The big island hawaii

The big island hawaii 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. 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. Editorial Reviews From Library Journal In this second of their series of guides to the islands of Hawaii, Doughty and Friedman (The Ultimate Kaua'i Guidebook, Wizard, 1994) have succeeded in telling us everything there is to know about traveling on the island of Hawaii (the "big island" only, not the entire state). They include basic facts about the history and geology, language and pronunciation, sights, beaches, activities, adventures, dining, and lodging. Each of these topics is discussed in detail for each of seven divisions of the big island. The authors relate not only where to go but how to get there and whether or not the place is a must or a skip, offering candid evaluations of each view, beach, and restaurant. Written in clear and lively language, with abundant color illustrations, many excellent maps, a good table of contents, and a complete index, this book is essential reading for those traveling to the island. Recommended for public libraries.?Julia Stump, Voorheesville P.L., N.Y. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review "A colorful book--covers it all. I was pleased by the numerous little tips that can make a trip more pleasant." The San Diego Union-Tribune "Succeeded in telling us everything there is to know about traveling on the island of Hawaii...this book is essential reading..." Library Journal This all-new fifth edition is a candid, humorous guide to everything there is to see and do on the Big Island to plan your best vacation--ever. Best-selling author and longtime Hawai'i resident, Andrew Doughty, unlocks the secrets of an island so vast and diverse that many visitors never realize all that it has to offer. Explore with him as he reveals breathtaking trails, secluded beaches, pristine reefs, delicious places to dine, relaxing resorts, an active volcano and so much more. Every restaurant, activity provider, business and resort is reviewed personally and anonymously. This book and a rental car are all you need to discover what makes the Big Island so exciting. • The most up-to-date and accurate information available anyplace with up-to-the-minute changes posted to our website • Frank, brutally honest reviews of restaurants, hotels and activities show you which companies really are the best…and which to avoid--no advertisements • Driving tours let you structure your trip your way, point out sights not to be missed along the way and are complemented by 120 spectacular color photographs • 38 specially-created maps in an easy-to-follow format with mile markers—so you’ll always know where you are on the island • Clear, concise directions to those hard-to-find places such as deserted black sand beaches, tropical rain forests, hidden waterfalls, the most dramatic part of the erupting volcano, freshwater lava pools (some volcanically heated) and scores of other hidden gems listed nowhere else • 28 pages on Big Island’s beaches with detailed descriptions including ocean safety • Exciting chapters on adventures, hiking and activities • Fascinating sections on Hawai'i's history, culture, language and legends • Companion website with links to every business, events calendar, over 80 resort reviews complete with aerial photos--so you’ll know if oceanfront really means oceanfront "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed" covers it all--from the snow-covered top of Mauna Kea, to the sparkling underwater reefs. This is the best investment you can make for your Big Island visit. Whether you are a first time visitor, or a longtime kama'aina, you will find out more about the Big Island from this book than from any other source. Discover the island of your dreams with "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed."