3 comments about Hawaii Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. I hesitated in purchasing this Atlas since I had looked it over once before and had been unimpressed with its depth. The contours are at too low a resolution to be useful, trails, ridges and many peaks are not named as well as many dirt roads. The urban features are good though and most roads are drawn. What finally convinced me to purchase this Atlas was that it was convenient and nice to have all the islands in one book, instead of juggling multiple topo and sectional maps. The grid and scale systems used, as well as the rulers along the x and y-axes of each page make it easy to estimate distance and find features. The GPS Grids and Recreational Guides are also handy. Overall it is a good purchase but not a complete reference. It is especially weak as a reference for the backcountry traveler since it paints an inaccurate and overly tame picture of the precipitous terrain I, as a resident hiker, have come to love and respect.



2. Yes, it has the roads. But I found it very difficult to determine exactly where I was on the map and found myself turning over and over again to the Nelles.



3. Just what we need for our 10 day visit to the big island. Our daughter lives there and she told us that its a must have. We agree!

5 comments about A Pocket Guide to Hawaii's Birds.

1. I need the scientific names, that unfortunately were not listed in the book. The development in the bird changes is also so quick, ( I did not see Frigate Birds over Waikiki. Also the colony of Laysan Albatrosses on Kaohikaipu Island deed not seem to be mentioned, even there was a picture of the island in the book. Maybe the colony is new???) that some changes should be maid, or foreseen in the possible next edition. I also saw a bird that was not listed in the book. I wonder if that could have been an apanane female. But the book does not indicate whether male and female are alike or not. The bird I saw was very alike the apanane in shape an bill. Bill a little shorter grey top of head and green on side. What bird could that have been? Seen in Hosmer Grove. The bird list in the back should be a clean bird list, which ought to be complete. (Ex. Mallard is not in the list. Geografic names should be kept in another list.

   If you read this yourself, mr. Pratt, could you please forward the scientific - english list to my e-mail adress - see above. That would be appreciated very much.




2. This book is intended for the casual observer of birds, not the dedicated birder. (Serious bird-watchers should use Pratt's Field Guide to the Birds of Hawai'i and the Tropical Pacific together with his Enjoying Birds in Hawai'i or Rick Soehren's Birdwatcher's Guide to Hawai'i.) But within its limits, this is a fascinating and readable book. Pratt discusses the native birds, especially the endemic passerines, and illustrates the evolutionary processes which produced their astonishing variety. Then he describes the introduced birds, including their effect on the native avifauna when that is significant. The result is a clear though brief analysis of Hawai'i's avian world.

   Pratt is a fine photographer and bird illustrator, and Jack Jeffrey is a true master of avian photography. The result of their collaboration is one of the best-illustrated books on birds I know.

   Pratt's writing style is direct and clear. His straightforward narration of the destruction of a large part of the native Hawai'ian avifauna is heartbreaking in its simplicity.

   This is an excellent introduction to Hawai'i's birds.




3. I bought this book in Hawaii because it was the only bird book I could find. It at least showed me some of the birds I would see, but the organization (if there is any--can't tell) is horrible. Next time I would go online ahead of time and buy an actual field guide to birds. It is a nightmare to find a bird in this book, and it doesn't give any information about them, such as their size, or male/female differences; also, it lists some birds more than once--weird. This book should be named differently...perhaps, "A glimpse into the history of birds in Hawaii." Overall, it did help me identify the birds I saw, so was better than nothing, but I would definitely not choose it again.



4. ...which is how I found this book and became interested in the subject. The book is ubiquitous in Hawaii in ABC Stores you see everywhere, especially in Waikiki. I'm not a birdwatcher, however I am interested in conservation of native species. This book gives some historical background behind previous conservation efforts, has colorful pictures of most of the birds you're likely to encounter while on vacation in Hawaii (most of which are introduced species) and includes some sad footnotes about birds endangered or thought to be extinct. The latter are largely due to destruction of habitat and introduction of predators/diseases/non-native species. It also includes a chapter with some better-known "hotspots", which may have led some readers to believe that this little book is trying to masquerade as a field guide for serious birders.
   
