The Complete Big Island Vacation Guide

Aloha! So you are planning a vacation to the Big Island - you are going to have such fun! This is the complete Big Island vacation guide, which is the online version of my ebook Plan Your Best Vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do on the Big Island.

Topics in this guide

• My Favorites on The Big Island
• Best Weather on the Big Island
• Best Hotels on the Big Island
• Best Overall and Beachfront Hotels on the Big Island
• Best Family Hotels on the Big Island
• Best Budget-Priced Hotels on the Big Island
• Best Hotels for Romance and Weddings on the Big Island
• Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline, Deep Discount, Expedia & Hotwire
• So How Should I Bid on Hawaii Travel?
• Most Fun, Must-Do, Activities and Things to Do on the Big Island
• My Favorite Inexpensive/Free Activities on the Big Island
• Best Big Island Beaches
• Best Big Island Guidebook

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to the Big Island (Hawaii Island) –

Congratulations! You are going to have SUCH FUN! First, you’ll be flying in to either Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) or Hilo International Airport (ITO). You may find a direct flight, but if not, your airline will probably schedule your connecting flight from Honolulu for you. If you have to do it yourself, you can do so with either Hawaiian Airlines http://www.hawaiianair.com/ or Go! Airlines http://www.iflygo.com/

My Favorites on The Big Island

My favorite area:

Tough one on this really big island, but I’ll say the Kohala Coast. This has two of my favorite beaches, Hapuna and the Mauna Kea Beach, and it’s also got my favorite resort, the Hilton Waikoloa – a beautiful and fun place to visit whether you stay there or not!

My favorite hotel:

This is easy – the Hilton Waikoloa. They’ve got Dolphin Quest, a great program for learning about dolphins – and if you want to spend the bucks, close encounters with them The rooms are very nice, the pools with their slides and waterfalls are fantastic, there are several restaurants and lounges, tons to do, and you can ride around the place on the Disneyland-like free tram and boat shuttles. Also, they have a pretty lagoon and a cool art collection displayed around the pools, walkways and gardens.

My favorite luau:

Island Breeze. This is held on the historical royal grounds at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. The pre-luau activities begin when the royal court paddles in from Kailua Bay and the conch shell is blow. You can learn fun Hawaiian crafts and get a Hawaiian “tattoo.” The show features various dances of Polynesia, including hula of course, and concludes with the Samoan fire dance. The menu is traditional Hawaiian featuring the underground baked pig, fresh catch of the day and chicken.

My favorite activity:

Really hard to choose just one, but I’ve narrowed it down to the Fair Wind Snorkel Cruise at Kealakekua Bay (where I got to swim with dolphins!) and the lava flow view hike when the lava’s pouring over the cliff into the sea. For up to the minute lava updates, call the Kalapana Lava Viewing Hotline at (808) 961-8093 or the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-6000.

For more general lava updates see here http://www.hawaii-lisa.com/lavaupdate.html

Best Weather on the Big Island

Like all of Hawaii, the Big Island offers exceptionally good weather, especially on the west side.

Hawaii has two seasons: summer (May through October) and winter (November through April), and the temperatures change very little between these two seasons. Average daytime temperatures at sea level in the summer are 85°F and in the winter, 78°F. When the sun goes down temperatures at sea level rarely drop more than 5 to 10 degrees.

The weather does change quite a lot from region to region (the island has all but two of the world’s eco-climates), especially when you travel upland. Bring a sweater if you go up to Volcano. You can even find snow here in the winter at the top of Mauna Kea!

Like all of the Hawaiian Islands, the Windward side (here, that is the Hilo and Puna side) gets most of the rain. Hilo is the rainiest city on Earth in fact. The Windward side is very lush and tropical, and most of the rain falls at night and early morning, although sometimes in the winter the rain will fall for days on end. The Leeward side (Kona and Kohala) is usually sunny at sea level, and when it rains, it is usually in the late afternoon. Kohala is desert like in its dryness, which makes for lots of sunny beach days!

The ocean waters here aren’t too cold either. Surface temperatures average 74° to 77°F in the winter and 78° to 83°F, with the warmer temperatures found on the Kohala Coast – at Hapuna, you’ll feel like you are in a heated swimming pool.

Best Hotels on the Big Island

These are the best hotels in all of Hawaii Island, in my opinion.

If you consistently find higher prices than what I have found, maybe prices are up due to high season or some other reason. You find the best fares during the off-peak season, late September through the first week of June. And exception to this is fares go up around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, as well the days closely surrounding them and Spring Break.

You may find lower prices by bidding at Priceline and using Hotwire.com. This is all detailed below the tables. All listed prices are based on double occupancy. If you find lower prices than I’ve listed here, don’t question it, just book it!

Best Overall and Beachfront Hotels on the Big Island

Note that all with the exception of the Chalet Kilauea are beach front.

• Chalet Kilauea featuring the Inn at Volcano, At website: $107 for a room at the deluxe Inn at Volcano. Less for some of the other properties.

• Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.

• Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu, $495 at Expedia.

• Hilo Hawaiian, $89 at Expedia.

• Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.

• Keahou Beach Resort, $130 at website for “Breakfast with a View” rooms.

• Kona Nalu, $190 at website.

• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.

• Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.

Best Family Hotels on the Big Island

• Hilton Waikoloa $189 at Expedia.

• Four Seasons, $495 at Expedia.

• Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.

• Keahou Beach Resort,$130 at website for “Breakfast with a View” rooms.

• Kona Coast Resort, $113 Priceline.

• Sheraton Keauhou, $159 at Expedia.

• Casa De Emdeko, $105 for 1/1 unit at website.

Best Budget-Priced Hotels on the Big Island

Many of the following hotels don’t list with Expedia and Priceline. If you call them directly for reservations, be sure to ask “Do you have any discounts that could bring my rate down?” You could get a “Yes” and a better rate off the bat.

I also highly recommend bidding on Priceline. Many of these smaller operations do not sell rooms to Priceline, and so if you are bidding on Priceline you will normally get something like a resort or a 2 to 4 star hotel. Remember, you can’t pick your hotel if you bid, just your desired star level.

You’ll have the most luck with getting low bids accepted on Priceline when the hotels are hurting for visitors, but try anytime. You could really get some good deals.

Most of the following are condos and include full kitchens, private washer/dryer, pool and barbecue. The “Best Prices” are based on Expedia, Priceline (lowest prices without bidding) and the hotel’s site.

• Casa De Emdeko, $110 at website.

• Hale Kona Kai, $140 at website, $10 extra per person after first two.

• Keahou Beach Resort, $130 at website for “Breakfast with a View” rooms.

• Kona Isle, $99 (2009) and many rent 5 nights get two free specials for 2010 with rates starting at $105.

• Kona Magic Sands, $115 at website.

• Sea Village, $96 for 1 bedroom, $112 for 2 bedrooms at Expedia.

• Dolphin Bay Hotel, $99 (one queen bed), $149 (one bedroom) and more options. Weekly rates discussed on request.

• Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.

• Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, $159 at Expedia.

• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.

• Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.

• Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.

Best Hotels for Romance and Weddings on the Big Island

• Hilton Waikoloa, $189 at Expedia.

• Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, $159 at Expedia.

• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, $296 at Expedia.

• Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, $274 at Expedia.

• Fairmont Orchid, $199 at Expedia.

Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline and Shopping at Deep Discount Sites, Expedia and Hotwire

Shopping for travel reservations through Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire is a great way to save money on hotels and sometimes even flights to Hawaii. You can often get even better prices than ones in the charts. I have personally bid and got $55 at the Royal Kona Resort and $120 at the Waikoloa Marriott. My friend got $110 at the Waikoloa Hilton and $85 at the Hapuna Prince. (All of these hotels are on the Big Island.) And I know someone who bid and received a round trip flight from San Francisco to Honolulu for $250. These are good deals!

Oh, and don’t forget car rentals. You can get great deals on car rentals by bidding.

The only issue with bidding for hotels is that you won’t know what hotel you get until you are locked in to paying for it. You just specify a certain star level or class of hotel.

And the only issue with bidding for flights is that you won’t be able to specify an exact time, but they do tell you it will be sometime between x morning hour and x evening hour, so not too bad. I have a friend who got a round trip flight Los Angeles to Honolulu for $179 through Hotwire.

At Hotwire you can get their regular low rates while specifying your hotel, airline/flight time and car model, but to give you the deep discounts Hotwire gets from their partners that they’re not allowed to publicize, you won’t know the names until after you reserve. As mentioned above though, you can choose general times, star rating on hotels, size of car, etc.

So How Should I Bid on Hawaii Travel?

Hotels:

I like to decide on a hotel I like, then find out what its star level is. Then on Priceline, I go directly to naming my own price, and during the process Priceline will tell you what the average price is for that star level. I then bid half of that.

The Priceline website will have a ticker of recently accepted rates in the area you are searching for that is helpful.

An awesome resource is the bidding for travel forum. If you scroll down on the home page you’ll see three Hawaii forums, based on which islands you are planning to visit. People bid, and then come here and post their accepted and rejected rates.

I have heard that the posted “median retail prices” at Priceline are sometimes inaccurate. I don’t worry about this in Hawaii because I am so familiar with what the hotels cost here. You, however, may want to check prices on the website of a few hotels that are the same star level as you want. You can then try to bid 50% of that.

Rental Cars –

$15 a day is generally a good place to start, and check the recent winning bids on Priceline.

Flights –

I like to bid 50% of whatever the going rate is and then bid up in $50 increments if that is refused.

Most Fun, Must-Do, Activities and Things to Do on the Big Island

This is my personal favorites list of the most exciting and fun things to do on the Big Island:

• Atlantis Submarine Kona,Featured on National Geographic. The Big Island’s tour takes you down to visit underwater gardens of coral teeming with schools of tropical fish. You may also see manta rays and sharks.

