Category: Hawaii

As I mentioned in my last guidebook giveaway (for Pauline Frommer’s New York City – the winner was Heather On Her Travels) I received 3 guidebooks to review and then launch to lucky readers.

Next up is Pauline Frommer’s Hawaii: Spend Less, See More.

As I’ve written before, I’ve always been a fan of the various Frommer’s travel guides, because they are budget-friendly, full of helpful details and info-packed sidebars, and they make a big effort to show people how to find local experiences and atmosphere.

Pauline Frommer is the daughter of Arthur Frommer, who launched the original Europe on $5/Day back in 1957. She’s also a mother of two, so her books tend to carefully include family-friendly attractions in addition to the “usual suspects” at a destination.

Hawaii is a soft spot for me since my first Navy ship was homeported in Pearl Harbor.  I also want to put in a plug for the folks who work to support Hawaii tourism; I’ve met Michael Ni (@michaelni) and Nathan Kam (@nathankam) on Twitter (plus Michael in person!) and I also follow @DavidHTA who markets his beautiful state worldwide.

Here are particular highlights from the Hawaii guidebook:

• “Best beaches if you’re a kid” are listed, but none are on Oahu (where most tourists tend to go.)  Pauline does recommend Waikiki Beach for people-watching and the North Shore for water sports. (If you’re a beachy person, you might enjoy the scenery and friendly philosophizing on Beach Walks With Rox, a video series filmed on a Hawaii beach.)
• Kauai beaches are her pick for the best, but she also notes that they have more drownings than other islands. “Never turn your back on the water.” She also lists some fun one-of-kind boutiques on Kauai – which is not known for its shopping – and also covers opportunities for volunteer work on the island, in gardens and for whale-counting.
• On Oahu, I like her thorough discussion of World War II sites like the Arizona Memorial, Bowfin submarine and battleship Missouri.  There are good “local info” sidebars on things like yummy food from island “shrimp trucks,” and a frank discussion of the “cheesy and heinous” Polynesian Cultural Center. I appreciate forthright opinions in guidebooks, even when I don’t agree with the assertions.
• The guidebook has a comprehensive list of annual events – like the Merrie Monarch hula festival – a discussion of why Hawaii prices are sometimes so high for basics (no, it’s not just to rip off tourists,) an overview of coral reef “etiquette” for snorkelers/divers and a Hawaiian language glossary.
• The Maui section features detailed dining options to fit most budgets.
• Great tip from Molokai: you can mail a coconut with a message on it from the Hoolehua Post Office: Post-a-nut. I mean, what kid wouldn’t want to do that?!

If all this sounds like your kind of book, here’s what to do to win my copy:

• Leave a brief comment below about why you’d like to read “Pauline Frommer’s Hawaii”
• At the end of this week, on Friday, December 12, 2008, I will randomly pick one of your comments using one of the cool tools on Random.org, then I’ll announce the winner in a separate post.
• If you win, I’ll email you at the address you leave when you comment (to get your snail mail address,) then I’ll box up the book and send it to you. Yes, I’ll mail to places outside the US.

Thanks for participating, and thanks to Sarah Gorback at Wiley Publishing for sending me a review copy.

Good luck!