Hawaii Chat!

[wendalah]

I just realized that I go nuts in threads talking about Hawaii--so decided to start a thread for Hawaii-lovers like me! :p

Wanna share experiences, sights, places you've stayed, restaurants you've eaten at? Let's do it here!

DH and I try to go to Hawaii at least once a year. We have visited all the islands except Niihau and Kahoolawe (both of which you can't visit easily--Niihau is for residents only and Kahoolawe is uninhabited). I have been to Oahu four times, Maui three times, the BI four times, Kauai once, Molokai once, and Lanai once. My favorite islands are the BI and Maui.

Hotels we've stayed at (big range, from cheap to luxury!)
OAHU
Ohana Reef
Ambassador
Hawaiiana
Wakiki Parc

MAUI
Grand Wailea
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
Hyatt

B.I.
Mauna Lani
Fairmont Orchid
Dolphin Bay Hilo

KAUAI
Hyatt Poipu

MOLOKAI
Hotel Molokai

LANAI
Manele Bay

[laura]

I just wrote a post about Maui, but then someone came in and I closed the window - damn. We enjoyed ourselves in Maui, and we looooooooooved the Four Seasons in Wailea. Great dinner at Spago, and good breakfast buffet. We also had a great dinner at another restaurant at a smaller hotel (seems like a real dive?) in the Wailea area - I remember people raved about the restaurant before we went so I put it on my "must do" list and when we got there, I was surprised at the location. Of course the name escapes me at the moment. In any case, the view is spectacular at sunset and the food is even better. I had the most heavenly (and huge!) tiger prawns - my husband and I still talk about that meal fondly. ;) We also really enjoyed snorkeling at the crater - Molokini, is it? I'm so bad w/ names.

[justHB]

I love going to Hawaii and seem to do so at the expense of visiting other locations.

We were married on Maui, honeymooned on the Big Island, spent our 3 year anniversary on Kauai, and will be going to Oahu in December with my sister and her husband.

Hotels we have stayed at:
Fairmont Kea Lani [absolutely loved it; can't wait to return]
The Fairmont Orchid [things I liked and things I didn't like]
The Radisson Kauai [we call it the Crapisson because it sucked!]

We will be staying at the Renaissance Ilikai in Waikiki through my timeshare. So far I've read mixed reviews on the location and amenities, but I figure it can't be worse than our stay at the Crapisson.

If we ever go back to Kauai, I will want to stay at the Hyatt or the Marriott. I wasn't a big fan of the Princeville [in fact, I found it somewhat gaudy and overdone].

I'm trying to convince DH that we need to go to Maui for our 10 year dativersary [or 4 year wedding anniversary] but so far he's not budging since it'll only be a month or two after visiting Oahu. The way I see it, it's never a wrong time to visit Maui!

[wendalah]

HB, my husband felt the same way about the Princeville. I'm still kinda curious about it a bit, though! I can vouch the Hyatt in Kauai was dreamy. It sounds like you dropped by to visit it so you probably know already how pretty the grounds are. I liked the south shore because it was sunny. Also, we ate at some good restaurants in Koloa Town. We got REAL mexican food--I was impressed! I also liked the Marriott.

Laura, I think I know what restaurant you are talking about. It's 5 Palms or something like that? It's in that kind of cruddy hotel right at the gateway of Wailea?

Personally my fave experience in Maui was the naked beach in Makena. I am a perv, LOL. :)

[justHB]

Yeah, we had brunch and dinner (at Tidepools) at the Hyatt in Poipu. Sadly, it rained most of the time we were in Kauai. It would be sunny until about 1:00 p.m. and then the skies would open up. The only dry part of the island we could ever find was in Waimea, so we spent some time out that way.

[wendalah]

Kauai was not my favorite island overall. I liked it but I rate BI, Maui, and Oahu all higher.

[chefker]

We honeymooned in Hawaii, but it had been DH's third trip to Hawaii--first time on vacation though! His job sent him there twice previously. (Where can *I* get a job that will send me to Hawaii?)

We started off in Oahu for 2 nights, stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Then 4 nights in Kauai at the Sheraton on Poipu Beach, and finally 5 nights in Maui at the Four Seasons Wailea. Unfortunately we slept through most of our first day in Oahu, we were so beat after the wedding and everything! Wish we had spent more time in Oahu.

I LOVED Kauai. We did a lot of hiking, went up Waimea Canyon (which unfortunately was all fogged in when we got to the summit, so no good pictures!) Also did the Movie Tours thing in a 4 x 4. Next time, we plan on doing this helicopter tour out of Kauai where they let you touch down on Niihau very briefly. I'm not sure how that works, the tour place must get special permission or something. You can't roam Niihau or anything, just land, take a picture, and that's it, from what it sounds like.

Maui was a study in hedonism, staying at the Four Seasons. As my wedding gift to DH, I got us the oceanside massages at their spa. And, ate at ALL their restaurants (we even at appy's at the bar one night!). I think my favorite was the Pacific Rim Grill, although Spago was excellent too! Did the Hana Highway drive too...absolutely breathtaking.

We had rented a car and hit old Lahaina which was fun too. I SO want to go back someday...it won't be anytime soon, but we do want to hit the islands we didn't see the first time.

Figures--my aunt lived in Honolulu for 25 years, but JUST moved to Nevada, for some reason. She kind of regrets moving back to the mainland, as she loves Hawaii so much. If she moves back there (and it sounds like she wants to), we'll stay with her maybe.

[HeatherFL]

Been to:

Maui
Grand Wailea
Four Seasons (my favorite on Maui)
Maui Prince
and in Kihei at some condos I can't remember the names of

Big Island
Four Seasons Kona

Oahu
Have friends there, always stayed with them.

Kauai
Princeville Resort

I will be going to Lanai in January and staying at the Manele Bay Hotel.

I love Spago's too.
I also really enjoy Longhi's in the Wailea shopping center (Maui)
On Kauai Postcards Cafe' was a little bit of a disappointment. The service left a lot to be desired, but it was highly rated by the hotel and by some of the locals, so I am wondering if we just went on a bad night. We enjoyed all the food at the Princeville Resort!

Kauai and Maui are my favorites. Kauai because thus far it has been the most unspoiled of the islands for me. It is just beautiful. Maui because there is so much to do, but it still is relaxing enough to just chill out by the beach with a good book. I met my ex-husband in Maui and we're still friends so even though the marriage didn't work out, I do have fond memories of our times there. :)

H.

[Ohana]

DH is from Hawaii, so we go a lot. My fave places are Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu, just about anywhere on Maui, and The Lodge at Koele on Lanai (I actually like the Lodge better than Manele, because it's so different than all of the rest of the resorts on Hawaii).

HeatherFL definitely check out the Lodge when you go to Lanai. I believe they allow all visitors to take advantage of the amenities at both hotels. Also, rent a Jeep and check out the Garden of the Gods, and visit Shipwreck beach. Go snorkeling near Shipwreck beach, because there's a ton more wildlife (including turtles) there that you won't see at Hulopoe (I think that's how to spell it, it's the beach by Manele).

[nawsgirl]

DH and I stayed at the Kapalua Golf Villas in Kapalua and really liked it a lot. It's just north of Ka'anapali, and was a lot quieter and cheaper. It was kind of a pain in the neck to get around to, say, Kihei and Wailea, as well as to do the road to Hana, but if we go back I would definitely want to stay there again. Lahaina was only about 20 mins away and we spent a lot of time there- we went to Warren & Annabelle's, which was totally amazing and I highly recommend it to anyone, did the Feast at Lele, which we really enjoyed, and a dinner cruise, which we did not like so much. The boat was a little too small for me!! One restaurant I found that we really liked for lunch was Aloha Mixed Plate on the way in to Lahaina. Nothing fancy, but they had these wonderful pork lo mein type noodles.... we ate there twice and both times it was really good.

I'm hoping that after our move to Arizona, Hawaii will be close enough that we can take just a regular vacation there! :p

[justHB]

Kauai was not my favorite island overall. I liked it but I rate BI, Maui, and Oahu all higher.I would go so far as to say that I didn't much like Kauai. That said, I know my views are skewed because of the shitty accommodations and general pain in the ass we experienced while there.

[wendalah]

We liked Kauai, but have just had so much more fun on other islands. I am willing to give it a second chance, though--we are thinking about going in October and are trying to decide what islands. We already have settled on Oahu (probably going to try the Hilton this time) but haven't settled on a second island.

Should we go to Kauai and give it another shot, or be boring and do our usual Maui/BI?

I kind of want to go to Molokai again, too, for a few days--but DH wants to save it for our 5th anniversary. We are going to renew our vows at one of the Catholic churches built by Father Damien.

