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Summary: I can not imagine visiting Kauai without this book!!
Review: I visited Kauai for the first time recently and am so glad I had the Kauai Underground Guide with me. It accompanied me everywhere while exploring the island- I would not go anywhere without it. The restaurant reviews were current and excellent; the maps and guide to the beaches were most helpful,and the inside scoop as to where to have the best lomi lomi massage or where to buy the best papayas, mangoes and pineapples or where to purchase a real hawaiian surfer shirt-made the book seem more personal and added a great deal to my experience on this beautiful island. The CD sampler is also a treat and it is supporting a good cause- the children of Kauai. The Guide is well written with fabulous photographs and it is chock full of useful information. A must buy for anyone planning to visit Kauai.
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Summary: Simply the most useful travel guide we have ever purchased!
Review: My husband and I purchased a timeshare in Kauai in 1987. On our first trip to the island, a thoughtful guest left a copy of this guide in the condo. It immediately became a hit as we began exploring all the special "Secret" beaches. The instructions such as where to walk, where to park and landmarks to look for were invaluable and helped us truly fall in love with Kauai on that first trip. Since then, we have purchased the newest edition each year before our visit. Tips on best values for tours, shopping and restaurant information is also top notch. Many of the reviewers mention the book's value to those with children and family. As an empty-nest couple, we still would not use any other guide although recently we have started carrying the walking tour book with us as well.
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Summary: SPF 50 (SURE PROVIDES FUN), while blocking bad choices.
Review: We learned more about Kauai reading this book on our twelfth trip, than on the previous eleven trips without it. It is the right size to carry along as you tour Kauai.
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Summary: Don't go to Kauai without this book!
Review: I'll keep it short and sweet: Lenore knows Kauai. Been to Kauai several times, but when we've used the Underground Guide (our last two trips) we've found: 1) Better places to eat; 2) More stuff to do that we wouldn't have thought of (and some things that weren't in the other Kauai guidebook, which we've since discarded); and 3) Some Kauai friends. The best way to experience the Garden Isle is with people who know it well, and we've actually met some friends in Kauai as a result of going 'Underground.' It's a must -- the best vacation investment you could make. Give up feeling like a tourist with Lenore's help. You'll find this guide up-to-date (I purchase a new copy before each trip), accurate down to the details (e.g. a deli that may not get your sandwich just right unless you check before you leave!), and easy to use (organized to be quickly accessible by restaurant, activity, etc, based on where you want to be on the island -- two page flips and you're on the way to a precise choice of food or fun based on the budget or level of activity you want). Whether going to a 'locals-only' beach or restaurant, Lenore's been there, and her reviews (and directions) are right on. Highly recommended. Thanks, Lenore.
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Summary: Don't leave home without it!
Review: Our family of 5 just returned from Kauai with our well used copy of Kauai: underground guide. We used it everyday to plan our trips. With her directions we found uncrowded beaches hidden away from the general tourists. The authors favourite beach, which became our favourite as well, was just minutes away from our condo, but was unknown to owners of our condo unit who have been visiting the island for years. Just about any general question we had was answered in the book. We didn't want to pay big $$ to see Hawaiian dancers - Lenore tells which shoppping centre has a free show daily. We wanted to send flowers home - again Lenore's book gives you names and numbers of local shippers. Groceries were very expensive but the book lists location and times of local markets where you could find fresher produce at a better price than the local grocery stores. I emailed the author for further info re accessibility for our disabled son and she immediately provided me with additional helpful info. In fact in her next edition she is including a new section specifically for disabled vacationers to Kauai. On her own initiative she tracked down hiking & snorkeling/scuba diving adventures for the disabled as well as wheelchair rentals for the beach. An amazing book and an amazing lady! This is a great book and I strongly recommend it for anyone travelling to Kauai.
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Summary: Very Informative
Review: I just returned from Kauai and I used this book throughout the entire trip. My wife and I relied on the book for dining suggestions and day time adventures. The advice from the author was right on. I am glad we picked up a copy before the trip, or else we would have missed out on our favorite adventures.
