Month-long vacation in Kauai

Looking for some advice here...

We%26#39;ve got a month-long vacation planned to Hawaii this coming summer. We love the relaxing feel of Kauai when we went a few years back, and want to enjoy that again.

We%26#39;ve been reading about some condo rentals and are considering them.

Does anyone have any advice here? Should we pick one place for the whole month, or try out a few places throughout the month? Any suggestions for good places to stay for this long? Thanks!

Month-long vacation in Kauai

My personal preference would be to stay in the same place for the entire month. It%26#39;s not like anyplace on the island is that far away, particularly if you base somewhere on the east coast.

Month-long vacation in Kauai

You%26#39;ll be able to get a better rate renting one place for a month than seperate places by the weekly rate.

Yes, I would stay in one place for the entire time not just for cost, but because it will feel like home and will just add that much more peace to your vacation. I just have one question - may I join you?? Just kidding, but it does sound incredibly wonderful!! Enjoy your vacation.:)

Aloha Austin,

As the risk of disagreement with some folks I respect, I%26#39;d like to offer a few alternative ideas. The subject of ';how long is right?'; is subject to personal preference; most of the time. At the opposite end of the spectrum, there was a thread awhile back wherein the question was ';are three Islands in one week too much?';...uh, yes; unless you want to spend 20+% of your time in airports %26amp; on planes! In the same vein, despite the fact that Kauai is not a large Island, it would be possible to spend quite a bit of time driving.

As an extreme example of commute time, I%26#39;d guesstimate that a trip from the Hanalei area to the Kokee State Park, at the top of Waimea Canyon, would consume approximately three hours one way. A week later, the drive to one of our favorite beaches in all of Hawaii, Barking Sands, would consume almost as much time. We enjoy the interesting %26amp; scenic roads of Hawaii, but what may be beautiful during daylight hours can be a real drag in the dark.

As far as saving money on a month (actually, usually 4 weeks) rental, it seems as though most of the discounts are in the 10-20% range. Sounds enticing, but consider the following example: Wailua Bayview (have stayed there four times and recommend), offers a monthly rate of $3,500; $125 a day. Their daily rack rate is $140, but the frequently offer ';7th night free'; specials which lowers the daily average to $120. (excluding cleaning fees.) If you consider Wailua Bayview, I strongly recommend a top floor unit with the last two digits of 04-15; better views, less street noise and no ';ceiling thunder';. A very special feature of central Kauai are the beautiful sunrises.

As far as the southwest end of Kauai is concerned, the only true ocean front place I am ';qualified'; to recommened is Waimea By the Sea (kauaioceancondo.com). No firsthand experience, but there is also another unit, in the same complex at a lower price; vrbo.com #3207.

With reference the North Shore, we%26#39;ve only stayed at a former Client%26#39;s guest cottage. (Coalminer really knows (and loves) that neck of the woods.) One thing I would observe is that we normally prefer oceanfront, but in Hanalei, the upcountry/panoramic views are out-of-this-world!

kama

Lucky you!! We stayed for 3 weeks in Feb/Mar this year (I guess it was last year as of today!) We highly recommend Kuhio Shores in Poipu. However, as much as we love it there, I think if we had a month, we%26#39;d split the time between the north and the south shores.

Even though it is not a huge long drive, once we get into island mode, driving up north is sometimes just a little more energy than we%26#39;re willing to put out too often. And as the north is truly beautiful, I%26#39;d like to immerse myself more in it rather than just a day-trip or two.

I stayed at Lihue last year and the location was great. I had a very nice condo for 10 days at a cost of $1500. Another travelor got the same condo online at VRBO.com for one month at a cost of $2000.

Mahalo

Thanks for all the great advice! I think we%26#39;re definitely looking to be close to the water, and I think we%26#39;re tossed between the suggestion to stay south, or split the time north/south (those were definitely our favorites when we went a year ago).

Rustyone, can you provide the name of the condo? I think now we%26#39;ve got to really tune into a good condo (or two) either north or south. Thanks again all to the great replies!!!

Thanks for all the great advice! I think we%26#39;re definitely looking to be close to the water, and I think we%26#39;re tossed between the suggestion to stay south, or split the time north/south (those were definitely our favorites when we went a year ago).

Rustyone, can you provide the name of the condo? I think now we%26#39;ve got to really tune into a good condo (or two) either north or south. Thanks again all to the great replies!!!

Me again. If I were going during summer, I would make sure part of that time was on the North shore - the water is so calm and wonderful then - beaches such as Ke%26#39;e, Tunnels, etc., are just paradise!! Pick places near Hanalei/Haena, as those are closer to those wonderful beaches. Would hate for you to miss out on those opportunities. :)

Ipinkai, the condo was Radisson Kauai Beach Resort. The condo is centrally located and close to the ocean. Use of the Radisson Hotel amentities (next door) is also included. The condo was clean and spacious and looked exactly like the internet photos I found online.

Food and drinks

How much should you expect to spend on normal meals and drinks for 2 on an average day. I have read that drinks range between $12-20 a pop, that can add up quick just on a mellow day. I have also read that the breakfast funs $24 per person, is this a regular breakfast or something special for that price? Also, are there any recomendations on hotel floors or rooms that are larger than others? Thanks in advance for some responses.

Food and drinks

Normal meals on a normal day? Depends on how you define normal. You can spend $30 a person or more for breakfast at the resorts, or you can have breakfast for $5-10 each at a non-resort resrtaurant. Lots of good breakfast specials around. I travel a lot to the mainland and I don%26#39;t think prices here are that much higher here than many palces on the mainland, but you have to get out of the resorts. Earlier this week I met some friends at the Grand Wailea for drinks and I paid $12 for a martini. Last night Kaikane and I had $3 happy hour mai tais at the Maui Coast. I%26#39;ve never paid $20 for a drink except once in Italy and that was thanks to a really poor exchange rate in a really expensive tourist area of Rome. Dinners can be upwards of $40 an entree at the resorts, or around $20 at any of a number of really great places around the island.

When I travel to a new place I pick out a few restaurants from the area and ask them to fax menus to me. It helps me get an idea of what they serve and their prices.

Food and drinks

I agree with Kaiwahine, I think meal and drink prices are ';normal'; on Maui unless you go to the fanciest of restaurants or resorts. For example, at the Kahana Restaurant at the Sands of Kahana most lunch entrees are under $12 and dinner under $20. Similar to the mainland if you have a few drinks/pp then your bill skyrockets.

There are so many restaurant choices in West Maui that are less than $15 per entree I couldn%26#39;t even list them. In Lahaina, we like BJ%26#39;s for pizza, Cheeseburger in Paradise %26amp; Kimo%26#39;s (have to have ocean view), but Moose McGillicuty%26#39;s(sp?) has cheap eats and drinks across the street.

Enjoy!

Don%26#39;t forget Penne Pasta and Maui Tacos for inexpensive. Of course if I remember, you can%26#39;t get a drink at Maui Taco. We like Lahaina Coolers and I seem to remember they were fairly inexpensive and you can also get a drink there.

Don%26#39;t forget about the internet. Many restaurants post menu%26#39;s, this way you can get an idea of prices. When I was in Maui 3 1/2 years ago, we averaged $24 for two drinks with tip included. So maybe its around the same price now, give or take a few dollars. Resort prices are high and I agree with the other post, you can get better deals off property. Breakfast on resorts are pretty fancy, they have just about everything you could possibly want. The prices usually reflect it. I think prices are compatible with any big city on the mainland. I live in the Northeast, so I%26#39;m used to higher prices anyways. Rachel Ray on the food network did Maui for $40. a day, so anything is possible. Have fun!

Penne pasta has good food and reasonable prices $7-$12 but no drinks. Cool Cat Cafe has great burgers and sandwhiches for $7-$10 and $3 drinks everyday, $3 Mai-tai Friday is the best. Maui taco or Cilantro%26#39;s has good cheap mexican food, the ono burrito at Cilantro%26#39;s is good. There are pleanty of choices if you look around.

Good Luck

You can%26#39;t lose if your in Maui

As others have said, Maui Tacos and Lahaina Coolers. If you room has a refrigerator, go by the grocery store for sandwich fixings and snacks. Also check out the Tiki Bar and Grill at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. Last Feb. you could get a Mahi Mahi sandwich for $6.95. Drinks were well under $12.

Why have restaurants fax menus to you when almost all restaurants have their menus on their web sites?

First time in Maui

We will be traveling to Maui in April 06 for the first time. We%26#39;ll be staying at the Hololani Resort with our 16 and 14 year old sons. Any suggestions on what we should do or see with active teenagers? We%26#39;d also like to get over to Oahu and see Pearl Harbor. Any helpful hints on doing that?

First time in Maui

Take them snorkeling, and if they like it (they will), go several times.

Go to Haleakala,either to hike or bike down, but maybe not for sunrise.

A helicopter tour if you can afford it.

Go to any beach were there are teenage girls.

Learn to surf.

First time in Maui

My husband and I took several of our kids (son who is 24 and his girlfriend, and daughter who is 13) to Maui in July. One of the best things we did was to go parasailing out of Lahaina. All five of us took the trip up in the air.

Boogie boards can be rented cheaply at places like Snorkel Bob%26#39;s and if the surf is up that%26#39;s a lot of inexpensive fun. The whole family spent hours on the boogie boards in the surf.

Snorkeling is good in Honokeana Cove. There are some really large old sea turtles living there and lots of coral. The snorkel equip is cheap and easy to find for rental just like the boogie boards.

Make sure you rent a car or van so you can visit a number of the beaches as they have different things to offer. They%26#39;re all public but you do sometimes have to search for the public access and depending on the day the parking can be tricky.

Lahaina is fun in the evenings. There are lots of choices for eating and great little shops. Be sure to go see the Banyan Tree.

You%26#39;ll have fun - we enjoyed it so much we are leaving the kids behind this time and going back in February!

just got back from maui on 12-15-05 perfect for teens here are the ins and outs

1) molokini snorkle trip 40 to 60 $ per person totally worth the money

2)forget the road to Hana, nothing but a tourist trap

3) kaanapali beach ';black rock'; the best snorkling on the island this is located right behind the sheraton resort, if you park at %26#39;whalers village%26#39; they validate parking for three hours if you spend ten dollars or more anywere in the shopping center this is a good way to visit kaanapali beach

4) old lahina luau dont pay too much the food is okay luau%26#39;s are tourist traps also

kimos steakhouse lahaina the best food in town good luck

Hi,

My boyfriend and I just returned from Oahu, Maui and Kaui.

