5 comments about Adventure Guide: Hawaii the Big Island (Adventure Guides Series).

1. This is one of the best guidebooks I've ever read. It has 500 pages and then there's also bonus material on a website. I could never do everything in this book even if I had a year of vacation instead of two weeks. But it'll be fun to try. Definitely like the chapter on Hawaii Volcanoes National Park . It talks so much about hikes and drives and how to see lava, but also about the native songbirds and the goddess Pele and her "curse." Good stuff.



2. There are lots of guidebooks out there, and if you're planning a trip to Hawaii, this should definitely be one of them! Fryklund and Reeder pull the best the Big Island has to offer into this information-packed volume in the Hunter Adventure Guide series. Literary and Hawaiian quotes abound, making it an enjoyable read as well. Full color illustrations and photos - this is on my list of recommended books for anyone visiting the Big Island!



3. I love the Big Island, and every time we go I like to get a new guide book to find the new cool things we haven't done yet, and THIS BOOK has lots of COOL ideas of places to go and things to do as well as lots of information about the traditions and also about local flora and fauna. And, better yet, it's funny! As a busy mom of 3 kids, I don't get a lot of time to read so even planning a vacation, I want to be entertained. And I was while I was reading this book. Great stuff like comparing a maze at a botanical garden to the one in Harry Potter. You can tell the authors had fun with this one. I also really loved all of the quotes by famous people that they included. It also provided helpful information about Hawaiian culture and history, which I shared with my kids to help them enjoy and learn about the island. We love b&bs and this offered a lot of choices. It really helped us appreciate our recent trip so much more. I wish I'd had it years ago!!!!



4. Well-written and rich with up-to-date local information. We will travel with it later this year. Some minor editing glitches.



5. I had hoped to find a new guidebook for the Island of Hawaii. Sadly, this was not it. The book may be OK as an overview for a first trip to the island (week or less) but it is too superficial to be of enduring use.

5 comments about Hawaii Birds: An Introduction to Over 140 Species of the Most Common and Distinctive Hawaiian Birds.

1. I recently went on a trip to Hawaii, and, having an interest in birds, I wanted to be able to take an identification guide with me that wouldn't take up too much room. Being a fold-out, laminated thing made out of card-stock, this fit the bill perfectly. I was able to keep it in my purse and didn't have to worry about it getting crushed or ruined by spills. It does have pictures of all the most common birds, as well as their length and some (but not all, which was a bummer) have images of both sexes which is nice. I was lucky enough to spot zebra and spotted doves, a resplendent male red junglefowl (don't let the name fool you, it looks just like your garden-variety chicken), a red-crested cardinal, red-vented bulbul, house finch, common fairy tern, and several others. I didn't get into the rainforest while I was there, but if I did, this guide would come with me. It is a wonderful buy, and even if you don't agree, it's only six dollars. One thing I would like is that there was a little more information about the birds, but this is after all just a pocket guide.



2. This 22"x8.5" "Pocket Naturalist" card folds into six two-sided panels of about 3.5"x8.5". It's copyrighted 2003. Overall, I think it serves the purpose stated in its subtitle: "An Introduction to Familiar Species." The paintings are fairly easy to grasp, both common and scientific names are given, maximum lengths are indicated, and some birds have helpful notes (e.g., for ring-necked duck, "bill has a white ring"). I count 142 different species or subspecies. The last panel has 22 "birding hotspots and sanctuaries" on 4 islands. It's not intended for serious birding, but birdwatchers may wish to carry it to show non-birders what they are supposed to be seeing.

   If I could advise the author and Waterford Press, I would suggest: (1) Update the common names and species according to the "Checklist of the Birds of Hawaii - 2002" that is available on the Hawaii Audubon Society Web site. For example: "Warbling Silverbill (Lonchura malabarica) has been changed to African Silverbill (Lonchura cantans)." (2) Add more native Hawaiian names for the birds. (3) Delete birds that are fairly common all over the U.S. (e.g., mallards, rock doves [pigeons], and house sparrows). (4) Add a note or code to indicate which of the remaining species are endangered or threatened.* For example, Hawaiian Goose (Nene), Hawaiian Duck (Koloa), Hawaii Petrel ('Ua'u), Newell's Shearwater ('A'o), Hawaiian Coot ('Alae Ke'oke'o), Black-Necked Stilt (the subspecies listed is the Hawaiian Stilt, A'eo), Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Hawk ('Io), Hawaiian Crow ('Alala), 'Oloma'o, Kama'o, Puaiohi, Kauai 'O'o, 'O'u, Palila, Maui Parrotbill, Nukupu'u, 'Akepa, Hawaii Creeper, Oahu Creeper, 'Akohekohe, and Po'ouli are endemic birds that fall into this category. (5) Add the 'Oma'o (Hawai'i Thrush, Myadestes obscurus) and 'Akikiki (Kauai Creeper, Oreomystis bairdi), which are non-threatened endemic* Hawaiian birds found on the Big Island and Kauai respectively. Also add the endemic 'Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis), whose Hawai'i and Kaua'i subspecies are not threatened.

