honeymoon in june

I%26#39;m coming to Hawaii for my honeymoon June 1st, splitting time between Maui and the island of Hawaii. We%26#39;ll be on the big island for four days: day 1- west coast, day 2- north coast, day 3- Volcano National Park, day 4- Hilo. Based on the vog levels and how soon we%26#39;re coming, should we still come to the big island, or just stay on Maui? I know this is a commonly posted topic right now, but I%26#39;d just like some input. Thanks!

honeymoon in june

Aloha Hula Girl or should I say hey neighbor, I am from Missouri also. I am not and expert but I have been to 3 islands and the big island is well worth seeing. I will alos be there in June. My daughter has a vacation home there. I am coming with 2 daughters and 3 neices. Congratulation on your marrige.

honeymoon in june

Well, first off let me say that to me, moving locations every night is not very relaxing. I would stay in one place, or maybe choose two locations if you must. But it just doesn%26#39;t make sense, IMO, to split 4 days into 4 different areas.

There are several questions, what%26#39;s your budget, and what do you like to do? The BI is known for its snorkeling and diving. Do you like to do that? Beaches? Hiking? What?

Aloha, Hopefully you are not moving 4 times in 4 days on your honeymoon! You can easily get that down to 1 move at most. I would not change my plans because of the VOG, things change so fast.. or not... but I would not change my plans, there is so much to enjoy and discover on the island.

I also agree that moving four times is going to be very tiring and will put big constraints on your actual play time because you need to be in and out of a lodging every day.

You may not realize that rental cars with luggage in them are targeted by thieves at all the typical beauty stops, so that any time you carry all your luggage around you add a concern. When you are checked in, so is your stuffs safe and sound.

sorry, truly cannot predict the vog levels. If Kilauea stops pumping out these extra high concentrations of gas, things will be normal again, and that could happen tomorrow or never, but when exactly, not even the scientists can say, much less the folks at TA.

we leave next tuesday

and i dont think this has ever been done before-- we are staying at hale pau hana and they have a web cam -- i will be in front of the web cam on wed 4/23 at 12 noon hawaii time and if you are interested in peeking - here is the site

http://www.mauicondowebcam.com/

we leave next tuesday

lougee,...... I%26#39;ll be waving!.... have a great trip!

we leave next tuesday

I%26#39;m leaving next Tuesday too! I have no idea where we%26#39;ll be on Wednesday, but perhaps we%26#39;ll stop by. :)

I_Love_the_Sea

I%26#39;m leaving next Tuesday too%26gt;%26gt;

where are you staying -- do you know where hph and the camera is located

We%26#39;re staying in Haiku, I have no idea where anything is in Maui. I need to print some maps and directions to everything, ha!

How much better can your life be.....you live in the most gorgeous area in the northwest and you vacation in Maui. You lucky dog!!!!

We%26#39;ll all being looking for you! And of course we%26#39;ll be very jealous. Have a great trip!

Lougee, I know some people that can%26#39;t remember time or place...unlike you!

You be damn sure I be watching for you Lougee! From one MF to another! And you gonna have a great time Lougee! :)

Lol! You are hilarious! have a great time!

That is so fun! My daughter, daughter in law and I did that last year. We wrote a message in the sand and called some friends and had them pull up the webcam at HPH. We talked and waived. It was so fun!! (Well for us, I don%26#39;t know about the people sitting back in Ohio) I%26#39;ll be looking for you Wed. Have a great time. I%26#39;ll be back at HPH in two weeks-can%26#39;t wait!!!

BTW-were you HPH last July. Don%26#39;t know if you are really a cop but we had an officer and his family in the condo below us. My son was in love with one of his daughters-from a distance. Just thought I%26#39;d ask.

2bkelia

BTW-were you HPH last July%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

no -- we were there last nov

McBryde and Allerton Gardens

Is it possible to do both the McBryde and Allerton Gardens in one morning, or is that too much?

McBryde and Allerton Gardens

Um, I think you could do both in one DAY, but probably not one morning. We spent about 2 hours in McBryde - the tram (it was a van when we were there) only comes around every 1/2 hour to take you back to the visitor center, so you can%26#39;t just up and leave when you decide you%26#39;ve seen everything. I haven%26#39;t been to Allerton but I understand it is more structured as you take a tour. According to the website, tours leave at 9 am, 10 am, 1 pm and 2 pm, and you should allot 2 1/2 hours.

It would also be an expensive day - McBryde is $20 pp and Allerton is $40. Take sunscreen, water and bug repellent.

www.ntbg.org.

McBryde and Allerton Gardens

Thanks blueflamingo.

Do you think an 11 and a 12 year old would enjoy McBryde?

McBryde is BIG, and you have to walk a lot to see it all (it%26#39;s a one mile loop). That said, you also have the freedom to loiter in areas that you like, and stretch your legs more than on a guided tour (i.e., if they were driving you nuts and there weren%26#39;t a lot of other people around, you could send them on a scavenger hunt for ';the most alien like plant you can find'; or just have them race up to the next giant palm tree, or play ';count the mosquito bites'; if you%26#39;re like me).

Here%26#39;s the link to my KodakGallery album (I know, I need to switch to Picasa!): www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp鈥?/a>

Photos 11-42 are from McBryde.

Beautiful photos, blueflamingo! Thank you for sharing with all of us. You know I lurk in these forums to vacation vicariously with all of you. Kauai is my favorite destination and I wish I could go more often. Reading these posts and seeing pictures like that helps to ease the wanderlust...

McBryde it is.

You have a good eye for a great photograph!

Allerton Garden Tours is the one we chose...it was very informative and beautiful...This is the one with the Jurrasic Park trees!

McBryde is self-guided...we did not do that one..but I heard it was nice too.

Not sure if a kid would like either one though...

Blueflamingo, thank you for sharing the link to your photo album. Beautiful pictures! You do have a great eye for capturing the flowers.

DH showed me how to use the macro feature on the camera and I was off and running. I think I took about 100 pictures that day! I love tropical gardens, so we go to one on each visit. The botanic garden near Hilo on the Big Island is gorgeous.

I think it%26#39;s always hard to tell someone else if their kids will like something - I know kids that would be bored to tears in two seconds if you took them to either garden, where others would spend hours exploring. We don%26#39;t have kids but I personally have a 10 minute attention span (in any activity) and DH gets antsy if he has to sit still for any period of time (you should see us on the plane!), so for us to enjoy the gardens so much may tell you something...

Thanks, blueflamingo.

My niece and nephew are 11 and 12 and while they might prefer being at the beach to the gardens, I think I will encourage them to go to one of the gardens. They%26#39;ve always enjoyed nature walks with 2 of my brothers (who will be going with us) and who are experts on Calif. native plants and edible plants (I%26#39;ll encourage them not to eat the plants as we walk along - they have been known to ';graze';). I%26#39;m always amazed at their knowledge. One day I went to the U.C. Berkeley Botanical Gardens with one of them and we wandered through it while he told me about all of the plants, and the medicinal, culinary, and ceremonial useages of the various plants and herbs by the Chinese, American Indians, etc. After a while I heard some noise behind me and turned around and there were about 20 people following us and hanging on every word - they thought he was the guide!

Anyway, as a child I was always a little bored by garden tours, but I still remember them all to this day and I am glad that I went. I think seeing the local gardens when you travel gives you a wonderful sense of where you are. And the hawaiian plants in particular are so spectacular! I think it will be something we will all remember.

How about Limahuli Garden%26#39;s by Kee? Although I did enjoy wandering around McBryde, I actually enjoyed Limahuli more. I believe kids 12 and under are free there, too. Adults were only charged $15 when I went there. The views of the mountains are pretty amazing there. I have a few pictures of each in my album 鈥oogle.com/slabeaume/KauaiPicturesFromTrips鈥?/a>

Things to do at an airport while waiting for your flight?

My husband and my flight will be leaving in the middle of the morning, while my mothers flight leaves at 9:30 p.m. She is traveling alone. Are there things to do at the airport or close by that will occupy her time until her flight leaves? We will be dropping of the car before our flight so she will be without a ride.

Things to do at an airport while waiting for your flight?

On Kauai ?!?!?! Leave your poor mother at the hotel (pay for a late check-out) and arrange for her transportation to the airport later that day. There is NOTHING in the immediate vicinity of the airport that someone without a car can get to.

That being said - you could arrange for her to take some sort of tour (Fern Grotto, etc) that would be relaxing on her last day on the island.

Things to do at an airport while waiting for your flight?

Our resort is up in Princeville, so I really think she would not be comfortable doing that but I can ask. About how much would a taxi be from Princeville to the airport? That is if the resort will let her have a late check out..We are staying at the Pahio at Ka%26#39;Eo Kai..

hmmmmmmmm I was afraid of that. How about arranging for a tour that will allow her to bring her stuff with her and will drop her off at the airport? An acquaintance did it on Oahu when she went skydiving (not that I advocate jumping out of perfectly good airplanes....shudder) but maybe one of the movie tours?

I agree. There is absolutely nothing to do at the LIH airport.

If she feels more comfortable at the airport, arrange for her to have an earlier flight to Honolulu if you have a stop over there on your flight home. There is a small shopping mall basically at the Honolulu airport or she could arrange to have a taxi drive her to see the Pearl Harbor memorial.

