Oceania Books

This book is the essential book about Bali. I read it 26 years ago when I first went to Bali and it still ranks as thee book about Bali. If you wish to learn about the Balinese people, their culture and religion and beliefs I highly recommend this book. jim

If you only read one book on Bali, read this one. Believe me, I'm Balinese.

Miguel Covarrubias, and his wife Rose,who were Mexican, went to Bali twice, once in 1930 for several months and again in 1933 again for several months. The first time they stayed in Denpasar, the capital, and the second time in Ubud, where I live.

They stayed with Walter Spies in Ubud,who was an extraordinary German, who had been living there for years, and who totally absorbed Balinese culture. My mother worked for him. He taught the Covarrubias's a lot.

They then wrote their book. It is regarded as the bible and all subsequent books owe a lot to it. Some things have changed, of course, but only on the surface. We are very traditional, especially in the Ubud area. The book is an excellent introduction to our rich culture.

The book discusses family and village life, rice farming, our Bali-Hindu religion, ceremonies, history, drama, art and dance.

It's very readable and the photographs and line drawings are great.

I must confess this book is thick but hey!!! It's well worth reading about for those who want to understand a little about Balinese culture as well as it's lovely people. I found it very interesting since it covered almost everything about Bali, however the book was written before World War II and well I still think it's great to have a book that is still resourceful. Even though so much has changed with Bali over the decades this book will never die surely. This is a must and is essential for those who want to have a better understanding of Bali back before World War II and they can still relate it to the present. Nothing much has changed but a few things have altered. It was like stepping back in time when I read this book... I hope everyone will enjoy the book as much as I do too... great book to have...

This is by far the best book available if you want to know about the people of Bali - their unique lifestyle, religion, customs and beliefs. Written in the 1930's, it still holds true today. The classic black and white photos are worth the price alone. The Balinese people still live a magical life that is difficult for a westerner to comprehend, unless you read a book like this.

Mexican painter Miguel Covarrubias set sail for Bali in 1931 on an optimistic personal quest to discover, absorb, and chronicle Bali's traditional living culture. Buy into the romance and seduction of Covarrubias-driven by a feverish imagination-- inexorably pulled towards and teased by the lure of Bali, half a world away. Travel back sixty-four years in time to Bali's unspoiled natural vistas-a happy, peaceful. pristine retreat standing apart from a West mired in crippling economic depression and poised on the precipice of World War II. As a fellow artist on an island with three million artists-in-residence (creativity is considered both a religious and a natural activity on Bali), Covarrubias penetrated deeply into the spirit of the dance, theatre, music, decorative arts, and pastimes of Bali.
Embellished by 114 half-tone photos and 90 drawings by the author and other Balinese artists, this essential, still-relevant classic consists of twelve chapters on the Balinese people and their civilization in the 1930s. Accompanied by painter Walter Spies, Bali's most famous expatriate resident, they roamed the countryside together with eyes, ears, and canvasses wide open, observing the local life. Covarrubias's most notable writing describes the organization of the traditional Balinese village: the markets, social order, etiquette, language, caste system, the banjar, law and justice, the courts, the subak, rice culture, and the distribution of labor. This intimate, insider's foray into every nook and cranny of his own paradise produced key chapters on everyday family life in Bali: the house, cooking, costume and adornment, childbirth, childhood, adolescence, sexual customs, and marriage.
Covarrubias explored the place of the artist in Balinese life and the development and evolution of Balinese art, crafts, sculpture, and architecture. Drama and dance are important components of Balinese life: they come alive through the village orchestras, musical instruments, classical Legong, and the ancient shadow plays. Island of Bali unveils material on priests and religion, temples and feasts, offerings and exorcisms, the Balinese calendar, and the original Bali Aga people. Written from a day when primary forests reigned supreme and witch doctors wielded terrifying power, Covarrubias delves into the cult of the Barong and Rangda, black and white magic, folk medicine, the sacrifice of widows, and death and cremation. The Balinese still lead a magical, mystical, harmonious life that is difficult for Westerners to understand unless they read a profound work like Covarrubias's Island of Bali. With an artist's sensibility and a Bali-lover's eye, Covarrubias paints a complex nirvana with words and easel in this great literary achievement.

