Customer Reviews

Frommer's Hawaii 2010 (Frommer's Color Complete)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This guide follows the Frommer's general guide format- Introduction to your destination, some facts and a little history and then details on each region/city within your destination, with suggestions for restaurants and hotels. It has sections like Hawaii in depth, planning your trip, suggested itineraries, best of Hawaii, and then a description of each of the islands - Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai. It ends with Fast facts which include websites you can use to do further research.

When planning a trip, I like to start with Frommer's to get a lay of the land, then go to Lonely Planet guide to get insider's views and eventually do my own research on websites for hotels/restaurants and other activities. That has helped me get the best out of previous trips, I recommend the same if you're considering Hawaii for your next vacation. I recommend getting Frommer's from the library and using it for initial reading, and carrying Lonely Planet on the trip as LP some great suggestions from the locals that this guide does not have.

However, this guide does give you an overview of all the activities that you could undertake and is a worthwhile purchase if not available at your library. I also like the full color production and the map at the end. The list of fast facts and websites at the end is also helpful to start planning your dream Hawaii vacation!

This is an okay reference book for all the islands. It would be handy if you are visiting more than just one island. However I strongly recommend buying individual guides for each of the islands. Especially, if you are looking to explore the natural features of the islands or find things off the beaten path this guide will fall short. This guide has some nice general information but not the substance regarding natural attractions I have come to expect from travel guides for Hawaii. The voice for this Frommer's book is rather dull and non-inviting.

I highly recommend Wizard Publications Inc. They are my favorite guide books for Hawaii. I have used both The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed and Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook (Maui Revealed). The voice in the Wizard books show an deep personal knowledge and passion for the islands and it's culture.

If you are planning a trip to Hawaii, this is a book for you. There are beautiful pictures, maps and tons of practical information from planning a wedding, what to see if you only have a week in a location, where to stay, and what to eat on these beautiful islands. This book is well thought out and is easy to read like Wailuku in Central Maui, "Wailuku is like a time capsule, with its faded wooden storefronts, old plantation homes, shops straight out of the 1950's, and relaxed way of life."

This is a great book to plan a trip to Hawaii and to make a memory. Oh, yeah, don't forget some of that Hawaiian sun tan lotion so that you can already get the smell of the coconuts before heading out......

I confess - I didn't read this whole book. Well, I didn't start at the front and read all the way to the end at any rate. First, I looked through the pictures and ooh-ed and aah-ed appropriately. Then I started reading some of the things about the various islands. Then I looked up the volcano - Kilauea. Then I turned to the front and read parts of the "Best of Hawaii". I paged through until I got to Part 4 - Suggested Hawaiian Itineraries - and read that entire chapter closely. It has weekly itineraries for each of the main islands. For every activity it suggests, it gives a page number to go to for more details. And then I played around looking at various chapters that go more in depth on each main island.

This book is presented in a logical manner. There's some good intro stuff (example: don't act like the locals aren't in the US. Hawaii IS United States!) that's good to know. There's a bit about time difference (neither Hawaii or Arizona, where I live, practice Daylight Savings - good to know). There's stuff about safety and driving and something called a "gold card", which offers discounts - important info there. And then you get to the fun stuff - the beaches, activities, shopping, lodging, culture, FOOD! (I can't wait to go to a fancy restaurant that proudly serves spam.)

No, I haven't been to Hawaii (yet!!) in order to make sure that all the information presented is correct. But the more I read, the closer that day gets. In fact, I might have to go a few times 'cause Oahu looks to be at least a week, and Maui is at least a week, and I want to see Kilauea while it's still going off! I mean, how many other "safe" volcanoes do you know about? (I mean the lava ones, not Yellowstone.)

*sigh* stupid recession. But until my bank account comes back, this book (and the Travel Channel) are a great source of information and imagination. And if those 6 lottery numbers ever come up my way, you can be sure that I'll be on a flight within a week, the Frommer's Hawaii guide firmly gripped.

This is a beautiful book laid out in an easy to understand format. Highly recommended, whether you have a vacation planned or not.

The Frommer's guide book on Hawaii has been very helpful in planning our upcoming trip.
It includes lots of information, history, and tips on housing, transportation, food, activities, etc.

Frommers travel books allow me to get more pleasure from my travels and save me a lot of time. The price from Amazon was very good.

This book is not for just one island. It covers all of them. The island I was interested in had a good, big section but over all it wasnt the book for me.

Great book but it took so long to get it in the mail, it came to the house after we left for Hawaii.

Very detailed guide. Contains a brief background and history of Hawaii that the average traveler might want to know. Also contains a lot of places to check out in the Islands of Hawaii. The entire guide is laid out very well and can be easily referenced. The size of the book is compact to fit in a woman's handbag, although it is thick and will take space. The book is a glossy paperback that is of high-quality, so it will withstand multiple openings and closings. The only problem is that after looking through this guide, you realize that there is so much to see and do, but there is so little time to do it all!

It's an excellent book on Hawaii. We recommend it very much! Has some great tips. Very well written and an easy read while still being very useful!