I know that when I was at LIH early, I was flying US Air with a connection through Honolulu on Hawaiian. Hawaiian said I could take an earlier flight for $25 (no free standbys). If it had been more than an hour, I would have definitely done that. I was bored out of my mind at the LIH airport.

Another alternative is to set her up with a portable DVD player -- at least then she can keep herself entertained.

Unfortunately, she is flying on Alaska Air with a direct flight from Lihue to Seattle..Guess she might have to have a good book to read to keep herself entertained.

I would arrange for her to book a tour and they could pick her up right at the airport. The seats at the airport are not comfy. The waiting rooms will be cramped with other passengers waiting to leave and the restaurant closes down early. If you book her The Movie Tour that is an all day tour. I%26#39;m sure they could drop her off at the airport.

I know the Marriott has a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Its complimentary for guests, but I don%26#39;t know if they will pick up/deliver non-guests. Depending on your budget, they might offer a day pass. There%26#39;s Kalapaki Beach and Dukes there to kill some time. Also, if she can drive you can get a cheap Priceline/Hotwire rental for her that one day.

A couple ideas: she could check her bags and go to the mall? Or, I have heard good things about the museum in Lihue ... both would require taxis. I%26#39;m thinking that she should romp a bit before that long flight.

If I was the mother, I would not want to sit at the Lihue airport for 10 hours, nor would I want to tour all day.

I%26#39;d first try to get a day pass at the Marriott, (or even for the whole day) following that, I%26#39;d book a room at one of the local low budget hotels. I%26#39;d want a place to freshen up before a flight, and have a taxi pick me up and take me to the airport in the evening.

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

Gad! No way should someone sit at the Lihu%26#39;e airport for 10 hours - your sanity could be compromised!

There is NOTHING to do at our airport - believe me --

the chairs are hard and the whole place is not meant for long-term sitting I%26#39;m afraid.

I too would suggest a day-use room at one of the properties closeby - then a taxi to the airport -- please don%26#39;t leave your mother at the airport for 10 hours - that sounds like such a nightmare!

Malama Pono,

Janet

transfer file

Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside

Searched and didn%26#39;t find it. Does anyone know if the restrooms at Pua%26#39;a Ka%26#39;a State Wayside are re-opened yet?

Thanks!

Pua'a Ka'a State Wayside

Well, when I was there in April 2007 they were closed. I%26#39;d think they would be open by now, but it%26#39;s Hawaii Time, ya know.

Video/DVD rentals in Princeville area?

My husband is bringing his laptop with us on vacation and is wondering if there are any video/dvd rental places near by. He likes to watch movies late at night. Since we are not big into doing the night scene we do like to watch an occasional new dvd. Do any stores carry dvd rentals? I prefer to read a good book but he doesn%26#39;t like to do that on vacation. He prefers watching movies.

Video/DVD rentals in Princeville area?

If memory serves me there is a place in Ching Young Center. Maybe in the music store???

Video/DVD rentals in Princeville area?

I%26#39;m almost positive that the Foodland in Princeville offers movie rentals. I think they%26#39;re over by the customer service desk where the souvenirs are?

Also, iTunes is now offering movie rentals via download plus you can watch a limited amount of movies and TV shows for free on Hulu.com.

Have a good trip!

Thanks for the information. I just went to Hulu.com and am surprised with the full episodes. Hopefully we have free wifi at our timeshare.

makeup help

Just Back

My husband I just returned yesterday after 10 days on Kauai. We had an absolutely perfect trip which I will post about in more detail as soon as I recover from jet lag and airplane woes.

Our only negative the whole trip was on the way home, we flew out of Lihue On Sunday at 10:30 only to have to make an emergency landing in Honolulu because our fuel pump was damaged. We landed to firetrucks on the runway, sat in the plane for an hour and a half while they determined if we could fly again-what? ARe you crazy? We were finally shuttled to a hotel where we got 3 hours of sleep. They originally told us they couldn%26#39;t get us home until THURSDAY (of this week) but several calls later we made it out on United (original was through US Airways) so we made it home a day late.

But like I said that was our only mishap! A quick rundown and I%26#39;ll give more detailed posts later:

Stayed at an oceanfront condo at Kiahuana Plantation, we did the helicopter, zipline, sunset cruise, luau, snorkeled, hiked and ate ourselves silly. We ate at Keoki%26#39;s, Casablanca, Plantation Gardens, shrimp station, polynesian cafe, hanalei dolphin, puka dog, tropical burgers, Humura Saimen, and i%26#39;m sure there are others.

Can%26#39;t wait to relive the memories, my pictures were sent in for development today, took 300! We saw tons of whales, some seals, dolphins, turtles. What an amazing time. Hope to post more details soon.

Just Back

Other than the fuel pump incident (and real sorry to hear about that), how was the US Airways flight from Phoenix? On time? Pretty smooth? Friendly?

Thanks!

We%26#39;re flying US Airways to Kauai in July through Phoenix.

Just Back

cueball,

We got bumped from Hawaiian last May and had to take a U.S. Airway flight from Phoenix. The good news is we%26#39;re going back to Kauai again this year with the vouchers we got. Bad news was the U.S. Airways flight.

After Hawaiian called to confirm that we would be able to get 2 seats together, the ticket agent made no effort whatsoever to try to make that happen. Then they announced that we probably ought to bring our own food on board since they had a limited number of meals. The 757 is much smaller and more crowded than the 767%26#39;s Hawaiian flies. And to top it off we got some really rude flight attendants. Luckily 2 weeks in paradise was enough to wash away all the stress the flight created. Hopefully you%26#39;ll have better luck.

Sorry to hear that.

FourForMe, I%26#39;d still like to hear what your experience was...and anyone else%26#39;s for that matter.

Can%26#39;t wait to hear the rest of your report. Rest up! :)

FourForMe

We are staying at Kaihuna Plantation in Sept.And are doing the kipu Falls zipline, Blue Hawaiian Helicoter ride, Smiths Luau,Na Pali Lucky Lady catamaran and the waimea, fern grotto trip. Can%26#39;t wait to hear about your experiences on Kauai! And also, if you have done any of the excursions that we are doing.

KDgardens

Drive Time

We are staying in Keauhou for 5 nights in May. We need to drive to Puna, Hawaiian Paradise park to be exact to look at some property that a family member owns. What is the quickest route?

Drive Time

I am not an expert, for sure, but I think it would be the southern route. The only problem would be current activity at the park and if all roads are open, etc. Honestly, I don%26#39;t know how much quicker one is than the other. We stayed at HPP in January but traveled at such a slow pace, I don%26#39;t know if you would rather enjoy the northern route (I would) or drive on a mission.

If you put a search into the box, like southern route, northern route, I think you will get hits with posts you could use.

Just curious, where is their propery? We stayed oceanside there and enjoyed it.

Drive Time

The South route certainly is quicker to HPP and if you know the shortcut through Hawaiian Acres and Ainaloa it will be even more shorter.

In case you don%26#39;t know, this is your tip to click on typicallytropical%26#39;s name and send a message to ask for those special directions, in case you family member doesn%26#39;t have them. Do it. It will probably save alot of time. Have a great trip.

allow at least 3 hours....maybe 3.5 to get there under good conditions

Well, whichever way you go, you leave Hwy 11 at Kea`au (unless you take that local shortcut through the subdivision), so check the map to see which is shorter.

Once you get on Highway 130, there are four roads that turn into HPP, and it%26#39;s best to know which your property is closest to, because the lateral roads are red cinder, dusty, and have some potholes, and the less of them the better.

What is the address? I can tell you which road to take.

From Keauhou it is about halfway around the island to Hilo, and Kea`au is basically Hilo, so your main consideration, I would think, is whether you want to see anything else on the way.

Are you doing it in one day? If so I would probably drive there via the north and return via the south, simply due to the way you get longer sunlight in the afternoon on the south, and more morning light on the north.

Thanks to all for the advice! I would take a short cut in a split second, however the hubby hates to do that when he is in an unfamiliar area.

KamaainaK,

Once I have the exact address I will take you up on your offer for directions. We will be doing this drive all in one day. I like your idea of driving clockwise.

Thanks Again

If it%26#39;s an unimproved lot they probably don%26#39;t have an address and you will never find the property. Make sure you get the Tax Map Key number (TMK number) from them and we can give you the direction based on that. It should start with 3-1-5 followed by two more numbers.

oh, that is so true. It%26#39;s impossible to tell one unimproved lot from another without some very specific directions. If it%26#39;s adjacent to a built lot, that%26#39;s helpful. I would take TT%26#39;s offer to look up the TMK number.

As for which road to take down, just ask your family member whether it%26#39;s closest to Kaloli, Paradise, or Maku`u, and take that one. Also print yourself out a map, like from Google maps, of the HPP area. A regular drive map that comes with your rental car won%26#39;t have any details on HPP.

The best guides are the Ready Mapbooks, for about $12, sold in some grocery stores and in bookstores. (Like Borders in Hilo, which you pass by on your way)

With a Ready Mapbook you can even take on shortcuts. ;-)

But in Puna you don%26#39;t want to take any shortcut through a subdivision unless you%26#39;ve been told that it goes through and is good, or you may find yourself on a gawdawful road surface (and possibly on a dead end).