[chefker]

I think Kauai was my favorite island, because it was so unspoiled. & rural But I've heard similiar things about Molokai & Lanai, which we haven't been to yet.

wendalah, if you go to Kauai again, try to do one of the tour things--like the movie tours (they take you to all the locations on Kauai where movies have been shot--turns out there are hundreds), or the helicopter tour, or a hiking outing. Oh, and we thought the best luau was there, compared to ones on the other islands. The one we went to was the Coconut-something resort....I have a brochure with the name somewhere.

Had we not done any of those activities, I think we probably would have gotten bored really fast, since Kauai doesn't have that cosmopolitan vibe.

[chefker]

Sunset at Poipu beach, first night we were there.....this just makes me want to go back to Hawaii SO bad! :)

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce34b3127cce9fb9f0d9533600000035118AZtWbNk0ctO

[wendalah]

We did a pretty comprehensive tour of Kauai on our own--we dislike guided tours--prefer to get in the car with a guidebook and go at our own pace. DH is an Elvis freak so we checked out the ruins of the Coco Palms, Hanalei Bay, etc...we also went to the west side of the island and combed all the antique stores, went to the canyon, hiked, checked out Glass Beach (our favorite)...etc. Checked out the fern grotto, the Fantasy Island falls, went up north to Queen's Bath and Secret Beach...etc. etc.

The island is very beautiful, and we enjoyed the Hyatt and Poipu. I don't know why...but we just had more fun on Maui and the B.I.

[wendalah]

BTW Molokai and Lanai are nothing like Kauai. Neither one is as lush and beautiful as Kauai. I was disappointed in Lanai--it didn't feel tropical or even particularly that pretty to me...and there's very little to do. It's so small you see the whole island in one day and you're kind of like, OK--now what? The restaurant choices are very limited. The main town feels like a lakeshore town in the midwest, not a tropical island.
We did enjoy snorkeling there because it's so uncrowded and the fish are all over the place.

Molokai has a rugged feel to it and is not luxurious at all, but I liked it better because there were more points of interest. It is VERY natural and unspoiled but not exactly in the same way as Kauai. I am fascinated by the story of Father Damian so I enjoyed seeing the churches (we didn't actually get down to Kalaupapa--we must do that next time). Again, restaurant choices are very limited. But swimming and snorkeling was a trip for the same reason as Lanai--totally uncrowded and unspoiled! In fact, it was so unspoiled that DH and I got stung by jellyfish! (DH has a small jellyfish-sting scar on his wrist that he's very proud of.)

[honeygirl]

Lived on Oahu, visited Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Lanai. My favorite "neighbor island" was probably Maui. I'd have to look at my pictures to remember which hotels we stayed at.

On Oahu my DH and I stayed at the Turtle Bay Resort on the north shore last time we visited. I loved it there, I'd recommend splurging for the cabins (seperate from the main hotel). They are right on the water, have lanai's, marble bathrooms, butlers assigned, mai-tai's on the lawn each night, etc. So heavenly. And the north shore of Oahu is beautiful as it is less crowded/touristy (except during big surf season, the the traffic on the little 2 lane road is horrific).

I'll add more later......

[HeatherFL]

or the helicopter tour, or a hiking outing. Oh, and we thought the best luau was there, compared to ones on the other islands. The one we went to was the Coconut-something resort....I have a brochure with the name somewhere.

I agree. I do helicopter tours every time I'm in Hawaii. In January when I went to Kauai, I took my mom and it was her first time in a helicopter and in Hawaii. SHE LOVED IT!!! The Waimea Canyons were incredible from up high. Plus she got to see whales and their calves from the air.

We also did the luau at the Coconut something resort LOL. I can't remember the name of it either, but it was awesome!

We also really enjoyed the Kilauea Lighthouse!

Heather

[Sonicstef]

This thread has me dreaming of Hawaii now :)

We have been to Maui twice and Oahu once. Oahu was fun but we were blown away by how fun and gorgeous Maui was (thus, went again). We want to Big Island next.

[wendalah]

OK, so what do you guys think--
Four days in Oahu (in October) and four days on either Maui, or Kauai?
Should we give Kauai another shot? Or go to Maui again, which we KNOW we love?

[laura]

I will always vote for Maui, I think.

[honeygirl]

I'd vote Maui also :)

[wendalah]

Ki (DH) said Maui too, so it's probably Maui.

[laura]

Okay Hawaii lovers - riddle me this: 5 nights at the Ritz on Maui or 5 nights on the Big Island (at either the Hapuna Beach Prince or Mauna Lani or the Sheraton - still TBD)?

[justHB]

wendalah - I definitely vote for Maui (but that's not shocking).

We also went to the Coconut whatever luau and thought it was so bad it was comical. We actually left halfway through.

Laura - you know my vote. ;)

[wendalah]

If you haven't been to the BI I'd check it out. It's not like Maui, though...
That said, the Ritz in Maui is very restful. It's up north, kind of out of the way, but in a good way. If you are planning on doing a lot of R&R it's a great choice.

[miaclear]

We went to Maui for ten nights last Sept for our honeymoon and LOVED it. It's the only time I've been but I think I've found my vacation destination favorite. We stayed at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel which is an older resort but it was great. We don't need the big frills that come with staying at the high end resorts. KBH staff was the nicest and it really felt like we were coming home each day, rather than back to the hotel. The bartenders, front desk, nightly entertainment....we knew them all by name when we left. LOVED IT!

This last week my mom found out she was only 6000 miles away from two free tickets to Hawaii for Northwest Airlines. So we decided that her and my dad, and DH and I will be going back in March next year. I am SO excited. I can't wait to get back there.

I don't think there are enough pictures on this thread...let's start sharing :D

Our first sunset
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce23b3127cce9c4a4c9c40b000000016108AcuGjRmzctP

On the road to Hana
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce23b3127cce9c4a4d24009000000016108AcuGjRmzctP

Heading to our favorite snorkel spot
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce23b3127cce9c4a4c87c19b00000016108AcuGjRmzctP

The turtle we swam next to at our favorite snorkel spot (the size of a desk)
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4ce27b3127cce9c4a4df1e3a500000016108AcuGjRmzctP

[ktsb]

I'm so jealous of all you girls who have been to Hawaii multiple times.

I'm planning my second trip, this time to Maui, this November.

I see most of the recommendations for Maui are for the high end hotels. I'm glad they are worth the money.

Any thoughts on hotels that are just a step down from the expensive ones???

By the way I second the comments about Kauai. Very beautiful but needed more action for me.

[Jazz]

Cool thread, wendalah!

Just back from a trip to the BI -- we were there ten days, but spent a week on a live-aboard dive boat, so we only saw a bit of the island. We stayed in the Outrigger Keauhou (which was nice enough for an inexpensive hotel) the first night we were there, and in a house over in Volcano Village our last two nights.

I enjoyed it -- and hope to back and see more someday -- but I personally loved Kauai more (haven't yet been to Maui and Oahu). We went last summer for a late honeymoon, and spent 5 nights on the south shore and 4 nights on the north shore (condos, both -- we're not big hotel/resort people).

I suspect we won't get back for a while, but if and when we do, I'd like to do a Maui/Kauai combo trip.

Wendalah -- as much as I love Kauai, I'd say if you didn't like it, there's no reason to force yourself to go back, go to Maui! And, I loved it because it was so quiet and peaceful. I can totally see why you it might not be what you want out of a vacation if you prefer some nightlife and a chance to get out with other people.

Man, do I miss the fish. Mmmmmmm. But I hate the red-eye back. What a way to end a dream vacation. :)

[wendalah]

KTSB, about what are you budgeting for room rates, if you don't mind me asking?

I always say with some careful planning you can get a good hotel for a decent price.

[ktsb]

Oh, sorry, that was confusing. That's my budget for just the room rates.

Also it seems there's an 11% charge and $15 per day added to all of the room rates so my budget is including all of that. Gotta love it.

[justHB]

I found that not all resorts charge the extra $11 to $15/day for "resort fees" but that the Sheraton's definitely do. I know a number of people who have been able to get rooms at the Outrigger and Marriott in Hawaii for under $150/night through Priceline (depending on what time of year they went). You may also want to try looking in to some of the condo resorts up near Kihei or Napali.

[wendalah]

So, wait, I'm sorry--I missed that--you are looking for under $150 a night?
If you can shave a bit off of your spending budget and go up to $200, you will have a lot more choices.

[justHB]

You know, I thought I saw her say her budget was $150/night but now I don't see it. Yikes, I'm going mad.

:eek:

[ktsb]

someone else posted about $150 a night. I'm looking at about $2,100 total for seven nights.

[justHB]

Have you checked out LuxuryLink.com? I've seen 5, 6, and 7 night packages for well under $2100/total.

