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Hawaii

I am going to take the MRS. to Hawaii for our 10 year anniversary. I would love all the recommendations and referrals I can get to make this a real treat.
Which islands?
Hotels/resorts?
activities?
Flights?
Any information is greatly appreciated.
 
It has been a couple of years but we really enjoyed the island of Kauai, especially the area on the southern tip around Poipu. Not to far from the airport in Lihue, and the weather seemed to be nicer down in this area as well as the snorkeling. Now, this is limited information as we were only on Oahu and Kauai. Good luck. I don't think you will be disappointed no matter where you end up.
 
What do the both of you *want* to do? Be entertained or entertain yourselves? Lots of resorts there, but the best stuff to see and experience is away from them for the most part.

First up, go to Amazon.com and buy "Hawaii - The Big Island Revealed (5th edition)" and "Maui Revealed (4th Edition)". Travel guides don't get any better then these for the islands.

Back in March we spent a week on the Big Island and another on Maui and loved them both for different reasons. Most of the time on the Big Island we used the Sheraton Keauhou Bay as our base and explored all but a tiny section of the north east. Big Island activities not to miss:
  • Manta rays nightly at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay.
  • Attend a luau - expensive but worth it.
  • Swimming at any of the stunning beaches.
  • Snorkeling at Captain Cook's Monument, the absolute best snorkeling we were able to find anywhere.
  • Shave ice - try them all.
  • Daily Kona coffee - bliss in a cup.
  • Drive to the top of Mauna Loa.
  • Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hike the Kilauea Iki trail across the crater floor (still venting live steam).
  • Visit Pu'uhomua o Homaumau National Historical Park.
  • Mo'okini Heiau and the Birthplace of Kamehameha the Great (Kamehameha Akahi Aina Hanau) - 4-wheel drive access only, unless it has been very dry.

For Maui, the list of "must try" activities include:
  • Sunset and/or sunrise viewing at Haleakala Volcano.
  • Hike out by the Dragon's Teeth on Makalua-puna Point.
  • Drive the extremely narrow Kahekili Highway that hugs the northwest side of Maui and be sure to stop at "Julia's Best Banana Bread" stand - the best I've ever eaten. Everyone says the Road to Hana is the worst to drive that they have ever experienced - NO - Kahekili is much worse, but nowhere near as bad as 4-wheel drive single-track creeping in Utah or Colorado.
  • Hike the Haleakala Crater loop - 13 miles of the most unique environment I've ever experienced. Carry at least a gallon of water, though.
  • Hike the bamboo forest all the way at the eastern end of Haleakala National Park, just below Hana.
  • Drive the Road to Hana and try all the banana bread stands.
Knowing what I know now, I would spend a lot more time snorkeling on a return visit, as I just didn't do that enough on this trip.
 
A lot of it depends on what you can afford to spend. It can be very expensive over there. Be prepared for sticker shock...... If your room has a refrigerator and a microwave I would look to fix breakfast and perhaps have some snacks in your room. You can find a lot of stuff at the ABC stores, or local fast food like Zippy's, or you will see Korean Bar-B-Que places all over the place (away from the main tourist areas). Kal Bie is one of my favorite things....

One suggestion depends on how much time you have before you fly over. If you have the time to build up frequent flier miles with a carrier I would strongly suggest you do so. If you can buy accumulate enough points to upgrade to 1st class that would make the flight much better - it is a long flight. There are ways to get air miles, like using a credit card (I DO NOT RECOMMEND USING A CREDIT CARD). But if you use one and have to use one at least use one that gives you miles. If you stay in hotels join their programs and have your points flipped to your frequent flier program. Same for car rental.

With United their 1st class is not the same as international 1st class - it's like domestic 1st class. Big difference. Seat Guru is a web site that can help you find good seats when you fly.

If you have never been to Hawaii, one good way to see the islands would be to take a cruise. They go from island to island and get a good feel for the island. You could spend a few days after the cruise, time permitting.

Walk to the top of Diamond Head, great view. Watch for places to eat away from the main tourist areas.