   Buy this from Amazon.com!

   * BTW, it's sad that so few Hawaiian birds that are endemic (i.e., that evolved and breed in Hawaii but nowhere else) are neither threatened nor endangered. Besides the 'Oma'o, 'Akikiki, and 'Elepaio mentioned above, the ones on the card are: Hawaiian Noddy (Anous minutus melanogenys, native name Noio, a subspecies of Black Noddy); Hawaiian Owl (Pueo); 'Anianiau; various 'Amakihi's; Maui 'Alauahio (Paroreomyza montana newtoni, a.k.a. Maui Creeper); 'Akeke'e; 'I'iwi; and 'Apapane. The other birds neither threatened nor endangered are human-introduced "aliens," indigenous (i.e., arrived and established themselves on their own), or just visitors.




3. This is a great, small, fold out card for beginning bird enthusiasts who want a quick reference to birds in Hawaii. But if you are a bird watcher, or even close, this little pamphlet might not be for you. There are no details on the birds, their habitats, calls, etc. The pictures are good, but I expected more from this item.
   
   Don't buy this expecting a book; it's just a small pamphlet with photographs. Overall it'll be useful, but it could be better if used as a supplement with a real bird watchers book for Hawaii.



4. I kept this lightweight piece with me at all times while walking around. There were abundant birds and I liked knowing their names.



5. I assumed this would be more of a book. It is a fold out laminated card with birds. For each bird there is a picture, scientific name, and size. It is grouped by perching birds, water birds etc.
   
   I was hoping for some more text for a first time bird watcher going to Hawaii.

5 comments about We, the Navigators: The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific (Revised).

1. David Lewis has zig-zaged the Pacific in modern yachts and traditional canoes. His broad experience and long resarch, using his own and many schoolars data, has made this a good analysis and documentation of the extremly impressing and interesting phenomenon of ancient and present voyaging in the Pacific. Others, specially anthropologists fieldworking in the Central Carolines of Micronesia, had written about the presently used Micronesian voyaging system, others less throughly about the forgotten polynesian,but Lewis mangage to give a synthesis of the technologies and some of the social aspects of traditional voyaging in the Pacific



2. This book is written by an academic. I don't necessarily mean this in a negative sense. The author has done a very thorough research on the topic and presented his findings. The effect is a book that can be called a comprehensive treatment as far as it can be done given that the practictioners are disappearing fast.
   The downside is that it can send you to sleep as the author systematically compares how the navigational techniques are practiced in the various island groups.

   The strength of the book is not only its thoroughness but also the fact that the author is a skilled sailor who has gone on trips using these techniques. This makes the material so much more authentic, because the reader can relate how effective these skills are and yet how much practice they require.

   The author provides commentary on many practices and relates them to our modern day knowledge. An example was their ability to recognize the impact of sub surface currents, something that is today a rather specialist piece of knowledge not available to the everyday sailor.




3. The most complete study of early navigation I have come across. The author does a fantastic job of comparing the different styles of landfinding as used by the Pacific islanders. Lewis brings the knowledge and experience of an accomplished western sailor and navigator to his studies, and in doing so is able compare and contrast ancient and modern techniques. A scholarly study of primitive navigation, the book is not always an easy read, however for the reader looking for a complete comparison this is the volume to have.



4. For most of us, sailing across 2000+ miles of open ocean from Hawaii to Tahiti (or vice versa) would be daunting enough even with using every modern navigation device such as a GPS. Consider that in 1927 with compasses, sextants, radio, etc, in the Dole Air Race from Oakland to Honolulu (the same distance as Tahiti to Hawaii) 3 out of the 5 planes that started out were lost at sea. Then consider that a thousand years ago the Polynesians in 50-foot twin-hulled canoes were regularly making such voyages without any kind of instruments, and that crossing 50 or 100 miles of ocean was thought almost trivially easy.
   
