Saturday, April 3, 2010

Dollar Car Rental at OGG Maui Airport

Hi all,





I am thinking about hiring a car in Maui, and the best deal seems to come from Dollar car rental. Has anybody else hired from Dollar and if so what was your experience?





I am thinking of getting a convertible for the week - what is the general condition of the cars?





Thanks all.





Regards,



Phil - England, UK.



Dollar Car Rental at OGG Maui Airport


Had a good experience with them. No problems at all beginning to end.



Dollar Car Rental at OGG Maui Airport


Ditto what Chuck said. We have used Dollar on all our trips to Hawaii on all the Islands and never had a single issue. We have had brand new convertables to those with maybe 25,000 miles on them but all were clean and in good mechanical condition.




Does dollar charge for an additional driver? What price were you getting from dollar?




I think we paid $239. for 8 days for a jeep but that was through a AAA travel agent. It was clean and we were right in when we arrived and right out when we left. It was our 25th anniv. and i planned to do all the driving anyway so the 2nd driver issue never came up.




Not sure what we paid, the car and hotel prices were lumped together through Pleasant Holidays. The second driver was included and also when we do the Big Island the drop off charge for picking the car up in Hilo and dropping it off in Kona was included.





I do know had I booked on my own for Maui the car would have been around $300 a week or so. Nor sure about a second driver that way, you might check the Dollar website.

Hanalei vs. Kapaa (HBR vs. WBR)

Another day, another question from me...sorry! I%26#39;m seem to be spending all my free time reading about all things Kauai, so maybe it%26#39;s unavoidable.





Originally, we were thinking about staying at the Hilton in Kapaa for part of our trip before moving onto one of the Poipu resorts. Then it was suggested by others on this board that we should maybe consider a condo since we will be touring with 2 small children. HBR and WBR were thrown out as suggestions and I%26#39;m really liking the idea of both of those resorts and am quite torn.





We hadn%26#39;t really considered anything in Hanalei/Princeville because I was concernd about rain, etc. However, the HBR looks very inviting and I like the idea that there is a swimmable beach with snorkling at the hotel (big plus for DH). It looks like there are some nice, casual restaurants (we are traveling with little ones, so we don%26#39;t want to torture anyone at a more fine dining establishment) in that area. DH and I really enjoyed K%26#39;ee Beach on our previous trip too, I remember it being quite beautiful up in that area, so maybe that would be a nice place to stay....





Initially, I liked the idea of Kapaa because it was more centrally located and Lydgate sounds like such a perfect beach for smaller kids. WBR looks like it has a really nice pool that our DD would go crazy for (HBR looks great too, but WBR has slides), but the non-swimmable beach is a bummer when comparing it to HBR. I%26#39;ve also read reviews that WBR is basically right off a busy road and across the street from a strip mall. I%26#39;m not sure how strongly I feel about that in a negative sense. It seems like it could be a little weird, but if they resort had a ';contained'; feeling, I think I could get over it.





We were also thinking about trying the Smith%26#39;s Luau which will make for a late night for our little ones to begin with, so staying close by would be a plus. There also seem to be so nice vegetarian restaurants (DD and I are vegetarians) in Kapaa that we%26#39;d like to try.





Can anyone help point out some other advantages/disadvantages to the two different areas?





Also, how far is the drive between Kapaa and Princeville (HBR)? If it%26#39;s really not that far, I think that I would lean towards HBR and just suck up the drive for the couple of restaurants, Lydgate, and the luau.



Hanalei vs. Kapaa (HBR vs. WBR)


HBR to Kapa`a is generally about 40 minutes, more if you hit the backup from Kapa`a at Kealia.



Hanalei vs. Kapaa (HBR vs. WBR)


That%26#39;s a bit of a drive. However, the more I think about it, maybe a luau (which was my bigger concern) isn%26#39;t the way to go with our little ones on this trip. I see that the entertainment at Smith%26#39;s luau doesn%26#39;t even start until 8pm. I just don%26#39;t think that%26#39;s going to be do able, regardless of where we are staying. Maybe we can just find somewhere to see some traditional Hawaiian dancing instead.








Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!





Hanalei is a great area -- it has a very unique feel to it and is very laid back despite the fact that there are probably more celebrities visiting there at any one time than you can imagine!





Lush green cliffs and wonderful Hanalei Bay (great for swimming during the summer) are just incredibly gorgeous. Did you know that ';Puff the Magic Dragon'; was written about Hanalei? (there is some dispute on this however!)





You also have easy access to Kalalau Trail -- you can hike the 2 miles into Hanakapiai Beach to see incredible views -- and snorkel at Ke%26#39;e Beach which is where the trail starts.





There are lots of restaurants (well a few at any rate) that cater to vegetarians -- Postcards Cafe is very well known and thought of and I think it is fantastic (I and my hubby are also vegetarians) -- you can also get great veggie meals at Calypso. Lots of fun shops to browse through - most of them not the usual ';tourist'; stuff.





Any downside to this area would be that the North Shore typically gets more rain than any other part of the island -- even during our current drought. Also you do have to drive a ways to get to places like Kapa%26#39;a or Lihu%26#39;e or points south or west.





Kapa%26#39;a and WBR -- I%26#39;m sure that WPB is very nice --I%26#39;ve never been inside of it -- looking at it from the front all that I notice is the closeness to the highway and the lack of landscaping



(probably because it is new) -- it is located at the busiest intersection in Kapa%26#39;a -- notorious because of the



tie-ups in traffic from the Safeway shopping center directly across the street. Kapa%26#39;a is a mess with traffic. There is no swimmable beach area - you would have to drive about 5 miles to Lydgate Park to get to a swimmable beach.



I usually don%26#39;t stop to eat anywhere around there but I will say this -- Blossoming Lotus is THE vegetarian restaurant on the island -- it is incredible, fantastic and even folks that would turn their noses up at vegetarian food would find the food irresistible -- I have eaten here 3 times and each time I was with someone who wasn%26#39;t a vegetarian and was a sceptic -- they all raved about the food. So this would be the one good reason to eat in Kapa%26#39;a in my opinion!





Lush green taro fields with towering misty cliffs in a laid-back atmosphere or busy Kapa%26#39;a with traffic -- to me there wouldn%26#39;t be much choice -- but that is me, everyone is different, no?





Enjoy wherever you choose!





Malama Pono,



Janet




Thank you again for the info! I think that I%26#39;m leaning towards Hanalei since I don%26#39;t think that the luau is going to work for us. Like you mentioned, I think a lush tropical environment would be much more appealing than traffic. The swimmable beach at HBR is another major plus rather than packing everyone up and driving to a beach.





Blossoming Lotus was one of the restaurants that I was very interested in trying in the Kapaa area along with Mermaids and Coco Cafe (any thought on those two?). I think that we could easily coordinate a meal or two in Kapaa and still stay in Hanalei.






Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!





Cafe Coco is still very popular -- the food is great -- in fact they did the food service for a movie that my husband was involved in a few years ago here -- I used to take him to the set and then he%26#39;d get me one of their breakfast fritatas or quiche to enjoy! I%26#39;ve loved them ever since!





Never been to Mermaids.





Malama Pono,



Janet




I%26#39;ve stayed at both places. I think you and everyone who has answered has provided a good summary of the pluses and minuses of each. Except for one big difference - the condos themselves.





The WBR condos are brand new and are fantastic inside. The ones at HBR vary greatly depending on the owner - though I doubt any could be as nice as the one we stayed in at WBR.





That said I%26#39;m not sure which I would choose if I were you. Are the prices the same for the same size condos? Given the prices I paid I found the WBR to be a better value and that might drive my decision.





Good luck.




I spoke with a gentleman on my flight home from Kaui 2 weeks ago who bought a place at WBR. He was quite upset that the management company (ResortQuest?) has greatly reduced the rental prices of the condos in order to fill them up.



I agree that the WBR are gorgeous inside. They are brand new and the builder did a terrific job.



It is true that the HBR units vary by private owner but these are million dollar condos and many homeowners have put thousands into making them even nicer. When you rent through an owner ask to see pictures and find out when they updated.



Who can go wrong anywhere on Kauai. It is truly paradise.

Hula Supplies on Big Island

Have been to Hula Supply on Oahu many times, but am visiting BI for the first time in August. Wondering if there is a good hula supply store near Kona or Hilo. Mahalo!



Hula Supplies on Big Island


Aloha,





Music Exchange



792 Piilani Street



Hilo, HI 96720



Tel. (808) 961-3363





Hula Supplies on Big Island


A neighbor told me Little Grass Shack in Captain Cook also carries Hula Supplies. You may want to call them first.




Thank you so much for another helpful answer, Adeline!




Any time.





Are you going to be in town for the merrie monarch?





Also while in Kona check out Hulihe`e Palace



On weekday afternoons hula schools rehearse on the grounds.



Free concerts are given regularly



06/10/2007 First in a series of three concerts (also July 15 %26amp; Aug. 26)honoring Hawaiian monarchy figures. This event remembers King Kamehameha I with music by the Hulihe`e Palace Band and the Merrie Monarchs vocal group. Held in Kona on the grounds of this historic Palace dating to 1838. 4 p.m. Free. Bring beach mat or chair.

