2001-07-13 Best of a bad bunch.

Far from being fully comprehensive, this guide is pretty vague. Not bad as a rough guide, and admittedly has some useful numbers that I don't know where else I would have found, which is the crux of this book's success. There is no real competitor (it would seem) that has backpacker budget information. If you are looking for a mid-price or luxury holiday then there are better guides. French Polynesia isn't exactly the budget travellers haven that Thailand or even Fiji can be and there are less options for the financially challenged tourist. However the guide could be a lot more comprehensive with the information there is available.

Do not take any prices or times in the book at face value - I found most prices a little higher in practice and times well out. But this is pretty normal with travel guides considering the time span between writing and publication.

It may be the best on the market for budget (hence the three stars) - but that isn't huge praise! Budding travel writers take note!