   No, if you're an Audubon Society member or serious birdwatcher, this book won't sate you, and you should purchase a true field guide, as the other reviewers have suggested. And no, it is not perhaps as well organized as members of those aforementioned groups would like. But it is written in a personable style, and reads very well in a hotel room at the end of a long day of sightseeing. In fact, I've read it several times.
   
   If you're interested in a more thorough treatise of Hawaii's birds, then I'd recommend the encyclopedic (but dated) Hawaiian Birdlife by Andrew Berger, also an interesting read. It's out-of-print, but still available used as of this writing.



5. A short guide to the local flying guys, with emphasis on the problems they face.

5 comments about Maui (Regional Guide).

1. Maui is the Lonely Planet travel guide to the Hawaiian island of Maui, known for its sea turtles, waterfalls, and hikes along the ancient Haleakala volcano. An island paradise filled with opportunities for windsurfing, snorkeling, diving, surfing, cycling, and just relaxing, Maui is a beautiful land; chapters in Lonely Planet's Maui include a brief summary of the island's history and culture, sample itineraries, a wealth of maps with off-track detours, recommended places to go divided by region upon the island, local hazards to avoid or prepare for, and much more. An excellent and handy guide for travelers and tourists.



2. My main gripe is with the updated changes. Comparing the old and new versions I see that a few pages were plugged in but nothing major was added. If you're thinking of buying this book save some money and buy it used.



3. This book and Maui Revealed are my favorite. The variety and detail of the maps and narative are very exellent. Lots of overall info about Maui in a well put together format. Nice compact size that will fit in your carry on. Get it!



4. We used this guide a lot, and I mean a lot. (We had also used them for a trip through Southeast Asia). Some of the items are out of date, but that's to be expected with a printed piece. It had suggestions for whatever you were looking for -- itineraries, off the beaten path activities, things for families, grocery shopping tips -- everything!



5. I used this book quite a bit when I traveled to Maui in Sept 2007. The book is designed to be full of information, so the pictures are few. It contains sections on each area of Maui with maps and information on: beaches, entertainment, things to avoid, places to stay, restaurants, shopping, activities and sights. Most entries contained a short paragraph or two on each item (for example, a beach entry would explain what you might find there, how busy it is, what it is suited for, and how to get there). I found much of the information very useful in planning activities and giving us a starting point to find restaurants. I did find a hotel on my own, however, and although it was fabulous it was not listed in the guidebook.
   
   There is also a section in the front about some possible itineraries for checking out Maui and nearby islands, depending on how long your trip is and your interests (Island Hopping, Essential Maui, Ocean Adventure, etc). This gave me a good idea what I could do in my time on the island and some of the best activities in each location.
   
   My one complaint about the book was its recommendation for taking the Kahekili Highway. The description made it sound like it wasn't such a bad drive and had lots of wonderful sights. Well, I would NOT recommend this drive - there is a reason that the road does not show up on tourist maps! It is a one-lane highway with two-way traffic and a steep cliff dropoff on one side (sometimes without a guard-rail!) and is very dangerous, in my opinion. It has hairpin curves around cliffs where you cannot see if anyone is coming, which is definitely a problem when you are on a one-lane road barely clinging to the edge of a cliff. There were places where I wasn't sure how two vehicles were supposed to pass each other. If you think the "Road to Hana" is even mildly challenging, then the Kahekili Highway is definitely not for you! I could not understand a guidebook recommending this drive without a strong note of caution. (There were locals who have never even heard of this drive!)
   
   Otherwise, I found the rest of the information fairly accurate and useful. Since it has such a wealth of information (and I probably referred to it more often than the other Maui guidebooks I had) I would recommend it as a good starting point, but would caution readers to use common sense when taking some of the advice contained within it.

