South Pacific Handbook [Anglais] [Broché]

This is a big book... a really big book! It weighs in at over 1,000 pages and in my opinion, is the most comprehensive book on the South Pacific. It is definitely geared more toward the island hopper and/or complete South Pacific traveler, as there are individual books on the different islands available.

I'm not sure how this title relates to the Lonely Planet South Pacific (I'd consider these two as the leading authoritative sources), but I chose Moon over Lonely Planet because (1) there are 250+ more pages in Moon, and (2) this guide has been out from Moon for 8 editions, since 1979, compared to 2 editions for Lonely Planet. I haven't been let down by this book.

As expected, there are two substantially large chapters devoted to French Polynesia and Fiji. The 13 other islands are also covered in great detail (for example, about 80 pages dedicated to Vanuatu!)

Whereas I consider Lonely Planet guides to be more for the frugal traveler or backpacker, Moon covers a wide variety of accommodations, anywhere from $250 and night and up, down to your basic bungalow. This is helpful because let's face it, in some places I want to splurge for the overwater bungalow! I'd also comment that Moon is a great choice for the active traveler. There are tremendous sections on how to find kayaking, scuba, and surfing tours.

For most people, a guide on a single country or island is going to suffice. However, if you are planning or dreaming of a trip to multiple islands across the South Pacific, I'd take this guide as it has certainly been around the longest and is the most comprehensive choice out there.

I sailed the South Pacific in '99. Stanley gets a little deeper into the heart of the islands than the L.P. books, and he's not so timid when dealing with the grittier issues. Always compared the two, and always thought he was a step up.

About the best desciption for this 900+ page guidebook is exhaustive. I felt exhausted after going through all 900+ pages. And I am sure David Stanley was exhausted after visiting all these remote islands and compiling all this information. Being something of a seasoned island-hopper myself, I can appreciate the nature of what he has achieved with this book. Stanley has covered the vast South Pacific about as well as it could be covered. His coverage is candid, comprehensive and detailed. There probably aren't too many things that he's left out. The contents and arrangement of subjects make for a very usable book with tons of information on most any question a traveler would have about the South Pacific islands. The Introduction background material is both informative and essential for the first-time South Pacific traveler. The On the Road section provides important detail on getting there and getting around within the islands. Each island nation has its own section divided by main islands and/or groups. Each island section then has detail on the nuts and bolts of accommodations, food, transportation services, activities, tours, entertainment, events, etc. all the things a traveler needs to know. This pattern is followed for each island country and provides a perceptive and insightful view of each area. First-time South Pacific travelers will appreciate this book for its simple completeness. It has about everything one needs to know about this fascinating world of islands. Experienced island hoppers will also appreciate the fact that Stanley covers so much in so much depth. It is a credit to his resilience and work ethic as a writer and reporter. The last section of the book is Resources. This section has an extensive bibliography of South Pacific travel-related information plus a lengthy list of Internet resources. Like his companion guidebooks on Tahiti, Fiji and Tonga-Samoa, Stanley brings a sense of candid observation and perception to his task. This allows him to produce a book that is valuable and very user-friendly. If you're looking for a book that covers all the South Pacific islands in all its colorful diversity, look no further. This book will serve you well for either real island trekking and island-hopping or just serious arm-chair travel.