4 nights in Oahu?---question about hotel planning

Hi,

We will be staying 4 nights in Oahu (early nov) and was thinking 2 nights at Turtle Bay Resort and 2 Day at Halekulani. How does that sound?

Do you think it would be wiser to do 1 night at Turtle and the rest at Halekulani? Can we do the North Shore area in a day and a half? Halekulani has some packages that seem inticing but they require a 3 night stay. But we were sure how rushed we would be just doing one night and then packing up to leave again from Turtle.....

4 nights in Oahu?---question about hotel planning

With only 4 nights I would pick one or the other for the full stay as there is enough in either area to stay busy. The other part is they are over an hour apart so there is checkout of one drive to the other checkin not including packing and unpacking say 4 hours shot. You can always take one day and drive to the other locale to scope it out.

4 nights in Oahu?---question about hotel planning

If you found a good package you should just stay at Halekulani for the duration, it is a beautiful resort. The drive to the North Shore always seems quick and it is easy to drive up there even for only a half day. Its too much hassle to change hotels in the middle of your stay and drag all your luggage around.

Although I didn%26#39;t stay at either, I visited them both..actually had the world%26#39;s best mai tai at the %26#39;house without a key%26#39;-an absolute must. I would probably just stick with the Halekulani.

The North Shore is lovely, but we did it in a day....rode up, looked around, got a burger (i forget where, but it is famous, crowded and good...) and a shave ice at matsamoto%26#39;s grocery store....then we drove back to Waikiki. (We were at the Sheraton for a convention)

Have a great trip

Waipio Valley

Thanks to all of you who have been helpful in planning our trip to the Big Island. We leave tomorrow! I am wondering about Waipio Valley. Is it worth it to drive the spur road to get there and enjoy the view from the rim and then turn around and drive back to the main road. If to really appreciate this wondrous place, do we need to go down in? We will not do a tour as we doing the Gardens that morning and don%26#39;t want to be rushed to get there and we won%26#39;t walk or drive ourselves. Thanks for any input. I will be sure to write a trip report when we get back?

Marlene

Waipio Valley

Marelnesusan,

I would vote yes, it is worth it, but that is just me. I love the overlook. Gorgeous, esp. on a nice sunny day!

Also, stop at Tex%26#39;s Drive in and grab a malasadas where you get back on the highway. Not to be missed!

Hope you have a great trip!

Good luck and happy travels!

Waipio Valley

Definately a beautiful view if you have the time to spare, but I still dont think it does the valley justice. It is much better to hike down or take one of the tour shuttles to see the falls, beach, and river. Either way if you only have time to drive to the rim, it is worth it. Its not that far from Highway 19 (a little over 9 miles) so you are not commiting yourself to a two-hour affair.

prove residency

Need help first time to BI

We will be on the BI for 3 nights and thought about renting a house. Can anyone recommend the best place to rent a house? We were looking at the Volcano area since we will visit the VNP but we also want to explore the rest of the island.- so we are open to staying elsewhere. First time to the BI so any advice with lodging or activities would be helpful.

Need help first time to BI

Aloha and welcome

In Kona most houses have a week minimum, some might do 5 nights in low season.

Good news at Volcano Village they will rent houses for 3 nights! So if getting a house is important I would stay there.

I have used VRBO for rentals of houses and have had excellent luck.

%26#39;Be advised that you should as questions when renting a house like

*Do you have a person nearby to take care of anything that brakes and may I have that number?

*Do you have references?

*Do you take Credit cards or Paypal?

Have a great trip!

Need help first time to BI

You kind of need to think about the big island as being split down the middle. You have the Hilo/volcano side. Lots to do but no beaches really.

The Kona side is where the beaches and water activities are. Much drier and not alot of green. But some of the best beaches in Hawaii. Snorkeling is magnificent along the Kona coast.

Most people stay a couple nights on the Hilo side and then spend the rest on the Kona side. It%26#39;s really too far to drive back and forth more than one day. When we%26#39;ve gone we stay on the Kona side and take a day trip to the volcano. Not alot of time and that%26#39;s why most people will spend a couple nights at the volcano.

Newtraveler2007,

The Big Island is much too large to do in three days. With such a short amount of time, I would pick a section of the island and stay put. Driving from one side to the other and back is a full day trip and will take around 6 or 7 hours driving time. It is possible but not recommended. Consider what you want to do and see and plan accordingly. For example, if in your three days the Volcano is your primary goal, get on their website and check it out to see if you believe there will be two days worth of exploring etc to do be done in that area. If the answer is yes, get a house in Volcano. If no, and the beaches or snorkeling is your main goal, consider renting a condo in Kona to be closer to your desired activities.

Go to the library and get a book on Hawaii, preferably one specifically for the Big Island and not the “revealed” book. Research and see where you might want to see and visit.

Then look at a map of the island and mark what you want to see. The highest concentration of marks is likely the area you would like to stay in, or near.

Good luck and happy travels!

colorstay

hawaii resort? first time!

My husand and I are thinking about planning a trip to Hawaii- flying into Honolulu in July. Looking at some hotels and website it seems like there are a lot of hotel in a city setting. Any ideas of more resort like hotels? Came across Mariott Ko Olina......any ideas for day trips? Should we rent a car?

Thanks!

hawaii resort? first time!

On Oahu Ko Olina and Turtle Bay are really the only ones that would quailify as resorts although Kahala Hotel is away from Waikiki and yes you would want a car at either of the two.

hawaii resort? first time!

Why not head for one of the neighbor islands? Maui has several nice resorts and is nowhere near the city setting that you find in Honolulu.

If you are staying on Oahu, then unfortunately your ';resort'; options are limited since the majority of hotels are congregated in the Waikiki area of Honolulu. Some of the hotels in Waikiki have more of a resort ';feel'; like Hilton Hawaiian Village etc., but are still in the city. Everyone has mentioned the major resorts, and PZP had a good point that if you are looking for more of a resort feel you may consider one of the other islands where the resorts are a little more inexpensive.

taxi cost

How much from airport to Hilton Haw. Village? Or does the H.H. V offer a free shuttle?

taxi cost

Pull up ...charleystaxi.com....

I%26#39;m almost certain that HHV doesn%26#39;t offer a free shuttle as it is too far, about 10 miles.

taxi cost

Yeah just to confirm HHV doesnt have an airport shuttle, but the company that Sheila recommended is definately one of the best options at $12 per person. Also i%26#39;m pretty sure they still have a kiosk at the airport where you can actually check in and get your room keys whiloe you wait for your luggage.

Just got home on June 2nd and used Charley%26#39;s taxi to airport. Cost about $30. When we arrived we used Lima Tours which cost about $10 each but stopped for several other parties on the shuttle.

Massage school in West Maui

Anyone know of a massage school in west maui? I have seen several in east but none in the west.

Mike

Massage school in West Maui

I%26#39;am sorry but I don%26#39;t have any idea. I%26#39;am bumping you up so that maybe someone that does can answer you. Good luck.

Massage school in West Maui

I%26#39;m pretty sure you%26#39;re out of luck!

Only one%26#39;s on the island I%26#39;m aware of are in: Kihei, Makawao and Kahului...

If you%26#39;re looking for an inexpensive massage, try craigslist hawaii, under services.

Where is the one in Kihei?

Maui Academy of the Healing Arts - 1847 S. Kihei Rd., Suite #103 808-879-4266 or Toll Free 1-888-874-4266

I saw a place a few doors down from CJs Deli that offered massages for about half the price of the resort spas....

Has anyone been to Maui Academy of the Healing Arts? Do you know their rate?

azroadrunner, do you remember the name of the place or the price for an hour?

Couldn%26#39;t tell you any of the rates, but the place next to CJ%26#39;s is called Spa Rejuva located at the Fairway Shops in Kaanapali.

Outrigger Waikiki Beach or Sheraton Waikiki

Tough time deciding between these two hotels for an October visit. Cost is virtually the same.

Is there construction still at the Sheraton? Is it bothersome?

Which is better as far as:

Pool area and ability to get chairs

Beach area

Room quietness and bed

Hotel activities

Overall atmosphere

Looking for opinions one way or the other. Thanks....

Outrigger Waikiki Beach or Sheraton Waikiki

We have stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach several times, most receontly April %26#39;06. We felt it offers good value for a beachfront property with fairly fresh (not worn out) rooms. The ocean view rooms did give a good vantage on the beach scene.

Downside: noise comes thru the doors so if people are noisy in the halls you ehar it, elevators are incerdibly slow, ground level area is chaotic--the reception is up the escalator and it gets better once you are there.

It is on the best part of the beach. We did not use the pool, so can%26#39;t speak to that. We also do not use beach chairs, so can%26#39;t speak to that (we prefer to lie on towels on the sand). They hava a catamaran that leaves 3 times a week for snorkeling; other sailing and sunset cruise operators leave from nearby on the beach. I believe there is an activity desk (did not use). Overall atmosphere is not deluxe, elegant, or luxury but it IS friendly, clean, cheerful, well priced for the location. We definitely would stay there again.

Outrigger Waikiki Beach or Sheraton Waikiki

Both are comparable, a lot of people prefer Outrigger more. Construction is going on at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center which is directly in front of the Sheraton, and right next to the Outrigger, so both will be in close proximity. I would advise to go with Outrigger, but you won%26#39;t be disappointed either way. Stick with the best value if they are significantly different.

we just got back from Oahu and stayed at the Sheraton Waikik in an oceanfront room. Although the view was breathtaking, the room was very small.... almost claustrophobic..and the bathroom setup was weird...it had a pocket door, and then 2 upper half doors with a mirror on them, that opened into the room..?? I guess you could sit on the loo and enjoy the view at the same time...