The absolute best experience in Maui was the Halealaka Destination. We got ourselves out of bed and got there for sunrise. Do it! Be sure to be there a half hour before sunrise. The actual sunrise is not nice. It%26#39;s leading up to it as the clouds start to turn pink. Don%26#39;t bike down. What a crazy idea! It%26#39;s road with cars and we were so grateful we didn%26#39;t join the rest of the tourists doing this. Instead, we packed food/water and hiked down into Sliding Sands, but not too far. We went to the first set of cones (they%26#39;ll explain it to you there.) It was four hours, in and out, and we were tired and it was beautiful and I felt so guilt free for the rest of the afternoon on the beach exhausted and elated from the scenery and having pushed myself. (Also, not many people hike it surprisingly.)

Also, go to Goofy Foot Surf School. It%26#39;s in Lahaina. Great place to learn surfing. Professional and nice location. The boys and you will love it.

Visit the North Shore and check out Paia. Unfortunately it%26#39;s more a see and don%26#39;t do kind of place. See the expert surfers and windsurfers. Not sure if it will be like that in April....? While you are there, eat at Mama%26#39;s Fishouse - oh I loved it. Best view! Get a table view. It%26#39;s expensive, so if you want cheaper, go to...maybe Nicks Fishouse or something like that in Paia. Can%26#39;t miss it. Just ask. Only restaurant that is full full, and you order from counter. We actually drove all the way up to North Shore to eat there again.

That%26#39;s all I can think of.

Have fun!

Scooter! I am going to Maui in April 06 for the first time, too! Just an FYI- if you are planning on going to the Old Lahain Luau- BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW! I booked them the second week of December (05) and there were 30 people ahead of me!

Have fun! (I am loving the Maui Revealed book)

How long will you bee on Maui?

I have traveled to Maui several times - the last time we traveled to Maui with our two children.

1. First - buy Maui Revealed. This GREAT book saved us tons of money. WE did alot of things on our own using the book as a guide and it was wonderful AND the book was right on everytime.

2. We rented snorkeling equipment for the week (which includes a free trip to Molokini). We rented from Maui Dive Shop which had EXCELLENT service and alot of locations. My husband somehow ripped his fin and they immediately replaced it. Also you get a great map (free) of all the snorkeling locations and an experience rating. We picked a different location each morning. Every location we went too was a different experience and the kids LOVED this start to the day. If you are short on time - Kaanapali-Black Rock, Napili Bay (clearest/showers), Wailea Beach (well known for turles), Kapalua were our list of favorites. We also got the fish identification card. I made the kids wear the life jackets (self inflate). One time we did get caught in a tide so I was pleased the kids had the jackets that they could inflate themselves. We also got the boogey boards for the beach.

3. LUAU - I have only attended Marriot%26#39;s and it was VERY NICE and the Rotal Lahaina Luau which was NOT worth the money - big time!

4. Haleakala - went at first light. GREAT. Dress warm because freezing temp (literally) and significant wind chill factor. We borrowed the hotel blankets. Driving up in the dark, seeing the sun rise and then seeing what you drove up on the way down is awesome. Do NOT bike down. Go to Charley%26#39;s in Paia for breakfast afterwards (good prices, casual, great homecooked food).

Hope this helps. Have fun.

The wifey and I just returned 12-9. We stayed up north of Ka%26#39;anapali in Napili. I think we enjoyed the drives the most. It was our first trip to Maui. We had a studio unit with a kitchen, so we cooked our own meals most of the time. Hit Lahaina when it was time to shop. (a hint, be early. The first sale sets the tone for the day, kind of a superstition, so they are more willing to deal). We drove around the north route all the way to Kahului, drove down the western side to the lava flow and %26#39;Big Beach%26#39;, and did the ';Road to Hana%26#39; all the way around. Be prepared for fantastic views and rough roads. And narrow roads too. If you are squeemish about heights, some of those roads put you pretty close to the edge, but you%26#39;ll be okay if you are patient and careful.

Haleakala from Napili only took 1 1/2 hr. at 2:30 in the morning. We should have left later. Also, it was 69 degrees at Napili, and 37 degrees at the crater. BTW, the viewpoint at the visitors center and the summit are okay, but there is another viewpoint where you can see the crater really well. Like standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon. I think it is called Leleiui Lookout. There was a large cloud mass off the coast with a thunderstorm in it. The lightning show was beautiful, but obviously difficult to photograph.

I could go on, but....

Snoop around, have fun.

Hmm.. Road to Hana a tourist trap?

Anyway, I%26#39;d also suggest doing the snorkel thing.. There are so many spots around Maui you could go to a different spot every day.

Definately do the zipline... I think they would like that alot. http://www.skylinehawaii.com/

My husband and I just returned from Maui. It was our first time. There are so many beautiful things to see. It is breathtaking. We really liked the road to Hana. We rented a convertible and we put 700 miles on it. There are several places along the road from Kahulu to Lahaina, where you can swim, fish, snorkel, surf or just take beautiful pictures. We want to go back and take our 2 twelve year old gransons.

517Lea

What Islands to hit during 2 week visit?

My hubby and I are starting to plan a two week visit in June/July to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We stayed at the Lodge at Koele for our honeymoon and absolutely loved the quiet, laid-back time.

For this visit, we would like to see a more %26#39;typical%26#39; Hawaii; lush green foliage, waterfalls, and perfect, swim-able beaches, but still would like a restful, laid-back vacation.

At first we thought to hit Oahu, but I think the only thing we are truly interested in seeing there is Pearl Harbor, since we aren%26#39;t big on a hopping night life.

So, my question is where to go? Two islands seems perfectly do-able, but is three pushing it?

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

What Islands to hit during 2 week visit?

Aloha!

Kauai and Maui are the two islands that I would recommend. Lots of pretty flowers, green mountains, great beaches, waterfalls, etc.

Bryan Brown

BBrown9825@aol.com

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Reserve a convertable or upgrade when we get there?

We will be traveling to Maui in the beginning of November for our wedding and honeymoon. We want to rent a convertable, but I want to know if it%26#39;s better to reserve a convertable or reserve a regular car and then upgrade when we arrive? We just want to make sure that we are able to get a convertable. Also, can anyone tell me what their experiences have been like with the different car rental agenices. Thanks for your help.

Reserve a convertable or upgrade when we get there?

We just got back from Hawaii and rented a convertible on Oahu and Maui, a 4x4 on the Big Island. I would definately rent a convertible in advance if that is what you are set on. We arrived on Maui and had a reservation for a convertible and we got nervous for a moment that she was going to say that they didn%26#39;t have any (we could tell she was fumbling through keys) but then she got one. A brand new vehicle with only 7 miles on it. Since it is your wedding and honeymoon I wouldn%26#39;t leave much for chance! Congrats!

Old Lahaina Luau

I%26#39;ll be in Maui from June 5-June 11 for my honeymoon. What%26#39;s the best night of the week to check out the Luau?

Old Lahaina Luau

Whatever night you can manage to get tickets. Call now.

Where to stay

Hi all Ive been to Maui a year ago from today:( and loved it! I want to go back but was thinking a different island this time, and I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on where to stay? I%26#39;d like and oceanfront or view...it would be my husband myself and our 16 year old son..

Where to stay

I am also planning a trip to Kauai in August (just myself and my husband), and would be grateful for any hotel recommendations - ideally ocean view as well.

Where to stay

Aloha!

For a condo,look into the Kauai Coast Resort, east side location, nice units, pretty grounds, decent pool, family orientated.

Kauai Marriott...great resort, pretty grounds, nice views, good beach, good restaurants on-site.

Pali ke Kua...north shore condo, great views, NICE in the summer, functional units.

Kiahuna Plantation...great south shore beachfront condo, good for families, functional units, clean, VERY pretty grounds!

Bryan Brown

BBrown9825@aol.com

Thanks! HB I will look into those condos....

I really loved Maui it was laid back not soo crowded and was wondering if I should just go back to Maui or try Kauai?? And what is the difference between the two??

Bebe,

Kauai is much more rural and low-key compared to Maui. You won%26#39;t find much night-life but you will find incomparable natural beauty. If you like being outdoors, you won%26#39;t be disappointed.

We spent a week each on Maui and Kauai.

Maui felt like a big city (traffic, parking garages, crowds), while Kauai felt like a small town.

We wished we had gone to Maui first for we were let down after Kauai.

Magic of Polynesia Show

Need to know if the show %26#39;Magic of Polynesia%26#39; is a good show to take my Granparents to. Are there any other shows at night that are better, and just shouldn%26#39;t miss?

Thanks for all your help!

Magic of Polynesia Show

Klavr: Without knowing your grandparents, your question is like asking if pineapple is good to eat. Many people do go to the show and enjoy it. Give it a try. Chuck

Magic of Polynesia Show

My grandmother LOVED it (she was 82 at the time --2003). I didn%26#39;t!

What Islands to hit during 2 week visit?

My hubby and I are starting to plan a two week visit in June/July to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We stayed at the Lodge at Koele for our honeymoon and absolutely loved the quiet, laid-back time.

For this visit, we would like to see a more %26#39;typical%26#39; Hawaii; lush green foliage, waterfalls, and perfect, swim-able beaches, but still would like a restful, laid-back vacation.

At first we thought to hit Oahu, but I think the only thing we are truly interested in seeing there is Pearl Harbor, since we aren%26#39;t big on a hopping night life.

So, my question is where to go? Two islands seems perfectly do-able, but is three pushing it? We don%26#39;t need wild and crazy or a lot of kids, just a beautiful location, a choice of activites, and peace and quiet when we crave it.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

What Islands to hit during 2 week visit?

Oops! Sorry for the double post!

What Islands to hit during 2 week visit?

We just got back from a 10 day visit to Hawaii and did three islands without any problems. We did Oahu, Big Island and Maui. If you are just wanting to see Pearl Harbor stay one night on Oahu or just go over for the day.