[Ohana]

The Ohana Maui Islander is 179 a night. It's not fancy. It's not particularly new, and it's not very close to the beach. But it's within an easy walk of Lahaina.

A lot of our local guests stayed there for our wedding.

Edited to add that the 179 is for a room with kitchen.

[Ohana]

We've also had friends and family stay at the Polynesian Shores (http://www.polynesianshores.com/) over near Napili, and their rates are quite reasonable. They are, however condos, and I don't know if you're interested in condos. I've never actually seen the property, either, so I can't vouch for how nice they are (though the people we know who have stayed there loved it).

[justHB]

For our wedding (in 2002), I booked my mom and sister at the Maui Lu Resort in Kihei for something like $139/night. It wasn't great, but it was centrally located.

[ktsb]

Any hotel recommendations in the $250 - $300 range?

I'm not looking for inexpensive necessarily. I'm looking just a step below the Four Seasons and The Fairmont.

Thanks!

[justHB]

Do you have a preference for which part of the island you want to stay at? I am a fan of the Wailea area and you could probably get a room at the Marriott/Renaissance/Outrigger down there for that price range.

Like I said earlier, I've known people to get rooms at mid-to-high range hotels for well under that price via Hotwire and Priceline, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

[wendalah]

I would suggest the Maui Hyatt and book their Aloha rate or the "Sunshine On Sale" package--one night free plus daily breakfast. Either should keep you in your price range.

DH and I do like the Wailea area better than Kaanapali (the Hyatt is in Kaanapali)--but we stayed at the Maui Hyatt for our first anniversary in June 2004 and had a LOVELY time there. I think the Hyatt is one of the Maui resorts that gives you a lot of bang for the buck--lots of tropical atmosphere, friendly service, the fun "swim-up" bar and waterslide, a GREAT spa. The rooms are pleasant and we had exemplary service there--better than the Fairmont on the Big Island, which we also stayed at for our anniversary (following maui).

Echoing HB, the Outrigger/Marriott in Wailea is also really nice. A little quieter than the Hyatt and not as groovy IMO but the Wailea area is GREAT.

Sometimes you can get a slamming deal on the Grand Wailea. We stayed there for our honeymoon and I think we got it for around $300/night. This will require some hunting around.

I also like the Maui Prince in nearby Makena. It's got a poopy pool area but the hotel itself is airy and beautiful, Makena beach is great, and they have good car/breakfast packages in your range. www.princeresortshawaii.com/MPH

Also, check out the Napili Kai--www.napilikai.com--it's got a bit of a '60s feel to it, but not in an unpleasant or shabby way.

[ktsb]

Thanks so much wendalah that's exactly what I was looking for.

You've confirmed my top two choices so far which are the Hyatt and the Marriott.

[laura]

I would choose the Hyatt over the Marriott, but that's just my 2 cents.

[justHB]

One of my co-workers stayed at the Hyatt a couple of months back and said it was fabulous.

[singerwife]

Hi! I'm late to the game here, but DH and I are going to Hawaii in October. Our trip is a bit different though, as DH's best friend is set to ship out to Iraq for a year and this is our last chance to see him. He has a condo in Honolulu, so he's pretty familiar with the area, but he'll be working during the day. So, DH and I are on our own for the weekday daylight hours.

Since I have no concept of the city/area layout, my questions are:
Will we need to rent a car or is public transportation good?
Can anyone recommend Honolulu sights and/or area day trips?
Ditto restaurants.

We're pretty much going to hang with DH's friend, and we're very much into out of the way, local spots. Also love state parks, beaches, historical stuff, and just hanging out. Any suggestions are appreciated!

[wendalah]

Public transportation in Honolulu is good, but I would rent a car so you can explore the entire island at your own pace. The drive out of Waikiki and around the island is, in itself, a wonderful day trip! Oahu is so beautiful when you get out of city limits.

A few basic "must-dos"
--Make sure to drive up to the North Shore, it's totally different from Waikiki, much more laid-back.
--Hanauma Bay is touristy and can be crowded, but we liked it. Go early in the morning and snorkel before the crowds come.
--The Bishop Museum has all sorts of interesting exhibits about Hawaiian history and culture.
--You can hike Diamond Head. We haven't done it but I hear it's great and you get a mindblowing view at the top!
--Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona is a must-see.
--Downtown Honolulu has a big Chinatown and interesting shopping/eating (separate from Waikiki, which also has interesting shopping/eating--but more along the Louis Vuitton-type shopping).
--The Polynesian Cultural Center has luaus and shows, plus teaches you all about the various Polynesian cultures. It costs a bit to get in.
--Stop by the Mandarin Oriental for lunch and to see the dolphins--they have a Dolphin Encounter there.

[singerwife]

Wendalah...THANK YOU! This is exactly what I was hoping for! Good stuff!

Oh, this might be stupid, but what is the typical dress? I'm sure anything is okay, but in the Keys it's all shorts all the time...Puerto Rico is dressier, esp. in the evenings...NY in the summer is more chic...Maine is jeans and Tevas.

Do you have a sense for HI?

[HeatherFL]

It's just casual. Shorts, skirts, comfortable shoes, etc. If you want to dress up for a nice dinner, it doesn't have to be ultra-formal. A nice dress or top and skirt.

:)

H.

[vjel]

I second wendalah's suggestions for Oahu. :D We were there almost 3 years ago for 10 days. We stayed at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental (FABULOUS!) and really liked being away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. We did fine w/ the hotel shuttle to Waikiki and then bussed or cabbed wherever we wanted to go.

We did rent a car for the last several days and dedicated one day to doing a drive around the entire island. It was wonderful! We stopped off at all the "key" spots (ie. Hanauma Bay, Dole Plantation, North Shore, etc.). We didn't do Diamond Head but wish we had. We met some folks who did do the hike though and said bring WATER and be prepared to hike. (they were fairly fit people and had a semi-hard time w/ it...maybe b/c of the heat?). Polynesian Cultural Center was interesting I thought, met some cool people at the luau. You would need a car to drive there or take a chartered/tour bus (we bought tickets for PCC so we were part of a "tour" I guess). I wish we had more time in Chinatown...but I think we were a little nervous being down there and not knowing where to go. At the time, they were having some issues w/ drugs and crime (lots of signs on storefronts regarding this) so we didn't stay as long as we would've liked.

I agree the attire is casual, shorts, tanks, tees, etc. We went to a fine dining restaurant (Chef Mavro, it was YUMMY) and even there it wasn't all that dressy. I did capris and a dressier top and was perfectly fine.

*sigh* I want to go back now... :p

ETA: a former co-worker of mine grew up in Hawaii (parents still live there so he goes back to see them a couple times a year) always goes to eat at Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch and Crab (very casual) as soon as he gets off the plane (it's off Nimitz Hwy). We did go there to try it out but didn't think it was great...maybe b/c we were SO jetlagged and didn't enjoy ANY meal for the first few nights we were there. There is also a Sam Choy's at Diamond Head at the W Hotel (I think) but I think it's a different atmosphere there.

[wendalah]

Attire is as Heather said--casual as can be. It's hot and humid all year round so you will want to live in a bikini and shorts and flip-flops. I always bring a few little sundresses to look cute for dinners out, but you can wear shorts to most restaurants.

[Ohana]

Regarding attire, I think it depends on where you visit. I froze when I went to Lanai, because I had only packed shorts and T-shirts. If you're visiting the higher elevations (well, high for Hawaii, that is), I'd recommend bringing some warmer clothes and maybe even a sweater.

[wendalah]

I think she said she was going to Oahu :)

[singerwife]

Thanks everyone...this is really great stuff! I appreciate the feedback.

And yes, since we're pretty much there to spend time with DH's best friend, we intend to stay close to his place. But these day trips sound terrific!

[karina]

Have you been to any of the following hotels:

Hilton Hawaiian Village
Outrigger Reef
Outrigger Waikiki on the beach
Maui Prince
Sheraton Maui

can you tell me a little bit about them?

[HeatherFL]

Been to both islands. The only place I've stayed on your list is at the Maui Prince and it was almost 8 years ago. Very nice hotel. The restaurant there was also very good! It's in Wailea and that's the part of Maui I prefer to stay in. :)

I am a Four Seasons girl myself and prefer to stay in their properties while in the Hawaiian Islands. They sometimes have really good specials going on! I'm sure others on the boards have written about the places you've written about because they seem familiar. I think they've gotten good reviews. Have a fabulous time! When are you going? (I'll be in Hawaii in January--Lanai and Oahu :) .)

~H.

[Ohana]

We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village this past Christmas, and it was wonderful! Keep in mind, though, that the property is huge and while the rooms are quite nice and the staff is pretty good, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.

It is, however, on Waikiki and within walking distance of the shopping area near Waikiki.