We only paid half price for the room but still felt it was way too much $$$ for the teeny room..the elevators were real quick though...

We have stayed at Outrigger Waikiki twice (Aug. of both 2004 and 2005) and really love it there. It has a fantastic location on Waikiki, and the 2 restaurants (Duke%26#39;s and Hula Grill) are both fantastic.

This summer we are going to Maui and BI, but next time we go to Waikiki, we will be staying at the Outrigger again!

odp.net charakterset

Entertainment Book vs. Go Hawaii card

We%26#39;re headed to Honolulu for a week at the end of July and I%26#39;m torn between purchasing the 2007 Entertainment book for $9.99 or pay for a few days on the Go Hawaii Card. I%26#39;ve searched these posts and have seen good things about both. We%26#39;re planning on doing all the sights/attractions - Arizona Memorial, Missouri, Iolani Palace, Hanauma Bay, etc.

Thought I%26#39;d gather the expert opinions on this forum to see who has a favorite. :) Appreciate any and all opinions!

Entertainment Book vs. Go Hawaii card

We haven%26#39;t styed in Honolulu, but I%26#39;am bumping you up so maybe someone else can help you.

Entertainment Book vs. Go Hawaii card

We will be going to Honolulu in September this year. I compared the GO card to the Entertainment Book, Explorer, and Power Pass. Since I can get military-priced tickets at the base, I opted for the Entertainment Book. Without the military discounts, I may have gone with the GO card.

We first used GO cards in Boston. You come out ahead if you take advantage of as much as possible. Don%26#39;t forget food and shopping discounts. We planned several days based on optimizing use of the cards.

I found that having the GO card in Boston motivated us to see as much as possible. After purchasing the card, you are no longer faced with go/no-go decisions at each attraction. We just kept ';Go';ing.

On the flip side, if you want a slower pace and more ';eating'; options, then I recommend the Entertainment Book.

However, remember that we haven%26#39;t gone yet. Enjoy!

I%26#39;m going in December and have been doing research on both of these options. I have received recommendations to purchase both, as long as you plan on doing enough activities to make the Go card worthwhile. Go Card lists recommended activity schedules on their website, and you can see how much it would cost for you to pay for them once you arrive. Write down which ones you want to do and make sure that you will recoup your costs for the card. While we will be there for a week, we decided that buying the 7-day Go Card wasn%26#39;t the best choice because we wanted some time to relax.

We have opted to buy a 3-day Go Card to use mostly for activities, and the Entertainment book for the dining discounts. I have found that the entertainment book more than pays for itself with the ';buy one get one free'; restaurant coupons. If you are interested in the 3-day Go Card, costco.com carries it for a pretty significant discount. The 3-day Go card is $90 on Costco.com as opposed to $116 on sale on the Go Card website.

I have also found from other vacations that purchasing Go Cards makes you more motiviated to actually do the activities and not just sit around every single day. Once you have paid for it, you want to get your money%26#39;s worth. We went on a vacation several years ago when the budget was very tight and were hesitant to do any of the tourist activities because we didn%26#39;t want to spend any more money. We ended up missing out on some really great sights and have always regretted it. Hope this helps!

Thanks for all the good advice. I will definitely go to the website for the GO card and ';do the math'; to figure out how it will help with the attractions we want to see.

Aloha! Can%26#39;t wait!!

Sea Lodge or Sheraton Kauai Resort?

North or South? Condo or resort? We like the quieter aspect of the north shore, but we%26#39;ve been offered a 6 day/5 night package at the Sheraton for $598. Is the construction worth the great price? We will be traveling in mid-August.

Thanks in advance for your time!

Sea Lodge or Sheraton Kauai Resort?

You have a great price at the Sheraton, and not sure that you will be bothered much by the construction. Plus the beach and other poipu area beaches are just a short cruise down the sand, or swim along the shore.

Also, you have quite a bit of different things that you can do close to your digs at the sheraton, as well as on sheraton property.

Sea lodge is OK, as we just stopped by there to check it out and talked with the manager. Very peaceful, and no crowds like you will find at the sheraton. builidings look a bit worn, with wood shingle siding.

Many units have fabulous ocean views.

You will be in Princeville, which is also having new construction taking place. but not anything next to the sea lodge.

So, there is some up do date scoops on both.

Denny

Sea Lodge or Sheraton Kauai Resort?

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I worked at the Sheraton for 5 years and it is indeed a lovely property -- not exactly ';luxury'; but very nice and considered a ';moderate'; property by Starwood (who owns Sheraton).

The beach is great, pool is just so-so -- grounds are nicely landscaped -- Ho%26#39;onani Road intersects between the ocean wings and the garden wing -- the garden wing has its own pool. There are Shells Restaurant, Naniwa Restaurant, The Point Lounge and the pool area snacks. There is also a sundry store and a Kohala Collection store for clothing.

There are two wings on the ocean -- ocean wing, more quiet and away from the pool area. Pool wing, above the swimming pool and beach area.

There is a lot of construction activity going on in the immediate area of the hotel just now -- Koloa Landing Development is starting a huge construction project about 1/2 block from the Sheraton -- and the property immediately mauka of the Sheraton itself (facing onto Po%26#39;ipu Road) is scheduled to start construction this summer as well--- this will be directly behind the Garden Wing.

If you plan on hanging out at the beach and pool area I would guess you wouldn%26#39;t have much if any noise from the construction -- it just depends on how much it bothers you. You will be in the heart of the densest construction in the area but on the lower road. Some people might not be affected by it at all, and some might be upset by all the dust and construction. Only you can decide. As for me, if I had to make the choice I would choose the North Shore in a heartbeat at this point in time (and I live here on the South Shore!) -- just because of that.

Hope this helps! This is my opinion only!

Malama Pono,

Janet

Thanks for your insight, Kala%26#39; and Kolo%26#39; !

I%26#39;ve read many of your thread responses and I appreciate the time you take to inform the less informed.

Mahalo!

Hi, where did you get that great rate at the Sheraton, I%26#39;ve been looking around in the area for mid july. Thanks

I filled out a request for information at the Starwood Vacation Ownership web site;

www.starwoodvacationownership.com/index.jsp

They called within a couple of days and offered 6 days/5 nights in a Deluxe Gardenview room (Ocean wing) with a $185 Avis voucher and a $100 resort credit.

I found this Starwood information from a Maui thread here at Tripadvisor.

Best of luck!

Thank You, Tripadvisor people are the nicest, this forum as restored my faith in humanity!

colorstay

Luxury rental through Alamo

Has anyone done a luxury rental through Alamo? If so what car did they give you?

Thanks

Mike

Luxury rental through Alamo

Actually rented a convertable.....but, I happened to speak with a gentleman when returning the car, who was bringing back a somewhat thrashed looking Cadillac DTS....he said that this was the THIRD lux vehicle they%26#39;d given him!!! Don%26#39;t remember what problems the other two had, but he said, ';NEVER AGAIN, will I use Alamo'; on the bus to the Airport...

Luxury rental through Alamo

Hmm, do you think they might not renew the Luxury line as often as the other ones. There is a really good rate right now by clicking through costco. $117.90wk

I%26#39;d book it before the rate changes....you can always cancel, just don%26#39;t prepay for anything!!

Be prepared to check over the car very thoroughly, and use all the info available on TA and you should be ok!

just called the alamo rep in maui the current up to the minute ';luxury collection'; at the kahului airport location consits of

2 chevy vega%26#39;s,2 ford pinto%26#39;s,1 yugo,4 amc pacer%26#39;s and gremlin%26#39;s

wish i had known of this luxury collection ahead of our trip in april,damn!

Sheraton pool for small kids

DH and I stayed in an ocean front room at the Sheraton in 2002 and loved it. We%26#39;re not big pool people, so we did not spend much time at the pool during our previous visit. On the trip that we are beginning to plan (May 2008), we will be traveling with our 3 yo DD who is turning into a fish. I recall the main pool at the Sheraton as not being anything special and I don%26#39;t remember a kiddie pool or kiddie area of the pool. I%26#39;ve been looking at every picture of the Sheraton pool that I can over the last few days and it looks like they might have a little kiddie area in the pool now? Can anyone confirm?

We are also considering the Hyatt, mostly because of their pool, but I just can%26#39;t stomach the ocean view price. It looks like we can get an ocean view room at the Sheraton for the same cost as a garden view room at the Hyatt (and if I recall correctly, this is why we went with the Sheraton last time).

Sheraton pool for small kids

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I used to work for Sheraton Kaua%26#39;i for a number of years and the pool situation hasn%26#39;t changed since I left.

There is an ocean pool -- there is a shallow section of the pool that is considered a ';keiki area'; but it isn%26#39;t separate from the main pool.

On the garden side, there is a tiny little baby pool - this is separate from the main pool (to the side) and would be great for infants or small toddlers.

I just called them to make sure this is still the situation.

Hope this helps!

Malama Pono,

Janet

Sheraton pool for small kids

Wow! Thank you so much for calling to find out. That is so nice of you!

I%26#39;ve noticed in some other posts that you have mentioned the construction that is going on around the Sheraton. Do you know when they are expecting the construction to be complete? (BTW...are they building something new?)