Which shore on Kauai to contrast North Shore of Oahu

We will be staying for one week on the North Shore of Oahu next April and I would like advice on where to stay in Kauai so that we have a contrast. Would like to stay on the beach on both islands and am looking for a condo for 6 days in Kauai. Any advice and recommendations would be much appreciated, we will have a car on both islands.





Which shore on Kauai to contrast North Shore of Oahu


You%26#39;ve asked this question twice with slightly different slants. You appear to be asking for an apples and oranges comparison, and no one seems to want to tackle it. So here goes, and perhaps someone will agree or disagree.





I suggest the Oahu North Shore%26#39;s Haleiwa and Kauai%26#39;s North Shore Hanalei have similarities in culture if not scenery. Both are quite laid back with an eclectic mix of people. I think you%26#39;ll see a greater contrast in the Kauai South Shore. It has a greater concentration of resorts and has perhaps more to support a wider variety of tourist activities. And in April, you may find the ocean more amenable to swimming, snorkeling, etc. I still think you might want to spend a day or two on the Kauai North Shore to sightsee.





As for condo possibilities on the south, perhaps someone will chime in. I have only looked and stayed on the north side.





By now I should have riled lovers of the Kauai south side and the lovers of the north shore.



Which shore on Kauai to contrast North Shore of Oahu


You might want to consider staying on the east side of Kaua`i. East side gives you pretty equal access to both north and south shores. Kapa`a (east side) is a small town, and there%26#39;s a good selection of oceanfront condos at reasonable prices.




Excellent suggestion, PZP




the trouble with the question is that ALL of Kauai is similar to the North shore of Oahu. Our entire island is fairly rural. We have nothing like Waikiki which is the other end of the spectrum in terms of hubbub/shopping/evening activities etc.




Thanks to all. This really does help as I%26#39;m now thinking no matter where we stay on Kauai it will be lovely and I am so pleased to hear that it is nothing like Waikiki which is not what we want at all.



I have looked at several privately owned condos and they all look good and are what we want it%26#39;s just a question of deciding on which one now. We will have a car so will explore the whole island.





We do like snorkeling so this may help with our decision and some resorts have beaches which you can snorkel from.





One other question, we are on the islands from 5th to 18th April, is this Spring Break and how busy will the islands be at this time of year?




Spring break in the states is at all different times. My children are out of school in March and others are out the week before Easter and some the week after.



You will adore Kauai. I have many guests from England who just love Kauai and come back again and again. You will have a very different experience than being on Oahu. The weather this last April was wonderful all over the island.



For some good ideas on condos to rent I suggest VRBO.com or summitpacific.com. If you decide on the north shore consider Hanalei Bay Resort with it%26#39;s beautiful grounds and fabulous views.There is a beach at the bottom a path which is shared with the Princeville Hotel. Other better beaches are within 10 minutes. If you decide on the south shore I love The Hyatt Hotel, Kuhio Shores condos and on the east shore WBR, Islander and Hyatt.



Have a wonderful trip.




if you%26#39;re looking for a ';contrast'; to the north shore of oahu, you might try the south shore of kauai (poipu area).





the north shore of oahu is somewhat like the north shore of kauai. in april, the south shore will likely be more sunny than the north - although clearly there are no guarantees when it comes to the weather.




The problem with this question is this......the North shore of Oahu is a mix of both the north and south shores of Kauai.





So to pick one that is a contrast to the north shore of Oahu is difficult. I think you just need to ask yourself what exactly do you want in an environment and go with that no matter which island you%26#39;re on or if it is similar to the last island. After all, they%26#39;re small islands. Hop in your car and see it all.




Kauai, though undoubtedly beautiful, is a bit of a one trick pony, IMHO. I fully realize that the natural beauty is what most people go to Kauai for but there really isn%26#39;t much beyond that there. For many, that%26#39;s enough.





The beaches are better and safer on Oahu. Many of the beaches on Kauai are unswimmable. In many areas Kauai does not have the protective reef system that is present on Oahu, leaving the shores open to rip tides and rogue waves. Ugly stuff.





If you%26#39;re looking for contrast you might want to spend half your vacation on the North Shore of Oahu and half of your vacation in Waikiki. Or half in Waikiki and half on Kauai.




Thank you for all the useful information and finally I have made a decision. Yesterday I did a lot of research and have decided on Kuhio Shores as I think the setting is absolutely fantastic. Will now look for accommodation at this resort, you can also snorkel nearby there and the pool looks good too. Is Kuhio Shores part of the Hilton or does it share the same property or am I totally wrong on this?


  • face make up remover
  • trip report May 25th to June 1st.. SO not long enough!

    First thing.... if you are going to Maui.. you need to go for at least 10 days or longer.... 1 week is not enough, ummm maybe consider just moving there.. yup that sounds good.. just move :)





    Flights:



    Hawaiian airlines nonstop from Portland.. Wonderful.. we did leave a bit later but made up for it in the air. One thing I did not like was that they really try and sell things to you. For example they come by offering snacks.. and they are movie theater prices.. they tell you that you need to buy head sets.. ( I know a lot of airlines do this) but your own personal ones work just fine and are free! Everything is on a TV.. I felt like the first 1 hour was one big commercial :) They do feed you real food and it was actually quite good. I had chicken and rice hubby choose spaghetti. They also offer for you to rent a Digi player.. like a personal DVD player for $20 and you can choose from a bunch of movies.. we didn%26#39;t do this.. just thought I would mention it :)



    We did a day trip to Oahu.. same airline great trip.. very fast ! On the way back from Oahu we got to the airport a little over an hour early and they let us fly standby on an earlier flight.. so nice to be back ';home'; in Maui a bit early!





    Condo;



    We stayed at the Maui Kai! Room 1008 Top floor corner unit... amazing views.. you felt like you were on top of the ocean! Rented through VRBO $225/night. Condo was clean well stocked with all the beach stuff you could ask for. Great comfortable king size bed! Maui Kai is 20 feet from the surf so you are very close to the ocean. Their pool is small but most everybody walked next door to the Kanapalli Beach Club pools.. they have a paved stone walkway to it :)





    Car: Alamo, through Costco. Great deal and if you are in Maui you got to have a convertible... just beautiful! I had nice people at customer service so it was a good experience.





    Places we ate at:



    Honokowai Okazuya deli on lower honoapiilani hyw ( Just north of Kaanapali beach about a mile or so)+ AMAZING teriyaki beef.. melts like butter in your mouth! Very reasonable prices too. Just a take out place though.. we ate our in condo over looking the beach.!





    Hula Grill at whalers village: Great fish taco%26#39;s..wonderful lava flows. we ate there early like 4:40 and had the benefit of happy hour drink prices ( 2$ off). There was a live guy playing acoustic guitar.. he was pretty good too. On a side note after dinner we walked out on the path and had to stop and take a break in a hammock on the beach.. very nice! Beautiful location too! Leilani%26#39;s had cheaper happy hour drinks then the hula grill..I think they were $5 each.. Hula grill%26#39;s were $7. Didn%26#39;t have one but thought I would mention it :)





    Moose McGillycuddys In Lahaina: We just had drinks.. Hubby had blue Hawaiian and I had a lava flow.. they have the best and it is bigger then other places :) YUM!





    Kimos in lahaina : Beautiful location. Short wait, I ate the lobster stuffed Mahi Mahi.. a bit bland but still very yummy $29.00! Great server :) Hubby had the special... I think you couldn%26#39;t go wrong with a choice here.. everything was yummy.





    Da Kitchen in Kihei.. near dennys : This is very good food if you like your meat kinda fatty.. I am a white boneless skinless chicken breast sort of gal and this was a fatty thigh kind of place... but it did have great flavor. I had Teriyaki chicken and all rice ( Macaroni salad in maui is BLAND so I really don%26#39;t like it ) Hubby had Teriyaki steak... he liked his but when I tasted it I thought it was good but not as outstanding as Honokawii Deli ( Mentioned above) We shared a drink to save on money :)





    We also had some ice cream at the little smoothie place next to star market in Honokowai... Do not go there.. over priced bad service and crappy ice cream :)





    Down to Earth Natural food store ( The deli inside) On Dairy Rd in Central Maui. ( On the way to Lahainia after costco on your right). Was way out of hubby%26#39;s comfort Zone.. a bit to earthy for him.. no meat and lots of vegan stuff. I had a gardenburger.. YUMMY, Hubby had a vegan bean burrito ( he even liked it) It is a healthy place to eat and I loved it.. but not for everyone :)





    Bubba Gumps in Lahaina: Drinks, Lava flow.. good, and I had an order of french fries.. great atmosphere.. they have a bubble machine that makes TONS of bubbles in the street and entry way.. kids might like that..





    Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina: Another Lava Flow, and I just ordered their cheese fries with bacon for dinner... HUGE portions.. very yummy! Hubby had Avocado Burger... he loved it :) Great atmosphere.