Having been a collector, affectionate reader, and on-the-field user of Lonely Planet guidebooks during my numberless and continuous travels, I can indeed witness that this one is one of the best. Some guidebooks try to cover too much, e.g. all of West Africa or all of Central Asia, and don't do the job so well (inevitable and still better than carrying one book for each country, but to the detriment of the quality). Another common problem, is the author's favourable bias towards the country she or he is covering, as if it were the most marvelous place on Earth - I think here of the LP guidebook to Libya. In other books still, some regions are covered more in-depth than others: the Indonesia guidebook only has seven pages on East Timor, which would in fact deserve a whole chapter if not a whole book on its own ! Instead, in covering the fascinating land of Papua New Guinea, this author has done an excellent job, and not much else really needs to be added: this is indeed the Lonely Planet standard, that is to say, an excellent standard. For those who may not be familiar with it, this means excellent, up-to-date, accurate coverage of all areas of the country, with information (primary basic facts as well as further data for perfectionists) about accommodation, getting around, eating, entertainment, etc. Despite the vastity of this land and the difficulty of getting to the most remote areas, the author has managed it. The chapters on history and culture, especially in this guidebook, I find to be extremely well-written and researched. This one is indeed an excellent tool not only for the traveller but also for the armchair traveller who may wish to know more about PNG without necessarily going. It is extremely enjoyable and pleasant to read, thus combining the unrivalled qualities of a guidebook from Lonely Planet, with great information and facts about the mysterious land of Papua New Guinea.

And the only one worth carrying for independent, budget travellers, I might add.
While this book was never perfect, and I would only have rated it 4 stars even when it was brand new (because its coverage of certain areas is really sketchy, and it curiously ignores some long-established budget places to stay), the new "PNG & Solomon Islands" guide that was published in 2005 to replace it is so much worse that it makes this guide seem 5*+ in comparision.
While the new guide is almost totally written for those going to PNG to stay in ultra-expensive resorts and see the country on guided tours, this 1998 edition still has the usual, more backpacker-oriented style many readers expect from LP guides. It will tell you about budget places to stay, remote areas to explore, and in general give you ideas on getting off the beaten track and experience some of the best PNG has to offer on your own.
Of course you will find that prices have risen considerably in the past years, but once in PNG, you will quickly figure out quite how much (they are up 2-3 times in Kina terms, which means much less an increase in foreign currency).
There are also a few new (mostly upmarket) places to stay now, and some shipping routes have changed (even since the 2005 edition!).
So if you are obsessed with having the latest available information in your guide, you may also want to buy the new edition in addition to this one.
I have both, but if I had to pick only one to carry along on my next trip to PNG, I would definitely take this one.

Even though this edition is already some years old it is still THE guide for independent traveling in this awesome country.

I was traveling in 2000 for about 8 weeks in PNG and found the book a real help for getting around in a country that is far away from being touristy. Whether you are looking for a bus stop, the next spots for hiking or diving, hotel information or information on culture and religion this book has it all in detail.

Especially in this kind of less developed country every bit and piece of information in this book is worth every cent you spent for it.

We traveled to Mt. Hagen and Port Moresby last March for the first time. What a great and beautiful country, and what a perfect travel guide to orient you. While this book is nice enough to have on the shelf, ours is worn from use... and usefulness. As a bonus, it's also well-written and a great book to read!

Lonely Planet has again done a superb job combining art, graphics, maps and information in exactly the right proportions. There are a collection of excellent color and black & white photos and graphics. The history and cultural background is extensive owing to the three experienced traveler-writers. They make great use of side-bars to highlight special features and information (a trade mark of most Lonely Planet materials).

All the regions are treated pretty equally and include useful maps that otherwise would be tough to find anywhere.

If you could only buy one book in preparation for your trip, you would not have any problem making this your "Bible". It is also a great size at 5 x 7.25 x 5/8's inches and printed on high quality paper.

I will always look to Lonely Planet as my first choice in travel books.

Having spent over 30 days travelling around N. Guinea I found this book to be heaven sent. From the Highlands to the Sepik or Lae to Madang all information re: lodging, transportation,& places to see were correct and found as described in the guide. I refuse to travel abroad without my first buying the LONELY PLANET guide to help plan my trip in that country. Jerry Silverman silverj@nical.com Dobbs Ferry, New York USA

Read your typical history book covering Chinese history and you'll get a very distinct picture of the Jurchens and Manchus--about their conquest of china, the corruption of the Qing government (as if no other dynasty had corruption), of the power-hungry Aisio-gioro Nurgaci, founder of the Qing dynasty, and their alien, steppe-nomadic ways. Most Chinese history books have little good or substantive to say about this north-east Asian culture whose term for their religious priesthood was adopted by the West, "Shaman" (Chinese, "saman").

