Book Description
Lonely Planet's guide to Fiji covers all aspects of this most-popular of Pacific Island travel destinations. Bula and welcome to the diverse islands of Fiji! There are white-sandy islands here perfect for a relaxing beachside holiday, or little-visited islets and rugged hinterlands for the more adventurous. Wherever you're based, coral gardens teeming with life are only a short paddle away.
CHOOSE YOUR ISLAND - large or tiny, party or romantic, exclusive or family-friendly... there's an island in Fiji for you.
GO NATIVE OR DO IT IN STYLE - our authors tell it like it is with frank, opinionated reviews of backpacker digs, homestays, luxury resorts and everything in between
IMMERSE YOURSELF - with a detailed special section on diving in Fiji
DIG THE LOCALS - we reveal the inside scoop on history, culture, and how to fit right in
Customer Reviews:
Very useful.......2007-09-01
I bought as many books on Fiji as I could before my trip and I found this to be the most useful and user freindly. I thought it was better than frommer's, my old go to for travel. Now I'm using the Lonely planet series.
Book Description
Embrace the tyranny of distance. Be it Tuvalu, Tokelau, Tonga, Tutuila or the Tuamotus, our authors have braved paradise to give you the lowdown on island exploration. Get lost among the thousands of beautiful islands in the Earth's largest ocean. Hike to active volcanoes, lush forests and crashing waterfalls. Use this guide to reveal the Pacific's myriad cultures, landscapes and activities. Island hop, or just drop out o TAKE THE PLUNGE - discover delicate reefs, deep lagoons, pristine atolls, shipwrecks and jellyfish lakes with our expert in-depth diving section o STUFF YOUR FACE - our new Food & Drink chapter unlocks the culinary style of each island nation o UNRIVALLED COVERAGE - no other guide takes you to every bit of the Pacific's 'big backyard' o LUXURY OR BUDGET - paradise to suit your pocket, from basic beach huts to radically lush resorts
Customer Reviews:
Excellent as usual.......2007-09-17
All the information that you will need to travel through the South Pacific. Outstanding as usual.
Comprehensive but not boring guide to travel with!.......2007-07-12
I used this Guide to plan my travels in the Western Pacific and although it is a bit 'old' I found its information is still mostly up-to-date and really useful. Great tips that correspond to real places, foods and opportunities. Have already planned on several more Pacific islands using this guide's tips.
Amazon.com
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, if you're going there, chances are Lonely Planet has been there first. With a pithy and matter-of-fact writing style, these guides are guaranteed to calm the nerves of first-time world travelers, while still listing off-the-beaten-path finds sure to thrill even the most jaded globetrotters. Lonely Planet has been perfecting its guidebooks for nearly 30 years and as a result, has the experience and know-how similar to an older sibling's "been there" advice. The original backpacker's bible, the LP series has recently widened its reach. While still giving insights for the low-budget traveler, the books now list a wide range of accommodations and itineraries for those with less time than money.
If the magical islands of French Polynesia are on your itinerary, here is the perfect traveling companion. Its 29 maps highlight 4WD vehicle tracks, walking routes, and dive sites. The guide features a thorough history section, food section, accommodations for any budget, and useful Tahitian and French language sections. This book also includes all the archipelagos: the Societies, Tuamotus, Marquesas, Australs, and Gambiers--with extensive information in inter-island travel. The authors have personally tested all of the dive sites. --Kathryn True
Book Description
Bonjour and welcome to Tahiti! On your left you'll find great French cooking and fresh seafood; on your right there are ancient Polynesian ruins and brilliant Tahitian dancing. Just offshore there are islands with golden beaches, world-class diving plus endless opportunities to just kick back and relax. We love Tahiti, and know these islands like our own backyard, so let us show you around.
BEFORE YOU BOOK, read what our authors thought about your resort - get the honest scoop
RELAX beachside with us and read up on Tahitian history, culture and mythology, then let us spin you inspiring tales of the mysterious outer islands
SAVE a few bucks here and there - from planning your trip, to booking accommodation, we'll show you how to make sure your trip costs don't blow out of control.