• Take the Fair Wind Snorkel Cruise at Kealakekua Bay. This is a must-do, in my opinion. You will snorkel in a pristine marine preserve and if you in the morning, chances are you will see dolphins. They also offer whale watch cruises.

• Play with and pet a dolphin at Dolphin Quest. You do not need to be staying at the Waikoloa Hilton to enjoy this wonderful (and educational) experience, but slots fill up fast so sign up as early as you can. They book up to a year in advance.

• See Waipio Valley from Horseback, Combine fun horseback riding with a tour of this legendary and beautiful valley. You might even see some of the wild horse herd!

My Favorite Inexpensive/Free Activities on the Big Island

• View the Lava! When it’s flowing into the sea, you can, from the Kalapana Viewing area, safely view the red hot molten lava pouring over the cliffs. The view point is about 1/2 mile away from the lava, so binoculars or a camera with good telephoto for optimal viewing. This is best viewed at night so also bring a flashlight (and good walking shoes!). For lava updates, call the Kalapana Lava Viewing Hotline at (808) 961-8093 or the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at (808) 985-6000.

• If you aren’t staying at the Hilton Waikoloan, you can still tour the hotel and see the dolphins. Just park nearby, walk in through the gate and start looking around. People come in for just the restaurants and dolphin quest all the time.

• Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, This is the island’s main attraction, and there’s lots to do and see up here – steaming craters, a walk-through lave tube cave, rainforests and moonscapes, a volcanic science and cultural museum, the famous Kilauea Lodge, a fantastic visitor’s center, lots of hiking trails and more. Most of the National Park activities are wheelchair accessible. It can get chilly up here so bring a sweater. Warm up at the lodge’s lounge with hot cocoa while you look out at the now active Halema`uma`u crater (spewing ash and steam but occasionally lava) and enjoy the big lava rock, fireplace (grab a free brochure on its history).

• Kayak Kealakekua Bay,Take a guided kayak tour to the pristine marine preserve and snorkel the coral reefs. Ocean Safari Kayak Adventures offers “Early Riser Dolphin Quest Tours.” Or check out the sea caves of Keauhou Bay.

• Visit Rainbow Falls in Hilo, For the best chance of seeing a rainbow over the 80-foot falls, go early when the sun and morning mist make their magic.

• Tour Kona Coffee Farms, These two can be fun and interesting for kids also: Mountain Thunder and the Kona Coffee Living History Farm hosted by the Kona Historical Society.

• Visit Pu`uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Also known as the City of Refuge, this is very peaceful, beautiful and if you’re into Hawaiian history, interesting.

• Puakō Petroglyph Archeological Preserve, This contains over 3,000 pertroglyphs. It’s a short hike from Mauna Lani Resort, which also has some to view. Non-guests can also access via the resort and pick up a map and brochure.

• Akaka Falls State Park, On the Hamakua Coast (the Big Island’s answer to Maui’s Hana Highway), this includes a very pretty hike through lush gardens and over a stream with the famous 400-foot waterfall waiting for you at the end. Because it’s a big visitor attraction with an unguarded parking lot, don’t leave valuables in your car.

• Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Also located near Hilo on the Hamakua Coast, this well maintained nature preserve is a must see if you’re into flowers and walking paths that meander among waterfalls and provide sweeping ocean vistas. Over 2,000 species including orchids (Hilo is the “orchid capital” of the world.

• Parker Ranch, One of the largest and most historical ranches in the United States, Parker is home to the paniolo, the Hawaiian cowboy, and has a variety of visitors attractions including their Historic Homes Tour.

• Hulilee Palace, Large, elegant museum in Kailua-Kona that was once the vacation home of King David Kalakaua (the Merrie Monarch), Queen Liliuokalani and other Hawaiian royalty.

Best Big Island Beaches

Many visitors who don’t leave Kona are disappointed in the small pockets of sand they find there. A good deal of the island’s coast is is rocky. The “Volcano Island” being so much newer than its neighbor islands doesn’t have as many of the kind of beaches you’d expect from Hawaii. Why? Beaches and their sand are made by hundreds of thousands of years of ocean surf pounding against shells, coral and rock. The Big Island is the youngest of the islands, so beaches haven’t had that much time to develop. Many parts of the coast is younger than 1,000 years old, while Kilauea Volcano still adds hundreds of acres of new land a year. The Big Island has many other incredible attributes that more than make up for this lack of beaches, but hey, we have a few really nice beaches too, including ones that make national and world wide “Best Beach” lists!

Don’t hit all of these unless you are really into beaches. Just pick a few and take your time.

Note: In Hawaii, all beaches are public. Anywhere that there is water, there must be public access to the shoreline. If you are in a residential neighborhood and want to check out the beach, just look for the blue signs that say “shoreline access” and follow the path, even if it’s directly between two houses. Sometimes, though, residential beaches do not have restrooms or showers.

Don’t worry about directions too much. You can see the ocean from almost everywhere, and there are signs designating the beaches. Here’s a link to Google’s Big Island Map. And here’s the Hawaii Ocean Safety Map.

The surf conditions in Hawaii somewhat follow the seasons. During Hawaii’s summer (May - October), surf from the south occasionally has high surf conditions. During Hawaii’s winter, surf from the north has higher surf.

Hapuna (Kohala) - About 30 miles north of Kona on Highway 19 just before the Hapuna Prince Hotel.

Papakolea Beach (Green Sands Beach) – South Point, Kau – Green Sand - Take Highway 11 to Ka Lae (South Point) and drive about 12 miles to the end of the road. Then hike the 2 1/2 miles to the beach. For more details: Green Sand Beach.

Punalu’u Black Sand Beach – Kau – Black Sand - South of Kona near the 63 mile marker of Highway 11 (and about 20 miles south of Volcano National Park).

Ahalanui Park (The Hot Pond) - Puna - Near Kapoho. Directions are a little complicated, and there are two popular routes. Here’s a Google map from Hilo to Ahalanui. We travel the more scenic route: Take 132 and just past the Lava Tree Park where the road forks, stay to the right. This will be Pohohiki Road. Take it all the way to the ocean where it ends at Isaac Hale Park and Pohohiki Boat Ramp. Turn left and you’re there in just a couple minutes.

Kauna’oa Beach (Mauna Kea Beach) - Kohala - Take the Mauna Kea Beach hotel turnoff from Highway 19, about 31 miles north of Kona. They may not let you in if all the spaces have filled up. Try early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

Richardson’s Ocean Park – Hilo – Black Sand - Take Kalanianaola (Hwy 120) out of Hilo, heading towards Volcano Hwy and Banyan Drive. Cross Volcano Hwy and drive on about 5 miles past the fish ponds. Look for the sign just past Leleiwi Park.

While the “Volcano Island” isn’t known for its beaches there are some beauties here, including some of the best in Hawaii and even the world. The beaches above are just a short list of my favorites, but you may find many more that strike your fancy as you drive along the Big Island’s coastline.

Best Big Island Guidebook

The Big Island Revealed is my favorite guidebook. Absolutely straight talk and real opinions from 2 people who have done everything they review. The aerial photos of the hotels are awesome for choosing a hotel. I love this guidebook.

In Conclusion

So that’s it – have a wonderful, wonderful vacation! The Big Island is an awesome place, and you really can’t go wrong here.

Aloha!

Hilton Waikoloa Village Hotel Questions

(to the sender of this email - your email failed when I tried to reply to you )

My husband and I have booked a 6 night stay at Hilton Waikoloa Village (end of July – over my birthday!!!).

A few questions:

1) Can we get snorkeling gear at the hotel and simply snorkel off the beach at the hotel….will we get to see much? We are just looking to see some colorful fish and a turtle would be nice! (We usually pay for a snorkeling trip on other vacations) –we also plan to enjoy watching the dolphins on site – we will likely not pay the $$$ to swim with them though!

2) We plan to rent a car for at least 1 day (if not 2). If you could only pick 2 destinations (day trips) on the big island which would they be? (Is there a rental place nearby?)

a. We would be willing to drive up to 2 (maybe 3 hours) from the hotel, enjoy nature, and would be open to moderate to light hiking if it meant we ended up somewhere worth it (waterfalls…etc)

b. We don’t want to cram too much into each day (especially if driving a far distance to and from)

c. Things that spark our interest from our research. Akaka Falls, the black beach, the volcano (especially the idea of seeing molten lava at the waters edge), Coffee Plantation Tour.

d. We see the Hilton has a Luau on site and were planning to go to that, but you mentioned another Luau on the big island as being your favorite. I am guessing we would need to rent a car to get to this. How far away is it from the Hotel and worth renting a car to go off site too? Have you been to the one at Hilton Waikoloa – how does it compare?

e. Please include any great stops for a good lunch along the way (relatively inexpensive to moderate cost)

3) Are there shuttles from Waikoloa Hilton to other area attractions and/or grocery stores (We would like to stock the room fridge with lunch snacks)?

4) What price range should we be looking at for meals at the restaurant options at the Hotel – just trying to determine budget?

5) Is there a special place that you would recommend on the Hilton Property that is relatively private and is great for viewing the sun set?

Well thank you

and how fun! wonderful! Ok …

snorkeling gear, you know, we always brought our own so I am not 100% sure about this, but it seems like a really good bet that they will have something - you will have to rent it though. The Hilton employs an onsite company called red sail sports to provide all the boats and stuff for people who want them. If rental prices seem too much you will probably be able to buy snorkels at the gift shop.

There is no real beach outside of the hotels grounds, only a lagoon with a beach inside, and snorkeling in the lagoon is pretty good. We see turtles, eels, and fish all the time. The turtles like to eat the leaves of the trees that around the lagoon between the waterfall and the steps.

Some people go out into the cove, and snorkeling is probably good there too.

