This guide gave our vacation itinerary a real boost. It has wonderful timeless images of places and people which simply exude calm, chill, beach culture latitude attitudes.

Photography is top notch and the information is partioned into sections so you can chew off each piece to explore at your leisure depending on how much time you've allowed for your vacation. Trailblazers do it good.

This guide gave our vacation itinerary a real boost. It has wonderful timeless images of places and people which simply exude calm, chill, beach culture latitude attitudes.

Photography is top notch and the information is partioned into sections so you can chew off each piece to explore at your leisure depending on how much time you've allowed for your vacation. Trailblazers do it good.

Two years ago we took a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. Unfortunately we were in port too short a time and only went on a few packaged bus tours. We returned to the island we liked the best (the Big Island) last month and fortunately had the Trailblazer along as our prime guide. We hiked to and swam in the Blue Lagoon which is on the cover: the highpoint of our vacation.

In the back of the book are hotel and restaurant suggestions from which we made our reservations and were quite pleased. For accuracy and good practical advice it's right on target.

Great book, I bought it after having figured out which islands to visit using the book by the same authors, no worries Hawaii, which is a must buy if you don't know where to go and what you want to do. Following input from the first book we picked 1 day Honlolu, 5 days big Island and 9 days Kauai.
The big island trailblazer is unique in that the information on trailheads and how to find them is really really accurate, if you have to follow a dirt road for 2 miles and then stop next to a hidden bridge then that information is there. You rarely spend hours searching for stuff, the detail on where to look for something once you get to the end of the trail is less good, but that is because in the islands appear not to go in for signposts in a big way, so we were often looking at something and wondering whether or not this is it. Best ofs were generally good, didn't understand focus on Hilo, we went there on a Sunday and it felt like a run down sad little town, but maybe on a weekday there is a different vibe. The only negative is that restaurants mentioned a little more information on them to help you chose would help unless you like the sticky table-top ketchup bottle and drip coffee atmosphere and generic grub, this is fine if it is what you want, but you don't need a guidebook to discover such places, of course to be fair the book doesn't target the foodie population nevertheless a little more selectivity would help though or just a little more text on the restaurants. From personal experience if you are staying in Kapaa on Big Island try the restaurant Rapanui, a small hole in the wall joint run by a saturnine chef from New Zealand and his partner, its location is not attractive (in a mall when you enter Kapaa on the coastal road from the north on the left after the bend in the first mall), and it is BYOB but the food is really, really well cooked, from a European stand point, fresh, flavourful, beef melts in your mouth, rice/coconut nuttily satisfying, great, cooked but crunchy veggies, freshly made sauces, not a bottle or deep fryer in sight. Another great place to eat is Jays on the road towards southpoint, before the turn-off to Puuhoonuau (I forget the spelling) national park, two step snorkeling and the painted church from Kappaa, it is described in the guidebook, really spectacular and don't be put off by the appearance of the kitchen/living area. Oh and for sandwiches, a satisfying stop is Choicemart on the Highway 19 approximately in the area of the Manago Hotel, Choicemart is on the left, there is a great Vegan Cafe next to Choicemart and the sandwiches sold there and in Choicemart are spectacular. The locals recommend Choicemarts plate lunch especially on Lau Lau Friday. We tried to get it on Sat and it was all sold out. And the snorkeling at two step was the best we had on the island. Ok after all that digressing: if it is culture/food you are after then you need an additional book or to do some food research ahead of time online, for hiking, biking, walking and general reliable information then the trailblazer is a great book. Another option is to get the No worries Hawaii that has almost all information on all islands best ofs etc and then supplement that with a more foodie cultural guide for the islands depending on what you want. We did this for Kauai, although Fodors Kauai while better on culture etc really did badly for hiking and trails and was way less reliable than the Sprouts books.

YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. We have traveled to the big island many times, but still have not discovered or seen everything. This book reaches beyond of the general guide books and one of the other more popular reads about the island. Great for those who are into hiking and especailly for driving tours. Snorkelers will like some of the off the beaten path places to go.

I regret to be the first person not to give this book a five star review, but I was frankly dissapointed when it arrived. I didn't have time to read it before our trip, so I hoped to use it as a reference while on the island for some great hiking. The way it's organized, it's not feasible to just flip it open for a quick reference, which rendered it basically useless. What is the point of a hiking/biking/adventure guide if you can't easily find what you are looking for? Also, the font is unattractive and the black and white pictures are bland - it reminded me of an old textbook from the sixties.