TRUST US - We've dived the dives and walked the walks, we've visited every resort, hostel and café between the remote Tuamotus and the backstreets of Pape'ete. We know what we're talking about
Customer Reviews:
New edition is great!.......2007-09-28
This new edition of LP's Tahiti and French Polynesia guide was invaluable on my recent trip. The details of the out of the way islands like Maupiti are wonderful, the writing is funny but clear and informative. It had details of local places and special spots that were not in the old one. I read up on the writers and one of them is an American woman who lives there, I could really tell that she understood the perspective of a tourist. I carried this book in my purse for the two and a half weeks I just spent there and referred to it often. Especially for the directions, cultural details and local customs that I needed. I felt like I had a local friend as my guide. I also find it comforting that they take no freebies from the hotels.
We stayed in small pensions and loved it, no one has screens in Tahiti it seems, but the guide did mention electric mosquito devices which was helpful, it also gave food details on the half-board places, and on the whole seemed accurate and well researched. The enthusiasm of the writing is infectious and I totally fell in love with Tahiti and the other islands we visited, I felt like I really got to know it better than I would have alone because of this book.
Good, but needed more.......2004-05-23
I've used many Lonely Planet (LP) guides and found this one to be lacking their usual detail. I got the sense much hotel information was pilfered from Web surfing the basic info, rather than first-person investigation. While still a good book to take, next time (and there will be a next time because Tahiti is wonderful) I'll be sure take another guide along with it, and to thoroughly read actual travelers' online reviews. I'll also know the questions I need to ask before booking. My sense was that the reviewers weren't seeing things through the fresh-eyes of a first time traveler. The details, such as directions accommodation features were often lacking.
One thing I've always liked about LP is that they will list small locally owned budget places - that are occasionally hidden gems - whereas many other guides only list "approved" chain-type accommodations. However, in this book key information about lodging was missing. For example, it's very uncommon to find window screens in Polynesia despite a lot of mosquitoes, yet it is not standard for the book to say if there are screens or mosquito netting at each location (sometimes there are neither). Screens would be a big selling point for me. In Lonely Planet's India guide - which I was quite happy with - they deliberately note whether hotels have air-conditioning or not; in this guide this rather important information (for the tropics) is randomly added. Sometimes we'd get there and they'd have AC and sometimes they wouldn't. A more specific example is a pension primarily described as "friendly" - which it was in spades - with no mention that there's one bathroom shared with 8 people and that doesn't have hot water. With what prices are in Tahiti, poor information is very costly. One "resort" (our over-water bungalow splurge) was merely described as "competitive with other luxury resorts." Come to find out it had bedbugs and no air-conditioning.
If level of detail can be evidenced by pages numbers, note that LP's Hawaii guide (five main islands) is 615 pages, while their Tahiti guide (50+ islands/atolls, with ten commonly traveled) is a only 287 pages.
Outdated!!!.......2003-02-13
I was expecting more from lonely planet but aside from the maps, the book is obsolete. It also reads like a text book, no passion, no flavor, very boring. The sections on each area are not very big at all. ...
Excellant Guide book.......2002-06-02
This book did a wonderful job of not only preparing us for the journey, but help us get around. We have now been there three times to three difference islands, and each time it preformed well. Although with all travel books they get out to date in a year or two, you should always call a head to verify critical information.
Good Field Guide.......2000-09-28
This book is very comprehensive. It will help you find all of the places you want to go, and will give you an overview of what to expect. Some of the items could have been a little more detailed though. Directions were OK. Luckily the islands are easy to get around. We found the combination of this book, Jan Prince's book, and the Moon book to be the perfect combination for our trip in November of 1998. Read more about our trip and how we used these books at DiveAtlas.com.
This review replaces the out of date one that already exists.
Customer Reviews:
Australia's Largest City.......2007-08-02
The seventh edition of the Lonely Planet "Sydney - City Guide" was researched and written by Sandra Bao, with help from the author of the previous two editions Sally O'Brien. This edition was published in 2006, which means that the next edition will probably not be published until sometime in 2008 or later.
As with the other City Guides from Lonely Planet that I have used, this one appears to be comprehensive. As one would expect, it would cover the things that most travel guides cover, such as lodging, food & drink, entertainment & attractions, and shopping. The Lonely Planet guides go beyond the standard information and include sections on city life, art, architecture, and history, and sections which help the traveler plan activities with sections on walking tours, and excursions that can be taken outside of the city.
