo Travel Guides).

2 comments about Fodor's Caribbean Ports of Call 2007 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. I was very disappointed in this Fodor's book. For example on the island of Antigua, they listed 4 shore excursion tours (out of 15 or so the cruise ships offer) and the description of the tours was less information than can be found for free on the cruise line's websites.
   The island of St. John only had a few paragraphs which I found totally useless. If you want to know more about the islands and activities on the islands, I suggest you save your money and DON'T buy this book. Instead, go to the internet and check information from the visitor bureau for each island or go to the cruise lines websites. The book includes a map of Miami airport and one of JFK. That's fine if you happend to be flying into one of those two airports. It also devotes a lot of pages to listing different cruise lines and listing all of their ships. That's not really what I wanted to read about in a CARIBBEAN Ports of Call book. The island information doesn't even START until page 172!



2. Fodor's produces an excellent reference book for the Caribbean. While the book is not an exhaustive reference, it does do a wonderful job of giving a lot of overview information which will be helpful for first time, or few time visiotors to these pors.

4 comments about Explore the Dominican Republic (Adventure Guides Series).

1. My favourite Guide Book for the DR. I use this book everyday for research and information on the Dominican Republic tourism industry. Harry Pariser divulges little tidbits your 'official tour guide' will never tell you!



2. I found the authors tone in his review of areas to visit in the Dominican Republic to be extremely negative. I was going to go to Punta Cana and after I bought this book and read his review, I felt like I made a mistake. He does not seem to offer general information for all travelers but writes "if you have moola, like large resorts, and want to get away from everything, this area MAY be what you are looking for. I found him very negative, yet there is another book if you are going to the Dominican Republic & Haiti which offered a wealth of information and history, it's Lonely Planet's book on Dominican Republic & Haiti which offers many tips, history and general information. And by the way, Punta Cana is a beautiful place to visit regardless of whether you are wealthy or not.



3. This is the best of the D. R. guide books (the Moon guide is the worst), however.....one still needs to pay VERY close attention to the NEGATIVE REVIEWS of resorts at the web site debbiesdominicantravel dot com. I say this because many who post on that site inexcusably downplay shoddy lodging and abusive treatment of tourists. Usually, the negative reviews are more realistic, especially of tourist traps like the Punta Cana Beach Resort (some of whose bungalows are not even weathertight). This author justifiably mentions the isolation of the East Coast (Punta Cana). Having recently traveled to both the East and North coasts, I say without hesitation the North Coast (Sosua, Puerta Plata) is far superior in every way. The Dominican Republic is a wonderful value overall and the Dominicans themselves are gentle and friendly (unless they are employed by certain resorts). I will probably retire there. There are many tips and strategies in this book not found in other D. R. guides. Your best choice in D. R. guide books.



4. Not much detail if you want to get off the beated path. I prefered Harvey's "Rough Guide". If you're spending a lot of time in the capital [Santo Domingo], this book may help.

1 comments about Memories of Cuba.

1. The book consists of photographs and the memoirs of two French visitors in modern day Cuba. It is interesting to see how Cuba has changed since it's Pre-Castro heights, but those looking for a book to reflect their own memories of the old Cuba would be a bit disappointed.