We used this guide one time - when we went in search of the Papakolea - Green Sand Beach - and found the directions quite vague. I was also very surprised that the authors encouraged readers to hike down onto the actual stretch of beach instead of viewing it from above - the beach is quite small, and the water treacherous. The whole area is also quite remote, and I don't think it would be out of the question for a careless tourist to literally get swept away from that tiny beach, at which point their hypothetical travel partner could do little more than stare in horror. My advice - which I gleaned from Hawaii for Dummies (laught all you want, it was a great resource) and from my personal observation - enjoy this magnificent beach from the cliff above, where you can take some great pictures.

If my husband and I return to the Big Island, which I hope to do, I will read this book thoroughly ahead of time for maximum utility - I have a feeling there are some great tips in here for seeing Hawaii in the unspoil - it's just a matter of the taking the time to uncover them.

Lots of detailed info, good maps, great pics, best directions and extremely well laid out for picking out all the cool places everywhere on the island. We lucked out and got to see lava flowing down the mountain near the volcano. For driving directions and staying out of danger, it's full of dos and don'ts.

This was this best thing we took with us on our honeymoon. It's so well organized and we used it as a tool to plan our daily escapades. I highly recommend this book for travelers who haven't been before and are looking for ideas and advice from authors who tell it like it is.

Reading this guide was truly a breath of fresh Hawaiian air. The authors passion and knowledge of this island jumps off the pages. For our family it delivered so many fun little sidetrips since our 3 kids love the water. What made it different from all the other travel guides was the intelligent way the sightseeing places were presented following along on the highway. It made picking and choosing the day's activities so easy.

There was always something to discover around every corner. It is concise, to the point and took us through fields of lava to white sandy beaches and reef pools where it was safe to swim. Turtle watching became a favorite pastime.

If you haven't yet been to the Big Island, you owe it yourself to get a copy before you go to see what's in store.

I would say this is THE guide to take on your trip if you don't have much time and you need information presented in easy-to-follow format. All the listings are numbered so you don't have to dig out the information.....the trail descriptions are right there as is the mileage. The maps and photos and they way they are laid out is very appealing. The advantages don't stop there. The authors have added historical and cultural information, just enough so we could appreciate this place we had flown so far to see. For finding the hiking trails and all the beaches which were quite hidden, it was a jewel. The most beautiful were north of Kona unseen from the highway.

As a tool for maximizing our family time and sticking to our budget, having this book paid off. The sense of freedom being our own tour guides was a huge advantage. Driving directions were key and knowing the lay of the land before arriving made everything seem friendly and familiar.

We got to Hawaii a lot and I ordered this book to fill out a free shipping order. We question some of the descriptions and recommendations in the book, and find some of the information confusing (and we've been there). However, the vintage photos are wonderful. There are lots of older pictures of places we've been to see, and it's interesting to see what those areas USED to look like.

We recently visited the Big Island for the first time and bought this book having used and liked their Kauai Trailblazer last year. Per their advice we reserved one week on the Kona side and then traveled to Hilo to hike the volcano area and Hamakua Coast. We also arranged our flight to leave from Hilo.

I would say this is a great guide to take on a trip if you don't have much time and you need information presented in easy-to-follow, simple manner. The maps and photos and they way they are laid out is very appealing. The advantages don't stop there. The authors have added historical and cultural information, just enough so we could appreciate this place we had flown so far to see. For finding the hiking trails and all the beaches which were quite hidden, it was a jewel. The most beautiful were north of Kona unseen from the highway.

As a tool for maximizing our time and sticking to our budget, having this book paid off. The sense of freedom being our own tour guides was a huge advantage. Driving directions and mileage were key and knowing the lay of the land before arriving made everything seem friendly and familiar.Kauai Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Bike, Paddle, Surf (

It's probably not the fault of the book, though, that I didn't use it. I thought there would be more cycling information in there than there was, though it doesn't really claim to have much cycling info, and I thought I would do more hiking than I did. So I guess the bottom line that I would stress to travelers is that unless you're explicitly planning to go to the big island to do a lot of hiking, you may want to consider that the real allure of Hawaii is the water and that you'll be drawn back to it over, and over, and over.