This guide, like the other Lonely Planet guides that I have used, has been very helpful in my planning for my visit. Probably the most useful section to a first time traveler is the `Directory' section, which covers a wide range of topics from transportation, family concerns, climate, customs, information for travelers which are disabled, electricity, embassies, emergencies, and so much more. If you already have a Lonely Planet guide for Australia, then this section will not be of as much use, but it is always good to have the latest copy you can because some of the information changes or is added.
I have had very good success with the Lonely Planet guides, and I have every reason to believe after reading and using this one for my planning that this one will also turn out to be quite useful. There are guides which give you more visual information on Sydney, but in terms of written content I believe this one is near the top of the list.
Customer Reviews:
Very useful but of less than average construction........2007-02-07
My fiance and i were fortunate enough to holiday in the Cooks for 2 weeks in January 07. In the lead up to our trip i purchased this guide and studied it carefully. All the sections were well written and comprehensive. The history and environment section made for interesting background reading and helped to get an idea of life back in the old days as well as the current situation.
The section dealing with Rarotonga and its capital Avarua, as a whole was useful and the information (sights, accomodation, where to eat/drink and shop, other amenities) for the most part (95%) accurate - even prices more or less. We did a daytrip to Aitutaki and that section was also quite good. There were also sections on all the other Southern & Northern group islands but i cannot comment as we did not go to any of these. Still made interesting reading though. The maps were also accurate and well detailed.
One thing i would disagree with is attemting to do the main cross island hike on your own. It is possible but there are no signposts, and the trail itself is quite difficult to find and follow in places, not to mention quite treacherous and hard going in the wet season. We went with Pa a local guide and it was a wise decision as many people have been injured or worse attempting this hike.
Other than this, my main gripe is with actual construction of this book. The plastic coating on the cover started to peel soon after purchase and the pages are starting to come loose from the spine. All this without any heavy duty wear and tear. I think Lonely Planet need to increase their quality control and improve the construction of their guides so that they do stand up to more rigorous use, after all that's what they are for.
Book Description
Samoa, an idyllic travel destination in its own right, also contains the strongest and proudest of Polynesian cultures. US Samoa is an opportunity to see the melding of two cultures and the unique result, plus a chance to visit the "home" of Polynesia, in the mystical Ta'u island group. Tap into Apia's buzzing cafe scene or Nuku'alofas kava ceremonies. Whatever your island scene, take this bestselling guide along!
o A TRIPLE TREAT of Polynesian destinations: the kingdom of Tonga, the independent nation of Samoa, and the territory of American Samoa
o ELIMINATE THE GUESSWORK - whatever your accomodation choice, make your decision based on honest, opinionated reviews
o LEARN THE LOCAL LORE with expert culture, history and other background chapters written by authors who have actually lived here
o GET ACTIVE - or not: everything you need to know about snorkelling, diving, sailing, hiking and more
Customer Reviews:
Lonely Planet's Samoan Islands & Tonga.......2007-01-10
We found this book to be very helpful and especially appreciated the Conversation/ Essentials in the rear of the book.
We only visited 'Upolu, and the guide gave us important insights about the Samoan culture and etiquette which served us well.
We stayed at Sinalei Reef Resort which we would highly recommend if you are traveling without children, and the restaurant at Coconut's Beach Club was excellent.
This guide is a must if you're going to Samoa and really want to enjoy it to it's fullest.
LP is always very useful.......2006-08-22
I have never liked how LP guides are arranged but have found them to consistantly have the best information [not perfect but better than other guides.] I wish they had not included Tonga as I am not going there and always travel as light at possible. The binding is not condusive to removing unwanted pages but I will remove the Tonga section anyway. I say, 'buy it!' but don't get bent out of shape should some info not prove to be correct.
Book Description
The wonders of Vanuatu and New Caledonia are combined in one book here for the first time. Laze on New Caledonia's beaches or trek through Vanuatu's jungles; climb high on active volcanoes or dive below to coral gardens and WWII shipwrecks. Our authors have checked out all the resorts, hostels and traditional homestays; they've surfed the breaks and chilled out in kava bars - leaving you free to just enjoy yourself.
o COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE of all the islands and regions, from the total isolation of Vanuatu's Banks islands to the bustle and savoir faire of New Caledonia's Noumea
o CANDID REVIEWS - find out what our author thought of your resort before you book your stay
o TWO DIVING CHAPTERS - our Pacific scuba specialist reveals rarely-seen coral reefs and historic WWII shipwrecks
o ORDER KAVA OR UN CAFE with our easy-to-use language chapter
Customer Reviews:
Updated edition, poor overall quality.......2006-10-26
I used this guide for travel in New Caledonia, so my comments don't apply to the Vanuatu section.