    We also bought food at the Star Market, and costco :)





    Activities:



    Rented snorkel gear from maui dive shop... wonderful service and nice gear. We snorkeled Honolua Bay in West Maui... Best area is to the right... wonderful like snorkeling on a lake so smooth .. we went here 3 times :) Black Rock.. A bit rougher.. I hate getting snorkel equipment on while trying to stand in water! Very funny to watch I am sure lol.. Nice fish and I swam with 3 turtles and a HUGE EEL... Like 6 feet long.. it swam right along side of me... like 1 foot away! Yikes.. made me chicken :) lol Hubby snorkeled Makena Beach ( In front of the Maui Prince) He saw lots of turtles and fish. We also snorkeled right in front of the Maui Kai and it was very nice too. So you don%26#39;t need to pay for an expensive tour when you can just go do it your self :) It is wonderful.



    I did rent the vest as I am pretty weak from a tough bout with my Crohn%26#39;s disease.. made it so simple.. looked like a big baby but it did help and you could deflate it and inflate it very easily..while you were snorkeling :)



    ZIP LINE on Haleakla.. Great fun... expensive... and you need to book way in advance but worth it. They do have a new one in west maui also.. longer zipping but not very high in the air like the one on the crater :) We also drove up to the summit... long and switchbacky but worth it.. watch out for those crazy bikers.. coming down :)



    Day trip to Oahu: Earliest flight over.. went straight to Arizona memorial... lines get huge so get there early :) After touring that went straight out to the North Shore. Ate at a cute.. very run down breakfast place in Haleiwa ( Spelling is wrong) that has wonderful breakfasts! Had Matsumoto%26#39;s Shave ice.... the best ever! Hung out at Waimea Bay all day. Hubby jumped from the big rock... the North Shore is beautiful and we loved it there.. not to touristy :)



    Drove the road all around West Maui... do not so this if you are afraid to drive on a one car width road with a cliff on one side.. could be scary for some :) We loved it.. very beautiful. Hiked to the Blow Hole and the Olivine Pools. (don%26#39;t blow your horn.. no one does this as far as we saw on corners)... both beautiful.. I don%26#39;t think people should swim in these with fresh sunscreen on... when people would snorkel the water looked like an oil slick on top... very bad for the coral and fishys so either wear a rash gaurd or apply it early so it is absorbed into skin! We had put it on way earlier and none of ours was floating on the top.. maybe that is why the back of the bottles say to apply it 30 min prior to sun exposure? Didn%26#39;t have cash so we had to drive past the famous banana bread stand.. boy did I want some.. oh well just have to go back :) Darn!





    Rest of the time was just spent enjoying the beaches, and the beautiful scenery. The book Maui Revealed was very helpful, and so was this forum. We did also go to church while there. We went to Calvary Chapel West side. They meet on the beach at a park and you sit in beach chairs... great service :)





    We still have tons to do and we already want to go back.. so I am planning a trip in April for 08. But this time we will take all 4 kids with us.. so it will be a ';different'; kind of vacation :) Sorry it was so long. No naked people either lol We did hear from someone that there was going to be a 100 naked drummers and a gay pride day at the beach... ( Little beach) Now just the thought of that makes me laugh... maybe we should have went to see all those drummers.. ha ha.. Hubby would be sooooo uncomfortable there.. ha ha



    Let me know if you have any questions... I think that I will hang out here in this forum... it makes me feel closer to Maui! Which IMO is the best place on earth... and I have been a bunch of places :)





    trip report May 25th to June 1st.. SO not long enough!


    Great trip report countrycoffeehouse. Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Heard about a big storm out your way on the national news this morning, hope all is well. Just FYI, the beach in front of the Maui Prince is Maluaka, not Makena. Makena beach, or Big beach as it is locally known, is a little ways down the road. When you get to Big beach, you walk to the north end of the beach, over a cinder cone and you are on little beach, so you were pretty close!! Did you make it to Big beach? You are right about the sunscreen. People don%26#39;t realize it can be really bad for the coral and the fish. Also, at Maluaka there is a hawksbill turtle. Very endangered but wonderful to see, there are only a couple of them who regularly show up on Maui. Lots of green sea turtles out there though!!



    trip report May 25th to June 1st.. SO not long enough!


    Mahalo for taking the time to report. We agree about ht e macaroni salad. Mrs. S. makes wonderful macaroni salad with lots of onion, black pepper and celery seed. She keeps saying if we ever move there, she%26#39;s going to teach some of the restaurants how to make it.




    What a great trip. You are very blessed to be able to do a trip like this without the kids. Your kids will love Maui but you%26#39;re right, it%26#39;ll be a different kind of trip. Our kids list Maui, Disneyland and Enchanted Forest as their favorite vacation places.



    Doesn%26#39;t Calvary Chapel put up a large banner at the beach park? Makes it easy to find.



    Hawaiian Air started doing the big concession sales last year when other airlines were starting to charge for meals. At least they still serve you a free lunch. I%26#39;d rather read a book on a 5 hour flight than watch one of their movies.



    How much did the Oahu day trip cost and did you take public transportation while you were there?




    No we didn%26#39;t make it to the Big Beach... we just run out of time :) But we are going back. We have decided that this will be our place of choice... nice easy non stop flight to a tropical paradise.. 5 hours verse a cross country trip to the Caribbean :) I vote Maui any day!





    You are right Santy we had macaroni salad a few times and it was horrible... they do need some help in that area :)





    The Oahu trip was pretty cheap... way less then a day trip to molokini snorkelling. We got round trip airfare for $29.00 each on Hawaiian. We rented a small care from Budget for $37.00 after all the taxes etc. Arizona Memorial was free. Lunch/breakfast cost $13.00 for 2 people to get so full on pancakes and eggs,bacon. Half tank of gas. Shave Ice was so cheap. I went here as a kid 20 years ago and it was still like the same price.. $1.50 for a huge rainbow one. The beach was free and so beautiful.. I think it was prettier then most on Maui... so nice :) We did by a few north shore tee shirts but that was it.. we will go again when we take the kids next year. Easy airport stuff too... just walk on and off.. nice and simple :) I would not want to stay over night there.. Maui is to great to do that.. but a day trip is so cool.



    So figuring 20 bucks for gas that comes to $119.00 and snorkeling at the crater would be on overage $80 each so that would be $160... yup I would do a day trip :)




    I enjoyed the details you provided! Great report. And thanks for including the church service. I was thinking about doing this myself, so this gives me a great idea.





    Sounds like you had a wonderful time.




    Great report! You are so correct about 10 days being the minimum requirement for a Maui trip... I will not go for any less!!!



    So the Kanapalli Beach Club let%26#39;s Maui Kai guests use their pool? Or are you advocating pool crashing, ala the MauiNKO method!!! HA, jk! You SO don%26#39;t seem like the pool crashing type!



    ;-)




    The Calvary Chapel does have a huge sign out so you can find it.. just go south of Lahaina and you can%26#39;t miss it.







    As for the pool crashing.. I admit I am guilty of it.... I have only done this in Hawaii though... I think since they have a walking path from the maui kai to the kaanapali beach club that it must be ok right? right? With all the beaches being so public it does make it easy to pool hop :)





    we also did the old lahaina luau food was not the greatest.. and since I am only a one maybe two drink person I don%26#39;t think I got my moneys worth..but the show was so wonderful that it made up for the food.. :)




    Thanks for the great trip report!




    Great report.



    I have to agree that one week is too short... and so I extended my vacations first to ten days.... not enough..... So I increased it to two weeks ....Then I found that two were not enough, so now I am at three...



    I guess that I will now have to increase the frequency of my visits to the islands.




    thanks for your report ---we are neighbors ---beaverton-- near 185 and farmington

    Reasonable grocery store near Kona airport or Waikoloa

    Is there such a thing?





    Just looking for simple items: snacks, breakfast foods, etc.



    Reasonable grocery store near Kona airport or Waikoloa


    Aloha,





    In Kona there is Sac and Save and KTA on Palani Rd. This is about 7 miles south of the airport.



    Costco is just up the road from the airport (south on the hwy) about 1 mile.



    In the King%26#39;s Shop in Waikola there is a small grocery store.



    Reasonable grocery store near Kona airport or Waikoloa


    The new Miriyama%26#39;s Market about 1 mile south of the airport is reasonable assuming that you only need a few staples. It is the most easily accessible market close to the airport.




    Close to Waikoloa would be the Waikoloa Village Market in Waikoloa proper. Large modern supermarket.




    Aloha,





    In Kona there is Sac and Save and KTA on Palani Rd. This is about 7 miles south of the airport.



    Costco is just up the road from the airport (south on the hwy) about 1 mile.



    In the King%26#39;s Shop in Waikola there is a small grocery store.




    Waikoloa Village Market expanded last year--ot is large, has a deli, bakery, wine section, etc. It%26#39;s 6 miles up from the highway, an easy trip up and down. The turn is at the light where the helicopters are.




    My suggestion: Kmart. (Go ahead and laugh...)





    It%26#39;s about 5 miles south of the airport, so it%26#39;s not too far out of the way. But if you are looking for cereal, bread, juice, milk, and munchies, they are the least out-of-the-way. Walmart is another half-mile further south, but depending on the time, might take a little longer to get to. (Prices probably a little better at Wally World)





    Last year, we stopped at KTA and experienced quite the sticker shock at paying $6 (on sale no less) for a box of Frosted Flakes. Juice and milk took the bill over $10. Paid it anyway because (a) I was exhausted from a full day of flying and (b) didn%26#39;t want to waste any more time on it.