For the car … well, maybe you could plan a trip to the Volcano, and hit the coffee plantation and the Black sand beach (punaluu) at the same time - they are on the way. You’ll want to check the current status of the volcano to see if it’s worth a trip the day before you plan to go - what’s going on down there changes daily.

Here’s my blog about it, but I only do general updates about once a month if nothing crazy is going on.

I think there is a budget rent a car on property at the Hilton.

The luau at the Hilton is also very good. I would just stick with it.

There is a trolley from the Hilton to the nearby Queens shops where there is a grocery store.

The hilton restaurants range from expensive to outrageous (but with really good food :). The grill by the pool may be your most inexpensive bet - $8 or so for a burger if I remember correctly.

as for the sunset walks - you can see the most awesome sunsets from anywhere on the grounds. There are a few hammocks here and there and many beach cabanas. There’s a point by the ocean tower that juts out and walking down there is good at night.

Have a great time! Lisa

Beach Color in Hawaii and Beaches Quality in Kona

I’m planning a trip and have read your q&a on doing so. My question that I can’t seem to figure out is, on what island/beach will I find the ocean water to be that crystal blue/green so clear that you can see through. I know it may sound silly but that’s what I’m looking for, I prefer white sandy beaches with that aqua turquoise color. I’ve done some searches on “what color is the ocean in hawaii” etc but haven’t found what I’m looking for.

I’d like to visit waterfalls, do some snorkeling, visit a volcano (not the highest priority) I’m thinking that I’ll take two weeks. I’m traveling with a friend who is providing me with free airline passes to get there, he said something about going to the big island first, then on to kona, he’ll be with me the first few days and then he’ll be leaving me on my own. I’d like a place to relax, enjoy the water, snorkel, do some sight seeing.

Ok, that crystal blue-green you are looking for, I think that comes from a play of the sunlight through the water, and only happens with very shallow, long, open beaches (meaning not coves) where the bottom is all white sand.

Hawaii is not the best place for these types of beaches, in my opinion, because of how quickly the water becomes deep almost everywhere.

You’ll be able to catch a glimpse of it when the sun is right on most any island, for example, look at the second to the last picture here on Kauanoa beach on the big island - and the last picture of Abay on the big island here - and look at the last couple pictures of Kailua beach on Oahu here - and then a pic of anini beach on Kauai here.

Now, although I have two examples on the Big Island, the Big Island will really be the hardest island to see something like this on - only beaches on the west side would even have a chance.

Here’s one more thing to kind of get you thinking. See my pictures here from a boat tour we did in the Kealakekua Bay. Notice the difference in the colors of the water in the pictures. we were in 50 to 75 foot deep, perfectly clear water, and all those pics were taken within 10 minutes and 20 feet or so of each other - to this day I don’t know why the extremem difference in the color of the water.

The beaches right in Kona are interesting, but not spectacular. The little beach to the left of the Kailua pier sometimes has the pretty green color, but it’s not a beach to hang out on - more like a tiny strip of sand that sometimes gets swallowed by the ocean when the tide is high. Kids like it.

There’s a few more beaches along Alii Drive like Magic Sands and Kahaluu, but none of them will wow you that much. Kahaluu has lots of turtles which is cool.

Many places on the west side of the Big Island, which will be up north of Kona 15-30 miles, will make you happy.
… hmm, rereading I see you are going to be at the Marriott - if so, that would possibly be the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, which is on the West side and right on Anaehoomalu Bay (or A-Bay) and you willl probably like it, especially if you can make a trip to the Hapuna beach and maybe even the Kauanaoa Beach.

anyway, have an awesome time! Lisa

Kona to Hilo Bus Schedule

I will be visiting Hawaii later this month and will be travelling to the Big Island. I have two nights accommodation booked in Kona and then two nights in Hilo. I very much want to experience everything that both towns have to offer including diving with the Manta Rays and seeing active lava flow. I will be travelling on my own and I have heard that car hire in Hawaii is very expensive when you take all the extras into consideration. I was thinking of taking the bus from Kona to Hilo but I am not sure where I would need to catch it from. I will be staying at the Keauhou Beach Resort, would appreciate your advice on what would be the best option.

Hi Robyn, the hele on bus schedule is here: http://www.heleonbus.org/schedules-and-maps/kona-hilo-bus-schedule-1 - as you can see, the bus stops at the Sheraton Keauhou at 6:20 am, every day but sunday. The Sheraton Keauhou is just down the road from the Keauhou beach resort - maybe 15 minutes or so walk. If I were you, as soon as you check in, I would tell the front desk your plans to take the bus and see what they suggest - maybe they could even call the sheraton keauhou and find out exactly where the bus picks up at over there.

Hilo and Kona and Honolulu Cruise Port of Call Help

I’ve come across your website while researching our trip (boyfriend and I). We are planning a cruise in September and wanted to know how accessible shuttle services are from the ports.

1. Hilo cruise ports to Akaka falls. Should we take a taxi or is there a shuttle, what are the costs?
2. Honolulu port to HNL international airport. We want to be at the airport by 630-7am, how much would a taxi cost, I see that the airport is fairly close by.
3. In Kona we plan to follow your advice and visit Kahaluu Beach, is this difficult to get to? How much would a jet ski/ boat be?

We were just wondering how close attractions are from the ports, and what to expect if we took cabs or if public transit was easy/reliable (we don’t want to miss our departure at each ports).

Honolulu port to the airport would be about $20 to $30.

Hilo to Akaka falls, you probably will need to take a taxi, although sometimes shuttles are offered. You may have to wait till your are on the ship or even till you get off at port to know about the shuttle. Taxi is $3.20 a mile, so it could cost you $64 one way. Many times the taxis are vans, so if you could fit three couples in a van you could split it three ways.

In Kona, Kahaluu Beach is around the 5 mm, while the cruise ship is around the 0 mm, so that will be much more reasonable by taxi. - less than $20 one way.

Jet ski is $100 something for the hour but it’s just on a circular track. To rent a boat is going to be $370+ for a half day. Renting a scooter or bikes is easy too and not too much money.

Each port is different, and each port will have a different amount of resources trying to help you see what you want to see. Hilo and Kona are generally the hardest to figure out because the island is so big and in Hilo not as many tourists come in, so there’s not as many companies catering to them.

Don’t worry, I’m sure it will all come together nicely for you and you’ll have a great time Lisa

Where to Rent Camping Equipment In Hawaii; Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, or Big Island

I am coming to Hawaii in Feb 2010 and would like to do some camping. Can you tell me if there are places on Molokai, Maui or the Big Island that rent camping equipment?

Sorry, but there really is no where to rent camping equipment on any of the islands. You’ll need to bring it or buy it when you get here - on Maui or the Big Island - molokai and Kauai will have the least buying options. Oahu will have the most buying options.

You may be able to rent camping stoves or larger things of that nature, but you will be limited on where you can use such a thing. No one rents tents or sleeping bags that I know of.

New rental places and stores do open up all the time though, so if anyone knows of anything or has a rental company website, please leave a comment. thanks!

Hawaii; Should I Visit One Island or Two or More?

Hi Lisa
i happened upon your site while doing research on Hawaii vacations..
here is my dilemna…my husband and two daughters (13 & 16) will be coming to Hawaii in July. I am trying to book a nice vacation and at the same time trying to control costs…
Since this is a once in a lifetime trip for us I am trying to decide if we should do 2 islands or just enjoy one. We want to have some down time to relax and some time to explore. I am definetly staying on the big island. By staying on just one island will we get to see all Hawaii has to offer?

You didn’t say how long your trip will be. I like to recommend no more than one island for every 5-7 days in Hawaii, for just that reason. Relaxing is important. Packing and unpacking and flying and renting a car all over again is not relaxing, typically.

The other islands are quite different than the Big Island, but the Big Island definitely has something to offer for everyone, and it’s the only island with the volcano and an awesome black sand beach (punaluu) and it’s best beaches (Hapuna and Mauna Kea) can rival the best anywhere in the islands.

I don’t think you will be missing out on anything by staying on the Big Island, unless someone else in your party has their heart set on something specific like Pearl Harbor. There is always the option of a day trip too - meaning you could just fly over for a day and fly back that evening, but that could the priciest way to island hop if you go with a predestined tour.

So, don’t worry if you just stay on the Big Island. Others may tell you that you were missing something, but I don’t think you will be.

Aloha, Lisa

Big Island MWR Army and Air Force Facilities

I stumbled upon your site while Googling military vacations on the Big Island of Hawaii. I am familiar with the military beaches and cottages on Oahu as I lived there for several years. I’ve also been to the one at Kiluea (she means Kilauea Military Camp or KMC) on the Big Island.

I have received an invitation to the Big Island in January. However, the location is unfamiliar to me. There is supposed to be cottages and/or tent camping on the BI at Bellows AFB. Is there such a place? I know Bellows on Oahu very well. Can you please tell me what military beaches/accommodations are available on the Big Island? I searched for it on the net, but came up empty. My friend may have her info wrong!

As far as I know there is no Bellows on the Big Island. There is a Bradshaw Army Airfield on Saddle road, and nearby there is Mauna Kea State park, where you can do tent camping or cottage camping. That is probably what she is thinking of. KMC is the only other Military MWR facility I know of on the Big Island, and there are no military beaches. There is not currently a large military presence on the Big Island. good luck! Have fun! Lisa

8 Free Hawaii Guide Books

I have written a Hawaii Guide Book as a gift to you! Actually, I’ve written 8 Hawaii guide books and they are all free to help you plan your trips. There’s one for each major island and then 4 special topics.

Available Now

Download the Oahu book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer, or read it at the online version, The Complete Oahu Vacation Guide. They are a little different but not too much.

This guide book describes Oahu areas, what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels. I also talk about the best beaches I like and my favorite activities.

Download the Kauai book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about Kauai, plus what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels.

Download the Maui book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about Maui, plus what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels.