If you want relaxation, yes, 3 islands in two weeks is pushing it. However, since you%26#39;ll probaby have to fly into Honolulu, stay there for a night, see Pearl Harbor, and fly on to another island.

For ';typical'; Hawai%26#39;i, any of the other major islands will give you this. (Even Oahu has beautiful, non-urban areas.) My personal favorite is Kaua%26#39;i. Very laid back, beautiful beaches and scenery, enough to do to keep you as busy as you want. Maui is a close second, busier, more crowded (but not ';city'; crowded) and you can really get away from it all with a stay in Hana. I also like the Hilo side of the Big Island, and Hawai%26#39;i Volcanos National Park. I haven%26#39;t spent time Kona-side in years, so I really can%26#39;t speak to that.

Hawaiidan? Can you chime in here?

Rather than go to major islands, you might try what we did one year on a two week vacation. We stayed on Maui and made the ferry trips to Lanai and Molokai, and hit Oahu for a couple days on the way back to the Mainland (to see Pearl Harbor). We didn%26#39;t have to pack and move, and the island of Molokai (since you%26#39;ve already been to Lanai) is very different from the other islands. If you make Maui your headquarters you need to get used to a little less laid back pace than Lanai, but it does have all the other ingredients...rainforests, waterfalls, great beaches. The next year we spent time on Kauai and the Big Isle, it was a wonderful contrast between those two.

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Kauai in Sept.

In September, which would be the best area on the island? Princeville or Poipu? I have heard that the North Shore Princeville area has calm waters in the summer, but does this extend to late Sept? Would the waters still be calm enough to take a relaxing boat tour of Napali coast? How rainy would it be in priceville this time of year?

Kauai in Sept.

Hey Gneil,

We stayed in Princeville Sept 17-24th last year. The weather was great, brief rain shower in the afternoon a few days, but other than that it was fine.

The water was calm too. We had a kayak tour trip of the coast planned, but it was canceled

do to a forcast of rough seas. We booked a catamaran tour, on one days notice, and got the last seats on the UFO (which goes out of Hanalei Bay). The seas were calm as could be, we were in close to the coast, and even able to go into the sea caves.

Kauai in Sept.

I forgot to add that most places will do a morning and an afternoon tour. You want to go out in the morning, its much calmer.

We spent September 23-30 on Kauai and had beautiful weather all week, both North and South shores. There were waves on both beaches, but nothing unusually large.

We also took a catamaran tour(Capt. Andy%26#39;s) along the Napala Coast and it was phenominal.

purple makeup

? for Canadians - which prepaid calling card to call home?

I want to be able to call home %26amp; we are staying in a small guesthouse where you can only call locally. Do I buy a prepaid card before leaving Canada, or pick something up once I get there?

TIA

Clueless in Winnipeg

22 days til we leave for Maui!

? for Canadians - which prepaid calling card to call home?

I have used a company called nobelcom (online at nobelcom.com) for calling all over the world.

You buy ';cards'; in 20 min increments. They have 4 options for Canada (you can go on their Web site and select from US to Canada and see) ... they vary from 1.4 cents to 2.5 cents per minute ... the lower per-minute fee rounds to a 4-second interval and charges a maintenance fee of 99 cents/week; the 2.5 cents per minute card rounds only to 1 second and has no maintenance fee. I think this is the best option ... and a $20 card will get you 800 minutes. For $50 you get 2000 minutes.

You buy online, they send you an e-mail with the confirmation info and PIN -- so you can always access the info online through your e-mail if you happen to lose it.

? for Canadians - which prepaid calling card to call home?

Thx Konagirl. I will probably do this - I just can%26#39;t see on the website exactly HOW it works...do I dial an access number then give my PIN or something?

yes, they send you a local number, or a toll free number (sometimes it depends on where you are) and a PIN. Downside is their PINs can be a bit long. But upside is, it%26#39;s cheap and works great. I%26#39;ve never had a problem and have used it in London, Kenya, Romania, France, etc ...

They send you the instructions.

Another option is to stop by wal mart when you get here and pick up a prepaid card. Not sure what the per-minute rate is, but I expect it%26#39;s pretty low, too.

One great thing about Nobelcom is that if you lose the PIN, you can call them and they will give you a new one and deactivate the old one.

Went to an ABC store and asked about phone cards, and the salesperson was good enough to let us know that the cheap phone cards are available in either Safeway, Foodland or a Filipino store in Lahaina.

We bought $5 phone card called Street, that gave us approx 5 hrs - good for mainland US and Canada. Though, I think it does charge you a fee for every call you make. So you get the most minutes and value if you use it with one phone call (but don%26#39;t know if you plan on talking for that long in one phone call...)

Though the stores do have various phone cards that you can choose from.....

Maui in Jan or WPG--HMMM!!!

Walmart and Safeway cards, bought in HI. But check the fine print on cards bought locally in the %26#39;Peg%26#39;; last time we looked I think that we had decided a Walmart card was the better deal (bought in Calgary.)

For this trip (and a better deal to boot) we have changed our Telus calling plan to include the CA and the US 24/7 (+ 2000 minutes for $19.95/month). See if MTS or whomever you use will change your plan, even for a month. We have pre arranged times for the kids to call us.

We have also used text messaging, either for a quick message (Did you arrive home safely??) or to get them to call us.

If you have Internet and a laptop with you, you can send text msgs. through the Internet to Rogers cell customers.

Napili Bay - June weather and A/C

I%26#39;m researching condos in the Napili area and find none have A/C, but some with ceiling fans. I%26#39;m going in early June and am wondering what the weather will be like and if the rooms will be cool enough. I%26#39;ll be spending most of the days outdoors, so I%26#39;m more concerned about the evenings being too warm.

Thanks for your help!

Napili Bay - June weather and A/C

I believe Napili will be cooler at night than some other areas of Maui. If not actually cooler, at least more comfortable due to the breezes. We stayed there in April and did not use the AC at all.

Napili Village has some units with AC if you want to play it safe.

Napili Bay - June weather and A/C

Thanks for the info haolehank. Do you remember around what temperature was day/night during your April trip? Weather.com doesn%26#39;t have an average temp for Napili (only shows Kahului which is avg high of 83 during April). Thanks!

I am also going in June and our condo doesn%26#39;t have air check this out.www.hawaiiweathertoday.com

I am also going in June and our condo doesn%26#39;t have air check this out.www.hawaiiweathertoday.com

I have been to Kapalua in July (just north

of Napili ';very close';) and never used the

a/c. On the islands there is always a sea breeze. We just left open our doors of the Lanai and listened to the wonderful sounds of Maui. Temp. in the day about mid 80%26#39;s and nights 60%26#39;s. I was a little cool in the evenings. Nothing a hot tub didn%26#39;t take care of. Napili is beautiful, you will love it! Hope this helps ease your mind.

kellie-jo and Alohababy, thanks for the replies, they%26#39;ve been helpful.

Can we squeeze into one room?

We are staying in Oahu just for 2 nights, returning from a week on another island. We are a family of 5, 2 adults, three children (16,13,10). Can we squeeze into one room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, with a roll away, for the two nights? Really want to stay there, as it seems like a great place for a quick visit. After 4 trips to Hawaii, this would be our first time staying on Oahu. WHich rooms at the Hilton would afford us the most room? Any thoughts appreciated!

Can we squeeze into one room?

Hilton Hawaiian Village has a website: www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com. On the bottom of the home page are contacts for ';reservations'; and ';contact us';. I%26#39;ll just bet you could get your question answered there. Chuck

Can we squeeze into one room?

You probably can however check with the hotel, many will not allow more than 4 to a room...no matter what their ages are. Has something to do with fire codes.

Hi!

We also have 3 children and it%26#39;s tough to find a hotel that allows 5 in a room. I know for sure that the Hilton Hawaiian Village does not allow 5 in a room. You can always ';hide'; somebody and bring a sleeping bag but I hate doing that when you are paying close to 300 dollars a night. Even the 1 bedroom suites in the Diamond Head tower have an occupancy limit of 4. They have condos they rent in the Lagoon tower but you would have to get a 2 bedroom one to fit 5 and it%26#39;s very expensive. When we visited Honolulu in the past we have stayed at the Sheraton Waikiki. They do allow 5 in a room. Do ask if they charge for a rollaway. They didn%26#39;t as of 2 years ago, but I called them recently and they do now. Tell them it%26#39;s for a child and they might not. I hope that helps.

We also had 5 in our room at teh Outrigger Luana this past summer, which is very close to the HHV, although a short walk across DeRussy Park to the beach. The website wouldn%26#39;t let us book for more than 4, but I contacted the hotel and asked for a hideabed (which was actually a very nice twin bed) and it worked out fine. Just be sure to get the ocean view 1 bedroom suite in order to fit everyone.

Paging mrsfuzz,touris,amberloo,mackjack and Oahu regulars !!

Please see post entitled ';Travel Advise'; in the Honolulu forum. Any recommendations for a very special trip would be appreciated.

Paging mrsfuzz,touris,amberloo,mackjack and Oahu regulars !!

kwils,

Mahalo for the heads up...not sure how I missed that one.

mrsfuzz

Paging mrsfuzz,touris,amberloo,mackjack and Oahu regulars !!

i love kwils, he cares about folks.

good eyes!

Kwils11

I only added the recommendation to see Hula.

Hau`oli Makahiki Hou!!

ps the chinese new year is 29 Jan 06. :-)

Thanks for letting us know when the Chinese New Year is...we%26#39;ll be on Oahu then!

Could y%26#39;all also look at ';Circle Tour'; on the Oahu forum? I did what I could for them, but Oahu isn%26#39;t my forte.

Hey Kwils! Thanks for the heads up!

networking

Thing to see ..(1st time to Hawaii)

Hey can you help me out!

My sister and me are going to Hawaii for the first time? What are some of things I should really do before I leave there?

Thing to see ..(1st time to Hawaii)

Don%26#39;t stay in Honolulu! Unless you like small hotel rooms in large cities, of course.

We%26#39;re in the middle of a 9 night Oahu stay and we%26#39;ve been exploring the North Shore, watching surfers, walking beautiful beaches and just plain relaxing in our studio rental.

