Hawaii 2: The Rough Guide 2nd Edition (Hawaii (Rough Guides), 2nd ed) [Paperback]

Greg Ward (Author)

Book Description

Series: Hawaii (Rough Guides), 2nd ed | Publication Date: November 1, 1998

A guide to Hawaii and the surrounding region, this text presents in depth articles on Hawaii's ancient culture; reviews of restaurants, bars and accommodation; and informative features ranging from the death of Captain Cook to the legend of Pele, the volcano goddess.

Editorial Reviews

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Climate and When to Go

Although Hawaii's high season for tourism is mid-December to March, when room rates rise by perhaps $20 per night, its climate remains pretty constant year-round.

Specific information for each island appears in the chapter introductions throughout this book. In general, despite the power of the tropical sun, Hawaii is not prone to extremes. Temperatures in all the major coastal resorts vary between a daily maximum of around 80¡F (27¡C) from January to March up to perhaps 87¡F (30¡C) from July to October. Rainfall is heaviest from December to March, but while the mountaintops are among the wettest places on earth, you'd have to be very unlucky to get enough rain in any of the resort areas to spoil your vacation.

The one seasonal variation that does affect tourists is in the state of the ocean. Along protected stretches of the shoreline, you can expect to be able to swim all year round in beautiful seas where the water temperature stays between 75¡F and 82¡F (24-28¡C). From October to April, however, high surf can render unsheltered beaches dangerous in the extreme, and some beaches even lose their sand altogether. Conditions on specific beaches are indicated throughout this book; see also the section on Ocean Safety on p.32. For most of the year, the trade winds blow in from the northeast, though they're occasionally replaced by humid "Kona winds" from the south. Despite the much-publicized onslaught of Hurricane Iniki on Kauai in September 1992, hurricanes are very rare. However tsunamis (often erroneously called tidal waves) do hit from time to time, generally as a result of earthquakes or landslides caused by volcanic eruptions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 2 edition (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1858283388
• ISBN-13: 978-1858283388
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,176,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My latest book, the Rough Guide to the Titanic, is a definitive guide to the most famous maritime disaster in history, published to coincide with the centenary of the sinking in 2012.
Read sample pages on my website, roughguidetitanic.com.

Over many years as an author with Rough Guides, I've written fourteen travel, history and music books as sole author, and shared authorship on several more. My photographs have been published in my own titles, and also in magazines, newspapers and other books.

Please contact me if you'd like to invite me to talk about the Titanic, to commission me as a writer or editor, or to license my photos, or you have any questions about my books, apps or other work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy Travel Book, May 2, 2000

By 

Edward Kelly (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hawaii 2: The Rough Guide 2nd Edition (Hawaii (Rough Guides), 2nd ed) (Paperback)

A well-organized book that does a very good job of detailing what there is to see and do on the major islands of Hawaii. Especially useful are the cross-reference notes found within the margins, and various "favorite" lists found within each section. Greg never steered us wrong. Also, an excellent reference for those who wish to camp or hike.