I was very disappointed in the quality of information presented in this "completely" rewritten edition. Most historical, political, or other contextualizing information is now gone (I suppose due to space constraints?). Some descriptions were oddly incomplete. For instance, the guide did not specifiy how long a certain hike might take, or how far you would need to walk in what sort of conditions.
Since this edition is both a guide on Vanuatu and on New Caledonia, the index and other shared sections of the book are extremely confusing to use. It was not always clear which country a particular entry or health comment was talking about.
However, this edition contains updated telephone contacts and other new information that is simply not available elsewhere. My recommendation is to buy both this AND the previous New Caledonia edition.
Book Description
This comprehensive and practical guide to the Solomons is packed with advice for independent travellers of all budgets. Explore the archipelago's 992 pristine islands, from large landmasses with rugged mountains and virgin forests to tiny, low-lying coral atolls encircling stunning lagoons. Stay in traditional leaf-house villages following kastom law and visit sacred skull shrines, caverns or thermal areas with the traditional owners.
- the only guide to the Solomons in English
- background on customs, ceremonies and traditional art
- comprehensive information on ecology, flora and fauna
- invalubale tips on where to go diving, snorkelling, walking, mountain climbing and caving
- information on a wide range of accommodation, from traditional villages to luxury resorts
- full details on transport between islands
- practical language section
Customer Reviews:
A decade later, still the best and only guide to the Solomons!.......2006-11-18
This is the last edition of Lonely Planet's Solomon Islands guide.
It has not been updated since the mid-90es, and has in theory been replaced by the publisher's 2005 "Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands" guide, which in reality only devotes fewer than 30 pages to the Solomon Islands, completely ignoring half the country's provinces, concentraiting on Honiara and a few popular tourist spots instead.
This edition (or the nearly identical 2nd edition), in contrast, covers the entire archipelago in amazing detail, all the way from the Treasury Islands in the West to the remote Polynesian outliers of Tikopia and Anuta in the East.
Each major province and island is described in good detail, and is shown on a good map.
Needless to say, some things have changed - however in the Solomons they have probably changed much less than in most of the rest of the World!
I travelled in the country in 2005, and found myself using this book almost all the time, with the then brand new PNG & Solomons guide quickly buried to the depths of my backpack.
If you want to actually travel around this least visited corner of Melanesia, rather than just have a short holiday on a resort island in Western province, and especially if exploring remote islands and hiking remote mountains and shorelines is your thing, this book is definitely the one to take.
It is also highly recommended for those with a general interest in the country, as travel practicalities apart, the background info on the culture, geography and fauna of the Solomons is still better than I have found in any other single book.
useful but must be taken with a grain of salt.......1999-02-10
Somewhat disappointing for a LP guide, lots of text but not as much "meat". After travelling in the Solomons and talking with others one gets the impression that the author did quite limited travelling throughout the islands and largely relied on other's reports. The hike to Mataniko Falls is way more strenuous and dangerous than hinted. (It is still an awesome sight, especially if you're a caver) Likewise a hike along the Weather Coast is more challenging than one would gather from the text, there are places where villagers go by boat because of the vertical exposure. Makira Island is only marginal habitat for salt-water crocodiles according to a Conservation International report and not as abundant as stated in the guide. Given the dearth of information about the Solomons it is still worth buying, but prudence is recommended.
Book Description
This comprehensive guide is the essential resource for independent travellers. Full of the down-to-earth information and reliable advice for every budget, it will lead you to pristine white beaches, ancient stone cities, WW2 relics and some of the most beautiful snorkelling and diving sites in the world. It also has insider advice on where to sample betel nuts, which islands make the best love potions and where to find 500-pound clams.
Covers: Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and US Territories (Howland, Baker, Jarvis, Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Johnston Atoll, Wake Atoll).
