Fun Things to Do In Maui

May 24, 2010 by Lisa · 1 Comment
Filed under: Maui, Maui Activities, Vacation Planning 

by guest blogger, Hawaiian Joe

Maui is the second largest island in Hawaii and is considered by many the best island in the chain of islands. Even as kids, Maui beaches have always been famous, but beyond these pristine beaches, there is still a lot to explore to find out other fun things to in Maui. Also known as “The Magic Isle,” words fall short to describe all the things Maui has to offer. It is one of those things that you really have to see for yourself to appreciate fully the beauty and excitement of the island.

Drive to Hana

The first thing you need to do when planning a trip to Maui is to reserve at least a day trip for Hana, an underdeveloped tropical paradise that is isolated from the rest of the island in Maui. The drive to Hana Highway is known to be one of the best drives you will ever have in your life. It has 54 bridges within its 56 miles of winding lava shores, beaches, waterfalls, forests and old town. You have to make sure that you drive up to the summit of the Haleakala crater which will give you the best views of Maui you may not want to ever leave the place. So if possible, try to plan a few days in Hana so you can fully enjoy all the sites in that part of the island.

Swim, Snorkel, Dive

With 80 beaches and 120 miles of coastline, there is no way that you will not find yourself enjoying the water while in Maui. Even if you are not taking a dip in the water, relaxing in the shorelines with a tropical cocktail can still leave you in awe of the beauty of their beaches. The beach sands come in all variety of colors - gold, black, green, red and powder white.

If you are in the mood to enjoy being in the water, rent snorkeling gears and head to Kapalua Bay, known as America’s best beach, to marvel at the sight of several species of turtles and fish within the stretches of beach at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

Another good area for snorkeling is the Molokini, a beautiful underwater sanctuary for marine life within the partially sunken volcanic crater just off the coast of Maui. If you are feeling more adventurous, contact a diving tour operator and scuba dive around Molokini. The thirty-minute boat ride will lead you to see many species of fish, eels, mantras (which are a treat to watch), and in some cases even white tip sharks.

Hike, Hike, Hike!

Maui has wonderful trails for hiking enthusiast and first time hikers. You can choose from all sorts of different trails to fit your level and interests. You can hike a trail in a West Maui Mountain’s rainforest, within the 400-foot drop of the Waimoku Falls, along the Waihee Valley, or up into the summit of the Haleakala Volcano where you can view one of the world’s rare and endangered plants, the Silversword. Hikes are ranked as easy (for beginners), moderate or strenuous (for more seasoned hikers), so you can definitely find one that allows you to do something different without ruining the fun for you because you get physically exhausted.

Take it from the Top

So, after you have driven, swam, and hiked through Maui, you have to arrange for a helicopter tour of Maui so you can enjoy the magnificent beauty of Maui’s valleys, rainforest, waterfalls and shores. If you want another adventure, paragliding is another way to indulge yourself with the beauty of Maui (and perhaps cross another item off your bucket list). There is nothing like a bird eye’s view of the island to complete the image of Maui in your head.

The Fun Never Ends

There is an endless list of other things to do in Maui. You can go do the zipline at the Haleakala and Kaanapali’s West Maui Mountain. You can take the Kai Kanani to go whale watching during the winter time (November to April) and have a romantic sunset cocktail cruise. If you plan to learn how to surf, there is no better place than Maui to do so. Try parasailing if you are going to be there outside the whale season.

There are other ways to enjoy the islands, too, which do not require you to be in water or suspended on air. You can take a leisure walk around their old plantation towns, the historic preservation district of Lahaina, visit the Maui Ocean Center and the art museums, see a theatre performance at the Ulalena or Cirque Polynesia, and stop at the Tedeschi Winery upcountry to try some of Maui’s own wine. You can also rent a bike and have fun riding through the back roads and dirt tracks, or go even more off-road with a dune buggy.

A trip to Maui can never be too long. There are always things you can do on any given day, any time of the year - camping, shopping, dining, ocean rafting, frisbee golfing, hunting for deers, kiteboarding, windsurfing, and so on. But amongst all the things that you can do in Maui, there is one thing that you always have to make sure you do when in the island: attend a luau.

Attend a Sunset Luau

As with any other tour of Hawaii, you will have to make sure you attend a sunset luau during your stay in Maui. There are several places that organize Maui luaus, so you have to decide what kind you want to attend beforehand - there are intimate, romantic, family-friendly and all-out Maui luaus, and you can check with your hotel or travel agent where you can go to have the kind of luau you want. Make sure you have a big appetite when you go, and wear fun, tropical-colored clothes. A lot of tropical cocktails will be served, too, so you may have to designate a driver for transportation service to get you back to your hotel after all the dancing.

While all the other activities are wonderful and give you breathtaking experiences, the luau is still the most famous Maui activity you will definitely enjoy and, if done properly, will be the night that you will have the most fun in Maui.

Tags:

Cheap Hawaii Vacations

March 29, 2010 by admin-help · 1 Comment
Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Prices, Vacation Planning 

Aloha, if you are looking for cheap Hawaii Vacations, let me help you out. This is the online version of my ebook How to Save Thousands of Dollars on a Hawaii Vacation! Save Money on Hotels, Flights, Food, and Fun Things to Do.

Topics in this guide

Aloha!

Budget-Happy Times of the Year to Vacation in Hawaii

Airline fares fluctuate daily and accommodations prices go up and down, depending on many rooms are empty, but there are two times of the year you can count on saving money on your Hawaii vacation.

These are the travel seasons known as the “low season” and shoulder season.” For Hawaii these travel season are generally…

Low season: November to mid December and January to March Shoulder season: April to May and mid September to October. Peak season (when prices are highest): June to mid September and mid December to January.

As you may have noticed the Hawaii tourism seasons follow traditional school holidays. When the kids are out for summer vacation, spring break or winter holiday, airfare and hotel prices are at their highest.

So to get the best savings, take the children out of school and vacation during a low or shoulder season. They will learn a lot! If you’re not sure about that, take a look at all the cultural activities in my other ebooks, not to mention the science – marine biology at the aquariums and on the boat tours, volcano logy and lots more. If you’re on Oahu, take them to Bishop Museum!

Besides saving you hundreds, traveling during low and shoulder seasons makes it so much easier to book rooms and activities.

Save Hundreds on Airfare

Your biggest expense after lodging is likely to be airfare. Even when flying from the West Coast, most spend around $600 per person, round trip. A family of three could easily spend close to $2,000. From the East Coast, this family would likely spend around $3,000. This chapter shows how you can save over $1,000 just on airfare alone.

Flying during low season or shoulder season is one way to save hundreds on airfare. Here are some more cost cutting strategies…

Be Flexible with your Departure and Arrival Airport

If you are vacationing on one of the Hawaiian Islands other than Oahu, you will often save by booking a flight that takes you first to Honolulu International (HNL) where you’ll transfer to an inter-island flight. Most mainland flights go here first.

Generally you will save much more booking online. And a great deal of money can be saved if you are flexible with your departure airport. If you don’t find good fares from the airport nearest you, check a few others. Then compare the savings in driving to an airport that is farther away or flying from closer to home.

When comparing these costs, check out AirportParkingReservations.com. You can not only get good parking deals here, and you can also get Park/Sleep/Fly deals where you drive to an airport, park your car, get shuttled to a nearby hotel and then shuttled to the airport in time for your flight. This kind of service can save you money and headaches if you’re not flying from a nearby airport. If you just need a one way rental car to the airport, Expedia lets you do this.

The best fares are almost always found from Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco Airport (SFO), Portland (PDX), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), San Diego (SAN) and Las Vegas (LAS). I’ve seen roundtrip fares this past year at my favorite discount sites (I’ll show you them in a sec) as low as $250 from some of these airports.

Booking at Budget-Happy Websites

So to book your fight, here’s what I would do. Hawaii’s own airline, which scores very high in customer satisfaction, flies from the West Coast, Las Vegas and Phoenix, Arizona. They often have good deals, so if flying from one of those locations, I’d check their rates: Hawaiian Air.

I would also search the discount sites and compare. I like to search the discount sites also and compare to find the best possible deals. My favorites are Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire.

The more flexible you can be with your dates and times, the easier it will be to find good deals. Many mistakenly believe that the farther out you book, the better savings. Well, ok, this is true in most cases. But not with Priceline or Hotwire. With these two you can get fantastic last minute deals.

To get the deep discounts with Hotwire, you can choose a general time, but the specific time of the flights and the airline carrier won’t be revealed until after you book. This is also the case when bidding at Priceline, but I find the savings well worth it. At Hotwire you can save up to 40 percent. And at Priceline, using their bidding option, you can save around 50 percent.

Before bidding at Priceline, I look at the average fares for the general time period I want to travel and bid half of that. I also check at the bidding for travel forum to get an idea of accepted and declined bids. If you’re new to Priceline, be sure to read their “New to Priceline” page.

No matter where you are searching for airfare, remember that rates fluctuate from day to day, even from hour to hour. Fortunately, many of the booking sites have flexible search options so you can quickly skim through various fares in a general time frame.

Saving with Flyer Points

Another way to save money on airfare is to use a credit card that offers points for airfare. My husband and I used this strategy and it paid for my round trip ticket from Hawaii to the mainland. We chalked up points by using our credit card for things like our auto insurance and life insurance with the credit card, and then paying the whole thing off each month with a check to the credit card company. The key is paying off that monthly balance and using a credit card that has a good interest rate and low fees.

(Frequent Flyer programs are good money savers also, but if you don’t fly enough the points won’t help with your Hawaii vacation.)

For specific tips on saving money while flying from island to island, check out my free ebooklet, Hawaii Hopping for Fun! – Visiting more than one island in Hawaii the smart way. You can download it at http://www.hawaii-lisa.com/ or access it directly: http://www.hawaii-lisa.com/books/Island_Hopping.pdf

Get the Best Deals on Accommodations

**** Note, if you really want to save money on accommodations, consider camping. My friend Cindy has a lot of experience camping in tents and in Yurts on Oahu and thinks it’s the very best way to go: http://coconutroads.com/CampMalaekahana.html ******

——————-

Basically, I use the same booking sites for our family’s hotel rooms as I do for our airfare: Priceline, Hotwire, and Expedia. I also use Hotels.com

While you can find nice, 3-star budget hotels and sometimes even decent 2-star ones, why not use a discount site and get a 4-star for the same price? You’ll save hundreds while having an awesome vacation!

The discount sites often place the condos alongside the hotels, so for simplicity’s sake, I’ll just say “hotel.”

Bidding on Hotels

Like with airfare, when you bid on hotels at Priceline,you must be flexible. You can designate the rating level, but the exact hotel you will be buying if you win the auction will be a surprise until you are locked into purchasing it. It works about the same way at Hotwire for their deep discounts, except you’re not bidding. Before I use Priceline’s “Name your Price” or Hotwire’s “Deeper Discounts” I search for hotels I really like, check how they are rated there, and then input that star level when I bid (or purchase at Hotwire).

Also, before bidding at Priceline, I check the going rates for other hotels in the category I’m searching. Then I bid 50% of that. If the bid is rejected, I raise it $50.

I have personally bid and got a $55 room price 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.) These are truly mind-blowing deals when you look at the rack rates for these hotels. Even during low season in the recession, the lowest rate a the Waikoloa is $255 and most are over $300.

Finally, here are some good sites for vacation rentals and more condos:

VRBO Vacation Rentals by Owner What I especially appreciate about this site is I can search by the specific areas on an island, using their maps.

Home Away This one lists all kinds of properties – condos, vacation rentals, B&Bs, cottages, and so on. You can search by property type as well as criteria like budget and luxury, oceanfront, etc. Another thing I like here is that you can opt to have images show on your search returns (without needing to click through).