Thanks again!

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

While the Sheraton is a lovely property -- it does have some drawbacks -- the construction activity that is all around the hotel would be one factor -- while the ocean wing will be far away from the noise and dust -- you will still have the majority of the 11 or so construction projects in very close proximity to the hotel. And as mentioned, no keiki pool on the oceanside and only a tiny little toddler pool by the garden side pool.

You might check with the Sheraton on when the construction is supposed to start on the property immediately mauka of their property -- this would be the one that would impact you the most.

The Hyatt on the other hand -- is far away on the opposite end of Po%26#39;ipu Road -- well away from any construction activity -- they also have several pools and some are specifically geared towards the younger set! Their garden/mountain rooms are not bad -- they look towards Mt. Ha%26#39;upu and just try to get ones that are away from the parking lot area.

For the money -- I%26#39;d stay at the garden view Hyatt room and have all the many great amenities for you and your keiki -- they really do cater to families.

Malama Pono,

Janet

Policy on quoted rates from car rental co.

Okay, so if you reserve a car, and they give you a rate, they have to honor it, even if it%26#39;s a glitch in their system, correct????

The reason I am asking, as is my practice, I double check rates about 10-12 days before a trip. I have saved money this way many a times.

So, my original reservation was with Alamo. It is for a jeep wranger, 8 days, 293.00 (included taxes). I jump on today, check and it is 163.00 for the same time, and yes this includes taxes.

I am thinking there was a glitch because every car type but the mini van was listed at this price. So, of course, I changed my reservation. But I got to thinking, do they have to honor this?

Policy on quoted rates from car rental co.

I reserve online, through Costco, and bring a printout of my reservation with me. One time, an employee tried to charge me for an extra driver and I showed him on my reservation where it said the extra driver was free. They usually have all of your reservation info correct on their computers but little details like this can be a bummer if they aren%26#39;t honored.

Did you remember any meds, ibuprofen, sunglasses?

Policy on quoted rates from car rental co.

I did. Advil, meds, and sunscreen:0) Check, check and check!!!!!

Yes they do as long as you have proof... just bring your email confirmation. One thought on the Jeep. It is a pain to put the top back up... well not huge but it is a pain. We had a Mustang in Maui for 7 days but rented a jeep on Oahu for the day.. we had reserved a cheap car and they were out so we got a jeep for the same price. They are also a lot more noisy. We took our car everywhere that you would take a jeep and it was fine. Just my opinion though :) Hope you have a blast and get the rate you were quoted :)

In popular vacation locations, car rental rates change frequently. For example, on my last trip to Florida in May, I had reserved a std car from thrift for about $270 for nine days. Two days prior to leaving, I check the web and it is now about $215. I call a thrifty agent and inform her that rates are lower and could we change my reservation to the lower rate. She came back with a rate of $195, and no problems changing it. I always monitor the rates prior to leaving.

All above included all fees and taxes.

No glitch, maybe a ';quirk'; HA! I cancelled my reservations several times %26amp; found price differences, using the same discount codes, as much as $200 over 10 days!!

Ended up going through Costco%26#39;s site %26amp; plugging in another discount code from Alamo%26#39;s site, which resulted in about 18bucks/day for the convertable....of course, you all know what happened after that...

Lisa, they%26#39;ll honor it no problem. In November we got a midsize SUV for $179 including all taxes for 10 days. Didn%26#39;t really need an SUV but it was the cheapest one when I did may last weekly price check before the vacation. Bring your reservation print out for sure just incase.

Have fun.

Car rental rates get wackier closer to the date -- I think b/c they lower the price on cars they have more of. I rent cars often for work ... our limit is supposedly ';midsize'; but often at the last minute (which is when I%26#39;m usually renting) a SUV or even a premium might be cheaper than the mid. I am forever having to explain to the expense account people WHY I rented the ';nicer'; car. (just trying to save you guys money!!!!)

how to deal with a crush

Polulu, waterfalls?

Hi, everyone. My partner %26amp; I are heading to the big island in July, and we want to do some things we didn%26#39;t get to do on our first visit. She really wants to hike in Waipio, but from what I%26#39;ve read here, I gather that isn%26#39;t a great idea. We%26#39;re trying to save money and are not big on group tours, anyway, and I%26#39;m not in as good shape as she is.

Anyway, some folks here have been suggesting Polulu as an alternative to Waipio. Can you tell me the level of difficulty %26amp; time required for hikes there? Also, are any of the waterfalls accessible? I have a silly dream of getting to a waterfall with a pool where we can swim or at least dip our feet in, but from what I%26#39;m reading, it seems that many waterfalls on the Big Island are hard to reach, too violent or made from run off from Parker ranch!

Any advice you could give would be most appreciated... it%26#39;s hard to find clear info that dates after the Kiholo earthquake... Thanks!

Polulu, waterfalls?

Danator,

I hate to be the one to tell you but that dream is just that, a dream. It is a Hollywood version of Hawaii. There are waterfalls on all the islands, and most are relatively hard to get to, and almost none are safe to swim in, for a myriad of reasons. Hawaii Forest and Trail does have a water fall hike, but since the EQ they don’t go under the falls anymore. I realize you don’t want to take a tour, but this one I do recommend. There are also tours etc that will allow one to see Hi’ilawe Falls in Waipio including a wagon ride that doesn’t require hiking, or a horseback tour of the rim.

Pololu hike info: the trail is uneven dirt and rock which can get muddy when it rains. It is not a difficult hike, but I suggest good hiking boots or shoes. There is a BSB at the bottom but no swimming. There are falls in the back of the valley, but no real trail to it, it is a bit of a hike to get back there, IIRC. But the hike down to the beach should be no problem for those without medical concerns.

Good luck and happy travels!

Polulu, waterfalls?

Thanks, echolynch - that%26#39;s very helpful. I figured I might be just imagining a fantasy waterfall. ;o)

We%26#39;ll weigh this info and see what we want to do when we get there. We may do the Polulu hike and just enjoy looking at the sights. I appreciate the suggestion, but I doubt we%26#39;ll do the tour. I%26#39;m afraid our money is limited, so we have to prioritize... and we%26#39;re rather antisocial when it comes to large groups of other tourists. (We giggled the whole time through a rainforest tour in Costa Rica when some annoying loudmouths got peed on by monkeys. Clearly, we are going to Hell.)

The wagon ride in Waipio was entertaining but I though rather short. The water falls there were dried up last week . The tour guide said that they are experiencing a drought . Good to do the tour at least once.

oh, I%26#39;m glad Aleka mentioned that. Yes, there is a drought, and South Kohala/Kawaihae are under water restriction, North Kohala (Pololu) is under a usage warning.

I%26#39;m in Hilo and my lawn is actually brown and crunchy from no rain. It%26#39;s distressing. Unless this changes by July the waterfalls will be dry or trickles.

Yes, the whole waterfall thing is a fantasy and I think of it as places in movies that are supposed to be untouched islands -- not islands that have pigs, goats, rats, and cattle impacting the water!

Oh, dear! Thank you, Aleka2 %26amp; KamaainaK, that%26#39;s really good to know. Do you happen to know offhand of any services - web, phone, etc. - that one can call to find out the status of the waterfalls? We had a similar experience when we went to Rainbow Falls on our first trip. We were all set to be dazzled and... drip, drip, drip...

KK - I hope you get some rain soon! It really is distressing when there%26#39;s a drought.

thanks danator ... well, living in Hilo I rarely suffer from no rain so I can just deal with the sunshine. It%26#39;s the west side that will feel it because they have a no yard water restriction right now in places.

Also I%26#39;m not on catchment so my tank isn%26#39;t going dry.

I%26#39;m sorry I don%26#39;t know a waterfall status number. Good idea.

Rainbow Falls is so easy to stop by, you might as well. The Wailuku River starts up pretty quickly with some rain. I%26#39;ve never seen Akaka Falls trickling either.

Don%26#39;t be stressed out; there%26#39;s lots to do and you%26#39;ll have no lack of great things to do, really.

Akaka falls was still running last week. Beautiful.

Trip Report - May 22-29 (Part One)

Aloha!

My wife, Amy, and I (mid 30’s) recently returned from our most wonderful vacation ever. Just a month in advance, we planned our Kauai trip with much help from this TA forum. Mahalo for the helpful information. I’m sure that it made our trip to Kauai so much better!

Tuesday, 5/22:

We flew United non-stop from San Francisco – arrived early at 11:20am ($650 each/rt) (a full flight)

Picked up our Mustang Convertible from Budget (lots of these all over the island)

(Fastbreak membership helped to speed this along – a smooth process)

What wonderful tropical humid air %26amp; bird calls upon our arrival!

Amy was feeling ill with a head cold – so straight to Longs Drugs for some meds %26amp; snacks. Get our bearings and head north to the Kilauea Point Lighthouse %26amp; Wildlife Refuge ($3/each). Definitely worth it for the views, crazy large birds and we saw a monk seal beached below! Off to Foodland at Princeville for some staples %26amp; wine before 3pm check-in. (get the discount card at checkout)

http://www.aninialoha.com/aninikamaaina/

($1,500/wk – off season rate)

Headed over to Anini Beach (3rd house from end of dirt road). Key in lock box.

Cool 50’s beach cottage %26amp; great location (will write up a separate review soon).

Got into our island wear %26amp; we went for a swim to cool off.

Amy required a nap, so I snorkeled in the shallows for awhile – no fish.