    A couple of days later, I was at Kmart and noticed they had refrigerators with cheaper prices on milk and juice. Then I saw a bigger box of Frosted Flakes for under $4 as well.




    Heh husker we found them cheap on trinkets also. Funny thing on most kmart was cheaper than walmart and the walmart lot was an accident waiting to happen.

    construction in oct?

    I am planning our honeymoon in Oct and was planning on staying at Castle Poipu Shores condos. Is construction noise going to be a problem there?



    construction in oct?


    There is a lot of construction going on in the Poipu area, but most of it is far enough away that you shouldn%26#39;t be bothered. You might get stuck in a bit of traffic and see it going back and forth, but I would think that is about it.



    construction in oct?


    No, absolutely not. I am very familiar with the area as I%26#39;m on the Board of Directors of a development 2 doors down from Poipu Shores. In the Poipu Shores area there is ONE new private home that is being constructed and I believe it is just about done. The major construction is a good 2 miles away. You will not be impacted by it at Poipu Shores, which is in a well-established and older area. Yes, there will be some slowdowns when you pass the construction on Poipu Road but you don%26#39;t even need to take Poipu Road when you%26#39;re staying at Poipu Shores. Just continue on Pe%26#39;e Road and connect to the bypass road that totally circumvents any of this construction and the town of Koloa too. (if you want to head into Koloa you can get there from the bypass road but you can continue on this road directly to the tree tunnel road (Maluhia Rd. ) and then turn right on the main highway to get to other parts of Kauai.



    You are in a fine location at Poipu Shores. It is directly cliffside and all you will hear are the crashing waves. I understand your concern. There has been far too much hyperbole on this board about this; enough to scare people off the island. Not always warranted, especially in your case. Enjoy your stay.




    Thanks for your reply,,,,it sounds like all this talk about the construction is a bit over blown...We are looking forward to a beautiful honeymoon in Kauai




    Honeymoon? we will be at Poipu soon after out 47th. One of our favorite places.




    Kmcglv, probably not overblown for some people. People who live there right in the middle of it, see it daily, 365 days a year, and have a routine whereby they have to drive through it daily and work amidst it daily , all day. It%26#39;s all a personal perspective which should be taken more into consideration here. The perspective of the tourist might be different. Tourists are generally out and about , touring the island, doing different things each day, not following the same routes daily AND.....generally NOT in their hotel rooms duirng the daytime. Late afternoon, evening, is when tourists return to their abodes to freshen up and get ready for dinner or just relaxing at home. By that time the construction has usually ended. Remember, there are strict rules being enforced for construction work times and when it has to end each day. The PBRA of course is ever mindful of the fact that this is a tourist zone. I believe they are doing as much as they can to enforce construction zone rulings and times.




    Napa,





    Mahalo for thinking about those of us who live and work here. Different perspective than those who are here on island for a week.





    You seem very aware of the situation, and I was wondering if you have some inside scoops on:





    Once the nearly 4000 units in Poipu alone, are completed and occupied:





    Multliplyng 3.700 times two or four per unit. Conservatively, at peak times will bring another 8000 to 12,000 visitors on a daily basis, just in poipu.





    This ,plus the planned island wide development, could bring the average number of visitors , island wide, per day to over 30,000, which is about half the entire current population of Kauai.





    Currently the average visitor count is about 20,000/day.





    1. What is the scoop on electrical power and the effect that it will have on the island. I know you are aware of the '; adjustment charge'; that is currently nearly doubling our '; actual usage'; charge, and how the KIUC will be able to provide power ( without constant failures......in light of doubling the vacation rentals island wide ? )





    We already have frequent power outages.





    2. What is going to be done about parking ? Especially in the poipu area with the large influx of new visitors. Already in peak months, parking is full at poipu, and the beach is getting kinda maxed out.





    Lawai beach , well, there is only a very small lot, and little street parking, not to mention the tiny beach area. Where will all of the visitors find parking ? Or be able to get on to a beach ?





    3. Also, has your group become privy to the increase in visitors, and their ability to go out to dinner, get resevations and find parking ? How about getting into the one and only gas station ?





    As you are aware, parking at even the Poipu Shopping Village is aleady maxed out, most every evening .





    4. Water, could also be a problem.





    5. And , we do have the by-pass road, and of course poipu road as the only access routes into poipu.





    With the added numbers of visitors, let say, 8,000 to 12,000 PLUS on a daily basis, will our two,small two lane roads be able to avoid gridlock, especially visitors driving into Koloa Town, finding any parking, and be able to explore the shops or get groceries.





    We do not hear anything about what appears to us as highly possible problems, and how the infrastructure will handle all of the new visitors that will fill the new developments.





    Perhaps , you , as being involved with your association, might have some insight to these concerns that we who live and work here, do not.





    I do know, that long time guests/owners at the LBR, ( Lawai beach resort ) are coming up to our desk, and asking mostly about the influx of added visitors, and what they perceive as a definite problems.





    It would be great to be able to tell them, no worries, but they seem to have enough common sense to figure out that is not the case.





    Mahalo, for any blessed encourangement from factual information.that you might be able to share.







    Denny




















    Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!





    Po%26#39;ipu Shores is in a great location! It is on Pe%26#39;e Road and goes right along the ocean -- very close walking to either Brennecke%26#39;s Beach or Po%26#39;ipu Beach Park -- also Brennecke%26#39;s Deli and Beach Broiler. You can watch the sea turtles feed every night as well.





    You will also be east of all of the construction mess -- you will not have any affect from all of it except the detour that you will have to take through the construction area down by Kapili Road. But hopefully that will be finished in October and you won%26#39;t even have to deal with that!





    At the risk of being blasted once again for telling folks on this board what I see every day on my drive to and from work - there is currently a tremendous amount of construction centered around the Waikomo Streams Villas, Po%26#39;ipu Kapili, Kiahuna Plantation area -- as well as all B+B%26#39;s down on Ho%26#39;onani Road.





    One development, ';Koloa Landing Development'; has purchased ALL of the land behind properties fronting Ho%26#39;onani Road -- this extends from Kapili Rd. all the way down to the intersection with Lawai Rd. -- they expect to start major construction (right now it is earth moving) this summer sometime. I stress that this is one of the largest construction projects (outside of Kukuk%26#39;ula Development) in the Po%26#39;ipu area.



    ';Pili Mai';, ';Royal Palms'; ';Wainani'; and the extension to the Po%26#39;ipu Shopping Village are all starting up at this time as well -- that is why I say that the properties mentioned above are in the center of the active construction area.





    Certainly some people may not care a fig that they are staying in that area, after all the views of the ocean and the ocean itself hasn%26#39;t changed and if you are planning on spending the majority of your time there, you should be just fine.





    Obviously as someone who lives just up the street this has affected negatively my day to day activities -- I cannot help but think that some people would rather be warned about what to expect than just simply get here and find out as they maneuver the detour to get to their hotel/condo and then find construction surrounding them.





    I own my own condo, have no interest in any other properties in the area, so I have no vested interest in any of it. I plan to live in my current location for many years to come, so property value isn%26#39;t a factor in my opinions about all of this. What I say is my opinion based on what I observe -- I stress this ';In My Opinion';!





    Malama pono,



    Janet




    Thank you all for your replies. It is always helpful to hear from locals who experience life in Poipu every day. It was not my intention to understate the impact construction must have on the locals. Here in Las Vegas I am only too familiar with the impact construction has on the life of thise who live here. My perspective as a tourist to Poipu was not meant to imply that construction does not impact the daily lives of locals. I just would hate for people to think that Poipu was not currently a good vacation alternative because of the construction. My fiancee and i look forward to our honeymoon there and thank everyone for their input.




    Kalapakidooley, I can%26#39;t say I have any more information or am privy to any more information than what you, as a full-time resident would have. I am on-island about 3x a year and spend about 3 months a year total there, mostly winter months. When I say I sit on a Board of Directors that is for my own development only. It is not a governing agency of the entire Poipu Beach development. We concern ourselves with the issues of our own development. But I have been there for 28 years now and I do see the changes being made as of right now on Kauai. Regardless of these changes, I dare say that in my opinion these changes are not atypical of any popular area or tourist areas of the United States. Look at major destination areas in California, the entire West Coast, Florida, the Southeast, and the Southwest. Wow. Stop and consider what has happened to these areas over the past 10-15 years and I still say that the changs on Kauai do not ratchet up to those at all. Either in population growth or building construction. Add to this the fact that what you are seeing on Kauai right now is very typical of these developments........the condos and houses go in first and, unfortunately, the infrastructure improvements come later. Why? Main reason is funding. Where does the funding for those road improvements come from? Well, the property taxes on all that new development. It is doubtful that local taxpayers could be convinced to toss in twice what they are currently paying for new roads, without additional taxpayers to add to it. So, what you%26#39;ve got is that good old vicious circle. Sad but true. I believe Kauai will survive this and eventually the additional growth will be dealt with properly.





    I am saying this from someone who has owned and lived part-time on Kauai for 28 years so I DO believe that qualifies me as having a vested interest , Denny. But to answer your question, I cannot answer your question about any inside scoop. I%26#39;m sure those in charge don%26#39;t even know their own inside scoop right now.