This book takes all that mythology and anti-Manchu rehtoric and blasts it to pieces with a compelling story of a people who have rarely been studied objectively and as a culture separate from the Mongols and Chinese. Nurgaci was not the man of the myths we've heard and never called himself Emperor. In fact for most of his life his title was "beile of the Jianzhou Jurchens". He was a great lord and chieftain of his lineage, but not even an autocrat in his authority, ruling jointly with his brother, Surgaci, for many years.

Besides the myths about Nuragi, many cultural myths are also dispelled. One major one is the assumption that the Manchus were nomads with a steppe culture analogous to the Mongol culture. This book explains how and why this assumption is wrong and is essential to anyone who wants to know the real Manchu people.

I'm only 3 chapters into the book and already know I need to reread it. there's a lot of information for the student of Jurchen and Manchu history!

WELL DONE!!

I read this book after Evelyn Rawski's "The Last Emperors" and it did answer & clarified a lot questions I had with regards to the Manchus and how they were like before entering China proper. The chapter on Nurhachi was good as was the section on the inevitable power struggle between Cixi and Guangxu (my only wish that this was elaborated further).
Crossley's book is highly recommended for both casual & serious historians alike. My suggestion is to read this first before Rawski's "The Last Emperors"

I have read a more recent book Evelyn Rawski's "The Last Emperors: A Social History of Qing Imperial Institutions " in which she discusses the context between her book and "The Manchus". The two books are probably quite similar but I think that Rawski's book would contain much more undisclosed material.
I have decided not to change the rating on this book in the interest of fair play.

I visited to pick up the paperback of this book, and saw this perplexing comment below. This book and The Last Emperor are apples and oranges. This is a popular book (I got my original copy from History Book Club) and intended for reader's with a general interest, or maybe beginning historians. The book by Evelyn S. Rawski is an academic title, very thorough and erudite. But also the books are not on the same subject. Rawski is about the Manchu emperors, their courts and palaces. The Manchus is much more general. Please do not get confused into thinking that these two books are on the same subject.

It's funny to note that at many times the Qing dynasty faced many of the same problems that we see today: overpopulation, government corruption, war against drugs. So much of what we think of as Chinese is also Manchu and was introduced rather recently. Well writen and clear all the way through.

I bought this book as a guide before my honeymoon. I had already looked around a couple of eco-tourism web sites and booked a couple of hotels; in one case, I changed my mind because of this book and ended up canceling a booking. It's a well-organized guide with astonishing clarity and frankness. Some off-hand tips include who to talk to (first names) at travel agencies/resorts/etc. for tips and deals, what times of day and/or days of the week you should avoid certain activities, what environment to expect at a hotel or resort (Partying backpackers? Couples only? Family-oriented? Rich lazies?), which buses leave early/late or stay overnight, how to deal with hagglers, general Fijian pronunciation tips and cultural guidelines (including an apparently conservative dress code in the villages that I would have regretted not knowing beforehand), where and how women will feel safe, and of course, which restaurants and accommodations offer the best deals. You're probably also well-off to visit www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree for first-hand travel tips, but the Moon guide book is a great buy.

Awesome book, well written and very insightful.
South Seas Photography uses all these Moon South Pacific books and the Fiji Book for all our travels throughout Polynesia.
Easy to use, perfect for detailed information, easy to carry and share.

Karl Meinhardt
www.SouthSeasPhotography.com

The 8th. Edition of David Stanley's Moon Fiji handbook continues to be the essential guidebook for travelers to Fiji. And whether you are a seasoned Fiji traveler or an eager first-timer, you will find Stanley's book critical to getting the most of your Fiji visit.

Compared to the earlier editions, this one is totally revamped and redesigned. It's compact, attractive, and very usable. Information is easily located and details are ample. Every section is updated and expanded to include current relevant information, insofar as any destination guidebook can be anyway.

Each geographical region of Fiji is fully detailed covering related visitor attractions, accommodations, dining options, activities, recreation and more. Specific recommendations make each section extremely valuable. Stanley pulls no punches in both his criticisms and compliments to vendors of accommodations, restaurants, activities and others. Descriptions and explanations are quite trustworthy.

Detailed maps and interesting photography makes for a well laid-out book. Placement of the Background reference section to the back of the book make the tome usable. The opening section with such things as "The Best of Fiji," and "Island-Hopper Special," plus "Culture and the Real Fiji" and others get the reader quickly immersed in Fiji and offer practical ideas for getting the most of a Fiji visit.

