Explorer S Guide Hawaii S Big Island A Great Destination Explorer S Great Destinations

A complete guide to this increasingly popular Hawaiian paradise known for its simmering volcanoes, sugary beaches, and exotic landscape. As with all Explorer's Great Destinations guides, the author provides unbiased critical opinions and candid reviews about lodging, food, attractions, culture, and recreation. With up-to-date maps and photos throughout, this is an invaluable guide for your next trip.

A comprehensive guide with all the resources you need to explore, relax and soak in the rich experiences to be had in this storied land. Christopher P. Baker provides an exciting overview where other guidebooks natural and social history in a comprehensive new guide that also covers recreational opportunities region by region. With this book in hand, you’ll have all the resources you need to explore and enjoy the rich experiences to be had in this hot new destination.

Your Ideal Hawaii Island Vacation is a travel guide that describes over 150 spectacular locations on the island of Hawaii. Over 200 photographs (black and white) accompanied by descriptions give you an impression of the island's unique places. Detailed driving directions make it clear how to get to each site. Every site is accessible by a regular car and most are only a short walk or can be seen from the car. The travel guide covers the entire island of Hawaii with maps of each area. Many areas in East Hawaii, barely mentioned in other guides, are covered in great detail from the authors' personal experiences of living there. Guided driving tours and walking tours familiarizes travelers new to the island with the most populated areas of Hilo and Kona. Descriptions of beaches and shopping centers near the South Kohala resorts and Kona hotels are provided for newcomers to the island. The guide describes places in the remote areas of Kau, North Kohala, and Puna that returning visitors and residents may not have heard of before. The guide showcases incredible beaches where Hawaiian royalty lived, coastlines where historic battles were fought, ancient temples, ranches where the Hawaiian cowboy culture was born, and historic towns built during Hawaii's sugar boom. Stories are told from early visitors such as William Ellis, who walked around the island in 1823, and Lucy Thurston, who lived in Kailua-Kona in the 1820's. The historical and cultural settings of each site is organized with descriptions to appeal to both seasoned and armchair travelers. The guide also showcases what is happening now at Kona coffee plantations, macadamia nut factories, and cattle ranches. The guide includes places near the resort complexes, unique island businesses, and recent lava flows. In the chapter on "Driving Hawaii Island" tables with realistic driving times between major sites are included. The driving times take into account areas of low speed limits and traffic congestion. Information about Saddle Road and driving to the Onizuka Astronomy Center on Mauna Kea are included. The guide has no ratings of hotels, restaurants, or tour companies. The authors believe that the most up to date customer reviews of restaurants and resorts are on the internet. The authors, Tyler and Chris Mercier, have lived on Hawaii Island since 2007. They lived in Hilo for two years before moving to the west side of the island near Kona. The authors researched each site using original materials from early explorers and Hawaiian historians to provide the most accurate view of what happened. They visited every site in the book and took thousands of photographs to document every location. The authors created regional maps and tour maps to allow visitors to plan their trips each day and select the sites they want to see. The authors' hope that the guide shows the immensity and variety of Hawaii Island to every visitor and encourages them to return.

Six major islands. One indispensable guide. A friend has gone before you and tells it like it is in the conversational guide to Hawaii. Veteran travel writer and photographer Kim Grant cuts through the tourist brochure clutter to help you maximize your precious time and money. Utterly reliable and comprehensive, she gives completely updated listings of resorts, condos, vacation cottages, and campgrounds, and hundreds of dining recommendations, from plate lunches and local grinds to seared ahi and Kona lobster at haute eateries. But Grant steers you where other guides don't. As a part-time resident, she guides you to waterfalls and volcanoes; takes you snorkeling and golfing; finds authentic luaus; illuminates the nuances of hula; and unearths fine contemporary craftsmen and Hawaiiana collectibles. She also includes musts for first-time visitors, ideas for repeat visitors, building blocks for perfect days, and much more. Other guide features include: • Suggested itineraries for varying lengths of stays and purposeful getaways • Sidebars on the Hawaiian language and Hawaii regional cuisine • Calendar guides to annual events and celebrations • An alphabetical “What's Where” guide for trip planning • Handy icons point out best values, “must dos,” family-friendly activities, and rainy-day activities Explorer's Guide Hawaii: reliable insider's recommendations for the best of the best lodging, dining, and activities, complete with specialized itineraries, "must-see" lists and helpful advice for first-time visitors.