The rest of the week will include kayaking, waterfall hikes, snorkeling and more good eats. Maybe a visit to Chinatown, but one trip to Diamond Head and an afternoon in HNL was enough city life for us. I didn%26#39;t make a 12 hour trip to look at high-rises, smell exhaust and walk hot pavement.

Thing to see ..(1st time to Hawaii)

I stayed in Waikiki for our 7 night stay and I loved it. Being a couple in their 20%26#39;s, we liked to be in Waikiki at night, there is so much to do. People watching is the best. This would be a personal choice. During the daytime we were all over the Island. Go to the North Shore, just drive around the whole Island, you will find so many places to stop. The Island is beautiful, my only advise is to rent a car.

And what about the hotel? Right now I have rooms reserved at the Outrigger Luana Waikiki. It%26#39;s got great reviews, but what do you think?

about what month or season are you all

planning a visit?

ei last weekend of Jan 29th is

Chinese New Year

in late march early april on the

BIG ISLAND is the Merry Monarch Festival

Golf a plenty on all 4 main islands

though a dab on Lana`i.

Whales late Nov to give or take May

Try a plate lunch

Poi (no need to attend a Luau ...)

DiamondHead HaleakaLA and for sure

Kilauea the Volcano on Big Island

O%26#39;ahu Pearl Harbor and Iolani Palace!!!

You MUST go to Hanauma Bay for snorkling or just to swim around. Easy $2 bus ride from Honolulu. I didn%26#39;t want to leave soooo gorgeous!

I loved staying at the Launa. You do have to walk through DeRussy park to get to the beach, but it%26#39;s the widest and least crowded part of Waikiki beach, so you%26#39;ll like it. And even though it%26#39;s military, there are outdoor cafes/bar there that anyone can order from for a good cheap meal!

Just be sure you don%26#39;t have one of the lower rooms on the Kalakaua (mauka) side becasue you may end up with a view of a gas station. Other than those few rooms it%26#39;s beautifully appointed and very convenient. And you can park a little cheaper at the DeRussy garage if you have a rental car.

However, do be sure to get over to the windward/North Shores. That%26#39;s where you%26#39;ll get to see the real Hawaii.

how to spend 5-6 hrs on BI after morning airplane tour?

Hello everyone, I am trying to figure out how to spend 5-6 hours (afternoon) after we return from our airplane tour over the BI. We have a mixed group of six people, hiking is not an option and from what I have read, going to the VNP is totally out. We arrive at the Kona airport early am and will take a 2 hour fixed wing tour over the island. We don%26#39;t have a problem renting a vehicle but wonder if there is time to really do any sightseeing before our return flight back to Oahu around 7 pm. Thought about taking a snorkeling tour over to Captain Cook monument but is the time frame feasable? How far a drive from the airport is this? Or is there a tour company someone can recommend who would pick us up at the airport and return us? Our trip is in February so we have a few weeks left for planning but would like to make some definite plans soon. All suggestions welcome! Thanks!

how to spend 5-6 hrs on BI after morning airplane tour?

it will work....rent a car, drive to Keauhou..12 miles and get an afternoon 3 hour snorkel tour that leaves at 12 and returns at3;30.

Then drive up to see the Hilton at Waikoloa beach.... tour the grounds for free... then back to the airport by 6;15 to drop the car

purple makeup

Christmas on Big Island

Our family (Kids 12,13,15) will be travelling to Hawaii (first timers) the last week of December (23-30). Staying at Fairfield Kona Village. Been reading the must do lists. We want a combination of ';doing it all '; and ';nada'; within limited budget. In planning activities, are there considerations of attractions that close down or limit hours over holiday, area cultural celebrations to not miss and where is good place for Catholic worship on Christmas Eve? Thanks!

Christmas on Big Island

Since this is a timeshare property they offer visitors very good discounts off a lot of activities if they go to a '; presentation';.

you can save about 30 to 40 % off tour lists

Visitors are the #1 economy here and we depend on your partonage. Few if any tours will be closed or limited.

This is also our highest season in terms ov visitation and prices.... prices can go up 20 to 50% during this period.

You will need to reserve well in advance for the better tours and activities...

Water will be in the mid to low 70%26#39;s Rain will be sparce, Sky blue.....

You will be close to Keauhou and it is the water sports center with tours to Capt cook, Manta ray Dive, and the snorkel beach at Kahlulu....

Keauhou shopping center has the best local markets and fun restaurants. Kona has a bunch too. The farmers market will be less than a mile in Alii drive ( closed M/Tu)

St Michales is closest to you and will have a Midnight mass....

it is 1.5 miles north on alii drive....

That would be my choice...as it is the largest here and has a great group..... even me, in the parish.

Hope this helps

Christmas on Big Island

Aloha Scremer, I don%26#39;t now how many CHristmas%26#39;s HD has spent in Hawaii but I have been there many times and believe me it can rain hard. Always be prepared for rain in the islands.

Hey Hawaiidan, thanks for the tips. Question, although this may soound crazy... our parish has a ';midnight'; mass which actually starts at 9pm. How about St. Micheals? Is it really midnight? Do you have a children%26#39;s Christmas Eve mass at all? This is our first ever vacation over a major holiday and I really want to keep our celebration of Christ%26#39;s birth in focus. Thank you ! What%26#39;s your weather looking like? We%26#39;ll be in Oahu Thursday and BI Friday! Can%26#39;t wait. Also, any good suggestions for surfing instruction for 13 yr old boy in the Kona area?

Merry Christmas!

I will have to check on the masses.....

The weather will be very nice and dry...both now and historicaly

This is dry time.... it rained for an hour a week ago at night...ok. It has cooled off a bit the ocean is still at 80 and day temps are 83 to 84 while it dips to 69 to 70 at night at sea level

Over on the stormy east side of the island ( Hilo and Hammakua to Volcano), gets a lot of rain dumped on it constantly. However it does rain some at higher elevations due to cooling on the Kona side but very very little.

The area of Capt Cook south is also a rather wet area. The Kohala Coast gets less than 10 inches a year, most in the summer and thats why the resorts built there.

Kona is one of the two sunniest places on the island..for get the nay-sayers who frequent the areas away from the resorts and beaches.

As for surfing head south from your condo to Kahalulu beach by the Outrigger, there is a surf spot for beginners and a surf school too.

Let me know if I can help furthur

Mahalo for your advice! St. Michaels church is very welcoming. Beautiful stained glass. I was moved by the young woman who did an interpretive hula dance after communion at the early Christmas eve mass. Hapuna beach was an awesome boogie board experience. Captain Cook snorkeling was amazing and Kahalulu was closed one day due to the surf, but we made it a later time and loved seeing all the turtles. Kids opted to boogie board instead of surfing and still had oodles of fun. Place of Refuge worth seeing. Drive to Volcano Park was....nauseating. Take dramamine for the back seaters. We stopped at a local mart part way there..they had a wonderful mural painted on the side, stared at that for about an hour while the kids laid on the grass! Black sand beach was gorgeous. Took flashlights and walked all the way into Thurston lava tube..watch your head! Had a great time. Wonderful people all around! Want to come back..without kids and see all the out of the way beauty! Aloha!

it still has not rained at the beach....and it is well past new years, Kahalulu is still closed due to big swellls and a 2.2 tide.. there was sand in the parking lot by the Ourtgger this morning and on Alii drive

it may rain lightly tomorrow night... it is almost drought conditions and we are getting brush Fires to the south end of the island.

glad ,some of my comments helped you....pass on the kindness to some other.....

Ravenous Hana mosquitoes?

Thanks to your posts, I%26#39;ll be doing the full ';roundabout'; Hana drive, hitting Oheo Gulch for the 4 mile hike on the Pipiwai Trail, and doing a little kayaking and snorkeling as well.

However... what about mosquitoes? I%26#39;m sensitive to them. Since I%26#39;ll be staying at a B%26amp;B instead of forking out my life savings to stay at Hana-Maui, will I be eaten alive? How bad is it? I%26#39;ve been to Oahu and Kauai twice and wasn%26#39;t bitten a single time. Right when I thought Hawaii was mosquito-free, I%26#39;ve heard ';watch out for Hana';.

Ugh. Hate the little buggers.

Ravenous Hana mosquitoes?

We hiked near the Seven Sacred Pools, not far from Hana. My husband didn%26#39;t get a bite. I got several. I am not kidding - they swelled like 2 inches across! Huge! The locals saw me and said not to scratch them or they swell like that! And itch? Oh yes! But then, I get attacked on the North Shore of Kauai every year, even with mosquito repellent - but not the huge bites.

Ravenous Hana mosquitoes?

I%26#39;ve had a terrible time with mosquitoes each time I%26#39;ve been in the Hana area. Even worse than on the other islands. And yes, my bites swelled to the size of quarters and then went thru different shades of color--I%26#39;m not kidding! A gardener in Hana told me that due to all the ag use of pesticides in the past, the mosquito population became very resilient and has grown immune to many of the weaker repellents. Take a full-coverage lotion with the highest content of DEET you can find, and remember to reapply if you get wet. I must add that I%26#39;m extremely attractive to all mosquitoes everywhere, so my experiences may be the ';worst of the worst';.

I%26#39;ve always felt like I was a walking target for mosquitos too, but i had no problem with them any where in Hawaii, including Hana. In fact, I was amazed about the stuff I had read and assumed that it must be exagerated.

Now, my wife complained a few times about the buggers, but not in Hana.

Maybe I was just lucky.

I%26#39;ve always felt like I was a walking target for mosquitos too, but i had no problem with them any where in Hawaii, including Hana. In fact, I was amazed about the stuff I had read and assumed that it must be exagerated.

Now, my wife complained a few times about the buggers, but not in Hana.

Maybe I was just lucky.

I%26#39;ve always felt like I was a walking target for mosquitos too, but i had no problem with them any where in Hawaii, including Hana. In fact, I was amazed about the stuff I had read and assumed that it must be exaggerated.

Now, my wife complained a few times about the buggers, but not in Hana.

Maybe I was just lucky.

I%26#39;ve always felt like I was a walking target for mosquitos too, but i had no problem with them any where in Hawaii, including Hana. In fact, I was amazed about the stuff I had read and assumed that it must be exaggerated.

Now, my wife complained a few times about the buggers, but not in Hana.