   That a primitive (by European or American standards) people were skilled at ocean navigation was thought absurd. Kon-Tiki was an attempt to show that Oceania could be populated from South America by drifting on rafts and sheer luck of landfall. But it is now established that there was skilled and purposeful exploration and colonization--including Rapa Nui (Easter Island) which is 1000 miles from the nearest other habitable island. We, the Navigators is a fascinating look at "primitive" navigation techniques, and the author himself sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti using only these ancient techniques.
   
   So you'll see how the Polynesians used the sun, moon, and stars to achieve accurate navigation. They also used the ocean swells (as distinct from waves): islands reflect and deflect swells, so by careful observation, you can get a sense of direction to landfall. Land also changes cloud patterns. Birds were watched intently. New Zealand was one of the last places found and peopled--from 1600 miles away from the northeast, perhaps by watching birds migrate in that direction. Different kinds of birds travel different distances from land--some travel 40-50 miles, others 20-25 miles: by observing at dawn where the birds came from, and observing which direction they went towards sunset, and seeing what kind of bird it was, you could tell that there was land, and what direction it was, and how far away it was as well. On leaving land, backsights would be taken to help establish currents and drift. The book has lots of drawings and illustrations--it's a real treat!



5. This book is well-written, displels a lot of strange myths about native Pacific navigation, and provides a lot of interesting details useful to modern navigators when they run out of batteries in the middle of the ocean.

5 comments about Hawaii By Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide to Cruising Hawaii with Giant color pull-out map.

1. I am planning my first trip to Hawaii and have found this book very knowledgable and informative. It has given me wonderful ideas for our trip,as we will be cruising on NCL. Excellent source of information and great tips....thanks



2. We really loved this book. It had alot of very helpful suggestions in it. A few things had already changed but overall it was a nice guideline to go by.



3. This is the good book for cruising Hawaii. My only concern is that the Map should be more detailed. Many times the place she is talking about, but I have hard time to find where it is..



4. Thousands of people cruise around the Hawaiian Islands every week. Anne Vipond speaks directly to this group of visitors, explaining how to get the best experience out of your Hawaiian cruise vacation.
   
   The book begins with a very nice reference area helping you understand the basics of a cruise ship and the background of the culture and history of Hawaii. Both of these are things you might normally overlook in a Hawaii travel book - but both are really important to helping you really enjoy your vacation by cruise. The more you are prepared for how a cruise ship works - and the more you understand the background of the peoples and landscapes of Hawaii - the more meaningful your trip is.
   
   The book goes island by island, allowing you to quickly page to whichever island you're interested in and scan through the attractions. That way you can bring the book with you on the ship, bookmark whichever island is coming up next, and scan to see what you should watch out for. There are nice color photos so you can see exactly what the lava tubes look like, what the sea arch looks like, and so on. As I visited the locations, I was impressed that the book did a great job of showing me exactly what to watch for.
   
   The book keeps a variety of visitors in mind. It talks about which golf courses are nearby, what hiking trails are available, what the beaches are like. It indicates when you should rent a car in advance and when shuttles are available.
   
   There is a very nice pull-out map that has an overview of Hawaii on one side, and up close detailed maps on the other side of the main islands and locations. The book has even more detailed maps of specific areas, like Volcano National Park on the Big Island.
   
   The book is definitely not as bulky as some other Hawaii books out there - but I found this a good thing. This was something I could easily carry with me and thumb through to figure out what seemed most interesting. Then if I wanted really in depth information about one detail, I could go to my specific book to get all the full information. For example, I have the Big Island Revealed which is an entire book just on the "Big Island" of Hawaii since I really wanted to explore there. But I used this book as a guide to figure out which attractions I wanted to see, and then went to the Revealed book to get the mile marker and location and other details.
   
   A great reference book for the cruiser to Hawaii!



5. Even though we visited several of the islands before, we thought we'd take my mother on our cruise. She brought "Hawaii By Cruise Ship" along I brought three of the Trailblazer guides (Maui, Kauai, Big Island) to add to our reading material. The four books made a wonderful collection, each filling in something that this book left out. I gave this book four stars because it's a little weak on history.
   
   We had the choice of taking paid excursions at various ports and having the combo gave us a pictorial preview and helped with the selection. Nawiliwili Harbor was by far the most dramatic and so was our land tour to Waimea Canyon.

5 comments about Frommer's Hawaii with Kids (Frommer's With Kids).

1. This book had a lot of good general info on both Hawaii and good spots to visit with children. However, the restaurant reviews in general were not helpful. Restaurants rated positively for kids menus were often poor quality with limited children's selections. In one restaurant, the only thing our 3 year old could order was garlic bread!