If you%26#39;re willing to pay shipping you can get a Ready Map book here:

http://www.hiloagent.com/readymap.htm

Thanks again for the suggestions. I am in the process of getting the prpoerty information and the hubby works for a large title co. The plan is to get all the info and search for specifics thru work. As always, the experts on this board are amazing!

Best beach near Kailua Kona?

My girlfriend and I are going to be in Kailua Kona on May 11 and we are trying to find a great beach in the area. Originally we were planning on going to Kua Bay (Manini‘owali), and even had a jeep rental reserved for that bumpy road to get there. However, I%26#39;ve recently read that the road has since been paved and this is attracting a lot more people to the beach, and it%26#39;s no longer ';isolated'; like it was.

We don%26#39;t want a completely deserted beach, but we also don%26#39;t want to fight the crowds to find a spot on the beach. Any suggestions for a great beach near Kailua Kona that isn%26#39;t going to be absolutely teeming with people on a Sunday? We%26#39;re willing to drive up to an hour away. Thanks!

Best beach near Kailua Kona?

there are no other accessable beaches available to you....sorry... no secrets...no isolated Hapuna to the norht and Beach 69, both county parks with paved roads. You will have to share

Best beach near Kailua Kona?

So there are no other beaches you can recommend that we might like? What is your favorite beach on that side of the island?

Aloha,

Makalawena Beach may be what you are looking for. It is a 30 minute hike, bring lots of water, over dry hot lava. The trail starts at the Kona Coast State Park parking area.

Kua Bay Beach Park (Manini‘owali) will still be a nice choice for you. If you can avoid the weekend when it tends to get busy. It is a beautiful beach and oh so close.

Hapuna State Beach Park is a drive, but worth it if the ocean is calm, give a call to the resort prior to heading up there and ask about conditions.

Mauna Kea Beach (Kauna%26#39;oa Beach) is one of my favorites but parking/passes are limited so go early or late. Again weekends are more crowded.

the thing is that people who live here go to the beach on Sundays, so it%26#39;s the worst day to be set on not busy. But I%26#39;ve never ever had to fight for a spot on any beach on this island. That would be Waikiki.

The issue here is limited parking for some beaches, such as Kua Bay and Kauna`oa and Kukio, and Beach 69.

Best bet also is to avoid beaches with BBQ facilities and tables.

Is this Mother%26#39;s Day you%26#39;re talking about? A busy day!

If you want to walk in, I%26#39;d do Makalawaena. If not I%26#39;d try the beach north of Honokohau Harbor. It%26#39;s generally lightly used.

Jeep rentals aren%26#39;t good for the bumpy roads here. Trucks with lift and big fat tires are what%26#39;s needed. And the rental contract prohibits taking your jeep on unpaved roads. Just FYI, I drove to Manini%26#39;owail before it was paved, and a Jeep would have been toast with no undercarriage before it ever got there. BIG lava boulders and deep ruts. That%26#39;s changed, but whatever you read that said to do that was a poor guide.

You won%26#39;t find an uncrowded beach on Mother%26#39;s Day here. That%26#39;s where many, many local families spend Mother%26#39;s Day (including mine!).

store properties

money,money,money

I am going to Oahu in August and I am reading conflicting info on ATM%26#39;S. I have a Bank of America debit card. Am I going to have a problem getting money? Do they allow you so much a day or can you withdraw what your bank allows you.

money,money,money

BofA does not have any banks or ATMs in Hawaii.

';I am reading conflicting info on ATM%26#39;S.'; What type of conflicting information? Maybe if you explain, we can help.

';Do they allow you so much a day or can you withdraw what your bank allows';. Who is ';they';? Chuck...

money,money,money

Most banks have a pre-set limit on how much money you can withdraw from your account each day using ATMs. Contact your bank directly if you want to raise/lower that limit.

Sorry I will try to explain better. My bank allows me to withdraw 1000.00 dollars in a 24 hour period. If I go to any ATM in oahu will I still be ok to withdraw that amount? Thanks for all your help.

Well, since BofA has no ATMs in Hawaii, you%26#39;ll have to use another banks ATMs. There will be a fee to do this and you will be governed by the rules pertaining to withdrawals from the bank whose bank owns the ATM you are using. You will have to figure the ownership of ATMs that you will use and contact that bank for their limits. Chuck...

Both First Hawaiian Bank and Bank of Hawai`i have limits on daily ATM withdrawals, $400 for BoH and $700 for FHB, as I recall. I can%26#39;t imagine you needing anywhere near that much cash for anything here, and I would avoid carrying that much just on general principle. Most places you%26#39;re going to use a credit card anyway.

agree with pzp you won%26#39;t need that much cash you can use your checkcard as a credit card at most places. we use our a/e delta sky miles card for most things to get the airmiles we did bring some cash for things like the farmers market and some small local restaurants do not accept credit cards.but most places do so no worries

aloha marie

Just remember that in places with high tourist turnovers, you will get a higher than normal amount of credit card fraud. Be very careful and NEVER let your card out of your sight and always pay attention that the person who has your card does not swipe it in two machine(one being bogus and gets the data off your card for later fraud) or copies the info off your card with pen and paper. Chuck...

yes no problem, most of the hotels have ATMS and there is a Hawaiian bank in the center of town, also all the ABC markets have ATMs. The only problem might be that you could not take it out all at once so you will get more fees. I don%26#39;t bring a lot of cash and hit the atms often, I hate dealing with travelers checks.

Is Kailua too far for Waikiki activities?

It will be our first time in Hawaii and we are considering renting a house in Kailua. Is this city too far of a commute for activities like going to Pearl Harbor, going to a Luau, etc.

Should we try to find accommodations in Waikiki instead? Thanks for the feedback

Is Kailua too far for Waikiki activities?

Kailua is a nice area. It is not too far from Honolulu/Waikiki. About a 30 minute drive to downtown Honolulu. 35 minutes to Waikiki.

Make sure the rental in Kailua is legal.

Lots of info:

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

Is Kailua too far for Waikiki activities?

We stayed in Waimanalo, which is just down the road from Kailua and had no problems going back and forth to Waikiki. Straight shot through the mountains.

We thoroughly enjoyed having a beach to ourselves and getting away from the hubbub of the city. You%26#39;re making a wise choice.

Have fun!

Should I admit to making it from Honolulu to Kailua in about 20 minutes?

I don%26#39;t think there%26#39;s much of a time difference between driving the Pali into town and driving the streets in Waikiki when trying to go somewhere (not located within Waikiki). Plus you aren%26#39;t paying for parking in Kailua.

You should be fine, just avoid rush hour when people are heading to Honolulu to work in the AM and back from Honolulu to Kailua in the PM.

Aloha,

The only problem would be if you wanted to take bus tours to such things as Pearl Harbor, a luau, etc. Otherwise, as long as you don’t mind driving for yourself, you are fine. When we first moved here I thought, how lost can I get, it’s an island! But, most of the street names are in Hawaiian, and it can be confusing, so I’d be sure to Mapquest your trips.

You may want to “add up” all the activities you want to do and if more than half actually take place in Waikiki (in particular restaurant or shopping opportunities), it may be easier to stay there. If enjoying a gorgeous beach as much as possible is your goal, you will love the Windward side.

Marriott

Since so many flights leave so late out of Lihue, has anyone looked into the possibility of a day room at the Marriott? I%26#39;m thinking from 11AM to 6PM. If so, I would appreciate knowing what the cost was.

Thanks,

G

Marriott

Questions (and answers) about the day room use at the Marriott come up from time to time ... and it sounds wonderful with a long lay-over. But - I%26#39;d suggest that you give them a call and ask about prices. They change from time-to-time ... and you may qualify for a discount (I wish!) or something.

Marriott

Thanks BLBL. I did plan on calling or having my TA do it. Just wondered if I could get a ballpark price to see if I wanted to persue it.

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

This question just came up recently in regards to someone%26#39;s mother having a very long wait at the airport and what the alternatives were.

All hotel properties vary in their policy about day use rooms -- some require the property to be at a certain occupancy level or lower in order to offer it -- some simply don%26#39;t offer them at all.

In my experience the price varies considerably - usually from $100 and up depending on the hotel.

I%26#39;d suggest you call the property directly to ask about their policy on this - some will not reserve the rooms, but require you go in the day you want it and take your chances.

Good luck!

Malama Pono,

Janet

The question about a day room at the Marriott has been bugging me since a similar thread a couple of weeks ago about this issue. Does anyone remember the one where they were going to leave their mom at the airport for 9 hours? They weren%26#39;t aware there just wasn%26#39;t anything to do there. So, I called the Marriott in Kauai today 808-245-5050 and was advised that they do not have day rooms. You can book a room for the day/night only. I have a similar dilemma about my trip in June. So, just for kicks I checked on availability for a room at the Marriott and they are booked! So good to plan in advance!

Just for kicks I called Hilton Kauai asking about day rooms. Although the person I spoke to didn%26#39;t really understand what I was asking about, he said they do not have day rooms but do have hospitality rooms for the guests only. The overnight rate is $189 for the date I checked; they do have free shuttle to airport. 808-245-1955.

