Hawai'i the Big Island [Paperback]

John Penisten (Author)

Book Description

Series: Big Island of Hawaii | Publication Date: February 17, 1999

You and your family can enjoy a Hawaiian vacation of a lifetime without spending a fortune. Updated to meet the needs of today's travelers, this fun reference guide thoroughly covers:

• Getting to the Big Island, traveling with children, wedding and honeymoon planning, island transportation, weather, and history
• Over 270 restaurants, ranging from casual to luxury resort dining
• More than 170 hotels, condominiums, and bed & breakfasts, including rates and toll-free numbers
• Extensive recreation suggestions—the best beaches, day trip destinations, cruises, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, bike tours, and more!


"Fun and easy to use. Inviting to travelers."

—Library Journal


"The Big Island is a huge subject, but travel writer John Penisten does it full justice. It would be a shame to visit Hawai'i without this book."

—Travelwriter Marketletter

Editorial Reviews

Review

Each Chapter Features the Author's Personal Recommendations and "Best Bets"

From the Inside Flap

You and your family can enjoy a Hawaiian vacation of a lifetime without spending a fortune. Updated to meet the needs of today's travelers, this fun reference guide thoroughly covers:

? Getting to the Big Island, traveling with children, wedding and honeymoon planning, island transportation, weather, and history
? Over 270 restaurants, ranging from casual to luxury resort dining
? More than 170 hotels, condominiums, and bed & breakfasts, including rates and toll-free numbers
? Extensive recreation suggestions?the best beaches, day trip destinations, cruises, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, bike tours, and more!


"Fun and easy to use. Inviting to travelers."

?Library Journal


"The Big Island is a huge subject, but travel writer John Penisten does it full justice. It would be a shame to visit Hawai'i without this book."

?Travelwriter Marketletter

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Prima Lifestyles (February 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761516220
• ISBN-13: 978-0761516224
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,767,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good Source of Basic Information, March 5, 2000

By 

Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous" (Littleton, Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hawai'i the Big Island (Paperback)

This book contains good and useful information on Hawaii. If you are trying to decide on where to stay, or where to eat, then this book has some good information.

I found this book to be lacking in many areas. The maps are only adequate, and in many cases do not provide enough detail for the average tourist. Family activities were not detailed enough. One example would be the Dolphin Quest program in the Hilton Waikoloa Village. There is no mention of the fact that you can actually get into the lagoon and interact with the dolphins or even arrange a private session with the dolphins. While the beach section does have information on many of the popular local beaches, many beautiful and more private ones were left out.

I guess my greatest criticism of this book is that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park only receives a mention. People of all ages can enjoy and learn how this island was created and actually see that creation in action.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and this book contains none.

If you want a book with the most up to date maps, must see sites not mentioned in other books, detailed activities and adventures, then get the book "Hawaii The Big Island Revealed." It is the best I have seen, and I have seen many books on Hawaii.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best guide to lodging and eating- improving with age., July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Hawai'i the Big Island (Paperback)

The sixth edition of this book is an invaluable assist to anyone planning a stay- or many!- on the Big Island. No-nonsense, no-hype information with prices. Recommendations that make sense to the traveler.

One unfortunate attribute is the author lists all this by "District"- but omits any general map of the districts in the introduction, making the reader thumb and fumble through the book, wasting considerable time finding information pertinent to the destination in mind. If you are seeking lodging near Kilauea, you need to look at TWO districts, Puna and Ka'u... but those of us not familiar with the districts will not find this out without some work.

In spite of the orientation difficulties, unimaginative and terse and the very so-so typefaces, this book is the source of essential information to the independent traveler not buying a prepackaged trip to the Big Island, when combined with another general guidebook, like Moon's.

4.0 out of 5 stars Non Fiction, September 3, 2007

By 

Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hawaii: The Big Island, 7th Edition: Making the Most of Your Family Vacation (Paperback)

This is a pretty useful guide, actually, whether you are talking about just taking a holiday there for more than a day or so, or actually planning on living on the island this will give you a fairly reasonable background for the beginner, in an accessible style.

Certainly better than some books of this type.