Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling British Virgin Islands (Paperback)

~ Mauricio Handler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Comprising some 40 islands and cays in the northeast corner of the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are low-key and uncommercial. Topside, they offer lush subtropical forests and endless pristine beaches. Underwater, divers and snorkelers delight in coral-covered pinnacles, caverns, walls and shipwrecks, including the famed 19th-century RMS Rhone. Once a notorious pirate hideaway, today's British Virgin Islands continue to be a sailors' paradise and are counted among the Caribbean's premier yachting destinations. This book describes 63 of the British Virgin Islands' best dive sites, with full-color photos throughout.

You'll get specific information on:

• depth range, access and conditions
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside activities and attractions
• Diving services, live-aboards and yacht charters
• 8 easy-to-read maps

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 2nd edition (December 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1864501359
• ISBN-13: 978-1864501353
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,030,496 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential guide to BVI diving and snorkeling, July 9, 2000

By	Christina K. Kelly (Union Pier, Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diving and Snorkeling Guide to the British Virgin Islands (Picses Diving and Snorkeling Guides) (Paperback)

This book picks out the twenty-one best diving sites in the British Virgin Islands and gives a page or two of descriptive text about each. Each dive site has one or more pictures to show the reader what to expect. Each dive site also has some general descriptions such as the typical depth, the current condidtions, how to access the site, and what expertise is required. There is a map on which all of the sites are located. There is a rating system the book uses to inform the diver whether a place is suitable for a beginner or an expert. The book also serves as a general guide to the BVI, including history, food, culture, lodging, and tourist information. The book includes some helpful tips on diving in the BVI and warns about the dangers underwater.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very comprehensive, March 29, 2000

By	j. conley (pittsburgh, pa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diving and Snorkeling Guide to the British Virgin Islands (Picses Diving and Snorkeling Guides) (Paperback)

Our group used this guide in doing dives from our yacht in the BVI. I found it to be comprehensive enough to help us to find the dive sites fairly well without asking too many questions of the locals. There were only one or two sites which we wanted to dive which we didn't find.

I liked the ratings of the dives from beginner to expert but I think adding a 'star' rating would help people to determine what particular dive to choose when there are many choices. Also helpful would be to include a map of the dive site (some other dive books do this) which would help in planning the dive. These are the only reasons I didn't give this book a 5 star rating.

This book was also valuable in explaining potential problems with dives such as currents or choppy seas. It also provided the maximum and minimum depths and these were pretty much on target. The book was definitely a valuable asset on our trip.