Tag Archives: July 2004

25th Anniversary of Moon Handbooks South Pacific

In June, 1979, Moon Publications of Rutland, Vermont, published the 1st edition of South Pacific Handbook. A quarter century later, Moon Handbooks South Pacific is still the leading travel guide to Polynesia and Melanesia, with an 8th edition due from Avalon Travel Publishing in late 2004.

In 1973, Bill Dalton’s Indonesia Handbook launched the Moon Handbooks series, which now numbers over 100 titles. South Pacific Handbook was Moon’s second book, researched by David Stanley and put together by co-author Bill Dalton. The 1979 edition of South Pacific Handbook was printed by Colorcraft Ltd. of Hong Kong, which is still used by Moon’s successor company, Avalon Travel Publishing.

South Pacific Handbook was the first travel guide to the Pacific islands, covering the entire region including Micronesia. A few years later two Pacific territories which had full chapters in the 1st edition ceased to exist. New Hebrides achieved independence from Britain and France in 1980 and became Vanuatu, while in 1986 the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands broke into four separate entities as the United States restructured its interests in Micronesia. Early editions of South Pacific Handbook now provide source material for historians.

Bill Dalton withdrew as co-author after the 1st edition, and David Stanley has researched and written all subsequent editions. In 1985, the Micronesia chapters were made into a separate guide, and Papua New Guinea was dropped from the coverage. The 1979, 1982, and 1985 editions of South Pacific Handbook pioneered travel through the region, and it wasn’t until 1987 that the first competitors began appearing. To meet this challenge, the 1989 edition of South Pacific Handbook was expanded to include the full range of accommodations, not only the budget properties previously featured.

The 5th, 6th, and 7th editions of Moon Handbooks South Pacific appeared in 1993, 1996, and 2000, and Stanley has recently made five extensive trips to research an 8th edition. Twenty-five years after its genesis in 1979, Moon Handbooks South Pacific is still what Paul Theroux called “the most user-friendly travel guide” to the South Pacific.

About Moon Handbooks South Pacific: The 976-page 7th edition of Moon Handbooks South Pacific (ISBN 1566911729) was published by Avalon Travel Publishing of Emeryville, California, in January, 2000. An 8th edition will be released in late 2004. David Stanley is also the author of Moon Handbooks Tahiti: Including the Cook Islands (ISBN 1566914124), Moon Handbooks Fiji (ISBN 1566913365), and Moon Handbooks Tonga-Samoa (ISBN 1566911745). More information is available on http://www.southpacific.org Avalon Travel Publishing titles are distributed in the United States by Publishers Group West.

Airline News: July 2004

British low-cost airline easyJet will expand further into central Europe in October, adding new routes to Hungary and Poland. EasyJet said in a statement it planned to fly to Krakow and Warsaw in Poland and increase services to Budapest from October 31. The new routes add to the airline’s recently-established services to Budapest and the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, bringing its central European services to 17.

Iberia, Spain’s major airline will stop channelling its Central American flights through Miami and will instead fly direct to a limited number of destinations. From October, it will run direct flights from Spain to Guatemala and Panama and will suspend another five Central American routes it now serves via Miami. The cost of maintaining a hub in Miami is a factor, but Iberia can offer non stop flights by using a long range Airbus. Another factor is that customers have complained about the strict US security measures they are subjected to when they have to fly via Miami.

Air New Zealand is to remove first class and improve economy class on its flights. Air NZ’s existing fleet will be divided into premium, super economy, and economy classes. They are also introducing video screens to every seat, and installing a lie-flat seat in premium class. The seats in super economy and economy will also be replaced, and cabin interiors refurbished.

Singapore Airlines began the world’s longest non-stop commercial flight – an 18-hour trip between Singapore and New York. The 16,600 km (10,310 mile) flight on an Airbus A340-500 aircraft over the Arctic shaves four hours off an existing service and marks the second non-stop flying record this year by Singapore’s flag carrier. The plane is specially fitted with business class seats that can recline into beds measuring 26 inches (66 cm) wide and 78 inches (198.1 cm) long. Economy seats are also slightly roomier than usual at 20 inches (51 cm) wide.

The US government is implementing new tough rules curtailing visits to Cuba. The rules implemented on June 16 means that thousands of Cuban-Americans visiting relatives on the island must return before June 30 or face fines of up to USD$55,000. After that date, US residents and citizens will be allowed to visit Cuba once every three years instead of annually.

Virgin Atlantic Airways is to begin flying from London to Sydney via Hong Kong on December 7, increasing competition with British Airways and its Australian partner Qantas.