Maybe I was just lucky.

Well, we had no mosquitos at all pre-contact.

July to September are the worst months. I go Hana in October for Aloha Festivals every year and don%26#39;t ever recall serious mosquito problems around that time. But when we camp in the spring and summer months, we always have to deal with the pests. Long sleeves and pants at dusk can really help, as well as oil of lemon eucalyptus. I do know that since the dengue outbreak in %26#39;01 there has been a larger effort to eradicate standing water in East Maui. I still think the mozzies are worse in Ha`iku than in Hana, and nothing on the island comes close to what I have encountered in some places on the mainland.

If you are sensitive to mosquitoes, you%26#39;ll be eat%26#39;n alive. My sister-in las and niece are very sensitive, and the mosquitoes always attack them first.

Of course, we always have them lead.

Well then... perhaps the solution is to go in Fall or Winter?

I was just in Maui last week and we were out and swimming in Hana and I never saw a mosquito. I was ready for them cause I had read that they can get bad, but I never saw one at all, and I am someone that always gets bit, if there is a mosquito within a mile, I always get bit.

maui--need opinion regarding decent, moderately priced hotel

I am reviewing mixed reviews on hotels in Maui; I want to stay on Kanapali Beach and am considering the Kanapali Beach Hotel vs the Sheraton at about $100 more a night. Mixed reviews on each. Does anyone have a rec for another nice, reasonably priced hotel in that area??

maui--need opinion regarding decent, moderately priced hotel

I don%26#39;t have a rec. for a reasonably prices hotel but I can tell you I stayed at Kaanapali Beach Hotel 5 years ago and it was a dump. Paint coming off of small whale shaped pool. The Hawaiian show was 2 senior citizens playing yuek and doing hula. I%26#39;m going again in Feb but staying at Hyatt Regency. If you go to Kaanapali Beach Hotel and see the others aside of it you%26#39;ll be disappointed. Sheraton is very nice. There was a condo near KBH that was nice. I don%26#39;t remember name but you can see it on the maps of that area.

maui--need opinion regarding decent, moderately priced hotel

why did you pick the hyatt over the sheraton?

KBH is NOT a dump. We stayed there the past two Februarys and are returning this year. We see a lot of the same people there each year (just avoid the molokai wing and the aloha mixed plate restaurant). The nightly hawaiian show has been packed every night for our last three trips and is free. The Sheraton and Hyatt are very nice, more expensive and more commercial. KBH is more relaxed, laid back but not fancy. You really can%26#39;t go wrong with anything on Kaanapali Beach. Haven%26#39;t stayed at the Royal Lahaina since 96 but it was okay then and is less expensive. The Westin is really nice but more expensive (similar to Sheraton and Hyatt).

Aloha!

Have you looked at the Whaler? Nice studio and 1 bedroom units that are usually CHEAPER than rooms at the Hyatt, Sheraton, etc. Plus, you get more space and you are in the heart of the action of Kaanapali Beach.

Bryan Brown

BBrown9825@aol.com

I just gotta know! Just how are the Sheraton the and Hyatt ';more commercial'; than the Kaanapali Beach Hotel?

I would not describe the Sheraton or Hyatt as more ';commercial'; than the Ka%26#39;anapali Beach Hotel. I would, however, describe them as a bit more ';formal';, and clearly have the flavor of a resort hotel chain to some degree. KBH is more of a family-run style place with less emphasis on elegance, and more emphasis on friendliness and a cozy atmosphere. The term ';rustic'; comes to mind a little too, though KBH cannot compare to some of the private hideaways in Hana for example. To an extent, I would compare the Hyatt and Sheraton to having a dinner at an upscale restaurant, while comparing the KBH to a dinner at Outback Steakhouse. Most of Ka%26#39;anapali Beach has become a bit ';commercial'; over the past couple of decades though.

official myspace

haleakala sunrise tours

has anyone taken one? which company do you recommend. im looking for a non big bus type, prefer a comfortable van. thanks!

haleakala sunrise tours

I did the bike tour last summer and have the following recommendations:

1. Choose Cruiser Phil%26#39;s. It was a smaller group than many of the other tours and I felt that they were more congnizent of safety than others.

2. Seriously think about doing a morning tour instead of sunrise. The sunrise tours pick you up at your hotel at about 2 am. If you have already been in Hawaii for any length of time, that can really throw off your system. We also choose the morning ride as many people told us it is only a 50-50 proposition to actually see the sunrise as the result of fog in the morning.

Either way, you will have a great time. Just don%26#39;t expect it to be a strenuous ride.

haleakala sunrise tours

We did the sunrise tour in early August. It was spectacular!!!

We choose the Haleakala Bike Company. We drove to their office-Took a van up-Again spectacular to see.

We choose this company because you get to bike down at your own pace. They give you a map and you can stop when and where you want. I am very glad we did it this way. We were passed by several tours (they are all grouped together following a tour guide) that for me were going way to fast. I would have been scared to death to be riding with them.

We just got back and did a sunrise tour with Ekahi Tours, which our hotel recomends. It was great, they pick you up at 3am and get your there in plenty of time to watch sunrise, then takes you to a nice breakfest at Pulikani country club. i think was the best way to go, we where back at the hotel at 9:30 am and had all day to relax. Would go the first day or two of your stay. go to www.mauitour.com for ther info.

I have to agree with Jamaicaluver. We did the bike tour with the Haleakala Bike Company and it was perfect because of the fact that you can go at your own pace. All the other tours have mandatory stops and you have to listen to the guide ramble on about this and that. I guess it depends on what you%26#39;re looking for. We really enjoyed the freedom of being able to go at our own pace. And I believe it was a little less expensive because they don%26#39;t have to pay a guide and you have to drive to their store. I would also say to not do the sunrise tour. It is really cold up at the top of the volcano, and getting up at 2:00 a.m. just to do the sunrise tour seems a bit much. The morning tour is just as nice (except you don%26#39;t see the sunrise). But hey, you can get up early one day and sit on the WARM beach and watch it as opposed to the freezing top of the volcano :)

Last November we did Temptation tours. Very informative driver. Picked us up @ 3:00 AM. Saw the sunrise. Awesome!!Stopped by Kula Lodge for breakfast. Beautiful views. Toured Protea flower shop next door. Gave each lady a flower. Back in our condo around 10:00. Highly recommend.

Years ago I remember driving ourselves up to the crater for sunrise, getting a box ';breakfast'; to go that had coffee, some danish and even a blanket, from our hotel ~

Does anyone know if the hotels still do this ? ~ and what time it would be suggested to leave the Wailea area????

Can anyone tell me why some company%26#39;s are so much more expensive for the same sunrise tour than another company???

I just checked out Ekahi Tours website and they are only $80 per adult for the sunrise tour and then I looked at Temptation Tours and they are $159 per adult - why such a big difference in price? Both companies sound great. I%26#39;ve heard to stay away from Maui Downhill.

bump...

We did the sunrise tour. It was beautiful, but the very early departure from our hotel was rough. It seemed like we lost time on our 5 days on Maui because of it (bed early the night before and exhausted upon our return). We are from Chicago, and it wasn%26#39;t a treat to put on warm clothes and gloves to view the sunrise at very cold temperatures (it was COLD up there). I would wait until a later, warmer morning tour. We did the bike tour which was awesome. It was almost all downhill, which is just what a I like. Easy and beautiful. Enjoy whatever you do!

HI People

TRY polynesian tours I did and have the best memories of any bus tour,Dont forget

the picnic basket with plenty of water etc no matter what you decide. Good luck.....nwf

Kaanapali Beach Hotel

Has anyone been to the Kaanapali Beach Hotel? I%26#39;m trying to find out if it is nice or run down, as it%26#39;s pretty old. Trying to save a little money, but don%26#39;t want a dump.

Kaanapali Beach Hotel

Its fine. We stayed there in Feb of 2004 and were pleased.

Ask for the Lana%26#39;i wing or the Maui wing~~~they%26#39;ve been renovated. The location is wonderful, and so is the beach.

We were in the Lana%26#39;i wing, room #255.

Kaanapali Beach Hotel

My parents just got back from Hawaii and stayed here earlier this week. They thought the hotel was satisfactory, although the hotel is a bit on the older side. I believe this is one of the least expensive hotels in the area. The others are much nicer, fancier, and of course, more expensive. The hotel is in a good location and is not overcrowded with kids and teenagers. My parents thought that the Westin is more of a place where families stay, as there were lots of kids running around. I would suggest staying at the K. Beach Hotel as long as you don%26#39;t expect it to be a five star hotel. It is not a ';dump'; but it certainly serves its purpose.

Hi People Just to be very brief.. Find an Army Boot Camp in preferance \,I would not recommend that place because it is obsolete /overpriced in every way and is living in the past.All the best nwf/sydney

Hotel or condo

what do you think is better to stay at a hotel or condo? I would want an ocean view. And do you think its better to book the whole vacation package or all separately??

Hotel or condo

BEBE, we prefer condo. We do eat out often, but we like the convenience of cooking our own meals as well. So, it all depends if you would like to cook some meals on your vacation. As far as vacationa packages, I find if I priced them myself (car rental, condo or hotel, airline tickets), that it is cheaper if I buy them separately than through a package deal. This is only through my own experience. I hope this helps...

Hotel or condo

Yea I was thinking condo as well....and thanks for the advise on booking separately I will look into that.........

purple makeup

Authentic Maui family style restaurant?

Know of any local family style restaurants?

Authentic Maui family style restaurant?

You will like Da Kitchen if you want Hawaiian style food - and reasonable prices. Huge portions of tasty chicken, kalua pork (shredded pork) and fish.

Cafe O Lei does wonderful fish dishes and is reasonable too.

Authentic Maui family style restaurant?

Where is Da Kitchen please....I don%26#39;t see it in the blue bible ha ha

Da Kitchen has two locations. One in Kahului right near the airport, one in Kihei. Where are you staying?

Here is some info on the restuarant as well as the addresses:

www.mauitime.com/story.aspx?story_id=1042

Any info appreciated

Well the time draws near and I%26#39;m able to get excited now. My husband and I will finally see for ourselves... the beauty of Maui.

We are so ready to go, but we have to wait til February.