Hawaii’s Best Bed-and-Breakfasts now also offers listings of condos and vacation rentals.

Rental Car or Public Transportation?

There are two practical ways for vacationers to get around Oahu, Maui, Kauai or the Big Island: a rental car and public transportation. Oahu has excellent bikeways, but I wouldn’t advise limiting yourself to a bike for your entire vacation. And bicycling all over Maui, Kauai or the Big Island is just plain dangerous. So we’ll look at car rentals and the various public transportation services in this chapter.

Also if you or someone you’re traveling with has a disability, check out this resource guide, published by the State of Hawaii to help those with disabilities and health conditions to get around the islands. In some cases, their tips can save a great deal of expense.

http://www.hawaii.gov/health/dcab/docs/TravelHawaii.pdf

And for those in need of wheelchairs on Oahu, check out the free to rent, beach going, Landeez wheelchair at the Honolulu County site.

Renting a Car

This isn’t going to be a huge part of your vacation budget, but you can save around hundred bucks by shopping at these discount sites: Hotwire, Priceline (bid to save more, especially if close to your vacation dates) and Expedia.

I’ve consistently found the best rates at Hotwire (but do still compare). Searching on Dec. 17, 2009 for Jan 12, 2010 to Jan 19, 2010, I found: $13.95 daily or $142, weekly for a mid-size ($12.95 for a compact). Last month, searching less than two weeks out I found a compact for $8.95.

Public Transportation by Island

Unless you’re vacationing on Oahu, I recommend you get a rental car, but this section will outline the bus offerings on all four major islands.

Oahu Public Transportation

While you can find really good rates at the discount sites for rental cars, there are a couple other budget things to factor in when you rent a car: gas and parking. Waikiki must have the most expensive, difficult parking in the world.

When our entire family vacations there, we rent a car just because that’s what my husband likes to do. But when my son and I go alone, we take a shuttle to the hotel and use the bus and Waikiki trolley. And then sometimes I will rent a car for the day, just to go places that take too long to get to on the bus.

Oahu has a fantastic public transportation system, called of all things, The Bus. They’ve won several awards for America’s Best Transit System.

The Bus stops at practically every attraction on the island. I can’t think of any it doesn’t take you too except for the Pali lookout In Honolulu, a bus comes along around every 10 minutes, and outside Honolulu, they still stop regularly. I think the longest I waited was 30 minutes. So unless it’s the last bus of the day (for most routes, this is late at night), you needn’t worry about missing the bus.

You can tour the entire island for only a few dollars, or you could buy a monthly pass or a 4 day pass. A $25 four-day visitor’s pass ($10 for ages 6 to 17 and disabled, $5 for seniors).

So let’s say you have two adults and one 9-year old. That’s $120 for eight days. You can get a rental car for this amount, but when you add $10 + each day for parking, and gas at over $3 per gallon, The Bus is clearly going to save you some serious bucks. On the other hand, if there’s say four adults (none seniors), not so much.

My suggestion: add up the bus pass or fare prices for those you are traveling with and then compare to the best rental car rate you rate you fine, then estimate gas and parking (often around $10 per day at the hotels) and add.

In my opinion, The Bus works best for people staying in Waikiki or Honolulu since these are the central hubs - but a visitor staying practically anywhere on Oahu can take advantage of this. It also works well if nobody in your family likes to drive and all want to sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Now, a few logistics to consider. You cannot board with luggage. However, it’s really easy to catch a shuttle from the airport to your hotel – many hotels provide this at no charge. If they don’t, you will pay about $8 to $12 per person.

When you get to the airport, just pick up a courtesy phone at baggage claim for a shuttle or go out to the taxi flagger for a taxi. The Taxi will run you $30 to $40 to Waikiki.

If you’re going to utilize The Bus, check their site for a list of things you are allowed to bring on board – probably everything you’ll need to bring with you, unless you have a surfboard.

Waikiki Trolley This is a fun way to get around Waikiki but does cost more than The Bus. We like to ride it around at night, just for fun, but as far as buying a 4-day pass, I’d go with The Bus because it takes you all over the island and for less.

Maui Public Transportation

The Maui County funded bus system is way better than it used to be, but it’s still a far cry from Oahu’s bus. It’s commuter routes were created more with workers in mind than tourists, and to see if they go to places you want to go to and at the right times, you’ll need to download the schedule for each one separately. If you want to check them out, go to Maui County’s bus page.

The fares are good - from $1 each time you board to free, depending on the route. The commuter routes are in operation seven days a week and include: Haiku-Wailea, Makawao-Kapalua, Wailuku-Kapalua, Kihei-Kapalua and Wailuku-Kahului.

Big Island (Hawaii Island) Public Transportation

Because everything is so spread out on the Big Island, I really recommend you rent a car, unless you are going stay at a resort for the entire vacation and maybe take a day tour or two (but then the day tours are no way to save lots of money).

If you’re budget though is really tight, it is possible to see many of the island’s attractions via the bus, provided you plan extremely well. Unlike on Oahu, if you miss the bus here, chances are you are stuck.

In all fairness, the Hele On (means “to go” bus, Big Island’s County Mass Transit service, has come a long way. We now have more than one route! Actually there are 12 routes I think, and sometimes more than one bus per route.

Where can you get to on the Hele On? Many of the beaches, attractions, shopping centers and restaurants. You can even get to the Volcano National Park’s (but once dropped off at the Visitor Center, you’ll need to walk around the rest of the park, and it’s a big park.)

On a positive note the Hele On is free to use. You can check out the schedules, etc. at http://www.heleonbus.org/

If you are using the bus and are visiting Hilo Town and want to get around more efficiently within its urban area, check out the Shared Ride Taxi program at the bus page linked above. You can get door to door service for as little as $2. Not bad, considering the bus is free.

Bottom line though is unless you are really pinching pennies, I’d rent a car on all islands except Oahu.

Kauai Public Transportation

Unlike the other islands, there are many popular attractions on The Garden Isle that you cannot reach by bus, Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali trailhead for two. If you are going with a Na Pali boat tour, there might be a shuttle though. Kauai’s bus system is so small, I suggest you really do your homework on this and plan everything just right or rent a car. You can check out the routes at the Kauai County’s Transportation Agency.

And again the best deals for rental cars, in my opinion, are Hotwire, Priceline and Expedia, generally in that order.

Save Hundreds with Hawaii Vacation Packages

Now that we’ve looked at airfare, hotel and car rental deals…

While you can often get a better deal if you take the time to shop/bid for hotel, air and car separately, there are plenty of exceptions. So when you are on those discount sites, take a few more minutes to check out the vacation packages.

And of course, booking a package is more convenient – you can even include activities and dining, if you like the offerings. Personally, I prefer to leave my activity and dining options open rather than book them ahead of time. For this chapter, we’ll stick to the primary purpose of the ebooklet, which is to show you how you can save thousands on your Hawaii vacation.

Here is where I find the best deals on my vacation packages:

Note: For the best deals on vacation packages be as flexible as possible. For example, select “anytime” for flights and let them choose your car model and airline carrier.

Expedia is a vacation package leader on the Web. They are continually updating Hawaii packages, and when I can’t find a package with a hotel I want, I can almost always find it at Expedia just because they have so many! I always stop here first, check out the prices and then compare at the other sites. Another cool thing about Expedia – they are on the cutting edge of multiple destination vacations, and cutting edge is where it’s at for me.

So far, while Hawaiian Air offers multiple island packages, Expedia is the only major discount site I know of that lets you book more than one destination in a package. To date, you can include two islands.

Pleasant Holidays - They have several types of packages and lots of ways to customize (I like that!).

Hawaiian Air - As mentioned above, Hawaiian Air offers both mainland-Hawaii and inter-island “build your own package” deals. Unlike most airlines, Hawaiian Air also frequently has very competitive fares too.

Priceline – The best savings here are in the “Name your Price” option – bidding on hotels or airfare. You can’t bid on packages, but once in a while you still find a better package deal than elsewhere. Certainly worth checking.

Hotwire – As with Priceline, you’ll find the best deals closer rather than farther from your vacation dates. Still, this is a decent site for packages, and as you’ll see in my examples below can save you hundreds.

It may seem like a huge pain to do all this shopping around, but when you want to save thousands of dollars, you gotta make the effort. It’s well worth it believe me. Once it’s all booked, you get to enjoy Hawaii :-)

Vacation Package Finds

Just to give you some fresh examples, I searched today (Dec. 17 2009) for a hotel/air/car package. I entered the following criteria (just for example): Roundtrip from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL). Two adults, one child. Departing Jan. 12 2010. Returning Jan. 19 2010. 4-star hotel. And to get better deals, I left flight times and car model open.

And these are some of the deals I found…

Oahu

Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort

Hawaiian Airlines was the winner here: $2760 for the family of three. Expedia wasn’t far behind at $2786. Priceline,which doesn’t include packages in their “Name Your Price” (bidding) was the loser: $3750.

Outrigger on the Beach

Expedia wins with a $2451 package. Priceline was the priciest at $2835.

Waikiki Marriott

Priceline delivered here: $2358! Hotwire loses this one at $2756. Remember, like Priceline, Hotwire’s best discounts normally aren’t found in packages. Their “deep discount” search works best not only closer to departure but only for hotels and flights, each separately.

Turtle Bay Resort (on the North Shore)

That said – surprise. Hotwire had the hands down best rate here: $2809! Expedia wasn’t far behind with a $2826 package. These were $100 less than Pleasant Holidays and hundreds less than Hawaiian Air and Priceline.

Maui - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort

Pleasant Holidays had a waaay better price: $3433 for the family of three package. Expedia and Hotwire: $4076 and $4147.

Kauai - Marriott Kauai Resort

Priceline had the best deal here at $3283. Pleasant Holiday’s price wasn’t quite as pleasant: $3716.

Big Island (Hawaii Island) – Hilton Waikoloa

Priceline offered a really mind blowing deal at $2583! That’s only $123 per night, including air and rental car for my all time favorite Hawaii hotel :-) The total vacation when you add food and activities would be thousands less than a typical Hawaii vacation. Pleasant Holidays bombed at $3726.

So this gives you an idea of the type of prices you can get from package deals that include along with air and car, an amazing luxury hotel/resort (in my opinion).

Still, while you’re on these sites, also look at the hotels, air and car individually. At Priceline use that forum I mentioned earlier to check winning bids. I add these up to see if a package can beat the grand total. You can search for other star ratings too; it just so happens that our family favorites are all 4-star so that was my search criteria.

Saving Money on Fun Things to Do in Hawaii

Hawaii has lots of things to do that don’t cost anything or that cost very little. Take the beaches for example. All have free access to the public (except Hanauma Bay’s nominal fee). It costs nothing to enjoy the beaches, people watch, body surf, swim, relax…

Many of the cultural activities like the festivals are also free. To save big time opt for the more authentic choices. For example, Bishop Museum on Oahu is awesome. My family and I could spend all day in there because it’s that interesting and fun. And the entry fees here are far less than say the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Oahu has the lowest cost activities. Just by vacationing on Oahu instead of one of the other islands, you can save lots.

And here is a list of activities and places to see that are free or low-cost:

Historical/Cultural Places & Events - Each island has lots of places where you can learn about events that have made Hawaii what it is today from heiau (ancient temples) and Iolani Palace to Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona and USS Missouri memorials). And there’s almost always some sort of festival or another in Hawaii. Events are listed at GoHawaii.com.

Outdoors Recreation – Swimming, surfing, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, sunset cruises, dolphin and whale watching, strolling through botanical gardens and hiking can be done on all the islands.

