Reviews (3)

One of my favorite travel guides ever.
This is one of my favorite travel guides, ever, period.Even though this book is aimed at sailors, it has plenty of helpful information for land travelers too.Plus it has a lot of information I've never found in another travel guide.The best example is this.One beautiful night as we sat on our terrace enjoying the 180 degree view of the southern skies, I turned to my travel partner and said, "Did you print off those star charts so we can identify the southern cross?"His response. "Uh oh, I never got around to that."
Too many adverts
Doyle's info was very good and the color arial photos and mini charts are very usefull. The book is 9 inches by 6 inches and has 400 pages, however if you were to remove the advertizments and touristy photos you would probably end up with about 275 pages of usefull info.

Rare combination of useful advice and humor
As a frequent user of cruising guides, I appreciate how rare is the combination of useful, detailed advice and a sense of humor.Chris Doyle does it here, and every traveler (or prospective traveler) to theGrenadines should get this guide.It's not just for sailors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Sailing    4. Windward Islands   

Reviews (65)

This was a fun read!!!
It is obvious that Chris Santilli has a great sense of humor.She takes a lot of the mysticism away from what one would expect while visiting Hedo II.
Hedo Newbie
A great quick start guide to making your trip to Hedo more enjoyable and more efficient.It was very fun reading.

Like being there all over again!
This book was very informative and really details what the Hedo vacation can be.The storys from the guests were very funny.I truly felt like I was back at Hedo while I was reading this book.I can't wait until my next Hedo vacation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel - Foreign   

Reviews (2)

Forgotten jewel splashed to pages
Great book. No supercover, do not search, and that begins the style. I do not agree, that book displays the misery, serves regime, and that is something expected to be admired by 'leftists'.
A serial killer in the cover?
A wonderful book, marred by efigy of serial killer in the back cover. What a shame. The book is also peppered with photographs which are clearly the choice of an ignoramus who admires Castro and Guevara, without realizing that the beautiful ruins of Havana are their handiwork. Face it, Cuba was destroyed by the so called revolutionaries who terrorized a prosperous country and trasformed it into a Fourth World nightmare.
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Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Design - Decorative    3. Pictorials    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Cuba    7. Residential buildings, domestic buildings   

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Caribbean islands    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (25)

The lovely tourists
I had to read this book for a Multicultural Literature class at my Uni, and, far from being informative, all it did was fill with me a contempt of my own. I am not a racist by any means, but when confronted with such a bitter, snide voice as the one Kincaid displays, I find myself unconsciously getting defensive. When she says, "you are a tourist; you are ugly," I find myself saying, "Fine, I'll keep my money and let you trade with seashells and beads." Kincaid is a master of the self-fulfilling prophecy: she says Antiguans are so oppressed and so downtrodden and so angry, and rather than doing anything to help it, she's exacerbating it by using such a bitter, over-the-top voice.
A Small Mind Writes A Small Place
A major failing of this essay, which claims to be non-fiction, is Kincaid's sole reliance on her own memories of Antigua.As an eye-witness, Kincaid has the chance to provide a unique perspective on the issues of slavery, corruption, tourism, colonialism, and SIDS (small island developing states).Yet, she ruins this chance, in my opinion, with her complete disregard of any perspective other than her own.
An island paradise
Antigua, an awe-inspiring vacation spot for Europeans and North Americans, takes on a different aura when discussed by native Jamaica Kincaid. Ms. Kincaid describes how the Antiguans feel about the tourists who visit: ugly people. Ugly because they invaded, then brought slaves to work for them so they could become rich while ignoring the needs of those who made them wealthy. Ugly because of what they've done to the island and the people who live there. Jamaica talks about the corrupt government and the hand that North Americans, British, Syrians and Lebanese play in that corruption. She describes how England paved the roads the Queen of England would travel when she visited, but left everything else in poor condition. Ms. Kincaid also mentions the drug dealers that the government ignores and those who build ugly condos for the wealthy and rent business space to the government who should be building their own space.
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Subjects:  1. Antigua    2. Antiguan novelists    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Description and travel    6. Fiction    7. General    8. Kincaid, Jamaica - Prose & Criticism    9. Literary    10. Novelists, Antiguan    11. People of Color    12. Women   

Reviews (1)