If you go and stay one one island and you rent a car take your TomTom if you have one - or rent a car with GPS. GPS can save you a lot of time and frustration even if it's a island. A car rental might be around $300 for a week, check prices with all of the major car rental - While a car might seem to be an extra you don't need it can get you to places quick, to palaces to eat that are less expensive but still good, you can avoid spending money on cabs, get to tourist spots without paying for a tour. So a car rental might be a good option. Check with your car insurance to see if you are covered for car rental, or with your credit card if you use it to rent the car do you need to buy the extra insurance. Insurance from a car rental company adds a lot to the rental fee. Your insurance agent will be able to give you good advice if it's a good idea to purchase extra insurance or not. When we go to Hawaii I always get a car.....

Time will be your big enemy, jet lag will kick you in the butt when you first get there. Try to arrive late in the afternoon, eat and go to bed and get a full night's sleep. Get into the local time as quickly as possible.

Honolulu - if you want to buy lei's go to Chinatown there are a bunch of shops that make them in their shop. You can get them at a LOT of different price points. You do look like a tourist but what the heck that's what you are :)

In Honolulu Chinatown Dim Sum is something to look for. There are a number of them. Also in Honolulu avoid the International Market - or at least avoid buying anything there. It's a lot of tourist "junk" but if you do see something I would not be afraid to "negotiate" price.

The drive to Hanna is a must do if you are there. If the time of year is right then you can do a whale watching trip, or take a swim in a shark cage.

I have a Pentax Optio W60 Waterproof 10MP Digital Camera I carried with me all the time. It take some really nice photos and you can take it underwater (10 feet I think) and it will do video clips as well. Better this than opting for a disposable camera they will try to sell you if you go snorkeling. I have a Canon Rebel and tend to carry the Pentax a lot more just because is small and waterproof. You get a lot of rain showers that last a few min. and I just don't like getting the "good" camera wet. The Pentax is no problem with water. I don't have the lenses or filters like I do with the Canon but then it's light and I don't worry about it....

Pack LIGHT! Take a minimum of "stuff" good walking shoes, some flip flops, shorts, one pair of nice pants, and you can buy t-shirts there - pick up a baseball cap to wear, oh swim with a t-shirt on to avoid burning and use a good waterproof sun block. You will burn there fast - before you know it and you will be miserable if you get a sunburn.

I feel like I could keep writing stuff for hours..... but will call it quits for now :)
 
We went to Hawaii on our 10 year anniversary ( 2008 ) and everyone told us if this was your 1st time to HI, then Maui is the best mix. We completely agree. Lot's of things to do. We stayed just north of Lahaina. Go find a good travel agent since most of the best rooms are sold in blocks for travel packages. Please rent a convertible. If not, you'll regret it as soon as you see how many others have them. Yes, everyone will know you are a tourist, but once you start driving with the top down along the beach, who cares.

Edit - congrats on the 10 years.
 
Great info. I appreciate it. I don't won't to go into debt for a vacation, but I have come to terms with the prices there. We have a decent budget to spend and would prefer to entertain ourselves and sight see. I agree that there are some things like a Luau that we must try as we have never been to Hawaii. I really want to see pearl harbor also.
 
What do the both of you *want* to do? Be entertained or entertain yourselves? Lots of resorts there, but the best stuff to see and experience is away from them for the most part.

First up, go to Amazon.com and buy "Hawaii - The Big Island Revealed (5th edition)" and "Maui Revealed (4th Edition)". Travel guides don't get any better then these for the islands.

Back in March we spent a week on the Big Island and another on Maui and loved them both for different reasons. Most of the time on the Big Island we used the Sheraton Keauhou Bay as our base and explored all but a tiny section of the north east. Big Island activities not to miss:
  • Manta rays nightly at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay.
  • Attend a luau - expensive but worth it.
  • Swimming at any of the stunning beaches.
  • Snorkeling at Captain Cook's Monument, the absolute best snorkeling we were able to find anywhere.
  • Shave ice - try them all.
  • Daily Kona coffee - bliss in a cup.
  • Drive to the top of Mauna Loa.
  • Explore Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and hike the Kilauea Iki trail across the crater floor (still venting live steam).
  • Visit Pu'uhomua o Homaumau National Historical Park.
  • Mo'okini Heiau and the Birthplace of Kamehameha the Great (Kamehameha Akahi Aina Hanau) - 4-wheel drive access only, unless it has been very dry.