We also stayed at the Maui Sheraton a few years ago. Again, I really liked it. Their pool was pretty nice, and it's right there on Kaanapali Beach. If you do stay at the Sheraton, go to the other side of Black Rock, though, because the beach is less crowded.

The one thing (and this is minor, I know) I didn't like about the Sheraton is that it's a bit far to get into Lahaina (you'll need a car of a shuttle ride). This property was also huge, and I spent my first few days hopelessly lost most of the time. If you stay here, try to get a room in the main part of the hotel, near the front desk, because those rooms are closer to the pool, beach, tennis courts, etc.

[alibaba]

I was just about to start a post on Honolulu and Maui but you beat me too it! ;)

DH and I are planning on going the first week of November. We just got our flights in order now we have to book two hotels. I think I have Maui down but I'm having trouble with Honolulu. We are only planning on staying there two nights. The main reason for going there is that DH is dying to go to Pearl Harbor so we don't need a gorgeous hotel. Any suggestions??

Also do you think that 1 full day in Honolulu is enough to site see? I don't really know what else is there. Any other impressive sites to see? Has anyone been?

Any information you can give would be great. TIA!

[KB57]

We went to Maui, the Big Island (Kona) and Honolulu for our HM in May.

We stayed in the Hilton Hawaiian Village---keep in mind its RIGHT in the middle of Waikiki-which is a city. We had just come from the Four Seasons (highly recommend them) in Kona on the Big Island, and I guess I just was not prepared for the hustle and bustle in Waikiki itself. The hotel is a nice hotel, it is very big, plenty of places to eat, but I was definitely in culture shock when we arrived. It was like being back in NY LOL

In Maui we stayed at the Grand Wailea, which was spectacular. Their spa was awesome too. The breakfast buffet was so yummy. I loved Maui-we visited Lahaina too, it was such a cute little town. On Maui, you have to eat the Seawatch and Mama's Fish House.

Like HeatherFL look into the Four Seasons. We stayed there on the Big Island, and they were unbelievable. I've never had better service or saw a nicer property. They outdo themselves, and are well worth the price.

Whatever you decide, you will certainly love Hawaii. It is an amazing, magnificent place to visit.

[wendalah]

The Four Seasons on Maui is great but a little pricey. If it's not in your budget, I'd recommend the Sheraton over the Prince. The Prince is in a nicer area and is a nice hotel, but the Sheraton is overall a nicer property.

[justHB]

I like the Sheraton in Maui over the Maui Prince. Of course, I've never stayed there, just walked through. I think when we go back to Maui we'll probably stay at the Westin or the Sheraton.

[ejs]

Which part of Maui do you want to be in: Wailea or Kaanapali?

We've stayed at the Maui Prince. Never again. The rooms were nothing special. The hotel is pretty secluded. The restaurants close early. There's only one bar/lounge area.

In Wailea, we liked the Fairmont, especially the villas. My ILs stayed at the Four Seasons and were happy with it, but not overly impressed.

[J&K2003]

We stayed at the Outrigger Reef in Waikiki last summer. It was very nice, and right on the beach-- walk out the back doors and into the sand. :D

[QT Pie]

I stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in June and thought it was great, but a bit crowded. The location was wonderful though and the rooms and views were nice. However, we stayed at the Four Seasons in Maui and that just blew me away!:)

[Suzlywoozly]

We went to both islands on our honeymoon. We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and totally loved it. We got upgraded to an ocean view room in the Rainbow Tower. Just to mention something about Waikiki is that if you are renting a car, be very careful not to leave anything in it when you get out. We were at the big mall there and DH had left a couple t-shirts in the car. When we were done shopping and got back to the car, someone had broken into the car. They were so stupid that they even stole a bottle of water and a pack of gum! It was a great way to start off our honeymoon!!

In Maui we stayed at the Marriott. I think it is a timeshare now. The Ritz Carlton and the Grand Wailea are suppose to be awesome, but pricey.

[karina]

We chose the Outrigger Reef and Sheraton Maui. Wish us luck!

[ptcrn]

We were just in Hawaii for our honeymoon and stayed at the Marriott Waikiki in Honolulu for one night. I wish it had been longer! We were there just long enough to see Pearl Harbor before having to catch our flight to Kauai. I would think 2 days is enough to see a couple major things. It is very different from what I expected and unless you rent a car, you probably won't see much more than whats in the city itself.

The Marriott was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in! They gave us a free upgrade to a business suite which was gorgeous and huge. The beds are incredible! We were on something like the 26th floor and had a great view of the ocean and the city. I highly recommend it.

Oh and the other thing about Pearl Harbor- get there early! We got there about 30 min after they opened and ended up waiting in line for over an hour! We were lucky to get tickets. Once they give them all out for the day, that's it. They are free, though. I think they open at 7.

Hope that helps!

[wendalah]

Good choices--the Outrigger Reef is a fun hotel and right on the beach, right in the thick of all the action. And the Sheraton is more peaceful and zen. It's a nice combo!

[JLRenheos]

I was able to fly out to Honululu last Friday and just flew back home yesterday for $175 round trip. It was a last minute trip & a very short one to. My father booked the hotel & I was able to stay with him for free at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel. He had an inside room, but we had a patio that faced the lounge area & the pool/jacuzzi, so that was nice. It wasn't terribly fancy or anything. I didn't spend a lot of time in the room. It's too nice to be in a room while in Hawaii. There is a safe & small refrigerator in the room. The bathroom was big & there was a walk-in tiled shower. Don't forget to bring your key with you EVERYWHERE you go! You must have it ready in hand just to use the lobby restrooms & to have the elevator take you up the your room. It's just simply for access only for the patrons that are staying there. There were lots of shops in the hotel & there are lots of activities to do there. It is right on the beach. If you walk towards the Hale Koa Hotel (Military) the beach is less crowded & there.-It's actually a very nice hotel. More of an older crowd. Withing walking distance, there is an ABC store there - like a CVS with probably anything that you might need. Also, you're close to all of the shopping.

There is a place called Todai's which is an all you can eat seafood buffet. We never went, but it looks interesting. I don't know how much it costs.

I highly recommend going to the very downstairs on the lobby and booking a tour with an agent. There are diff. companies that you can book with. My father & I did an Oahu nature tour. We booked a tour to do the Diamond Head Crater Adventure Price is $20 PP. There are 2 diff. pickup times. One is at 6 A.M. and the other is at 9:30 A.M. Drop off times are at 9:30 A.M. and 12:00 Noon. Walking time is 2 hrs. and the is rated Moderate. It can be pretty physical at times & make sure you wear your tennis shoes. I must say that it is extremely beautiful from the top & our tour guide was great! He told us a lot about Diamond Head & Hawaii & a lot of other great things! I suggest going early in the A.M., so that you have the rest of the day to enjoy & you can see the sunrise & it is not as hot. On this tour, they do provide you with a poncho just in case it rains (it did on our trip, but cleared up beautifully) and bottled water. At the end of you trip they give you a certificate saying that you climbed Diamond Head.

If you can, rent a car & go to Nuannu Pali Lookout. It is just beautiful! Really breathtaking! It is located in Oahu.

We also took the same taxi on over from Pali Lookout & headed on over to
Hanauma Bay Preserve. Same thing, it is just simply beautiful!!!!!! It's on the southeast side of the volcani coastline. Great views! It is also in Oahu! There is a beach there and the water there is clear. I've also heard that if you want to snorkle, that is the place to go! I had wanted to go snorkling there, but didn't get a chance to. so sad.

Bring lots of film, if you can bring along a camera that can take Panoramic pictures!

Here are a list of tours:


I really wanted to do tour #9, but didn't get a chance to! I was leaving the same day.



#1 Diamond Head Crater Adventure $20 PP / 2 1/2 hr. trip

#2 Discover Honolulu's Hidden Waterfalls $37 PP /4 hr. trip

#3 Hawaiian Waterfall Hiking Adventure $37 PP / 4 hr. trip

#4 Natural Highlights of Oahu Adventure $32 PP / 5 hr. trip

#5 Moutain Rainforest Adventure $39 PP / 5 hr. trip

#6 Valley of the Rainbows Adventure $37 PP / 4 hr. trip

#7 Lost Coast of Oahu Adventure $42 PP / 5 hr. trip

#8 Explore the Famous North Shore $35 PP / 5 hr. trip

#9 Manoa Waterfall Hiking Adventure $35 PP / 4 hr. trip
- the tour person suggested this tour also! - she says it's beautiful there

#10 Grand Adventure - combine the #1 Diamond Head Crater Adventure with any other tour for only $52

#11 Deluxe Adventure - Combine any two adventures for only $65

#12 Special Pass - This option is for those guests who are interested in exploring a wide variety of unique ecosystems on Oahu. Combine any three adventures for only $97

The tours can be taken on separate days.