    KMC





    Some neat places that you two might want to be aware of in the Poipu Area.....





    THE POINTE, just saw a poster at the gym, announcing kauai%26#39;s newest club for dancing and fun ! I am construing that they are referring to the Pointe Lounge at the Sheraton. Erica just told me that they start about 10 pm....hmmmmm a about my bed time...gonna be a late night, with a day off scheduled, for us to rip it up there to the salsa music.







    All glass, great ocean view, mighty comfortable, and feels good !



    Looked like different bands or DJ%26#39;s on different nights.



    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





    JAZZ AT STEVENSENS LIBRARY at the Hyatt: Very beautiful and classy koa wood lounge, and on fri and sat, and maybe other nights they have arguably the best suhsi on the island. Very nice.



    Perfect, for some easy relax in an upscale atmosphere. I wear long pants, aloha shirt, and non red dirt tennis shoes...oh, even wear socks ! That is big time dressed up for Kauai.





    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





    Want to try some scuba diving.......Kauai Aquatics Scuba does shore dives with both certified divers, and intros for those who have not been scuba diving before. Outstanding everythings.



    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





    Secluded Beach near by for you two honeymooners: Yep, just out the cane haul road, past the Hyatt, to Maha%26#39;ulepu. Beautiful beach, and nearly deserted. It almost feels like a sacred, and private place to us. Think you will love it.





    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





    Allerton Gardens: This is a special treat. Inexpensive part tram, part walking tour of these fanastic tropical botancial gardens.



    Might be perfect for day, that you decide just to take it easy in the poipu area, and not go off exploring.





    Just want to let you know, I come from flying fighters and skippering boats, and love adventure....so , If I have joined Erica twice in touring this magical place, and loved it, well, it has got to be good !





    Just a couple of suggestions, as most of the other activities, hikes, kayaking, resturants, snorkeling sites, places to shop, etc, have been discussed on other theads.





    Congrats and have a most wonderful visit....IT WILL BE SPECIAL !





    Denny

    ASAP deperate help, Hanalei Faye Estate and Cottage

    Hello! Everyone has been incredibly helpful here and I am desperetely in need of any review!





    Has anyone ever been in or stayed at the Hanalei Faye House and Cottage on the North Shore?





    I would LOVE LOVE LOVE and appreciate any comments, we are about to book TODAY, thanks SO much in advance, you guys are awesome!





    kirs



    ASAP deperate help, Hanalei Faye Estate and Cottage


    Hey Kirs! I haven%26#39;t stayed at this place, but you know how I feel about it. We%26#39;ve walked past it a hundred times and always thought it looked awesome.





    One person who might know about it is Dave820 who frequents this forum. Dave, it%26#39;s the house right next to the access path to Hanalei Bay off Weke just a couple of clicks up from Aku.





    Good luck and aloha!



    Andrea



    ASAP deperate help, Hanalei Faye Estate and Cottage






    Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!





    I too have never stayed there but certainly know about it -- and drool over it everytime I drive down Weke Road!





    J.F.K. Junior stayed there (among others) -- it gets used sometimes by production companies who get all their writers together for ';workshopping'; in paradise -- ';The West Wing'; did this a couple of years back. Many movers and shakers have stayed there.





    The local history is equally impressive -- the Faye family is one of the oldest kama%26#39;aina families on the island -- they also own the Waimea Plantation Cottages on the West Side -- where they started way back in the mid 1800%26#39;s in the sugar industry.





    My feeling would be if you have any chance at all to stay there -- grab it! It is a very historical place as well as a comfortable Kennedyesque type compound (those long lawns for touch football!)





    Can%26#39;t beat the location either!





    Malama Pono,



    Janet




    Never slept there but I%26#39;ve been inside for a couple of different functions. The Faye%26#39;s area an old plantation era family that bought the 5 acres it sits on for something like $500-1000 in the 1920%26#39;s. It%26#39;s still family owned but they rent it to pay the property taxes etc which are high as the land is worth probably $15-20 million. The house would be a teardown for a mega millionaire if they sold the property.





    From what I remember, the house itself is pretty old. Nothing too fancy but it%26#39;s been years so they could have done anything since. You won%26#39;t be able to top the location though. Sorry, I just don%26#39;t remember much about the house.





    They%26#39;re a really nice family. Very active in local charities etc. The Waimea Plantation cottages are theirs also so you may get some sense of how they approach restoration/decoration from looking at the info on that property as well.

    I am back!

    Even though some posters thought (and even posted!) that I had run away from TA, but I didn%26#39;t. I was on vacation in Taiwan and Malaysia and I was fortunate to get lots of help from the local experts there. A big Mahalo to them. I sincerely hope TA will not be turned into People%26#39;s Court and instead of personal attacks the posters will focus on travel related issues. (Yes, the other local experts e-mailed me those postings.)



    I am back!


    Welcome back! I hope you will write some reviews in those sections. I am off for a trip now myself...Aloha!



    I am back!


    Welcome back; I%26#39;m glad you%26#39;ve returned. I was thinking the trip out-of-country was for purchasing mass quantities of bulletproof vests and other items to survive personal attacks!





    Signing off and not rising for Judge Wapner (nor for his present replacement or imitators on TV court shows), Karras.




    Welcome back, you know you are at the top when people start gunning for you. Just ignore the cheap shooters and keep doing a good job. By the way ';Thanks';




    Welcome home! You have been sorely missed during your absence. Even though the other local experts have done a remarkable job in your absence, you know when one of your 4 team members is absent, things are just not quite right, No more travel for you! (for a while anyway : )





    And yes, as we say in Oklahoma, ';The buzzards were circling.';




    Welcome home. Glad to have you back!



    Hope you had a wonderful time!




    welcome back, TT! Sounds like a great trip ... %26lt;envy%26gt;



    Now back to the important things. Big Island or Maui? Kona or Kohala?



    Discuss.



    ;-)




    ';I sincerely hope TA will not be turned into People%26#39;s Court and instead of personal attacks the posters ';





    Does that mean I won%26#39;t be called ';a jerk'; anymore for using a Revealed book? Just curious.....

    On site car rental companies at KOA

    What (if any) car rental companies are actually located on the premises of the airport. In other words, are there any car rental companies that I do not have to hop on a shuttle in order to pick up the car?



    On site car rental companies at KOA


    Aloha,



    Sadly not. They used to have the car rentals set up right across the front road so you could walk to them but after 911 they moved them. The shuttle rides are very short, 5 mins and they run very regular.



    On site car rental companies at KOA


    Thank you. Which car companies are closest to the airport?




    They are all on the same ';block'; about 1/2 mile up the hill.



    I do not think one is ';faster'; or closer to another.




    If you can just send one person to pick up your bags and one person to head immediately to the rental car shuttle. This will usually save quite a bit of time.




    I think maybe Hertz is the tiniest bit most convenient, but the difference is negligible. KOA is actually a pretty small international airport, however, so it%26#39;s not a huge trek to any of them, like in some big city airports.




    Which car rental company are you going to use?




    I%26#39;ve found alamo to be the cheapest. It time-wise it really doesn%26#39;t matter which company you use, you have to take a shuttle just up the road. The Kona airport is so small and easy to get around. The shuttles are constantly circling and picking up people. It%26#39;s probably the easiest airport you%26#39;ll ever go through.




    For the most part, the differences are negligible between the different rental companies, especially for location. As someone mentioned, the best bet is to divide and conquer, this potentially can save a ton of time. I also use Priceline or Hotwire and have never been disappointed in over a dozen rentals at KOA and ITO. The more $ saved on car rentals usually means the more I have for fun stuff on vacation!





    Good luck and happy travels!


  • face make up remover
  • Oy, I have maui-itis.........

    Someone help me. I am addicted to this page leading up to my trip. I broke my addiction to this forum 2 years ago. Now that I am planning the trip, I can%26#39;t stop checking in. It%26#39;s bad, possibly worse than ever. It%26#39;s open in a window at work (good thing we are absolutely slow right now and that it is a family owned business). I am stomping my feet because no one is posting. I am going back through old posts to inject myself with further suggestions and forgotten humor.





    I am not much of a planner when it comes to vacations. I go and become a beach slug. But for some reason, I find myself actually having to refrain myself from planning, over planning, and obsessing.





    Please help. These 11 days are dragging........I need some Aloha fix now!



    Oy, I have maui-itis.........


    If you think it is bad now...wait till you go then get back to work...there is no cure either, the only relief that can be found is by returning as often as possible.



    Oy, I have maui-itis.........


    aloha, lisa! so eleven more days and then you go to which islands? just maui? i find pictures more inspiring than words and even though i live in hawaii i keep enjoying travelers%26#39; photos in the photo sharing sites such as webshots.



    as for planning i would only plan one larger event every second day. so if you just come to one island for one week, plan for 4: on maui, haleakala comes to mind, the hana trip incl. the winery, then see the uplands like makawao on the way back, another day see the kihei coast and the ocean center, and another day see the coastline on the west side going north as far as you can drive. also it%26#39;s nice to see the iao needle when you are in central maui. then choose the 4 most recommended restaurants. if on a budget, lunch is cheaper than supper.



    and then every other day, just rest and hang out at the beach, or join a short snorkeling tour.



    enjoy your vacation!