For Maui, the list of "must try" activities include:
  • Sunset and/or sunrise viewing at Haleakala Volcano.
  • Hike out by the Dragon's Teeth on Makalua-puna Point.
  • Drive the extremely narrow Kahekili Highway that hugs the northwest side of Maui and be sure to stop at "Julia's Best Banana Bread" stand - the best I've ever eaten. Everyone says the Road to Hana is the worst to drive that they have ever experienced - NO - Kahekili is much worse, but nowhere near as bad as 4-wheel drive single-track creeping in Utah or Colorado.
  • Hike the Haleakala Crater loop - 13 miles of the most unique environment I've ever experienced. Carry at least a gallon of water, though.
  • Hike the bamboo forest all the way at the eastern end of Haleakala National Park, just below Hana.
  • Drive the Road to Hana and try all the banana bread stands.
Knowing what I know now, I would spend a lot more time snorkeling on a return visit, as I just didn't do that enough on this trip.

Great insight. I am defenetly going to keep this list and pick up the guides.
 
I really like Kauai, but it is a bit different. It is a beautiful island that is lush with vegetation and not much building compared to the other islands. There are great restraunts, but this isn't the place for the "night life". If you are into outdoors type stuff, this is a great pick. It has great snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, and biking opprotunities. Heed the buying your own food recommendation if you can. You will save a lot of money for other activities, like kayaking the Napali Coast, or taking a sunset cruise to it.
 
I went to Hawaii a long time ago. Depending on what you and your wife want to do, you can create almost any kind of vacation you want. Night life, nature, beaches, ranches, volcanoes, even snow skiing. Hotels and resorts can be anything from super luxury to rustic.

I stayed right on Waikiki Beach and I loved it. I went on tours of both Oahu and the other islands (by small airplane). I saw Pearl Harbor, Sea World, mountains, rain forests, and much more. But, I am sure I could have had just as much fun staying on one of the other islands for a whole week.

Anyway, have fun. It will be the vacation of a lifetime!

Tim
 
I have not seen anyone talk about fishing? Do you have to have a special license? Is it incredible expensive? We love deep sea fishing and I would think it is probably unbelievable in Hawaii?
 
We took the family (12 of us) to Hawaii as a Christmas present. Although the comment about "sticker shock" is on target, we were able to obtain considerable savings by booking hotels through a travel agent (MUCH cheaper than internet prices) and using frequent flier miles for some of the air fare.

ON OAHU (Honolulu): Don't miss the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor - it was a moving experience, even for the teenaged grandkids. Admission to the Arizona is free, but tickets are handed out in groups of (maybe) 100, based on time. Since one of the two docks is closed, they are giving out afternoon tickets by 8 AM - so be there before the ticket office opens at 7 AM, unless you're prepared to return late in the day.

The Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu is geared toward tourists, but they do a great job.

The Paradise Bay Luau is very well done - it can be "spendy" if you go for the top of the line tickets, but the side seating provided by the least expensive tickets is still pretty good.

ON MAUI: Whale watching (December through March) is fantastic. You can see the humpbacks spouting from the observation spots along the oceanside roads, but you can be almost overwhelmed if you go out on either a whalewatching cruise or a long snorkeling trip.

Snorkeling at Molokini Crater is fantastic!

The drive along the Road to Hana is a fun experience. There are several interesting places to stop. Yeah, they're "tourist traps", but you're a tourist! Go on to the Seven Sacred Pools about 30 minutes past the town of Hana.

The top of the volcano at Haleakala National Park is a "must see" if you enjoy wonderful sunrises.

