Hawaii: The Best of Paradise: A Haole Insiders' Guide to Honolulu and Beyond (DiscoverGuides) [Paperback]

Betty Woo Martin (Author), Don W. Martin (Author), Bob Shockley (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003 | Series: "Best of . . ." City Series

An upbeat and whimsical insiders' guide to the Aloha State, Hawaii: The Best of Paradise provides a close-up view of Honolulu, plus coverage of the islands of Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, Lanai, and Molokai. "Ten Best" lists in more than 50 categories give visitors all the details they need to find the very best that Hawaii has to offer. Scores of Hawaii guidebooks have been published, yet no other guide approaches the tropical paradise in this unique, opinionated fashion. Readers can discover at the flip of a page the ten best resorts, attractions, restaurants, nightspots, and shopping areas. For those who want to play in the sun, it lists the ten best beaches and the ten best places to snorkel, dive, hike, and bike. Other lists include the ten best places to take hula lessons and the ten best places to snuggle with your sweetie. For visitors on a budget, a "Proud Paupers" chapter points out the ten best free attractions and the cheapest eats and sleeps. In addition, an "unauthorized history" of Hawaii reviews the islands' controversial occupation by outsiders.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: DiscoverGuides (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942053419
• ISBN-13: 978-0942053418
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,727,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Island Hopper's Bible, April 15, 2005

By 

JANMC - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hawaii: The Best of Paradise: A Haole Insiders' Guide to Honolulu and Beyond (DiscoverGuides) (Paperback)

I have probably read more books on Hawaii than any other travel destination. This book stands out as one of my favorites for practical knowledge and is probably the only one I read back to back and used as a reference ON my actual trip to the islands. This is because almost every page has pertinent vacation information, useful tips and on top of all, it's all written with humor and an upbeat fun writing style. How can you not love that?

I found that all the information and ratings of places to see or things to do go hand in hand with tons of research I did on the internet, but the great thing about the book is that you can pack it with you (who wants to browse the internet on their vacation?) and it already has all the phone numbers, maps, tips and everything you could want to have at your fingertips, all in one concise place for reference.

Some points to note about this book:

- At least half the book is devoted to Oahu alone, since that is the island most vacationers go to, so for those heading to Oahu specifically this book is worth getting even if you don't plan to see the other islands. It covers everything you might want to know/do/see in Oahu extensively and gives many unusual and interesting tips on everything ranging from romance to photography.

- This is not a book that's filled with breathtaking images (unless comical sketches count) or any kind of extensive background or history of Hawaii. There is a quick history chapter in the beginning that contains great introductory knowledge about Hawaii which would enhance anyone's trip in my opinion. Mainly though, this is a book of pointers to all the (best) things you might want to do/see on all the islands, and is great for first time visitors who plan to island hop and want to know the best things they can do on each island.

- This book picks the "top ten" things you can do or see in almost every category, on every island and of course rates the overall top ten things not to miss in Hawaii in general. After having gone to Hawaii, and having seen just how MANY incredible experiences one can have there, I can honestly say that this must be a difficult job to rate everything, and much is of course so dependent on one's personal taste/preference. However, I would have to agree that you cannot go wrong following the general guide-lines in this book. Based on extensive research you could do online and also actually talking with people who have lived on the islands for many years, this book really does nail it about right, from the best luaus, to the best restaurants to the best activities you cannot go wrong with.

- this book does not rate the actual islands (as in, the best one to visit or anything like that - I don't think that is possible) although the authors do reveal their personal favorite, which might not at all match your own so do not go by that. If you are planning to visit just one island and are trying to decide on which, I think this book gives great insight on the things you can expect to do on each island, so it's an excellent resource for research. After having been I'd definitely suggest to go with Oahu for the myriad of things to do, party atmosphere and nightlife, and drop-dead-gorgeous beaches :O (in which case DEFINITELY grab this book as half of it is about Oahu), pick Kauai for seclusion, incredible natural beauty, waterfalls and mountains, go with the big Island for the volcanos, water sports and diversity - and pick Maui if you want it ALL!! :D (and the best luaus in all of Hawaii to boot)

- Aside of answering the standard "where do I stay, where do I dine, what do I do" questions, I found that this book also gave unusual and interesting tips about many things like photographic vantage points, secluded beaches and areas, and other such good-to-know information.

- for those planning to do the famous road to Hana, don't rely on this book alone. I think the Road to Hana could be a book in itself and you would definitely want it in order not to miss all the hidden treasures you will miss otherwise.

In summary I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who is planning a trip to the islands and of course especially first-timers. My husband surprised me in an incredible way with a booked return trip to Hawaii this year (I didn't want to get off the islands in the first place) and one of the first things I did is started looking for this book. It's coming with me!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this book if you want an insider's viewpoint, April 23, 2007

By 

July Frock "July" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hawaii: The Best of Paradise: A Haole Insiders' Guide to Honolulu and Beyond (DiscoverGuides) (Paperback)

I thought this book would show an insider's view of the top ten attractions in each category, instead, it shows the top ten "most popular" even though the author, who is a former marine, doesn't agree in the descriptions that the hotels, restaurants, and attractions are worthwhile. The hotel recommendations are the worst part of the book, most of the hotels on the list are major chains and the author doesn't seem to have ever stayed in most of them, and the descriptions mention that some of them are overpriced and dirty. This book was a complete waste of money. Also, the author does not provide website addresses for many of the listings, only phone numbers. I had to buy another book in order to find a hotel that was under $400 per night that wasn't a major chain, youth hostel, or YMCA.