    Maui-itis, isn%26#39;t there an anti-fungal ointment for that? Apply liberally for 11 days. Check Target or Freddies and get one of those cute beach towels with the appliqued Hawaiian slippahs. When it stops raining here, you%26#39;ll feel a lot better - I think thats Friday and then late next week sometime and then, you%26#39;re gone.




    you think you got it now, wait till you get back. I hope it%26#39;s everything you are hoping it to be Lisa.




    Aloha Bill and Hale!!!!!!





    BB: Ya, I am exactly afraid of that!!!!





    Hale: I am just going to be on Maui this time. My parents will be on Maui and Molakai. Believe me, I want to be nice and relaxed.




    Addicted, I have to say that if it is not all I hoped it will be, I shall blame you and all the MF friends for talk it up! LOL. I am sure that it will be great!





    Julaf, running to Freddies right now! LOL.




    Hey LL, pop over to Blue Hawaiian Helecopter%26#39;s website and take a video tour (or two, or three). The best medicine I%26#39;ve found so far for both the pre and post trip blues.




    i think there is a direct correlation to the closer your vacation comes the more posts also come(no comment,addictedtomaui.....lol)



    join the crowd littlelisa and babylisa

    First Trip to Hawaii

    Would like to travel to Hawaii maybe this fall. What is the best island to stay at? Are the prices cheaper in late August-early September?





    Thanks.





    First Trip to Hawaii


    Having been only once, we stayed a few days on Oahu (for a convention, but we had a few days to ourselves), and then 5 or 6 nights on Maui.





    Depends on what you want.......it is also feasible to do more than one.....inter-island flights are not very expensive.





    Allow yourself at least 10 days....travel days are basically shot, and since you are going that far, stay as long as you can.





    On Oahu, you would want to check out Pearl Harbor, the North Shore and Waikiki beach.





    Maui is beautiful....we didn%26#39;t get around to do much, we preferred to hang out on the beach. We were on the trip with extended family. Some of them did the tour to the Haleakala crater and the Road to Hana.





    For Volcanoes, you%26#39;ll want the Big Island of Hawaii. And, Kauai is supposedly gorgeous, but I%26#39;ve not been there. However, I will go there, and Hawaii next time.





    Our convention was around the end of August. Not sure about prices, but I would think that during the school year, it would be a little less.





    In any event, you will have a great time.



    First Trip to Hawaii


    I like the islands in this order:





    BI, for it%26#39;s beautiful beaches and clear blue water. Kona isn%26#39;t your idea of ';tropical'; as it is the newest island. Lots of lava. The Hilo side is green.





    Kauai, aka the garden isle. It%26#39;s lush and tropical. It%26#39;s not as built up as Maui and very pretty. This is probably what most people who haven%26#39;t been to Hawaii before thinks Hawaii is like. That%26#39;s where I would recomment you start.





    Oahu, for the North shore and Windward sides. I%26#39;m not into big cities and I found getting around Honolulu a nightmare. I%26#39;d rather leave freeway driving to home.





    Maui, didn%26#39;t like anything about it. Most people love, and I can%26#39;t figure out why. It was built up and full of people.




    Well, I%26#39;m a tad biased, but I%26#39;d say the best island is Kaua`i. :-)





    Seriously, it really depends on what kind of surroundings you like and what you want to do. If you have at least 2 weeks you could do 2 islands.




    Aloha,





    I would have to choose the Big Island, we have it all! You can snorkel, dive, hike, sand beaches of many colors, romance and we throw in the volcano for free!



    Low season is April - Dec. High season is Dec - April



    Low Low is August.




    How long is your trip? Yes prices are cheaper during that time and if you are on a budget there are many, many budget, oceanfront condos that will save $$$.





    Best island? After traveling to and staying on all 4 major islands I can honestly say, they all have something unique to offer. It depends on what YOU like to do. Very basically, Oahu and Maui are more metropolitan, and touristy although each have lovely, less crowded areas to visit. Big Island and Kaui are more rural and less touristy, although each have some more crowded areas. For snorkeling and diving, choose the BI hands down. For historical places like the Arizona Memorial and others, choose Oahu. For easy access and touristy-oriented choose Maui. For raw beauty, choose Kauai. Personally, I love the Big Island followed by Kauai for the more desolate beauty and water activities. Good luck,you can%26#39;t go wrong here.




    It depends on what you want to do and experience on your vacation. Traditionally most people go to Oahu on their first trip, then Maui, then Hawaii or Kauai and the really adventuresome to Lanai and Molokai.



    Expect to rent a car and drive to beaches and restaurants on all the islands except Oahu, if one stays in Waikiki it is possible to not need a car.





    Below is a highly edited version of BrightonBill’s thumbnails for each island, which I have added my comments to.





    Oahu - Honolulu is the big airport there (HNL). Oahu is the most populated. It has Waikiki beach, tons of shopping and nightlife and also tons of attractions to visit or tour. It has the Arizona memorial in Pearl Harbor. Usually the cheapest island to visit. Much to do and it is worth exploring out of the Honolulu area. About ¾ of Hawaii’s population on the third largest island





    Maui - Kahului Airport is the main airport (OGG). Maui is probably the second most populated island. It too has lots of shopping and nightlife with some very spectacular sightseeing. Bit like a “Disney” version of Hawaii, it has the most condos and timeshares, I believe more than Oahu even.





    Kauai - Lihue Airport (LIH). Kauai has somewhat limited shopping and nightlife but probably the best hiking. Very lush and good for seclusion, more true Hawaii feel.





    Hawaii (Also called the Big Island) Either Kona (KOA) or Hilo (ITO) are the main airports. The island offers an active volcano, black, white and green sand beaches and tons of places to sightsee with amazing variety and drama. Overall it is larger than all the islands combined. This island has something like 11 of 13 microclimates on the planet, and has the best snorkeling of all the islands. Also more laid back and offers a true Hawaiian feel.





    Molokai - MKK is the airport there. Molokai has some of the very best beaches but offers very little in the way of tourist activities other than sight seeing.





    Lanai - LNY airport. Lanai has two resorts and a small hotel. There are virtually no tourist activities, little shopping and no nightlife. Lanai is for those who want total peace and quiet for the most part.





    Do some research, check out some books from the library (stay away from the “revealed” books) and once you have decided, this forum will be very helpful in getting your questions answered to have the best trip.





    Prices do fluctuate, and the thing to avoid on the BI is the Ironman Triathlon, which is usually at the end of Sept or beginning of Oct. This year it is Oct 13th. Otherwise, Sept is a good time pricewise.





    Good luck and happy travels!

    Best 1 Day Tour To See As Much on Oahu As Possible?

    Is there any tour which is really long (at least 8-10 hours +) and lets you see a lot of attractions. I want to see the Dole Plantation, Pearl Harbor, and Diamond Head. Would any tour have all 3 of these, plus more stuff, maybe take you to the North Shore as well?





    I only have a few days in Oahu so Id like to see as much as possible in one day.



    Best 1 Day Tour To See As Much on Oahu As Possible?


    Yoshapman,



    This is the tour my sone and I took in 2005 and plan on taking it again this year.



    I have looked at all the feedback on this site and this tour company is awesome. The tour guides, in my opinion, are fabulous...very knowledgable and easy to get along with. The tour buses are not the super huge ones so the groups tend to be a little smaller.



    I hope you enjoy your trip as I am sure I will!



    http://www.enoa.com/tours/tour3.asp



    Christine



    Best 1 Day Tour To See As Much on Oahu As Possible?


    There are tours that are called Circle Island Tours that will take you around the island and lets you see the North Shore beaches, Dole Plantation, and lots of other sites and areas of Oahu. I have done a few different types of these tours and have gotten to see more of the island than just Waikiki. It is worth the time to get away from Waikiki and see the other areas. It is beautiful.





    You can try any of these sites for descriptions and prices of tours:





    http://www.hawaiiactivities.com/





    http://www.polyad.com/oahu.htm





    http://www.robertshawaii.com/





    Also, you might look into a car rental and just drive around yourself which would allow you more time to spend at any place you want. On the tours, they only allow so much time at each stop because of their schedules. Good luck and enjoy.




    You can do one or both of the driving tours on this list:





    tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29222-i37-k647862…





    Also:





    www.hawaiifun.org





    www.hawaiiactivities.com





    www.activityworld.com




    Yoshapman- i definitely recommend going with ENOA.



    My friend and i did the grand circle island tour with pearl harbour and it was a really comprehensive tour.



    Only thing though is that our stop at the Dole Plantation was about 30 mins.. so we didn%26#39;t really get a chance to check out the maze (probably just enough time to try their ice cream and check out their gift shop).





    The good thing with Enoa is that we rode in mini-buses so the max number of people were about 15-20.. that way it felt more personalised..




    booked with ENOA, thanks for the tips guys...if anyone else has taken the tour with ENOA please post, I%26#39;d like to hear more experiences. Thank you.

    B&B or Rental house

    My family and I are traveling to the BI end of September. We wanted to stay in a B%26amp;B or rent a house for 3 nights. We want something that is nice but not too expensive. But we need a place that will have a washer/dryer. We plan on visiting the VNP one day and the rest of the time is open.