For Reservations and information please call: (808) 924-2473

http://www.oahunaturetours.com

Pick up the brochures in your hotel or go to the info. desk. Look through them, you'll see lots of coupons & things to go see and/or do!

At the Outrigger, we ate at the all you can eat breakfast buffet there. It was $20 total for my Dad & I. Fast & easy! - and a nice view of the beach!

We also ate breakfast down by the pool area (under the umbrellas). We had their special for $4.99-2 eggs, 2 french toast, and 2 pieces of bacon or sausage. On recommendation from Twylla I tried POG-which is Passion fruit juice, Orange juice and Guavo. I must say that it is very delicious!

Near the hotel, there is a Cheesecake Factory & somewhere there is a Chili's.

BTW, obviously, the pineapple there is soooooo delicious!

have cash in hand for Taxi's & for plenty of shopping!!

Have a Blast & hope you have great weather! I wish that I didn't have to come back!

[justHB]

In Wailea, we liked the Fairmont, especially the villas. My ILs stayed at the Four Seasons and were happy with it, but not overly impressed. We were married at the Fairmont, so of course I'm biased, but it was my favorite property in Wailea.

[Rosebud]

I stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village two years ago and didn't love it all that much. Our room was fine (good view!) and the beach was nice. The resort was just WAY too big for me. Service was non-existent... there were so many people the staff couldn't possibly have helped them all. Once or twice we had really simple questions (for example: is there a jacuzzi on the property?) and couldn't get to anyone for an answer, or the staff we asked didn't know. I don't think it's a bad place, just not romantic or personal in my opinion.

On Maui, the Sheraton is great. Some of the best snorkeling on the island is right off their beach. However, I like the Westin even a bit better than the Sheraton if you want to stay in Ka'anapali.

Have fun!!

[HeatherFL]

Bumping this up. I am heading out to Hawaii and while I've been to the islands several times, it will be my first trip to Lanai. I'd like to start collecting "must dos/sees" and great places to dine. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. :D

Thanks in advance!

Heather

[wendalah]

Disclaimer--We went in 2003 and things may have changed since then.

Lanai must-do #1--GET A JEEP. You are severely restricted in a regular rental car. That said, I can't give you much advice on where to drive because we weren't able to do a lot of it. We did have fun driving around the paved roads of the island--easily done in a couple of hours. From one lookout point you can see all the islands practically bumping up against each other--from another point, a real shipwreck--beautiful!

Lanai is weird. Prepare yourself, it's nothing like the other islands. The Manele Bay has a tropical feel to it, but aside from that, there is very little else tropical or "hawaiian-feeling" about this island. Most of it is pine trees and dirt roads. The main town is barely a town at all--more like a park surrounded by a ring of small stores. The restaurants are pretty rustic (like, screen-door and order-at-the-counter rustic) and the shops are little artsy-craft type places. If you want fine dining you are best off at the resorts. The places in town don't serve anything very fancy. Probably my favorite food was at a place called Pele's--they make sandwiches and vegetarian stuff. Everything is VERY casual there. I wore a sundress to dinner in town one night and everyone looked at me oddly. At the resort, people dress up a little more for dinner.

We visited the Lodge at Koele but didn't eat there. It's very English, all hunter-green and dark woods and tea and scones-type decor.

Two things that are unsurpassed about Lanai--snorkeling and stargazing. The fish are huge and there are tons of them, plus there are lots of odd underwater rock formations. Snorkeling right off the Manele Bay beach is fantastic. You can even see dolphins in the afternoons. At night, the sky is so black that you can see more stars than you've ever seen in your life.

The island is good for sports activity. If you like to golf, hike, ride horses, snorkel, etc.--it's great for all that. It's also good if you want to veg out and do nothing. I will be honest, we found it very boring there and probably won't return. I think we would have had more fun if we'd had a Jeep.

[HeatherFL]

Thanks so much!

~H.

[la_bride_2004]

DH and I went on our honeymoon in March 2004 and we loved it so much we went back this year for our anniversary. I compiled a word doc of all things Maui, so I thought I would paste it here.

Where to Stay:

Sheraton Maui
Visit: www.sheraton.com/maui

Maui Prince Hotel
Visit: www.PrinceResortsHawaii.com

Napili Kai Beach Resort
Visit: www.napilikai.com

Royal Lahaina Resort
Call: (800) 22-ALOHA or www.2maui.com

The Kapalua Villas
Visit: www.kapaluavillas.com

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa
Call: 1-800-55-HYATT or Visit: www.maui.hyatt.com

The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui
Call: 1-800-659-4100 or Visit: www.fairmont.com

Destination Resorts Hawaii
Call: 1-800-367-5246 or Visit: www.drhmaui.com

The Ka`anapali Ali`i
Call: 1-800-642-6284 or Visit: www.kaanapalialii.com

Lahaina Shores Beach Resort
Call: 1-800-642-6284 or Visit: www.lahainashores.com

Pu`unoa Beach Estates
Call: 1-800-642-6284 or Visit: www.puunoabeachestates.com

Hotel Hana Maui
Call: 1-800-321-4262 or Visit www.hotelhanamaui.com

Outrigger Maui Eldorado
Call: 1-888-339-8585 or Visit: www.outrigger.com

Ka`anapali Beach Hotel
Call: 1-800-262-8450 or Visit: www.kbhmaui.com/resort/rates.html

The Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa
Call: 1-800-888-6100. or Visit: www.grandwailearesort.com

The Sheraton Molokai Lodge and Beach Village
Call: 1-800-782-9488 or Visit: www.sheratonmolokai.com

Hotel Lana`i and Henry Clay's Rotisserie
Call: 1-800-795-7211 or Visit: www.hotellanai.com

The Lodge at Koele and the Manele Bay Hotel, Island of Lana`i
Call: 1-800-321-4666 or Visit: www.islandoflanai.com

The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua
Call 1-800-262-8440 or Visit www.ritzcarlton.com

Kapalua Bay Hotel & Ocean Villas
Call: 1-800-367-8000 or Visit: www.kapaluabayhotel.com



My girlfriend sent me this:

Here are some of my Maui must-dos:

1. Road to Hana: Yes, it's long. And it's tiring. But it's SO WORTH IT!! This is the most beautiful scenery on Maui-- from waterfalls that you can swim underneath to botanical gardens with sweeping views of the coast to beaches surrounded by lava rock. Here are my tips for seeing the Road to Hana:

--Rent a car. It's more fun to drive this yourself and set your own pace than be stuck with a tour group.

--Pack a lunch and snacks (or buy prepared picnic lunches in Paia, at the beginning of the Road to Hana). There are no restaurants for a long time on the way to Hana!

--Pack water sandals (for walking in streams), bug spray and bottled water. The bug spray is especially important. You will get some nasty bites, otherwise!

--Bring along a tour on tape or CD (available in any ABC store or at gas stations) or a thorough guidebook.

--Wear a bathing suit under your clothes if you want to swim under the waterfalls. Bring several towels.

--Start EARLY. This is definitely an all-day trip. Try to be on the road by 7am.

-- Some of the coolest things to see along the way (in my opinion): Waikamoi Ridge Trail, Twin Falls, Garden of Eden, Keanae Village, Waianapanapa State Park.

2. Take a snorkeling trip! I'd skip Molokini (it was WAY too crowded when we went there) and go out to Lanai with the Pacific Whale Foundation (the best snorkeling tours on Maui, no contest!). You'll see dolphins along the way-- this is actually one of the most memorable things I've ever done on Maui. Their website: Pacific Whale Foundation Snorkeling Tours

3. Hike in the Iao Valley. It's gorgeous here-- so lush and green. And it doesn't take very long to see the area.

4. Find a great beach and lie on it. We had so much fun driving around to to check out the beaches on the island. Kehei has some nice, uncrowded stretches. Head north toward Kapalua for very scenic spots. Ka'anapali is great but can get windy. The beaches on the east side of the island have lava rocks on the shore-- really cool to see.