Download the Big Island book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about the Big Island, plus my favorite family, beach-front, and budget hotels.

Get the Hawaii Hopping For Fun; Visiting More than One Island In Hawaii The Smart Way Book here to discover all the ways there are to get around between the Hawaii Islands. Inter-Island Hawaii Travel explained in depth!

Get the First Time Hawaii Vacations Ebook Here Right click and choose save target as. So, if you’ve never been to Hawaii before, get out your pen and take notes. This book will give you a basic overview of Hawaii, and tell you the popular and best places to stay and what to do on each island, where to fly into, and where to look for packages. Get an idea of what sounds good to you and then follow it up.

Save Thousands on a Hawaii Vacation! right click and choose save target as. Dozens of strategies and website recommendations to save you money. Spend less on the flight and have more for the fun stuff!

How to Get Married in Hawaii on a Dime - I recount my experiences with getting married in Hawaii and coordinating a wedding in Hawaii, plus I talk about what you need to get married in Hawaii, and cool places to do it. Congratulations, by the way!

Turtle Watching and Marine Biology in Hawaii

Hey, just found your website because i was watching one of your videos on youtube, i’m a 17 year old biology and geography student from england and i’m hoping to become a marine biologist who specialises in sea turtles. and i want to come to hawaii in summer 2010, to get some great diving experiance, and to see alot of sea turtles and other marine life in their natural habitats. it seems like you know alot about hawaii, and you seem better then all my local travel reps and i was wondering which island would be best to stay at? where are sea turtles most common? and what good marine experiances are out there? your help would really help me to achieve my lifetime ambition thanks

I know there are marine biology programs at our local colleges here - have you contacted anyone at UH Hilo or UH Manoa?

Well, there are turtles on every island and you can see them easily anywhere in Hawaii - really. go down to the beach and there they are - just about any beach with rocks around somewhere. I think I will suggest the Big Island for you though, because the big island has many opportunites to see many turtles. There’s a little pool to the left of Onekehakaha beach where they come in to sleep at night and I’ve seen 12 or more at a time there. You can almost always see them at punaluu and kahaluu beaches.

Look into the big island - Hilo or Kona, I think it’s what you are looking for. Aloha! Lisa

i have just contacted both colleges that you told me about and i’m waiting for a reply id love to move over to hawaii and go to university their. but i dont quite understand how my qualifications will transfer into credits. i was wondering if their are any conservation scemes i can book myself on for the summer of 2010? preferably sea turtle ones. and if you know any good diving schools where i can get a qualification in diving? thankyou, been a great help. Aloha !

you’re welcome!

why don’t you look into positions at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I know they have summer intern positions and they have seasonal openings. I also have heard that they sometimes hike out into the backcountry and camp on the beach to protect the turtles that come in to lay their eggs.

As for diving schools, there are tons. I wouldn’t look into this until you get here since you don’t know exactly where you’ll be.

Cheapest Budget Way to Travel Between Hawaii Islands - Interisland Hopping, Flights, and Ferries

What are the cheapest ways to island hop from Oahu? I heard of a hydrofoil boat that takes you to the other islands. Do you know about this and what the cost is? Thanks

I think the boat you have heard of is the Superferry, and it seems rates are about $49 one way now - compared with $69 one way which is the lowest you’ll occasionally find at Hawaiian Airlines and Go Airlines, it is indeed the cheapest. However, it only goes to Maui and back right now. It won’t come to the Big Island till sometime in 2009 and Kauai is having a legal battle about it right now - so who knows when it will go there.

Sometimes prices are higher, and sometimes they are lower. During high travel seasons things sell out quickly and what you can get goes at a premium, so maybe $104 each way is the best you’ll get at the airlines. Sometimes the airlines get into pricing wars for various reasons and their prices drop drastically. When Go! first entered the scene prices were dropping as low as $19 one way, but then one airline went bankrupt and all those deals disappeared.

The superferry hasn’t been around long enough for me to draw any conclusions about what it will or won’t do, but their prices have mostly held steady since they started.

Kona-Kohala Remote and Secret Beaches, Big Island Hawaii

I will be traveling to the West side of the Big Island slightly north of Kona this coming January. Do you recommend any remote less crowded beaches to go too?

I have hiked from Hwy 19 to a couple of secluded beaches off of the beaten path. Is this safe to do?

It is 100% safe to do., in my opinion. People do it all the time. There is very little person on person crime here.

You could go to Maumae Beach through the Mauna Kea Beach hotel. The entrance station guard will give you a map. It’s a beautiful beach. There is Kiholo Bay and Beach 69 or Waialea Beach. the trailhead is by the 71 mile marker. Also try Makalawena, which you walk to from a trail at Kona Coast state Park. about 20 minutes.

Have a great time!

Beach 69 Video

Kailua-Kona Cruise Port of Call Things to Do - Activities

We will be arriving by cruise ship and won’t have a car. I was wondering if there is a nice black beach close by to the pier at Kailua-Kona. And if you can give any other suggestions of things to do and see while we are there for the day.

The closest black sand beach to Kailua-Kona is Punaluu, and it’s over an hours drive. If you will be stopping in Hilo you will be able to easily bike or take a taxi to Richardson’s Beach- it’s less than 2 miles down the road from the Hilo Pier.

In Kailua Kona, I would go to Kahaluu Beach, decent snorkeling and lots of turtles - it’s 5 miles down Alii Drive. You can take a taxi or a shuttle. You could walk around Kailua town. There are shops and restaurants. If you just wanted to get in the water there is a tiny beach right there where the cruise tenders drop you off. Right there at the pier they various boats and jet skis and tours - some of the glassbottom boats are pretty inexpensive for an hour.

SuperCharge your Big Island of Hawaii Vacation Planning; Hawaii Big Island Revealed Review

If you are planning a trip to the Big Island I highly recommend you get the book Hawaii the Big Island Revealed

I have lived in Hawaii for well over a decade, I’ve done just about every activity and hike I care to do, and I still refer to this book when someone asks me something I’m not sure about or just don’t know. I have each one they wrote. I don’t know who the authors are personally, but I have talked with many businesses and hear how they have been ’shopped’ by the authors.

The authors don’t put their pictures on the book and they don’t talk about who they are. When they go to research an activity or hotel they don’t try to get a free room or good service, they try to be treated like anybody else so they can give honest, accurate reports on just about everything there is to do on every island. They are even funny. And they are, really, brutally honest. If something is a dump they call it a dump. If something really rung their bells, you can tell.

The book is broken down well in categories like Activities and Adventures and Beaches and also by location. The index is very thorough. There are lots of spectacular pictures and area maps and complete driving directions. AND, maybe best of all, they provide aerial pictures of the hotels showing how close (or not) the hotel is to the ocean and which building is which (so you can request what building you want to have a room in).

Get the book, you will not regret it. Hawaii the Big Island Revealed

Big Island Secrets and Remote Nature Activities

I’m travelling to the Big Island in a week, staying in Koana. On your advise, I’m sticking to one island for my first visit. I’m not the late night party type, and enjoy the nature side of the land. The Big Island sounded more like me. I want to see the volcano, attend a Luau, go to the green, and black beach (Jeep already reserved), and I’m looking at the ATV (Riding the Rim) ride. I like the remote, out of the norm for tourist places. I was reading about the lava tubes that are filled with fresh water. Sounded incredible. With what I have described, please offer some advise, and maybe a few secrets about the Big Island.

well, your trip sounds like one I would love. the green sand beach is awesome - if you keep driving past the beach you’ll find all sorts of neat nooks and crannies and coves. We used to go camping down there a lot.

I haven’t done the riding the rim tour but it looks like fun - if you wanted to drop me a line and let me know how you liked it I would love that.

How about a manta ray night dive or snorkel? I haven’t done this but people rave about it.

Or renting a boat: we just did this and really had a good time. If you don’t rent a boat you should consider a boat tour to Kealakekua Bay or renting a kayak and going out in the bay. The snorkeling is amazing and frequently you see large dolphin pods.

You know, I don’t know what’s a secret and what’s not anymore so I found a page that professes to tell secrets it all looks good to me.

If you really like nature you should head up to saddle road or even the mauna kea visitor center on a clear night: - the expanse of stars practically on top of you is amazing. Like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else. When I drive over the saddle at night I always have to stop and take it in for a bit.

As for the lava tubes filled with fresh water - I’ve never heard of that. Where are they? - this vacationer wrote back and sent me a link - it’s Queens Bath at Kiholo Bay. According to Hawaii the Big Island Revealed there are several of these around the island (anyplace that is a good place to bathe ends up being called Queens’ Bath).
I know you are going to have an AWESOME time!

Kailua-Kona Airport Taxis and Shuttles - Cost and Availability

Our flight arrives in Kona after all the car rental companies are closed (I was told they all close at 10:00 p.m.)

My questions is - would it be best to take a cab from the airport to Keauhou - if so, roughly what wouild be the cost? Should it be reserved in advance? I’m concerned because 300+ people may be looking for transportation to their hotels as they cannot pick up ther rental cars that evening.

Any information on the best way to get to our condo would be appreciated.

I called a couple of taxi companies, and the airport to Keauhou will cost $36 to $39. It doesn’t seem like they take advanced reservations but one company gave me a number of the closest company to the airport if you find yourself unable to get a cab - she said call 329-1977 Mel’s Taxi and they’ll come right down. I can understand your concern, but if the taxi companies know the flight is coming in and they know the car rental companies are closed I am sure they’ll all be ready and waiting.

You also could reserve with speedishuttle- their phone message says they operate every day of the year, from the first flight in the morning to the last flight in the evening.

