2 comments about Streetwise Hawaii Map - Laminated State Road Map of Hawaii - Folding pocket size travel map (Laminated Map) (Laminated Map).

1. This was a decent map. In general, it's handy to have small, hand held laminated maps when you're driving. That said, there were other, more detailed maps in Hawaii that I liked more. I get a map to see how to get myself off of small, obscure roads, so if those roads are not on the map, then the map isn't much help, which was the case with this map. But, if you're planning on staying ON the beaten path, this map will do.



2. This provides small scale road maps of the main Hawaiian islands (Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu), plus a detailed street map of downtown Honolulu and Waikiki.
   
   It's big advantage is that it is compact (8.5 x 4 in) and very easy to open out for quick navigation checks. I found it very helpful for street-level navigation around Honolulu and for the major roads on Oahu and Big Island.
   
   It doesn't aim to cover all the smaller roads. But what it does, it does well.

5 comments about The Hikers Guide to Oahu.

1. Simple: this is the best hiking book ever published regarding trails on Oahu. How do I know? Not only have I used it, I've hiked a couple of times with the author and watched him take notes. An experienced hiker with over 20 years in these mountains, Stuart Ball knows what he's talking about and describes the trails with detail, map, and comment. I've seen the other books on the market - this is by far the BEST reference for hiking on Oahu. Ask anyone you find on these trails - they might just produce a copy from their backpacks!



2. this is a great hiking guide but please keep in mind the published date; it's quite old by now and as such, the detailed hiking descriptions are sorely in need of an update. thus, please be careful when using the guide as a reference, as you could end up getting lost. getting an opinion from local hikers would be your best bet.



3. I won a copy of the first edition of this book in a contest in 1994, and since then it has helped me find dozens of beautiful and enjoyable trails.

   For example, one of the trails we found was a great hike in Wahiawa through the back country of an Army training base. As the author suggested, we wrote to the commander and we got permission to do this hike that rambles over hills and across streams, and all at the cool elevation of Wahiawa.

   Some of the highlights of the book include great descriptions of the flora along the trail, reproductions of topo maps for each hike that show you the pitch of the trail(although you should probably get the real topo if you plan to get lost), clear route descriptions that show that the author has been on these trails many times, and a wonderful layout.

   It is the best hiking book I have ever read (although I've probably only read about a dozen). It is without equal among O`ahu hiking books.

   I just bought the second edition, and if possible, it's even better than the first one.




4. This book has taken us thorugh tropical rain forests, dense valleys, and sun-parched craters. The variety of hikes is wonderful. There is something for everyone in here, well, everyone except the beginner hiker. It seems even beginning hikes in the book are a bit challenging. This is because Oahu has such a varity of terrain. However, if you are looking to take a relaxing stroll through the woods this book will be of no use to you. We have children so we only do the novice hikes and even those are challenging, but fun and dirty! This is probalby for more serious hikers and some of the hikes mentioned are 12 miles long! That takes a long time in Oahu's terrain! The author always write in interesting tidbits of info in his hike description which I like. Things such as the where the strawberry guava trees are, where the WWII tunnel is, etc...The one negative to this book is that many of the hikes the author writes about are closed to the public and you have to write for permission to hike them. To me, this is a pain and I am not organized enough to plan ahead and do this. If you are better organized than I, I am sure you would enjoy them. We are just a bit more spontaneous. Enjoy!



5. Working as an outdoor guide in Hawaii for a summer gave me a chance to discover the island of Oahu. It also helped me realize the that is the ONLY guide to hiking on Oahu that is worth buying. Not only do you get VERY accurate trail descriptions, you also get driving directions, directions from TheBus and information on flora and fauna in the area. I dare you to try and get lost!

3 comments about Let's Go Hawaii 4th Edition (Let's Go Hawaii).

1. helped us find the best (and no so expensive) sites on oahu and kauaii. generally very good restaurant/food recommendations, though sometimes a little off on the beaches. i would recommend this to anyone travelling to hawaii on a budget.



2. In the past we have used the Let's Go series of books for a trip to Europe. All of the places we stayed at were recommended by the book and were economical, clean, and friendly. The Let's Go books also provide sample travel itineraries, unbiased and realistic descriptions of restaurants, nightclubs, and accomodations. It's a great way to help you plan a vacations that is tailored specifically to your own tastes. I would recommend any book from this series to anyone, no matter what your reason for travelling may be.



3. In college I did a lot of backpack traveling and always took Let's Go. Although my budget isn't as tight these days I still wanted to have it for our Hawaii trip. It has a lot of useful information and is definately worth the cost of the book. There are things I would have surely missed without it. On the flip side, Let's Go is designed for the youthful, free spirited traveler on a budget, so keep this in mind when endeavoring out on a hike marked by the book as "challenging." Make sure you are in good shape. Also, if you have a little extra money to spend, just hit a brochure stand for bundles of extra attractions and you might want a mapbook. The maps in Let's Go are good for some locales, but you might want an atlas or GPS for others.