Cleaned up %26amp; drove to Princeville Resort…strolled around the lobby and grounds. (Kind of gaudy, like a Vegas resort but stuffy %26amp; proper)

Cocktails and pupus at Happy Talk Lounge at HBR

(reasonably priced - burger, ahi sandwich, Lava Flow cocktails with live entertainment %26amp; great people watching!)

Sleep at 9pm – a few beach bonfires across the street but little noise %26amp; we were exhausted.

Wednesday, 5/23:

I awoke at 6:30 – missed sunrise but great weather. Amy needed to sleep-in for her cold. She’s determined to beat it quick!

So, I headed across the stream at the end of Anini Road to explore the surf line on Wyllie Beach. Did some lava rock hiking (with reef shoes) until Hanalei Bay was almost in sight. (lots of black crabs %26amp; roosters on the desolate strips of sand below Princeville cliffs).

Hiked the ¼ mile steep path up to Princeville. Very dank jungle, lots of moa with a small stream running alongside – would be horrible, if muddy. Came out on the golf course %26amp; condo construction. Also, took a long stroll up Anini Beach to the park.

Breakfast at cottage, then off to Walmart %26amp; Longs - Lihue for more supplies.

(float noodles, addl. snorkel gear – we had one set, portable BBQ, water, etc…)

Amy was starting to feel much better!

Checked out 2 waterfalls along the way: ‘Opaeka’a Falls (highly recommend the chilled coconut stand $7 – they’ll give you the meat too, once you finish the milk) %26amp; Wailua Falls.

Stopped at the Olympic Café in Kapa’a for lunch – (upstairs, either street or ocean views)

(ahi burrito %26amp; tacos %26amp; cocktails– delicious, leftovers %26amp; reasonably priced)

Home to Anini for snorkeling %26amp; lounging. Too full for dinner, so we walked up Anini Rd to the point to watch the sunset (better viewing around the Princeville cliffs than our cottage beach area). Very cool – someone even had some tunes playing!

Locals were doing some night fishing later – not much noise. Sleep at 9pm again.

Thursday, 5/24:

Awoke before sunrise – strolled the beach again until Amy got up.

Breakfast at home.

Amy finally kicked her cold! Lots of sleep %26amp; light meds did the trick.

Drove out to Ke’e Beach – late morning (parking lots were full %26amp; crazy, so we drove back to the first dirt lot, parked and walked back – no big deal, even with gear)

Beautiful beach…kind of crowded (by Kauai standards!). Lounged and snorkeled until mid-afternoon. (decent snorkeling but current was pretty strong)

Stopped at Wishing Well truck in Hanalei for our first shaved ice (they weren’t surly to us!)

Back to Anini to get ready for Beach House dinner at 6pm.

Nice drive to Po’ipu…except for the damn detour. Drove around a little but wasn’t impressed with the resort areas – not our style. Too many people.

Arrived ½ hour early, checked in, then cocktails before dinner. Great people watching on the lawn area. “Window seat”, excellent meal %26amp; great service (crab cakes, asparagus salad, mac nut crusted ahi %26amp; kauai duet: ono w/ crab meat %26amp; lemongrass scallops over risotto – no dessert). Sunset wasn’t that great but we enjoyed watching the photo scene on the lawn – it got mobbed!

Almost hit a large dog on Maluhia Rd (before the tunnel of trees) on the night drive home! Slammed the brakes and swerved right – missed by inches (would have felt horrible because we have 3 spoiled pups – not to mention the rental insurance headache!)

Then hit heavy rain at Kapa’a with the top down – a very exciting trip home. Asleep by 9:30pm.

Friday, 5/25:

Heavy rains overnight but stopped by sunrise. Woke early %26amp; quick breakfast (with a Bonine supplement for Amy).

Headed out for our NaPali Catamaran Tour (Hanalei) at 7am and got a call on my cell just after leaving the house. Apparently we were supposed to be there already but they would hold the boat! – No one had told me about the 6:45 check-in for the 7:30 tour. I had figured 15 minutes early would be fine! Luckily everyone wasn’t upset with us. Everyone can be so pleasant in paradise, huh?

Awesome experience, we highly recommend! Amy didn’t get seasick, truly amazing scenery and exceptional snorkeling. We saw at least 8 sea turtles %26amp; tons of fish! The crew (Flo and Sam) and boat were great – only 16 people/trip on this 4 hour tour. Unfortunately it was too rough for entering the sea caves but we did get some excitement by getting involved in a kayak rescue off Ke’e Beach on our return!

Ocean rescue were on jet skis circling off shore and emergency vehicles were in the lot, as we rounded the point. Our captain got on the radio to see if he could help. Garbled info, “something about a kayak rescue.” So, we started circling too, with everyone spotting. When we first saw a dark baseball cap, there was a collective gasp because we thought it was someone’s head! Then we spotted a paddle…then eventually, an upturned kayak inside a sea cave, getting slammed around with every set of waves. We reported our info and the rescue crew flew by us. Luckily those people had been pulled out just before we appeared on the scene but they weren’t sure if more were in trouble!

Headed back to Anini to recover…a shady beach nap and swimming.

Late afternoon - Back to Hanalei for food at the Polynesian Café (pretty good – would repeat), then over to Tahiti Nui for cocktails %26amp; more people watching!

Stopped at:

Dolphin Fish Market for Ono fillets for Sat. BBQ.

Foodland for supplies %26amp; Lapperts for very good ice cream.

Lounged at home %26amp; bed by 10pm

Trip Report - May 22-29 (Part One)

Mahalo mycal...if we could just turn up the thermostat along our own coast it would be paradise too!

Trip Report - May 22-29 (Part One)

Great report. I%26#39;m closing in on the one week mark for our trip.

How was Tahiti Nui? I%26#39;ve heard mixed reviews, but it sound kind of fun to me.

Bjbert, I agree, where is this cold air coming from? I%26#39;m trying to work on my base tan!

Thanks for writing this terrific trip report. I%26#39;ll be looking forward to reading part 2.

%26#39;A%26#39;ole pilikia!

bjbert...I agree, what%26#39; s up with this weather? We live in the East Bay and should be sweltering by now! We consoled ourselves when leaving Kauai by reminding each other that we%26#39;re returning to NorCal...not the mid-west, LOL. (no offense Bips, BTW I grew up in NJ, so let the jokes begin!)

scincali...Tahiti Nui seemed to be a Hanalei locals bar. Everyone who walked in, was greeted warmly by name (except us, LOL). We were looking for exotic frozen cocktails but just the basics here. They were setting up for live Hawaiian music but we split after one drink, before they started. It was early but we were tired. Very friendly and low key environment...we were digging the historical photos scattered about. Not sure about the history of the place but most seemed include one matronly woman, perhaps the original proprietor? We would visit again...Enjoy your visit!

Bips...Thanks! Yikes, Part 2 is even longer. It was fun to recall everything. Hope it%26#39;s not too tedious but I enjoyed reading everyone else%26#39;s before our visit.

Best regards,

Mycal

Playdoh allowed on the plane???

Just wondering if it%26#39;s ok to bring playdoh on the plane with the whole gel/liquid thing??? I know it sounds silly but how about Oreo%26#39;s- the center is creamy, is that considered gel like???

I just know these 2 things will keep my toddler happy on the plane and please, all of you pray for me that she is happy on the plane! Mahalo for any info!

Playdoh allowed on the plane???

Your toddler should be allowed to bring her own ziploc bag of liquids/pastes. Why not put the Playdoh in there? At worst, they%26#39;ll confiscate it, and you will have to proffer the alternate play item(s) that, of course, you will have brought, too. I do think you should be VERY open about carrying anything dough-like, as it could easily be mistaken for plastique explosive material if packed.

Playdoh allowed on the plane???

What an interesting question! You will have to let us know how it goes. I would agree that you should be allowed to bring some along, but with everything going on.... Have a back up plan ;o)

You bet and make sure to have a few old pieces of electrical wire poking out just to liven up the boring old security line a bit ;)

LOL tropix!

Why ask that question on a forum? Ask your airline !!!!

This forum seems like an ideal place to ask that question -- if you call the airline to ask about a security issue, they%26#39;ll tell you to call TSA. If you call TSA, they%26#39;ll either give you bad information or tell you to call your airline. There are enough family travellers around here that someone is likely to have first hand experience of bringing playdoh (with or without wires %26amp; batteries) onto an airplane.

Not sure about the playdoh, but I did bring one of those small containers of mini oreos on the plane for myself (UH, I MEAN FOR MY SON) since the liquid ban has been in effect. No one questioned it.

We have brought oreos several times without a problem. Never tried playdoh or Silly Putty.

TropixFan...

Warped sense of humor...Disturbing, but funny!! ;-)

Tropix- you gave me my first laugh for the day and I needed it! Bud, I asked the question here becuase I didn%26#39;t want to spend all day on the phone firguring it out. Warthog is right about there being many family travelers here that could give me the answer right away and you all did- thank you!

Very excited about the Oreo%26#39;s (actually it%26#39;s the Whole Foods brand since toddler has allergies so we are pretty limited to the type of treats she can have)- trust me, if you%26#39;re on the plane with us in 2 weeks, you%26#39;ll be soo happy that we brought them! Aloha!

colorstay

Cruise Ships?

When do the cruise ships come to shore and what tours, etc. should I avoid on those days? Does it make a difference?

Cruise Ships?