The book's regional Fiji sections provide all the detail and information needed for planning a visit to these storied and historic South Pacific islands. Whether you see one area such as Nadi and the Mamanucas, or take in Suva, the Coral Coast, Lomaiviti, the Yasawas, Taveuni, or the "Friendly North" of Vanua Levu, you'll find Moon Fiji a fine and very useful traveling companion. Like the saying goes, don't leave home without it! As a veteran Pacific Island traveler, I'll have my copy of Moon Fiji along on my next Fiji stop.

This book IS Fiji. Even the people who live there should own a copy for themselves as a guide to their islands' resources.

The indispensable information and guidance within Moon Fiji about trip planning, transportation, dining, lodging, entertainment, recreation, tours, events...will save the traveler the cost of the book many times over.

I've edited other publishers' guidebooks and am most impressed with the excellent composition and layout of this book, the perfect refinement of seven previous editions. It is amazing that: so much information has been included; the type size is big enough to be easy to read: and yet the book is small enough to carry everywhere.

Don't waste your time searching the Internet for information about the Fiji Islands. It's all in this book, including reviews, maps, photos, telephone numbers, schedules...and, if you must, a list of the top twenty Fiji websites. There is too much more info to mention.

Let me be succinct and direct: Anyone who is planning to visit the Fiji Islands must have this book--they will be handicapped there without it.

We've been talking about going to Fiji for years, and have looked at other books, but this book trumps them all. It's very thorough, with excellent descriptions that make us wish we could pack our bags and go today. Author David Stanley obviously loves Fiji, and his passion comes through in his writing. We also appreciate the way he doesn't sugar coat the less than perfect. This seems like a book you can really trust. And the history sprinkled throughout (great stories of Capt. Bligh, for instance), the interesting boxes full of fun information, and the very useable maps make it easy to get educated in all things Fijian. We also love the beginning section with beautiful color photography. It would be nice if all photos could be in color, but we'd happily trade the excellent info in the book for color pictures.

This book provided us with our new dream adventure vacation: A stay on the Yasawa Islands, where there are no motorized land vehicles or roads. You can stay in a thatched "bure" and make a vacation exploring the island chain via a catamaran line that offers a kind of "Eurail Pass" for island hoppers. Who knew such a place still existed?!

"POLYNESIAN INTERCONNECTIONS" celebrates the unity of one Polynesian family related to Europeans, Asians and Aborigines Africans through their ancient heritage and genetics. The term Polynesian means 'many islands' or 'many races.' The Polynesians came from an ancient family of intermixed races and today we share our 'ohana' with all peoples of the world. We are one family, the human family, the Polynesian family. To the world we say 'ALOHA' and may the love and spirit of family bring happiness and prosperity into our lives.

Polynesian Interconnections is a mix of the latest scientific information,mixed with Archaeology, Anthropology, Biology, Morphology, Genetics & Linguistics to educate and to analyze the inter-relatedness of the Polynesian people from Samoa, Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, Marquesas, and the Cook Islands. Author, AhChing, looked for the most current research from the University of Hawai'i to write this book; his style makes for easy reading that is both enjoyable and thought provoking. The book also has its share of drama, as it seeks to address topics that those outside of the Polynesian community might not have known were so controversial... like the idea of a Samoan playing the lead role of Kamehameha the Great, if a movie were ever to be made. Polynesian Interconnections addresses this issue along with many others, and Author, AhChing clearly states his perspective. The editorial reviews for his book state, "This book should be read by all school age children & discussed with friends & family. A great education reference book and a solid foundation for tomorrow's generation." Pick up a copy and decide for yourself.

Polynesian Interconnections. 2004 books are now in the Hawaii State Archives 2005. (1) These books were featured on Hawaii State-wide KHON 2, Channel 2 morning news, October 12, 2004. (2) Hawaii State Archives, library collections. October 6, 2004. (3) Hawaii Medical Library, Queens Medical Center, Honolulu. November 1, 2004. (808-536-9302). (4) University of Hawaii Library System Network (808-956-8111). This is a tremendous accomplishment for a well written book which seeks to educate and entertain. Well done!

A delightful read! This book is quite an interesting read for my husband and I. We visit Hawaii every year and we always wondered about the native people of the Polynesian islands who danced and entertained us while vacationing. We have a delightful understanding who the Polynesians are now through this easy to comprehend yet captivating book written by Peter Leiataua AhChing. A great educational piece of Hawaiian and Polynesian literature which seeks to educate about the Polynesian islands and the native peoples. Well the Kamehameha movie should be very interesting for all Polynesians, especially to Samoans and Hawaiians.

