Hi all - I've just been reading through the LONG thread about the blue books. I am planning a trip in the future and I am a guide book junkie. I have one of the blue books already. Luckily for me, I have done enough "soft adventure" traveling that I understand that common sense is the most important thing and will take from the books only guidelines.

My question is: What other guide books do you like for the islands of Hawaii? We are hikers, kayakers, snorkelers and love good guides for that and all the touristy stuff. I like guides that give opinions as well as facts. Any favorites out there besides the "blue books"?

Thanks, sue

I really, really like the Frommers' guides for Hawaii! They are very current on restaurants, tourist sites, etc., and give the nitty-gritty details, like phone #'s, hours, etc. I have found them very reliable. (I'm also a guidebook junkie........ I read them all, so can compare!)

Although I started that thread, and love the guides, another great book, (my edition is from 1999) is Maui Handbook - Moon Travel Handbooks - by J.D. Bisignani.

We are going to Hawaii for the first time next month and I bought a ton of guidebooks and did a lot of reserach online. I would recommend the Frommers also or "Hawaii for Dummies", which is written by Frommers editors. They both had very useful info. about restaurants, hotels, tour companies, etc...

In addition to the standard Blue, I also bought "Snorkel Maui and Lana'i" by Judy and Mel Malinowski. It has good descriptions of the various beaches & bays, an at-a-glance chart which rates them based on several criteria, and some helpful detailed maps. I actually used their maps/directions a few times in lieu of Maui Revealed (not that I still found everything I was looking for).

Aloha sueoz,

which islands??

Sprout & Morey's books all good, some samples at
http://www.wildernesspress.com/WPmai...&Region=Hawaii

For our upcoming trip to Oahu, our main source has been Frommer's "Honolulu, Waikiki & Oahu" which has been excellent and the most helpful. We're also using Fodor's "Hawaii 2004" and Lonely Planet's "Hawaii".

Thanks for the replies - We THINK we are heading to Kauai and Oahu - not written in cement yet. sue

I have also used the Moon Handbooks and found them really useful. I like the blue bibles, and just take them with a grain of salt. I like the fact that they had reviews and updates on the wizardpub web site. My only big complaint about the blue bibles is that they are written in a format that is a little harder for me to use. Separate sections for beaches, adventures, and activities make it difficult for me to mentally organize information. I really appreciated their information about the wild lava tube hike at VNP on the BI.

I noticed a review on Amazon for "Maui Trailblazer" looked like it was aimed at hikers. Worth checking out! Happy Trip Planning!

I got Richard Sullivan's "Driving and Discovering Oahu" based and recommendations on this board and am very pleased with it. Also got "Day Hikes on Oahu" by Robert Stone. Our trip isn't till September so I won't know till then how acurate and/or helpful the trail decriptions are.

I like the series of books by Paradyse. In the past, I've even been able to e-mail the authors and get rapid responses to my questions. Christie Stilson has been writing for these guides for years and is very knowledgeable. I have easily found all of them available at Barnes and Noble and through Amazon.com.

The Fodor's Pocket series (not the bigger books, which don't hold a candle to Frommers, but the little minis that fit in your purse or pocket, are surprisingly loaded with good info. I found a couple good things in the Honolulu one that weren't mentioned anywhere else.

I have been using Frommer ever since I went to Europe in 1962 with his Europe on $5 a Day in my suitcase. He has never ever at any time in any way under and circumstances disappointed me (because his opinions are clearly stated, his books are carefully edited, and they are always up-to-date).

For Kaua'i, particularly for those traveling wtih kids, Lenore Horowitz's fantastic book "Kauai Underground Guide" is highly recommended. I've read 'em all, and IMHO this is best for families!!! She obviously loves the island, is positive (always tries to find some good, even if writing a not-so-glowing review) she is NOT self-importantly self-congratulatory or acting like her opinion is the only one that counts (as I've always sensed with the "blue book" authors) and contributes so much to promoting Kaua'i businesses and culture (e.g. Kauai Childrens Discvery museum, small local stores and stands, artists and musicians --one of whom told me Lenore's recommendation had helped his career so much . She contributes part of the profit from sales of het book to non-profit groups that help Kaua'i's children. What's more, if you email her, she will try to personally answer with suggestions. A great book and a caring perrson who seems more concerned with sharing her love of the island than with making big bucks off eager and gullible tourists.

Oops, sorry about above typos. I get enthusiastic with a response, press "post reply" ...then realize i forgot to edit.