NZ Frenzy, a Travel Guide to New Zealand (North Island) Featuring Waterfalls, Beaches, Hot Springs, and Trails

I write Oregon guidebooks for a living. When I first traveled to NZ in '05 I wanted to find a sort of "local's" guidebook from an NZ "local". Surprisingly, there wasn't one. DK/Lonely/Rough are everywhere! These mainstream guides all do a good job covering all the commercialized options...the hotels, backpackers, restaurants, tours, museums, etc...also good history on all the towns. They're all similar. But where's the guidebook to help you decide which beach is fun/pristine or packed with homes...which hot spring is natural/free vs. commercialized...which trail has the best views/and how long...which waterfalls are "must-see" vs. "whatevers"? This is why I've spent the past 4 years making NZ Frenzy--because there was no guidebook like this available. NZ Frenzy is DIFFERENT. It's meant to compliment the mainstream books, not replace or mimic them. Yes, I'll tell you about the "Must-sees", but I'll give you advice as to how/when to visit to minimize the tourist hoopla. I'll also tell you about the jaw-drop wonderful places the mainstream guides have no space for amidst all the $$$ info---the "mermaid pools", the hot-spring waterfalls, the white-sand volcano beach, the cove with the FRIENDLY wild DOLPHIN!! The N Island is a complex landscape jam-packed with "hidden" options--much moreso than the South where the sights and attractions are more obvious and easier to find. On the South you'll just gape out the car window at the WOWs, but on the North you'll need exact directions to find the pot of gold. If you're traveling the North for more than 5 days, I think you'll find my book way worth the $$. You're spending thousands to get there...don't waste your time going to lousy spots! There's WAY TOO MUCH to see, and NZ Frenzy will help you decide what-where-when much faster, SO YOU CAN MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME. Get a mainstream guide--pick one-- and get an NZ Frenzy. You may have the trip of your life--I hope so!