2. Love this book! Very helpful when planning your trip to an island for the first time.



3. I think that of all the Hawaii-related travel books out there, this one is the best because it is full of pertinent information without getting to involved. It is perfect if you are planning your vacation to include children. It gives you everything from choosing family-friendly accommodations and dining to planning events everyone in the entire family with love. I am very happy that I chose this book.



4. While searching for information on traveling with a wheelchair user I came across this book with on line excerpts that contained just what I was looking for. The tips and special advice found here have answered many questions concerning travel around and accessibility of the various islands. Well worth the money.



5. This book is helpful in terms of finding accommodations and dining places that are kid friendly. However, I have 10-months twin girls and this book doesn't provide much information on things to do with infants. I look forward to using this book again when my girls are older.

4 comments about Frommer's Kauai (Frommer's Complete).

1. I over prepare for trips and in doing so I bought Fodor's guide to all the Hawaiian islands, Frommer's Kauai (the one you are thinking about buying), and the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook. This Frommer book is absolutely awful. It has no more detail in it than the Kauai section of the Fodor's book covering all of the islands. I have never been more disapointed with a travel book than I was with this one. The best Kauai book by far is the Ultimate Guidebook by Doughty and Friedman. Again, this book is nothing more than a waste of your money.



2. Frommer's desperately needs to expand this book in its second edition if it is going to be useful. Very brief descriptions on almost everything, no useful maps, limited in scope. Disappointing.



3. This particular book is the typical Frommer's edition. It gives the places that the staff have visited and reviewed. I wish it would delve into more of what the restaurant, hotel, or tourist attraction has to offer.



4. I got this before going to Hawaii and it is a great book. You don't realize how valuable it is until you get to Kauai and then wish you had it with you. Be sure to take it with you when you go. There is no way to remember all the things you want to see and do when you get there.

2 comments about Map of Kauai; Island of Discovery: Reference Maps of the Islands of Hawaii; Full Color Topographic.

1. I bought this map on Amazon and it was a good basic starter map for our 10 day trip to Kauai. Ironically, it was the only map we saw available when we first arrived and in many cases what I paid on Amazon was much cheaper then the price for the same thing on Kauai itself! However, if you really want to travel around Kauai and are going to be looking for specific streets, you need something much more detailed then this map has to offer.



2. The map is good for carrying around while driving since its small and compact. It shows the main roads but does not show mile markers which would be quite helpful on the island.

1 comments about Top 10 Honolulu & Oahu (Dk Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides).

1. The guide was great if all you had was a short time. All it lists are the top ten in any area and since I had more time (1-1/2 weeks), there is so much to see and do in Oahu that I needed another guide book. For example it listed the top ten restaurants which are the most expensive. I like the less expensive restaurants (termed mediocre in Frommer's). Additionally in the airport there are a dozen free guide books in racks which seem to have everything listed in this book.

1 comments about Good Night Hawaii (Good Night Our World series).

1. This is a great book! My daughter was born there and we wanted to have something for her to learn about the culture. We also have Good Night Boston. The pictures are beautiful and information is accurate. We have to read this book everynight before bed. There are a lot of little nuances that we are able to fill in for her to really maximize her learning and understanding of Hawaii. For example, pictures of Humu's and shave ice. We point out Diamond Head and the Royal Hawaiian. The only thing missing is a big ol' shaka sign! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has been to Hawaii or lived there.

3 comments about Frommer's Portable Big Island of Hawaii (Frommer's Portable).

1. I have purchased other items about the Big Island and they don't hold a candle to this book.



2. This guide is excellent. The descriptions are accurate, practical, and useful.
   
   My husband and I read the review and drove to The Little Juice Shack wanting some healthy juice and it no longer existed :( BUT there was a Natural Food Store in the same shopping center (Parker Ranch Shopping Center) on the end near the post office. They had excellent juice at their juice bar and even more excellent home-made macaroons (available at the juice bar, but are sporadic). So it was worth the stop and we got our juice afterall.
   
   Thanks for helping us with our trip, Frommer's!



3. I found the Frommers guide very helpful when on the Big Island. He is a bit opinionated, because a few places I found that Frommers didn't like, I liked. But overall, this pocket book was much more helpful in the exploring the Big Island for the first time. It is a must if it is your first time to go. Make sure to take time to read it, and not just on the airplane over. You may want to find a more detailed map once you get to the Big Island to navigate around, as Frommers did not have very detailed maps.