Customer Reviews

Moon Fiji

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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As a frequent visitor to the South Pacific I have found David Stanley's Moon Handbooks to be the perfect traveling companions. Following his recommendations I have never been disappointed. There have been several times that I have avoided hassles and delays by listening to his advice. My wife and I are going back to Fiji in a few months and I just purchased the new Fiji Handbook. The new layout, color maps, internet resources and pictures make this the only handbook you need to bring on your trip!

We've been talking about going to Fiji for years, and have looked at other books, but this book trumps them all. It's very thorough, with excellent descriptions that make us wish we could pack our bags and go today. Author David Stanley obviously loves Fiji, and his passion comes through in his writing. We also appreciate the way he doesn't sugar coat the less than perfect. This seems like a book you can really trust. And the history sprinkled throughout (great stories of Capt. Bligh, for instance), the interesting boxes full of fun information, and the very useable maps make it easy to get educated in all things Fijian. We also love the beginning section with beautiful color photography. It would be nice if all photos could be in color, but we'd happily trade the excellent info in the book for color pictures.

This book provided us with our new dream adventure vacation: A stay on the Yasawa Islands, where there are no motorized land vehicles or roads. You can stay in a thatched "bure" and make a vacation exploring the island chain via a catamaran line that offers a kind of "Eurail Pass" for island hoppers. Who knew such a place still existed?!

This book IS Fiji. Even the people who live there should own a copy for themselves as a guide to their islands' resources.

The indispensable information and guidance within Moon Fiji about trip planning, transportation, dining, lodging, entertainment, recreation, tours, events...will save the traveler the cost of the book many times over.

I've edited other publishers' guidebooks and am most impressed with the excellent composition and layout of this book, the perfect refinement of seven previous editions. It is amazing that: so much information has been included; the type size is big enough to be easy to read: and yet the book is small enough to carry everywhere.

Don't waste your time searching the Internet for information about the Fiji Islands. It's all in this book, including reviews, maps, photos, telephone numbers, schedules...and, if you must, a list of the top twenty Fiji websites. There is too much more info to mention.

Let me be succinct and direct: Anyone who is planning to visit the Fiji Islands must have this book--they will be handicapped there without it.

The 8th. Edition of David Stanley's Moon Fiji handbook continues to be the essential guidebook for travelers to Fiji. And whether you are a seasoned Fiji traveler or an eager first-timer, you will find Stanley's book critical to getting the most of your Fiji visit.

Compared to the earlier editions, this one is totally revamped and redesigned. It's compact, attractive, and very usable. Information is easily located and details are ample. Every section is updated and expanded to include current relevant information, insofar as any destination guidebook can be anyway.

Each geographical region of Fiji is fully detailed covering related visitor attractions, accommodations, dining options, activities, recreation and more. Specific recommendations make each section extremely valuable. Stanley pulls no punches in both his criticisms and compliments to vendors of accommodations, restaurants, activities and others. Descriptions and explanations are quite trustworthy.

Detailed maps and interesting photography makes for a well laid-out book. Placement of the Background reference section to the back of the book make the tome usable. The opening section with such things as "The Best of Fiji," and "Island-Hopper Special," plus "Culture and the Real Fiji" and others get the reader quickly immersed in Fiji and offer practical ideas for getting the most of a Fiji visit.

The book's regional Fiji sections provide all the detail and information needed for planning a visit to these storied and historic South Pacific islands. Whether you see one area such as Nadi and the Mamanucas, or take in Suva, the Coral Coast, Lomaiviti, the Yasawas, Taveuni, or the "Friendly North" of Vanua Levu, you'll find Moon Fiji a fine and very useful traveling companion. Like the saying goes, don't leave home without it! As a veteran Pacific Island traveler, I'll have my copy of Moon Fiji along on my next Fiji stop.

I bought this book as a guide before my honeymoon. I had already looked around a couple of eco-tourism web sites and booked a couple of hotels; in one case, I changed my mind because of this book and ended up canceling a booking. It's a well-organized guide with astonishing clarity and frankness. Some off-hand tips include who to talk to (first names) at travel agencies/resorts/etc. for tips and deals, what times of day and/or days of the week you should avoid certain activities, what environment to expect at a hotel or resort (Partying backpackers? Couples only? Family-oriented? Rich lazies?), which buses leave early/late or stay overnight, how to deal with hagglers, general Fijian pronunciation tips and cultural guidelines (including an apparently conservative dress code in the villages that I would have regretted not knowing beforehand), where and how women will feel safe, and of course, which restaurants and accommodations offer the best deals. You're probably also well-off to visit www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree for first-hand travel tips, but the Moon guide book is a great buy.

Awesome book, well written and very insightful.
South Seas Photography uses all these Moon South Pacific books and the Fiji Book for all our travels throughout Polynesia.
Easy to use, perfect for detailed information, easy to carry and share.

Karl Meinhardt
www.SouthSeasPhotography.com

After reading this along with other Fiji travel books, I've come to the conclusion that this seems to have a very unbias and actual take on the country. I'll find out in a couple weeks when I arrive, but I like the tell it like it is writing style without worrying about only showcasing the highlights of the country and the tourism.

As a professional travel journalist, reliable and properly researched reference material is essential to me. Stanley's meticulously written guide to Fiji stands apart from the other high profile guidebooks on this location and demonstrates the art of professional guide book writing is not dead.

Excellent guidebook and I highly recommend it. I have traveled around the world and have used every guidebook out there to plan my trips or to bring with me for reference. This book is formatted in an easy to read style yet is packed with essential information for a traveler. The best part is that the information is not just for a newbie to Fiji but also is very useful for the repeat visitor as well. I am amazed at how much great information is packed into this easy to travel with handbook. Great maps, highlights of an area, tours and important information on transportation and accommodation. Plus, the most important part is food. I always like trying local restaurants and there are good tips on where to eat. As a frequent traveler, I can tell that this book was written by a fellow traveler because of the excellent detailed information. If you need a guidebook for Fiji, look no further than Moon Fiji.

Want to go to the South Pacific? How about Fiji, the best locale of these famous isles? Well, you need look no further than David Stanley's latest handbook, "Fiji," published by Moon. A primer that outdoes the competition, this book provides detailed maps, a geographical and cultural overview of the 350+ Fijian islands, color and black-and-white photographs, as well as concise, to-the-point reviews of most resorts and restaurants. For the first and many-timed traveler to these gorgeous isles, this guide is a necessary companion.

And for those just interested in Fiji, Fijian culture, and its politics, this handbook is a true gem. Mr. Stanley explains in fascinating detail Fiji's transition from cannibal isles, to a British colony, to independence, to successive coups, to the now current military government. The worldwide press, the various foreign services, and international businesses would be well served reading Mr. Stanley's overview prior to projecting opinion. His political analysis is excellent.

If you prefer the internet to books, I strongly suggest overcoming this inclination by purchasing this handbook first, reading it, and then supplementing via the internet. Fiji is too large and too diverse to organize and compose a trip with a simple internet query. Moreover, most "Fiji" internet queries yield links to travel agency websites that only promote properties with large commissions. If you want confidence that your vacation will follow your dream, not your travel agent's large commission dream, this handbook will provide it.

I have travelled to Fiji many times visiting many different resorts and I think this handbook's perspectives are spot-on. I am also a travel reporter/videographer for FijiGuide.Com, a Fijian informational internet site not affiliated with a travel agency.

Go to Fiji! You will not be disappointed: unbelievable scenery, above and below water, and the nicest people you will ever meet.