- hundreds of places to stay and eat for every budget
- details on island hopping by air and sea
- tips on diving and snorkelling - where to learn, where to dive and what to avoid
- detailed historical and cultural background
- concise and practical language sections
Customer Reviews:
Really nice.......2007-05-19
This is a nice, concise guide, to micronesia, covering Palua, Kiribati, the Marianas, Nauro, The federated states of Micronesia, and other small islands that stretch between New Zealand and Hawaii. There are a number of recommendations for the best way to travel between islands and how to plan your journey. THis is not a book that is aimed for the specialist, for scuba-divers it needs to be supplimented and the same goes for those intending to travel by boat. However the book is excellent when it comes to history, restaurants hikes and hotels. It is a wonderful guide-book, indispensible for the island hopping traveller.
Seth J. Frantzman
Sufficient.......2003-10-12
This is an OK guidebook for information about culture and hotels. I found that it covered all the basics. It covers all of the island nations in the Micronesia area. The section on Palau and Yap were particularly useful to me. However, I thought that there wasn't enough information about scuba diving. Most of the people visiting this region are interested in scuba diving. There isn't enough information on dive shops or dive sites. In fact, there aren't any maps of dive sites at all. If you're going to go diving, I would try another guidebook. If you're just going to go sightseeing, this is just fine. Also another thing I would like to see in the next edition is a few more photos. Sometimes photos can help you decide whether to go to a place or not. With more photos, I think this guidebook would attract more people to these lovely islands.
Only marginally outdated... still very useful........2000-05-11
I have been to Micronesia twice. The first time I lived there for a couple of years, and the second time I went as a tourist. I purchased this book before returning the second time. It had been seven years since I had been in Micronesia, and some of it had changed drastically while some parts hadn't changed at all. This book was a great guide, and helped me to find some of the better spots that I had somehow managed to miss while I lived there. Here is how the book stacked up. THE GOOD: 1) This book covers all of Micronesia, and that is no small task. It has information about all parts, ranging from Palau to the Marshall Islands. 2) This book gives a lot of information about each island. It explains the history, tells you what you should take, tells you about hotels and restaurants (from the five star establishments to the low end ones), tells you about how to travel to each island as well as how to travel around while on the island and many other bits of useful information to make your stay more enjoyable. 3) The maps are good. They aren't super detailed, but are nice maps of the islands and the villages on them. Quite good enough for any sight seeing or exploring that you might want to do. 4) This book tells you about the popular and good diving spots, hiking spots and historical points. So even though some of the book may be outdated (the nicest hotels in Guam) there are some things that will probably never change (how to hike to a nice hidden waterfall on Pohnpei.) THE BAD: Parts of Micronesia are changing quickly, and this book fails to capture those changes. For example, the list of popular places to stay, eat and shop on Guam wasn't very helpful since the island had changed so much in the past five years (since the book was published). To counteract this information lag, I just picked up tourist publications while I was on Guam, and that updated me enough to fill in all the gaps. OVERALL: It is like a computer that is a couple of years old: sure it is outdated some, but it still works nicely, and it is much better than having nothing at all!
The only name in Travel Guides.......1998-07-13
As a merchant marine, "travel" comes with the job. I have long been a collector of maps and travel guides, always searching for items that are the most user friendly & seeingly written for my budget, not one of the Rockerfeller's. I will tip my hat to Lonely Planet here. They accomplish the impossible with every book. Never did I expect to open a single guide book, not to mention a series of them & find myself so mesmerized by what was written. Their guides are not the commonly found or should I say "forced" "stay at the $$$$ hotel, eat at the $$$$ restaurant"... They give you such a wide, realistic range of places to go, visit, stay & enjoy, that they change you from the prospective dreamer ho-hummingly flipping pages in a book to the traveler that sees his/her goals come to pass. After all, isn't that what we really want out of travel? As for this particular guide book... I have been in Guam 4 months on and 4 months off since February of 1996, visiting Saipan as part of work & Rota & Tinian on my own time... I have used & abused this book (Cover still intact) & I have had many co-workers borrow it, with everyone coming away a satisfied reader. So, whether it be Guam, Saipan or any part of Micronesia, this is one guide book that I strongly recommend & if you are doing an around the world trip with Japan as your next stop... Do the right thing... Get the Japan Guide book, but also shell out a few extra dollars and purchase the Japanese Audio Pack. It is hands down the easiest (& one of the most economical) basic language teachers out there & it even comes with a Phrase Book! My current Lonely Planet Guide library includes: Micronesia, Japan (Book & Audio pack), Korea, Singapore-Brunei-Malaysia, Tonga, Southwest USA (Arizona-New Mexico-Utah), & Maldives & Islands Of The East Indian Ocean. I look to expand as I am planing a trip to Argentina's Andes in 2000. A satisfied ! customer I shall remain... I hope you, the reader of my review, read this & come to realize what wonderful publications Lonely Planet offers us. If you do, step back an use AMAZON.COM for all your travel needs. You will be glad you listened. (You know, I always thought these reviews were written by paid personel somewhere, TRUST me this isn't the case at all
Customer satisfaction is my reward!) Happy Travels to all!