    Is it best to stay in the Volcano area? We thought of flying into the Kona area (coming from Ohau) but after reading several posts saying the drive from Kona to VNP takes about 3 hours, we are now thinking it is best to fly into Hilo.



    This is our first visit to Hawaii so any recommendations on where to stay or what to visit while on the BI will be greatly appreciated!



    B%26amp;B or Rental house


    I can only comment from the perspective of my single trip to the big island last month for three nights.





    First, it is called the Big Island for a reason -- compared to the other island it is much, much larger. So, the first order of business (at least to me) is to plan your activities and then pick a place relatively close to that.





    From my pre-trip investigation, the closer you are to water, the harder it is to satisfy ';something nice but not too expensive';.





    In my case, we chose to stay in Volcano for all three nights -- but this was driven by all of the activities we wanted to do centered around the park. We stayed at an absolutely wonderful cottage (hit the link to my name and you can find other posts with the details), but it did not have a washer / dryer, and is really set up for two adults with possibly one or two older kids using a futon.





    Despite where you stay, I can tell you based on my experience of flying into and out of Hilo vs. reading posts here about the lines at the Kona airport, I%26#39;d pick Hilo (but then your lodging should make sense in terms of picking Hilo). The Hilo airport is great; you walk to the rental cars, fewer people, friendly people, great new pre-flight waiting area.





    Have fun, and let me know if I can help anymore.





    Charlie



    B%26amp;B or Rental house


    Not sure if this will suit your needs, but--





    our 4-person party (incl. a preschooler and senior) stayed at Orchid Tree B %26amp; B (in Hilo, about 45 min from Volcano). We loved it and posted a tripadvisor review. While they don%26#39;t have a dedicated washer and drier for guests, you could ask Steve or Su (the owners) if you could use theirs (which is on the lanai). This property is now a 2-suite (can fit 4 in each) b and b, so either book both rooms or be prepared to share the lanai, grounds, and breakfasts with another couple/small party.





    orchidtree.net



    info@orchidtree.net



    (808) 961-9678





    If this doesn%26#39;t work, there are some rental houses between Hilo and Volcano (Keaau, Kurtistown, Mountain View) that might have your requirements. Search the internet.




    Aloha,





    Too bad your trip is so short, 5 nights would be much nicer so you could spend a few nights on each side of the island. But 3 nights is better than no nights.





    If you choose Volcano as your base:



    I have used VRBO with good luck when renting houses in Hawaii and other locations. I think I have booked over a dozen off that site.



    Since you are renting direct from the owner you should ask questions like ';If something brakes who should I contact, and where are they located';, I always get a local contact before renting. Also I always look for feedback, VRBO has some on the web site and you can google the house name for other feedback. I will only pay via credit card when renting from VRBO.



    I believe that Hawaii has a law that all rentals have an on island representative. I would ask for that persons name as well.





    Have a great trip




    We stayed in an oceanfront house in Kona last January and loved it. Our friends who were visiting us after a cruise stayed upstairs in the 2 br, 2 bath house while we stayed in the separte downstairs studio. We were about 15 feet away from ocean! It made for some wonderful sleeping. The owner allowed them to stay 3 days even though he usually requires a week minimum. I would also adding days to the BI if possible to rearrange. You will literally just %26#39;scratch the surface%26#39; in 3 days.





    I would suggest flying in and out of Kona, wth a day trip over to VNP, starting very early in the morning and getting back before dark. Since you will be getting just a slight taste of the BI in only 3 days, at least you wll understand it is not just he volcano.





    What to visit? Stay in the Kona area so you won%26#39;t spend your entire time driving to try to ';see it all'; in 3 days. If you like to snorkel, there is some great shore snorkeling close to this house or for a snorkeling trip, the starting point for many of these is a short drive south. I would suggest taking the Sea Paradise or Fairwinds, depending on the ages of the family you mentioned. Give a few more details and you';ll get a lot better suggestions.




    Thanks for the info. My husband and I will be traveling with my 17 year old son. We will be staying on Oahu first but we wanted to see the BI also. Wish we had more time to spend there. We chose the BI as our second island to visit because of the volcano. My son wants to see a volcano. I have read different reviews about the night lava viewing. Is it worth going to see the lava flow at night? We do hike but not sure I would want to do a difficult hike - especially at night. I had read that the VNP takes a full day which means we basically will only have one extra day to see anything else. Not much time but I appreciate any suggestions on what we should see first. I am hoping that this will give us a preview and that we can go back one day.




    hi, all the advice previously given is very good.



    B%26amp;B%26#39;s do not typically have washers and dryers, but as Karras said, with some owners you may be able to make an arrangement, but don%26#39;t expect it as a given.





    Vacation rentals often have laundry but in Kailua-Kona would typically have a minimum stay more like 5-7 days.





    The Volcano area gets lots of visitors who want to stay there for shorter visits and is a good place to find lesser minimum stays.





    I understand why Bips is urging you to go to the other side. While I like VNP, to me it is not the best of the Big Island; rather it is something you won%26#39;t find at all on another island. There is a difference. Volcano is so completely different from the rest of the island that when you left you could not say you%26#39;ve seen the Big Island. You will leave having no real idea what this island is like, and if that%26#39; fine with you, then go for it!





    It always concerns me when parents say we%26#39;re coming just to see VNP because my teenager or child wants to see a live volcano. Before making your plans, please go to the park page and read about what you actually see there.





    http://www.nps.gov/havo/





    Please realize that the current active vent is not accessible. The accessible craters have not been active for many years and are to be seen as the awesome results of a volcano. The current lava flow may or may not be accessible by hike or visible on the surface in September, but if it is it will be longer and more grueling from the park side than in the past, because the flow has moved east.





    My point being, nobody should buy tickets and make nonrefundable deposits to come here in the understanding that they can see live lava. You need to have other sights that you feel are worthwhile, and if its possible to see red lava then that is extra. Otherwise you set yourself up for disappointment. Much of the film footage you see of Kilauea was shot in the 1980%26#39;s.





    So please do some reading on what the park offers in 2007 and talk to your son about his ideas of what he%26#39;ll see to make sure it%26#39;s realistic. Is the park fascinating? Yes, as long as you aren%26#39;t obsessed with seeing fountains of live red lava.

    Help with my itinerary

    My family of four (two kids ages 11 and 13) will be in Oahu July 18 - July 26. Here is my preliminary itinerary. Please let me know what you think.





    Wednesday: Arrive at HNL around 1:00 p.m. Pick up car. Check-in at the ResortQuest Waikiki Tower. Hang out at the beach. Try to get an outrigger canoe ride.





    Thursday: Visit Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona, Mighty Mo, maybe the Bowfin). I%26#39;m planning to be there by 7:00 a.m. Hike Diamond Head. Maybe do the Tantalus drive. Hang out at Waikiki Beach. Dinner at Duke%26#39;s (should I make a reservation ahead of time?).





    Friday: Visit Hanauma Bay. Visit Halona Blowhole. Anything else near here?





    Saturday: Kayak tour in Kailua with Mokulua Kayak Guides.





    Sunday: Is there a Catholic Church in Waikiki? Visit the North Shore - Sharks Cove, Waimea Bay, Shave Ice, Shrimp Trucks





    Monday: Nothing planned yet. We%26#39;re probably going to use this day to re-visit anywhere we want to see again.





    Tuesday: Pack up for 4:00 p.m. departure. Hang out at the beach as long as we can. Not sure when check out time is. I%26#39;m wondering if the hotel will provide changing facilities for after check out. How soon should we leave for the airport?





    One last note. I%26#39;ve heard great things about the PCC. I just don%26#39;t think the kids and myself will really enjoy it. We%26#39;ve done a luau in Maui 2 years ago, so we%26#39;ll probably skip that as well.





    Thanks in advance for all your comments.



    Help with my itinerary


    Actually I don%26#39;t have much to say except that sounds about perfect!





    The only thing not on your itinery that I really enjoyed was a rainforest/waterfall hike - Manoa Falls.





    oh - and you say you%26#39;re going July 18-26, but you%26#39;re checking out Tues. the 24th ???



    Help with my itinerary


    Sorry, typo. We will be in Oahu 7/18 - 7/24.





    Thanks for the heads up on the falls. Will the Manoa falls be ';falling'; in July? What about Waimea falls?




    If the outrigger canoe goes well, give the surf lessons a try, perfect age for it.





    In the summer I would recommend at least 5 days in advance reservation for dukes and ask for an outside table.




    On Friday, after Hanauma Bay, if time permits, keep on driving around that east dise of Oahu. Check a map. The drive is great. When you want to head back down to Waikiki, you can take the Pali Hwy., or Likelike Hwy., or even H-3.



    I think you plans sound terrific. You have done your homework!!!




    good point J about Manoa falls.





    from what i%26#39;ve heard it%26#39;s just a trickle in July.





    I went in February and it seemed light to me even then.





    however, the rest of the scenery was actually the highlight for me, I%26#39;m not used to see so much greenery!





    T




    Wiamea Falls is way better, you actually see water falling. I thought my kids would be bored 12-15 but they enjoyed the walk and they loved being able to swim in the water under the falls.




