Customer Reviews

Frommer's South Pacific (Frommer's Complete Guides)

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

 

 

Frommer's South Pacific is concise and easy to use, but it is not up to a par with its other guides of tropical areas due to its shortfall of information on adventure tour and sporting opportunities, such as snorkeling, bicycle rentals, etc. It's still probably the best overall for the South Pacific, but it needs more sporting option details to earn the normal Frommer's rating of 5 of 5.

This book covers only the hot spots likely to be visited by someone with not over two weeks to spend in the South Pacific. Any place slightly off the beaten tourist track or without comfortable hotels isn't included. Goodwin does tack a few cheap hostels onto the end of his upscale hotel listings, in a condescending way. It's a cleverly written book, well suited to the package tour market. In short, a guide intended to help you spend money rather than save it.

It is very obvious that the author of this book has actually been to the South Pacific - he is very enthusiastic about the area - and sincerely wants his readers to love it too! We have followed the book's on two trips and have found the advise to be 100% accurate. I highly recommend this book - it can be trusted.

Having been a resident of French Polynesia and Tahiti for over 35 years, the author-in my opinion-has produced an accurate, objective and encompassing report and guide for the American traveling public.The subject matter to review and relay is quite extensive--and this requires a fine tuned view of each island. Although I have not visited as many islands as the writer, I find the ones I know in the edition to be correct and concise--in fact, I learned details I was not aware of.

It is important to remember this guide was presented by an American-with an American viewpoint and cultural value-for the American market.

In closing, before coming to these islands, I highly suggest you extend your credit card limits and/or bring lots of cash as most of it probably won't be returning with you. French Polynesia is expensive--yet the lagoon colors, vibrant mountains and handsome people make it a memorable experience.

Bill Goodwin has continually updated and improved this book since the 6th and 7th editions. Why does Amazon.com retain such outdated reviews from two years ago and more? So much has been changed since the edition one of these early reviews refer to. For example Goodwin points out the best snorkeling and other outdoor activities, and tells exactly where to go to rent bicycles. Goodwin's professional advice is highly relevant to travelers of all price ranges, including backpackers (he began as one after all), and all advice is given with an eye to making the most of your money. No travel guide can possibly be up to the, minute (the time need to print the book causes this), but Goodwin provides frequent updates on his own website, [...].
This guide is entertaining as well as useful. It is indispensable for all of us who have outgrown Lonely Planet. Please remove the out of date reviews of this excellent book.

This guide is interesting, and indeed it offers insights on some aspects of travel in the region which other guides do not address. But it surely does not match the standard of Lonely Planet and similar guides. The advice is not so up-to-date as it claims, and as much as it can be funny and anecdotal, its advice is not always relevant. Maybe a good purchase for the armchair traveller, but not for whom is really travelling to this marvellous region.

This book has a 2006 copyright date in it so don't count on all the prices for hotels, dining, etc. to be up to date. We generally buy Frommer's books more for learning about the area and signts to see than for hotels and dining.Web sites we have researched don't contain a lot of great information as they are loaded with items to sell you. We have visited this area one other tiem and this is the place to go to relax and really take life easy. The book gives you some very good insight into the area and what to visit and where to spend you time. This book has some items and locations that appear in another Frommer book, Tahiti and French Polynesia. Areas in this book include Fiji, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rarotonga and Cook Islands, Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga. Even if you are visiting only a couple of those islands you will find the book worth while.We first looked at major book stores in Dallas and locating copies of South Pacific books was next to impossible. Every store though did offer to order a copy for us. That meant paying full retail price and having to make another trip to the bookstore. You spend less time and money by ordering as we did through Amazon.

If you are looking for information to help you decide where to go in the South Pacific this is a great place to start. If you know you are going to a specific Island you may want to consider a book on just that Island but this is a great overview and a resource for travelling between the islands.

This is a very thorough treatment of the South Pacific islands. It is written in the usual Frommer style with transportation, lodging, dining, and sightseeing options. I was interested in local customs and unique shopping options, and this volume delivered.