On Oahu, watch the surfing championships on Oahu’s North Shore, take the kids to the Honolulu zoo and Waikiki Aquarium. On Kauai, hike the first (fairly easy) first two miles of the Na Pali Trail and/or checkout Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of the Pacific). On Maui, drive the Road to Hana. On the Big Island, visit Volcano National Park.

A&E - Hawaiian music and hula are easy to enjoy for free or the cost of a drink or two in places like Waikiki. On all of the islands, music and hula are performed at many of the parks, shopping centers and resorts’ public areas. If you’re into the visual arts, there are mesmerizing galleries and cool crafts shows on all the islands too.

The Hawaii Entertainment Book Activities Savings

One way I love to save money on activities is with the Hawaii Entertainment Book. If you decide to vacation on the Oahu or Maui, I recommend you get this because there are dozens of activities you can save money on with this coupon book. However, it’s not of too much use on Kauai or the Big Island generally. There are some coupons though. Check out my review where I list them. Using the book on Oahu or Maui for a week or two can save hundreds on activities.

The Go Oahu Card for Active Oahu Vacationers

I like the Go Oahu card available just for Oahu. I have bought it and used it. It is ONLY good for very active travelers though. The way I recommend you to use it is to get it for a portion of your vacation – like if your vacation is a 7 day vacation, get the 3 or 5 day card and do three or more activities on those days you use it, and do your relaxing (lounge around on the beach or snorkel or shop or hike) on days that you are not using it. Here’s my full review on it.

In my experience, it saves you money if you are doing 2-3 activities per day.

Take the Bite out of Hawaii’s Food Expenses

It’s really easy to save money on food in Hawaii if you don’t mind packing sandwiches for your outings and making use of a kitchenette for part of the vacation. Hawaii has a Safeway too, so you can make use of your Safeway card if you have one. Foodland is a good Hawaii based supermarket chain for saving money, and they will give you their discount card.

Some of Hawaii’s food cost 50% more than on the mainland, especially dairy (over $6 for a gallon of milk) and convenience foods like boxed cereals ($7 for a regular size box of Honey Nut Crunch). But the stores have sales on all of these items, and again, you can often save with your Safeway card, Foodland’s Makai card. You can also bring items like cereal and favorite snacks from home, and then use the empty luggage space on the way back for souvenirs.

Then to save money on dining out (you can’t go on vacation and prepare all of your own meals) I like to use the Hawaii Entertainment Book.

As mentioned in the “Activities” chapter, the coupon book works best for Oahu or Maui and can easily save you hundreds in food and activities.

On Oahu alone, there are at least $1000 worth of dining out savings! Pretty cool. See the available coupons here.

You can also save a lot also by eating local style. No poi required. Take the plate lunch for example. This is quite filling and normally costs about $7. Plate lunch wagons and take out restaurants offer many variations, but normally it includes a meat, such as teriyaki beef, one scoop of macaroni salad, and two scoops white rice. Many, like L&L Barbecue offers healthy substitutes, along with traditional fare.

Another way to eat more local style and save money is by shopping at the grower’s markets for island produce, cheeses and meats and fish. Hawaii has many grower’s markets. Kapiolani on Oahu is very popular and good. These are also great places to find souvenirs and gifts to bring home.

Save on Souvenirs

This is really easy if you shop like you would at home to save money. Walmart and Kmart have big souvenir sections, so if you go there and buy all your souvenirs you could save lots of money and time.

Then there are some of the Hawaii based venues where you can save on souvenirs. Hilo Hatties is one. They have really cute low-cost trinkets, plush toys and such. For clothing though, you’ll find Hawaiian wear at lower costs at the big box discount stores. Ross’ is also in Hawaii, and depending on the season, you can find lots of Hawaii tank tops and such here.

Oahu’s International Marketplace and Aloha Swap Meet still have good buys. And that’s about it. Really you can leave Hawaii with sacks full of fun and really nice souvenirs without spending the hundreds or thousands that the typical tourist family spends on shopping!

In Conclusion

Well, that’s a wrap. I think if you follow my tips, you and your family will save thousands on your Hawaii vacation. Remember to check my other free guides for more details on the individual islands. And have a fun vacation! Leave me a comment if you want to share any stories or ask any questions:

Aloha!

Tags:

First Time to Hawaii Vacations the Easy and Fun Way

March 22, 2010 by admin-help · 8 Comments
Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Vacation Planning 

So you are going to Hawaii for the first time! How exciting! You are going to have such a wonderful time. This is the online version of my ebook First Time Hawaii Vacations the Easy and Fun Way - How to Get to Hawaii, Where to Stay, and What to Do.

Topics in this guide

Aloha!

So you’re planning your first vacation to Hawaii…how exciting!
Before we get started, here are some Fast Facts about Hawaii.

  • Hawaii has two offiicial languages: English and Hawaiian, but English is primarily spoken. In casual conversation, Pidgin English is spoken among locals. The staff at hotels and most restaurants and activities all speak standard English to visitors (other than “aloha” and “mahalo.”)
  • Hawaii is our 50th state and is also known as “The Aloha State.”
  • The currency here is the U.S. dollar, major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, and there are lots of ATMs. Many businesses also accept traveler’s checks. If you’re a U.S. citizen, you won’t need a passport to visit Hawaii.
  • The average year-round, daytime temperature throughout the islands is 75˚to 88˚ F, with the Leeward (west) side of each island being on the warmer end of this range. Hawaii has but two seasons: summer and winter. Summer is from May to October and winter is from November through April. The only difference between the two seasons – winter is just a few degrees cooler and has more rain. Temperatures in Hawaii rarely drop more than 5 degrees at night. Upland temperatures are cooler, and there’s even snow on some of Hawaii’s mountain peaks, like the Big Island’s Mauna Kea in winter.
  • The Hawaiian Islands are all volcanic in origin and Hawaii is the youngest and most remote island chain on Earth.
  • Broadband Internet service is available at many hotels and Internet cafes.
  • Dress is casual and summery. For resorts and upscale restaurants, wear dressy casual.
  • Beautiful beaches can be found on each island. All beaches are free to use (except for Hanauma Bay Marine Preserve on Oahu). Water temperature averages around 74˚but gets closer to 80° on the Leeward (west) sides during Hawaii’s summer months.
  • Hawaii’s winter is whale watching season on all islands.
  • The time zone is Hawaiian Standard (GMT-10 hours), which is two hours behind Pacific Standard Time. When dawn is breaking here at about 6 a.m., it’s already 8 a.m in California. During Daylight Savings Time, which Hawaii doesn’t have, the islands are three hours behind the West Coast. Hawaii is five hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
  • All of the islands have beautiful beaches, nice hotels, wonderful restaurants (American, island and ethnic cuisine), and fun activities including snorkeling over coral reefs, dolphin and whale watching, golf, shopping, cultural events, sunset sails and more.

If you haven’t yet decided which island you will visit, this ebooklet will help you choose. First we’ll talk about how to get to Hawaii, then where to stay once you get here, and finally what to do when you’re here.

How to Get to Hawaii

Since the Hawaiian Islands are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (2500 miles from Los Angeles) you will need to fly to get here – even if you take a Hawaiian cruise, you will be flying to Hawaii first.

Here are the international airports in Hawaii – these all serve direct flights from the mainland: Honolulu International Airport on Oahu; Kahului Airport on Maui, Lihue Airport on Kauai, and on the Big Island: Kona International Airport at Kehaole and Hilo International Airport (Hilo sometimes has and sometimes does not have direct flights).

Booking Flights and Packages

Chances are when you book your flight or vacation package you will be placed on a flight to Honolulu International where you will transfer to an inter-island flight. Most visitors to Hawaii enter through Honolulu. These reservations are taken care of for you when you book your flight to your destination island(s). All of the United States’ major domestic carriers and 16 international carriers fly to Oahu.

You will almost always find the best fares during the Hawaii tourism industry’s low season: when kids are traditionally in school. In 2009, these fares hovered around $350 from the West Coast and around $700 from the East Coast during low season. During the summer and around the major holidays, fares tend to double.

So to book your fight, here’s what I would do. Hawaii’s own airline, which scores very high in customer satisfaction, flies from the West Coast, Las Vegas and Phoenix, Arizona. They often have good deals, so if flying from one of those locations, I’d check their rates: Hawaiian Air. I would also search the discount sites and compare. My favorites are Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire. Pleasant Holidays often also has good deals.

Booking your airline seats online saves you money. And the more flexible you can be with your dates and times, the easier it will be to find good deals. With the exception of Hotwire, you’ll get the best price breaks at least 2 weeks out, and with Hotwire you’ll do best booking within 2
weeks or less.

Speaking of Hotwire, you can get their regular low rates while specifying your hotel, airline/flight time and car model, but to get the deep discounts, you need to go with general times on flights, star rating on hotels, size of car, etc. And then after you purchase, Hotwire can give you the specifics. This has to do with agreements they have with their vendors.

The same sort of thing applies to bidding at Priceline – Whether booking a flight, hotel or car, you will be given general information but not the exact carrier, hotel name or car make/model. Before I place my bid there, I check the going rates for other hotels, flights, cars in the category I’m searching. Then I bid 50% of that.

The Priceline website will have a ticker of recently accepted rates in the area you are searching for that is helpful. And the bidding for travel forum is a big help too because here, people can post their accepted and decline bids. So that gives you an idea of how much to bid. If you’ve never bid at Priceline, be sure to read their “New to Priceline” page.

Sometimes you may want to book interisland flights separately, especially if you’re island hopping and find better deals this way. You can check prices with the following airlines:

Hawaiian Air, Go! and Mokulele airlines are pretty much equal in price (mostly around $60 one way in 2009), but with any given airline, fares can fluctuate widely from day to day and with the time of day.

Island Air is another choice if you don’t mind turboprop planes. These fly lower, offering better views. They fly into most of the islands’ major airports.

Again, you’ll get the best rates by booking online and being flexible with dates and times.

You can generally save more by shopping for your airfare separately from your hotel and car, but sometimes an air/hotel/car package deal is the better value. After you check airfares at discount sites like Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire, and at Hawaiian Air, (if applicable to your departure airport) click on their “vacation packages” tabs and compare.

Cruises

Hawaiian cruises don’t depart from the mainland. That would be just too much time at sea and with inclement weather. The main port for Hawaii’s cruise ships is located in Honolulu, so if you decide to take a cruise, you’ll be flying there. You can find these cruises by searching at the discount sites like Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire.

If you want to take a cruise, but you don’t want to spend your entire vacation cruising from island to island and taking day tours, you could start or end your vacation by staying at a hotel on Oahu or on the island that interests you most, which brings us to the next chapter…

Where to Stay in Hawaii

Hawaii has seven inhabited islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island (more so known as the Big Island) are the major ones. Molokai and Lanai are small, very rural and mostly visited via Maui’s ferries. Tiny Ni’ihau off Kauai is privately owned and only a few tours (highly supervised) are allowed. We’ll be focusing on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.

Which Island?

It can be hard to choose! To help you decide, here’s an overview of each island with its major highlights.

Oahu - The Gathering Place

Oahu, the most visited of the Hawaiian Islands, is home to the state capital and the well developed city of Honolulu with its Waikiki Beach. Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head are here too. So is the famous North Shore with the world championship surfing contests. Oahu has more easily accessible beaches than any of the other islands, and the multitude of attractions, cultural shows, nightclubs, events, activities and people makes Oahu a good bet if you want to do a lot and enjoy the high energy of crowds. If you want a quiet moment or scenic beauty, Oahu also has some nice beaches and waterfall hikes away from it all.

