Lonely Planet Hawaii (Hawaii, 6th Ed)

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Vacation Planner
Review: On 5 trips to 4 of the islands, I've consistently found that this guidebook steers me in the right direction, and leads me to some out of the way places. The listing of B&B's & condos is extensive, if you are more interested in hotels, the Fromers guides have better listings. This book provides directions to some sights you would almost definitely miss otherwise. For example, on the drive to Hana there is a lovely swimming hole (with waterfall) about 30 meters from the road but with no signs leading to it. I would never have found this, and it was a higlight of the drive. Numerous other examples (this is one of the few books with details about Molokai), but the bottom line is that while most of the guidebooks list identical sights, this one goes into much more detail. If you are looking to lose the crowds and find some quiet places on your own, you need this book.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Vacation Planner
Review: On 5 trips to 4 of the islands, I've consistently found that this guidebook steers me in the right direction, and leads me to some out of the way places. The listing of B&B's & condos is extensive, if you are more interested in hotels, the Fromers guides have better listings. This book provides directions to some sights you would almost definitely miss otherwise. For example, on the drive to Hana there is a lovely swimming hole (with waterfall) about 30 meters from the road but with no signs leading to it. I would never have found this, and it was a higlight of the drive. Numerous other examples (this is one of the few books with details about Molokai), but the bottom line is that while most of the guidebooks list identical sights, this one goes into much more detail. If you are looking to lose the crowds and find some quiet places on your own, you need this book.

Rating:
Summary: Perfect Vacation Planner
Review: On 5 trips to 4 of the islands, I've consistently found that this guidebook steers me in the right direction, and leads me to some out of the way places. The listing of B&B's & condos is extensive, if you are more interested in hotels, the Fromers guides have better listings. This book provides directions to some sights you would almost definitely miss otherwise. For example, on the drive to Hana there is a lovely swimming hole (with waterfall) about 30 meters from the road but with no signs leading to it. I would never have found this, and it was a higlight of the drive. Numerous other examples (this is one of the few books with details about Molokai), but the bottom line is that while most of the guidebooks list identical sights, this one goes into much more detail. If you are looking to lose the crowds and find some quiet places on your own, you need this book.

Rating:
Summary: Typical Lonely Planet handbook
Review: The book contained extensive information about places to sleep eat, and things to do. I expected to find a map of the Napali coast track in the book "The best hike in the world" as printed in the book, but there was only a short explenation of what the trail was like.

Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly "user friendly" guide for travelers
Review: The collaborative effort of Glenda Bendure, Ned Friary, and Sara Benson, Hawaii: From Oahu To Niihau, All-Island Coverage is an superbly organized and thoroughly "user friendly" guide for travelers visiting the beautiful and memorable islands comprising the state of Hawaii. Packed from cover to cover with a wealth of solid information concerning lodgings, activities, tourist attractions, dining, and much, much more, Hawaii is enhanced with maps, phone numbers, world wide web sites, prices, details, as well as color and black-and-white photography. Hawaii is a magnificent useful, highly portable, and strongly recommended trip planning resource for business travelers and vacationers alike.

Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly "user friendly" guide for travelers
Review: The collaborative effort of Glenda Bendure, Ned Friary, and Sara Benson, Hawaii: From Oahu To Niihau, All-Island Coverage is an superbly organized and thoroughly "user friendly" guide for travelers visiting the beautiful and memorable islands comprising the state of Hawaii. Packed from cover to cover with a wealth of solid information concerning lodgings, activities, tourist attractions, dining, and much, much more, Hawaii is enhanced with maps, phone numbers, world wide web sites, prices, details, as well as color and black-and-white photography. Hawaii is a magnificent useful, highly portable, and strongly recommended trip planning resource for business travelers and vacationers alike.

Rating:
Summary: Just not enough photography
Review: The Lonely Planet guides are overall good resources, but I am frustrated again and again at the lack of attention to aesthetics. Minimal photography, minimal maps, and sometimes deficient cultural/historical information. This is definitely *not* the best guidebook to Hawai'i, although it is adequate. I recommend strongly instead the "Insight Guide" instead.