Hi this is El Camino and I just posted another message to you. We booked nothing beforehand, and asked that question when we arrived. Yes, it does in some cases. Timing for the Waimea Canyon where all of the bus traffic is could make a big difference. Best to check when you arrive.as I am sure some schedules change.

Cruise Ships?

Check out NCL%26#39;s Hawai`i schedule on vacationstogo.com or NCL%26#39;s website.

Vacationstogo is very simple. Pull up 7 day Hawai`i cruises on NCL for the month you will be in the Islands and you%26#39;ll get a list of what%26#39;s available.

You can check each ship (Pride of Aloha, Pride of Hawai`i, Pride of America) and see if they are in port when you are.

That way you can avoid them when you are there.

Lots of cruisers rent cars so book yours early.

Pride of Hawai`i will leave the Islands sometime this year permanently so there will be only 2 ships.

I always check CruiseCal - you can search by port, ship, today, etc

http://www.cruisecal.com/dnn3/

For Kauai, we looked at when ships were in port, and also when ships were leaving in the afternoon versus staying overnight. We booked a luau when no ship was in port for the evening, and have planned our ';canyon day'; to be on the one day when no ship is in port at all for our week.

We also did the same thing for Maui.... Road to Hana on the day when no ship is in port, sunrise on a morning when no ship arrives until 8:00 AM (so the ships miss sunrise that morning).

Excellent question!!!!! Last summer we hit Hilo Hatties when the cruise ship was in--good grief--parking lot was almost empty yet people were like ants crawling all over! Lines went forever, we had a tough time even getting around in the store. I finally asked one of the ladies working there and she said the cruise ship was in--ahhh haaaa! As you obviously figured out already, cruise ship day is a day to hang out somewhere not on that schedule!!!!

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I%26#39;m not 100% sure, but I believe that we now have cruise ships in port at Nawiliwili every day -- some days there are 2 of them in fact.

I don%26#39;t know how much tours are affected -- I certainly see lots of Poly Adv. Tours buses going down there for pick-up every day -- and I know that the lu%26#39;au at Kilohana is set up for the NCL passengers.

I wouldn%26#39;t be overly concerned -- I think they stay pretty spread out and lots of them either rent their own car or take the bus tour with Poly Adv.

Malama Pono,

Janet

Here%26#39;s a quick link to CruiseCal%26#39;s Nawiliwili schedule.... some days definitely have two ships in port for June, but Wednesdays are lookin%26#39; good....

cruisecal.info/portal/鈥efault.aspx

Forgot to tell you that we have more than just the three NCL ships here in Hawai`i. We also have the long distance/transpac ships from the mainland and Tahiti and seldom from Asia/New Zealand.

WOW...cruisecal.com is fabulous!

Mahalo to ';Luv 2 Travel TX'; for sharing this great website.

Hanalei Bay resort snorkeling

Hello, we are staying at a vacation rental at the resort in July and we are looking for a good snorkeling spot at the beach located next to the resort? Also, I am debating on taking our bodyboards on our trip. Is there any good waves near us during that time of year? Any input would help. Thank you

Hanalei Bay resort snorkeling

The area right at the bottom of paved path at HBR has an good spot for snorkeling. Not good for boogie boarding. You can rent boogie boards and go to another area like Tunnels. The waves are not huge that time of year. I was there a few weeks ago and already they were pretty small. OK for beginners. You might be better off down south to board. For the great snorkeling spots also go to Kee at the end of the road. You could board there as well. About 20 minute north of the resort.

I am an owner at HBR so am happy to tell you about the resort if you have never been.

Hanalei Bay resort snorkeling

jebett - i would like to hear more about that resort. am just beginning to plan a trip for my mother and step-dad and am hoping to make an exchange for a week sometime in nov-dec and have been looking at Hanalei Bay Resort as a possibility. they need some assistance getting around - cannot walk far or take the heat - but want to go to hawaii. what can you tell me about this resort? THANKS!

Cancunjunkee:

HBR might not be the resort for your folks and here%26#39;s why. You park at a central parking lot and walk around the resort. You can%26#39;t park right near your car unless you are in certain buildings. If you do exchange there make sure you get in the 2000 or 3000 building. Tell them you have a situation that requires a condo close to the parking lot and lobby. HBR has some of the most gorgeous views on the island. Go to their website and see the virtual tour. Acres of lush landscaping in an old Hawaii feeling. Nightly music in the lounge and a restaurant that is open 5 nights a week (breakfast as well). The beginning of Dec is very slow on the island so you would most likely have a good choice of getting a nicer unit. Again, ask first for a place in the 3000 building then the 2000. NOT the 1000 building.

jebett

Thanks for your reply. I think that we%26#39;ll keep our boards at home. The unit we are staying at is 2302. Is it near the lagoon pool? Is it usually crowded? Are there beach chair rentals for the beach at the bay? I am also debating on taking a raft tour with snorkeling included. Is it worth it and do you know which one is the best? I%26#39;ve read some posts that said the snorkeling aren%26#39;t very good on those tours. Thanks, Azguy72

Azguy:

The condo you are in is very close to the pool. The 2000 building is right near the parking lot and also the bar. I hope you like hearing music because you will from there. No the pool doesn%26#39;t get very crowded. The thing about people staying on the north shore is they are very adventurous. The beaches are so great that everyone goes there. As far as beach chairs I believe you can rent them at the pool shack but don%26#39;t quote me. I supply my own in my condo so that question doesn%26#39;t come up much.

I think the snorkel tours are pretty good. I have been on Capt Andy%26#39;s and Holo Holo. I have not been on the Napali Catamarans which goes right out of Hanalei but maybe another poster can comment on that trip. For great snorkeling go to Kee and go beyond the reef. Be very careful you don%26#39;t step on any coral, but once out there you%26#39;ll be swimming with the turtles.

Be on the lookout for a new Ben Stiller movie that is being filmed on the island in July. Someone said Tom Cruise is in it as well, but can%26#39;t confirm that. The island, especially the north shore, should be buzzing with activity.

Have a great time.

Thanks for the info. Does the two snorkel tours (Capt. Andy%26#39;s and Holo Holo) leave out of the bay and where do they go?

Thanks, Johnny

Johnny,

Both those tour companies go out of Pt .Allen about 1 1/2 hours south of Princeville. They go around the west side of the island to the Napali Coast. Once up there you can snorkel for a bit if you want. It is actually a pretty informative tour. They teach you all about Kauai history as you cruise up the coast. The Napali Catamaran, which I mentioned before, leaves out of Hanalei Bay on the north shore. It is a beautiful cat that holds about 15, I believe. I can see it coming and going from my lanai. It only goes out from May through maybe Sept. Maybe longer depending on the surf conditions. If you are interested in taking that boat I highly suggest booking a few months in advance. Others on the forum might suggest some other snorkeling companies, but those are the only ones I am familar with.

Joan

Thank you so much for your help. I think that I might try one of those out of the South area. Would it be good for a 4 year old?

The only thing I would worry about is sea sickness. I saw a lot of little ones on the boat with life jackets on. Some took it well, others were a bit green. Of course many adults were green as well.

help with flat screen tvs

Snorkel Lanai- opinions on tours...

So, still trying to decide which snorkel tour to do. We%26#39;re thinking more about a Lanai snorkel trip. Found a few online - Maui Adventure Cruises, Boss Frog and Pacific Whale Foundation. Any suggestions?

On, and I just decided to figure out today that its 57 days til I%26#39;m in Maui!! whoo ho!!! :-) can%26#39;t wait for that week and a half off.

Snorkel Lanai- opinions on tours...

Trilogy is the standard by which most tours are compared.

Of course, you could just take a ferry over to Lanai (Excursions) and snorkel at Manele Bay on your own....

Snorkel Lanai- opinions on tours...

Maui snorkeling trips are offered by a variety of companies, from a variety of boat types (such as large motorized boats, smaller sailing catamarans, small rmotorized rafts), originating from a variety of locations (primarily Lahanina harbor, or the Kaanapali beach, or Maalaea) at a variety of prices (a general rule: as the boat gets larger and can carry more passengers, the price gets lower - sometimes kids are free).

It seems that if someone didn%26#39;t like a trip, it%26#39;s primarily because they didn%26#39;t pick a boat that matched their expectations. For example, we have taken several Pacific Whale snorkeling trips (large motorized boats, inexpensive, abbreviated lunch) and had a good time on each because we accepted the price/size tradeoff.

We have also gone on a varierty of catamarans, such as the Kapalua Kai and Gemini. You will hear a lot about Trilogy. They offer a good tour, and will have a lot of advocates because of the volume of people that have taken their tour. Because they have several catamarans and so are more likely to have openings when you try to make a reservation, travel agents also like them because it shortens the amount of time to make a reservation. But there are a lot of companies that have a single catamaran that offer very good tours - they are just harder to find.

Our only %26#39;bad%26#39; snorkeling trip was one with the Pacific Whale Foundation, and it wasn%26#39;t their fault. The trade winds were so high that we couldn%26#39;t go to Molokini as scheduled, and so just hugged to Maui coast to stay out of the winds.

I have a whole group of pages on our different Maui snorkeling trips at lahaina-family-vacation.com/snorkeling-in-ma…

Have a good trip!

Lahaina Dad

All the ones you mention do not land on Lana%26#39;i. The only two that do are Trilogy and Paragon. I recommend you go with either of those so you can spend some time on my favorite island, and enjoy the great snorkeling on Hulopo%26#39;e Beach.