These authors have combed Kauai, Maui, Oahu and the Big Island for the best trails and beaches. We have all their books and just finished three weeks in Hawaii dividing our time between the Big Island and Oahu. When it comes to directions, theirs are the best. Sometimes they had to be lengthy, especially on Oahu, where we had to twist through city streets to reach places like Manoa Falls. Street by street we got there and the drive was well worth it.

On the Big Island we needed to know about safety issues at Volcanoes National Park and Mauna Kea summit and sure enough, they had advice for that. Underground lava tubes pose a danger when you stray off trail and then there are all the precautions you have to take to hike to and view the flowing lava. The photos fully illustrate what you're going to see and when it comes to organization, there's no page flipping because the maps and activities are bundled together. This guide has a three page camping and rustic lodging section from which we found two great budget places to stay: Kalopa State Park and Arnott's Lodge.

We like this series and recommend them to anyone who is not a couch potato. Oahu Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Snorkel, Surf from Honolulu to the North Shore (Trailblazer)

I love all the pictures and the guide's impeccable organization. It gives you a feel for the Big Island and helps you pick places to see when you go. We were first time tourists and used it as our primary source and depended highly on the maps because the island is bigger than all the others combined and it can take all day to get from one side to the other. We're the type of travelers who cram alot of excursions into one day and need spelled out orientation and directions. This one never failed. Cinch to get to the Blue Lagoon pictured on the cover where many turtles were swimming about. Fantastic. Tip: the sun is intense, bring waterproof sunscreen and as the authors will tell you -- never turn your back on a wave.

We used this as a general guide for a recent 2007 trip. We found it has many significant failings. The book isn't all bad - most locations are described. But I bought this after seeing that others had given it a high rating, and so was disappointed after using it. A much better book could be written. I give it a fair rating.

I recommend this book to everyone. There's a ton of good info. I didn't realize how much there was inside until I opened the book and started reading. They keep the hotel, rustic lodging and restaurant details to 8 pages, but, they are choice. There's a camping map and 17 campgrounds are described. We wanted to stay in Kona and the 20 or so hotels/condos were enough for us to whittle down to two. Then we researched those on the internet to make our final decision.

The guide was big enough to read without my specs and also squeezed nicely into my daybag. We got around using their maps which nicely covered the required info: highways, towns, historic areas, beaches and the trailhead numbers. All the sports imaginable are covered like the title says.

This guide is all about the experience and we read this one cover to cover weeks before we took off. Their lists of things to do are endless and the short Free Advice and Opinion section saved us from major headaches. Bringing our hiking poles was the greatest suggestion since some Volcano park trails were pretty rocky. If you're looking for a total escape to the Big Island, read this one.

We spent three weeks on Hawaii and arrived very prepared having read the Trailblazer book. It is very detailed and caters to the adventure travel types. We tried a little of everything and appreciated all the good snorkeling advice. Knowing the best beach entry was so valuable. The water was very clean and clear and this was the best Hawaiian snorkeling we've ever done. The last week we headed for the high areas of the island for some spectacular hikes. The summit of Mauna Kea and our hike down into Waipio Valley were astonishing contrasts well worth experiencing.

There is plenty of cultural background interspersed with the descriptions. Following the mile markers and maps and knowing what was around every bend was so helpful. The authors are considered the islands' leading hiking experts.

We found there was more to do here than on Maui. We could have spent a month just in the Hilo area. Use this book to find the beach parks just on the outskirts of town where the locals go. Some of our best swims were here.

It was average-I ordered it in a hurry because I couldn't find the one I used to use, and it was not as easily interpretable nor were there as many or the same "great" hikes that I have seen in other books. It gave enough activities if you are not an activity/sports enthusiast though.

Consistently had the scoop on great out of the way places to swim/snorkle. Great directions to some hard to finds stuff. We tried some of the hikes too. If you like fancy hotels and sitting by the pool and shopping this is not for you. If your idea of vacation is doing stuff outside its just great.

I like the format of all these Trailblazer guide books and the way they present all the insider tips for finding the hiking and beach accesses. I've been to the other islands and this one definitely has more lava fields and longer drives so the book was helpful for cherry picking the funstuff. It sifted through all the towns and historic sites and took my family and I down roads where idyllic beaches popped up miraculously. Not a hotel or gobs of tourists in sight, just a few palm trees for shade and miles of sand the blue water, perfect! Hard getting the kids to leave the water. We even went Kona coffee tasting on their driving tour starting on page 188.