I also recommend:?(1) The Legends and Myths of Hawaii. (2) Polynesian Interconnections, 2nd edition at Lulu Press, Inc. Great reading material.

Awesome educational book, wow! This book clearly explains things about the Polynesian islands that were for a long time a blur, a mystery or confused by many people and Polynesians at large, like us in California. We live in San Francisco but we love Hawaii and its local people. We got this book from the Book Publisher: Lulu Press, Inc. and we are happy that it's now selling nationwide for all the world to read about the people of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Marquesas, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and their connections.

It has drama and controversy that is later resolved, it is a controversy in Hawaii that we never knew about until reading this book. It was definitely an interesting read and a great book for native Polynesians to understand how their islands are related to each other. Great work Mr. Peter Leiataua AhChing, continue the good work. Hope Dwayne Johnson does make the King Kamehameha movie. We would definitely go see it in the theatres. Can't wait to read your next book.

After reading this book, I felt it was a little "dated" but, overall, it's a great guide for the Gay and Lesbian Traveler to Hawaii. Many lists of what, where, why and when to go to Paradise!

I urge everyone to buy this book right away. It's the best damn book on Hawaii I ever read.

I urge everyone to buy this book right away. It's the best damn book on Hawaii I ever read.

Matthew Link presents a unique side to Hawaii in a complete, fun, and entertaining manner. The book is very well researched, and is suitable for anyone travelling to Hawaii or has been to Hawaii and wants to relive their experiences.

Rainbow Handbook Hawaii covers history, gay communities,interviews with local gays and lesbians, places to see, trivia, and photos. Also included in Rainbow Handbook Hawaii: detailed city and island maps - the same-sex marriage battle - homo bed and breakfasts - bars and clubs - eco-tours - restaurants - shops - vacation rentals - Hawaiian language glossary - and loads of gay island facts and pictures!

Unfortunately I gave this gorgeous book away as a gift! It is visually beautiful, wonderfully written and leaves you wanting to book a ticket downunder

Michael Cooper's WINE ATLAS OF NEW ZEALAND is the first wine atlas dedicated just to New Zealand - a nation becoming known world-wide for its high quality wines. Michael Cooper has over 25 years experience researching and writing on his subject and is the perfect professional choice for producing a guide which reviews the nation's climate, soils, ten wine-making regions, and nearly 300 wine companies. Add color photos of labels, countryside and productions throughout and you have an important basic reference.

Here's a region-by-region profile to over 280 wine companies accompanying in-depth profiles of 10 selected New Zealand winemakers and packed with maps and new photos. Analysis of climate, soils and wine styles accompany an illustrated history of the wine industry and a regional organization just perfect for the destination-oriented New Zealand wine fan. But you don't have to be traveling there to appreciate the extensive geography and wine grape facts packed into Michael Cooper's Wine Altas Of New Zealand: with John McDermott's color photos gracing nearly every page, armchair wine fans have a lot to enjoy, too.

At the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2003, announced 22 July, Wine Atlas of New Zealand, by Michael Cooper, won the Montana Medal for the supreme work of non-fiction. The judges' commented that "the final decision on the winner of the Montana Medal was influenced by our collective view that the Wine Atlas of New Zealand could not possibly be improved upon - it is elegantly written, superbly designed and produced and its impact on the community has been considerable. Michael Cooper has written many superb books on wine in New Zealand - this is unquestionably his Magnum Opus."

There's not much more to say than that this is a fantastic treatment of its subject. The book is well laid out, fantastically researched, beautifully photographed and a joy to look at (let alone read!). It is little wonder this won the Montana Book Award - Cooper has meticously researched his subject.
The book starts off with an introduction (as they tend to do) then explores the fascinating history of viticulture in New Zealand before tracing the impact of New Zeland wine on the world market. We also get to explore the most commonly grown grape varieties in New Zealand and how they are characterised in New Zealand wines.
General information out of the way, Cooper then explores in detail the wine regions of New Zeland with fantastic maps, photographs and notes on individual wines and wineries.
The book is also indespersed with profiles of key players in the New Zealand wine industry and history.
To sum up - its a beautiful book and a must for anyone interested in the area. It is by far the most comprehenive treatment of New Zeland viticulture, and worthy of the accolades it receives.

To Mr Karl Berger, reviewer below.
I found it very interesting that you have written another book on Clipperton. Can you provide me with any more details of your book eg is it non-fiction, will it cover similar ground to this book or does it have a different slant?