Maui Adventure cruises does go to Lanai. We took them 5 years ago. We spent a few extra hours on Lanai waiting to go snorkeling because the boat broke down back in Lahaina and they had to get another company to take us snorkeling. Our snorkel time got cut short and they fed the fish food scraps. Although that wasn%26#39;t MAC that did the feeding. It was alright for the price but would not do it again. And if you have any back or neck problems the rafts are not a good idea. Lanai does have some of the most beautifully clear water.

Hi Bowler Grl,

i book with Trilogy for my trip next month as our friends used them last year and loved em.The old adage in Maui is you get what you pay for and Triology is by far the best of the Bunch.....

If you dont want to book on a sail-Black rock is the best snolking on maui.

mex25

Aloha DreaminofMaui -

I didn%26#39;t realize any other boats landed on Lana%26#39;i (I know a lot go to the island and you can snorkel from the boat, and I have done that in the past). Does MAC go to the Manele Bay small boat harbor, and have you snorkel at Hulopo%26#39;e Beach? On past similar posts on this forum, others have just mentioned Paragon and Trilogy, and previously Trilogy was the only one that landed on the island).

If you want a cattle call go on a Pacific Whale Foundation boat, but I don%26#39;t think they go to Lanai. Also, another op said the best snorkeling on Maui is at Black Rock? NOT. It is mediocre at best!! On the west side, try Honolua Bay, Kapalua Bay, Napili Bay,or airport beach. On the south side try Ulua Beach, Malauaka or LaPerous Bay. These are far superior off shore snorkeling beaches than Black Rock.

drvalgemae

Yes we did the landing. And we did land at the boat harbor and had to hike over the hill to the bay. We didn%26#39;t go snorkeling in the bay that day because it was pretty rough. And we kicked ourselves for not going into town. We didn%26#39;t want to take the chance of missing the boat. Silly us with the delay we had. But we had fun watching the kids surfing and skim boarding. It was one of those days that cements in the saying ';Ah youth, too bad it%26#39;s wasted on the young.'; lol When we were picked up we went over to what I believe was Kaunolu Bay. We were never told what it was but from later research I%26#39;m pretty sure thats where we were. It was a bit choppy but in the deep water it wasn%26#39;t too bad. The ';feeding frenzy'; pic on my profile is from there. That was after the captain through out the scraps of muffins from their morning trip. I don%26#39;t know if they still do the landing trip. You%26#39;d have to check with them. What they told us is that they picked us up and dropped us at Lanai then went back for another non-landing group then took them back and then came back for us and our snorkeling. I guess they never made it back from Lahaina. The snorkel only group didn%26#39;t get to go. They had another raft company come to get us and take us snorkeling. I couldn%26#39;t tell you their name.

Hey there I totally agree with Msfuzz... about the snorkeling :) I am not so sure about the idea the trilogy is the best.. they are the biggest though :) I am not sure whose boat it is but the Four Winds II is a great boat.. big though :)

DreaminofMaui, thanks for the info. I seem to learn something on this forum everyday. It sure sounds like you had a far from ideal experience with your trip snorkel trip. Kaunolu is a very interesting place. It was one of King K III summer homes. There are still ruins up on the hill overlooking the small bay there. It was and still is a very good fishing place. Locals still fish there. There is also a warrior%26#39;s leap there that the king%26#39;s men proved their bravery by jumping something like 70 feet off a cliff into the ocean.

Best luaus on the North Shore

Which is the best luau that is on the North Shore area?

Best luaus on the North Shore

There is only one.

Best luaus on the North Shore

How does it compare with the others?

The only one on the North Shore is Princeville. I enjoyed Hiva Pasefica and Smith%26#39;s on the east side but never attended luaus at Aloha Beach Resort on the eat side or the Hyatt and Sheraton on the south side. Others will likely jump in to help here.

You can read my trip report (may 26-June 2) for a review of the Princeville Luau. It is a bit expensive, but we all really enjoyed it. The show is more ';homey'; than elaborate, but our kids loved it, and it kept us entertained as well. The food is super good, and the setting is lovely. Drinks are good and included until about 7:30 pm or so....but by then I had drank enough...!

Oh, and to add it was TOTALLY worth it to us to not have to drive around the island to go to the luau. It only takes about 20 min. or so from Haena to get to Princeville, which was worth the added cost for us.

Reasonable grocery store near airport or wailea

Is there such a thing?

Just looking for simple things...snacks, breakfast foods, etc.

Reasonable grocery store near airport or wailea

On your way from the airport to Wailea, you will pass by a large Safeway - same shopping center as Roys Kihei, Outback, Hilo Hatties. We always stop at Safeway before proceeding to our accomodations. For most items prices are about the same or slightly higher than prices in California.

Reasonable grocery store near airport or wailea

FrenchFryDog is right on about Safeway. We also stop at Costco right outside the airport on our way to Kihei. Their filet mignon 4-pack is a staple for our vacation. We can pamper ourselves with a gourmet condo BBQ at a fraction of the restaurant price.

Enjoy!

There is Costco %26amp; Walmart in Kahului. Safeway in Lahaina or on Highway 31.

';Reasonable'; is a relative term if you%26#39;re on Maui, I think. Remember you%26#39;re living in Paradise.....if not then one can go back...no offense intended!

There is a Star Market at the Maui Mall in Kahului, about 5 minutes from the airport.

A quick clarification... The Safeway in Kihei which is right on your way to Wailea in just off 31 on Piikea Rd. Nice shopping center. I believe there is also an ABC store in the same center. A great place to affordably pick up misc. items. By the way, if you don%26#39;t already have one, get a Safeway club card at your local store. It will save you $ on Maui.

Aloha...

Mike

It would be worth your while to get a costco membership for your stay if you have a full or partial kitchen.

Most resorts have grills.

Also if you dont get enough use out of the costco card your membership fee will be refunded in full for any reason.

in2food you are right. I take my Safeway card with me to Maui like some kind of badge of honor. And you can save a bunch too using it. Plus that Safeway in Kehei is very clean and is a great store....regardless of prices....

What to do in Hawaii?? what other islands to travel to?

Hi there,

My husband and i are travelling to oahu in august this year with some friends and we don%26#39;t know where to start about what to do in terms of what other islands people recommend to visit.

we are planning to stay in hawaii for 12 nights, spending around 5 in oaho then going off to explore another island for 3 or 4 nights then returning to oahu for the remainder.

Any suggestions or tips on what islands would be good to visit other than oahu whould be very helpful as they all sound so lovely!!! and on what to do! will definitely take surfing lessons and battle the waves andalso want to experiencea luau - are they on regularly??

Appreciate any assistance,

What to do in Hawaii?? what other islands to travel to?

Our favourite islands are Oahu, Maui %26amp; Big Island. We have also been to Kauai (which we enjoyed) but it wasnt for us.

Big Island has lots to do/see for 3-4 days. In Kona area is Kona village which is by the ocean with lots of shops %26amp; restaurants. Also some historical buildings. We recently stayed at the Sheraton Keauhou which is only a 5-10 min drive to Kona. It was a beautiful place to stay and very reasonable. Not too far from this area is Place of Refuge %26amp; lots of coffee plantations to stop at. On Kohala Coast is Hilton Waikoloa Resort which is gorgeous. Near Hilo is Volcano National Park with current volcano erruption of Kilauea. You can easily spend a whole day at VNP as there is so much to see up there. In Hilo is tsunami museum and at Mauna Loa macadamia nut factory. Some links for Big Island:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/

http://www.bigisland.org/

http://www.nps.gov/puho/

http://www.tsunami.org/

http://www.maunaloa.com/

Maui is beautiful with gorgeous beaches. We stayed at the Sheraton Maui on Kaanapali Coast which was lovely. Maui also has lots to do/see over 3-4 days. IAO Valley %26amp; needle, Haleakala crater 10,023 feet (you are above the clouds) and you get an awesome sight going up for morning sunrise (very cold) !! There is great snorkelling at Molokini Crater and the town of Lahaina is good for a day shopping. It is another town by waterfront with history buildings, largest banyan tree ever and restaurants. Some links for Maui:

http://www.visitmaui.com/

http://www.nps.gov/hale/

hawaiiweb.com/maui/html/sites/iao_valley_sta鈥?/a>

http://www.visitlahaina.com/

As for Luau%26#39;s you will find these throughout all the islands. I have read/heard the best one on Maui is Old Lahaina Luau at Royal Lahaina Resort. On Oahu you will find a few from Germaines Luau, Paradise Cove and there is Polynesian Cultural Centre. This has an awesome show called Horizons with a luau dinner or sit-down buffet dinner. I would highly recommend a day at PCC with dinner %26amp; show in the evening. Most luau%26#39;s run a few nights if not everynight of the week so pretty regular. Some links for luau%26#39;s

http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/

http://www.germainesluau.com/

http://www.polynesia.com/

http://www.paradisecove.com/

Hope this helps with your planning, have a great trip :-)

What to do in Hawaii?? what other islands to travel to?

If you like rural surroundings and nature/outdoors-type activities you might think about spending some time on Kaua`i. It%26#39;s not called the Garden Isle for nothing. We have spectacular scenery and great beaches, lots of hiking. Maybe our resident hiking experts will chime in here.

For a first trip, I%26#39;d suggest Maui. I love the Big Island, but Maui is smaller and more accessible for a 4-day visit and is ';green all over'; (mostly) which meets most expectations better. You can stay in south or west Maui and see the other parts. South is quieter, West has Lahaina and Kaanapali. It you will be in Waikiki, you might like south Maui as a chnage.