We also took time to stay in Hilo two nights where the temp was a little cooler than Kona and swam at the Richardson beach park and were in time for the tropical flower infused farmers market, very colourful.

We put alot of miles on our rental car but with all the adventures this book provided it was far better and much cheaper than signing on to advertised tours. If you're into hiking or kayaking or surfing or snorkeling or sightseeing and need maps and good directions this is the book to take. They've also packed it with photos of the places they list which was really helpful too.

I would recommend buying and studying it before you go there. It shrunk the big island down to size.

Bring out the adventurer in yourself with this great guide to the island of Hawaii. There are also plenty of insider tips for sightseers.

If you're the more adventurous type, this guide book is excellent. Most of our activities on the Big Island came from this reference. The surfing info is not very detailed, but there are other resources for that. Great book!

I ordered my book on September 6th, 2006, and no mention was made of the soon-to-be released 2007 edition. It would have been appreciated, since I have not yet left for Hawaii and some of the information is now out of date. I would have not learned this had it not been for the update website to "Hawaii: The Big Island Revealed."

Were the authors and publishers (as well as Amazon) less eager to unload old copies on the unsuspecting, I too would have had a volume with turtles on the cover just as the reviewer who praised the book on October 27th, ostensibly written after her 8 day vacation which was preceded by receipt of her 2007 edition of the book.


As for content, while it contains a lot of useful information, the style of the writer is frequently rambling and a bit incohesive at times. At other times, it has tinges of elitism, such as when the individuals who choose to access snorkeling at the Cook Monument via boat excursions are characterized as "flipper fiends" instead of taking on what is an arduous hike for some. He then goes on to disparage the kayakers as well. First off, the entire area is off limits to hiking now. Secondly, The author should give props that some people get up off a chaise lounge period, instead of promoting an uberclass of hikingmenschen.


p.s. I'm a lot fatter and extremely physically atypical of the average snorkeler, but I outlast many thinner contemporaries in the water by hours. Don't believe me? Ask a Manatee.

We spent 6 days in Hilo on the Big Island, and virtually everything we did we took from this book. We had several other tourist guides, but this was by far the best for sightseeing.

We bought this big island book right before we left on our 8 day vacation. The turtle on the cover lured us to the blue lagoon our first day out. It was so unbelievably beautiful we stayed all morning swimming and then hiked the perimeter. We are by no means new to the outdoors nor to Hawaii and can say with a degree of confidence that this is the best guidebook for finding your way around the 2 lane highways, dirt roads and trails. The way the authors have organized all the information turns it into a useful working travelguide. Thanks to the maps and highway mile markers (sometimes they had been swiped) it was easy to tell where we were as we drove around. Add to this their lists of addresses and phone numbers (we wanted places to stay near the Volcanoes National Park) allowing us to reserve our cottage from home. All in all it a useful source of ideas and "right on" for insider tips and accuracy.

We bought this big island book right before we left on our 8 day vacation. The turtle on the cover lured us to the blue lagoon our first day out. It was so unbelievably beautiful we stayed all morning swimming and then hiked the perimeter. We are by no means new to the outdoors nor to Hawaii and can say with a degree of confidence that this is the best guidebook for finding your way around the 2 lane highways, dirt roads and trails. The way the authors have organized all the information turns it into a useful working travelguide. Thanks to the maps and highway mile markers (sometimes they had been swiped) it was easy to tell where we were as we drove around. Add to this their lists of addresses and phone numbers (we wanted places to stay near the Volcanoes National Park) allowing us to reserve our cottage from home. All in all it a useful source of ideas and "right on" for insider tips and accuracy.

We just returned after spending one solid month on the Big Island. It wasn't until we got there that we realized a guidebook was absolutely essential and we picked this one up at a bookshop in Hilo. After that essential was out of the way, our exploration of the island really began. This book scored big points for accuracy and wealth of outdoor information. The only trail we found closed was to Alakahi Falls so scratch that one off your list. There's a whole section on biking and another on camping and we had time to do both. We would recommend this guide to anyone seeking a supercharged Hawaiian experience.

This is the only travel book going with me when I go to the big island. The details in the book are great, and I look forward to seeing how accurate the directions are. If you want to get off the beaten track, this is the book for you.

