Lonely Planet Hawaii the Big Island

Lonely Planet Hawaii

by Luci Yamamoto

Lonely Planet's Hawaii, the Big Island  is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Experience island culture, stargaze on Mauna Kea and snorkel in Kealakekua Bay; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Hawaii, the Big Island and begin your journey now!   Inside Lonely Planet's Hawai i, the Big Island : Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, surfing, wildlife, cuisine, arts & crafts, lei, politics Covers Kailua-Kona, the Kona Coast, Kohala, Waimea, Mauna Kea, Saddle Road, Hamakua Coast, Hilo, Puna, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and more   The Perfect Lonely Planet's Hawaii, the Big Island , our most comprehensive guide to Hawaii, the Big Island, is perfect for discovering both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences.    About Lonely Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.    'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times   'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveler's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2002

Reviews

[Loretta]

Some really fantastic and “off the beaten path” ideas in this book. But it is definitely a bit outdated, and not just due to COVID-19 closings. So be sure to double check prices, hours etc before heading out.

[Dexter]

Only time will tell if this guide book is great or not, but I feel ready and I have marked 80+ point of interest on my google map!

[Linda]

I mean, it's Lonely Planet. So obviously it's full of great information and I used it and learned a lot and did cool hikes and so forth. However this is one of those Lonely Planets that has me shaking my head a bit at times. Some unclear hiking instructions and lengths, editing mistakes like a missing number on a map, and contradictions like one chapter saying the word "paniolo" is definitely such and such and another chapter saying there is disagreement about such and such. It's like, hi authors, let's see what your co-authors wrote?
But worst of all is these authors and LonelyP need to take a way stronger clearer stance against (and unequivocally condemn) zoos, captivity, swimming with dolphins etc. I expect much better.

[Caitlin O'Connor]

Organizing my house today and realized I never counted this book!

I first picked up a lonely planet book for my New Zealand trip last year and honestly loved the experience. For me, the books handle the signal to noise ratio of the internet so well!! They also don’t allow for distraction/rabbit holes.

Getting a lonely planet book will be my new tradition for any trip a week+ to new locale! And hopefully a cool new “trip collection” that’s not so... chotschky.

PS BEST recommendation was Tex drive-in for Portuguese donuts. Still dreaming about them 🍩🍩🍩

[Mary]

3.5 stars, rounded down for its meandering organization. We read about Hilo, then have to go to other pages for more info on specific sites within Hilo. Why not just put it all together into one cohesive narrative? Good maps though.

[Jeffrey]

Timely help for out of the way locations on the Big Island. Very helpful for information regarding restaurants.

[Erin E. Bowen]

Liked it a lot!

Great travel book free on Kindle Unlimited!!! I highly recommend this book when traveling to the Big Island of Hawaii.

[May]

It's a great book about the Big Island of Hawaii.

[Charlotte Dune]

Great resource! Really helped me maximize my trip to the magical Big Island of Hawaii!

[Rama Rao]

A visitor's guide to the big island of Hawaii

This is a useful book to have if you want to visit the state or explore the possibility of living there. In the age of internet, lot of information may be obtained from the state of Hawaii (government web sources), AAA and many other sources on the web, but this book is good for a quick reference.

The introductory chapter, "Outdoor activities and adventures" describe a variety of activities you could experience and enjoy at the nine geographical locations in the big island of Hawaii. Activities and adventures to explore at Kailua-Kona (Midwest Cost; mid-Kona coast, page 51), Kona coast (West Coast, page 79), Kohala and Waineea (Northwest coast, page 103), Mann Kea and Saddle Road (mid-central region, page 137), Hanukua Coast (Northeast cost, page 151), Hilo Coast (mid-pacific east coast, page 167), Puna Coast (East coast, page 191), Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Southeast Coast, page 205), and finally Ka'u (Southwest Coast, page 205). On page 40 a brief summary of the island includes; the land and environment, wild-life, national, state and local parks.

Body surfing, dining, cycling, surfing, whale watching, and fishing activities could be exciting at Kalua Kona coast. There are useful information about dining, shopping and motels for this location. Pods of spinner dolphins that frequent Kealakekua Bay and Captain Cook monument are some of the places of interest on the south Kona coast. At the south Kohala, hiking at Kalhuipua historic trail and ancient lava carvings at Puako Petroglyph Preserve would be a wonderful experience (page 112). The main attractions at the Mann Kea and the Saddle Road are the Manna Kea summit observatories and the beautiful sunsets. Stargazing at the observatory are a great experience for all ages, and it has a variety of programs for general public (page 145). The Hula's main event (page 182) around Easter time is the Merrie Monarch festival that attracts top Hula troupes from all over the island. The chapter on Hawaii Volcanoes National Park provides information about Sulphur Banks, Helema'Uma'U overlooking the crater, steam vents and various trails that is spectacular to experience which is inherently Hawaiian. The last chapter on Ka'u region describes beautiful beaches such as, Green Sands Beach.

At the beginning of each chapter, there are itineraries of various activities grouped in terms of number of days each activity requires. This book is a useful guide for a new visitor to the big island of Hawaii.

[Nicole D'Amato]

This book became my companion on both my spring and fall trip to the big island. It was a great resource - everything recommended was amazing, especially the Buddhist temple hidden away in an area I never would have found near South Point. I just love Hawaii, specifically the Big Island, and this book helped me navigate my way around. Highly recommend if you are headed that direction.

[Alicia]

Erik and I are going to the big island in March. Neither of us has been to any Hawaiian island, so we are excited. This book was given to us by a young man named Dip who just purchased our Honda Insight. Dip works for Lonely Planet and gave us a pile of books!

[Dawn]

No index of restaurants and restaurants aren't listed in the index. Also, this book doesn't list nearly as many snorkeling sites as the Revealed guidebooks, nor does it go into as much detail. Also don't like how accommodation information takes up room in each chapter.

[Heather]

Lonely Planet guidebooks are usually pretty solid, and this one seemed to get a good overview of the island. It helped me build a tentative itinerary. We’ll see how helpful it truly was once my trip is done.

[Marilyn]

Just read sections on Oahu and the Big Island...before our trip to Hawaii.

[John]

Excellent guide with tips that never mislead us.

[Peregrine 12]

As usual, Lonely Planet provides another indispensable guide. I used this for my 5 week trip and saw more than I ever imagined existed. LP all the way!

[Everett Maroon]

Hard to read on a Kindle, but all of their information was accurate and well written.

[Cottageunderhill]

Great book on Hawaii. :) Borrowed from my Momma.

[Mojca]

4 - 4 ½ stars

[SL Reads and Reads]

Great book, better trip. Photos, maps recommendations—all top-notch.