Hawaii the Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Hawaii the Big Island Revealed)

Rating:
Summary: This was our "bible" on our first trip to the Big Island!
Review: This book is well written with lots of cultural and historical information as well as a lot of humorous comments that kept us laughing. The Volcano National Park quit selling this book because of all the "inside" information it reveals that they don't want travelers to know about. It took the authors over 2 years to put this book together, not 6 weeks like most other Travel Guides. These folks live here and know the ropes! The book has broken the Big Island down into geographic sections with sights, places to stay, dining(prices ranges and ONO recommendations), and beaches for each. It also includes sections on activities, and adventures such as snorkeling, scuba, whale watching, etc. We found that a lot of roads were not marked, but this book lays out "secret" beaches, how to get to them (mile markers), and even tunes you into how not to get "taken" by the locals. Example: When visiting the Green Sand Beach, the locals try to charge $5 for parking and make you walk the 2 1/2 hike. The authors tell you they do not work for the Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands and have no right to charge this fee (also, there was an incident where signs were posted to keep out-Private Property, but the book revealed that you CAN use the road to get to the beach. Without that information, we would have not ventured down that road!) They highly recommend that you rent a JEEP to get around the Island. Invaluable advice! Sure saved us a lot of walking! Throughout the book, there are sites marked with "A Real Gem" Icon, "Diversion Alert!" and "Not to be Missed!" signs. The maps are accurate, the pictures are plentiful and vivid; and we found the information true and accurate. The only thing we think needs updating is the section on Saddle Road. The authors make it sound like the road from Hell, and try to discourage you from using it. We found this road to be in better condition than most of the others and we found a few other "sights" along the route. We noticed a lot of other traveler's with this same book. Before going on our trip, we purchased Hawaii for Dummies and Hawaii the Big Island (and older version, of course!) This book blew them all away and was the one we referred to the whole trip. In our opinion, this book was "A Real Gem!!!" Now we are planning a trip to New Zealand and wish these authors had a "Revealed" book for it.

Rating:
Summary: Thanks for being our guide
Review: We can't thank you enough for our wonderful, informative trip to the Big Island. Your book was absolutely a "must" for us. Especially helpful were the use of mile markers and maps. We loved your humor while writing and appreciated your honest opinions. Volcano Nat'l. Park is doing a disservice to their visitors by not selling your book within the Park. However, I did notice that most places outside of the park had your book available.

It is hard to decide which one of your "must see" and "real gems" pleased us the most because we loved them all. However, I must mention the delight we discovered when we got to the Queen's Bath north of Ai'opio Beach. We thought we were in heaven when we found the "scads" of turtles you talked about at Ai'opio Beach and then we came to the Bath! We were the only ones there and since we had our bathing suits on we couldn't resist the opportunity to go into the refreshing cool water and enjoy the solitude.

On our next visit to Kauai we will definitely purchase your other book.

Your book never left our hands while sight-seeing. Thanks for all of the time and effort you put into publishing a book that is a "must" for anyone going to the Big Island. Your talent of writing was our gain and we applaud you.

Rating:
Summary: Good, honest travel info
Review: If you can get past the typos and editing errors, this is a great source of information for traveling on the Big Island. Lots of color photos and useful advice on dining and accommodations. My only complaint, aside from the text errors, is that you have to access the web site to look at many lodging reviews. If I wanted to go to the web, I wouldn't buy a book.

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Summary: Book helps you prepare a memorable Hawaiian vacation
Review: We took an April 2004 trip to the Big Island and this book was very helpful. It's best to buy it a few weeks before your trip so you can easily prepare your itinerary. It offers easily accessible maps, information about must-see places, and tips about the island that only a local would be privy to. The only disappointment was that it suggested we get a four-wheel drive for the Big Island and it wasn't necessary (however, that's because we weren't interested in any of the hikes). The information about the beaches and snorkeling was invaluable. If this is your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Hawaii, do yourself a favor and plan for it wisely with the purchase of this book. We also bought the Ultimate Guide to Maui (equally helpful) and wished there was an Ultimate Guide to Oahu. This book is so enjoyable that I'd be willing to buy future updates of it (whether or not I was planning another trip to Hawaii) just to learn more about how the island has changed through the years thanks to the daily volcanic activity.

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Summary: The New Gold Standard in Travel Guides
Review: Witty, thorough, useful, honest, and best of all, accurate to a fault. I took my family to Hawai'i armed with this book and we were not disappointed once. This guide was written by residents of Kailua and their local knowledge shows. In the book's introduction they claim to have spent two years putting this guide together. Every minute of that effort shows in the result.

The best feature of the book is that is is organized as a set of driving tours from the Kailua-Kona and Hilo areas. Almost everyone visiting the Big Island travels by rented car and stays in either of these areas. The struc- ture is perfect for a tourist, right down to listing the mile-marker numbers where unmarked sideroads lead to beaches, volcano view spots, and other points of interest not on the rental car maps. It is loaded with color photographs, maps in many level of details -- including hiking trails -- and easy-to-spot icons of the things to see and do. We visited friends who have lived in Kailua for years who were surprised at how many new things they learned.

I have to stop now before I embarass myself. If you visit the Big Island and don't take this book with you your trip will be that much less fun.

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable
Review: This is a must have book for the big island. The gems are must see attractions. We loved the green sand beach and the white sand beaches the book takes you to. My only recomendation is to get a jeep for your trip. It saves on a lot of hiking.

Rating:
Summary: The New Gold Standard in Travel Guides
Review: Witty, thorough, useful, honest, and best of all, accurate to a fault. I took my family to Hawai'i armed with this book and we were not disappointed once. This guide was written by residents of Kailua and their local knowledge shows. In the book's introduction they claim to have spent two years putting this guide together. Every minute of that effort shows in the result.

The best feature of the book is that is is organized as a set of driving tours from the Kailua-Kona and Hilo areas. Almost everyone visiting the Big Island travels by rented car and stays in either of these areas. The struc- ture is perfect for a tourist, right down to listing the mile-marker numbers where unmarked sideroads lead to beaches, volcano view spots, and other points of interest not on the rental car maps. It is loaded with color photographs, maps in many level of details -- including hiking trails -- and easy-to-spot icons of the things to see and do. We visited friends who have lived in Kailua for years who were surprised at how many new things they learned.

I have to stop now before I embarass myself. If you visit the Big Island and don't take this book with you your trip will be that much less fun.

Rating:
Summary: Hawaii - The Big Island Revealed - THE BEST!
Review: This book has been our main guidebook on 2 trips to the Big Island. We have found it accurate every time. With it we have enjoyed experiences we would never have enjoyed, like finding the pristine lava tube in the rain forest. The guide said the Kilauea Iki trail is the best - absolutely right on. We have hiked that circuit both visits. The book tells you where to find the best ice cream on the island, the best sandwich in Volcano, the best snorkeling, the best Philly cheesesteak in Kona, etc. If you're going to the Big Island... be sure to take this book along.

Rating:
Summary: Right on the money - Best guide book I've ever used
Review: Just returned from 10 days on the Big Island where this book never left our side. Time and again it proved it's worth guiding us to the best sights and experiences, only once letting us down (It seems Billy Bob's Park & Pork has gone out of business since the last printing.) It's straight shooting and an amusing read to boot! I can't recommend it enough.

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Summary: secrets???
Review: Regretfully I award this book only one star. No good vegetarian restaurants were listed. I didn't have my laptop with me and so the secret number in the book was of no use. We were always turned around and the so-called Ono gems were loaded with tourists carrying the same book. We got to know them by name after awhile and it became comical.

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