We were impressed with the huge scope of information and activities they fit into 256 pages. The trek into Waipio Valley filled up the whole day and was one of the most memorable days of all our vacations. Most tourists descend in vans and are zipped out in an hour. What a beautiful untouched place! It was tempting to swim at the beach but the advice in the book changed our minds. If you go, be sure to take this hike.

Honeymooning in Hawaii was my new wife's idea and buying this guide was mine. Both turned out to be perfect choices. We stayed at the Mauna Kea which was expensive but we balanced it off by exploring the coast using this guide. We felt very adventurous going down unpaved roads through lava fields and were rewarded with beautiful blue lagoons and expansive solitary beaches. We only touched the surface of all the cool places they listed inside. Until nextime Big Island . . . .

We enjoyed every aspect of this guide especially it's organization and clean style. The one we bought from Amazon was their revised 2005 version. Bravo to these hiker-authors who did all the legwork for us.

Guide has nice clean graphics and got us inspired every day to get wet or on the trail and not let a few passing showers derail our adventure. A big 'ol index and big dose of photos illustrating the text make these Trailblazer books a cut above the rest. We stayed in Hilo for a few days and it made a good base camp for day hikes in the Volcano National Park. The Big Island is a place worth visiting and this book gave us full value.

We turned to this every day for advice. It fueled our imagination and took us to some very remarkable places on Hawaii. What a place. Way beyond our expectations. For hiking we recommend this book to you.

The book they have written for the island of Kauai is just as good and we wore ourselves out hiking all the trails up north as well as the Waimea Canyon.

Very informative book especially on where to stay for each area. Good recommendations on snorkling and drives too.

I brought along the three best selling guides for this island for comparison and this one is the strongest. The list of activities is endless and I was there three long weeks. All the black and white photos are sharp and provide a good preview.

The author is a talented writer and has tailored the hikes and dives to all levels. He focused on providing a great experience inexpensively and in so doing built what I think is the one of the best of the adventure guides out there. Obviously it's not just for hikers. You don't end up exhausting yourself and can round things out by going on the driving tours. I loved it there and hope will too.

I didn't know much about the Big Island until I read this book. It made me want to go. We flew over there for our fifth anniversary and stayed at the Holualoa Inn that they recommended. We liked walking around the quiet little town which felt more Hawaiian than a megaresort.

Our favorite features were the maps and photos which were placed right with the trail descriptions and matched up perfectly. Not to miss: the City of Refuge and Kaupulehua Petroglphs. The petroglyphs are kind of hidden but the book tells you how to get there and see them.

This is more than a hiking book. It will surprise you.

We found this book to be an absolute necessity for accessing the wonders of the Big Island. Initially we bought it for its extensive trail listings and didn't realize that it tripled as a driving and snorkeling book. Terrific. Gorgeous. The photos were a huge advantage to finding all the special nooks.

We were in complete awe of this place the whole time we were there. We took it a day at a time with our Trailblazer book which did a nice job previewing the trails with pictures of the terrain. Put on your lists the Parker Ranch, the treefern forests near Volcano, Hamakua Coast and by all means hike to the Mauna Kea summit. No other book is as comprehensive or as well researched.

We recently spent ten extraordinary days on Hawaii. It was our first visit and had we not read this guide cover to cover before arriving we would have wasted alot of time and money taking packaged tours $$$. The book is literally overflowing with activities and has a finetuned list of recommended hotels, b&b's and restuarants. Itinerary planning was easy knowing how far and long the trails were and previewing the locations using the photos in the book was an enormous advantage. The hikes are grouped with the snorkeling beaches and so we didn't end up doing alot of extra driving. Taking advantage of the insider tips and advice it became our loyal travelling companion. Our timing couldn't have been better with the volcano spewing rivers of lava. This turned out to be a real adventurous vacation that Jenny, Patrick and I will long remember.

