New Lonely Planet Hawaii Series with a Special Focus on Green Travel

Living in Hawaii has been a dream of mine for a while, and it’s something I’ve been lucky enough to do for part of the year the past several years (go telecommuting!). The fresh island air, peaceful tide pools and rainforest hikes are just a few of the perks we’ve enjoyed. There is so much to do on the island, and we’ve slowly been finding the hidden gems among this lush, tropical paradise. Well now our search just got a lot simpler with Lonely Planet’s new Hawaii series — it has a special focus on outdoor adventures and local goodies.

One thing I was really impressed with was the awesome reviews of the local craftspeople that have made a beautiful, creative, natural livelihood out of their work. As an artist I admire the special artist features, as well as the galleries and community guides. But they’ve gone a step further by marking sustainable businesses as well highlighting ways you can contribute on your trip… They now feature a special section on the environment, offering ways to volunteer for parks, trails and with conservation groups. There are special sections dedicated to wildlife and plants, reef restoration and sacred lands. The authors also share their top green picks for places to stay, products, renewables, camping, organic farms, cultural centers, forest and coast side sanctuaries and of course yoga. I’d toss in a few lomi lomi and meditation centers for good measure, but that’s just my personal preference. Regardless, with these redesigned set of guides, the Lonely Planet’s series has more sustainable and green travel information than any other Hawaii guide on the market now. In their own words:

“These revamped guides contain loads of green ideas and tips so that visitors can travel responsibly and sustainably:

New Sustainable icon highlights establishments that strive to preserve Hawaiian environment, culture and identity

Information on how to minimize your impact by renting “Bio-Beetles”, eating locally, recycling, and treading lightly

History on the islands’ conservation efforts and renewable energy sources

Environmental issues explained, such as the Superferry controversy, so visitors can make better decisions

Top Picks for Agritourism, Protected Areas, Volunteer Opportunities, and Green Businesses

A complete run-down of the land, wildlife, plants and eco-system of each island

In-depth cultural information and interviews with locals so that readers can really gain insight into Hawaii