We are considering bringing our laptop,

however we are not sure if WIFI is available in Maui, and if so is it free like it is here at most bookstores and some restaurants.

Otherwise, would there be any info on internet cafes. I know we are on vacation and should not concern ourselves with the internet, we just want to send pictures home to our loved ones as soon as we take them.

Also, if anyone has toured the Tedeschi Vineyards, could you tell us if it%26#39;s worth the trip to tour it?

Anyway, it is cold, gray and damp here in Wisconsin and the sooner we get to Maui the the warmer and happier we%26#39;ll be:)

Any info appreciated

Wifi has become more ubiquitous in Maui the past year. Many of the cafes such as Live Wire have Internet access (Bad Asss may too). I am not sure if WiFi or just terminals.

Also, check with your hotel/condo to see if they have internet access. While they may not have it in each room, it is often available in hotel lobbies.

Any info appreciated

I really enjoyed our short visit to the Tedeschi winery. We stopped after our drive from Hana. I thought the grounds were very lovely - reminded me more of the California vineyard area rather than Hawaii, though you could see the ocean in the distance. It would be the perfect place for a picnic. We didn%26#39;t do an actual tour, but stopped in their visitor center, tasted wine, and looked at the pictures, which I really enjoyed - lots of history on the walls! I found it very relaxing, but that might not be what you are looking for. Just depends on what activities you are interested in while you are on Maui. Have a great trip! :)

Cafe Caffe in Dolphin Plaza in Kihei has free WiFi, techincally with purchase, meaning if you want to sit there and use it, you have to buy something. Parking there is really bad though. New gaming center in Azeka will open next week and they are advertising free WiFi in their lounge area, complete with leather recliners. No strings, as far as I can tell. They are called Versus, next to Baskin Robbins.

We have Clearwire here now too, for those who use that.

Tedechi might be worth it, but that would up to you to decide. It is a long drive and a short winery tour, given twice a day. Wine tastings are all day, and of only but a few varieties. But the drive is beautiful and the tour will give you a lot of Maui history. Kalakaua kept a cottage at`Ulupalakua and you can see the very trees under which he held hula competitions while visiting there. I love it up there and take visitors often. Some like it, some don%26#39;t. Only you can decide if it is worth it to you.

Thank you all for the info.

I think the winery sounds right up our alley.

We definitely will have a picnic lunch and enjoy the surroundings.

As far as the WIFI goes we found out we have access right at the B%26amp;B where we are staying, Waiola Vacation Paradise in Lahaina.

We are sooooo ready to get out of Dodge.

I need sinshine.

Lylemonster: was that a typo or are you planning on sinshine - thought you had to go to Vegas for that! :) I know how much I need sunshine this time of year!! I also stayed in Lahaina and what fun that was - it%26#39;s so handy to walk to all the restaurants, shops, and all the happenings in Lahaina. Have a wonderful time on your trip to Maui! :)

LOL coalminer :)

I guess I%26#39;m really looking forward to some fun

Not sure what sinshine is, but I%26#39;ll have fun finding out.

I enjoyed the wine tasting at the Tedeschi Vineyard especially the raspberry wine. Yummy! The ladies pouring the wine were very pleasant.

Also, if you get a chance, have a burger at the ranch store across the street. They make it with their own Maui beef on a grill out on the patio; it was really delicious.

Thanks sweetybeety

That just may save us from packing a cooler

for our picnic.

We are always looking for the best burger place here in Milwaukee, usually followed by an ice cold beer. We%26#39;ll have find a wine to pair with our burgers.

If you enjoy wine, yes the vineyards were worth it. Agree with other poster, must stop at the store across the road.

Thanks passline68

Do you happen to know what else is in the area.

We do not want to trespass unless it%26#39;s OK to hike in this area, we%26#39;d love to explore it a bit.

web hosting domains

Luau

My husband and I will be traveling to Kauai from 1/28/06 to 2/11/06 for his birthday. I have read about several different luau(s) Help!!!

Luau

Aloha! Well, like everything on tripadvisor, it%26#39;s subject to opinion. The Ultimate Kauai Revealed goes into pretty good detail about each one . . . so, get a copy of that if you don%26#39;t already have one. I went to the Smith Luau and loved it. I have since been to a luau on Maui, but really enjoyed the Smith luau better - just seemed more down home - rather than being entertained, I felt like the dancers were having as much fun performing as we were watching, if that makes sense. Hope that helps a bit and a few more folks jump on w/their opinion. Good luck and I hope your husband has a Happy Birthday - I turned 40 on Kauai and it was wonderful! :)

Luau

Coal, did you go to OLL on Maui? What did you like about the Smith%26#39;s luau?

I just turned 49 in CT. It was less than wonderful.

pzp: Nope, didn%26#39;t do the OLL, though that sounds good and so does the Feast of Lele. We were meeting friends and they thought the Hyatt would be fine. It was a nice evening -good food, good dancing, but I guess the difference seems to me like the differences btw Kauai %26amp; Maui. At the Smith%26#39;s, we got to see everything - the lovely grounds, watching them remove the pig from the ground, the food, and the dancing. Nothing fancy - just more down home, and I guess that is what I feel, too, about the differences btw Maui and Kauai. Kauai just feels so homey - I felt the luau in Maui seemed more Hollywood like, whereas the Smith%26#39;s was just so easy going. Don%26#39;t know if that is making sense. While I really enjoyed my time on Maui, it wasn%26#39;t at all like Kauai - I didn%26#39;t want to go home after 16 days and can%26#39;t wait to get back.

Next birthday, you need to go somewhere special!! I even got a free upgrade on my car - I had reserved el cheapo econo, and for the same price, they gave me a sporty little 4 wheel drive. :) Never used the 4 wheel, but it was a nice treat. I didn%26#39;t realize the cost difference until I check on line - several hundreds of dollars more. :) Anyhow . . . I really enjoy your posts on the Kauai board - just thought I should mention that, too. Fun to visit Kauai in the winter, even if it%26#39;s only on this forum! Aloha! :)

I shouldn%26#39;t complain. We were just there in November and already have our spring trip booked. I%26#39;m just looking forward to the day when we can pick up and move.

How was the food at Smith%26#39;s? I keep thinking about trying the luau at Kilohana just to see if the food is better. I%26#39;ve done the one at what used to be the Coconut Coast resort. It was pretty touristy, weak drinks, OK food, but heck, it was free. (%26#39;Course we did have to sit through the timeshare presentation for Kaua%26#39;i Coast Resort.) It%26#39;s not like I need to see another commercial luau ever, but I%26#39;m always curious.

If you really enjoy the dancing, make an effort to get tix for the Merrie Monarch Festival on BI Easter week. Fantastic dancing!

yes, you are fortunate to enjoy Kauai so much - I hope to go again this summer, if all works out. The food reminds me of buffets everywhere - some great, some not so great and never quite worth the price you pay. The pork is just incredible and I enjoyed poi for the first time there - but nothing remarkable. There you go! :)

We went to the Smith%26#39;s luau, too, and loved it. I agree that the dancers seemed to be having fun. It seemed like they were quite young---still in high school---and they had lots of enthusiasm.

I thought the food was very good---but then I%26#39;m not too picky. The pork may have been the best I%26#39;ve ever had. I also enjoyed the mai tais very much.

THe grounds are beautiful. We got there early and did the free tram ride around the grounds and wandered around them on foot, too.

We did the Paradise Cove luau on Oahu, but it was a whole lot more structured and theatrical than Smith%26#39;s. Enjoyed it, too, but they were definately a lot different from each other. Smith%26#39;s makes you feel like you just attending a big party while Paradise Cove made you feel like you were attending a show.

We also had a very enjoyable evening at the Smith%26#39;s Luau.

It%26#39;s family run and felt very friendly. The food was great. There was loads of choice - my husband was in his element, and he%26#39;s a really fussy eater. The terriyaki (sp?) beef, ribs and shredded pork were yummy. There was lots left over and we were encouraged to go up to the buffet again and again.

We made the most of the free drinks - I had nine mai tai%26#39;s (I think... I did lose count after a while!), so I%26#39;m guessing that they must have been quite weak or maybe I picked up non-alcoholic ones by mistake!

The show was really classy - the entertainers look as though they%26#39;re enjoying the experience.

Hope this helps. U2fan

The mai tais do get watery after sitting out on the table in the warm air. The trick is to pick a glass from the BACK of the table. However, if you%26#39;re planning to have 9 drinks, you probably should drink the watered down ones!

I vote for Smith%26#39;s too. Best all around display of food and entertainment from all the cultures that contribute to the population of the early inhabitants of Hawaii

bumping info for theclash 10! :)

Luaus in Kauai

Can you recommend your favorite luau in Kauai?

Luaus in Kauai

Aloha! My favorite is Smith%26#39;s, but this was just discussed last week w/lots of good responses, so I bumped that post for you to view. Kauai is a wonderful island - enjoy! :)

Jack's Diving Locker

I made a trip to the Big Island during the Christmas-New Year week of 2005. I wanted to experience scuba diving and after checking out this forum and scouting for other scuba diving outfitters, I settled for Jack’s Diving Locker.

I did the introductory pool dive followed by the shore dive. My experience was unforgettable. The check-in process was very professional. I was hooked up with my instructor, Jim Humme. Jim walked me through the basics of diving, dos and don’ts and the possible risks. At first, those risks sounded scary and I wondered what I had signed up for. After about 15 minutes of verbal introduction, we got into the pool with the Scuba gear. I was introduced to underwater techniques for breathing, eardrum equalization, hand signs for under water communication etc etc. Jim was patient and put me at ease when I initially struggled breathing from the apparatus. He was encouraging and infused enough confidence that I soon found my self under 12 feet of water in their pool playing with some toys. I gradually gained confidence. The pool introduction lasted 45 minutes to an hour. All this while, Jim was diving along with me.

We hit the shore soon thereafter. We walked down the beach into the water. Once the water was waist high, we put on our flippers and dived…to about 35-40 feet. The experience was unforgettable. I guess this is the closest you get to being an astronaut! It is a whole new world out there.

Jim kept a close watch on me and repeated checked with me how I was doing. I had tough time maintaining my buoyancy…but it was a learning experience.