Short and Sweet
I walked into this book knowing virtually nothing about Cuba, and this book did an excellent job of providing a short overview of modern Cuba. The history begins with the war for independence from Spain, and proceeds through all of the revolutionary movements, through to Castro's takeover, the Soviet relationship with Cuba, and Castro's changing policies. I found it very enlightening, a quick read, and well worth an afternoon! I would have given it a higher rating if it had more unique information, but it keeps the readers interest, and gives a reasonable overview of the politics and economics of the country. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Caribbean & West Indies - Cuba    3. Caribbean & West Indies - General    4. Cuba    5. Cuba - History    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Latin America - Central America    10. Revolutionary    11. American history    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    13. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (1)

Perfect for trip planning
At 800+ pages, this is too heavy to lug around, but it's perfect for planning a trip and deciding where to visit. After you've planned your itinerary, I suggest buying a more specialized LP (Lonely Planet) guide to take with you - a small price to pay for a successful vacation.
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Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Caribbean Area    3. Guidebooks    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Caribbean islands    7. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (35)

Go Chris Santilli
Fortunately, I am lucky enough to have Chris as my ENGLISH professor at Elmhurst College this semester!! The book is a must for traveling to Jamaica's famed resort. Chris is the best.

Get for newbies
I went to Hedo for the first time this year and was glad to learn more about the resort before I arrived. highly recommended!

what a boring book!
We didn't finish the book because we found it completely unerotic and asexual. The author tells you for instance to bring safety pins to hold your toga in place and to bring toenail polish because the sand on the beach will wear it off. Wow!!! The stories told are all childish fun, but there's not a single one titillating. Puritan lack of sexuality. Boring.
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Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel - Foreign    3. Travel / Hotels, Inns, etc.    4. Guidebooks    5. Hedonism    6. Hedonism II (Resort)    7. Hotels Inns etc.    8. Jamaica    9. Nude beaches    10. Nudism    11. Resorts    12. Sex   

Reviews (3)

PassPorter's Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line
This book was a personal account of experiencing Disney Cruise Line.I really liked reading the reader's tips from past cruises and plan to use several during the planning and on the actual cruise.This book actually helped change my mind about some of the excursions having heard real comments from others who had taken them.

Very detailed and complete book
I love this book. It is very detailed and seems to cover every aspect of cruising with Disney. The book has information on the deck plans, fleet history, cruise budgeting, lodging, car rental, checking in, dining, dress, packing list, ports of call, ship activities, debarkation, and much more.
Don't buy any other WDW cruise book
My first Disney Cruise Line trip was in December.I bought this book just after I'd reserved my stateroom, and thanks to the info in Passporter, I realised I'd made a mistake in my choice of room and was able to change it in time.
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Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Cruise lines    3. Guidebooks    4. Ocean travel    5. Reference - Cruise Guides    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Voyages And Travels    9. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (7)

Great Additional Resource
Good information on Puerto Rico and Spanish Virgins.A lot of local knowledge info. Complements other guides to have on board for this area by Street and Nancy & Simon Scott,as he states in this publication.

Editor desperately needed!
Book should be titled "Why I Love the Dominican Republic and Why You Should Spend a Lot of Cruising Time There... and BTW Here's How to Get There." Edit his opinions and D.R. material to something reasonable, and you'd wind up with a good and useful book about 20 pages long.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT
If you are planning to cruise the Bahamas and Virgins - Van Sant is as important as your GPS.Don't leave home without it.Then, USE IT.Follow his advice - to the letter.The "Gentleman Cruiser" knows of what he speaks.He's been there-done it-and has the t-shirt (or knowledge - if you will).Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Sailing - Navigation    3. Sports & Recreation    4. Travel   

Editorial Review

On a vacation with the family in Barbados, Mel and Bob Blanchard (of the Vermont-based Blanchard & Blanchard specialty foods company) stumble upon a tiny restaurant/shack on a Caribbean beach:Read more

Reviews (66)

Arrogant is right - and not really up front either
Hipkat and ActionJunkie have summed it all up perfectly.Nothing else to add.Oh.Yes there is.I happened to be in a bookstore way back when this book was released and the Blanchardss were speaking.I pretty quickly observed they were quite charmed with themselves.I didn't stay to listen long.The book was passed to me by a co-worker.Couldn't finish it.