Maui – The Valley Isle

The second most popular island with visitors is well-known for its beautiful beaches, “Heavenly Hana Highway” and Lahaina Town. Maui’s beaches are one of the reasons this island is so often voted among or as the best in the world. Maui has more swimmer-friendly beaches than any of the other islands. Lahaina Harbor is most famous for its whale watching cruises. While the Humpbacks hang out around all of the Hawaiian Islands from December through April, they favor Maui and are easy to see here even from the highway with binoculars. Maui is also famous for its dormant and quite huge and scenic Haleakala Crater and the amazing sunrises up there, and it is second only to Oahu in arts & entertainment.

Kauai – The Garden Isle

The oldest of the inhabited islands, Kauai offers the most scenic wonders including the deeply sculpted, towering cliffs of the Na Pali Coast and the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon. Kauai’s scenery is featured in many movies and television shows – South Pacific, Blue Hawaii (Coco Palms scenes), Gilligan’s Island, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Lilo and Stich, and about 95 more. Kauai also has more white sand beaches than the other islands. The Garden Isle is the smallest of the four main Hawaiian Islands (only 550 square miles) and there is one main road, so to stay out of gridlock, you need to avoid before and after work traffic. Other than this, it is easy to get away from the crowds on beautiful Kauai. If you’re looking for mostly outdoors fun and a laid back atmosphere, Kauai just might be the perfect island for you.

Hawaii Island (Big Island) – Volcano Isle

Hawaii Island is larger than all of the other inhabited Hawaiian Islands put together, so to avoid confusion with its namesake, the state of Hawaii, it is called the Big Island. While each of the main Hawaiian Islands is quite diverse, the Big Island has 11 of the 13 world’s climate zones (it’s only missing the arctic and sahara).

The Big Island is best known for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with its active Kilauea Volcano. When conditions are right you can see the lava from a land viewing site, and the rest of the time there’s almost always viewing by helicopter or boat. It is the youngest of the islands and the volcano continues to create new land. This is why the Big Island has so many black sand beaches. Other famous attractions include Mauna Kea, the world’s tallest mountain (counting from beneath the sea to its snow capped peak) with the largest telescopes in the world, a green sand beach, Kona’s world class deep sea fishing and the famous Kohala resorts.

Where on the Island?

Climate – Leeward & Windward

Each island has a Leeward and Windward side. In Hawaii, the prevailing winds blow east to west (trade winds), and the mountain ranges prevent the Leeward sides (that face west) from getting the full results of these winds. So the Leeward sides are sunny and dry, while the Windward sides get more rain, are lusher and a bit cooler. Along with the Leeward side, the southern ends of the islands are also sunny and dry. Conversely, the northern ends are greener and slightly cooler.

Main Areas for Hotels & Condos

Oahu - The best place to stay in my opinion is Waikiki. This could be that being from Hilo where that’s not a lot to do, I really appreciate the high energy and offerings of Waikiki. This is the major hotel area of Oahu also. The weather’s almost always perfect, and if you don’t plan on leaving Waikiki much, you don’t even need a car. If you more interested in the North Shore, there’s the Turtle Bay Resort and lots of nice condos and vacation rentals.

Maui – One of my favorite areas to stay on Maui is at Kaanapali, just a few minutes north of Lahaina. Here luxury hotels line a long stretch of golden sand beaches on Maui’s upper Leeward side. South of Lahaina, Kihei offers lots of choices in condos as well as pretty, white sand beaches. Kihei is also quite crowded. Some of the best bed and breakfasts are found in upcountry Maui, which is very picturesque with its rolling green hills, flower and produce farms and awesome views of the coast. Hana isn’t a place to go to for hotels, but it’s a beautiful drive.

Kauai – The Garden Isle has three major places to stay: Princeville, which is secluded on the lush and incredibly beautiful North Shore near the Na Pali; Poipu on the beach lined sunny and arid South Shore, close to Waimea Canyon; and the Coconut Coast on the Windward side with its coconut lined roads, golden sand beaches, and the popular Coconut Marketplace.

Big Island – The Kona and Kohala areas on the Leeward side are where you’ll find the most and best hotels. Kona has more budget hotels and condos than Kohala, and Kohala as the most awesome luxury resorts, including the Four Seasons and the Waikoloa Hilton. Both of these areas have mostly sunny days. Kohala is the driest area on the island and has the best beach on the island, Hapuna Beach. Kona beaches are small pockets of sand and rock, but Kona has the most things to do on the island. Hilo on the Windward side is closer to the volcano and has beautiful gardens, but it’s lacking in hotel choices (my favorites are listed in the Big Island guide).

Which Hotel

Once you’ve decided on the island you want to visit and what part of the island you’d like to stay on, you can search for accomodations in these areas. Types of accomodations you can easily find include hotels, resorts, condos, vacation rentals and B&Bs.

Here are some good sites for conducting vacation rental and condo searches:

VRBO Vacation Rentals by Owner What I especially appreciate about this site is I can search by the specific areas on an island, using their maps.

Home Away This one lists all kinds of properties – condos, vacation rentals, B&Bs, cottages, and so on. You can search by property type as well as criteria like budget and luxury, oceanfront, etc. Another thing I like here is that you can opt to have images show on your search returns (without needing to click through).

You’ll also find condos at the air/hotel/car discount sites like Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire. And you can find B&B’s as well as condos at Hotels.com.

Besides browsing the results at these sites, you can search by specific hotel or property if you know what to look for. For the best properites I have found in Hawaii and organized into categories, like “best for families,” “most romantic,” and so forth, check my ebooklet guide to the island you want to visit. If you haven’t done so yet, you can download them (these are free also) from my Hawaii Guide Books page.

Another way to search for hotel deals is to start with a hotel brand that sounds really good to you. And then check both the hotel chain’s site for deals and enter it into the search at the discount sites to compare.

My favorite hotels in Hawaii almost all happen to be part of chains. On the Big Island: it’s the Hilton Waikoloa. On Oahu: the Waikiki Hyatt, the Hilton Hawaiian Village and for family/budget: the Waikiki Banyan. On Maui, it’s the Wailea Marriott, and on Kauai, the Kauai Beach Resort and the Grand Hyatt.

Hawaii’s Most Popular Brand Name Hotels

Note:(Don’t pay rack rates – use this list to look for specials and when searching the discount sites):

Outrigger Hotels, This classic Hawaiian chain has both hotels and condos on Oahu and the Big Island, and it has condos on Maui and Kauai. Voted by Travel & Leisure magazine to be among the top family-friendly hotels in the United States. Budget to luxury.

Hilton Hotels and Resorts, grand and luxurious. The Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island with its Dolphin Quest program is my favorite hotel of all time. And there’s two on Oahu.

Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, The Hyatts are also quite grand – large pools, expansive beaches, and big price tags. There’s one on Oahu, one on Kauai, and one on Maui.

Seaside Hotels, These are all close to the ocean, and *very* inexpensive. Of course, you will give up some amenities, but if you are looking for cheap on Maui, Kauai and/or the Big Island, you’ve found it.

Aston Hotels, These range from budget to luxury and are on Oahu, Maui, Kauai on the Big Island. Be aware that some of the Astons in Waikiki are just barely still in Waikiki - but these are still only about four blocks from the beach, and can save you big money.

Marriott Hotels and Resorts, These are all luxury hotels. There are three on Oahu, two on Kauai, one on the Big Island, and one on Maui.

What to Do in Hawaii

No matter which island you visit, you can expect to find many interesting and fun things to do. Here are activities popular on all the islands, followed by activities specific to each island.

Historical Sites & Cultural Events

History - Hawaii is steeped in history and legend from when centuries ago the first Hawaiians landed their canoes at South Point on the Big Island, to Captain Cook’s discovery of the islands and later the formation of the Hawaiia Kingdom by King Kamemehameha, the missionary era, the overthrowing of the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaii’s statehood and Pearl Harbor. Each island has historical sites and tours that give insight into the many events that make Hawaii what it is today from heiau (ancient temples) to Iolani Palace on Oahu.

Cultural Events - Traditionally the Hawaiian people love festivals and so does the state of Hawaii. The most popular and significant of these events are the state-side Aloha Festivals and the Big Island’s Merrie Monarch Hula Competition and Festival. You’ll find events listed by island at GoHawaii.com, the State’s official website.

More Fun - The following activities are popular on all four of the main islands: surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, golf, deep sea fishing, horseback riding, sunset cruises, dolphin and whale watching, cultural/historical tours, relaxing on a beach, going to luau and last but not least sight seeing. You’ll also find Hawaiian music everywhere (lots of free concerts), nightclubs, fantastic restaurants, craft festivals, great shops and lots more to do.

Most Awesome Things to Do on Each Island

Note: See the individual guides (again free at Lisa-Hawaii.com) for lots more recommendations – this is just to give you an introduction.

If you decide to vacation on the Oahu or Maui, I recommend you get the Hawaii Entertainment book. However, if you will just be on Kauai or the Big Island, it won’t be much good for you.

You also might be interested in the Go Oahu card if you are staying on Oahu.

Oahu – As mentioned previously, Oahu has tons to do! For starters there’s the Bishop Museum and Iolani Palace for those interested in Hawaiian culture and history. Also there’s Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona and USS Missouri memorials), the Polynesian Cultural Center, Wild Side Specialty Tours (swim with dolphins), learning to surf at Waikiki, watching the pros surf 20 foot waves on the North Shore, taking a sunset Waikiki sail, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay Marine Preserve, kayaking at Kailua Bay, hiking Diamond Head and strolling through gorgeous botanical gardens. And also just walking around Waikiki and taking the trolley at night is good fun!

Maui – Drive the Hana Highway and stop along the way to hike into waterfalls, taking the downhill bike ride from Haleakala (woohoo!). Better yet, take the downhill bike ride after catching the sunrise at the crater! More awesome things to do: stroll through historical Lahaina, attend the really fantastic Old Lahaina Luau, watch the whales, watch the kids play in the fantasy pool at the Grand Wailea Marriot, take a snorkel tour at Molokini Crater, take the short ferry ride to Molokai or Lanai… On Molokai, ride a mule to the Kalaupapa Peninsula. On Lanai, scuba dive n the cathedrals or four wheel up the Munro Trail. Back on Maui, explore the Iao Needle area and its Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens. Save time for Maui’s beaches!

Kauai – Enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Na Pali from a boat, helicopter or hiking trail. Take a look at Waimea Canyon, the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Play at Poipu Beach with the kids. Go snorkeling at Ke`e. Take the cheesy but fun and scenic Smith Family boat ride up the Wailuku river to the Fern Grotto, a natural amphitheater where the “Hawaiian Wedding Song” is performed. Dozens of movies have been filmed amidst Kauai’s stunning scenery, so the Hawaii Movie Tours are pretty popular. And if you’ve always wanted to learn how to stand up paddle (a combination of surfing and paddling) you can learn on the calm waters of the Wailuku River.

Big Island – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the number one Big Island attraction and one on my favorites list too. It’s got history, culture, a science museum, an active volcano and wonderful hiking. Outside the park, watch lava flow into the sea from the Kalapana viewing area or from a helicopter or boat. Go to a green sand beach. Check out the turtles at Punalu`u Black Sand Beach. In Hilo view lovely botanical gardens and drive up the Hamakua Coast, stopping at Akaka Falls State Park to view the 400-foot falls. Head on to Waimea and the sprawling Parker Ranch. In Kohala, enjoy two of the world’s most beautiful beaches: Hapuna and the Mauna Kea Beach, and check out the dolphins at the Waikoloa Hilton. In Kona, take a snorkeling cruise at Kealakekua Bay and have a world-class deep sea fishing adventure.