I%26#39;m surprised to hear they do not have day rooms. It seems as if it might be a nice bit of profit on lower season times due to their location so close to the airport. I checked their availability during my late May date and they are wide open, so I might just give it a try. Thanks for your efforts and info on this.

That%26#39;s what I was thinking -- Cha-ching???$$$ Any entrepeneurs out there?

Why would a hotel want to book a ';day room'; at 1/2 the price when they can rent it for full price? My advice for so many people who are taking these late night flights is to book another day at the hotel or condo you are staying in. It is well worth the extra time you have on the island to chill and relax. If you can%26#39;t afford that then 1. Ask the hotel for a possible late check out option. Usually if the hotel is not full they will let you stay until 1pm. 2. If you are staying in a condo, call the owner the week before and see if anyone is arriving that day. If not ask for a late checkout or ask if they have a special rate for checkouts past the usual time. I know I do. If I know I do not have a back to back I offer the room at 1/2 the daily rate as long as they don%26#39;t stay past 6pm. Past 6pm is the full day rate. This gives guests time to relax, do that sunbathing, leave in the late afternoon and have dinner at a nice place before they get onto the plane.

I agree with Jebett. I wish we would have booked an extra day at our condo. On our last day, we had to check out at 11 a.m., but our flight didn%26#39;t leave until midnight! It was really hard to enjoy that last day because we were so worried about our luggage in the back of our rental car (we didn%26#39;t want it to get stolen). We booked our condo first and didn%26#39;t end up booking our flights until much later -- so we didn%26#39;t realize that we would have needed to pay for an extra day when we originally booked. Needless to say, we will do it differently next time :-) The owner of the condo we rented did offer late check-outs if available, but there was a guest coming right after us, so it didn%26#39;t work out. Just something to think about . . .

Jebett,

All of that is very good advice. We%26#39;ve checked on all the avenues you mentioned. Guests coming in right behind us. The Marriott appears to be wide open, so I guess I figure some $s is better than no $s. We%26#39;ll see what I can find out.

makeup help

One night @ start of trip & at end

Need some suggestions please:

My flight arrives @ OGG @ 1:45 pm on 8/15/08. I can%26#39;t check into my condo until mid-afternoon on 8/16/08. (about 24 hrs later)

I have the same problem near the end of my stay. I will check out of my condo early in the morning of 8/22/08, and my flight back home is at 8:30PM on 8/23/08. (about 36 hrs later)

Need HELP VERY BADLY on places to stay my first and last nights, as well as help with an itenerary for these first and last days! I do not want to spend my entire trip checking in/out of hotels and I want to make sure I make the most of my time on the island!

Thank you much!

One night @ start of trip %26amp; at end

I just read your post about doing the Road to Hana from Kanapali. You could do it your last day and stay overnight at the hotel in Hana -- or stay there your first night.

Maybe you%26#39;d like to splurge on the Grand Wailea (and its pools) for one night? Or not splurge, at Best Western in South Kihei? Mana Kai Maui? A hotel in West Maui? One of the two ancient %26#39;motel-type%26#39; hotels in Kahului (only as last resort)?

One night @ start of trip %26amp; at end

why did you book a condo where you cant check in for 24 hr AFTER you arrive and you have to check out 36 hr before your flight -- werent there any other condos that would suit your needs a lot better timewise

I actually booked my condo before my flight... and the flight was MUCH more expensive to have it closer to my actual condo dates (I was saving HUNDREDS of dollars by being flexible a day or two with my flight dates!)

Hmmmm, I gotta say I was thinking the same thing as Lougee asked, and the %26#39;hundreds%26#39; of dollars you%26#39;re saving on airfare are probably going to be spent on your before/after accommodations now.....but hey, at least this way you%26#39;ll get more time on Maui rather than putting that money on a plane!

Chisue gave some good suggestions, if it was me, I%26#39;d make it worth my while and splurge for at least the last part of the trip...always nicer to end a vacation in a nicer resort hotel, than a cheap one.

Just make sure to pack light (carry on) so you%26#39;re not carting around too much luggage between all the check-ins/outs....it%26#39;ll ease the stress a bit!

Enjoy the beach! :-)

We ran into a similar problem because of having to rebook our flight due to ATA. We decided to try and make the most of it by booking at the Pioneer Inn in Lahaina. That way we could have a nice dinner and enjoy some shopping the night we arrive and the next morning til we check into our bungalow. It was something we had planned to do anyway so just decided to make that the beginning of our trip. Good luck!

I too read your post about the long day to Hana your are thinking about.

I agree with ChiSue. Why not check out on the 22nd and head to Hana early that morning? Plenty of nice places to stay over there. Get checked into a cottage, go on your hike, (it%26#39;s awesome and something you don%26#39;t want to rush through) then relax that evening in beautiful Hana. I couldn%26#39;t think of a finer place to spend my last night on Maui.

Next morning you could go check out Hamoa Beach and the State Park and take your time driving back, stopping at any of the stops most people do on the way there. Have your last dinner in Paia before heading to the airport.

I agree with the very good Hana suggestion. For the other night, I would also pick someplace other than the area of your condo to stay. Not knowing where that is, I%26#39;m not sure where exactly to recommend.

I also agree with the packing suggestion. Put everything you%26#39;ll need for that one night/days into one suitcase (or carry-on) so you don%26#39;t have to waste a lot of time packing up for the moves.

Thank you all for your suggestions! My condo for the 6 nights/7 days is in West Maui... so I think I am going to spend my first night somewhere near the Crater so we can get up early and do the sunrise on that first day!

The last night in Hana also sounds great, as long as I have some assurance I can make it to the airport on time... and if I can keep myself clean enough until then ;)

Check out the Kula Lodge for the first night, very close to the entrance of the park. If I had a do-over, that is what I would do. Then the Hana stay-over, the rave now is the Yurt if you can get reservations. If not, check out alternavivehawaii.com for lodgings. Have a great trip.

Sorry about the mispelling for website...

http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/index.html

Great site to use for info.

Has anyone taken Na Pali Explorer from the North Shore?

We%26#39;ll be staying at HBR in June and would rather go from the North Shore to avoid all of that driving just to get on a boat and sail back almost to where we started. Has anyone here taken Na Pali Explorer%26#39;s newer boat, Ocean Adventurer on the snorkel tour out of Hanalei? I had pretty much decided to avoid boats and do an ATV tour instead, but reading about everyone%26#39;s boat tours has made me reconsider. Since I cannot fathom the idea of getting into a helicopter (chicken!), it sounds like a boat tour is the only way we will be able see the Na Pali Coast. We would do the 8am tour...any reason that would not be advisable?

Lisa

Has anyone taken Na Pali Explorer from the North Shore?

I have not been on that boat, but since you%26#39;ll be staying at HBR it is the smart thing to do. If you take the other tours out of Pt Allen you have an hour and a half drive at 5:30 A.M. The trip to the coast is much faster from Hanalei. I have heard nothing but great things about it. An early morning departure is probably smart too. That way you have the entire afternoon to enjoy more of the North Shore.

Have fun at HBR. Let me know if you have any questions about it.

Has anyone taken Na Pali Explorer from the North Shore?

jebett, thank you! You have already been a wealth of information as I%26#39;ve been lurking around here for a month or so. I am going nuts with anticipation for this trip. My husband thinks I have completely lost it with my 3-ring binder and incessant forum reading.

So I%26#39;m not the only one using a 3-ring binder for all the travel planning!! I have all of my confirmations (airline, condo, car rental) organized in it, as well as information from the TA forum that I print out here. I can be excessively organized when it comes to my travels, but I find that it%26#39;s the way to maximize my preparation so I can be more relaxed when the time comes.

Anyway, I have taken a Na Pali cruise from the North Shore. Two years ago I took Na Pali Catamaran. I really do think that, no matter where you stay, a North Shore departure is great because you spend more time actually in and around the Na Pali coast. This tour was absolutely stunning. I was staying in Poipu, so I had to be up VERY early to arrive on the North Shore in time for the trip. I don%26#39;t think you can go wrong with any tour out of the North Shore. Since you%26#39;re already going to be on the North Shore anyway, you are ideally situated for this too.

I took the explorer I last summer and loved it. Best thing I%26#39;ve ever done in my life. You won%26#39;t be disappointed.

Labs---I too am staying North Shore in June (and also South Shore same trip), but decided to do the boat tour out of Hanalei because if you look at the routes on a map from both shores, you spend most of your time on the boat getting to Napali from the South Shore (not to mention the time in your car). Look at the route to Napali from Hanalei-----there%26#39;s no comparison that you%26#39;ll get to the Napali Coast much faster from North than South. Leaving from South Shore when you%26#39;re staying North could be an all-day excursion.

We did the 3 hour napali explorer afternoon cruise in November (leaving from the south) and it was so great that we will be doing the morning 5 hour napali explorer cruise this May when we return.