5. Eat lots of fresh pineapple and local fish. Drink multiple "lava flows."



Links-


Feast at Lele- you get to sit at a private table instead of a bench

http://www.best-luaus.com/Feast%20at%20Lele/


Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show

http://www.hawaiimagic.com/


Boat that goes to Molokini for Snorkeling

http://www.mauicharters.com/


Top 10 Things to Do in Maui

http://www.top-10-hawaii.com/340.htm


Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours

http://bluehawaiian.com/


Pacific Whale Foundation (tours, sunset cruises, etc.)

http://www.pacificwhale.org/


Recommendations for the Hyatt Luau over the Sheraton

Everything Maui in one place

http://www.maui-info.com/


Sunset Evening Cruise

http://www.rainbowchasermaui.com/index.html


Old Lahaina Luau
http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/flash.html

Maui Myth & Magic Theatre - 'Ulalena
http://www.mauitheatre.com/

Info from reservations.
http://www.mauitheatre.com/html/reservations.html
Overview of Maui
Overview of Maui
Websites for overviews (with many topics).

http://www.gohawaii.com

http://www.maui.net/

http://www.maui-vacation.net/

"Guide to the Path Less Traveled"
http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/index.html

They claim to have "Everything Maui...In One Place!"
The site is really worth checking out.
http://www.maui-info.com
Maui Beaches
Really great reference (with pictures and maps) of many of the beaches in Maui.

http://www.maui.net/~tkern/beaches.html
Restaurants
Highly recommend David Paul’s Lahaina Grill for a romantic dinner. Kimo’s and Leilani’s are good for lunch or watching the sunset.
Useful references for restaurants

http://www.alohafriends.com/Maui_restaurants.html

http://www.alohadestinations.com/maui/restaurants/

http://boards.weddingchannel.com/sh...215#post2617215

http://www.mauimenusonline.com/
This site has a table of restaurants including their location and phone number. Good reference for making reservations or seeing what restaurants are in the area you would like to eat.
http://www.mauibound.com/restaurant..._list_maui.html

This one gives you addresses too for "Gourmet Beach Houses".
http://www.maui.net/~nuinorth/restaurants.htm

Sorted by type of food.
http://www.lahaina.com/food.htm
This website presents the Maui News sixth annual reader's poll of the Best Restaurants in Maui.

http://www.mauigateway.com/~rw/rest.htm

Maui Bicycling
Haleakala Downhill, Bike Down the Volcano
http://www.bikemaui.com/

Maui Downhill Bicycle Tours
http://www.mauidownhill.com/

Maui Sunriders Bike Co.
http://mauibikeride.com/

Mountain Riders Bike Tours
http://www.mountainriders.com/

Aloha Bicycle Tour
http://www.mauibike.com/

Cruiser Phil’s Bike Down the Volcano
http://www.cruiserphil.com/

Up Country Cycles
http://www.bikedownthevolcanomaui.com/
Maps of Maui
Hawaii drive guide maps (includes all islands)

*Nice site with good graphics and detail*

http://www.driveguidemagazines.com/maps.html
Road to Hana
Road to Hana
Road to Hana

General info and tips
http://www.hanamaui.com/
http://www.alohafriends.com/roadtohana.html
http://www.mauivisitor.com/text_hana.html
http://www.maui-vacation.net/hana.html

Photo journey along the famous Hana Highway in Maui
http://www.hawaiihighways.com/photos-Hana-Hwy.htm
http://gohawaii.about.com/library/weekly/aa051099.htm
http://www.alternative-hawaii.com/special/mns.htm

Sites that sell tapes/CD of journey
http://www.maui-info.com/hanatape.html
http://www.rwmaudio.com/tapeliststate.asp?Stateid=HI

Frommer's info

People’s reviews of the Road to Hana

[la_bride_2004]

Beach at Ka'anapali

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp45%3Dot%3E2329%3D5%3A8%3D855%3 DXROQDF%3E232379979%3C%3A3%3Bot1lsi

Whales! We went in March, and they really were this close. We shot these sitting on the beach, no zoom lens required!

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp47%3Dot%3E2329%3D5%3A8%3D855%3 DXROQDF%3E232379979%3B%3A75ot1lsi

Sunrise at Haleakala (yes, it really was worth getting up in the middle of the night, and it really is as cold as they warn you!)

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp4%3Enu%3D3238%3E4%3B7%3E764%3E WSNRCG%3D3232943%3B%3C5868nu0mrj

Temple at Byodo In- this is on O'ahu

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp54%3Dot%3E2329%3D5%3A8%3D855%3 DXROQDF%3E23234%3B784%3A3%3B7ot1lsi

Waikiki sunset

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2329%3D5%3A8%3D855%3 DXROQDF%3E23234%3B7858%3A59ot1lsi

Bishop Museum- O'ahu. I really enjoyed going here and learning more about Hawaiian history and seeing the artifacts.

http://images.snapfish.com/34554%3C5923232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E2329%3D5%3A8%3D855%3 DXROQDF%3E23234%3B799%3B65%3Bot1lsi

\

[HeatherFL]

WOW I am impressed. Great pictures too!

I love whale watching in Maui! :)

~H.

[SweetRed]

Subscribing and thanks for all the information so far! DH and I are going at the end of December into January. We're staying 4 nights in Oahu and 5 nights in Maui. Cannot wait!!!

~ Kay

[RyeRye]

Hi Everyone, I was hoping you can help me out. I'm going to Maui at the end of December for a family reunion. We're taking our toddler with us...yikes! We're staying at the Outrigger Royal Kahana because it's the only place that was available the week after Christmas and had 2 rooms plus a kitchen. I'm not expecting much, as I stayed at the Fairmont last time I went! When I was there last, I did the bike down the volcano, snorkeled Molokini, did a sunset cruise, and went to the Old Lahaina Luau. This trip will be very different because I'll have my toddler. My questions are:

1. Anyone have any recs for what you can do there with a toddler besides go to the beach?
2. My mom will be there and will take my son for one day. If you were to do one outing without the baby, what would it be? Hana? Helicopter? Other?
3. We also have one free night without the baby. Would you see Ulalena or Warren and Annabelles show?

Thanks!

[PaulsGirl]

Hey all,

Another Hawaii lover here. I've been four times, twice with hubby. We went to Maui (Hyatt in Kaanapali) and Kauai (Hyatt Poipu) for our honeymoon, then went back for our one-year anniversary to Maui (Four Seasons) and Kauai (Hanalei Bay Resort). The room at the HBR, IMO, sucked so bad I can't even speak about it to this day. ::shudder::

We've decided our favorite island is Kauai. We just love the lush green scenery and the remoteness, yet just enough restaurants/shops to keep us happy.

The Four Seasons in Wailea was absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to go back.

The Hyatt in Kaanapali...nice but I didn't really like our room much.

The Hyatt is Poipu was DREAMY. Wow. What an amazing place to honeymoon. I still get goosebumps when I remember walking into the lobby as newlyweds and everything just being so gorgeous.

I crave Aloha Mixed Plate in Maui to this day! We were planning a trip this year, but it's been moved to 2006. We need to find a place with a kitchenette as we'll have our little one with us. I guess no Four Seasons this time. WAH!

[justHB]

The room at the HBR, IMO, sucked so bad I can't even speak about it to this day. ::shudder::That's how I am with the condo we had at the Kauai Beach Villas (next to the Radisson, which apparently, is no longer the Radisson).We were planning a trip this year, but it's been moved to 2006. We need to find a place with a kitchenette as we'll have our little one with us. I guess no Four Seasons this time. WAH!I've heard there are some great luxury condos in Kapaula and Napili.

[nawsgirl]

We need to find a place with a kitchenette as we'll have our little one with us. I guess no Four Seasons this time. WAH!

We stayed at the Kapalua Golf Villas for our honeymoon, and it was really nice. It was a 1 bd/2ba condo with kitchenette, washer/dryer, etc. I've heard it is important to ask for a renovated or updated unit with a/c- since they are all privately owned, they are in a wide spectrum of conditions.

[SiValleySteph]

We just got back from Oahu. One thing I love about Hawaii is that you can always drive away and find a deserted/mostly deserted beach.

Here is one we found on Oahu that we loved:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cf09b3127cce95c2cdd37f8a00000015108EZuWrFs4aK
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cf09b3127cce95c2cdaafec300000015108EZuWrFs4aK

[honeygirl]

SiValleySteph- Your baby is beautiful! I loved that Oahu has somewhat deserted beaches also! However, I often got lazy and tended to go to beaches where there were showers. I hated that sticky/salty feeling if I had a long drive in the car.

Your pictures look like the Ewa side to me (the 2nd one) Where were they taken?

-Anne

[SiValleySteph]

Thanks honeygirl! :D

These pictures are from a beach just south of La'ie (Northeast part of the island). I think it might be called Pounders Beach. There are no signs. A big bonus was this beach did have water to rinse off with (also picnic tables), but that is all. During the week it was just us and a group of 6 local teenagers and then on Saturday there were a few more people, but still pretty sparse.

[honeygirl]

Yes, La'ie. That's near Kaaawa right? I used to see clients way up there and would be envious of the beaches that I had to drive past. It is pretty sparse up that way, not many people around. I used to buy snacks at the 7 Eleven.

Did you stay in a rental up there?

[SiValleySteph]

It's just past that a little ways.

We actually stayed in Waikiki on the beach at Outrigger Reef and just drove up there two days. Once we went around to the North Shore afterwards and once just to go back to that beach. It's about an hour drive, but worth it. So beautiful!