Have a wonderful vacation! Lisa

Oahu Day Trip - One or Two Days on Oahu

I am planning to be in Kona, Hawaii from May 17 to May 24 and would like to take in some
of the sights on Ohau such as Pearl harbor and the Cultural Center. Any ideas on the best
way to do this? I know each of these are at least a day in themselves. Maybe 2 trips or
an overnight stay to catch both? What might you suggest?

I would do an overnight stay in Oahu - otherwise you eat up too much of your day on the airplane, getting the car, etc. Plus that way you get to enjoy Oahu a bit - it really is very pretty. Have a great time!

Horseback Riding on the Hilo Side of the Big Island

If you are a visitor to the Big Island or a resident and are looking for lessons or trail rides here, consider contacting my friend Sharon at Volcano Paradise Ranch. She teaches kids and adults, she does trail rides and arena training, she takes care of beginners and advanced riders and everything in between. Her ranch is located in Kurtistown, which is halfway up towards the Volcano, about 20 minutes from Hilo.

As far as I can find, this is the only place close to Hilo currently offering any sort of rides or lessons. The second closest places would be Dahana Ranch in Waimea or Waipio Valley Horseback rides - which are both an hour drive from Hilo.

Big Island Itinerary

Itinerary

Fri PM leave Oakland 3:30pm
EVE arrive Hilo 7:05; drive to Honaka’a
Hotel Hotel Honaka’a

Sat AM Mamane Bakery; HAWAIIAN MACADAMIA PLANTATION, INC., Waipi’o Valley; drive down Valley Rd, Kahuahine Falls & Waiulili Falls
PM take Rt 19 west to Kawaihae; Pu’ukohola Heiau; Hapuna Beach swimming and snorkeling; Malama Petrograph Trail
EVE check in at hotel and relax (die) or go to ukulele entertainers, Kings Shops at the Waikoloa Resort. Call (808) 886-8811
Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel

Sun AM Hulihe’e Palace; Mokuaikauna Church; Cloud Forest
PM Kahalu’u Beach, snorkeling
EVE open
Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel

Mon AM snorkeling/whalewatching
PM open
EVE open
Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel

Tues AM Keauhou Sea Cave Adventure (kayaking/snorkeling)
PM open
EVE open
Hotel Kona Seaside Hotel

Wed AM check out; Captain Cook; Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden; Holualoa Kona Coffee Company tour; Ho’okena, Green Sand Beach; Punalu’u Black Sand Beach
PM continue drive to Volcanos National Park
EVE open
Hotel Volcano Cabins

Thurs AM Visitor Center, Jagger Museum, Crater Rim Drive, walk Devastation Trail and Thurston Lava Tube walk
PM Chain of Craters Road
EVE picnic lunch at End of Chain of Craters Road
Hotel Volcano Cabins

Fri AM check out, leave park 5:30am, depart Hilo Airport 8:30am
PM arrive Chicago

is this reasonable? I’m I getting at the good stuff or did I miss alot?

It looks good to me - let me talk about a few things here:

To drive down in Waipio Valley you need a four wheel drive. It’s not an easy drive. Have you found directions to the falls? Doing all this plus swimming at Hapuna beach will be quite a packed day.

You’ll need a 4 wheel drive to get to the green sand beach too unless you plan on hiking a couple of miles each way.

Don’t stress if you aren’t at the Hilo airport 2 hours before you fly out. ATA is the only airlines that goes to the mainland from Hilo. We just flew that flight to Oakland last week. We left our house at 7 am, got there at 7:15, and had NO problems. There were no lines - nothing. That’s just how the Hilo airport is usually. I’m not saying to plan to get there with only 1 hour and 15 minutes to spare like we did, but don’t stress about it.

I think you covered about as much as possible in the time you have. Cool.

Have fun! Lisa

Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

Monday

Flight departure to Kona, Big Island of Hawaii

Drive: for 3 to 4hrs to the Town of Volcano (See map) and stop at supermarket for groceries for the Bungalow

Check-in: Kate’s Bungalow Address: 19-4039 Hapu Ln, Volcano Ph: (877) 967-7990

Evening: At leisure (Pack lunches for tomorrow’s Volcano National Park excursion)

Tuesday

Morning: Hawaii Volcano National Park

Visit: The Visitor Center and obtain information about Volcano and the latest info and location of lava flow also ask about directions in and around the park. (There are two scenic drives with a wealth of volcano views An 11-mile drive, called Crater Rim, passes by many rising steam vents)

Visit: Steam Sulphur Banks Vents, Kilauea Overlook, Jaggar Museum, Halemaumau Crater, Devastation Trail (45min hike)

Afternoon: Thurston Lava Tube (20min hike), Kilauea Iki Overlook, Kilauea Iki Trail (Little Kilauea), Hilina Pali Overlook, Holei Sea Arch (end of road where lava flowed)

Evening: Return to see the lava flow after dark, (take a flashlight, water bottle, and jacket)

Wednesday

Morning: (Check-out) Wake up early and drive to Hilo Airport (1hour drive-See map to Hilo Airport)

Tour: (1010hrs) Blue Hawaiian Helicopter (Circle of Fire plus Waterfalls Tour) #1963497799 Ph: (800) 786-2583

Afternoon/Lunch: Lunch at Kuhio Grille 111 East Puainako Street, #A106, Hilo (Located at Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza)

Drive: Richardson Beach Park (walk around and take a look at the black sand beach and scenery), Rainbow Falls State Park (at the edge of Hilo town and view the falls), North to scenic drive detour at Onomea Bay along the Hamakua Coast,

Visit: Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens and Onomea Bay Trail (Stop at What’s Shakin Smoothie Stand near the Botanical Gardens for refreshments)

Drive: north to Akaka Falls State Park (Hike short trail-loop and view Kahuna Falls and Akaka Falls)

Drive: North to the Waipio Valley Overlook,

Drive: from Waimea, descending down to Kona

Check-in: Surf & Racquet Club Address: 78-6800 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona Ph: (808) 331-8878

Evening: At Leisure

Morning: At Leisure

Afternoon/Evening: (1320hrs) Mauna Kea Summit Adventures Tour (tour pick-up: Buns in the Sun 75-5675 Palani RD) Ph: (808) 322-2366

regarding the Big Island - which way are you driving to Volcano? The southern route or the northern route? The southern route may be your best bet, and it should only take 2 to 2.5 hours unless you stop a lot, which you may.

And groceries? There are no major grocery stores along the southern route. It’d be best to stop in Kona. There is one in Naalehu but it’s small with very high prices.

There’s a lot of things to do in Kona - go to Kahaluu Beach to snorkel and see turtles. Go to the Puuhonua National Park - I think your pass from the Volcanoes National Park might get you in. Check with them. Go on the Fairwinds boat tour - go on a glass bottom boat and or the atlantis submarine.

related: Multiple island itinerary

Suggested Hawaii Itinerary - Plan my Trip for Me!

If you had to recommend a two week itinerary in Hawaii, what would you recommend and why (13 full days)? Don’t give me some cop out answer like “every island has something to offer for each person”. We were thinking of visiting 2-3 islands. Which islands should I visit and for how many days.

Ok, 13 full days - never been to Hawaii before - I would do Oahu for 4 to 5 days. On Oahu I would visit Waikiki beach, because it really is the beach that started it all even if it is completely packed with people and commercialized these days.. I would visit Pearl Harbor and maybe hike to some waterfalls. I would consider Hanauma Bay. I would check out Kailua and Lanikai beaches and the North Shore. For the rest of the trip *I* would decide which out of the following was my favorite must-see and choose my island(s) around that:

an active volcano (big island)
black sand beaches (big island)
the Na Pali Coast (Kauai)
tons of waterfalls (Kauai or Maui)
zip line (maui and kauai)
downhill bike adventure (maui)
ferries to smaller islands (maui)
rivers (kauai)
hana and the road to hana (maui)
mauna kea (big island)
green sand beach (big island)
waimea canyon (kauai)
sport fishing (all islands, but big island - kona side is considered best)
waipio valley (big island)

Anything else you would want to do in Hawaii could be done on any island - so figure out what appeals to you and focus your activities around that. That is the most specific advice I will offer. I hope you have a wonderful time! Lisa

…. BIG TRIP for us all. Most of us do not like tons of crowds for a long time. average crowds are fine. we have planned 11 days or more. Quoted 4,500 for all inclusive flight hopper to 3 islands. Does this allow you to see the greatest of hawaii by moving about?

Three islands is a personal choice - if you guys want to move around that much, great! Of course staying in one place is good too. The only island I sometimes really advise people to not stay on for a long time is Oahu - sometimes visitors get disenchanted with the amount of traffic and people there. Lisa

Latest on planning is … talked to an agent that suggested a cruise to the three islands instead of flights. After thinking about it, we think it sounds easier than packing and unpacking. We would fly to Honolulu and get on a cruise ship that moves about three different islands. At least there are stay overs for more than one day.

We have been on cruises… the frustrating part for us has been we find a place we really like however, we can’t stay any longer than the time they allow. :

If you had say 11 days to see hawaii, knowing this could be your 1st and last trip, what would YOU do? Teens will need activity. Parents and grandma like activities such as hiking, snorkeling, ATV rides, beaches, FOOD of course. Any suggestions??

I have a really hard time when people ask ne what would YOU do becaue I have been here for so long and have seen so much and I can’t seem to get myself back to a place of being a fresh newbie to Hawaii.

The cool thing about a cruise is all the people are right there when you get off the boat trying to talk you into their activity - but the not so cool thing is you are stuck in this one geographical area for this finite period of time.

I won’t say - do the cruise or don’t do the cruise. I’m sure it could be awesome, and I’m sure it could be awful

What’s Up With Hawaii’s Wet Side and Dry Side Weather?

Also I read that there is a dry side and wet side. That sounds real weird but is it that different on the sides of the island, and why?

