Customer Reviews

Kauai Underground Guide, 16th Edition

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Thirty years ago, when the first edition of this book was written, Kauai was a different place, and perhaps there was something "underground" about this guide. Now, as other reviewers have pointed out, Kauai Underground is mainly a superficial restaurant guide. Even there, it falls short. Restaurants do not remain static over time. Instead of updating its restaurant reviews with new information, this guide simply copy edits the prose. Here is one rather humorous example:

15th edition (1998): "Wranglers' dining room retains the outlines of its historic building, where you expect to see Matt Dillon stroll in at any moment."

18th edition (2007): "Wrangler's dining room retains the outlines of its historic building, where you expect to see Butch Cassidy amble in and take a chair."

In addition to being outdated, the guide contains only standard, generic information. It is very poorly organized and indexed. The writing is littered with superlatives (everything is "wonderful" and "lovely") and exclamation points. Maps are skimpy and hard to follow.

Basic information and maps are available in the free advertising circulars handed out at the airport and car rental agencies. I recommend you spend your money on a weightier guidebook that favors data over fluff. Examples include Frommer's Kauai (Frommer's Complete), The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed, and Kauai Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Bike, Paddle, Surf.

Happy traveling!

POSTSCRIPT: On February 25, 2010, I suddenly got a string of six negative votes on this review. This happens all too often on Amazon, when a neutral and balanced reviewer (see my other reviews for the range) writes an honest but negative review of a book. You can see that the same thing happened to everyone who wrote a less-than-stellar review of this book. (Hmmm.) Campaigns like this cause top reviewers to hesitate before writing negative reviews, thus weakening Amazon's usefulness as a place for consumers to get unbiased information before deciding on a purchase. (Negative reviews drag down a reviewer's ranking.) In my opinion, "NO" votes should not be used just because you disagree, but rather to indicate that a review was deficient in some way (poorly written, biased, etc.). If you found the above review useful, please offset this negative campaign by voting "YES" -- review was helpful -- on this review and whenever you encounter negative but helpful reviews in your virtual travels in Amazon Land. Thank you for your support.

I'll keep it short and sweet: Lenore knows Kauai.

Been to Kauai several times, but when we've used the Underground Guide (our last two trips) we've found:

1) Better places to eat;

2) More stuff to do that we wouldn't have thought of (and some things that weren't in the other Kauai guidebook, which we've since discarded);

and

3) Some Kauai friends. The best way to experience the Garden Isle is with people who know it well, and we've actually met some friends in Kauai as a result of going 'Underground.'

It's a must -- the best vacation investment you could make. Give up feeling like a tourist with Lenore's help. You'll find this guide up-to-date (I purchase a new copy before each trip), accurate down to the details (e.g. a deli that may not get your sandwich just right unless you check before you leave!), and easy to use (organized to be quickly accessible by restaurant, activity, etc, based on where you want to be on the island -- two page flips and you're on the way to a precise choice of food or fun based on the budget or level of activity you want). Whether going to a 'locals-only' beach or restaurant, Lenore's been there, and her reviews (and directions) are right on.

Highly recommended. Thanks, Lenore.

My husband and I purchased a timeshare in Kauai in 1987. On our first trip to the island, a thoughtful guest left a copy of this guide in the condo. It immediately became a hit as we began exploring all the special "Secret" beaches. The instructions such as where to walk, where to park and landmarks to look for were invaluable and helped us truly fall in love with Kauai on that first trip. Since then, we have purchased the newest edition each year before our visit. Tips on best values for tours, shopping and restaurant information is also top notch. Many of the reviewers mention the book's value to those with children and family. As an empty-nest couple, we still would not use any other guide although recently we have started carrying the walking tour book with us as well.

Someone gave me this book just before my third trip to Kauai. Since I have some friends on the North Shore, I asked them about it. They said it was their least favorite book since it was the one that gave away all the "secret" beaches and restaurants drawing tourists instead of locals. I thought that was a great endorsement.

In fact, we went to several beaches recommended and many of the restaurants. The descriptions and reviews were invariably accurate and candid. So many guidebooks seem like puff pieces for hotels and restaurants. This book never felt that way.

I also liked the fact that this author seems to be a regular in Kauai and not just a guidebook author who goes from place to place. Anyone who writes 15 editions of anything must be doing something right.

This guide-book afforded us the luxury of finding the bestoptions for our holiday by simply reading the interesting and colorfulreviews, instead of by trial and error. To have the convenience of local knowledge, and the honest appraisal of restaurants and activities (not paid advertisers), made our holiday a pleasure from beginning to end. Must reading for every visitor to Kauai - you can pick and choose your particulars with proven success.