Average customer rating:
- Below the LP standard, and biased in the region's favour
|
Lonely Planet South Pacific (Travel Survival Kit)
Errol Hunt , and
Tony Wheeler
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Australia & Oceania
| History
| Subjects
| Books
| Australia
| Fiji
| General
| Marshall Islands
| New Zealand
| Papua New Guinea
| Polar Regions
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Lonely Planet
| Guidebook Series
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Australia & South Pacific
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0864427174 |
Book Description
Whether you're seeking bustling cities, mountain bushwalks or sun-drenched beaches, you'll enjoy island hopping with this comprehensive guide.
Coverage: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Easter Island, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Melanesia, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna.
- 140 maps including towns, cities & dive sites
- includes Easter Island, Kiribati, Niue, Tokelau, Tuvalu & Pitcairn islands
- special section on scuba diving for all levels of expertise
- Pacific history, culture, arts & artifacts
- extensive information on regional airlines & air passes
Customer Reviews:
Below the LP standard, and biased in the region's favour.......2002-04-24
As all of Lonely Planet's guidebooks, this is of course an excellent travel tool, and truly "sets the standard". Any traveler is surely better off to the South Pacific with, rather than without, this densely written and wonderfully filled book (even though, for this particular destination, the Moon Handbook for the South Pacific would also be a very good choice). However, two things should be said about this particular LP guidebook. First, its coverage is hampered by the region's magnitude and diversity. The effort to cover so many different islands, with their own realities, their own peoples and cultures, is surely a noble endeavour. Yet, it resulted in lack of clarity, and data which is vague or uncomplete, especially on some countries (such as those of Micronesia) more than others. Getting separate LP guidebooks for individual countries or sub-regions (Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Rarotonga & Cook Islands, Tahiti & French Polynesia, etc) would be a much better choice for the discerning traveler - even though it may involve carrying a bit of extra weight around the beautiful seas and skyes of the South Pacific. Second, this guidebook suffers from an evident's "author's bias" in favour of the region. It is quite natural and inevitable, and also very positive, for authors to feel that their region is the best and nicest on our planet, home to the finest wonders of this world (to have the opposite, namely authors who are biased against their own regions, would be horrible). Yet, not all regions of the world can be great and perfect, and their peoples the finest and most friendly. Unknowing travelers should not be led to believe this. The South Pacific can indeed be a very tough place: not all islands and places are as great and beautiful as they may appear from this guidebook, getting around and having a nice time is not always easy (in fact, the region can be horribly frustrating), and the people are not always as pleasant as one might wish. By following indications for visa requirements for the Republic of Kiribati ("British citizens do not require visas"), I found myself pushed back on the aircraft, having to force my way in order to remain on the ground, and avoiding one nigt in a cell only thanks to the intervention of HM High Commissioner. Likewise, in Nauru it is not true that "you'll get a visa on arrival, provided the hotels have rooms". The Otintaai Hotel in Kiribati (allegedly the best in the country) does not have hot water as is claimed in the guidebook, and the Waterfront Villa Hotel in Palau (allegedly "the best deal around") is apparently so simply because the owners are extremely rude and prone to cheating, able to make your stay in beautiful Palau a real hell. Altogether, many countries which may sound like earthly paradises, are simply not so. The people, who are made seem friendly almost without exception, can be extremely obnoxious and difficult, not always happy to receive foreigners - especially in Micronesia and to a lesser extent in Melanesia, yet not so much in Polynesia. The advice contained in this guidebook should be taken with great care. Yet, in the end this remains a truly valuable tool, in a region so hard to get to know, where getting around and finally managing to enjoying one's trip - for those who do decide to go - can be truly hard. The sections on culture, wildlife, etc., despite their being rather summary, are extremely valuable and provide enjoyable reading. This book may not be up to the Lonely Planet standard (we should also consider that this is only the guidebook's first edition); but, considered LP's already high standards, it is not bad at all.
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