The premier version of Your Ideal Hawaii Island Vacation guide book has over 200 gorgeous color photographs of spectacular locations around Hawaii Island. The guide features over 150 unique places on the island accompanied by descriptions and color photographs. This premium version of the travel guide has the same detailed driving directions that make it clear how to get to each site and historic background information as the black and white version of the guide. Every site is accessible by a regular car and most are only a short walk or can be seen from the car. The color travel guide covers the entire island of Hawaii with maps of each area. Every site is accessible by a regular car and most are only a short walk or can be seen from the car. Many areas in East Hawaii, barely mentioned in other guides, are covered in great detail from the authors' personal experiences of living there. Guided driving tours and walking tours familiarizes travelers new to the island with the most populated areas of Hilo and Kona. Descriptions of beaches and shopping centers near the South Kohala resorts and Kona hotels are provided for newcomers to the island. The guide describes places in the remote areas of Kau, North Kohala, and Puna that returning visitors and residents may not have heard of before. The color guide showcases incredible beaches where Hawaiian royalty lived, coastlines where historic battles were fought, ancient temples, ranches where the Hawaiian cowboy culture was born, and historic towns built during Hawaii's sugar boom. Stories are told from early visitors such as William Ellis, who walked around the island in 1823, and Lucy Thurston, who lived in Kailua-Kona in the 1820's. The historical and cultural settings of each site is organized with descriptions to appeal to both seasoned and armchair travelers. The guide also showcases what is happening now at Kona coffee plantations, macadamia nut factories, and cattle ranches. The guide includes places near the resort complexes, unique island businesses, and recent lava flows. In the chapter on "Driving Hawaii Island" tables with realistic driving times between major sites are included. The driving times take into account areas of low speed limits and traffic congestion. Information about Saddle Road and driving to the Onizuka Astronomy Center on Mauna Kea are included. The guide has no ratings of hotels, restaurants, or tour companies. The authors believe that the most up to date customer reviews of restaurants and resorts are on the internet. The authors, Tyler and Chris Mercier, have lived on Hawaii Island since 2007. They lived in Hilo for two years before moving to the west side of the island near Kona. The authors researched each site using original materials from early explorers and Hawaiian historians to provide the most accurate view of what happened. They visited every site in the book and took thousands of photographs to document every location. The authors created regional maps and tour maps to allow visitors to plan their trips each day and select the sites they want to see. The authors' hope that the guide shows the immensity and variety of Hawaii Island to every visitor and encourages them to return.

We travel to grow – our Adventure Guides show you how. Experience the places you visit more directly, freshly, intensely than you would otherwise – sometimes best done on foot, in a canoe, or through cultural adventures like art courses, cooking classes, learning the language, meeting the people, joining in the festivals and celebrations. This can make your trip life-changing, unforgettable. All of the detailed information you need is here about the hotels, restaurants, shopping, sightseeing. But we also lead you to new discoveries, turning corners you haven't turned before, helping you to interact with the world in new ways. That's what makes our Adventure Guides unique. Print edition is 368 pages. Photographs throughout. A newly updated edition with the latest information on the best hotels in all price categories, restaurants, dive sites, dive operators, fishing guides and much, much more. You'll find more information on these islands here than in any other guide, with thorough coverage of the Turks & Caicos as well. Comprised of over 700 dazzling islands, the Bahamas were once the playground of pirates. Modern travelers can find a different kind of adventure here, be they divers exploring a shipwreck, honeymooners beachcombing near a secluded cove, or gamblers touring the casinos of Paradise Island. This can indeed be a paradise if you are well-prepared. This guide is the best way to prepare, whether you want to explore the British forts and tropical forests, play with dolphins in the surf, seek duty-free bargains, or pay a visit to the Out Islands, where the residents are among the friendliest people in the world. The best accommodations and restaurants, sailing, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, diving, hiking, shopping, how to get around, sightseeing, entertainment, gambling, climate, banking, medical care, history and culture.

For the independent traveler looking to go beyond tourist luaus and snorkel cruises, this new edition guides you to the best Oahu has to offer. Honolulu resident Stacy Pope guides you to the best of Oahu’s cafe´s and hotels, shopping hotspots and hip nightclubs, museums and archaeological sites, and, of course, its most stunning beaches and hidden trails. To live like a local (even for a week!) and to fully appreciate Hawaii’s unique culture, make this book your ultimate island companion.

Hula Dance and Aloha Spirit: The True Hawaiian Paradise Join us on a fascinating journey into the heart of Aloha State, into a world shaped by hula dances and the unmistakable Aloha spirit. Learn about the symbolic meaning and deep cultural roots of hula, and experience how this dance reflects the soul and stories of Hawaii. Aloha is more than just a word - it's a way of life. Explore the Aloha spirit and its significance to the people of Hawaii. Learn how hospitality, kindness and appreciation are rooted in this unique culture. We'll guide you through the colorful world of floral wreaths, ukulele sounds, and traditional festivals that embody the spirit of Hawaii. From the gentle melodies of the ukulele to the passionate sounds of the Aloha spirit, you'll discover the magic that captures the hearts of the people of Hawaii. But Hawaii is also a place of change and challenges. We take a look at gentrification and the changes affecting traditional life in Hawaii. You will understand how these islands, with their cultures and traditions, are rooted in an ever-changing world. With practical travel tips and recommendations from locals, we'll help you plan your own Hawaiian adventure. Whether you want to walk in the footsteps of hula dancing or experience the spirit of aloha, this book is your key to an authentic Hawaiian experience.