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Rating: 
Summary: A fan
Review: I just returned from 5 super days on the Big Island. I brought along two books to guide me and this one was by far the best. It is professionally written with lots of spunk, good snorkeling recommendations and hisotorical tips. The only negative comment is that the maps are too small to read. The other book I attempted to use was The Big Island Revealed and primarily chose it because it had 70 reviews. It was very inferior and I donated it to a local thrift store.
Rating: 
Summary: caution
Review: I prefer <i>Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed</i>, by Doughty and Friedman. The Lonely Planet guides seem to mention just about everything, but they generally fail to make value judgements, i.e., Restaurant X sucks or Beach Y is fantastic.If you have time to explore and to make mistakes, then this book is a good bet. It's pretty exhaustive, and you'd need a year to see *everything* listed. But if you have, say, only a week on the island (like 95% of visitors, I'm guessing) and can't afford to eat a crummy dinner, then I would recommend Doughty and Friedman's guide. Also, in general, I feel that this guide is geared more toward the hostel crowd, relative to Doughty and Friedman. Pizza parlors and other cheap diversions versus the best places, regardless of price.
Rating: 
Summary: Exhaustive, but lacks value judgements
Review: I prefer Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed, by Doughty and Friedman. The Lonely Planet guides seem to mention just about everything, but they generally fail to make value judgements, i.e., Restaurant X sucks or Beach Y is fantastic. If you have time to explore and to make mistakes, then this book is a good bet. It's pretty exhaustive, and you'd need a year to see *everything* listed. But if you have, say, only a week on the island (like 95% of visitors, I'm guessing) and can't afford to eat a crummy dinner, then I would recommend Doughty and Friedman's guide. Also, in general, I feel that this guide is geared more toward the hostel crowd, relative to Doughty and Friedman. Pizza parlors and other cheap diversions versus the best places, regardless of price.
Rating:
Summary: The One
Review: I used this book and especially liked the writing style. It was witty and intriguing and led me to corners I would have never explored. The authors are opinionated but know how to keep their descriptions in check. Many helpful tips and facts kept it interesting. There are very few good guidebooks for this area. This one outclasses all the rest.
Rating:
Summary: Priceless Expedition!!!
Review: On the spur of the moment I took off for Hawaii for ten days of vacation with two guidebooks in hand. Lonely Planet ended up as the guide with the most clout. I drove the entire circuit from KailuaKona to the Volcano National Park to Hilo and it was never dull. It turned me into a petroglyph junkie. There was always something interesting to stop off and see or find. I felt as though I had been away for a month. This one doesn't waste space business bashing and fills its pages with toothy recommendations and selections worth sharing. I wish I had consulted the book before I booked my room as their Kona listings turned out to be in much better locations than the one I ended up staying at.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for the big island
Review: This book is a nice companion to 'Hawaii the Big Island Revealed'. It's contents had been thoroughly researched, very up to date. The section on finding places to stay are especially helpful. Another excellent book coming from Lonely Planet.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for the big island
Review: This book is a nice companion to 'Hawaii the Big Island Revealed'. It's contents had been thoroughly researched, very up to date. The section on finding places to stay are especially helpful. Another excellent book coming from Lonely Planet.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Fun Fun
Review: What a supremely great vacation. Lonely Planet reigns for this island. Their off the wall advice took us to places where we unbelievably found ourselves alone. The places they recommended to stay were just perfect and so cheap compared to the big hotels. Every morning at breakfast we had a chance to meet other travelers and exchange information. You will only need one guidebook for this island and this is it. The only thing they could improve on is the size of the book. A little bigger would be nice.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Fun Fun
Review: What a supremely great vacation. Lonely Planet reigns for this island. Their off the wall advice took us to places where we unbelievably found ourselves alone. The places they recommended to stay were just perfect and so cheap compared to the big hotels. Every morning at breakfast we had a chance to meet other travelers and exchange information. You will only need one guidebook for this island and this is it. The only thing they could improve on is the size of the book. A little bigger would be nice.
Rating:
Summary: caution
Review: 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.
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