If you want to try scuba diving, I would certainly recommend Jack’s Diving Locker. Their pool+shore dive is a good starting point. If you have more time on hand, you could also try their boat dive (which I didn’t due to time constraints) They are a neat shop and rent good equipment. Happy diving!!

Jack's Diving Locker

Jacks is the best for novice and like divers.

They have the best shop and service and their pool is great for learning.....

If you are a serious diver and photographer then Dive Makai.. been here since 1970 and takes very small groups of experienced divers.. on very detailed dives

What Time to Leave for Hana Drive/Groceries??

We are staying in Hana for 3 nights and have heard that massive people make the trek around 8am daily. If we are not trying to rush there and turn around, what time would be best to drive there, without the crowds and traffic?

Also, if staying overnight, what would you recommend buy at the store before the drive? Not sure if we will have an ice chest! Our place will have a kitchen once we arrive in Hana.

What Time to Leave for Hana Drive/Groceries??

Just go to K-mart or someplace and buy a cheap foam cooler.

What Time to Leave for Hana Drive/Groceries??

This time of year it%26#39;s not that busy; was just there at the end of Nov.; shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. Enjoy---hope you like the very low key lifesytle if you%26#39;re in Hana for 3 nights . . . .

This time of year it%26#39;s not that busy; was just there at the end of Nov.; shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. Enjoy---hope you like the very low key lifesytle if you%26#39;re in Hana for 3 nights . . . .

This time of year it%26#39;s not that busy; was just there at the end of Nov.; shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. Enjoy---hope you like the very low key lifesytle if you%26#39;re in Hana for 3 nights . . . .

We went last week -- left Paia (at the ';civilization'; end of the Hana Highway) around 10:30 and traffic was light. Stopping here and there, we made it to Hana around 1:30. Leisurely pace, nice drive -- it had obviously rained early that morning b/c it was wet, wet, wet. Last year we were there in September and left Paia around 8:30 or 9; the road was considerably more crowded, probably due to both the time and the season.

Thank you everyone! I wil be in Maui in April 06, so not sure how crowded it will be then. I guess it is safe to leave later than 9am. Happy holidays. ps Thanks for the tip on the cheapie cooler- that is brilliant!

A better idea than a disposable cooler would be to buy a softsided one that you can reuse, for a few dollars more. Styrofoam lasts a long time in the landfill and we live on a small island.

I stay Hana a few times a year. Haegawa%26#39;s and the Hana Ranch Market both have limited groceries. You can buy local grown beef and local produce. I find plenty things at Hasegawa%26#39;s are same price as at Safeway. We buy beer at Hasegawa%26#39;s. They always have specials, same price as everyplace else. I buy fresh fish from the guys at Koki beach. Most nights they have some, and you can find them cleaning the fish along Haneo%26#39;o Road, near the beach. Hana meals for us are usually fresh fish or local beef on the grill, Moloka`i potatoes, and a salad or fruit.

Sometimes, if I am coming from Pa`ia and it is not too early, I stop at Nagata market in Pa`ia. They usually have Kula corn and tomatoes and all kine fresh fish. If it is after 9 when you buzz through there, stop and check them out. Mana food on Baldwin is a good healthy market also in Pa`ia, if you like natural foods.

Wow! You wrote back so fast!! Thank you so much. Yes, we are very healthy eaters. Although, not sure how healthy we will be eating on the Lahaina side! Ha! Great idea about the fresh fish- yummy!!!

We went to Haleakala to see the sun rise. Went to Charley%26#39;s in PAia for a great (substanance) breakfast, stopped to watch the wind surfers north of Paia and then drove to Hana around 10:30. I think this was the best time because it was very leasurely as so many had left earlier.

We didn%26#39;t stay in Hana but we did continue on (the back side) and it was great. We actually enjoyed the %26#39;backside%26#39; more than the drive to Hana. Beautiful country/Incredible landscape. We had a Mercury Sable and the roads were fine just make sure you get gas in Hana.

We used MAui Revealed as our guide and did stop at some of the %26#39;hidden%26#39; waterfalls. These required walking back into the woods but the falls we saw were very private and stunning.

- The trip to the tiny town of Hana is much more relaxing if you leave early - the road can become crowded with other sightseers by midmorning. We leave Lahaina at 7am (not popular with anyone but Dad, who drives.

If you are coming from the U.S., you might want do this trip early in your vacation, when you are still waking up early in Hawaii because of the time change.

- There are lots of stops for waterfalls and vistas, which get better as you progress during the day. To keep ahead of the crowd, skip the mediocre stops at the beginning of the trip.

- The travel book %26#39;Maui Revealed%26#39; has an excellent section on the road to Hana that helped us select the stops that matched what our family wanted to see and do.

- Consider taking the west Haleakala road back to West Maui. The information in the tourist brochures and many travel books about the condition of this road is outdated and inaccurate. After a few miles of narrow winding road (drive slow on this part and enjoy the striking ocean views), the road is either graded gravel or smooth blacktop. The road is a super highway compared to what we experienced on this same roado 20 years ago, when we slowly bumped along in a jeep. And the views on the isolated west side of Haleakala are stunning.

- We have several more suggestions about the Road to Hana (don%26#39;t miss the banana stand with all the boar%26#39;s heads nailed to the wall!) at lahaina-family-vacation.com/road-to-hana.html

purple makeup

how to spend 5-6 hrs on BI after morning airplane tour?

Thank you Hawaiidan for the info. Would this be the only suggestion for an afternoon in the Kona area?

how to spend 5-6 hrs on BI after morning airplane tour?

not being you, and not knowing what is important to you , yes. only you will know.

The boat trip to capt cook and the air tour are the 2 most comprehensive things..... you will see the best of the best.. volcanoes, lava, waterfalls, rainforest, coast, mointains, dolphins, coral, fish.....then the Hiltons billon dollar hawaii disneyland is truly an experience.....and that costs nothing.

Whatever else is up to you....

HD

silk comforter

Lanikai?

My husband and I will spend about 3 days in Oahu in March before heading to the Big Island. We will be renting a car. We definitely want to visit Pearl Harbor and do an Island drive. Other than that, our schedule is open at this point. We don%26#39;t want to stay in the city, but want to be close to the action. Is Lanikai a good choice? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

Lanikai?

Kahala Mandarin Oriental might be good. It is about 15 minutes drive outside Waikiki and Kahala Beach is right there. Also on the property are great restaurants and Dolphin Encounter. It is also on the way to Hanauma Bay. Only problem is that you have to pass by Waikiki to get to the Arizona Memorial, and you will be in commuter traffic in the morning as you head towards the Memorial. However, you would have heavy communter traffic if you stay in Lanikai or Kailua also.

Lanikai?

Thanks for the suggestion. The Mandarin is a bit more than I want to spend. I noticed that in Lanikai and Kailua there are some great rentals for around $150. I would love to hear from anyone who has stayed in the area. Thanks!

We%26#39;re in the middle of a 9 night Oahu trip, with 5 nights in a rental studio in Laie that is beachfront, fabulous and only $95night! Tomorrow we move to a ';rainforest'; one bedroom for $75nt in Ahuimanu, about 30 min. from HNL. Will post remarks once we%26#39;re there. Both have same owner and found through vrbo.com

My family just returned from a week stay in Kailua. We loved it.

We were were just a few blocks from the beach. My dad and brother enjoyed shore fishing every morning.

The Kailua Beach Center has a great little korean BBQ restaurant and an Island Snow shave ice place, and a kayak rental store. You can kayak out to two offshore islands. Also, there is the Kailua Farmers Market every Thursday evening (5-7pm) in the parking lot behind Longs Drug store. Really fun place to buy fresh fruit, flowers, get taste samples of local food items like honey, sauces, etc.

We went up the road to Lanikai 2-3 times. Lanikai is a beautiful beach. We enjoyed the snorkeling there. There is no restroom, but the Kailua Beach Park restrooms are just a mile drive away. (not an issue if you stay in a house nearby) Lanikai is really just a neighborhood tucked away along the beach. If you%26#39;re looking for a place along the beach...it%26#39;s the nicest. I would stay there!

The H3 is an easy drive to Pearl Harbor and the airport.

The drive up the Windward Coast to the North Shore is lovely and relaxing. Lots of places to pull over to watch the scenery or play on the beach. It really is a day long trip.

Kailua is a fun little town. Hope you have a fun trip!

Thanks for the great info. I can%26#39;t wait. It is cold and gloomy in Illinois!

Boss Frog's for helicopter discount?

I%26#39;m helping my parents plan a trip to the BI in February and they are seriously considering taking a helicopter tour with Blue Hawaii. I see that an on-line discounter, Boss Frog, offers a good price on these trips. Has anyone booked through them? I found quite a few hits for them in connection with Maui activities, but nothing for the BI.

Another question about the helicopter tours -- The Blue Hawaii site (as well as the Boss Frog site) is silent on the issue of refunds in case of bad weather. Anyone know what the policy is?

Also -- should my parents definitely reserve a trip in advance in February??

Thanks!

Boss Frog's for helicopter discount?

I never heard of them.....I would go with a company that has a physical office and not just an internet screen.

You dont pay if you dont fly. if you fly you pay......they may delay your flight iw weather is really bad..... Blue Hawaiians pad is in a very windy area... but very clear.

Depends when in Feb and what their schedule is. Close to presidents week.....yes. otherwise no.... there are lots of good helos to choose from

Boss Frog's for helicopter discount?

this is for Maui and they dont have offices here. For discounts go to big island sites.

Remember, fares for helos are going to be higher here due to the much larger ares you see... Maui is but 1/4 of the big island... Maui tours are all less than an Hour, We have tours all over an hour and some over 2 hours......

Need advice on car rental....

Going to Maui and Kauai in February. Have been checking websites for deals on car rental. Have checked Dollar and they seem very high - 5 days on Maui for $450 for a full size care. Any advice on car rental agencies? Also, are they all in the airport or do you need to take a shuttle to get the car?

Need advice on car rental....

They all have booths at the airport (near baggage claim). And then you catch a shuttle to actually go get your car.

Need advice on car rental....

Don%26#39;t know if this works all the time but I got a good deal less than two weeks before we left. I checked all the usual vendors every day or so and one of the vendor%26#39;s (Alamo) rate dropped radically. I jumped on it and cancelled my previous reservation with another agency. I suspect they were underbooked and playing ';catch up';.