I just got off the phone with Lisa at Na Pali Explorer and booked our tour! We%26#39;ll be taking the 4-hour snorkel expedition departing at 8am from Hanalei on June 17th. It is early enough in our stay that if they have to reschedule due to conditions, we%26#39;ll hopefully have enough time left to fit it in. Lisa was really friendly and helpful. I had actually booked online a couple of nights ago, and according to the screen on my end, the reservation was accepted. I was glad I called today to check up on it, because it never made it through on their end. A note of caution to anyone booking these tours online -- always call to confirm they actually received your reservation!

We have been with Napali Explorer several times, and they are a great outfit.

There was some problems with sailing out of the boat yard up in Hanalei, but perhaps they have that all squared away now.

Hope so, they are wonderful folks, and loads of fun.

Our 3 trips with them was out of the kikiaola small boat harbor on the west side.

Denny

Thanks, Denny. They happily took my reservation, so I sure do hope they have their problems ironed out by then! I don%26#39;t even want to think about how early we%26#39;d have to get up to make it from Hanalei Bay to a launch on the other side of the island at the crack of dawn.

Lisa

get rid or hyperhidrosis

Tahiti Nui

hey, we missed this place last time and would like to go this time for a night of entertainment. Does anyone have suggestions on which night to go or which performers they like that play there?

What about the food? would you eat there or go there after you eat dinner?

We leave tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! big smile :)

Thanks!

Tahiti Nui

Others may have more recent info than I, as it%26#39;s been 2 years since I was there. But I%26#39;ll chime in because you don%26#39;t have much time before departure.

I%26#39;ve never heard anything good about their food, so I%26#39;ve never tried it. They used to own the restaurant next door (same building), I don%26#39;t now if they still do or not. Their Mai Tai is good, though. You%26#39;d be safe eating the pineapple slice that come with it ;-)

Friday nights they had entertainment. I remember they had a band that was called ';the Happy Hawaiians'; that was a lot of fun. Don%26#39;t know if they still play there, it was a bunch of guys in their 60%26#39;s.

Auntie Louise (the owner) has passed, but Sherman (her son)still works there. He dances a mean hula, it%26#39;s a lot of fun, he%26#39;s a very big guy.

Bottom line, I stop there every time I go to Kauai, it%26#39;s a blast. Very local flavor. If you go in the afternoon, you should have the place mostly to yourselves.

Dave

Tahiti Nui

Ha - DH and I went there one afternoon and we DID have the place to ourselves- the waitress couldn%26#39;t be bothered to come take our order, so we left after a few minutes. I guess I%26#39;ll have to go back in the evening some time to really understand what%26#39;s so great about this place..

we were there on a friday night mid-march this year. we had a blast. the ';old'; guys are still there, i think they play from 6:30 until 8:30. they are so much fun,i mean really cute and just fun! my husband and I are fairly young and we felt like we were the youngest there but we had the best time. totally unexpected. everyone seemed like they all knew eachother, smiling at one another, giving the aloha look to everyone entering. we had dinner across the street @ hanalei gourmet and walked into tahiti nui for one drink but ended up staying till well after 11. we were disappointed to see the guys breaking down after 8:30, we only saw the last 30 minutes or so and we really wanted more. as luck would have it, another, much younger, reggae band set up and played from 10 on. when we left, they were in full swing. both bands were excellent! next time i want to get there earlier to see the old guys! their mia tais and margaritas were very good. i don%26#39;t think i%26#39;d recommend dining there though. we didn%26#39;t eat there but what we saw, we were glad we had already eaten.

Was ';old guys'; the name of the band ? (or were they just old-j/k)

they were just old, feisty, and fun. i forget what they%26#39;re called but they play every friday night.

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

';The Happy Hawaiians'; - from the real ';old Hawai%26#39;i'; days.

Malama Pono,

Janet

For Janet

How bad is the vog in the Princeville area? More or less than elsewhere? My boss is coming over tomorrow for 16 days and is kind of freaked about it......

For Janet

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

The vog is back with us - it is actually supposed to get worse in the next couple of days according to the local weather person (and who knows there??) - there is a band of rain showers coming at us possibly this weekend, so that may help or hurt the vog - it depends entirely on what is going on with Kilauea volcano and which way the winds are blowing.

The reason our vog has been so bad lately is the change in our wind direction and the activity of the volcano.

Short answer - I don%26#39;t really know - but will keep my fingers crossed for him and you!

Malama Pono,

Janet

National Car Rental

I would never rent a car from National Car Rental in Maui again. My experience in dealing with them was horrific. My flight from Maui to LAX was delayed by five hours from 9:00P.M. to 2:00 A.M. I dropped my children off at the airline terminal with our luggage and went to return my car to National car Rental. Upon arriving at their location their gates were closed, there was no shuttle bus, no drop off box and their place was deserted. Using my common sense, knowing that I had to get back to the airline terminal I parked the car in a well lit parking spot in front of their sister company Alamo and locked the keys in the car. This was done to secure the car and allow them easy access once they resumed their bankers hours. Let me preface by saying that nowhere on their contract jacket were their hours posted.

Thrify car rental was kind enough to call their shuttle bus driver and get me back to the airline terminal safely. Upon landing at LAX I called National to make sure that they retrieved the car and to notify them of its location. They informed me that they did indeed have the car. However, one day later I was billed an extra $155.00 for a car key, one extra day and a drop off charge. Noone notified me of the charge or apologized to me for the inconvenience or fright that I had to endure. Customer service did refund all but $50.00. The people at the service counter at OGG were extremely rude,and not at all helpful.

I would never rent from National or Alamo again because of this experience.

National Car Rental

This kind of post belongs in the review section, but you should dispute the charge with your credit card company. This was their fault, and you shouldn%26#39;t have to pay for it. I did this with Citibank for a random Scooter company in Estonia during a trip in 2000, because they charged me for a pickup due to their scooter failing. This fee wasn%26#39;t in the contract, so I couldn%26#39;t be held responsible. Citibank was completely understanding, I received a full refund in 3 days, and I only had to fill out a form to dispute it. I never heard anything else about the situation, so I would give it a try.

Please do post this in review section, so that it will not get lost in the endless forum post. This will put pressure on National to clean up that office, and you will truly help future travelers. It%26#39;s as easy as copy and paste.

National Car Rental

Thank you for the feedback. How do I post it in the review section. I am new to this and would realy appreciate the guidance.

Hi Nancy. I feel for you.

This past March we were in Florida and had a similar bad experience with Hertz. I understand how it can really REALLY dampen you vacation when you have enough other things to worry about in a strange place.

Just wanted to share my empathy.

Sorry, Nancy... I misspoke about the rental review section, or at least, I couldn%26#39;t find it. This site is for travellers like you and me, so you might be able to create one with a little effort. There are several review sections (hotels, packages and places to see) on this website, but there isn%26#39;t anything about rentals. There should be, because that%26#39;s a part of the adventure. There are other websites that rate rental companies, and you might want to contact National%26#39;s Customer Service, again, and use that as leverage if they don%26#39;t remove the fee. They don%26#39;t need bad coverage on sites like Yahoo Travel, because a lot of people view those opinions.

Here%26#39;s another idea if you haven%26#39;t contacted your credit card company. Pathetically, you might get one operator who will give you a full refund, while another is less accomodating. I%26#39;ve been faced with this oddity on several occasions, and I think it has to do with their experience level. If they aren%26#39;t willing to give up the money, go over their head to their manager. Persistance is the name of the game, and they%26#39;ll usually surrender, if you really want to see that $50. Afterall, it isn%26#39;t their money that they are defending, and $50 buys us a very nice dinner. Good luck!

Just a couple questions. You say your flight was delayed till 2 AM, what time did you actually try to drop off the car? Were there hours on any of the documents they gave you (like contract, map anything)? When you rented the car did you have a specific drop off time (I know when ever I rent they want it back within usually an hour of that time or I get charged extra). Did you contact them when you found out your flight would be delayed or just assume they knew and would wait past their normal working hours (which typically are first scheduled plane in to last scheduled plane out)?

Just looking at the info you provided it would appear that some fault lies with you and them. Perhaps you for not caling (if you didn%26#39;t) and them for not knowing your flight was delayed and calling you for after hours drop off. Of course the only way they would have known your flight info is if you had given it to them, if not then I don%26#39;t know how they would know you were coming after hours and realisticly, why would they stay open with no flights coming in?

I actually did call the local counter to tell them that the flight was delayed. I went to return the car at approximately 10:30 P.M. There were no hours posted on the jacket containing their contract, only their phone number. The Maui airport is quite small and it appeared to me, that anyone who was working at the airport seemed to know about the delay. I guess it is unusual to have delays in Maui so this was an unusual situation. Thrifty car rental, who was kind enough to utilize their shuttle bus to retun me to the terminal had an amazing amount of empathy and knew about the Delta delay. I can%26#39;t imagine that National did not. It was an unfortunate situation, but I still do not think that I should be billed for an extra key. All of my cars come with an extra key, when purchased.

Thanks for the reply Nancy, I was just curious about the details. Sounds like they did mess with you a bit in that they knew you were coming but were not there.

Hi Nancy;

Unfortunatly you have run into what is called an island attitude at National. Most wokers there are very helpful when I have rented there.