In Conclusion

Now that you have an overview of what to expect on your Hawaii vacation, remember to check my other free guides for more details on each island and specialty topics like “Saving Thousands on your Hawaii Vacation” and “Island Hopping.”
And have a fun vacation!

Aloha,

Lisa

Tags:

Hawaii; How to Get From One Island to Another

March 17, 2010 by admin-help · 4 Comments
Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, Prices, Vacation Planning 

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to Hawaii that will take you to more than one island – good decision. I’m really excited for you!

island hopping cover If you already know exactly what islands you want to visit, this is the perfect guide for you because it provides the “How.” This is the online version of my ebook Hawaii Hopping for Fun! Visiting More than One Island in Hawaii the Smart Way

If you haven’t yet decided on your destination islands, you can learn more about each island and saving money on them by reading my free guides to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.

Topics in this guide

Brief info about each island: Oahu (Waikiki island) has the most things to do, Kauai is known for its amazing scenery and endless, pristine white sand beaches, Maui has the Hana Highway and the best whale watching, and the Big Island is most known for its active volcano and its Kohala resorts.

The two tiny islands of Molokai and Lanai are quiet, mostly rural and have their own treasures – Molokai is best known for its mule rides to Kalaupapa and Lanai for its excellent diving. These two islands are typically visited for day or overnight tours via boat excursions from nearby Maui.

All of the Hawaiian Islands have wonderful beaches and climate. Most visited in order: Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai.

How to Visit the Other Hawaiian Islands Overview

There are many ways to visit more than one island:

  • Book each leg of your journey yourself: airline reservations from mainland from island to island, lodging, car rentals, and activities.
  • Book a hotel/air/car vacation package.
  • Book only air/car through a discount site, and reserve your accommodations with the hotel itself or a timeshare, etc.
  • Use one or more of the above methods and then a tour company for day or overnight island tours.
  • Use the services of a travel agency company to book everything from air to activities.
  • Stay on Oahu and spend part of your vacation on a 7-day Island to Island Cruise out of Honolulu.
  • Combine some of the above into a package that you create.

Lots of choices! To help you plan the best Hawaiian vacation ever, I’ve broken all this down into the following chapters.

Remember when planning your island hopping that it takes time to pack, unpack, and wait at airports (the flights themselves are pretty short – most around 30 minutes). I don’t like to recommend more than one island for every 5 to 7 days in Hawaii, because that is too much packing and being at airports for my taste within that time period.

I do outline some options in this guide for those who can’t/don’t want to spend this long on a given island. Either way…The bottom line is if you make your priority having plenty time to relax and enjoy your vacation (rather than checking off a “things to see and do list” as fast as you can), you can make this your best Hawaii vacation ever!

I frequently do the research and the math, and normally, on a Hawaii vacation you save money when booking a package that includes your flight, car, and hotel compared to booking each of these separately.

But sometimes for various reasons it works out better to book separately. You may want to customize more. Some own a timeshare on one island or want to stay at places that the packages don’t include. Or you could just end up finding better deals through specials offered by the hotels, airline (most likely Hawaiian), etc.

So we’ll start by looking at the individual booking options and then move on
to tours and packages.

Booking Your Flight, Hotel and Car Independently

Booking your Flight – General Information

Which Airports are Best?

Oahu - Easy. There’s one major airport: Honolulu International HNL.

Maui - For flying directly from the mainland, there’s one choice: Kahului (OGG). You can also island hop to Kahului. This is located in Central Maui and is just a few minutes from the beginning of the Hana Highway. It’s about an hour Lahaina and Kaanapali. Kapalua (JHM) is located near Lahaina and Kaanapali, is closer to Kihei and serves inter-island flights. If you’re planning on visiting various areas of Maui, go with the best airfare prices, otherwise take into account time and gas.

Big Island - Whether just island hopping here or flying direct from the mainland you have two choices: Kona Keahole International Airport (KOA) and Hilo International (ITO). If the Volcano National Park is the epicenter of your Big Island visit, know that Hilo’s much closer (about 45 minutes opposed to 2 1/2 hours from KOA).

Airfare Prices

Generally, you’ll get the best fares for times when the kids are in school: from the West Coast around $350 and East Coast around $700. Prices almost double in the summer and around the major holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and spring break.

With the exception of Hotwire, you’ll get the best price breaks at least 2 weeks out, and with Hotwire you’ll do best booking within 2 weeks or less.

You’ll almost never save buying directly from the airlines, except for Hawaiian Air. They serve several West Coast airports, as well as Phoenix Arizona and Las Vegas. They also have inter-island services and often have special deals.

If you’re staying on Oahu for part of your vacation, you will usually save by making this the destination for your mainland flight, although increasingly there are very good fares to be found to and from Maui. Flying direct to the Big Island and Kauai often costs the same as if you flew to Oahu and then took an inter-island flight.

Booking Your Island Hopping Flights

When you book your own inter-island flights, you can choose from major airlines, Hawaiian Air and Go!, as well as Mokulele (now a partner of Go!) and airlines with smaller planes.

Hawaiian Air and Go! airlines are pretty much equal in prices. Their fares have been running around $60 one way when you book online. Hawaiian Air has a more user friendly site (I think), and they do consistently earn high marks for their customer service. My general opinion about these two is to book with whichever one is most convenient for you.

Keep in mind that fares can fluctuate widely with the time of day. For example, searching Hawaiian Air for Dec. 3, 2009, Honolulu to Hilo, I found $58 one way fares for early morning, late morning and some afternoon and evening, while a few of the other flights in the afternoon, evening and around 8 a.m. were $104 one way. Big difference there! Seats generally cost less during the times of day that local commuters are least likely to travel.

Inter-island fares don’t go up as much around holidays as mainland fares – unless you’re traveling on the holiday or the day before or after. For example, searching for fares on Dec. 21, 2009 for Honolulu to Kahului, Maui at Go! Airlines, I found several $64 ones, but fares for Dec. 24, 2009, except for two in the evening were $84 to $220. Note, when using Go! In order to get varying times and their fares, you need to check “flexible dates.”

Mokulele which entered a partnership with Go! in October provides a more user-friendly site. Here you can search by date and get varying hours, like at Hawaiian. Checking fares for the same day and flight from Honolulu to Maui on Mokulele, fares varied from $58 to $79, and morning flights were still available (searching on Nov. 20) for December 24 at $58.

When you’re island hopping you don’t necessarily need a round-trip ticket, and none of these three airlines require that for these one-way prices.

Island Air has a fleet of 37-seat turboprop planes. I flew with them to Molokai and the plane was *small* and the views are awesome because they fly lower than the jets used by Go!, Hawaiian and Mokulele. Island Air has an outstanding reputation for reliability and safety, and their fares are comparable. The only drawbacks I see are that they don’t fly into Hilo and they don’t have as many flights.

Checking fares from Honolulu to Kona for Dec. 21, 2009 (the same day I checked for Hawaiian Air above), the search returned a 1 p.m. flight for $64, which is about where their regular fares generally start and is the same as some of those for the Dec. 21 HNL to Hilo Hawaiian Air flight. That was the only flight with empty seats. Island Air compared well to the others for holidays, with a morning and afternoon Christmas Eve day flight, each at $64. Like its competitors, Island Air offers specials from time to time.

When booking your flights with any of these airlines, you will save by booking online.

Booking Your Mainland – Hawaii Flight

If you’re flying from the West Coast you will often find the best deals with Hawaiian Air. I just checked and found some December $259 roundtrip fares for LAX – HNL. Since they fly inter-island too, you could book all your flights with them if the price and times are right.

I like to search the discount sites also and compare to find the best possible deals. My favorites are Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire. This year, I’ve seen fares as low as $250 – roundtrip. Remember the best deals at Hotwire are found within a couple weeks of departure, just the opposite of the other sites. My free island guides go into a lot more detail on mainland flights.

Booking Your Rental Cars

Again I like to search at Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire.

When I bid on rental cars (or anything) at Priceline I usually start at about 50% of the normal low rates for that time of year. That could mean bidding at $8 to $15 per day.

Sometimes you’ll find a good deal with the actual car rental company because they often run specials. All of the major car rentals are in Hawaii and can quickly be found online.

Booking Your Hotel

Booking Your Hotels through Discount Sites

Shopping for travel reservations through Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire is a fantastic way to save money on hotels! I detail this in my free island guides and include in these the best deals I found for specific hotels and condos.

Hotel Chains

Usually a chain’s hotels will be pretty consistent in their offerings, and you will only need to deal with one company for all your island accommodations.

You can often find good deals when the hotels are most hurting for visitors. Here are a few to get you started:

Outrigger Hotels, This classic Hawaiian chain has both hotels and condos on Oahu and the Big Island, and it has condos on Maui and Kauai. Check for specials like “4th night free.”

Hilton Hotels and Resorts, grand and luxurious. The Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island is my favorite hotel of all time. And there’s two have two on Oahu.

Seaside Hotels, These are all close to the ocean, and *very* inexpensive. Of course, you will give up some amenities, but if you are looking for cheap on Maui, Kauai and/or the Big Island, you’ve found it.

Aston Hotels, These range from budget to luxury and are on Oahu, Maui, Kauai on the Big Island. Be aware that some of the Astons in Waikiki are just barely still in Waikiki - but these are still only about 4 blocks from the beach, and can save you big money.

Note that many of the Hawaii hotels offer room/car and even room/car/flight packages, but do compare to see if the deal is really a good one.

Island Hopping Fun By Boat

Inter-Island Cruising

Honolulu is the main port for Hawaii cruises. A popular and lower cost one is the 7-day “Pride of Aloha” offered by Norwegian Cruise Line. Check the discount booking sites too. The lowest fares I found today were in January: about $600 for inside cabins and $700 for ocean view. I found these prices at the NCL site, Hotwire and Expedia. Bidding on Priceline, you might even do better.

While taking a cruise doesn’t follow my “no less than 5 days per island” preference, the advantage here is that you’re not packing and unpacking and waiting at airports with each new island you visit. You stay in the same room and go on day trip tours. The drawback may be (considering on your preferences) that you spend more time at sea than on the islands. Too see more of the islands, I recommend spending the rest of your vacation on a favorite island or two – even more convenient if Oahu is one of them!

Tip - If you’re not into the tour/activity add-ons offered by the cruise, check out one of tour companies listed later or tour coordinators like Shore Trips.

Maui Cruises

Because Maui is so close to its sister islands of Molokai and Lanai (all one county too), you can easily find one-day and overnight cruises. Many of these are specialized: snorkeling, scuba diving, whale watching and fishing are all very popular. You can find these by searching online, but they are too small to be offered through the large discount sites.

From Maui – Molokai and Lanai Ferries

Lahaina Cruises has ferries to Molokai, Monday through Saturday. It’s about 90 minutes to Molokai on their Maui Princess, a 100-ft yacht, and depending on which cruise you take you’ll arrive around 7 or 9 a.m. The ships back to Maui depart at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., so you’ll have an entire day on Molokai. You only have to check in about 15 minutes ahead of time. So what do you do when you get off the boat? Well Lahaina Cruises offers rental car packages, but these are pretty spendy at $207 for driver, $90 each additional adult and $45 for each child, and they also offer guided tours ($207 per adult and $144 per child).

Otherwise, one way it’s about $52 per adult and $26.20 per child.

If you want to save money, you could book a car yourself (or four-wheel)and if you wanted to stay overnight, a hotel, and then plan your own activities (maybe one of those famous Molokai mule rides). The Molokai Visitors Association site can help with all this.

The Maui – Lanai ferry operates seven days a week with five departure times from Lahaina Harbor, and it takes about 45 minutes. Rates are one way $30 per adult and $20 per child. They also offer a variety of packages. Lanai is most popular with scuba divers and hunters. For more information about Lanai and possible day adventures, here’s their official visitors site.