Definitely not too many people around, but we did stop at a pizza place close by afterwards the second time and the guy there was really nice & friendly.

[sportyj]

How can you book those island hopper trips? DH and I want to do Kauai and Maui do you do it yourself or is there a website that has those trips?

[wendalah]

It's really easy to do it yourself. To do a two-island vacation here's basically all you need to consider:

1) Booking a roundtrip flight from the mainland
2) Booking an interisland flight between your two islands
3) Booking lodging on both islands

Interisland flights run practically every hour. You can book them via Hawaiian Air or Aloha Air. You can also go to a site like pleasantholidays.com, which makes it easy to tailor a multi-island package.

[Rosebud]

Hey Wendy & all the other Hawaii fans...

I just posted a long review from our November trip to Kauai, along with a bunch of photos. Here's the link:

Kauai Trip Review & Photos (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=11974)

:D

[justHB]

Those pics of Oahu are making me so excited. Twenty days until we leave for our vacation!

[eb23sheree]

My brother moved to Hawaii a few months ago to attend Grad School. He sent me some pictures that just made me drool! I'm thrilled though to have a good reason to go there now and even more thrilled to have a place to stay when we come up with the $$ for a plane ticket!

[justcbk]

just returned from a trip to the big island. it was terrific! i don't want to take up space with a long review, but if anyone is planning on traveling there i'd be more than happy to answer questions/make recommendations on hotels, activities, restaurants.

[PaulsGirl]

But we love long reviews, especially with pics, am I right ladies? ;)

[thelittlebabu]

Two things that MUST be done in Hawaii:

Guided bike ride down the volcano on Maui. It will screw your next day up because you get picked up at your hotel at 2:30 in the morning, but it's worth it. You wait at the top for the sunrise and at 10000 feet above the sea in the middle of the Pacific, you'll never see another sunrise like it again. You want a guided ride down because the van that brought you to the top will act as a blocker for the cars behind you. The tour includes a breakfast stop along the way and ends on a beach. Cinder to sand.

Helicopter tour of Kauai. Kauai is by far the most beautiful island and the views from the air are amazing.

The volcano helicopter tour on the Big Island is cool, but if you leave from Hilo where it rains a lot and gets a lot of fog, your tour could be grounded. If you know you'll have good weather for it, then book it, but be careful if you're booking a day trip from another island. You could miss out thanks to the weather.

[akwifeandmomma]

We're heading to Hawaii in two weeks! I'm too too excited, and need ideas and recommendations for fun, family-friendly things to do on Oahu. My son is fine walking, we're not planning on taking a stroller or backpack. We're into laid-back, relaxed, easy-going style vacations. Nothing too strenuous.

We're staying at a condo in Kailua, and are totally into driving around, going into Waikiki, the North Shore, whatever. What can't we possibly miss? Where should we shop/eat/go to the beach?

Oh, btw, I'll be about 7ish months pregnant while we're there for our ten-day stay, too.

sivalleysteph How exactly can we find that beach? :)

[ag-girl]

DH and I are going to be going to Oahu in the fall for 8 days. We are debating on whether we should also go to the Big Island for a couple days also. I would love to see the lava flow, but it seems like a lot of driving is involved just to get to the volcano. Would it be worth it or not? Are there any other things to do on the Big Island that you can't do anywhere else?

If not I think I'd rather not worry about the interisland flight, driving etc and just hang out in Oahu. We've been to Oahu, Maui and Kauai before.

[wendalah]

The Big Island is my favorite...it just has a different vibe than the other islands. There's tons to do and see, and IMO it has the nicest resorts in the state. If you do decide to go just for the volcano/lava, you can stay on the east side of the island and not have to drive that far.

[jesseybell]

We went to Hawaii on our HM last May. We tried booking it on our own, but got frustrated with the inter-island planes, so resorted to a travel agent. I absolutely loved it and would go back in a heart beat. We definitely didn't go for long enough (1 night in San Francisco (coming from East Coast), 4 in Kauai and 5 in Maui)

Kauai - flew directly there from San Francisco
Stayed at the Hyatt - everyone should go there! Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Day 1 - relaxed, spent time at the fabulous spa
Day 2 - Helicopter tour (a must, since so much of the island you can't get to), drove to north coast (didn't even stop in Princeville)
Day 3 - Drove to Waimea Canyon

We didn't feel that we had enough downtime on Kauai, so we didn't end up doing as much on Maui as we planned.

Day 4 - Hellish day spent flying on puddle jumper to Maui - had to spend 3 hours in Maui airport waiting for our bags that couldn't make it on our flight

Maui:
Stayed at the Sheraton at Kaanapali - okay - would have been fantastic if we hadn't been to the Hyatt on Kauai first
Day 5 - relaxed, went to the Old Lahaina Luau (made reservations 3 months in advance)
Day 6 - Drove up the volcano - could have done without, shopping in Lahaina
Day 7 - went snorkeling then drove over to Wailea to check out the Fairmount and the Four Seasons
Day 8 - Were going to do the Road to Hana, but since it was our last day, we just relaxed by the pool instead, went to Warren and Annabelle's (fantastic - we didn't have tickets before we went so lucked out with a last-minute cancellation)

DH is kind of a picky eater and he doesn't like seafood, so we didn't go to a lot of extraordinary restaurants. We went to Roy's on Kauai and our service was horrible. We went to David Paul's on Lahaina - it was pretty good.

[ag-girl]

hhmmmm. Still debating. I guess we have a little time though! Thanks for the replies. I might be back to ask more questions about the BI.

[justHB]

We're heading to Hawaii in two weeks! I'm too too excited, and need ideas and recommendations for fun, family-friendly things to do on Oahu. We're staying at a condo in Kailua, and are totally into driving around, going into Waikiki, the North Shore, whatever. What can't we possibly miss? Where should we shop/eat/go to the beach? Oh, you're going to be right next to what was my absolute favorite beach on the whole island - Lanikai. We drove there twice from the Waikiki area. The beach has turquoise waters and powder-fine sand. Just perfect.

[longislandlolita]

Hey everyone, FH and I are going to Kauai/Maui for our honeymoon in June. We're staying four nights at the Princeville, two at the Hana Maui (in an oceanfront cottage) and five at the Four Seasons Wailea.

We have been to Kauai before and loved it -- we are relaxed, outdoorsy-type vacationers who love scenery and hiking (and don't mind the occasional rainshower). Has anyone stayed in the Princeville before? Would love to hear about your experiences.

I'd also love to hear from anyone who has stayed at the Four Seasons or Hana Maui. Maui restaurant recs would be great as well! I think we will definitely do Mama's, but any other must-dos would be great to know. We're looking for a couple of dining "experiences" and a couple of great, relaxed burger joint type of places. Also, any hints on good Maui hikes or things to do? Anyone been to the spa at the Four Seasons or any other spa that they'd recommend?Could I possibly have asked any more questions? ;)

Thanks in advance for the help! In return, I can answer questions about Kauai hikes, restaurants, and activities -- FH and I went for a week in fall 2004, which is a great season to go since the prices are lower and it's also dry season!

[bensgirl1222]

We haven't booked it yet (doing that today) but we were planning on staying in Oahu at Turtle Bay Resort.

Can you tell me about what there is to do at the resort? Tell me about Island Hopping? We want to relax and we want somewhere non-touresty to stay (such as Turtle bay) but we also want something where there is stuff to do at night. Not clubs but maybe some local beach bars of some sort.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!! Maybe even a comparison of the islands?

Thanks!!

[honeygirl]

DH and I stayed at the Turtle Bay Resort (used to be a Hilton hotel) in June of 04. We LOVED IT!

It is beautiful on the North Shore and away from the hustle of Waikik. BUT, you can still drive there in about 45 min if you want. You'll get to travel past pineapple fields and some lovely scenery to get to the hotel.

We stayed in one of the Beach Cottages, more pricey but SO worth it. It was HUGE, right on the water, with a lanai, etc. In the evening you could get mai-tai's made by butlers on the lawn. They also had butlers assigned to the cabins that would bring whatever you wanted. We were celebrating our honeymoon again (long story, the 1st one sucked) and they gave us champane, chocolate covered cookies, etc. The bathroom was HUGE and full of marble, giantic tub, seperate glass shower, etc. Ah, it was paradise!

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos653/1/16/73/5/19/5/519057316103_0_ALB.jpg

http://www.turtlebayresort.com/_images/_design/top_images/sub_beachcottage.jpg

At the hotel you can snorkel in their little bay, swim in the pool, surf (lessons available, but depending on the time of year there may not be much surf), hike around, etc.

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos653/1/16/73/15/26/9/926157316103_0_ALB.jpg
Here are a couple of our friends at the hot tub.