Thank you,

When I saw the book Clipperton in the display window of a New York book store I had already been planning to write a novel about this strange island. With the additional information the book provided my plans became more concrete then. After a decade and many many rejection letters I finally found a publisher in Harbor House, Augusta, Georgia. The novel will be published in the fall of 2006. Thanks to Jimmy Skaggs; his book is interesting and well documented. A find for island lovers.

Karl Berger M. D.

When I first saw Clipperton on a map of the world and I googled it for more information, I was floored to find snippets of abandonment, starvation, rape and murder, and FDR's personal interest in this tiny atoll in the eastern Pacific, and eventually led to me reading this exhaustively researched book.

From many obscure sources, the author did a great job tracking the chronology of discovery, early encounters, attempted development, military history and FDR's interest in the island, and overview of fauna and flora. To me, the most striking chapter was when a group of Mexicans were abandoned on the island; the men perished trying to row for help, and the women remaining on the island were left to starve and deal with the one remaining man on the island who proclaimed himself "king" and raped several of the women.

Unbelievable history for such a small, isolated rock in the middle of nowhere.

Clipperton Island is little more than one big rock, some hundreds of miles west of the Pacific coast of Mexico. During the early twentieth century there was a delightfully obscure arbitration by the King of Italy over who owned the rock: France or Mexico. France won, but not before the King had procrastinated for over twenty years. The island is named for a pirate; it has long been a stopping point for British and American interests, and various attempts have been made to extract value from it, either as a naval base or a mining stop. Jimmy Skaggs brings Clipperton's eccentric history to life - and also persuasively argues that Clipperton had been visited during Magellan's circumnavigation. What an interesting story about an obscure Pacific rock.

The native population on Rongelap were in close proximity and downwind of a 15-megaton H-bomb test. Jane Dibblin provides an investigative reporter's account of the devestating impact on the islanders.

I read this book several years ago. Excellent, but extremely thought provoking. Be warned, it is very upfront and to the point, in regards to what the U.S. government did to the people in the Marshall Islands.

I read this book several years ago. Excellent, but extremely thought provoking. Be warned, it is very upfront and to the point, in regards to what the U.S. government did to the people in the Marshall Islands.

This book is an interesting look at the nuclear testing the U.S. did in the Pacific Islands. It is a great book when you must write a paper on the subject, because of its understandability. I would recommend that anybody who wants to know about the horrors that the Islanders went through during the testing and the aftermath of testing should take a look at this book.

This book is a guide by someone who has been to each location but apparently has no commercial stake in your going there. The money saving tips and low cost suggestions were particularly attractive. For the physically active, like myself, bike trips and hikes are outlined in great detail. Advice on where bicycles can be rented and what equipment to use for trips are especially helpful. Close up bare bones maps with attractions noted gave me the feeling that I would never be lost in going to each location. Finally, if you don't plan to go but would like an interesting tour of each location, this book provides a running commentary providing a view of the overall atmosphere together with a detailed visit to the major and minor attractions in each area. A very enjoyable read but also a very practical guide.

I recently purchased this book prior to traveling down under. The book was immensely helpful in making my trip an a memorable adventure. The trips listed in the book are not the run of the mill tourist(y) trips listed in the more well know guides and provide exciting enhancements to anyone's itinerary. I found myself reading the trips I was unable to take just to learn more about the local culture and flavor.
The local info on transportation and food etc was timely and accurate and a great help. Highly recommend this book for anyone desiring to experience Australia or just learn more about this wonderful country.

Far from being the usual dry and boring travel guide, the author of this book presents comprehensive information on a variety of interesting destinations accompanied by witty descriptions and refreshing honesty. It also inspires confidence in the potential tourist to know that most of the adventures have been personally researched, road tested and evaluated. I found this book very easy to read and having already visited a few of the destinations listed in the book myself, would recommend it as a must-have bible for anyone intending to travel 'down-under' to experience the real Australia, both on and off the usual well trodden tourist paths.

Daytrips Eastern Australia is a valuable tool for anyone who is looking to visit this amazing country. It is also a great resource for those who are simply interested in getting better acquainted with the Australian culture. I am currently planning a trip to Australia, and I was able to find more information in this one book than on the internet. The author includes a variety of helpful resources, such as information on transportation, food and drink, accomodations, and much more. Throughout the book, the author makes you feel as if you are right there with him. Overall, it is a great way to prepare yourself for a rewarding trip to Australia.