When you first called them to say that your flight was delayed they should have informed you their closing hours and procedures for after hours drop-offs. Please ask that when you rent and have them write it down or circle it on the agreement. As by USA law the hours of operation where you rented have to be on the contract.

You have received excellent recommendations from the board to resolving your overcharge.

I would say try have National pay for the overage and a sweetner for your next rental due their mishandling of your problem in Maui and the aggravation it has caused you.

If that does not work go thru your credit card

company and dispute the charges.

Be sure you tell National that will be your 2nd choice as they will have to pay a penalty and an extra fee to your credit card company after they process your charge-back due to services not received.

Good Luck and please repost to let us know how you were treated by National.

I assume in the future you will be renting from Thrifty and will be aware of rental car location hours. Please let other people know as this is quite a common problem for travelers and a hard lesson sometimes.

To lighten things up:

Many years ago I left a rental car during similar circumstances on the side of the terminal off the runway as I had to board immeadiatly and the rental car counter/valet at the airport (in those days in was were up front) was open but empty. I waited then fed up drove around to the side of the terminal to the runway nearest my flight, I locked the keys in the car and boarded my flight. I called the next day to inform them what I had to do due to their lack of service.

They apologized backwards and forwards, comped the rental and gave me a free 7 day rental for the future and I received a personal letter of apology from the VP of West Coast Operations. They had to try harder. No security then either.

Back to the future:

Different time, different companies. However you should have been treated the same at your first contact.

If National/Alamo had taken care of you I

would be answering a post about the great time you had on Maui instead of your last minute vacation spoiler.

I hope you come back to Maui and make better memories there.

Aloha,

gmc

Go Card vs Powerpass vs Entertainment Book vs Coupons

Hello all...thought I might put it to all of you to ask which of these is the better deal for Oahu? We are going for about 2 weeks May/June and after all my research I am a bit overwhelmed. I would like to hear from any of you with experience with any of the following:

Go Card

Powerpass

Entertainment Book

Coupons received from hotels in Waikiki, airport, etc

I have the prices and a general list of what they cover but still need a bit more information.

Thanks in advance.

Go Card vs Powerpass vs Entertainment Book vs Coupons

I think I would stick with Entertainment Book as it is only $15 right now and also the coupons in the free brochures. You don%26#39;t have a lot to lose buying the book for $15.

I don%26#39;t know much about Oahu Go Card except that you would probably try to jam to many activities in the days the card is good.

I don%26#39;t know anything about the Honolulu Power Pass.

makeup help

Fun light is still lit

Thursday 4/24 :

Beautiful morning and noon time here on kauai. The mountains were visible, and tho there might have been some haze, it was not anything dramatic.

Good work outs, and then came back home and after breakfast , hauled out the dive bags with the snorkel gear and drove to Lawai Beach ( Beach House ).

Stunning day, lots of sunshsine, and about 79 degrees.

Water was calm, visibility was very good, high sun, and no current. Probably close to Low tide, but did not check the tidal charts.

Parking was easy, with several slots left at around noon. Looking at the water, it was pretty calm, with small swells on the reef, no problem.

The sun lit up the coral bommies, and the marine life at Lawai Beach. Which is on the SOUTH shore.

Quite a few fish: Moorish Idols, Oranate Wrasse, Triggerfish, Saddle Wrasse, Tradfin Butterfly, Unicorn fish, Pipefish, Spotted Box fish, parrot fish, cleaner wrasse, etc., etc.

A few minutes after we got out, a monk seal slides and crawls up onto the beach. people were total respectful and gave him plenty of room.

We had already washed off our snorkel gear and placed it in the dive bags, so we took the bags to the car, and then walked to the Lawai Beach Resort to oreport the monk seal to the activity desk.

they have a number to call. Jason was working and he said no worries, he was already informed and the call was already made to the monk seal protectors.

We visited a few minutes and walked to the car. The yellow ropes and stacheons were already up...that was a very short time.

Good work !

now at 3pm, the wind has lightened up, and some clouds are sneaking in, and some already have capped the mountains.

BBQ in about an hour, and the hongor pangs are beginning to rumble.

Denny

Fun light is still lit

we searched all week for a seal. and there it was right where we were staying

Fun light is still lit

I knew from reading this forum (and from my own common sense) that the monk seals are to be respected and not harassed in any way, but do you mean to tell me that they actually have to cordon them off to keep people from bothering them? That is really sad. So while we are there, if we see a monk seal on the beach and it does not have a little ring of protective ropes around it, is there someone we%26#39;re supposed to call? I%26#39;m not trying to make a joke...it%26#39;s just I%26#39;ve never heard of this.

Thanks,

Lisa

http://www.kohalacenter.org/video.html

Yep, probably let a conceige know if it is at a resort.

It was just a few minutes after the monk seal arrived that we go to the concierge desk at the LBR, and Jason already had a bunch of calls, and he took care of contacting the volunteer.

Problem is that not everyone knows that the monk seal has been out fishing, and hunting for a very long , long time, and they are tired, and need to sleep and digest their meals.

And find a safe place away from sharks.

Tourists sometimes think the monk seal is sick, or that it needs to be back in the water, and they drive them from their state of exhaustion , from the safe beach, back into the sea.

Dogs are also a problem, especially if their is a pup on the beach.

The volunteers come down, and tape , or rope off the area, and maintain a watch. They also visit with the onlookers and share their knowledge about the monk seals. Good stuff.

When on a visit to poipu a few years back, they had the tape up around a comotose monk seal. Most everyone was respectfully taking photos, and looking and not bothering the slumbering seal.

When under the rope comes a young man, red spiked hair, dressed in black, and headed on a fast course directly for the monk seal.

I piped up, and suggested he leave the monk seal alone. He stopped dead in his tracks, looked at me, and decided to retreat behind the tape. Actually, he left the area.

So , yes, we do need monitors to protect the monk seals. Protecting our sea life, and the marine enviornment is also very high on the list.

Thanks for your question, hope this helped a bit.

Denny

Aaahhh, what a nice day you had!

You just made me feel warm!

We had 40-50 degree temps with strong, gusty winds.

Sat outside at my daughter%26#39;s softball game for about

3 hours. FREEZIN!!

Sure wish we were there. :)

low cost web hosting

souveniers and gifts

anyone know any good places on the island to get gifts for family back on the mainland? we spent the last week in Kauai and didnt find much that was either decent or affordable. any thoughts?

souveniers and gifts

What kinds of gifts are you looking for?

Generally it is as easy as ABC....as in ABC stores. They have tons of souveniers for a decent price. Hilo Haties also has decent prices.

You could also try the one of the flea markets.

souveniers and gifts

I always find what I need at the ABC Stores. Huge selection and very affordable.

For something more upscale and unique, I really like a store called ';Natural Hawaiian';, 2490 Kalakaua Ave (the main street right there off Waikiki beach). They have beautiful crafts, painted glass, wooden bowls, fabrics, ceramics, soaps, all kinds of lovely island decorative items.

FL Guy - Is FL Gal with you? She needs to use her special powers -- but it won%26#39;t be hard. As you have probably discovered, you can%26#39;t swing a dead cat and not hit an ABC Store on Waikiki. There is also another place -- in the outside/inside corner of the Hyatt -- ';Hawaii Made'; or ';Made in Hawaii.'; Husband LOVES their baseball caps.

The Christmas ornaments and other goodies in Sand People are fun (front of Moana Surfrider). Crazy Shirts has the best quality shirts around - but they are more expensive. Inside the Moana Surfrider main lobby is a lovely gift shop - great for Christmas presents.

For a great day of shopping, you and FL Gal should take The Bus to the Ala Moana shopping center. Good food, too!

DFS Stores has some good gift shopping, too. Great variety. International Marketplace ... not so good, but you can get lucky from time to time.

Hilo Hattie%26#39;s ... there is one opening in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. They used to be pretty nice, but have gone ';generic'; over the past few years to put their name on everything. Quality has really suffered.

Avoid the swap meet. Out of the way, full of cr*p and very hot.

Enjoy!

The Flea Market at the Aloha Stadium without a doubt is the best place to find a huge variety at great prices.

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet is the best place on Oahu.

ABC Stores

Hilo Hattie%26#39;s is good but more expensive than swap meet.

WalMart

K-Mart

Ala Moana Shopping Center

You should go to the swap meet. Everytime we go to Hawaii I pick out what I like at the fancy gift shops and then go to the swap meet and buy the exact same things at half the price. It is worth a few hours of your time. They have some nice shell necklaces, sarongs, photo frames and albums, and t-shirts. I have a shell necklace I got there for $2 and I get compliments everytime I wear it. No one believes me when I tell them where I got it.

You will also find all sorts of shops along Waikiki. ABC is on every corner. And if nothing else there is an abundance of shopping in the airport. You can even buy fresh flowers to take home.

If you want to do something a little different go to Dole Plantation and ship them pineapples direct. I did this for my mom one time and she loved it. You even get to include a hand written note.

Most convenient - ABC Stores and International Market Place (assuming you%26#39;re staying in Waikiki)

Best prices and selection of things - Swap Meet, Walmart, K-Mart, Longs Drugs.

I cant say enough about ABC stores! They had about everything I wanted for very great prices!! And they seem to be about 2 or 3 on every block!!