And here’s my portal page to my Molokai and Lanai reviews and articles.

Best Tours for Island Hoppers

While I do recommend staying at least 5 days on each island you visit, if you really want to make more island hops than this allows, there are day-tour providers that will book your flight, pick you up at the airport, whisk you off for the tour and get you back on time for your return flight. Many also offer the same service only for overnight tours in which they also book your hotel. Generally, you will spend more this way then booking your own flight and activities with smaller businesses.

For example, Polynesian Adventures is offering a one-day Big Island Volcano tour on the Big Island for $252 per adult. If you booked your own inter-island flight, you’d spend about $130 air fare, and about $30 for a one-day rental car (without the weekly rate discount), plus gas, but you’d not be paying extra for each person in the car. I found one for $25 at Expedia when checking for a return time late enough to allow for after dark lava viewing.

So in this case the tour prices don’t really justify themselves, not if you’re just looking for lower cost. However, sometimes you do find good deals with these tour companies. I’ve often seen activities such as luau for less than at the venue. And if you want to relax and let the tour guide take care of everything (and the departure time works for you – some leave reeealy early as in pre-dawn), this may be the way to go for those short island hops.

The following tour companies can arrange your tour/activities, air, car (if you’re staying longer and want to do some of your own exploring) and hotel if you’re staying overnight.

  • Roberts Hawaii, One of the biggest and oldest tour companies in the islands offering day tours and overnighters to Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Check out their “island hopping” tours, like the Hana one (not everyone wants to drive that road!).
  • Polynesian Adventure Tours, Another large tour company, offering two different tours on each of the outer islands, plus options from each of the outer islands to another island. Check their “One Day Fly Away Tours’ and their “Overnighter Packagers.

Best Island-Hopping Package Deals

As with individually booked hotels, air and car rentals, it pays to be flexible. If for example, the search has an option under times of day for “anytime,” selecting this can make a huge difference in prices you see.

Hawaiian Air has inter-island “build your own package” deals. After clicking on “vacation packages” scroll down to the bottom of the form where it has an “options” link. Just to check current deals and offer you an example, I built one for two persons that included 7 nights in Waikiki and 5 in Kona on the Big Island. The search returned the Hilton Hawaiian Village for Waikiki and my favorite hotel, the Waikoloa Hilton, for Kona (It’s on the Kohala Coast just above Kona).

The total was $2167 per person (including tax). There are links under the hotel room rate charts to click for alternative hotels. So I tried the newly renovated, 3-star Waikiki Aqua Wave and kept the Waikoloa on the Big Island. This brought my grand total down to $1798 per person (taxes included) for the 2 week island hopping vacation, including all air fare, hotels and rental cars. They also offer activities to add if you wish, such as a volcano helicopter tour for $211, but I found a special at the Blue Hawaiian site for $183 (They’ve been featured in National Geographic and have an excellent safety record).

Be sure to select “multiple destinations” for these island-hopping packages and after you add your last destination click to add “return flight” information, inserting your mainland airport so that it makes it a round trip.

Panda searching with the same dates, general locations and the two adults as at Hawaiian, I was offered a $1784 package; however the hotels were both 2-star only and one of the two was in Hilo, about a 2-hour drive from the Kona airport.

So, underneath each hotel, there’s a link to view alternatives. While it reads “view others in Hilo” it did return several for Kona. I upgraded to the 3 1/2 star Outrigger Keahou Beach Resort in Kona and to the Outrigger’s Ohana Waikiki West on Oahu. Grand total: $2079 per person (taxes included), so almost $300 more than the Hawaiian package and no Waikoloa Hilton or any 4-star hotels offered this time for that matter . Do compare though because prices change with dates your checking.

Pleasant Holidays – On the good side, they have lots of customizing options. For example, next to each hotel there are alternative hotels and the savings or increased spending for each one is listed and you can click through to detailed descriptions. This all makes comparing and customizing your package easier. A major drawback though is they don’t have an “anytime” search option, and if a flight time isn’t available, they don’t give alternatives.

You have to guess, changing your search each time. The site was very slow and kept crashing my Firefox. After several attempts, I lost patience.

Expedia – So far, this is the only major discount site I know of that lets you book more than one destination in a package. They allow two. For the best deals, select “anytime” for flights. This isn’t the default. So comparing to what I found with Hawaiian Air and Panda packages, Expedia gave me a 3-star hotel in Waikiki and the 4-star Waikoloa Hilton on the Big Island Expedia with air and cars for the grand total: $3870 per person (taxes included). So, you’re paying more for the good hotels and you’re getting the good hotels.

Tags:

The Complete Maui Vacation Guide

March 2, 2010 by admin-help · 2 Comments
Filed under: Hawaii - general, Maui, Vacation Planning 

So you are planning a vacation to Maui! This is the Complete Maui Vacation Guide, which is the online version of of my free ebook,
Plan Your Best Vacation to Maui Ever; Where to Stay and What to do on Maui.
plan best vacation to maui ever cover
Topics in this guide

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to Maui –

Congratulations! You are going to have SUCH FUN! First, you’ll be flying in to Kahalui (OGG), and you may be able to find a direct flight from your city or at least the west coast of the U.S. Mainland into Kahalui. A few airlines do this these days. If not, your airline will probably schedule your connecting flight from Honolulu for you. If you have to do it yourself, you’ll want to contact either Go! Airlines http://www.iflygo.com/ or Hawaiian Airlines http://www.hawaiianair.com/

My Favorites on Maui

My favorite areas:

Kaanapali, Lahaina and Wailea. Kaanapali is a three mile long golden sand beach north of Lahaina. And Lahaina is a main town on Maui – lots of fun shopping, dining, sights to see and nightlife. Wailea has beautiful white sand beaches in South Maui where it’s almost always sunny and less windy than northward

My favorite hotel:

Hands down, the Wailea Marriott is my top choice because it’s a wonderful place for children, especially with the kids’ pool playground structure and its small and large slides (and I always travel with my little boy and my big (45 year old) boy.

My favorite luau:

Maui has more than a few fantastic luau, but the best is possibly to the Old Lahaina Luau.The multiple award-winning production tells the story of the Hawaiians through chant, music and hula. The food is superb (Emeril hosts shows from here even) and includes traditional luau food as well as modern Hawaiian delights like mango chicken. This is a hands-down favorite luau of locals and visitors. Check out the photos and menu at their site.

My favorite activity:

Viewing and playing at the waterfalls we can hike into from the Road to Hana; A perfect vacation activity because it’s exciting and new and each waterfall is different from the last. The best guide to this drive (and all of Maui) is the Maui Revealed Book.

I also thoroughly enjoy most boating activities, especially big catamarans or cruising boats that will keep an eye out for whales and dolphins.

My favorite guidebook:

I live here, and yet I own a copy of the Hawaii Revealed books for every island. They are the best available guides to the islands in my opinion. The Maui Revealed Book is excellent.

Best Weather on Maui

Maui is an island that offers exceptionally good weather. While the weather changes dramatically depending on the area of the island, it is generally between 75 and 85 degrees F all year long. Passing showers means 5 minutes of (warm!) rain and then 1 to 5 hours of Sun. We never give up on what we are doing for a passing shower.

The South and West Maui are usually hot and dry, while greener East and North Maui gets more rain and cooling trade winds. In the winter months, you may see snow on the top of Haleakala (the volcanic mountain).

Maui’s coastal waters are inviting year round too. The water temperature averages 75°F, about 10 degrees warmer than Southern California coastal waters in the summer. During Hawaii’s summer, South and West Maui coastal waters often hover around 85°F, the temperature of a heated swimming-pool. Nice!

Best Hotels in Maui

These are the best hotels in all of Maui, 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, Oceanfront, and Luxury Hotels on Maui

Best Family Hotels in Maui

Best Budget-Priced Hotels on Maui

Many of these 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.

Best Romantic Hotels and Hotels for Weddings On Maui

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 roundtrip 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 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 Maui

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

  • Atlantis Submarine Tours, This is the one featured on National Geographic. Maui’s tour takes you down to view a natural coral reef with fish galore, as well as a sunken replica of a 19th century supply vessel. Atlantis Submarine Tour.
  • Haleakala Bike Ride Down a Volcano, Ride up in a van (maybe catch the sunrise too!) and coast down the western 13 slope of the world’s largest resting volcano. Ages 12 and up. I like Maui Downhill.
  • Haleakala Horseback Riding, If you want to tour Haleakala Crater but not on foot and you’re into horseback riding, I recommend Pony Express Tours. They are the favorite Hawaiian stable of Maui Revealed Guide and a nice family business.
  • Whale Watching, The humpbacks congregate around Maui from December through April, playing, mating and nursing their babies. For the most educational and whale-friendly tour, go with Pacific Whale Foundation They’re good fun too!
  • Surf Lessons, Try the Goofy Foot Maui Surf School. You’re guaranteed to stand up and ride a wave or your money back. They also have good rental rates and are adding stand-up paddle lessons. Check out the fun video on their site.
  • Take a Day Cruise to Molokai or Lanai, Take the Molokai Ferry to the “most Hawaiian island” or the Lanai Ferry to Hawaii’s 13-mile-wide “most secluded island.”

My Favorite Inexpensive or Free Activities on Maui

  • Drive the Road to Hana, If you don’t mind narrow winding roads, this is a must-do. Allow plenty time to pull over at scenic view points (the entire road is scenic, but sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy). Hike to a waterfall or two or three…check out the charming old town of Hana and the famous Oheo Gulch Pools (aka Seven Sacred Pools). About.com has a lengthy photo tour of the Hana Hwy. Read Hawaii State’s guide on Hiking Safety.
  • Haleakala National Park, Lots to see and do here – star gazing, hiking, watching the famous sunrise over the crater…
  • Visit Lahaina Town, This is the coolest town on Maui in my opinion. Shops, cultural attractions, Banyan Tree Park, good restaraunts, fun nightlife – and of course, Lahaina Harbor sunsets. Check out my article on Lahaina at my site.
  • Take a Sunset Stroll on Kaanapali Beach’s Boardwalk, Or take the beach walk anytime of the day. This is a gorgeous beach with pristine, golden sands and crystal clear waters. Check out my Kaanapali photos.
  • Explore `Iao Needle Area, First stop at the Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens. Picnic by a stream and learn about Hawaiian plants and culture. Follow the paved path to the `Iao Needle State Monument.
  • Walk Wailea’s Beachside Path, The sunsets here are awesome. This is one of my favorite beaches. Crescent shaped, pristine and almost always sunny.
  • Hike to the Olowalu Petroglyphs, If you’re into this sort of thing, this is an interesting site. You’ll find the trail at Olowalu Beach (next to the private campground of the same name), just south of Lahaina.

And here’s a list on my site of free things to do on Maui.

Best Ways I like to Save Money on Maui

Bidding for travel

I like bidding at Priceline for hotels and rental cars and airfare. This can save a lot of money right away.

Hawaii Entertainment Book

For Maui, I always recommend the Hawaii Entertainment book from Entertainment.com.

The book is typically best for Oahu, second best for Maui, and marginal for the Big Island and Kauai.

I review it every year: here’s my review.

Best Maui Beaches and Must-See Beaches on Maui

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 Maui 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.


    Kapalua Beach (West Maui)     - Year-round calm swimming thanks to the reef and the rock outcroppings. On a clear day, you can see Molokai. Often found on U.S. and world “best beaches” lists.

    Napili Bay Beach (West Maui) - Very pretty white sand beach partially shaded by palm trees. Swimming and snorkeling are good when its calm, most summer days.