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There is a dry side and a wet side of every island - generally east and north shores tend to be wet while south and west tend to be dry. It has to do with the way the wind comes in off the ocean (trade winds, usually comes in from the east). The clouds blow in, get pushed up the mountains that are in the center of every island, and dump all their rain before getting light enough to head to the other side of the island - something like that. If you are really interested read more here at wikipedia.

Generally the more popular destination spots like Waikiki, Kailua-Kona, Poipu, and Kaanapali get very little rain because they are on the dry sides. Puako on the Big Island can get 7 inches or less rain a YEAR - that’s like desert. Great for vacationers cuz they are not looking for rain usually Compare that with Hilo (where I live) where it seems like sometimes we can get 7 inches in a day and still not cancel soccer practice. lol.

I Know Nothing about Hawaii and Want to Plan a Vacation - Tell Me Everything

Our family is considering taking a vacation in Hawaii. Maybe in the next year or so. Being pretty clueless when it comes to Hawaii, what would you suggest? It would be for 6 adult and 1 child. Is one place cheaper to fly into than another? What about hotels and such?

Many people start with Oahu on their first trip, and it is generally the easiest to fly into and cheapest because it is the most popular - of course being the most popular it has really gotten developed and a lot of people complain there are more buildings than trees, but it’s still a beautiful island and has fantastic, easy-to-get-to beaches (that you’ll be sharing with a million other people ) but that’s ok, they are big. You might want to look into Oahu and see if it’s what you want.

Don’t think about hotels till you decide on an island - do you have rewards with anybody like Hilton or Marriott? That might also be a good way to decide where you want to go - you could find the hotel that would get you the best deal and then see what you think of the island it’s on.

my husband and l had some interest some day of traveling to hawaii, he has been reading the lonely planet book about and sounds very beautiful. just wondering if you had any suggestions for me not sure what time of year we would go, but we were thinking of three weeks. we do know someone that lives in kihei - how would we go about setting up an itinerary, where would we start and where would we end? is it best to stay in b&b’s any suggestions for hotels, renting vehicles, what would you suggest to budget yourself per day, any suggestions would be great

Wow, this is a huge question and I’m just not sure I can do it justice - it’s huge and broad and usually I do best with very specific questions, but I’ll try to point you in the right direction here:

1. Decide what island you will visit - if you know someone in Kihei and want to go to that island then start looking into Maui.
2. Decide what area - if, for your first trip, you stick to the very touristy areas you will be ’safe’ meaning you will find great beaches and great weather typically - so on Maui that would be Wailea, Lahaina/Kaanapali, and Kihei.
3. Decide what hotel you will stay at - alternatively, this could be your second item on your list, because if you prefer say, Hilton hotels because you like them or have rewards with them and there is only one Hilton on the island, well then what area choice is pretty much made for you. easy
4. As for should you stay in a hotel, vacation rental, condo, or bed and breadkfast — this is all personal preference. Do YOU prefer hotels or bed and breakfasts. Do you want to eat out every meal or cook your own food? Do you want to have your vacation in a place that feels like home or do you prefer a hotel where everything is done and provided for you? see what I’m getting at here? Me, I like condos because you can save money and eat healthier stuff but I like hotels because you can forget about all that cooking and cleaning cr– and concentrate on playing. I like vacation rentals because you are hanging out by yourself away from all the other visitors but I like hotels because there are lots of other people around
5. As for budgeting yourself per day - well, what is your budget? Do you have $10,000+ to spend on this trip, or only $4500? This will make a big difference. There are books that will show you how to make the most of a budget - Frommer’s Hawaii on $80 a Day is one of them. I don’t know how relevant it is to today since it was written in 2005, but it will get you started I think.
6. As for what to do - you could out your daily itinerary before you go down to the very last activity (this is what my husband does) by doing a google search for Maui activities (if that’s the island you’ll be staying on) and seeing what comes up or you could just fly to Maui and see what looks fun to you (this is what I do)

I hope this helps get you started, write me again if you have more questions. Aloha, Lisa

Tour the Volcano From Maui - How to Get to the Big Island

If I spend 10 nights in Maui is it easy to do a day trip to the big island to see the volcano or would you recommend something different. I am traveling with a 15 and 12 year old boys.

Well, you have four options, really. The first three will take *all day*. The last one will not but will be the most expensive. If you really want to see the volcano then go for it - just realize it could be doing *nothing* when you come (it could be in a pause or all the lava could be flowing underground)

1. arrange your own flight to hilo, rent your own car, and drive up to the national park, see as much as you can in one day, drive back and fly back to maui. Not a bad choice - probably your cheapest option. I would say it is possible to do this for $100 per person for the flight (if you book early enough to get the lowest rates on the flight) plus $35 to $60 for the rental car. Drive to the national park from Hilo will take 30 minutes. (Do NOT fly to Kona- that will take you over two hours to drive to the Volcano.) Bad thing is, the lava flow is currently (nov 07) viewable only by air so you may not get to see active lava - but you will get to see all the other stuff.
2. Arrange your own flight to Hilo, then take a tour bus to the National Park. http://www.hawaiiactive.com/activities/bigisland-volcano-tour.html or arrange your own flight to Hilo or Kona, then take a small plane or helicopter flyover tour of the volcano: http://www.hilowings.com/ , http://www.bluehawaiian.com/bigisland/tours/, http://www.safarihelicopters.com/bigislandtours.html (web booking price is $151 per person when I wrote this)
3. Arrange a bus tour to the volcano, starting from Maui - http://www.hawaiiactive.com/activities/maui-volcano-adventure.html - have all the legwork done for you by the tour company
4. Do a flyover of the volcano from Maui: http://www.volcanoairtours.com/index.html, http://www.hawaiiactivities.com/us/hawaii/maui/sg/1258/ag/6382/

have a great time!

How to Best See the Volcano from Oahu

answer
Thanks The volcano is on the Big Island, so the first thing you will need to do is get a flight to the big island - or you could look around for a tour company that would do an island tour for you, like this one.

However, you are correct that right now the best viewing is from the air. You might just want to catch an inter-island flight to the Hilo airport and just walk over to the helicopter and small plane departures and take one of them, like Hilo Wings.

If you do take a helicopter or small plane tour, here’s some pics of what you may see: my friend was up just last week and took these pictures.

Now, as for the park being closed - everything is currently open except for some pretty advanced hiking trails near the current flow. The closures only lasted for a short time after the earthquakes around mid-June. There’s lot’s of interesting stuff to see and a huge crater that is easy to get to, but the flowing lava is only visible from the air right now. Check the absolute latest information with the National Park or my volcano blog.

Have fun! Lisa

question
First, what a great website! I find the information very interesting. My wife and I are planning a trip to Oahu next week and wanted to include a tour of the Volcanoes National Park. With all the current activity going on and based on their website, it appears that a good portion of the park is closed. We were really hoping to see some neat things, including lava, etc. With these developments, does it make more sense to tour from the air instead of the ground? If we still elected to tour from the ground, what is still open that would be worth seeing?

Hawaii Travel Companions

Ok, I posted a question here from a young woman looking to stay in Hawaii for a few months - I got some great advice for her in comments, but now people keep e-mailing me wanting me to give her their e-mail address or get hers because they want to go with her or are thinking the same thing as her - so here is your OWN page to look for companions to go to Hawaii with.

I will not be able to remove e-mail addresses in the future, so only post it if you don’t mind it up here for everyone to see forever. Please, be safe - I am not responsible in any way if you meet up with someone dangerous or give them your personal information. If you are under 18, you are not allowed to post comments here.

Here’s the first post - taken from a comment I didn’t post on the other page - it was intendended for the original question asker.

My name is Mat and im 24 from Ontario and I am also travelling to Hawaii at that same time. I am also looking for the same opportunity so if you want to figure out maybe a plan together or are looking for someone to travel with email me back. matscully@hotmail.com
Cheers

Maui and the Big Island Day Tours from Oahu

I have seen that I can get cheap inter-island flights via “I flygo Airlines”. I will be staying in Oahu and want to visit a few islands for a day each.

I want to know if I visit Maui, or another island, how easy is it to get from the airport to a day tour. Is there somewhere that I can book a day tour that will pick us up from Maui airport and take us on the island ‘tour’.

I am mainly interested in Maui and the best island to see volcanos (which island would that be?)

Thanks, Vicki (Australia)

Hi Vicki,

The active volcano is on the Big Island, so it appears you would most like to visit Maui and the Big Island and you would like to use Go! airlines to defray some of the cost of this.

Several companies offer big and small bus and shuttle tours on these islands. If you are going to see a specific attraction, such as Kilauea Volcano, you will probably be able to find a company that will also shuttle you to and from the airport or just pick you up there if you book your own flight. If, however, you are going to do a “circle island tour” or just a general sightseeing tour, you may find it easiest to book your airfare through the tour company, and they may or may not (most likely not) use Go! airlines. I, by the way, have flown on all three inter-island carriers and Go! is my definite favorite at this time for the great prices and the short lines.

So, here’s some places to look for tour booking for island and volcano tours on Maui and the Big Island:

• Hawaii Active - general booking of several tours
• Paradise Excursions a 5 hour tour that does the up-mountain volcano stuff (no lava flow walk)
• Viator booking of a tour This appears to also be through Paradise excursions, but I can’t find it on their site, and it includes a trip down to the lava flow area
• Lava Tours - pretty complete volcano tour.
• Guides of Maui Land Tours
• Roberts of Hawaii Magnificent Maui Tour
• Roberts of Hawaii Maui Tour from Oahu

I hope you find one or two that you like Vicki! Have a great time! Come back and tell us how it went - I’d love to hear which ones you did and how you liked them. Aloha, Lisa

See also: Hawaii Island Hopping

Should I Rent a Surfboard in Hawaii or Bring my Own?

Vicki from Australia asks

My friend is visiting Oahu in March. Would it be cheap enough for him to hire surfboards there or would it be better to bring his own?