On our first trip in 04, I was reluctant to go to the swap meet. In 06, my husband and I went and went back two more times!!! We even bought an additional cheap suitcase to bring home goodies! I found material to make our sunroom valences from, various gifts ranging from Hawaiian made soaps, snacks, etc.

We%26#39;re going back May 30th-June 16th and can%26#39;t wait to go back!

People on the mainland love Hawaiian T-shirts....You can get these for about $2-$4 each at any ABC store...They are like 7-11';s here. Ms. Traci

Tropical flower walks

Hello

We want to have a tropical flower walk, or see some tropical flowers. Nothing to strenuous because we have two small children and one will be in a travel stroller. Maybe a reserve or something would be nice.

To give and idea, we had a wonderful time at the Arberetum in San Francisco%26#39;s Golden Gate park.

Thanks in advance. This forum has been so wonderful. I learn something new everyday.

Tropical flower walks

i%26#39;m bumping this because I%26#39;m interested too.

Tropical flower walks

It might be a bit of a drive, depending on where you are staying. I visited the Lavender Farm in Kula. There are 4 pictures at the end of this journal page I wrote. It is very beautiful, a touch small. You shouldn%26#39;t have trouble with a stroller here though.

islandwonder.com/maui/locations/kula/kula.htm

You can go to the Maui Tropical Plantation and take a tram ride but I think it%26#39;s a rip-off. It says on their website that admission to the grounds is free but I don%26#39;t know whether that allows you to go through the gardens for free.

Tropical Gardens of Maui looks a little less cheesy. I believe this is a plant nursery.

Go to their website and watch the slideshow with the provided music.

www.tropicalgardensofmaui.com/garden.aspx

I liked the Arboretum at GG Park as well.

The garden of eden on the road to Hana is nice and the kids will love the parrots. We took most of our plant and floral pictures here and you see a pretty water fall also.

If you are going to be here May 8, 9 %26amp; 10 the Maui Orcid Society show will be going on at the Maui Mall in Kahului!

Both novice %26amp; professional growers will be showing their best plant %26amp; flowers at no charge.

If you are looking for the Heliconia/Ginger/Anthuriums you%26#39;ll need to head out Hana way %26amp; for the Protea and Lavender, you%26#39;ll need to head upcountry, into th Kula area.

Hairyideas: We are staying at Napili beach. How far is the Garden of Eden from there?

Scubatum: Funny the Orchid society is coming to our town soon as well.

Many Orchid Societies do a ';Mother%26#39;s Day Show %26amp; Sale'; as it is one of the top ';Hallmark Moments'; of the year!

Acutally... the Swap meet @ Kahului on Saturday morning has a great variety of island tropicals if you just want a quick sampling of cut flowers

Flights b/w mainland and HNL

What are the predications on air travel?

We fly SEA (Seattle) to HNL (Honolulu).

We noticed that Alaska Air started flying there last October. Has anyone flown that route with them? Did everything go according to plan? On time?

We normally go in the fall. I wonder if we should purchase tickets now or wait for the airline industry to calm down.

What%26#39;s your opinion?

Flights b/w mainland and HNL

Fuel prices are not going down anytime soon; if anything they are going up, up, up.

Flights b/w mainland and HNL

blender I would book now, don%26#39;t take a chance on the flights. I booked a return flight from Vancouver BC to Honolulu this year for Oct 26 and I got it at a price of $458 on Thurs. I looked at it over the weekend and the price had jumped to $711. It had went back down to $458 yesterday but as of this morning it had jumped to above $600. If you%26#39;re going in the fall I%26#39;m not sure if you should book today or take a chance that the price will go back down in a day or two.

Check to see if Hawaiian Airlines flies out of Seattle. If so, take them.

Well I have bad news for you ....the airlines are not goung to do any more sales and super discounts to Hawaii... Delta and Alaska are each adding 1 flight from the mainland.... however, thats an overall reduction of 12% in total seats to hawaii.

I would expect nothing to be below $700 in October

and $900 by Christmas

There was a related article in today%26#39;s Honolulu Advertiser that may be of interest:

honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article鈥?/a>

Good article...loved the ';airline passengers this spring and summer face ';terrible, terrible fares,';';

Should proably read ';Realistic, Realistic fares';, yeah they may be terrible but look what happens when you don%26#39;t charge enough, you get the likes of ATA and Alohha going belly up.

So blender, bite the bullet if you really want to go and grab the lowest fare you can today because odds are it won%26#39;t be there tomorrow.

For departure late September/returning early October, Kayak.com is indicating SEA/HNL non-stops on Hawaiian,Alaska %26amp; NWA at an average of $527.

Absent a crystal ball forecasting the multitude of relevant variables impacting airline costs (as well as flyer demand), I%26#39;d GUESS that a strategy of delaying purchase three or four months would result in Glad: 5%/Shoulda pulled the trigger back in April: 95% (within a margin of error of 75+%).

Do it now and try not to second-guess the decision...and if you accomplish that; please let us know the secret!

We just recently flew to HNL from SEA on Alaska. Both flights were full but very pleasant and on-time, luggage arrived no problem. They served a free Mai Tai or POG juice on the way to HNL which was a festive touch. The food to purchase wasn%26#39;t great but not terrible-my husband and son had no problem with the snacks but the rest of us brought food on board. You could rent a portable dvd machine that played movies, shows or music. I will admit I was a bit nervous flying on a 737 (brand new) over the water. I was a flight attendant back in the day for a different airline and never in my life did I think I would ever go to HNL on anything but a 747. But times change and the 737 wasn%26#39;t bad and we arrived early in both directions. whew! : )

My MIL flew in on Hawaiian Airlines from PHX. She had nothing but praise from her experience. (believe me when I say this is rare) Her hot meals were free and I%26#39;m not sure about the entertainment.

I would say either airline out of Seattle would be great--whichever was cheaper in my book. Can%26#39;t comment on the timing.

Thanks so much for the details, dirtcorpsdiva. We have freq flier miles with Alaska, so they would be our first choice. Your experience sounds good.

I just bought tickets from Seattle on Hawaiian airlines today for winter break in Feb.( a high date!) for $498 per person...the meals.... pasta or sandwiches are free and the flight was direct. I know I would not get it any cheaper if I waited.

I have flown Alaska many times to Mexico and California. But I have to tell you I would not fly any other way but Hawaiian air to HNL or Maui!

I have nothing but praise for that company! The people are so nice and very friendly and helpful.

You did not say when you plan to go but we went March 2008 ( non holiday time) on Hawaiian air and our airfare was $360.00 each. I think if you find a good fare go for it....It is bound to go up with the increase of fuel costs and those being added to ticket prices.

Sea Life Park sold

Sea Life Park has been sold.

Expect some changes.

honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article…

Sea Life Park sold

Thanks for the update ';Dusty...';!

Vegetarian food

Hello, I will be in Hawaii Honolulu in less than a week. I%26#39;m a vegetarian, i do eat cheese, milk etc. just not meat or seafood. Does anyone know whether many places cater for vegetarians?? Thanks

Vegetarian food

Hi, I just got back from there a couple days ago and I am also somewhat of a vegetarian and I found alot of places that have many different food items without meats. There are even several actual vegetarian resturaunts I noticed, so I think you will have no problem finding that type of menu!

Vegetarian food

Awesome, thanks a heap!

Of course,many of the ethnic restaurants have lots of vegetarian items-Italian, Chinese-South East Asian,Mexican,etc.

Most days I get lunch at an ABC Store %26amp; eat it at the beach. They have a good reasonably priced selection of sushi, cold noodles, salads, sandwiches, cut up fruits, some that are vegetarian choices.

If you%26#39;re staying in Waikiki(?) Breakfast%26#39;s should be no problem between a couple inexpensive diners on Kuhio for eggs/pancakes or getting to-go from the bakery (St Germaines also on Kuhio). Food Pantry a large grocery store on the same street is another great resource.

For a great vegetarian meal, think ';Thai';...

Keo%26#39;s, in the Ambassador Hotel on Kuhio Avenue (where it splits from Kalakaua Avenue) has a great selection of vegetarian dishes.

See: http://www.keosthaicuisine.com/

They also operate Keoni%26#39;s in the Ohana East Hotel (Kuhio and Kaiulani Aves), but it has a more limited menu.

The best of the restaurant ';family'; is the original Mekong, at 1295 S. Beretania, same (to slightly larger) menu but lots cheaper and a quaint ambience. A couple miles inland from Waikiki.

For good vegetarian food in Waikiki, but in a little storefront (not fancy sit-down) location. check out ';Ruffage'; at 2443 Kuhio Ave, on the ground floor of the Royal Grove Hotel. Great salads, smoothies, sandwiches and fruit.

But the absolute king of vegetarian joints in Honolulu is ';Down to Earth'; at 2525 King Street, near University Ave, about a mile inland from Waikiki. It has a large hot deli/restaurant and an awesome natural foods store.

See: http://www.downtoearth.org/

hi there... check this out...

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

We%26#39;re not vegetarian, but we take advantage of the great availability of Japansese restaurants when in Honolulu. They always have numerous offerings including vegetables cooked with tofu. There are Japanese restaurants fitting any budget so it%26#39;s worth a mention.