We purchased two guidebooks: Oahu Revealed and Maui Revealed, both by Andrew Doughty. They provided excellent information.

Enjoy your trip. :thumbup:
 
We took a two week family vacation there when I was younger, we hit up Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai. Oh a little bit of Oahu the last day as well.

Hawaii is full of waterfalls and lookout points. You could spend the day just driving around the entire island looking at them. There is also the Hawaii Volcano National Park, which is awesome.

Maui, I have to admit, I didn't see much of. My Dad became very ill on the trip and we didn't even get to do the road to Hana. We did go to an awesome Luau at the resort though. He recovered by the time we go to...

Kauai, like has been said, has the most vegetation. The Fern Grotto is neat, but probably the best thing we did there was take a helicopter ride. The view is amazing and you get to see cool things like the opening shot of Jurassic Park.

We spent the time before our flight out at Pearl Harbor and the Arizona memorial. What an awesome place. I can only imagine how neat it is now with the Mighty Mo there.

All of our inter island flights were with Aloha Air. My Dad made the joke that they run airplanes like buses there, and indeed on our flight from Oahu to Hawaii we were the only ones on the plane except for a few locals who had gone shopping on Oahu and were coming back. We landed and walked off the plane on the tarmac and picked up our luggage there. Surreal if you've never done it before.
 
Aloha!

I've only just found your thread so I don't know if you've planned everything out,or have already left. It looks like you've got some great advice from other members here already though. WhosYerBob's suggestion about the Hawai'i Revealed travel guides is a good one (just don't tell anybody else about the most secret spots!). I hope you will have the time to take in several islands, and in a relaxed fashion, i.e. please don't think you can drive all the way around Maui or The Big Island and take it all in in one day. Relax and enjoy! I'm living in Puna now between Kea'au and Pahoa on the east side of The Big Island. If you'd like some advice about this area (or others) feel free to PM me.

One thing I'd like to add as a suggestion is to take in a surfing lesson from a local beachboy! You can do this at Waikiki on O'ahu or in Kona at Kahalu'u beach park! One of the coolest gifts to the rest of the world from Hawai'i is surfing!

I suppose since you've got some good leads already, maybe some considerations for cultural sensitivities may be in order...

Speaking Hawaiian words: Vowels, if you pronounce A, E, I, O, and U in Hawaiian words as Ah, Ay, Eee, Oh, and Oo you will be closer to saying things the right way. Try saying Humuhumunukunukuapua'a! This is the name of our State Fish! Literally translated, it means fish that grunts like a pig :001_tongu .

Ask Permission: Please ask before you participate in a local activity and then act as a guest. Humility is a very practical idea and practice. Something that many visitors with busy schedules may not fully appreciate. You'll gain much more insight and kindness from locals this way if you venture off of the typical tourist trail.

Reality Check: Even if you are not wearing a "tacky" aloha shirt, you probably won't be able to keep from looking like a tourist. Just understand that "you are not in Kansas anymore". :wink2:

I hope you enjoy your time on holoholo. Aloha e' a hui hou!

~~~~~~~!!!~~~~~~~~
Oh and I totally spaced a very important piece of Hawaiian history for you! I was reminded by a metafilter post so I will pass along the link for you here. Here is the text with the links >>
January 17th marked the 116th anniversary of the American-backed coup d'état of Queen Liliuokalani's constitutional monarchy of Hawaii. Led by a group of American politicians, businessmen and sugar planters, the coup resulted in Hawaii's annexation five years later, to a formal apology 100 years later, and to continued controversy about Hawaii's status as a state.
~~~~~~!!!~~~~~~~~~

For some more context on the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy and the subsequent growing pains that occur to this day, you may be interested in this episode of The Pinky Show. It's 25 minutes but a great analysis and a cute kitty :001_tongu ! If you appreciate this episode, you might also like Pinky's reflections on the island of Kaho'olawe.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nqDkCzwXeY&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]
 
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[Shameless bump]. Sorry 'bout this, but I added some text to my previous post about the significance of January 17th in Hawai'i.[/Shameless bump]
 
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