Hidden Oahu by Ray Riegert (1999, Paperback)

We moved to Oahu a year ago and wanted to gather as much information about our new home as possible prior to arriving. We thought this book would assist us in knowing what to expect, where to go, best hidden treasure spots,etc. (We had previously bought "Hidden Kauai" when living there so were excited about buying this edition.)
This book proved to be a disappointment. A great deal of the book was repetitive, giving the same information in various sections under different headings. The calendar of events was vague, sketchy and really did not present the island's numerous annual events that are fun for tourist and locals alike. The maps included were not very good, the airport and stands all over the island have much better FREE maps. The "Hidden" places are far from hidden, you will find tour buses visiting the place you thought was such a secret.
The book also showed the writers bias about the leeward side of the island. After reading the views expressed I was very leery of venturing on that side of the island, fortunately I threw caution to the wind and visited Sunset on the Beach in Waianae and had a wonderful time. The Makaha beaches are some of the most beautiful and are very natural. Marriott has invested a fortune into this side of the island and it is a booming area. We do concede this side is where the homeless are much more visible but the city & state are trying to resolve this issue.
A good portion of the beaches panned in this book ended up being beautiful and some of our favorites. I started wondering if the author got something for promoting certain beaches, hotels, and restaurants. Many of the best finds and rates were not even mentioned....
Of course I am sure this is a popular book with many tourists but as a resident and "weekend tourist" this is my least favorite book for the traveler. I would suggest at best you borrow this from your local public library.