Do check with more than one agency.

Just rented a mid-size in Maui for $110 for 4 days -- all taxes included. No fee for an extra driver -- went through discounthawaiicarrental.com. GREAT experience -- they are basically a reseller/discounter. The car ended up being from Thrifty -- and everything went perfectly. I would highly recommend using this company.

Otherwise, I have also had good luck with Hotwire and Priceline. $450 sounds WAY too expensive. Also, consider a midsize ... sometimes one type of car is way more expensive than another, but you can upgrade for just a little more or find free upgrade coupons online or through your airline, credit card, or AAA.

!0 days ago I booked a midsize car for 14 days through Priceline for $386. That price includes all taxes and fees but i dont take their insurance.It turned out to be Alamo. I booked the second and third week in January!

Try going to the Costco website and using their %26#39;travel%26#39; section and go to the rental car category. We used Budget thru the Costco website. We find they usually have the best deals. If you don%26#39;t have a Costco membership, try the Orbitz website. They usually have reasonable rates as well. Good luck...

I have had good luck with expedia.com and travelocity. If you have AAA or AARP membership, try the individual car company sites.

Thanks for all you advice. Will check on the rates and sites you suggested. Can%26#39;t wait to go - it has 30 years since we have been in Hawaii!

I also used discounthawaiicarrental.com and think we ended up with a pretty nice full size (Grand Prix) from Alamo or similar for about $350.00 for 8 nights.

Chrissy

hawaiidiscountcarrental.com got a new chrysler sebring for a week for 260.00 awesome place to deal with

quinnly has the right web address i screwed it up

Best Beach Resort

What would generally be considered the best beach resort on the big island? Best resort with the best swimming beach is what I am looking for.

Best Beach Resort

Mauna Kea beach hotel....

Best Beach Resort

mauna kea....better than a BAY or hapuna..

Agreed. Mauna Kea.

We%26#39;ve stayed at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel over a dozen times in the past 10 years and have found that it just can%26#39;t be beat for ambience, beautiful calm water/beach on any of the Hawaiian Islands...You must enjoy!

If you mean beach resort.....and you want low key and all inclusive thrown in.....then consider Kona Village Resort..... cost will be the same since you get all meals at Kona Village and actviites.

we're back!!!!

first of all merry christmas to all!

our fight left from lax sat dec 17 at 8:30am, it was myself, my 11yr old daughter and 14 yr old son. about 30min after we left ground we started to feel strong turbulance, i%26#39;m not exagerating when i say that it was so bad that people were vomiting and crying.i was so scared for my kids and even though i really wanted to cry i couldn%26#39;t because of them this lasted for about three hours. out of the 5hr flight we were only able to remove our seat belts for about 1 hour.

we were all so glad when the plane landed that we all clapped and cheared, what a relief.

our shuttle driver greeted us at the gate and instructed us to locate our luggage at the baggage claim dept, there we waited for a few minutes while they located the rest of the group, and we all got our lei greeting and picture taken.there were only 4 groups in our shuttle, 2 of them were dropped off at the cruise ships and a single person at a near by hotel, so our drop off was quite fast.

we stood at the queen kapiolani right by the zoo on the diamond head side. we had room 512 facing diamond head and what a view that was, it was breath taking and so peaceful looking. the room was just right for us, very roomy with a small fridge, tv, table and 2 chairs. the lanai had it%26#39;s own two chairs and table and it also had a small sink and cabinet space (???).

we didn%26#39;t do much that day since we arrived at about 2pm to our room and by the time we unpacked and settled down in our room we were a bit tired. my mom was scheduled to arrive that same day at about 5:30.so we decided to get something to eat at cheeseburger in paradise, my daughter and i shared the guacamole burger my son had ??? some kind of burger and we all shared a basket of fries,oh i had a pina colada and boy did it hit the spot.

we went back to the room after we ate and decided to wait for my mom, sister, and nephew since they were arriving shortly,so we thought, their flight had to be re-routed due to the strong turbulance and did not arrive until 7:10pm. by then i was so stressed of not knowing were my mom was and still stressed about our flight that we called it a night at about 9pm after my mom arrived and got settled in her room.

sorry about the long first day but trust me it seemed longer to me!!

have to get some work done here so i%26#39;ll continue later.

we're back!!!!

12/18-very windy day but a bit warm, we rented a car for the day to travel to the north shore. we saw some pretty good sites and stopped at a few beaches (cant remember names). i dont know how we did it but we never made it to the north shore we ended up at china town after a few turns and 4hours. i was a bit frustrated so we returned to the hotel and took a trolley to the a la moana mall. we had dinner at the food court and walked around a little. went back to the room and called it a day.

12/19- returned car in the morning and took a taxi to hanauma bay.beautiful day,very warm.we were the 2nd group to go in for the movie and then headed down to the bay. so glad we took lunch and lots to drink.rtn to hotel at about 3:30pm, we took the bus back and boy what an adventure!!

12/20-son was not feeling well and stood sick in the room for 2 1/2 days.went to keonis for breakfast (good and cheap prices)we then walked to the beach for our mai tai catamaran sail.kids went in the water while we waited for our boat to arrive. very nice view of waikiki and saw some surfing while sailing out.my older sister was sooooo sick on the boat that she did not enjoy it a bit.after 90min we rtn back to the beach and picked up our picture we had taken before sailing (3pics for $20)rtn to hotel since mom and sister were a bit ill.took nephew and daughter walking around for a bit of souvenire shopping.

12/21-mom and son in bed with a cold and horrible cough. took nephew and daughter to diamond head. very nice walk with a lot of beautiful views. DO NOT do hike with sandals, my daughter and i wore sandals since i forgot to pack shoes for the hike,big mistake but we managed to get to the top. took lots of pics and called my son on the cell so he could step out to the lanai so we could video tape him (we were at queen kapiolani, facing diamond head).another adventure trying to walk down with sandals. as we were walking to rtn to waikiki by bus a limo driver offered to take us back for $8.kids went in the swimming pool for a bit then walked to rainbow inn for lunch.later that day we had the paradise cove luau scheduled. i had to drag mom and son to the luau.they eventually had a good time but then i started feeling ill.the lau was nice, we saw the shower of the flowers,kids did a few of the crafts and enjoyed the dancers.i was feeling so ill that i did not eat a bit of my food, but the older kids enjoyed the dinner.rtn to our hotel and spent a day in bed.

12/22-sick as dog, son much better and mom still sick.older sister took my daughter to the zoo for the day while the older kids went to the beach by the hotel.

12/23-refused to stay in bed on my last full day in hawaii. made myself get up and rented a car. we had such a nice day driving around the island. this time i took a map and oahu revealed book along for directions. we stopped at the valley of the temples and stopped at the byodo in temple,beautiful place and kids enjoyed feeding the fish and swans?bought a few souvenirs and continued our ride. we stopped at a few beaches to sit and look at the waves,stopped at the macadamian nut farm,ate at giovanni%26#39;s shrimp truck (yummy),stopped at more sites and rtn to the hotel. later that evening we ate at tiki%26#39;s bar and grill, you must have the pig quesadilla and a mai tai, they%26#39;re great.went back to the room to satart packing.rtn to the international market place for some last souvenirs and called it a day.

12/24- got picked up at 10:15am for a 1:15pm flight.ate at the airport and back to la we went.turbalance was not too bad and boy was i glad to be home, my boyfriend was waiting for us at the airport and enjoyed christmas dinner at my sisters.

after all the drama we had throughout our vacation, we still managed to have a great time. my boss felt sorry for all we had gone through so she said that she%26#39;ll have to make it up to us on our next trip.

hope you enjoyed my review and happy new year to all!!

we're back!!!!

What a shame that y%26#39;all got sick. I%26#39;m glad you managed to have fun anyway. Trust me, you%26#39;ll be back. There%26#39;s something about HI that never lets you go.

Sorry to hear that a few of your party got sick. Glad you enjoyed yourselves in spite of it.

I fly between LAX and HNL a lot so the turbulence is fairly ordinary to me. I expect turbulence, this way I am not surprised or distressed. I don%26#39;t read a lot into a rough trip, just take it into stride. Those commercial airliners can take A LOT of turbulence. It%26#39;s the passengers that can%26#39;t. If turbulence bothers anyone, getting anti-anxiety medication from a doctor might help.

I have seen flight attendants upset over turbulence but I think it may have more to do with dealing with calming upset passengers and going about their business of serving them than anything else. I%26#39;ve flown all over the world and not had turbulence worse than between LAX and Hawaii except for one trip during the winter between Paris and Chicago. Not sure if that even merits mentioning, but if one has a fear of flying and the added aggravations that heavy turbulence can bring, then fear (even if unwarranted) is understandable I suppose.

I have caught my fair share of colds on flights. I just got over a nasty virus I%26#39;m pretty sure I picked up between SNA and HNL. The cabins of airplanes are not as well ventilated as say the cabin where the pilot and flight crew are located. It is well known that flying is somewhat hazardous to your health in this way. Sometimes planning for the worst is the best you can hope for. That means getting on board healthy and doing your best to protect yourself against nasty virus situations once on board. Keep a supply of Airborne tabs and like meds handy, wash your hands, and don%26#39;t touch your eyes, nose or mouth at all. This is really necessary just in case there is a really sick, grungy individual onboard with you that is like a Typhoid Mary!

you%26#39;re right. on our way back i set my mind in expecting the worse and it wasn%26#39;t that bad. trust me, we had every cold medicine in our hotel room and in our carry on bag to make the flight a little better but it didn%26#39;t help.

oh no! What a time to get ill! I am so sorry!

But you were such a great sport about it and still found some good times!

Did you enjoy the Queen Kap as much as I did? You can be honest ;)

marian

marian, i actually did.i guess i got lucky with a pretty clean room and the noise from the trash/delivery trucks and zoo did not bother us at all. i would consider staying at this hotel again, if i ever get a chance to go back again but i think i%26#39;ll be going to another island or even a cruise to the hawaiian islands (too soon to think about returning specially since i still have that nagging cough)

bummer.....I hope you feel better soon!!!

marian

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