Rather than split your stay on Oahu, I%26#39;d plan to stay in Honolulu/Waikiki for five nights, renting a car and driving around the island only the last two days. Then make your hop to Maui for the remainder of your trip, returning to Honolulu the day you fly home. I suggest Maui because it has more things to do and probably the best choice of lodgings over any of the other ';out-islands';.

Kauai is gorgeous, but vertical. You can see everything that%26#39;s available by paved road in two days. If you are hikers, or want to do helicopter or boat trips, that would extend your stay. Kauai has three main lodgings areas -- not a lot in the way of restaurants, shops.

Big Island would be too hot for me in August. It has spectacular scenery and many micro-climates, but also a lot of bare lava (hot stuff, baking in the summer sun). It is also HUGE, requiring a lot of driving to see it all. Unfortunately, all of its best lodgings are in the NW corner. Also, few beaches.

Maui has two main tourist areas: West Maui and South Maui. (You might also want to stay a night or two in Hana.) I like South best because it is quieter -- home to four posh hotels (Wailea) and many nice condos from S. Kihei through Wailea. West Maui has Lahaina and Kaanapali (high-rise, high-density) and farther north, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua. It%26#39;s more people in less space than I like. It%26#39;s a longer haul to the rest of Maui%26#39;s sights from the NW corner (West Maui).

You should read up in some travel books to see what sights on what islands are of greatest interest.

I don%26#39;t have a favorite and mention this simply because who knows how much longer it will be flowing but I would go to the BI if nothing else for the oppurtunity to see a volcano.

Hi everybody,

thank you all so much for the detailed responses. It has certainly helped with ideas of what to do and taking the next step of planning what to do and where to stay.

Thanks for the links Hawaii50 i will be checking these out for sure.

one quick question why did you not like Kauai? i was thinking of this as an option because it sounded like there was lots to do nature wise - walking and breathtaking views?? Or do the walks require a tour guide because they are not easy to get to?

Thanks again for taking the time to reply!

Cheers.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29222-i37-k647862鈥?/a>

colorstay

Trip Report 5/25 - 6/1

I have found this forum to be soooo helpful. So hoping that by sharing my experience, it will help others. I%26#39;ll try not to make it too long.

I just got back from Hawaii for my honeymoon, and it was WONDERFUL. We went to Kauai first (also wonderful) for 4 nights then headed to Maui for 7 nights.

HOTEL: Four Seasons Wailea. GREAT!! First time in a Four Seasons and I loved it. Would absolutely go back. We did get stuck with 2 queen beds (as opposed to a king...) but oh well. It%26#39;s very pricey when staying in the hotel....but very hard to leave.

RESTAURANTS:

Overall, we had GREAT dinners and really lucked out with tables and views. All of them were pretty pricey but wonderful.

Spago at the Four Seasons: wonderful, delicious, very innovative. We%26#39;re big fans of Wolfgang Puck to begin with.

Mama%26#39;s Fish House: LOVED IT. Great atmosphere, great food. Heard some mixed reviews about Mama%26#39;s recently, but would absolutely say it%26#39;s great.

Capische: Located in the Diamond Resort in Wailea. It%26#39;s an Italian restaurant recommended by the Four Seasons. So glad we went. Great view -- great food -- great service.

Nick%26#39;s: Also so great. Located in the Fairmount Kea Lani (which is also very pretty.) Wonderful service, great atmosphere...romantic, outside. They make bad mojitos. But the waiter saw I didn%26#39;t drink it and took it off the bill!

DUO: New steakhouse in the Four Seasons. Was also great. Beef and fish were great. They also serve Kobe beef but it%26#39;s outrageously expensive. DUO also does breakfast in the mornings. Great atmosphere for breakfast too.

For lunch we went to Ferraros a couple times, Kimo%26#39;s in Lahaina (which we loved!), Cheeseburger in the Wailea shops, and just kinda winged it.

ACTIVITIES:

Shopping in Lahaina -- love the drive here and the town is great.

Shopping, walking thru Kihei, stopping at one of their beaches -- LOVED Kihei. What a great little town. Love to walk thru open air markets. Bought most of my souvenirs here.

Old Lahaina Luau -- this is such a great luau. It was very hot the day we went. But so worth it. The food, I think, is actually pretty good. The show is great.

Star Gazers tour at Haleakala: This was a great experience. I actually got the Star Gazers recommendation from this site. We had wanted to go up there for sunset anyway and then I came across this recommendation. It was perfect. We drove up on our own at about 4:30 - 5ish. Took our time. Made a couple stops on the way up. Met the tour at the last visitor spot at about 6 pm. We then went off on our own to go to the summit, watch the summit, etc. Then met back together again. They gave us down coats and hats (which was great! it%26#39;s freezing up there!). Provided a simple dinner but was very good. We looked thru the telescope....saw great shots of the moon, stars, saturn, jupiter, venus, etc.. Midway they let us go back to our cars to warm up while they walked around and gave us hot cocoa and cookies. GREAT TRIP. Highly recommend this tour. Or if at the very least, going up Haleakala for sunset is wonderful.

Road to Hana: As many people post.....you either love it or hate it. We loved it! We had the revealed book as well as the CD. Both were helpful, but ended up following the book more. Made as many stops as we good. We had a great day. Saw great waterfalls. Got GREAT banana bread. Went on a hike. Went to Black Sand Beach. I just thought it was great. We left early and were therefore able to head back early. Which was very nice because we had time to lounge around, regroup and have a nice dinner. We did turn around after we reached Hana and did not go all the way to the pools. But that%26#39;s OK. Trip was worth it for us.

Well......hope this helps and was enjoyable for some. Any questions...feel free to ask. Thanks!

Trip Report 5/25 - 6/1

Ooops...typed too fast. Sorry for those stupid typos in there... :-)

Trip Report 5/25 - 6/1

Congratulations capemaybride and thanks for the great report. How was your flight (we are flying from Phila in July)??

Thanks what a nice report

I was thinking of the Stargazer tour, and now I have read how much you enjoyed it I will do it. How long were you with the tour company?

Carole

Great report.. It sounds like you really enjoyed your trip.

Thanks all.....glad you were able to enjoy. It really was a fantastic trip.

Marty -- we took the direct flights between Newark and Honolulu. In order to save money we exchanged our Continental One Pass miles for the trip. We were lucky enough to get First Class on the way out, but only coach was available coming home. Going out in first class was a dream. If you%26#39;ve never done first class.....what a treat. If you%26#39;re a Seinfeld fan and you%26#39;ve seen the episode where Jerry gets first class and pretty much rubs it in Elaine%26#39;s face.....it%26#39;s actually that good. The show is not exaggerated at all. Great food, kept filling the wine glasses, warm cookies, ice cream sundaes, lots of movies and shows to distract you and great chairs. Coming home was of course a different story, but actually better than I thought. We were fortunate enough to get a two seater and you still had your personal TV with the remote so that you can control what you watched. Food stunk though and the chairs of course were not as comfortable. But the flight was thru the night so I was pretty tired. 10 - 10/12 hours air time on the way out.....about 9 hours air time on the way back.

Carole -- I highly recommend the Star Gazers tour. We met them at 6 pm, literally for a few minutes. They let us do our thing, watch the sunset, etc and then asked us to meet them back after sunset which was about 7 pm-ish. Then they give you dinner and you can have that in your car. Once it gets dark enough -- which in our case was about 8 ish, they setup the telescope and each person looks thru one at a time. We had 7 people in our group. Then about 3/4 thru, they let you warm up, give you cocoa and you look at 2 more things. We were done with them at about 9:30 pm or so. And then it was about a 11/2 hours back to Wailea.

Carole -- one other thing about the Star Gazers tour, or basically about Haleakala in general. Definitely dress appropriately. I hardly packed any long pants and long sleeves, but I did bring one pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt for this trip. I also wore socks and sneakers. You%26#39;ll be so much more comfortable that you do. I saw a lot of people up there with shorts, tank tops and flip flops, they had to be freezing. Once we met the tour, they provided the down coats to borrow and then gave you a souvenir ski hat. I wore both and was comfortable. But I would have even been more comfortable with a heavier shirt or sweat shirt.

Awesome trip report. how much was the star gazer tour? This would be something I would want to look into for next time ...

Congrats on the wedding too!

Thanks! Star Gazers tour was about $75 per person. If you google star gazers tour maui, it will come up with a couple links.

Thanks for the report.

These reports are helpful to those who are planning their trip and to those who are looking for new ideas or places to try on their next visit.

migrating existing portal

Waimea Canyon

I will be staying in Princeville for a wedding and would like to visit Waimea Canyon during my stay. Get in late Friday night from the East Coast. Early Saturday morning we planned to do the kayak/hiking trip at Wailua. Sunday we plan to do brunch with friends at Cafe Hanalei and we have to attend a rehearsal dinner that night (in Princeville). Would there be time to squeeze in the trip that day? The wedding is on Monday and I believe it starts at 5 or 5:30 in the Princeville area. Tuesday we had planned on visiting the South shore and poipu area. So for now, Sunday and Monday seem to be the open options. We leave Wed for another island.

I wanted to know whether we could squeeze it in on either Sunday or Monday. How far of a drive is it from Princeville? How much time would we need overall to drive down there, hike/look around, and get back?