Hi Vicky,

Well, before we explore prices and availability of surfboard rentals in Hawaii, let’s talk about whether it’s even a good idea to bring your own surfboard to Hawaii for use on your vacation. The How to Pack Your Shortboard for an Airplane Trip article at eHow.com reveals that surfboard noses are commonly broken in baggage holds and that airlines can charge big bucks for handling surfboards - so that’s a pretty big strike against bringing your own surfboard.

At Hawaii Surf Board Rentals.com on Oahu they state they offer free, island-wide delivery and pickup of quality surfboards for between $50 and $90 for the first two days and $10 each additional day. (Prices may change, check the website).

Also, anyone who wants to just try surfing in the Waikiki area can walk onto Waikiki Beach and rent a surfboard for about $20 for an hour or two. Just look for the rental booths and the racks and racks of surfboards. There are several spots along the beach.

So, Vicky, it appears to me that renting a surfboard once he gets here is your friend’s best option. I hope he has fun!

More rental websites:

Maui Fun Tours on Maui

Hanalei Surf Company on Kauai

Kona Boys on the Big Island

---

… Neal wrote and suggested this - thanks Neal!

I would like to make a suggestion to let visitors know that they can also buy a surfboard when visiting Oahu. While many may prefer to rent, there are other surfers who can buy a cheap used surfboard here and then take it home as surfboards back home cost way more than they do here. Hawaii, being the home of surfing also boasts a wide array surfboard shapes and types and lower end prices. Aloha, Neal

When is the Best time to Vacation on the Big Island of Hawaii?

Shannon from Nebraska asks:

One question, when would be the best time to visit the Big Island? My parents and I were originally going to plan on coming in October (2007), but I’m thinking June would be better; it looks like it rains a lot in the fall months.

Hi Shannon - The Big Island is like all the Hawaiian Islands, in that it has a dry side and a rainy side and also that some times of the year and even some times of the day are rainier than others.

If you are planning on visiting the dry side of the island, which would be most anywhere on the West side, also referred to as the Kona side or the Leeward side, then rain really isn’t an issue. I like to refer to WorldClimate.com when talking about rainfall in Hawaii because it is just so easy and accurate to compare and research using it.

If we look at the rainfall stats for the area of Puako, which is a very dry area on the Big Island on the Kohala Coast, we see that for the last 32 years Puako has averaged less than 10 inches of rain a year, less than an inch of that in October.

Hilo is one of the rainiest areas on the Big Island, and is on the exact opposite side of the island from Puako. Hilo rainfall stats for the last 42 years show almost 136 inches of rain a year, with March being the rainiest month at 15 inches of rain and June having the least rain with almost 7 inches of rain. October falls somewhere in the middle with 11 inches of rain average.

My own experience of living near Hilo on the Big Island for over a decade is that March and April are the absolute rainiest times but many winter and spring days are overcast and it rains almost every night. June is the driest month but most of summer is consistently pretty and hot. If we absolutely have to have sunshine we go to the Kona side for the day.

I hope this helps you with your decision. Have a wonderful vacation.

Aloha, Lisa

Ok, we have planned a trip in November and will be doing some island hopping Should we buy our inter-island tickets now or wait till we get there?

A year ago I would have just told you to buy the tickets whenever was convenient for you, but earlier is better for being assured of the cheapest prices. These days, the answer is a bit more complicated because of the entrance of Go! Airlines into the market. Aloha and Hawaiian are being forced to meet Go’s current prices, which sometimes go as low as $19 one way. Considering Aloha and Hawaiian were charging $79 and up for one way tickets a year ago, this has got to be hard on them. It seems to me that Aloha and Hawaiian are both hoping that by maintaining their customer base Go! will eventually fail. I don’t know if the inter-island market can sustain three carriers, and I don’t want to speculate what the market will be like in November. I did check availability at the three websites and it seems that they are all already selling tickets that far out but there are lowest-fare seats available.

Ocean Views and Access in Hawaiian Paradise Park

At the bottom of Hawaiian Paradise Park, Beach Road and Paradise Ala Kai run along the ocean. There is no beach in Hawaiian Paradise Park, it is all mostly 30 foot cliffs. The views are very beautiful - sunrise especially. Sunset is on the other side of the island, so you can’t see it, but the sky and ever-present clouds are still beautiful colors at sunset.

Here’s some ocean-related activities in Paradise Park:

If you went down Makuu and took a right at the dead end and parked where the road stops you could see the ocean and find some tide pools but I wouldn’t get in the ocean there - the waves are too big. We sometimes go in the tidepools. If you went down Makuu and took a left at Beach Road and parked your car at the boulders where the road is closed this is a great area to take an evening or morning walk on the dirt road or past and around this whole area. I’ve been walking or riding my bike here for 10 years - I see whales and dolphins and gorgeous sunsets (you can’t see the sun, but the colors are still amazing when the winds are right). The sunrises are probably phenomenal but I don’t get up till 7:30 . You can also get to this area by going down Paradise and taking a right on Beach Road and parking anywhere.

You also could go down Makuu and take a right on Beach Road and go in for about a 1/2 mile. You’ll see big concrete poles cemented into the ground at the head of what looks like a very long driveway, blocking any vehicle access in. You could park your car (I see people do it, but I would be uncomfortable because I would be afraid someone would break in - we ride bikes down here to avoid leaving cars at the top) and walk in. At the end of the ‘driveway’ there are fantastic tide pools big enough to swim in if the ocean is calm. One of them is over 10 feet deep and there are tons of fish in them. However, if the ocean isn’t calm this is a very dangerous place - the waves come right up over the rocks and drag you across them if you are in the way.

About Hawaiian Paradise Park on the Big Island

Hawaiian Paradise Park is a quiet, large, residential subdivision in Puna, sometimes shortened to HPP. It is located makai (ocean-side) of Highway 130 somewhere before the 3 and just past the 6 mile markers on Highway 130. The main roads of Hawaiian Paradise Park are Shower Drive, Kaloli Drive, Paradise Drive, and Makuu Drive, in that order if you are driving South (from Keaau towards Pahoa). Directly across the Highway is the subdivision of Orchidland Estates.

Kaloli, Paradise, and Makuu all run over three miles to the ocean and are paved. Most of the crossroads are currently red cinder. The top-most crossroad is 32nd Street, and the bottom most complete road is 1st Street. The drive from the highway to the ocean is over 3 miles. The crossroads between Paradise and Makuu and Kaloli and Shower are all about 1 mile long. The HPP community association website has a gorgeous aerial picture of the entire area.

Most of us in the park are on catchement tanks. We have phone, DSL, and electricity. Mail delivery is via post office boxes on the side of the main roads. There is no county garbage pickup (most of us drive to the transfer station and dump our trash ourselves) but some entrepreneurs pick up trash once a week for a fee. We pay $140 or so annually in fees. It’s been going up every year for 10 years by 5 or 10 dollars.

We have no stores and no park in the subdivision. The community association is trying to get the county to put a park in right now and asking the residents for input. There is a gas station and a small grocery store and plate lunch place right across the highway. Pahoa and Keaau are both about 4.5 miles away in opposite directions. Hilo is about 17 miles away. There is only one road in and one road out of Hilo, and the traffic is starting to get crazy.

Most lots in HPP are 1 acre. They have been zoned agricultural in the past and there are plenty of orchid farms and some people have horses or greenhouses in their back yard, but mostly the subdivision is just residential houses with really big yards.

Other roads in HPP are Railroad, Paradise Ala Kai, H Road, K Road, Ala Heiau, and Beach Road. However, there is no beach, just cliffs and some tidepools.

Lover’s Paradise Suite Bed and Breakfast in Hawaiian Paradise Park - Brochure

The Lover’s Paradise Suite is a rather new bed and breakfast located on Makuu Drive in Hawaiian Paradise Park, an up-an-coming, huge subdivision in Puna on the Big Island. I drive past the Suite on the way to my son’s school. I watched it being built with interest, not knowing what it would be. It’s very nice to look at, and currently surrounded by HPP jungle on all sides. I don’t think they have any neighbors right now. The pool is nice - big and well done.

Hawaiian Paradise Park is a quiet, residential subdivision, 20 miles from Hilo, and almost 40 miles from the volcano. It is hot here, and a decent central location for Volcano, Hilo, and lower Puna attractions like Ahalanui Warm Ponds and Pahoa. The Suite is on 10th St, I believe, and that is probably about a mile straight down Makuu to the ocean, but there is no ocean access really. It’s mostly cliffs.

The brochure says the entire suite includes 4 rooms, there is a swimming pool and large pool deck and gazebo, plus a BBQ and picnic available. A lover’s package (honeymooners, anniversary couples, or others, I guess) is available. A continental breakfast is served daily, and a personalized concierge service is offered. The pool includes volleyball, basketball, and snorkel equipment.

About a mile from where this rental is, you’ll find the ocean. Here’s some things to do at the ocean in Hawaiian Paradise Park

Are Bonfires allowed on Hawaii Beaches?

My fiance and I are planning a wedding at the Mauni Lani in February. We’ve scoured the web to see if we can host an informal bonfire on a beach one of the nights we are there? Do you know or can you point us to anyone that would know how to accomplish this? thanks!

Well, I’ve been calling the local DLNR and state parks departments and have gotten quite the runaround. No one seems to know or wants to tell me. I do know I’ve never seen a bonfire on any beach ever. I did find a reference on the Internet from the fire department that says they are prohibited, and I also found another reference from the state parks department that says you have to have a camping permit. My advice is for you to contact the Mauna Lani. Their beach is private in places, I believe, so maybe they can give you permission. If that doesn’t work, check with the concierge. He or she should be able to give you a definite answer, or maybe make arrangements for you. Just be aware that some beaches fall under the state, and some under the county, so who you need to get permission from will change from beach to beach. Good luck and congratulations!