2 comments about Surfing Hawaii: A Complete Guide to the Hawaiian Islands' Best Breaks (Surfing Series).

1. I wanted a book to use as I was planning a trip to Hawaii for my son and I and wanted to know the best surf spots. This book covers locations, seasonal conditions, and rates them. I was pleased with the book.



2. I used the Surfing California book in this series in the past, and thought that was a better book not only because it provided more in-depth reviews and details of specific surf locations, but also because it skipped the body-boarding locations, which I had no use for. Surfing Hawaii will be useful for the person who doesn't know Hawaii well, but I wish it would give detailed information on ALL the locations, not just the ones it deems more popular. Granted it lists pretty much all the locations, but for a lot of them it only gives a one-paragraph description, while for other locations there can be pages of info. All-in-all, the book could use more, but it does the job and is probably the best of all the surf travel books.

No comments about Reference Maps of the Islands of Hawaii: O'ahu (Reference Maps of the Islands of Hawai'i).

2 comments about FamilyFun Vacation Guide: California & Hawaii.

1. We live in California, and bought this to for information on Hawaii. Seems to have some good info, as the California portion seems to be right on the mark with what we like to see and do in California.
   
   The information is very good, but we already knew a lot of the California stuff already. We are looking forward to trying out the Hawaii information soon!
   
   If you are not from California, and need to plan a trip here, this is a good tool to have in your planning kit!



2. I purchased this book for a family road trip we took in 2004. I was really impressed with all it had to offer. It had a section on ways to make the time in the car more enjoyable, what to bring, what to plan for, how to cut down costs, etc. And then it had all of California mapped out so you could quickly look up things to do in every area you planned to visit. There are ratings for what things will cost (admission fees to attractions, lists of hotels and their prices and ratings, camping places and costs and ratings, restaurants ratings and prices, etc.) and Family Fun also rated things on a fun scale (from "fine" to "Family Fun Recommended"), which really helped us to weed out the so-so from the don't miss since we had limited time and money.
   
   We just wanted to get the most out of our vacation. We didn't want to drive by something and miss out because we didn't know it was there. We also needed to plan our budget and research places to stay and things to do. This book was invaluable. I still have it earmarked with little sticky notes for everything we wanted to see. Now it is an historical record of our vacation.
   
   I highly recommend this book and all the Family Fun vacation guides. Their ratings are right on, and they know everything there is to do in the parts of the country that you want to see. Grab a book and hit the road, Jack!

5 comments about Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World's Most Remote Island Sanctuary.

1. Like the other reviewer, my book was improperly shipped, this time in a box too large so it sloshed around on its journey, getting dinged in the process.
   
   However, the book itself is magnificent. It is a gorgeous, comprehensive collection of images detailing the flora and fauna of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. This thriving Archipelago is beautiful in every sense of the word, and the intimate portraits that Middleton and LIttschwager have painstakenly produced of these creatures are superb. This is a jewel of a book, for photographic as well as conservationist reasons.



2. The northwest Hawaiian islands, stretching all the way to Midway are rarely visited because of their remoteness and fragility. This beautiful book gives a comprehensive tour of the area. The coffee table format allows the strange lands and creatures to be seen at their best. The authors' skill and dedication to their topic shows clearly in both photos and text. Recommended for all nature lovers.



3. Like most people I purchased this book to use as a coffee table book. Although this book does have some nice images in it. It does not have the wow factor that you would normally expect from a good coffee table book. I would suggest purchasing Ocean by Robert Dinwiddie. (ISBN 0756622050). That book is 1000 times better (in content, pictures, and volume of material), and will keep you entertained much longer.