The natural beauty is truly appreciated by the author and she emphasizes these important features for specific situations, such as the best location for a sunset dinner. The book is limited to important details, not history, which makes it easy to read and use. Can't imagine visiting the island again without referring to this guidebook. Thank you for making our trip a pleasurable one!! We look forward to your next edition with updated information. We love the color photos and the bonus CD music - got us in the Hawaiian mood. I think I'll call the airlines right now to schedule our next trip! Aloha and Mahalo.

We just got home from the most beautiful island in Hawaii and made fairly good use of this book. Took in the Hawaiian language church service, beach choices for families with little ones, etc. The owner of one of the stores the author recommends for freshly cut leis (the one across from Kauai Community College) was thrilled when we showed her the recommendation because she had no idea they were even mentioned. We got a free bag of freshly sliced pineapples from her for showing her the promotion in this guide. One warning....avoid Kapa'a in the afternoons. The only traffic jam on the island.

Our family of 5 just returned from Kauai with our well used copy of Kauai: underground guide. We used it everyday to plan our trips. With her directions we found uncrowded beaches hidden away from the general tourists. The authors favourite beach, which became our favourite as well, was just minutes away from our condo, but was unknown to owners of our condo unit who have been visiting the island for years. Just about any general question we had was answered in the book. We didn't want to pay big $$ to see Hawaiian dancers - Lenore tells which shoppping centre has a free show daily. We wanted to send flowers home - again Lenore's book gives you names and numbers of local shippers. Groceries were very expensive but the book lists location and times of local markets where you could find fresher produce at a better price than the local grocery stores.

I emailed the author for further info re accessibility for our disabled son and she immediately provided me with additional helpful info. In fact in her next edition she is including a new section specifically for disabled vacationers to Kauai. On her own initiative she tracked down hiking & snorkeling/scuba diving adventures for the disabled as well as wheelchair rentals for the beach.

An amazing book and an amazing lady! This is a great book and I strongly recommend it for anyone travelling to Kauai.

Anyone who travels to Kauai without this book will miss the best part of the island. I am not a fan of guidebooks, as I find them generally uninformative, but Horowitz never let me down. Her detailed descriptions of resturants and beaches were right on. Her recommended activities made every minute an exciting adventure.

Thank you, Horowitz's, you made Kauai my favorite vacation spot. I cannot wait to go back!

I was born and raised on Kauai, and the only guidebook that I recommend to my friends coming to visit is Lenore Horowitz's "Kauai Underground Guide." I even have one of my own! Lenore brings the Island to life in a way that demonstrates her love for it and for it's residents. In fact, the profits from the book are distributed among 5 children's charities on the island in an effort to give back to the community which she says has given so much to her and her family. Her restaurant reviews are right on the money, and her advice about what different beaches have to offer and what different tours to take is very accurate. Best of all, she does not tell people to to ignore local "no trespassing" signs nor does she send people to dangerous locations, as other guidebooks do. If you want to experience Kauai as I - and the rest of its residents - do, I would not leave home without the Kauai Underground Guide!

12 perfect days in October 2004 due in large part to this book! My vacations are always on the go, go, go and my husband & I filled 10 of 12 days (I "let" him veg out for the other 2). This book was with me the whole time. I actually needed it before I could get the latest edition on Amazon, contacted this wonderful author directly and she made sure I received mine right off the press! Get this before you go, the CD heightens your anticipation, the "helpful links" are a treasure of info, and the book is a great airplane read that makes things a snap to find later.

We made it our quest to visit as many local hangouts as possible and all of her restaurants are right on the money. (Barbeque Inn, Bull Shed, JoJo's & Camp House Grill-YUM!) Every section was wonderful. I had already finagled all my fly,stay, drive deals by the time I got this so the room guide did not bother me (it actually listed the best places I spent alot of time finding on my own). Finding out about farmers markets, fruits, gifts, massage, sweets and shopping was cool, no one else seems to mention that stuff much.

It's true that the maps in the book aren't great and the adventures section is not full of every single thing to do (especially if you are major active outdoors person) but every single thing that is in there is right on the money. Maps are everywhere on the island and Budget gave us a great one that I kept handy. As for the activities, the baggage claim in Kauai has a really huge display of about 6 full size and 4 half size magazines of things to do plus there are about 250 rack advertisements and every single hotel has an activities desk, trust me, you will NOT have a problem finding out more about outdoor sports. It's almost the opposite.

This truly is a "must have" book for anyone going to Kauai and I hope this book makes your stay as enjoyable as ours was. ALOHA!