I%26#39;m putting in another vote for Down to Earth. The food is so-o-o good. The have a deli, bakery, salad bar within a health food store. We usually go to the one mentioned on S. King. There is also one in Kailua.

All hot food in the deli is clearly labeled with all of the ingredients. They even list filtered water! While this may seem like overkill, it was great for me because I have life threatening food allergies. It is reassuring to know that they put such care into their food.

Hawaii isn%26#39;t exactly a mecca for vegetarian food, but one can certainly find good food with a little research.

The Hawaii Vegetarian Society publishes an extensive list of Veg*-Friendly Restaurants:

www.vsh.org/Veg-Friendly-Businesses.htm

I%26#39;ve found that a lot of restaurants here are great about accomodating special requests. As long as you%26#39;re polite and don%26#39;t have a chip on your shoulder about being a put-out vegetarian, most restaurants are pleased to help you find suitable options. For instance, some of the best food I%26#39;ve had in Hawaii was at the 12th Avenue Grill in Kaimuki. Both times I%26#39;ve been there they did not have a single vegetarian entree on their menu, but they were happy to make a delicious vegetarian dish for me.

Thank you all for your great help!! Sounds fantastic!

I certainly don%26#39;t have a ';chip on my shoulder';, being vegetarian is my choice so i%26#39;d only have myself to be cranky at.

I%26#39;ve been to Thailand a couple of times without a problem, loved it and Samoa which was a bit more tricky with food but still easily done.

Thanks again

makeup help

reptiles

don't like looking at cruise ships...

Hi, I%26#39;ve seen pics of lanai views from Kona rentals, many of which show a cruise ship at anchor off shore.

Since I%26#39;d rather see just open ocean and not cruise ship(s), can anyone tell me the north/south limits along the coast where I will/won%26#39;t see the ship(s)?

Sorry if this seems naive--I%26#39;m just starting to investigate where to stay and this stuck out to both my wife and I...

Thanks!

don't like looking at cruise ships...

We have a cruise ship here only once or (rarely) twice a week but if you don%26#39;t want to see them even on those days than rent a condo South from the Sea Village and rent a unit that has a direct W or SW view instead of N or NW.

don't like looking at cruise ships...

I am currently staying at Kona by the Sea and have been here for a week in an upper floor oceanview room. I have not seen a cruise ship from my lanai although I have seen them whilst driving along the coast.

The ships are here a lot more than once a week. The month of April we%26#39;re getting 10 cruise ships, five of those are in the last 9 days of the month.

NCL has moved two of its ships from the Hawaii market (one to Asia and one to Europe) and only the Pride of America(?) will remain here after May 1st(?) so we will not see too many cruise ships for a while.

We actually loved watching the ships come in...told us when NOT to go into town! Trust me, they will only obscure your view for a few hours. And they are rather impressive!

air quality and vog around keaau and pahoa

My girlfriend and I are thinking about staying in this area in about a week and a half. I was wondering how the air quality and vog is around keaau and pahoa with the recent eruptions. Thank you and any ideas on good B%26amp;B%26#39;s to stay in the area?

air quality and vog around keaau and pahoa

Since the trade winds blow from East to West both Keaau and Pahoa are OK. Pahala and Wood Valley are the worst.

air quality and vog around keaau and pahoa

It said in the newspaper that we have been averaging 9000 people a day since Jan 1 who are coming in to see the lava! You can see some updated info on the lava viewing area at:

bigisland.org/parks/鈥olcano-eruption-update

and http://www.lavainfo.us/

The only place to be really concerned about VOG is in the Volcanoes National Park and maybe very nearby, but if the levels are high around the visitor center and crater, they will temporarily close the park until the normal winds come back and blow it to Kau and S Kona and out to sea.

I was there today..... after Mt View (Just out of Hilo to well after Ocean view )the air was filled with thich vile sulphur low clouds and very bad conditions... and visability many times below 1/2 mile.

Even in a closed car...with closed vent , we were all feeling discomfort

It was very very nasty.....and from Kona to Waikoloa, to Waimea to Waipio the situation was very bad.....I have never seen it that bad....

steer clear till they give an all clear

Safeway on Kapahulu--store hours

Glad to hear about the Safeway; I searched their site for a phone and/or hours, but couldn%26#39;t locate either.

Please, what are their hours? Thank you for your help!

Safeway on Kapahulu--store hours

I finally found a phone number; they are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Safeway on Kapahulu--store hours

Open 24 hours according to this article:

starbulletin.com/2007/鈥tory01.html

Jane .... go shopping before 10 am or at night after 9 pm when the store is minimum. Crowd starts after 10 am when the salad bar, sushi bar, deli, soup bar and hot food bar opens and the crowd tends to get heavy. At night it is slow and you may just cruise and enjoy the store with no standing in line to check out.

Good shopping .....

Thanks for the information too!

Aloha,

I%26#39;m up and heading out to Honolulu this very morning; yes, re shopping early, with jet lag, I know I%26#39;ll be up very early and was glad to hear they are open 24 hours a day.

Thank you all for your help.

The Bus vs Roberts

Hi I understand that the 20 line from the airport to Waikiki costs $2 and the Roberts van to Waikiki beaches is $9. Can somone please advise regardig the relative merits of each. Specifically, where is The Bus stop at the airport located vs. the stop for Robert%26#39;s van. Thanks for your help.

The Bus vs Roberts

Both take quite some time to get to Waikiki.

The Bus has restrictions on taking luggage on the bus, no storage areas.

Roberts is okay, but depending on where you are staying it take some time to get to your hotel.

Do youself a favour, get a cab.

Your on vacation, its only money and if spending over an hour or so on the bus or a shuttle is worth more than getting a cab directly to your hotel and getting you on the beach 45 minutes before those poor sods who chose to be cheap and get The Bus or the shuttle.

Live a little, spend a lot, your on vacation.

Your helping the economy by spending your dollars there get a cab.

The Bus vs Roberts

Thanks for the advise. I figured $25 saved on the taxi would buy me a nice lunch in Waikiki.

Can someone tell me where the bus stop is at the airport relative to Roberts.

Thanks

This is the map from the Bus%26#39;s website:

www.thebus.org/Route/Maps/rm8-19-20.pdf

Without knowing where your hotel is, the bus pretty much heads by the Hilton Hawaiian Village and then all down Kuhio. It should get you pretty close to your hotel.

I would recommmend doing Roberts from and to the airport. They do drop off and pick up at your hotel%26#39;s door, and the cost is $15 for roundtrip if you purchase roundtrip vs. the $9 one way. We did The Bus for several trips around the island, which worked out fine; but I wouldn%26#39;t recommend using it to schlep around luggage as you%26#39;re trying to walk to your hotel - especially if you aren%26#39;t familiar with the area.

I would take Roberts also. Save your vacation money for food and drinks. Dusty%26#39;s been recommending VIPTRANS, http://viptrans.com/. I never tried them so I can%26#39;t recommend them.

Since it doesn%26#39;t look like your going to rent a car you should pick up a 4 day bus pass for $20 at any ABC store. Also pickup their bus route map book for around $4.00 so you can see the various tourist destinations and which buses to take.

';Dusty%26#39;s been recommending VIPTRANS, http://viptrans.com/.';

Roberts Hawaii is usually the one I recommend from the airport to Waikiki.

Vip Trans is usually one I recommend from Waikiki to USS Arizona Memorial or Swap Meet.

Our experience with Roberts was a disaster. We sat on the bus and waited and waited for a large group to show up. Finally we got off the bus and asked for our money back. What a waste of time! The Roberts Shuttle stops at various places around the airport and you can wait at each ... then to whatever hotels it needs to ... and you wait for luggage to be unloaded and such. Roberts uses BUSSES - BIG busses, not the mini-van shuttles that we are used to in California.

Remember -- if you are flying in from NY, you%26#39;re going to be a tired puppy. Take a cab. Are you traveling alone? The approx $30 for the cab ... it%26#39;s not a per-person charge, but a per cab charge.

There are several posts on this topic (popular question!), and the general response for using The Bus from the airport is that they don%26#39;t let you bring on luggage. Check their website, but it doesn%26#39;t see to work.

One you get to Waikiki, The Bus is great!

Here%26#39;s a link to the baggage rules for the Bus:

http://www.thebus.org/CS/RulesReg.asp

If I were you I would take the Roberts shuttle or a taxi to your hotel.

The bus is very, very slow! I have to say some of the drivers are very nasty! They will not let you take a stroller on the bus! We had two small babies and one fold up umbrella stroller and the driver refused to take us just on a bus trip to China town...we had no luggage!

The buses are very crowded, if you get a seat you are lucky!

I rarely take a bus on Oahu.

But I have heard mostly positive things about bus drivers.

Strollers are allowed according to their regulations.

http://www.thebus.org/CS/RulesReg.asp

For the OP:

You%26#39;ve read about some of the problems taking public transportation.

That is one of the main reasons why I always recommend renting a car on Oahu unless you are from a foreign country %26amp; drive on the opposite side of the road.

You will not save any $$ by not renting a car.

Rent a car %26amp; get out %26amp; see Oahu.