australia and south pacific

As president of Sea for Yourself snorkeling tours, it's my job to stay informed about the areas we visit with our groups. Although I've been to Fiji over twenty times, both leading our programs and doing personal travel, David Stanley's Fiji Handbook is always a welcome companion.

In preparation for a trip to Fiji, I will recommend that our clients read through David's Fiji Handbook. Although our participants don't have to deal with any of the logistics of travel (that's our job) because of the excellent background information on Fiji's culture, politics, and economics, as well as a concise overview of the marine environment, we always include this book on our list of suggested reading.

I know many parts of Fiji as well as I know my hometown, and can confirm the accuracy of much of David's information on accommodations, meals, transportation, and excursions. It's impossible for any guidebook to stay truly current, but David does better than most. For the absolute latest up-to-date info, simply turn to the website and email directories near the back of the book.

When I need a detailed reference for Fiji, I'll continue to use this 5th edition of the Fiji Handbook ... until David comes out with the next edition.

Would you rather trust a guidebook written by a twenty-something whose three month assignment was to travel around a certain area and write or would you rather trust a guy who spent twenty-something years living and traveling around these areas? That's the bio of David Stanley, the author of this book and this guy knows the in's and out's of Fiji. That's obvious when you pick up this book.

Fiji Handbook starts out with the most comprehensive background of Fiji I've found in competitive books, everything ranging from its history (including cannabalism!) right down to the shark population around the island. I always like to prime up on the place I'm traveling and this section is great for it.

The next section, a Fiji "overview" is very informative. It covers the basics such as getting to/from the island, communicating off the island, and accomodations around Fiji (like camping vs. hotels). This is pretty standard in any guidebook.

The meat of the book comes afterwards, which is broken down by island chains. It covers everything you would expect, including accomodations, hotels, beaches and attractions. Maps are outstanding -- not only do they have island maps, but major city maps too with post offices, restaurants and sights discussed in the text are labelled on the map.

This was the first book by Moon Handbooks I have read and I will surely consider more. My recommendation is to give this title serious consideration

Feel the need to leave your trials and tribulations behind? Want to
forget the world and all its problems?

Then why not immerse yourself in Fiji? Get lost... in any one of 322
islands.

And what better way to be guided around this archipelago than with David
Stanley's 'Fiji Handbook'? Get the low down in this, the sixth, and
latest edition, containing all the know how you could possibly need for
island hopping . Getting there, getting around, on the road.
Accommodation, transport, food. Beaches, rainforests, coral
reefs.Diving, surfing, sailing. Culture, traditions, history. Whatever
your needs and wants, you'll find them all satisfied here.

If you like to get off the beaten track, avoid the tourist hordes and
get to know the real Fiji, then this is the book for you. Experience the
green garden island of Taveuni, relive the life of Somerset Maugham at
Levuka's Royal Hotel, suck up the atmosphere in Vanua Levu's
rainforests, enjoy jazz, country and western, Indian Curries or spicy
Sichuan in Suva or just laze on bleached white Yasawa Island beaches.

You won't find yourself surrounded by users of other travel guides I
could mention and you'll recoup the cover price before a Fijiian can say
"VINAKA". Get yourself to Fiji and don't forget to take the Fiji
Handbook with you!