Which Hawaii Island has the Least Tourists?

Hi, I am planning the vacation for two couples and we are having a difficult time deciding which island to go to. We definitely want to avoid Oahu and are considering Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. We are looking for sandy beaches and small communities of local folk with a few restaurants. Two people really want to go to the Big Island but I have heard that the beaches are few and far between and while we may be up for an adventure 2 or 3 days of the 7 most of our time will be spent on the beach. Is this true? I am nervous that Maui may have more tourists than we are willing to handle (coming from NYC and SF). Any advice would be much appreciated.

Well, yes, I think I would avoid Maui also. It’s a beautiful island, but most areas are pretty jam packed with other tourists. It’s following in Oahu’s footsteps. On the Big Island, the strange thing is, even though the beaches are few and far between, there is a stretch of road called the Kohala Coast that is dotted with one fantastic beach after another. Obviously the beach you’ll spend the most time at will be the one next to your hotel or rental, and if you stayed at a Kohala Coast hotel you would only have to drive 15 minutes or so in either direction to reach some of the nicest beaches in all of Hawaii like Beach 69, Kaunaoa Beach, and Hapuna Beach. There’s also A-Bay (Anaehoomalu), and Spencers Beach. However, on the Big Island, the adventures will be a far, far drive from Kohala. Also, there are no local communities really on the Kohala Coast :). There’s some Hawaiian Homelands up North of Kawaihae, and Waikoloa Village and Waimea are pretty local and nice and laid-back, but they are up the mountain and not near the beaches.

Now Kauai is practically just one big beach, and the east side will be pretty local and laid-back with nice beaches and a short drive to anywhere.

I don’t know, I don’t think you can go wrong with what you want if you avoid Maui and Oahu. I stayed at the Waikoloa Marriott on the Big Island last weekend (October) for a mom’s weekend out and we were practically the only people around at the pool and the shops. A lot depends on when you go too.

The Big Island’s Kohala Coast Hotels - Expensive but Worth It

Check Kohala Coast Hotels and Condos Prices and Availability

On the Big Island, the Kohala Coast is the most expensive and most luxurious area available with some of the nicest beaches in all of Hawaii. The coast itself is bordered by the Queen Kaahumanu (call it the Queen K) Highway and stretches from north of Kona to Kawaihae. It’s a road blasted through miles and miles of old lava. Some of the hotels were lucky enough to be placed on a little green oasis in all this lava with a natural beach. Some of the hotels blasted their own ground, shipped in a beach, and planted coconut trees that were already 20 feet high and grown on the Hilo side. Regardless, it almost never rains over here, but every hotel lawn is as green as a rain forest.

In my opinion, the best Kohala Coast Hotel is the Hilton Waikoloa Village - great for families and singles and romance and fun with waterslides, a tram, boats to take you to your room, and the dolphin quest program. This is barely a medium-snooty hotel, so if you want snootiness go to the Mauna Lani or the Fairmont or the Mauna Kea or the Four Seasons.

Kohala Coast Hotel Reviews
More Kohala Coast Hotel Reviews

Now, it’s hard to find Kohala Coast Hotels on the Internet, because if you don’t know the area you don’t know what to look for. Some online sites lump all these hotels under Waikoloa, but this is misleading, because even though a group of them have Waikoloa in the name, they really are several miles from Waikoloa Town. Waikoloa Town is no where near the water, so don’t expect a beach if you are actually staying in town. Some online booking and discount sites say these hotels are in Kamuela, but Kamuela is another name for Waimea, and Waimea is even farther away than Waikoloa, so I don’t know why they do that. In truth, no one city can be said to be near every Kohala Coast hotel.

Hawaii’s Big Earthquake on October 16th, 2006 - My Story

So, it’s not often that CNN and Fox News run a story about Hawaii all day. I’ve lived here for over a decade now and I’ve never seen the world pay attention to this state like that. Here’s what I have to say about last Sunday’s earthquake.

My family was staying in Volcano at the Kilauea Military Camp (KMC) within the national park. We had a three bedroom cabin we were sharing with another family - good friends of ours. There were 7 of us total, 4 adults and three children. Everyone was awake already except myself and my son. The shaking started just after 7 a.m. Most of us on the Big Island are used to earthquakes - they happen a lot, but usually are small and only last a few seconds. This one was big and lasted for a long time. 45 seconds I’m told. Since none of us expected it to last long we just stayed put. No one went for doorways or anything like that. I stayed in bed, my son actually stayed asleep, and everyone else stayed where they were. I won’t do that again - next time I’m going straight for a doorway.

My bed shook pretty good and the windows rattled in their frames. The TV slid across the counter. That was about it in Volcano. My husband came down to check on our house in Paradise Park after it and he said that a few videos fell on the floor and that was it. I wouldn’t be surprised if my earthquake-like son was really the cause of those videos being on the floor. So, here on the East side of the island not much happened. In Waimea, Hawi, and Kona, however, rock walls cracked and sinkholes shifted houses and foundations split and furniture was thrown about the room. It’s weird actually - usually we on the Hilo side get the damage from whatever is going on and Waimea, Kona, and Hawi are unaffected.

One neat thing is, my husband saw it coming. He was looking out the front door towards where the quake was centered. He saw the trees in the distance start shaking violently and opened his mouth to say “look at those trees” when the house started to shake. So, he saw the waves ‘travel’ through the ground before they made it to us.

Oahu lost power most of the day, while most of us on the Big Island lost power for only minutes. People on every island felt the quake - it was that big.

So, the earthquake was not big news for most of us in East Hawaii. Even so, the National Guard was going through my neighborhood this morning, looking for people with damage to report. I guess after Katrina the government has decided to go overboard.

We had a very violent thunderstorm on Monday night that was much worse than the earthquake, in my opinion. It lasted for 7-8 hours. We lost power for almost two days. Every telephone drop in my neighborhood was destroyed so we had no phone for almost 5 days and lots of people still have no phone. We had lightning hitting right in our yard numerous times and the thunder was so loud it literally shook the house like a 5.0 earthquake — every 30 seconds or so. It was terrifying. I got shocked when I touched my freezer, and one of my surge protectors melted. The storm seemed to have been worse near the coast and really centered right over 6th street here in HPP.

Quake discussion at Punaweb Forum

Storm discussion at punaweb

Recent Big Island Earthquakes Map

Which Island and Areas for Romantic Hawaii Vacation?

My husband and I would like to take a trip to Hawaii next summer. We’ve never been and there’s a good chance we might not go again. We are looking for a romantic trip (it’s our last vacation before we start having kids ) with a nice mix of beaches, being pampered at a resort, and activities like scuba diving (a must), hiking to waterfalls, and just getting out and enjoying the beauty of Hawaii.

We’ll most likely have 10 days and are flying from New York. Do you think we should do two islands? Which two would you recommend and which areas (not necessarily hotels) of those islands would you recommend we stay?

Well, congrats! on getting one more trip in before you have kids. I have a 3.5 year old and the trips are even better now because he is so incredibly enthusiastic and loving of everything - much more than we old people are anymore. It’s just magical to watch him on a waterslide or playing in the waves - it sometimes seems my heart will just burst from too much love but, of course there is that long period where it is hard to go anywhere and then when you do go somewhere YOU don’t get to do what YOU want to do - everything becomes for the child(ren). So, you have the right idea getting in a fabulous vacation for you while you still can!

Ok, in 10 days, lots of people do squeeze in two islands. Personally, I would be against this, but then I am more of a lover of getting settled in, relaxing, hanging out, reading, sitting still, etc. I find travel time to be a big drag. We live on the Big Island and last December we spent 7 days in Waikiki. We’ve been there dozens of times - my husband even lived there for several years, and we still found that we only had ONE day of relax on the beach and don’t do much of anything time. We had a bunch of things we wanted to do, and we found that 7 days just was not enough time — that’s another reason I wouldn’t want to do two islands. However, if you two are more like my husband - move, move, move, and move faster type of people, and you really want to see two islands, well, you’ll have to make that decision.

Ok, now onto WHICH island(s). The Big Island is probably out because there are only a few real waterfalls and they are all on the Hilo side (and you’d probably want to stay on the Kona side) and most of them aren’t really “hike to” types of waterfalls. We do have really fantastic scuba diving, but you can find that other islands too. Plus, the big drag about the Big Island is it’s just so BIG. You do a lot of driving here.

Well, there really is no one BEST island .. so this is pretty hard to tell someone. I’m getting an idea that you would like Maui best. If you decide on Maui I like the Wailea area for the best pamper-you resorts. Kaanapali and north of Kaanapali is also nice (napili, kahana). Maui has this fantastic “drive to Hana” where you can literally hike to a different fantastic waterfall every 20 miles or so. If you did Hana, staying overnight is good - then you can do the waterfalls in Hana too. For really good waterfall information, get the maui revealed book.

Oahu is nice too. A lot of people are really down on Oahu because Waikiki is soooo commercialized and the traffic sucks and there are literally a million people crammed onto this one little island. However, I like Waikiki, I like Waikiki beach, I like the North shore (which is NOT commercialized - very old Hawaii) and I like that Oahu is very big-city party all night kinda place. Not that I party all night, but Waikiki is literally the only place in Hawaii that is like this, so if that is what you want, there is your only option. Most of the rest of the state shuts down at 10pm and never even starts up on Sundays.

Kauai is also very nice. Much quieter than Oahu and Maui. Great hiking. The island is practically one humongous beach that just wraps around it with very sculpted and green mountains in the middle. Dry and hot in the south, wet and lush in the north. Windy and a bit more rainy on the east side, West side is uninhabitable - but the boat rides and hiking are great.

So, I don’t know how helpful this will really be for you. I don’t think you can go wrong with Maui, so maybe start thinking about it first unless something I said about Oahu and Kauai grabs you.

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