    Kama`ole Beach Park (South Maui) - This is divided by rock outcroppings into three separate beaches. Kama`ole l has nice picnic areas and good swimming. Kama`ole ll is smaller but also has good swimming. Kama`ole lll is better for body boarding and popular with locals. All have lots of fun family activities – volleyball, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, more.

    Makena Beach (South Maui) - Makena Beach – Soft, white sand and amazing blue-green waters make this an incredibly beautiful. When it’s calm, snorkeling and swimming are as fantastic as the view. It’s 2/3 of a mile long but can get crowded. Makena is also called “Big Beach” because just over a small hill (there’s a trail) rests a smaller section of the beach, which is calld “Little Beach.” Watch out for strong currents and high surf. Molokini Crater is just 3 miles off shore.

    Honokalani Black Sand Beach (East Maui) - Not save for swimming, but if you are driving the Road to Hana and want to see a beautiful black sand, do stop here. Located in the Wai’anapanapa State Park, this is a gorgeous area with sea caves and arches, blue-green water that has inspired many an artist, and there are fresh water caves to explore. Watch your footing on the trails if you hike around.

    Kaanapali (Upper West Maui) - Resorts and hotels line this beach, and it is very popular with locals as well. A long stretch of golden sands with crystal clear waters and just about every ocean activiity you can think of make it worth a visit. Beautiful sunsets too.

    Wailea Beach (South Maui) - Very pretty, this almost always sunny white sand beach has a paved path that meanders by the resorts, restaurants and sandy coves. Fun activities here like snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, etc. but can be crowded.

    Maui’s beaches are one of the reasons this island is so often voted among or as the best in the world. It has more swimmer-friendly beaches than any other Hawaiian island and many of its beaches have made the national and world “best beach” lists. In all, Maui has 81 accessible beaches and 40 of these have public facilities. 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 Maui’s coastline.

    In Conclusion

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

    Aloha!

    Tags:

    Military or MWR hotel on Maui?

    January 29, 2010 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Maui 
    I am in the military based in Oahu and traveling to Maui this weekend. Is there a military-friendly hotel there you would recommend?

    Well, there’s no military hotels and no MWR facilities on Maui - it’s the only major Hawaii island that doesn’t have at least something.

    I like the Kaanapali Beach Hotel as a military-friendly hotel. In the past, I know, they have given some decent military service discounts. They appreciate the military. The hotel is in a great spot and is definitely an authentic Hawaiian hotel.

    Tags:

    Maui and Kauai Areas and Driving Times

    January 18, 2010 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Hawaii - general, Kauai, Kauai Activities, Maui, Maui Activities, Vacation Planning 

    first, thanks for offering those free books which i promptly downloaded. my boyfriend and i are staying at a timeshare in lahaina, maui for 6 nights. i have put together a list of things to do, with as much free things to do as possible.

    we will be renting a car, and it just seems like all the things to do are in the east (like the haleakala crater, and hana, and even the winery seem to take hours to get to). i have looked at previous answers you have given, but i guess my question is not so much as “things to do” but the order to do them in so we are not just spending this vacation driving back and forth, and passing the same things. for example, the road to hana. we want to drive that, and sites suggest that be the whole day, which is fine.

    however, it seems i will be passing all these other attractions and should take advantage of being in the same proximity, you know what i mean? like a suggested beach or snorkling in the molokini crater.
    what do you suggest taking advantage of while in that area? light walking around is fine for me, but nothing resembling strenuos hiking. snorkeling for free ourselves at a nice beach would be fine, too, but i guess to get to the crater we would need to get out there..hmm. of course we want to do a luau.

    then, after 6 nights, we are flying nonstop to kauai (pupoi) for 4 nights. i guess we will need another rental car, so can you help me with the same strategy with driving? ie, doing things convenient to each other and knowing what can be done in one trip. it would be nice to be at a beach, and then actually shower before going on a dinner cruise, for example.

    Well, here’s what I would do, I think. I would plan a whole day for the road to Hana. Hit whatever you want to on the way there - like Paia and some easy hike waterfalls and then once you get to Hana check out the Oheo gulch, it’s easy to get to and a main attraction there.

    Then, do an upcountry day where you hit the winery and the Haleakala park.

    then, do a beach and site-seeing day along the Lahaina and Kaanapali and maybe Wailea coasts and fit in any boat tours too - I think you are already on the absolute right track and all this will come together a bit more once you get there and see that the island is smaller than it seems to you now.

    If you wanted to get a guidebook that would really spell this out for you, I really like the Maui Revealed book - it breaks up beaches and sights and adventures by areas of the island. Sometimes libraries have it too.

    Now, once you get to Kauai, this really won’t be an issue, because Kauai is even smaller. No matter what you want to do it will probably be within 20 minutes of what you are doing, and wonderful sunset dinner cruises will be right there in poipu, so you can hit your hotel room to shower first.

    heading all the way out to the farthest west side of the island can take a while but not to many people do that - and hitting the Na Pali coast from Poipu can take a while too, but everything else on the island is on the way to the Na Pali coast - so don’t worry, I don’t think you are going to have any problems.

    Have a truly wonderful vacation! Lisa

    Tags:

    Best Price for Inexpensive Maui Surfing Lessons

    January 15, 2010 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Maui, Maui Activities 

    We want to learn to surf in maui. Can you turn us on to the cheapest lessons available. Anywhere on the island is fine

    Generally, the best prices are going to be for group lessons. I have found group lessons as low as $60. Rates may be better for larger groups. You’ll get a free board rental with your lesson - and you could ride a wave on your first ty :)

    One good company is maui waveriders.

    Semi private lessons - for couples or groups of three are good too, maybe $85 to $90 is the best price available.

    Do you have a business with rates around here or better than this? Add it in the comments. Or, have you had an experience with surfing on Maui? I’d love to hear from you. Lisa

    Tags:

    Honeymoon Campervan Vacation on Kauai or Maui?

    January 2, 2010 by Lisa · 1 Comment
    Filed under: Camping, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Vacation Planning 

    We are planning our honeymoon to hawaii for around april this year for around ten days. We fly into Oahu then were planning on staying just a couple days there before heading over to Maui or possibly kuaui? Have any suggestions on which one would best suit honeymooners? We love to explore and though it might be fun to rent a campervan for a few days…and travel around the island? How long do think it would take to drive around the entire island? Also do you think it is possible to do all these three islands in ten days or should we stick to just two?

    Well, I can answer this one easily :) because as far as I know Kauai doesn’t have any campervan rentals available on the island. So you should go to Maui. And Maui is lovely, you will love it.

    How long it will take you will depend on how often you stop and play. You could do it in a day if you just drove - of course you can’t completely circle either of these islands. On Maui, the road ends in Hana, and on Kauai, the road ends at the Na Pali Coast.

    Honestly, I always recommend no more than two islands on any vacation around a week in length - otherwise there is just too much standing in airports and packing and unpacking and renting and returning for me. However, you’ll need to decide if you will kick yourself or not for just doing two islands. That’s a very personal decision.

    Congrats, and have a great vacation - and check out my digital guide books to the islands
    - no cost!

    Tags:

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

    November 19, 2009 by Lisa · 3 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Camping, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, Vacation Planning 
    Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii
    Image by Jeff Kubina via Flickr

    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!

    Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

    Tags:

    8 Free Hawaii Guide Books

    September 22, 2009 by Lisa · 18 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Vacation Planning 

    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

    Plan Your Best Vacation to Oahu Ever - Where to Stay and What to Do On Oahu

    Plan Your Best Vacation to Oahu Ever - Where to Stay and What to Do On Oahu

    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. Or, see the online version here The Complete Oahu Vacation Guide

    Plan your Best Vacation to Kauai Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do in Kauai

    Plan your Best Vacation to Kauai Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do in Kauai

    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. Or see the online version here,The Complete Kauai Vacation Guide

    Plan Your Best Vacation to Maui Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do on Maui

    Plan Your Best Vacation to Maui Ever! Where to Stay and What to Do on Maui

    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. Or see the online version here: The Complete Maui Vacation Guide

    Plan your Best Vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii Ever - Where to Stay and What to Do on the Big Island

    Plan your Best Vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii Ever - Where to Stay and What to Do on the Big Island

    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. Or, see the online version here: The Complete Big Island Vacation Guide

    Hawaii Hopping for Fun! Visiting More than One Island in Hawaii the Smart Way

    Hawaii Hopping for Fun! Visiting More than One Island in Hawaii the Smart Way

    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! Or see the online version How to Get from One Hawaii Island to Another

    First Time Hawaii Vacations the Easy and Fun Way; How to Get to Hawaii, Where to Stay, and What to Do

    First Time Hawaii Vacations the Easy and Fun Way; How to Get to Hawaii, Where to Stay, and What to Do

    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. Or see the online version First Time to Hawaii Guide

    How to Save Thousands of Dollars on a Hawaii Vacation! Saving Money on Hotels, Flights, Food, and Fun things to Do.

    How to Save Thousands of Dollars on a Hawaii Vacation! Saving Money on Hotels, Flights, Food, and Fun things to Do.

    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!
    Or, see the online version here Cheap Hawaii Vacation Guide

    How to Get Married in Hawaii On a Dime! Simple, fun, and low-cost Hawaii Weddings

    How to Get Married in Hawaii On a Dime! Simple, fun, and low-cost Hawaii Weddings

    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! Or, see the online version here: Cheap Hawaii Wedding Guide

    Tags:

    Is Camping Safe in Hawaii? Is Campground Safety an Issue?

    June 26, 2009 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Camping, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Vacation Planning 

    We are seriously considering coming to Hawaii in late Oct/Early Nov and would like to camp to stretch our money, but are reading alot of contradictory info on forums etc about campgrounds being unsafe and unwelcoming to tourists. The islands we are planning to visit are Kauai and Maui and, only if money allows, the Big Island.

    We would really love the experience of enjoying the staying amidst the natural beauty of Hawaii, but want to feel safe and have at least basic amenities. We are a mature couple who enjoy occasional, seasonal camping, so not interested in a grotty backpacker experience.

    Could you let me know your opinion on whether we should pursue camping on these islands, or stick with budget accom options.

    You know, this really has not ever been my experience. I am not a tourist but myself and my whole family are caucasian (so we are frequently mistaken as tourists) and we travel a lot and I have NEVER, ever been accosted or even really given ’stink-eye’. I know it happens, and I know there are occasional bad experiences, but I think that may have more to do with the behavior of the visitors.

    I did witness an event once where a group of teenage girls and their teachers or mothers were surrounding a sea turtle and touching it in a shallow beach area. Not a good thing - turtles should not be touched.

    Well, a family of native hawaiians went off on them in a big way. Lots of yelling. Bad experience. But nothing they weren’t almost asking for with their treatment of this animal the Hawaiians consider sacred.

    So, I wouldn’t worry about it. Honestly. Maui and Kauai are great, safe islands. Just be respectful of the land and the animals and you should be fine in my opinion.

    Have fun! Lisa

    Tags:

    Remote and Secret Waterfalls on Maui, Hawaii - Waterfalls off the Beaten Path

    January 14, 2009 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Maui, Maui Activities, Vacation Planning 

    I’m planning a trip to Maui in March and was wondering if you could suggest some waterfalls to visit? We were hoping to find some with swimmable pools and maybe (if we’re really lucky) somewhere off the beaten path - remote!?