Self Indulgence - The Blanchard Way....
I read this book and while I thought it was interesting during the first few chapters, it quickly turns into a self indulgent tale of "look how much money we spent and all that we went through to live in Paradise".
Finally! a Cure for Insomnia...
I bought this book because I heard the Blanchard's on NPR talking about their experience and thought it would be a fun to read about 2 very appealing things; running away to the Caribbean and opening a restaurant.
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Subjects:  1. Anguilla    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Caribbean & West Indies    5. Description and travel    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. General    8. Restaurants    9. Travel - General    10. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (1)

Fodor's is the best...
I am a big supporter of the Fodor's books - for my money, they are the only travel guides you need.Fodor's Caribbean is a good case in point.This book is for two kinds of travelers: those who already know what island they are going to, and those who want to go to the Caribbean, but are unsure which island(s) to visit.
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Subjects:  1. Travel - Foreign    2. Travel    3. Caribbean islands    4. Travel & holiday guides    5. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies    6. Caribbean & West Indies    7. Travel Guides   

Reviews (3)

Very Good But IMHO Not THEE Best
Fodor's listed the usual sites/sights and some that were unique to this book. It's good, it's comprehensive and thorough with I'm sure few to no errors, but personally I found I liked Frommer's guide just a little better. But there's nothing lacking in Fodor's, onlya personal preference.

Fodor's Travel
I travelled to Grand Cayman, and the information was accurate and up-to-date for all the places we visited.

The definitive guide for Caribbean Travel
There are many guides available but none is as up to date or as accurate as Fodor's. For anyone planning a yacht trip or just perusing islands to find the perfect destination this is the only reference guide. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Caribbean islands    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (28)

1 part sour; 2 parts sweet
This was a fine effort from Ms. Vanderhoof.I wasn't sure about it- this book takes some time to "ripen" at least for me. She doesn't spend any time on how they were able to take two years off and I guess that ok but I kept wondering about it.When they actually get to the Caribbean the whole book really blooms.The love that these two feel for the areas they live in becomes infectious.The recipes are interesting but where would this Michigan resident find the ingredients?When the author is writing about the people she meets, Mr. Butter, the Minister of Rum, Dingis and family, those are the most WONDERFUL passages in the book.This was not a perfect book but it is an interesting book and I'm so glad I read it.

Wonderful Escape
I love the Caribbean and this was a wonderful trip through the Islands.I loved all the recipes too.

It certainly made me want to sail the Caribbean!
This book really did make me want to forget life in the boring, cold U.S. and sail around the Caribbean! I read it during the summer, however, I think it would have been better to read in the winter...a nice escape from reality. Although the recipes are a little much (I doubt I could find 3/4 of the ingredients in the states, at least, not where I live), Mrs. Vanderhoof does a great jobs with her characters...I especially enjoyed reading about the rum guy!
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Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Regional & Ethnic - Caribbean & West Indian    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Caribbean islands    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (2)

Another excellent entry in the Then and Now series
If you have an interest in the architecture of Havana and want a taste of what might welcome you if you visited there, this book is for you. Archival photos primarily from the early 1900s are matched with modern photos on the opposite page. It's nice to know there is a movement on now to save some of these historic gems and we get to see restorations. If you want to learn about politics, Cuban culture, or the countryside, you need to look elsewhere. This is about the history of the buildings, and by extension, the people who used them. The only improvement I would suggest would be to supply an approximate year with each of the old pictures.

It does not show anything
I have a small booklet called "Remembering the Cuba we left" with color pictures of Cuba during the 1950s, it is old and I suppose long out of print, it does not contain that many pictures, but the pictures of Havana and the rest of the country are really good. Some were shot from the sky; others captured the life and people walking through the city, buildings, nightclubs, parks, monuments, countryside, etc. I have searched for more of these same pictures and others like them and have not been able to find them. They truly capture what Cuba was before the revolution. No other, not only Caribbean nation, but many Latin American nations didn't even come close. It was the 3rd best economy in the American continent after the U.S and Canada, and followed closely by Argentina. By 1958 Cuba was the most immigrated Latin American country, with the largest European emigration, and more Americans living in Cuba than Cubans in the U.S. Havana even had a China Town.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Architecture    3. Caribbean & West Indies    4. Caribbean & West Indies - General    5. Cuba    6. Description And Travel    7. Earth Sciences - Geography    8. Havana    9. Havana (Cuba)    10. Historic sites    11. History    12. History - General History    13. Pictorial works    14. Science    15. Science/Mathematics    16. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies    17. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel   

Reviews (16)

Well worth the money!
Wow!This is a really great book.We're going to Sanibel Island for the first time and couldn't find any travel books that would give us the lowdown on where to go and what to do - until this book!It gives you a "must do" intinerary if you are planning on staying 3 days, 4 days, etc.It also includes tips for shelling:when to go, where to go and a comprehensive guide to help you identify what you find. I really enjoyed this book and it's now packed in my suitcase ready for the trip.