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Summary: Invaluable, concise analysis of sites and acitivies on Kauai
Review: This guide-book afforded us the luxury of finding the bestoptions for our holiday by simply reading the interesting and colorfulreviews, instead of by trial and error. To have the convenience of local knowledge, and the honest appraisal of restaurants and activities (not paid advertisers), made our holiday a pleasure from beginning to end. Must reading for every visitor to Kauai - you can pick and choose your particulars with proven success. The natural beauty is truly appreciated by the author and she emphasizes these important features for specific situations, such as the best location for a sunset dinner. The book is limited to important details, not history, which makes it easy to read and use. Can't imagine visiting the island again without referring to this guidebook. Thank you for making our trip a pleasurable one!! We look forward to your next edition with updated information. We love the color photos and the bonus CD music - got us in the Hawaiian mood. I think I'll call the airlines right now to schedule our next trip! Aloha and Mahalo.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as comprehensive as I'd hoped
Review: This is a good book because it offers subjective reviews, rather than simply reprinting factual details that could be found on the internet or a phone book. However, Kauai Underground didn't quite live up to my expectations (based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews here at Amazon), although it's certainly worth a look. This book is relatively small compared to other guide books. You'll also find that the font is somewhat large and there are lots of white spaces, photos (many are of pretty flowers that could have been taken on any tropical island), drawings, and large-font titles, which make the book easy to read but greatly reduce the amount of actual information presented. Furthermore, the book contains essentially NO reviews of hotels, condos or places to stay. Lodging is one of my biggest vacation expenditures, and I want to be sure I'm picking a nice place -- unfortunately, I have to get another guidebook to help in that area. It also seems to me that too much space is dedicated to reviewing $5 hamburger joints and other lower-end restuarants, and it's hard to distinguish what the authors believe is a "good" restaurant from a "bad" one. They all seem to have positive reviews, even if the authors had to send their food back because it wasn't prepared correctly! On the positive side, there are lots of tips for families with children -- and, as mentioned above, many reviews of child-friendly $5 hamburger places and ice cream stands. I am not traveling with children so this isn't really helpful to me but if you're traveling with kids or on a tight budget, this could be very helpful. I also appreciated the recommendations on activities and sightseeing -- the information about hiking, including website links, was expecially helpful. The book devotes a lot of space to beach reviews and restaurant reviews. Depending on your interests, this could be a pro or a con. All in all, Kauai Underground is certainly helpful in planning my vacation but I feel I need to purchase another guidebook to get a complete look at the island.
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Summary: The One That Helped the Most
Review: IMHO, this is THE best guidebook to Kauai, especially for those traveling with children of any age. The author's sincere love for and knowledge of the island comes through on each page. I love that she cares about the island's kids, and has actually contributed profit from her book to help Kauai's children's organizations. The book promotes (some little-known) local artists and shops, and includes a CD which introduced me (in an earlier edition) to the wonderful music of Keali'i Reichel.
I also like her positive, generous reviews (as opposed to writers of a certain oft-used Kauai guidebook). I don't get the impression that Lenore thinks her opinions are the only valid ones. I've read another Kauai guidebook whose authors take themselves so seriously and seem to think their opinion is gospel--while not revising their reviews from earlier editions (same wording on same restaurants--have they bothered to revisit these places, instead of repeating the same reviews?)
I agreed with Lenore's ideas on activities (e.g. if you can't afford BOTH a helicopter ride and a coastal boat ride, chose the latter) beaches, restaurants. I used this book both before and during several trips to Kauai, and know its contents contributed to wonderful vacations. I am now using the newest edition to plan a trip with my children and grandchildren. Thank you, Lenore, for this warm, positive, and extremely helpful book filled with aloha and ohana spirit!
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Summary: This guide is amazing!
Review: My husband and I visited Kauai March of 2003.
Because of this guide it was a amazing trip! It provides you with all the beautiful places to go and eat, relax, shop, activities, also what you should definitely see while on the Island of Kauai. It is a must if you plan to visit the Island. It provides safety information you can use regarding all aspects of the Island. The guide is wonderful also fully Illustrated!
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