As much as we want to do activities and see the sights, our main goal is to get in some good beach/snorkel time, relax, and take it all in, so I want to make sure the trip is feasible.

Thank you!!!

Waimea Canyon

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

If I%26#39;m understanding you right - you want to go to brunch with friends in Hanalei and have to be back in Princeville that night for a rehearsal dinner -- would that be enough time for you to drive to Waimea Canyon and back?

Well, assuming that ';brunch'; is about 9 or 10 and you get out of Princeville by 10:30 -- it will take you about an hour and a half to drive to Waimea -- then another half hour or so to drive all the way up to the Canyon -- figure in some more time to spend at the lookouts, lodge, etc. -- then drive back about 2 hours (from the top of the Canyon) to Princeville for the rehearsal dinner?

In my opinion you will be pushed to the limit and rushing once you get up to the Canyon - since you know you have to be back at Princeville for dinner. I think you%26#39;d maybe have an hour (?) to look around before you turn back.

Personally I think that a whole day on Tuesday spent here on the South Shore is a lot -- you could come over to the beach in the morning and head to the canyon in the early afternoon. Or vice versa, whichever would work for you. You would have much more time to enjoy the sights and wouldn%26#39;t have the ';rush rush rush'; mantra in the back of your head like you would if you went the day of the rehearsal dinner -- and who knows what the traffic will ever be like also?

Just my opinion on things! Hope it works out for you!

Malama Pono,

Janet

Waimea Canyon

That%26#39;s what I%26#39;m thinkin%26#39; ... do the South shore and Waimea on Tuesday.

Where to stay in Puna? Kapoho, Kalapana or Pahoa

Hi all:

My s.o. and I finally booked our tickets to the Big Island for our HI vacation in September (it seems so far away still! but I am already getting excited!) We will spend 5 nights on the west side (we fly in and out of Kona) and 4 nights in a more laid back place. I%26#39;ve been searching the net for laid-back and somewhat private accommodations in Puna district and I realized i basically have 3 choices: Kalapana, Kapoho or Pahoa.

There are a couple of very nice looking ocean view cottages in Kalapana at a great price but it seems so far away from everything! Is it really isolated? (e.g. peaceful cove cottage and another one on vrbo) Is it a relatively easy drive (%26amp; what about at night?)

Kapoho is a bit more expensive and I%26#39;ve read that you should stay at Kapoho beach lots (for safety reasons??). Is it like a vacation home park? are the houses really close together or are they relatively private? is it that much closer to Pahoa? with some of the properties, it is really hard to tell how close they are to town...

I also saw some newer looking rentals in Pahoa, is that a better option?

We are in our early 30s, adventurous, laid back and very experienced travellers but we of course want to make sure we don%26#39;t put ourselves in a situation where we would be unsafe.

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

TC

Where to stay in Puna? Kapoho, Kalapana or Pahoa

Kapoho and Pahoa are both in the Puna district of the Big Island. I would recommend Kapoho over Pahoa village. Kapoho is also know as ';Vacationland'; because of the high number of vacation rentals in the neighborhood. It is a safe area, more so than Pahoa town, and almost a little too quiet at night. The homes are divided by trees and bamboo fences and do not feel too cramped, and there is a great tide pool area (some of the best on BI) within a short walk. Just be cautious when you are looking for a place because some of the homes are really nice, and others are dumps. Pahoa doesnt have much as far as retail, so really you should consider how close it is to Hilo. You will have to back track within 6 miles of Hilo just to get anywhere on the island anyway.

Where to stay in Puna? Kapoho, Kalapana or Pahoa

well, Kapoho and Kalapana are about equally far from Pahoa, and from there to town.

Are you sure the Pahoa rentals are in Pahoa town? Everything around there has a Pahoa mailing address and isn%26#39;t necessarily in the town. do you have addresses? Like canopyboy, I wouldn%26#39;t choose Pahoa town. It%26#39;s nicer to be near the ocean.

You have other choices, one of which is Hawaiian Paradise Park aka HPP. There are numerous rentals down near Kaloli Pt. These are all closer to Hwy 11 and Hilo than the first two places.

Oh and you have another popular choice near Kalapana, which is Kehena.

Kapoho Beach Lots is a gated and expensive subdivision; Vacationland homes are older. Vacationland is easy access to the Wai Opae tidepools; Beach Lots access to Champagne Cove. I consider both areas safe on a personal level. There is theft everywhere if you leave things unlocked, mostly out of cars, but I wouldn%26#39;t worry about safety except that the ocean can be wild on the east side. Use caution unless in a protected area.

Someone (or two) recently got swept off the cliffs at HPP due to a rogue wave. It%26#39;s not necessarily a good idea to go stand on the edge for that reason. Be safe and have a great time.

Bus or tour to Hanama Bay?

Just wondering if it would be better to book a tour to Hanama Bay as it doesn%26#39;t seem to be that expensive ($16 which includes the snorkelling equipment and transportation) or to take a bus which is cheaper....if it%26#39;s not too hard to bus it, we would rather do that and save some money but not if it takes too long, if it%26#39;s too crowded, waiting time too long etc by bus....any suggestions?

Bus or tour to Hanama Bay?

The bus will get you there in around 40-45 minutes from Waikiki and will only cost you $2.00 each way. Entrance fee (aka ';donation';)for the park is $5.00 per person. Renting the snorkel equipment at the park will cost you around $8, so you are better off bringing your own or picking them up before you go. If you do the math including snorkel equip, its not saving you much more to take the bus. Hope that helps!

Bus or tour to Hanama Bay?

First time I went, I did a tour from the hotel.

The second time, we took the bus.

Like the first poster said, the price works out almost the same unless you have your own equipment already.

Two things to keep in mind though:

1) The bus takes a bit longer. Its about 45 minutes each way. It can also get very crowded, depending on the time. You may have to stand up the whole way there. On the upside, the bus takes some different, more local roads, and its gives you a nice sense of the communities.

2) Taking a tour means you are on their schedule. You need to pick a return time and stick to it. If you take the bus, it runs about every half hour, so you can spend as long as you want, and return when you are ready.

Thanks for both of your inputs... appreciate it!! =)

Rob, with the tours, what is the latest they pick up again and what are usually the crowded times for the buses? And just curious since you have done both, which did you prefer...bus or tour?

I%26#39;d be curious to hear the answer also..

I was planning on picking up some snorkeling sets before we leave this weekend....

Well, in terms of the tours that our hotel offered (we were at a Sheraton), there was 3 pick up times, I believe at 8am, 10am, and noon. Then the return times were about 11am, 2pm, and 4pm.

Keep in mind that different tour companies may have different times.

When we booked, we took the 10am departure. We didn%26#39;t have to return on the 2pm bus. We could return on the 4pm bus if we wanted. However we needed to specify which time when we booked the tour 2 days ahead. We couldn%26#39;t just catch the shuttle back at 4pm the day of. So it requires a little more planning.

In terms of bus vs tour, as I have done both, if and when I go back, I%26#39;ll take the local bus. I have snorkle equipment, so I don%26#39;t need to rent any, and the bus is cheaper and its a nice drive.

The bus runs about every 20 minutes.

A trick for getting a seat on the bus: try and catch the bus at the west end of Waikiki, closer to Honolulu. The bus then runs east towards Diamond Head, so if you board the bus there, it could be full already. So depending on where you are staying, you may want to walk down Kuhio a bit to better your chances of getting a seat.

I am not positive, but I believe Hanauma Bay is closed on tuesdays. So double check that and keep it in mind when you decide which day to go.

krpton .... rob said it all.

TheBUS #22 that begins the Hanauma Bay run starts at King Kalakaua Park on Kuhio Avenue at the The Gateway Hotel, across the street from Ohana Maile Sky Court Hotel. The sooner you can get on the bus on it%26#39;s route, the better you are. The bus will fill to capacity as it travels down Kuhio Avenue to Kapiolani Park. Depending on the time of the year and week, things do get busy and of course slower at other times. ABC stores sells snorkeling gear under $10.00. This might be a way to go. The tours are okay, but, as Rob mentioned, you are under the guidance of the tour company.

I would go with the city transportation to save money and most important to take a scenic bus ride and view the different communities along the way.

Remember, TheBUS #22 is the only city bus that goes into Hanauma Bay. Good luck,

';Live Aloha';

I just returned last night, we took the public bus, it was not crowded at all for us and you can%26#39;t beat the price, however the return buses leave on the hour (relatively speaking, Hawaiin time...), we didn%26#39;t pay attention to that and ended up arriving at the bus stop about 1210 and had to wait nearly 50 minutes for the next bus. Also, the bus doesn%26#39;t start that route from Waikiki area untill 0800, at least during the week when we went.

Bus:

1st bus to Hanauma Bay leaves Waikiki about 8:30. The first ones may be full depending which end of Waikiki you are on. If you are on the Diamond Head end, sometimes the bus will go right past because it is full.

Cost $4 (2 each way) + $5 entrance + about $5 to rent equipment. So about $14 total

Tours:

Look for coupons in the free brochure. You can get tours that run earlier than the bus. Cost as low as $12 including equipment + $5 entry fee. So about $17 total.

Of the 2 choices, take the cheap tours. For the $3 you would save by taking the bus, it is not worth the extra time it takes. But if you have a 4 day or monthly bus pass anyway, then take the bus.

For bus routes to popular attractions including Hanauma Bay:

http://www.thebus.org/pop/pop.asp