We just returned from a two week tour of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii. We planned the itinerary ourselves using the Trailblazer series. Our last stop was the Big Island and it scored a ten. There were fewer tourists and it was a place where we connected with simple less expenseive pleasures like hiking and snorkeling and coffee tasting. We owe all the fun we had to this guide. It got us on the right path every day with excellent maps and great insights. It has loads of photos and a real sense of fun. The people were so friendly and welcoming and this was a chance to get away from it all yet be a part of it all. Thank you. Mike

Five years ago we visited this island and never got beyond Kona. This time we brought this red guide along and spent three weeks hiking around the place. The authors have sliced the island up into six pieces and within each section tell you exactly where they've found the best hikes, how long they are, what you'll see and what in history took place there. There are plenty of photos so you get a nice preview. If the snorkeling is good, they let you know and if it's too dangerous to get in it's noted. We never would have realized we could summit Mauna Kea. Trailhead 66 gave us all our options and we timed it perfectlly to witness the dazzling sunset. If you want the full impact of the Big Island by all means read this all purpose intriguing book.

There are so many reasons we liked this guide. What stands out is the abundent mix of activities. We got a good solid workout everyday in the water and out on the rainforest trails. We scrambled down to the Captain Cook monument early enough to get there before the tour boats and kayaking groups and would have never known there was a way down without Trailblazer. It lives up to its name. A fabulous first trip to the Hawaiian Islands.

Although we had rain, my girlfriend and I managed to make every day count with the help of Hawaii Trailblazer. The driving tours filled in the days when the trails were too wet. The Onomea Scenic Drive was green quintessential old Hawaii, bring alot of film.
We've used these books before on the islands of Kauai and Maui and like the classy way they lay out all the juicy stuff blended with a nice mix of legends and photos. There's enough beef in this one to keep you going for a year and we wish we could have stayed three weeks instead of two.
Note for campers: there are separate maps for mountain biking and camping with routes and treks. We're already making plans and getting equipped to return in September.

I thought Kauai was the best Hawaiian Island and now I'm convinced it's the Big Island. If you take one guidebook make sure it's this one. For starters is puts the huge land mass into perspective, mapping it down into sections so you can economize on gas - $2.30 a gallon. Hiking the volcano area ranks high above all the hikes I've ever taken. No other island has flowing lava and huge petroglyph fields and wild beaches and I even swam with turtles. It was an amazing vacation. Hiker friendly and carefully engineered, it was a good choice.

A energetically presented and highly recommended resource guide, Hawaii - The Big Island Trailblazer by Jerry and Janine Sprout is a thoroughly "user friendly" travel guide featuring truly great locales in which to hike, snorkel, surf, bike, or drive anywhere in Hawaii. Specifically for families wanting shared recreational experiences, and ideal for solitary vacationers seeking memorable do-it-yourself adventures, Hawaii The Big Island Trailblazer is enhanced with 9 maps and over 200 black-and-white photographs; a "Kids Only" section; driving tours; safety trips; resource links; information on Hawaiian culture and history, and a great deal more.

A must have resource for anyone living here and a must read for anyone thinking of hiking our Big Big Island. Happy trails and aloha from Waimea!

This is another winner in the Trailblazer series. For travelers to the Big Island who don't want to be limited to the fancypants resort areas, the Sprouts have clearly laid out hikes, bike rides, water sport spots, drives, campgrounds, historic sites, and adventures galore all around this most fascinating and diverse of all the islands. My wife and I had the guidebook in hand for hikes to Pololu and Waipio Valleys, a wonderful excursion to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a drive to historical sites on the north end of the island, and an architectural walking tour of Hilo. Along with clear trail guides and maps for active adventures, the guidebook also helped us find magnificent and not overcrowded public beaches for catching some sun, art galleries, bakeries, public markets, restaurants, and two of the best B & B's we've ever stayed in anywhere--Acacia Palms and Shipman House. As all the guidebooks in this series, the writing is clear and helpful and the design is stunning; this one has a particular richness of black and white photos. All the practical stuff, from what to pack to ideas for kids to resource links, is included. The authors are always respectful of local history and customs, and this volume--with its Hawaiian glossary and brief history--is particularly infused with that aloha spirit. And we always enjoy the "Free Advice and Opinion" sections: "Never walk downhill with your hands in your pockets." This is one useful guide to the rich delights of the Big Island.

We selected this to take along because we had enjoyed using the Trailblazer Maui and Kauai books so much. We had a terrific time exploring the area and became very confident that what we read in this book would actually be the way it was described. Its logically and geographically organized into six regional sections, each with its own large map . The island is BIG and knowing the drive times played a big part in planning out our days. Believe it or not, there are still long stretches of beach that the resorts haven't gobbled up, but you need this book to find them.

All people who travel to the Big Island, have this book with you!