All the Info You Will Need!
We had the best vacation EVER thanks to this book! Even when our flight was postponed, this book gave us a few options of activities in Fort Myers on the way to the airport.Who would have thought Sanibel/Captiva had so much to offer.The authors share ever bit of important info and more.Have Fun!

A must for new Sanibel visitors
I thought I was fairly familiar with the Sanibel Island area, but this book definitely gave me new insight. The author definitely "knows her stuff" and has written a very informative and interesting guide. Anyone visiting Sanibel (especially first-timers) should definitely get a copy before they go. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Reference - General    3. Travel   

Editorial Review

Jamaica is a small but complex island. Famous for her beaches and music, there is an abundance of stretches of white sandbedecked by palm trees and lapped by turquoise waters. Reggae, Jamaica's other celebrated quality, is alive and happening. It is necessary to have a good guideto find your way to the Blue Mountains and Back River, check out the wildlife, and understand the island's culture--as well as to navigate your way through Kingston to the best reggae haunts, drinking holes, and Jamaican food stands. Read more

Reviews (6)

Helped build the excitement!
We ordered this book about 2 months before our trip to Jamaica, our first trip out of the USA.This book both helped us feel prepared and helped build our excitement.Knowledge aleviated any fears we were having about being fish out of water.This book is a must have for any "first-timer".

excellent guidebook
I just returned from Jamaica.I took 3 guidebooks with me, Rough Guide, Lonely Planet and Frommers.Rough Guide blew the others out of the water, and according to the locals was the only decent guide.Lonely Planet was so poor on Jamaica, that we surmised the writer probably got hung up smoking ganja in Montego Bay and never made it to the other cities, using promotional brochures and faxed promotional blurbs to write the text.Meanwhile, Rough Guide presented a picture that fit with what the locals knew and recommended.We had a great trip, virtually skipping Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, and seeing a number of towns including Port Antonio, Treasure Beach and Runaway Bay.Rough Guide had excellent food, accommodation, and siteseeing recommendations throughout.

Everything you need to know
I have been to Jamaica many times since 1972, doing research as an anthropologist, which includes reading everything I can about its people and culture as well as traveling about and living in various communities. I picked up this book shortly before my most recent trip, hoping to get some hints on places to stay as it's been awhile since I've been back. I read it thoroughly as I traveled extensively around the island for 18 days.And I'm quite impressed.It is an extremely informative and accurate guide to the history, culture, things to see and do, places to eat and stay.The hotel reviews are brief but to the point.The advice is sound.The maps are very helpful.The only criticism I can make is that in at least two cases I found the directions to be wrong.I am most impressed with the fact that the book can really get you out of the tourist areas and into the real Jamaica.It is a great guide for those who want to EXPLORE the island and come to know it well.This takes time, a car, and money, though.Finally, I'd like to add that the book is just the right size, easy to carry, and has a very sturdy cover and binding, so it'll survive more than one trip.I suppose the greatest compliment is that a Jamaican friend wanted me to give it to her after she discovered it had information on her own town that she didn't know. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. Jamaica    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Travel / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (4)

Best information for trip to the Dominican Republic
After a short visit to the D. R., I ordered this book in anticipation of my next trip there.I was surprised and pleased with the detailed information.

Complete, informative and useful
All that you would expect from a Lonely Planet Guide.Well worth buying for making a trip to the Dominican Republic.It will enable you to chose a resort to suite your taste, and to visit places that interest you.

Great insight for the off-the-beaten-path traveler
Go beyond the all-inclusive resorts to see the 'real' Santo Domingo and let the experts handle the logistics so you can experience the warmth of the Haitian people.Great resource, great research, well-done and easy to navigate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Dominican Republic    5. Haiti    6. Travel & holiday guides