4. I've lived in Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, where many of these photos were taken, for several months while working as a marine ecologist, so I've seen a large portion of these organisms, marine and terrestrial. Yet, despite the thousands of hours I've spent in the water there, Middleton and Liittschwager managed to find and photograph many organisms I've never seen before. Their photographs are unique because they mostly have a white background, so the organism is more starkly highlighted. Personally and as a marine ecologist, I think it's important to see the habitat and the other organisms that the organism may interact with, plus it's more interesting; however, that is what most fish or invertebrate books do and what any person with a camera or dive camera can do - Middleton and Liittschwager's technique is unique, much more difficult to accomplish, and therefore very special. Definitely a gorgeous book to keep on your coffee table - and a great way to see the organisms of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. One of my favorites is the group of images of one albatross growing up - from an egg to looking like an adult - I've always wanted to do that myself. This book will especially be a treasure for those lucky few who will visit Midway in the coming years as the new visitor program begins. I highly recommend it for those who have seen the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and those who haven't but want to.
   
   Secondly, somehow this book was not packed very well. Others before me have commented on this, and I agree. I've ordered lots of things from Amazon and never seen this before; however, for an expensive book with glossy covers that you don't want to get scratched, it really wasn't packed very well. However, my copy was not damaged in any way, so no worries. I just think Amazon should talk to whoever is packing these books!!



5. this book is beautiful and impressive in every way.
   It inspires me to protect the planet and all its creatures.

5 comments about Hawaii: The Big Island (Regional Guide).

1. whatever you do, don't substitute the Hawaii Revealed guide for this book. Lonely Planet Hawaii has everything in it. It contains no fluffy puff stuff or downer opinions. Our copy is worn from four weeks on the road and although pretty beat up, we deem it gospel. Traditionally the Lonely Planets are written by real travelers who are objective and write really well. They have no bones to pick. This is no exception.



2. I've been a frequent visitor to the Big Island and plan on moving there soon. The 'Lonely Planet Big Island' and 'Hawaii the Big Island Revealed' are your two must have guides to the Big Island.



3. The book is great, has a lot of information about the Big Island, but that is it's shortcoming. Knowing that most trips to Hawaii are those to more than one island, the Lonely Planet book about the whole state would probably be more appropriate.



4. A sturdy, rugged, and highly portable travel guide, Hawai'i: The Big Island is co-authored by Hawaiian travel experts Luci Yamamoto & Alan Tarbell to provide visitors with everything they need to know about Hawaii, the single biggest island of the Hawaiian chain. More than fifty detailed black-and-white maps and a handful of full- color illustrations reveal the best places to catch a traditional luau and kalua feasts, hiking hotspots, outdoor activity recommendations, flora and fauna information, the best places to stay, and much more. Hawaiian-born specialists guide the reader through the Hawaii that Big Islanders themselves know best, in this conveniently sized and information-packed "must-have" travel guide.



5. A sturdy, rugged, and highly portable travel guide, Hawai'i: The Big Island is co-authored by Hawaiian travel experts Luci Yamamoto & Alan Tarbell to provide visitors with everything they need to know about Hawaii, the single biggest island of the Hawaiian chain. More than fifty detailed black-and-white maps and a handful of full- color illustrations reveal the best places to catch a traditional luau and kalua feasts, hiking hotspots, outdoor activity recommendations, flora and fauna information, the best places to stay, and much more. Hawaiian-born specialists guide the reader through the Hawaii that Big Islanders themselves know best, in this conveniently sized and information-packed "must-have" travel guide.

No comments about Top 10 Maui, Molokai & Lanai (Dk Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides).

1 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Hawaii (Complete Idiot's Guide to).

1. my husband and I are planning our first trip to Honolulu, so I purchased 8 books to read and compare notes. I found this book to be the most helpful. It mentions places to visit none of the others did. A place called the Toilet bowl, is a local swimming hole hangout, that most people don't know about. This book is the only one that mentioned it of the 8. I know I will be taking only two books with me, this one and Oahu revealed. Don't waste your money on any others