    Well - Maui is a GREAT island to see waterfalls on. Many of them have swimmable pools - most *were* off the beaten path and then the guide book Maui Revealed revealed them all and gave great directions how to find them … because before noone could find them. I would suggest getting the book. You also can check out these pages for some fantastic descriptions.
    Adventure Maui Waterfall Descriptions
    Hawaiiweb waterfall pictures

    Personally, I would stick with Oheo Gulch (aka the seven sacred pools) or the ones on the Hana Highway. They are remote, even if they are no longer secret. Many of them have swimmable pools. They won’t be that private but they’ll still be cool. Plus, there are short hikes out to most of them that are just really fun.

    Honestly, many locals have gotten a bit peeved that some of their favorite spots have been overrun by visitors and that’s why I would suggest Hana Highway and Hana. You are less likely to run into that.

    Have a GREAT time! Lisa

    Tags:

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

    September 12, 2008 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Most Popular Questions, Oahu, Prices, Vacation Planning 

    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.

    Tags: , , , , , ,

    Maui Vacation Planning Can Be Easy - Maui Revealed Review

    July 16, 2008 by Lisa · 1 Comment
    Filed under: Hawaii Revealed Guides, Lanai, Maui, Maui Activities, Molokai, Vacation Planning 

    The Maui Revealed Book is truly the ultimate guide to Maui. I have the Revealed Guidebook for every island, and I’ve lived here for well over a decade. The two authors must do nothing but circle the islands over and over again, staying at every hotel, doing every activity, and visiting every beach, waterfall, and hiking trail. They even have aerial pictures of hotels and condos so you can see exactly how close they are to the ocean (or how far they are).

    The book explains and has maps and directions to practically every single thing on the island that you might want to do or see. It actually was quite controversial a few years back becuase it told the truth about when land was state land or otherwise open to the public and some locals took exception to some things being shared with visitors.

    The book opens with sights: West Maui Sights: stuff to see in Maalaea, Lahaina, Kaanapali, and Kapalua. Central Maui Sights: things to do and see in Wailuku, Kahului, the valley of sugar, and Pa’ia, plus shopping and ‘best bets’. Then Hana Highway Sights: answering questions like ‘can a rental car go all the way?’, where are the waterfalls? where is the red sand beach, and where to eat in Hana.

    Then there are the southeast Maui Sights: like Kipahulu, Oheo Gulch (7 sacred pools), pipiwai trail, and past the park. Then is Haleakala and upcountry, then South Maui: Maalaea, Kihei, Wailea, Makena, Molokini, and La Perouse Bay.

    Then the book talks about Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokai.

    The next sections are Beaches, Activities, Adventures, Island dining, and Where to Stay. This is one book that truly has everything.

    Here’s a particularly telling quote from the book introduction:

    We hike the trails, ride the boats, eat in the restaurants, explore the reefs, and do the things we write about.It takes us one to two YEARS, full time, to do a first edition book, and we visit places anonymously.

    We recognize the effort people go through to visit Maui, and our goal is to expose you to as many options as possible so you can decide what you want to see and do. We took great pains to structure this book in such a way that it will be fun, easy reading and loaded with useful information.

    So, that’s the kind of attitude I want in MY guidebook writers! Buy the book here: Maui Revealed - The Ultimate Maui Guidebook if you agree :)

    Tags:

    Fly or take a Ferry in Hawaii - Maui, Lanai, and Kauai.

    July 14, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Hawaii - general, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Vacation Planning 

    My husband, sister, and I will be in Hawaii to attend a wedding in mid-October. The wedding takes place on Lanai. We thought we would stay there 3 days, then travel to Kauai for a few days. Is ferry travel the most affordable way to go? Are there direct routes, or would we travel through Maui?

    Would you suggest flying to Maui then taking the ferry to Lanai for the first stage?

    There is no ferry from Lanai to Kauai. You’ll have to fly. You may have to go through Maui or Oahu, depending on which carrier you fly on - Hawaiian, Go!, or Island air. To get to Lanai in the first place, I would do whichever is most convenient to your flight in from the mainland. If they offer a connection to Lanai, I would take it. If you tried to fly into Maui and then take the ferry to Lanai you could end up having to spend the night on Maui first, plus, you won’t have to struggle with your bags - the airline will send them all the way through.

    Tags:

    Maui Scheduled Itinerary - What should we do in Maui?

    July 11, 2008 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Hawaii - general, Maui, Maui Activities, Vacation Planning 

    I made a tentative schedule for our Maui Trip. Can you look it over to see if we have included all of the “must sees” and if the timing looks ok?

    DATE TIME ACTIVITY
    25-Aug
    2:23 p.m. Arrive at OGG
    4:30 p.m. Arrive at Westin Resort and Spa in Maui
    6:00 p.m. Dinner at Lahaina Grill
    8:00 p.m. Explore area around hotel
    26-Aug
    11:00 a.m. Brunch at Longhi’s
    1:00 p.m . Surfing at Kapalua Beach
    7:00 p.m. Old Lahaina Luau/Dinner
    27-Aug
    3:00 a.m. Sunrise Haleakala Bike Tour
    7:00 a.m. Complete Bike Tour
    Rest/Relax all morning
    11:00 p.m. Massage at the Westin Spa
    12:00 p.m. Lunch at
    2:00 p.m. Snorkeling at the Black Rock
    7:00 p.m. Warren & Annabelle’s Magic Show
    28-Aug Road to Hana Day Trip
    29-Aug
    9:00 a.m. Breakfast at
    10:00 a.m. Water Activity: parasailing, windsurfing
    2:00 p.m. Check out of The Westin
    3:20 p.m. Get to OGG airport
    4:20 p.m. Depart from OGG to Hilo
    5:00 p.m. Arrive in Hilo

    It looks really good - you are not trying to cram too much into one short trip. Obviously there’s much more to do on Maui but you wouldn’t be happy trying to do all of it. It looks good to me - you have a great time! Lisa

    Thank you for looking over our itinerary. I’m glad it looks relaxing ;) Can you suggest 3-5 more activities we should consider doing while we are in Maui?

    Sure, there is a nice aquarium on Maui , you could take surfing lessons or windsailing lessons. You could jet ski, you could rent a kayak, you could snorkel or learn to boogie board, you could go on a sunset or dinner cruise or a dolphin watching cruise, you could go to a luau, you could do the submarine tour or a glass bottom boat tour, you could do a zip line. I guess that’s more than 3-5 … well, something has to call to you more than the others, right? :)

    Tags:

    Suggested Hawaii Itinerary - Plan my Trip for Me!

    January 24, 2008 by Lisa · 4 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Maui Activities, Most Popular Questions, Oahu, Oahu Activities 

    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 :)

    Tags:

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

    January 9, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Most Popular Questions, Oahu 

    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?

    ]

    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.

    Tags:

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

    January 8, 2008 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Most Popular Questions, Oahu, Prices, Vacation Planning 

    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

    Tags:

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

    November 29, 2007 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Big Island, Big Island Activities, Hawaii - general, Hawaii Volcanoes, Maui, Maui Activities, Vacation Planning 

    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!

    Tags:

    Should we Visit more than One Island in Hawaii?

    November 19, 2007 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: Hawaii - general, Maui, Most Popular Questions, Vacation Planning 

    My husband and i are planning a mini-vacation to Maui this december for 6 days. We are being advised to extend our vacation for a few more days and add another island to our itinerary. Do you have any recommendations?

    advised by who? this is your vacation - you do what you want! :) I don’t think a ‘few days’ will do another island much justice and I don’t see any need for you to do another island unless there is something *you* want to see. Hawaii is Hawaii, and although all the islands are different, the general idea of nice beaches, local culture, warm weather, and a vacation atmosphere within the United states are still the same on all the islands. Do you really want to go to another island and have the stress of packing, checking out, turning in your car, flying, getting another car, unpacking etc on your mini-vacation? If so, what do you want in another island - more laid back? more people? different climates? more hiking? more shopping? different color beaches? If you could answer some of these questions I could maybe help you pick another island. Maybe this article can help you decide if you feel you need help.

    Tags:

    Hawaii Travel Companions

    July 15, 2007 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu 

    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

    Tags:

    Best Molokai Day Trip from Maui or Oahu

    February 26, 2007 by Lisa · 3 Comments
    Filed under: 808Talk Answers, Hawaii - general, Maui Activities, Molokai, Oahu Activities 

    Brian of Alexandria, Virginia asks

    What is the best way to visit Molokai Island as a day trip? I will be in Oahu for a week, then touring Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island as part of a cruise. I am especially interested in the history of the island, including its role as the location of the colony for those with Hanson’s disease (leprosy).

    Would it be best to do this as a day trip from Maui?

    Hi Brian,

    It may be best and easiest to schedule your trip as a day trip from Maui, but I am concerned that you will find it hard to coincide your shore leave times from the cruise ship and the tour times so we’ll look into options from Oahu and from Maui.

    Pacific Wings and Molokai Air Shuttle (808-567-6847) and Island Air offer flights from Oahu (Honolulu) to Molokai.

    Molokai Outdoors looks to be an outfit that will set up all your flights or transportation from Oahu or Maui and get you started on a tour or with a rental - whichever you want.

    The so-called ‘leper colony’ is located on the Kalaupapa peninsula and hard to get to, plus you must either take a tour or be invited by a resident - you can’t just wander wround the area. Here are some options:

    Molokai Mule Ride
    A ride down the mountain on a mule plus tour.

    Molokai Ferry offers ferry-car packages, guided day tour excursions, and a hike and tour, all from Maui.

    Tags:

    Maui and the Big Island Day Tours from Oahu

    January 27, 2007 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: 808Talk Answers, Big Island, Big Island Activities, Hawaii - general, Maui, Maui Activities, Oahu Activities 

    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:

    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

    Tags:

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

    January 14, 2007 by Lisa · Leave a Comment
    Filed under: 808Talk Answers, Big Island Activities, Kauai Activities, Maui Activities, Oahu Activities, Prices 

    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

    Tags:

    Maui Kayak Rentals and Kayak Companies that Will Deliver and Hana

    December 14, 2006 by Lisa · 2 Comments
    Filed under: Maui, Maui Activities 

    My wife and I will be staying at a condo in Napili (west Maui) the end of January for a week and would like to rent kayaks (two singles) for the week. The place we’re staying at is right on the ocean and it would be fun to be able to kayak around whenever we want right from our place.

    Is there anywhere in Maui that will rent for a week, deliver and pickup at the condo?

    I made some phone calls and found one company who currently says will deliver for a $50 charge: South Pacific Kayaks. (Call to confirm this as things change).

    They indicated they might not charge if you were closer to their location, so maybe call around or inquire when you get to your hotel or rental and see if there is anything closer.

    As a last resort, consider getting a two seater single kayak and strapping it on to the roof of your rental if you have one. They aren’t any harder to steer, and one person can easily paddle it by themselves. I have one and I take it out alone all the time. It can be heavier but that doesn’t matter once you get it in the water. :)

    Have a great time!!

    We are visiting Maui in late July. We will stay near the airport for one night and the following morning depart for Hana for seven nights. We want to have a kayak for Hana Bay. However, there is only one kayak tour operator in Hana, and he doesn’t rent kayaks for the week. We would like to just get a rental car with surf racks and strap the kayak to the top. Can you suggest a good kayak rental place? I haven’t had much luck looking online. Thanks.

    Well, I didn’t have much luck either. South Pacific Kayaks will rent you a kayak but they are in Makena: It sounds like you will be in Kahului and Makena is a good 40 minutes from there. Here’s a place in Kihei which is closer: http://www.bigkahunaadventures.com/kayaks.html but I couldn’t find anything in Kahului. Good luck!

    Tags:

    Which Island and Areas for Romantic Hawaii Vacation?

    October 12, 2006 by Lisa · Comments Off
    Filed under: Big Island, Hawaii - general, Kauai, Maui 

    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.

    Tags: