Hawaii The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook

The best feature of the book is that is is organized as a set of driving tours from the Kailua-Kona and Hilo areas. Almost everyone visiting the Big Island travels by rented car and stays in either of these areas. The struc- ture is perfect for a tourist, right down to listing the mile-marker numbers where unmarked sideroads lead to beaches, volcano view spots, and other points of interest not on the rental car maps. It is loaded with color photographs, maps in many level of details -- including hiking trails -- and easy-to-spot icons of the things to see and do. We visited friends who have lived in Kailua for years who were surprised at how many new things they learned.

I have to stop now before I embarass myself. If you visit the Big Island and don't take this book with you your trip will be that much less fun.


This was our "bible" on our first trip to the Big Island!   November 25, 2001
88 out of 98 found this review helpful

This book is well written with lots of cultural and historical information as well as a lot of humorous comments that kept us laughing. The Volcano National Park quit selling this book because of all the "inside" information it reveals that they don't want travelers to know about. It took the authors over 2 years to put this book together, not 6 weeks like most other Travel Guides. These folks live here and know the ropes! The book has broken the Big Island down into geographic sections with sights, places to stay, dining(prices ranges and ONO recommendations), and beaches for each. It also includes sections on activities, and adventures such as snorkeling, scuba, whale watching, etc. We found that a lot of roads were not marked, but this book lays out "secret" beaches, how to get to them (mile markers), and even tunes you into how not to get "taken" by the locals. Example: When visiting the Green Sand Beach, the locals try to charge $5 for parking and make you walk the 2 1/2 hike. The authors tell you they do not work for the Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands and have no right to charge this fee (also, there was an incident where signs were posted to keep out-Private Property, but the book revealed that you CAN use the road to get to the beach. Without that information, we would have not ventured down that road!) They highly recommend that you rent a JEEP to get around the Island. Invaluable advice! Sure saved us a lot of walking! Throughout the book, there are sites marked with "A Real Gem" Icon, "Diversion Alert!" and "Not to be Missed!" signs. The maps are accurate, the pictures are plentiful and vivid; and we found the information true and accurate. The only thing we think needs updating is the section on Saddle Road. The authors make it sound like the road from Hell, and try to discourage you from using it. We found this road to be in better condition than most of the others and we found a few other "sights" along the route. We noticed a lot of other traveler's with this same book. Before going on our trip, we purchased Hawaii for Dummies and Hawaii the Big Island (and older version, of course!) This book blew them all away and was the one we referred to the whole trip. In our opinion, this book was "A Real Gem!!!" Now we are planning a trip to New Zealand and wish these authors had a "Revealed" book for it.


Fabulous   April 15, 1999
36 out of 41 found this review helpful

It bothers me when I talk to people and they say "there's nothing to do on the islands and everything is so commercialized" We always try to go to the out of way places that locals tell us about. The last trip to Hawaii (Nov. 1997) we found the book Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed and really found some great places that most tourist would never know about. Since then I have recommended to several and say it is a must if you are going to Hawaii. The book is broken down in a very nice way and easy to follow. The maps are very easy to read and the color photos make you want to see it all. I hope they come out with one for each of the other islands. With staying in a condo and fixing a picnic lunch at breakfast we had truly enjoyable days really seeing Hawaii. Many a day we found a picnic table with great view and lot of time close to the ocean with the sound of it. This year we hope to go to Kauai or Maui so am hunting book for them so we can really see that island. We have been to all 3 several times but not like the '97 trip.


The Big Island Revealed   January 14, 2000
C. Rossomando (fl)
17 out of 18 found this review helpful

The Big Island Revealed is the only book you will need while touring the Big Island. The content is accurate and excellent. The book is broken down into locations. We toured a location a day and found the descriptions excellent. The authors cite mile makers for each route which is an easy way to find cites. We highly recommended this book and hope the authors (who live on the Big Island) will write like books for the other islands.

It should be noted that the B&B we stayed in had purchased this book for each room for their guests to use since they felt it was excellent, also.

Warning, we do not recommend tourists with 2WD rentals try either "The Road to the Sea" nor "Manna Rd". Both of these were too dangerous.


WOW! What a phenomenal guidebook!   July 26, 2002
Timothy A. Wise (Ocoee, FL USA)
31 out of 36 found this review helpful

I bought this book (and "The Ultimate Kaua`i Guidebook") on the recommendation of several people on a travel message board. This was our forth trip to the Hawaiian Islands and my wife and I were going there to spend a week on The Big Island and a week on Kaua`i. We wanted to see the most we could and we felt these books might help us make better plans to do just that. And did it ever! We ended up finding that one week on each island wasn't enough and we are already planning our next trip.

Their off-the-beaten-path places are just awesome. From exploring a lava tube that empties out 20 feet over the water near Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park to driving (with a 4WD SUV) down into Waipio Valley; from touring the top of Mauna Kea (the highest point in all of Hawai`i) to hiking out to touch the molten lava flowing from Pu`u O`o; from seeing a "lava tree" at Lava Tree State Park to tasting some organically grown fruit at a roadside stand.....you'll find the details in this book. And their accurate maps and directions to the out-of-the-way places will keep even the most wayward soul from getting lost.

My wife and I cannot recommend this book enough. If you like to explore the places you visit, this book is for you. Well worth it's weight in gold....well, almost. :)