5 comments about Driving & Discovering Hawaii: Maui & Molokai.

1. BUY IT on Amazon because it's hard to find at Barnes and Noble and the Borders big box stores. Be prepared because it's a BIG book with full page color pictures that preview what's ahead on the road. The pictures are taken by a professional photographer and he tells you where to stand to get the best shot which we did.
   
   The Driving and Discovering Hawaii is sold all over the island.



2. We truly enjoyed this beautiful guide.
   The photographs are as beautiful as those you see on calendars. We chomped off pages day by day and there was more than we could chew in a week. If sightseeing is on your agenda give this one a try.



3. Richard Sullivan has put together an extremely useful and beautiful guide. I put it to good use during a visit to Molokai, and I'm looking forward to using it during my trip this winter to Maui. Great photos and great details. This book is a must if you visit the islands.



4. Although Amazon cancelled my order b/c they couldn't locate the book, I bought it once we arrived in Hawaii. The pictures are beautiful and the author brings a lot of insight to the 'out of the way places.' We didn't have a lot of time to plan our 1 day excursion to Maui, but using the book we had a great time. I will add that the maps are OK but you will also need to reference a more detailed map to really get around.



5. We got this book for our first trip to Maui, what an excellent investment. It helped us plan and easily get to all the places we wanted to visit on the island, plus it helped knowing what to expect. This is a great book, expecially for a first time visitor.

No comments about Fodor's Big Island of Hawaii, 1st Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1 comments about Oahu Trails: Walks, Strolls And Treks on the Capital Isle.

1. I recently read and used the 93' version of the book. This is a great hiking manual for the island of Oahu. The author does such a great job of describing each step of your hike that you can't make a mistake. In the reading you can visualize what the hikes will entail before deside which one you would like to take. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced hiker this book will be of much value to you. The revision should have valuable information about certain changes to the trails listed as well as some additions. May the 8 people who lost thier lives at Sacred Falls in early 1999 rest in peace and my deepest regards to thier families.

3 comments about Hawaii Is a Rainbow (A Kolowalu Book).

1. This book presents the people and state of Hawaii in color photographs. A color name is given, then the photos. Some brief facts about Hawaii explaining the photots help child and parent interact.



2. Both my sons loved this book, and they had never been to Hawaii. We started reading it to them when they were around 12 months old. They loved the photographs and loved the concept of color. Lots to look at in each picture and to talk about with your children.It doesn't get boring either, even after the 40th time - after all this is Hawaii!



3. A beautiful book for use by pre school and school aged children and their
   teachers. B. Sahota

5 comments about Roadside Geology of Hawaii (Roadside Geology Series).

1. I'm no vulcanologist! But the information in this book is as detailed as the lay person is comfortable with. Excellent, extremely informative, I learned a lot about Hawaii's geology through this book. As an avid hiker and the webmaster for Backyard Oahu, I frequented its pages to help me understand and explain some of Oahu's geography and specific trail geology. It is, however, limited to the "roadside" - so it doesn't go into great depth as would pertain to someone hiking far into the mountains. But, the overall information is detailed enough to provide an adequate understanding of how the island(s) were formed and why they look the way they do today! Backyard Oahu highly recommends this book!



2. I love this book. I learned about different types of lava, I can impress my girlfriend with my geological knowledge while we vacation. It is a guide book which will help you at specific locations to identify the geology you are looking at. The beginning gives a good explanation of the general geological principles which apply to Hawaii: volcanology and plate techtonics.



3. On my first visit to the islands, I realized that everything you see evolved from the lava that's usually associated with visits to the Big Island. But each of the islands had the same fiery volcanic past - and it's often very hidden amongst the magnificient landscapes that we all see. What makes black sand? Why is the dirt red? Why is Molokai rectangular? Why is Haleakala Crater so colorful? These and so many other questions are answered in chapters of general informaiton as well as a tour format using popular highways and byways.
   
   This edition (the others in the series are superb as well) does a great job of describing what you're seeing in the widely varied landscapes of the Hawaiian Islands. The author describes the natural history of the elements of the island seen as you drive about, mostly describing the landmasses from a geologic perspective. If you have the slighest interest in how the islands were formed and how they evolved into what you see today, make sure you have this book before you leave. It's very readable, there's no need to have a geology background!



4. I am fascinated with all things Hawaii, particularly the geological features, the volcanoes, etc. I love thinking about how they form, and how in such a short time in the planet's history, they will disappear forever. I know very little about geology, having never taken a course on it in college or reading any books about it. I found this incredibly interesting, understandable, and comprehensive. I've also found some new places to go and can't wait to bring the book with me on my next trip. The only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars are that the pictures, which are very useful, would be more useful if they were in color.



5. I love this series, and this one did not disappoint me. In case you are interested in geology and you are going to Hawaii, I can really recommend this one. And who doesn't want to know more about the geology of these islands, especially when you go to the Big Island and visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The only improvement I can recommend is to have clearer maps with clearer indications of points of interest.

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 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.