    Our Lady of Peace Cathedral is located on Bishop street. Here%26#39;s their website for directions.





    http://www.cathedralofourladyofpeace.com/




    I%26#39;ve got 43 more days before we leave for Oahu. I can%26#39;t wait.





    longboard, thanks for the Duke%26#39;s info.





    socallocal, thanks so much for the church info.





    mapa90, I think Waimea Falls may fit in well with our North Shore day.





    Thanks to everyone for their input. I%26#39;ll be sure to post a trip report when we return.




    You ought to rethink about not going to PCC. It is the best Polynesian entertainment in all of Hawaii.





    Lots of Oahu info:





    tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29222-i37-k647862…




    I can relate to your avoiding the Polynesian Cultural Center. I have taken many friends who come to visit me to the PCC, on their request. Some like it, some do not. While it is great for some, its not for everybody, and its not for me.

    Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio

    I will be staying here for a two-week work trip in July. I would love to hear your experiences with this hotel. I thought I read an earlier post about some construction going on related to the renovations - is this still the case?. I will need to drive back and forth to a job site next to the airport each day - what can I expect for traffic in the mornings around 7:00 or earlier? Thanks!



    Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio


    MrsRosie .... Since the Hilton took over management of the property, renovations is still continue until later this year. I don%26#39;t think the construction hurts the visiting guest during the day. I go by this place daily many times and hardly see any construction in the front of the hotel. Renovation are being done on the different floors of the hotel.





    The best way to work west of downtown Honolulu at 7 am is to take the Ala Moana Blvd into Nimitz Hwy. Traffic is minimum and it will not take you more than 30 minutes, providing no accidents. I drive this route twice a week coming from Kahala area. Your return can change depending on the time you get off of work.





    ';Live Aloha';



    Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio


    We were just in Waikiki in May, staying next door to Hilton Prince Kuhio. At that stage the rooms were open but the balconies were closed off to guests staying in the rooms. They may be fininished this by the time you go in July and have the balconies re-open.




    islekane - Excellent, thank you! Extremely helpful information for me and for my fellow co-workers.




    Hawaii50 - Thanks for the info on the balconies. I heard they were closed awhile back also.


  • face make up remover
  • my boyfriends and I anniversy trip to oahu

    its our 1 year anniversary and we are going to Oahu. My guy has given me the best year of my life, we love each other so much. Now we are taking a vacation and want to have the time of our lives. We are looking for unique ideas. Last year we went to Oahu for 4 days and we jumped off the rock in Waimea Bay, thats the kind of stuff we are looking for.... fun and adventurous and non commercial. We are not into drinking or the club scene. Any ideas?



    my boyfriends and I anniversy trip to oahu


    Do the shark adventure. You take off from north shore and go about 3 miles out. I posted my shark adventure that I did in 06. Check it out.



    my boyfriends and I anniversy trip to oahu


    Do the kayak tour to the Mokulua Islands. Best time we had in Hawaii. Google ';Mokulua Kayak'; for websites.




    Here is my review of the shark encounter in Hawaii, just in case you don%26#39;t know how to find it under my name. It%26#39;s the fourth one. You might have to copy and paste.





    tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g29217-d2914鈥?/a>

    AJ's Cottage?

    Has anyone ever stayed at A J%26#39;s Cottage? Can you tell me if this is a nice place and would you recommend it?



    AJ's Cottage?


    Aloha,





    Would you share more info, like town or area?



    AJ's Cottage?


    The cottage is located about 3 miles from the VNP.




    I have not stayed there but I checked it out for someone just a few months ago. It%26#39;s in Mauna Loa Estates, a subdivision across of the highway from Volcano Village. It%26#39;s a new and cute cottage.

    Trip Report, May 26-June 2

    For your reference, we were 4 adults and 3 small children.



    I will give an overview of activities and dining.





    Saturday: Arrived, stopped by Walmart for essentials, drove up to Haena where our beach house was, cooked a quick dinner. Walked to the beach to see how far it was, and then hit the sack.





    Sunday: Beach morning, followed by driving to the Polynesian Festival in Lihue. Admission was $10 per person, which I thought was a little steep. The Festival was small, and I enjoyed it okay, but it wasn%26#39;t worth the long drive for us. We ate lunch there and it was tasty.



    Dinner was at the Hanalei Dolphin with the 3 kids in tow. It was excellent. Our service, drinks, food, and dessert was all perfect. The server was awesome, and our kids loved walking outside by the water. Highly recommended.





    Monday: This was a full beach day. We ate lunch at home. Dinner was the Princeville Luau. We all really enjoyed this. Food was very tasty, servers brought drinks around constantly, and the setting is amazing. The show I had heard was bad, so I wasn%26#39;t expecting much, but we all really enjoyed the more ';relaxed'; approach. Our kids all adored it, and we had a great time. The sun setting over the water at the Princeville resort is just breathtaking.





    Tuesday: The girls and kids spent this day shopping in Hanalei. Some cool little shops. We ate lunch at Sushi Blues which was very tasty (We had fish tacos and the crunchy roll, which was GREAT). The guys went to Pearl Harbor, and had a great time, and did a special tour of the USS Missouri, which they said was cool.



    Dinner was Bubba%26#39;s Burgers, which like everyone says, are small but tasty.





    Wednesday: This day my DH and I went to Kipu ATV tours near Lihue. It was really fun. I had never ridden an ATV before, and I had a blast. The guides were funny and very nice. It is a very relaxed ride, and not scary or adventurous at all, but the scenery is wonderful. It is so beautiful there. We had a great time.



    We had lunch at the Polynesian Cafe on the way back, and it was very good. We both had the chicken chimichangas, and dessert and it was all very yummy.



    We spent the rest of the day at the beach, and had dinner at Postcards Cafe without the kids. We hired a babysitter through a service on Kauai, and though a bit expensive, we felt like they did a great job. Anyways, dinner there is great, dishes were well presented and very fresh. We wish they had liquour in addition to their wine and beer, but not a real complaint.





    Thursday: We took a family tour of Na Aina Kai Gardens in Kileau. It was very nice, although the kids got a little bored. They were happy, however, when we got to the fish feeding part. The grounds are beautiful, and the children%26#39;s garden and play area at the end of the tour is really cool. They really enjoyed it. We ate lunch at Pau Hana Pizza, and it was very tasty. Great salads, pizza, and desserts. We didn%26#39;t take time to wait on a specialty pizza, but they sure sounded awesome. Would love to do that next time.



    Dinner was at Kalypso%26#39;s and was very good.





    Friday: We did a Napali Coast tour with Napali Catamarans in the morning. We had very calm seas, and were able to snorkel and saw giant turtles that would swim right next to you. It was awesome. The rest of the snorkeling was just not that great next to Tunnels, which we were at every day. The tour guides were very friendly and quite funny, and we went into one sea cave. The coast was beautiful, and the trip was worth it. We were back by 11:30 and ate lunch on the trip.



    We spent a little time on the beach, and had Ahi and Steak kabobs for dinner at our house.





    We had a great time, and Kauai is the most beautiful place you can imagine. We really enjoyed the ambiance of the north shore, and all the places we ate at were just awesome. No complaints at all, except the driving around wasn%26#39;t our favorite part. That%26#39;s why we mostly stuck to Tunnels and Kee Beach. Our kids had a great time, and we had a very relaxing time.



    Trip Report, May 26-June 2


    Wonderful report. We%26#39;re going in a week and are also staying in Haena. Which rental house did you stay in? I think I looked at every one in that area. Glad you had a good time.



    Trip Report, May 26-June 2


    Enjoyed your report --- we were there at the beginning of May and did alot of the same things you did. Your report made me start missing Kauai already !!!




    ';Wonderful report. We%26#39;re going in a week and are also staying in Haena. Which rental house did you stay in? I think I looked at every one in that area. Glad you had a good time.';





    We stayed in the Paradise Pastures house, which was not on the beach, but close to it. We actually drove down to the ';better'; area on tunnels each day, which took about one minute! It was a nice house for what we needed it for, and a great price for the week. It was kind of a pinkish color and on the left side of the road as you are heading towards Ke%26#39;e beach....do you know the one? Oh, and also the people who live on the first floor (we rented the whole second level) were SUPER nice and helpful, loaning us stuff, etc.




    aloha, Kim! I remember when you were first planning to come here - glad you had such a nice vacation. I have yet to do one of the boat tours . . . did you bring your kids?? How did they do? That just sounds like a fabulous experience to me. Isn%26#39;t it fun just hanging around Hanalei - what ambiance - at least it suits me. Mahalo for sharing with us! :)




    Mahalo for the report. Love the talk about food.




    Oh, shantybob - I am with you on that. Anytime some one mentions that shrimp truck on their trip reports, I am ready to go! I haven%26#39;t done that on Kauai yet - guess I need to go again. I as well had 2 fabulous dinners at Hanalei Dolphin and loved my specialty pizza at Pau Hana Pizza too. I know that Kauai doesn%26#39;t have as many choices as islands like Maui and Oahu, but I am very happy eating my way around the island. :)




    Mahalo kimg8...happy you all had a great stay in paradise.




    Coalminer: We did not take our kids on the Napali coast boat tour. We hired a sitting service, which was great. They were just too young to go, and snorkeling would have been impossible.