Fiji

Which is the best guide book for Fiji, Lonely Planet or The Moon Guide?

Re: Fiji
I've used both on separate visits and to be honest i liked the Moon ,David Stanley is (or was) the author and i like his style,but at the end of the day it's down to personal choice.I just felt like trying something other than the LP for once
Have a great trip
Dave

BOYCOTT FIJI TOURISM
The two guidebooks are dated. It is wise to go to online and search Fiji news since mid-May when COUP 2K FIJI was staged and democracy was overturned.

A self-appointed government is now in place. One half of the population of Fiji has been disenfranchised. Acts of violence against persons and properties continues to date of this post.

Until the Legitimage democratically elected Government is restored, good people are encouraged to honor BOYCOTT FIJI TOURISM for humanitarian reasons.

Re: Fiji
Moon no question,ignore that other as**e,he's never been to Fiji!

you got some 'splainin' to do!

Re: Fiji
the f0Lks wh0 write the "L0NELY PLANET GUIDE" came Out tO Taveuni in March Last year -, persnaLLy,I think their b00k is much mre accurate

Re: Fiji
<b>test</b>

Re: Fiji
Moon publication presents all the info you need in a well organized way. Was happy I choose it.

Re: Fiji
lonely planet is very informative. Updated constantly,

Strawberry Jam
The only problem with LP is that they don't list most of the budget hotels. The Moon guide does.

Buy both!
They're not that expensive!

Both is good...
G'day., I always have two guide books with me. I always have Lonely Planet and either Moon or Rough Guide. That way you can cross check, which is a big help.

Life is an adventure to be lived.
Not a question to be answered.

moon vs l.p. guide
i have a resort and live in fiji.i can tell you that the people from l.p. come out and personally inspect each property before they write about it. the people from moon do not visit the properties but simply make their observations from their mail, which is frequently innacurate

Moon Guide!
#11, David Stanley, the author of Moon Fiji does inspect properties personally. The only thing is, he does so incognito (you can't even see his face properly on his picture in the book). That's the best way to really find out how a place is. Lonely Planet writers don't always do that, which means the hotel owners can manipulate them.
Apart from that, David Stanley has many more years of travel experience in Fiji. He has visited more islands and places than the LP Fiji Authors, more often.
LP Fiji was extremely out of date when I visited Fiji, Moon was much better. A new Moon Handbook for Fiji is coming out again soon.
Most backpackers do carry LP, simply because they think that's always the best one. For Fiji I say it isn't: Take Moon! You even get the chance to get away from the "LP Brigade" (forgive me for saying this here) if you want!

Not all LP Pacific guides are the same. I found Solomon Islands very good. LP South Pacific needs a few more years before it can even slightly compete with Moon South Pacific (also by David Stanley). Anyone who hasn't even been to the place can tell that.

Paul

Moon's Better
Just got back from two weeks with both. LP had some falling out with their old writer Rob Kay (note the chilly tone in LP's recommendation of his web site fijiguide.com in "links"). The replacements did the best they could but they clearly didn't know as much about Fiji as Stanley did.

moon was a disappointment
Just came back from two weeks in fiji and only had the moon guide. First, you have to get used to stanley's personal, sometimes biased style. The LP is much more objective. The background info, however, is better with the noon guide.
But some of the moon guide's recommendations were horrendous.
2 examples:
1) Wayasewa Island..stanley spends half a page describing this "wonderful place where you get in touch with locals". In fact, wayasewa is absolutely overrated, has no decent beach, the food is inadequate (like in most islands of the yasawa group), and the islanders try to get cigarettes, money etc. from you all the time. The staff is friendly only on the surface, but they rip you off.
2) Albert's place, Kadawu Island: Stanley from the moon guide spends nearly a page praising the virtues of this backpacker place. REading this one felt obliged to book the next flight with sun air (usd 150,- return) which was the best thing about it,as the views flying are wonderful. Stanley especially paraises the familiar athmosphere, the wonderful cooking by ramona connor and so on...
Well, it was anything but friendly and familiar. The connors were unfriendly to a the point of being rude, the beach non existing, the whole place so extremely run down (no diving or snorcheling equipment, no offers for any excursions...) that I wasn't surprised that noone stayed there except me ...The huts were filthy and full with cockroaches (I know they can be everywhere, but other places were simply cleaner) or scorpions. The connors didn't care if I needed water or a lamp for the night, I felt like a beggar whenevever I asked for anything.
The food was not superlativ, but ok. After two nights and a number of mosquito bites later, I gave up. It was fairly cheap, true, but the worst place I've been in all of fiji.

'Moon'
'Moon'

Remember..
Everything changes and what was true a year ago ain't true now....

relax and enjoy your life!