About 10 miles from the hotel is a cute little town, Haleiwa. Definately check out their shops (lots of art and surf stuff) and restaurants. There is a fresh-mex restaurant (I forget the name) that I used to eat at all the time (I lived in Oahu for a few years). Really good shrimp tacos.

You must have Shave Ice at Matsumotos. They are VERY famous! While on vacation DH and I ate there EVERY day. :) I'd recommend getting a "snow cap" on your shave ice, it is creamy and yummy.

Another favorite activity out there was horseback riding. Ask at the hotel for where you can ride locally. They have a ranch at the hotel, but my DH wanted to "run" which they don't do there. They recommended a great LITTLE company with informal but fun rides. DH and I were "led" by 2 college students, we got to ride along the beach and the horses RAN for a while. It freaked me out but DH loved it.

Other activities at the north shore include: rock climbing, skydiving, gliding (not sure if that's the right word), hiking and of course SURFING! The surf is wonderful out there, and there are beaches for all different levels (I wasn't the best surfer). Or if those sound like too much you could just relax by the beach. :) Have fun!

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[1MegMeg]

LongIslandLolita - DH and I honeymooned at the Four Seasons in June 2004 and LOVED it. You will love it there. :) Definitely get the buffet breakfast at least one morning. It's a tad pricey, but soooo worth it.

Sansei is a great Japanese restaurant located in Kehei. We ate dinner there and it was one of our favorite meals. Maui Tacos is a good inexpensive lunch place, also in Kehei.

[longislandlolita]

Thanks a ton! I'll check out Sansei. Anyone eaten at the Four Seasons' restaurants (Spago and Ferraro's, I think)?

[1MegMeg]

We ate at Ferraro's, it was fabulous. The view of the sunset was gorgeous and the food was outstanding. I don't remember what DH had, but I had a wild mushroom ravioli that was to die for!

[SweetRed]

We just got back from Maui and Oahu on Tuesday. I am still in denial that I have gone back to reality ;)

In Maui, we spent the first three nights at the Sheraton in Kaanapali and the last two at the Four Seasons in Wailea. We were extremely pleased with both hotels, but holy cow - nothing beats the Four Seasons :) longislandlolita, you will LOVE it!

I know it's been mentioned before, but the "Maui Revealed" and "Oahu Revealed" books were absolutely essential for our trip, not only for the things to do and see, but also for the restaurants. My DH is a vegetarian, so the typical steak and seafood restaurants weren't going to cut it for us. Instead, we found some extremely yummy inexpensive places (like Cilantro in Lahaina and Peggy Sue's in Wailea) as well as the Sunday Champagne brunch at the Maui Prince. Those books saved our culinary lives on this trip.

Oahu was more of our "adventure" part of our trip where we went surfing and hiking and exploring. Maui was more our "resort" vacation although the snorkeling is fantastic. The Four Seasons includes one hour of snorkel gear each day and I am still awestruck by the sea life I saw just feet from the beach!

I hope to get around to recapping our trip in my Live Journal soon. If I think of anything else, I'll be back :)

~ Kay

[wine_o_girlie]

Has anyone stayed in Hana? We are going to Maui and considering breaking our trip up inbetween Kaanapali (for beachy activities) and Hana (for adventure activities). Has anyone done this? We have friends who did this and loved it. Any Hana recommendations - I am looking probably for a private cottage type place more than a hotel (Hotel Hana looks fab but I think we want more privacy than that)?

Thanks!

[WestieMomma]

Maui questions! I will definitely need to pick up Maui revealed. Neither DH or myself have ever been to Hawaii before.

We are going to Maui in May and will be staying at the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas-using our timeshare. Anyone stayed there?

Should we rent a car?

We are going to fly in on a Friday but don't check into our villa until Sat ao we need to get a hotel room just for one night somewhere close to the airport (Kahuliu) or the Westin..any suggestions?

[ejs]

Has anyone stayed in Hana? We are going to Maui and considering breaking our trip up inbetween Kaanapali (for beachy activities) and Hana (for adventure activities). Has anyone done this? We have friends who did this and loved it. Any Hana recommendations - I am looking probably for a private cottage type place more than a hotel (Hotel Hana looks fab but I think we want more privacy than that)?

Thanks!

We've never stayed in Hana, just visited for the day. But many friends have and stayed at the Hotel Hana.

Interestingly, everyone I know who has stayed in Hana went there to get away from everything and completely relax. Nobody I know has gone there for "adventure activities." I wonder what we've all missed??

[ejs]

Maui questions! I will definitely need to pick up Maui revealed. Neither DH or myself have ever been to Hawaii before.

We are going to Maui in May and will be staying at the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas-using our timeshare. Anyone stayed there?

Should we rent a car?

We are going to fly in on a Friday but don't check into our villa until Sat ao we need to get a hotel room just for one night somewhere close to the airport (Kahuliu) or the Westin..any suggestions?

You should definitely rent a car if you want to see any other part of Maui. You might want to go to Haleakala, Wailea, Hana.

I can't help you with the other stuff because we only stay in Wailea. But I do recall that there are lots of places to stay in Kaanapali.

[Sazoo]

Yay, a thread filled with expert Hawaii travellers! :)

I've only been to Hawaii once so far (Oahu in 2002) but my DH has family there so I suspect we'll be going back every few years from now on. Sounds good to me!

This September we're going to Hawaii for a week. First we'll spend a few days on Oahu visiting DH's family (MIL is coming with us so she's excited to get to see her siblings who live there), then we'll fly to the Big Island & spend 4 nights there. We'll be staying at a rental beach house that DH's company owns & rents out to its employees. I believe it's on the west side of the island - that's Kona, right?

Anyway, we've got our accommodations on the Big Island set, but I'm interested in recommendations for must-see/do sights/activities, good places to eat, etc. Suggestions...?

Our next trip to Hawaii after this one will probably be to Maui - both DH & I want to go there because we've heard so many people rave about it. We would have gone there for our trip this summer, except the deal on the rental house through DH's company is really good so we opted to do that this time insted. One of these days I will get to see Maui, though!

[Jess71903]

Hi guys! I am here for suggestions. DH and I are planning to go on vacation June 19-24. We would really like to go to Hawaii, but neither of us has ever been there and have no idea where to start. We have a budget around $3000 for hotel and air from Arkansas. We don't want golf or a huge high-rise. We really want to see Hawaii's beauty. I think we would prefer a smaller area instead of the big city. Which island should we start with? Which hotels are nice but not super-expensive? Thanks for any help!!

[jennylou]

If you don't want huge high rise, then you should not go to Oahu, it's very city like. Maui was awesome, I thought. :)

[laura]

Before figuring out which hotel to stay at, I would recommend deciding which island you'd like to go to. Each island has it's own personality, so it really depends on what you are looking for. I've been to Maui and the Big Island, and I have friends who have been to Oahu and Kuaui. I didn't see anything that I would call a "big city" on either Maui or the Big Island, but I guess what you mean is you would like something more remote? Both of these islands were similar (I thought) in that they do have cities/towns, but separate from that they have "resort areas" where it's pretty much just beaches and resorts. I stayed at the Four Seasons in Wailea on Maui and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the Big Island; both hotels were great and didn't have a "big high rise" feel, they're more sprawling Hawaiian style layouts.

[TazLuv]

longislandlolita, my DH and I stayed at the Princeville on our honeymoon in July of 2002. I know that was 4 years ago but it was very nice, all of the restaurants were very good, we played the golf course which was very hard but beautiful. We loved it.

[Jess71903]

Ok, so I don't think I want Oahu if it's the big city stuff. I don't want out in the boonies, but I guess more of the resort kind of feel. I have heard that Maui is more expensive generally speaking, but absolutely beautiful. True? Thanks for the help so far!

[TazLuv]

IMO, if you're going just you and your DH and you want the resort feel go to Kauai. Maui is more families and while a few of the hotels have "adult only" pools you'll have a lot fewer families and therefore little kids running around at Kauai. I've been to Maui twice (the Kanapali (sp?) area) and for just the two of us we would only go back to Kauai.

[laura]

I didn't find Maui to be a "family" area at all - I would characterize it more as a honeymooner area, if anything, but there were couples of all ages. I can't speak for Kauai, as I haven't been, but from what I've heard it seems that would fit your criteria. It also seems like the Big Island would, as well, in addition to my experience w/ the Wailea area of Maui. But you are correct, I think Maui is the most expensive island - at least that's what I found when booking trips to the islands. However, I did think there was better food on Maui and I liked the layout better than the Big Island.

Honestly, a quick search on Orbitz shows that you could stay pretty much anywhere on Maui (excluding the Four Seasons b/c they don't participate in Orbitz) for less than $3000 air/hotel. That includes, but is not limited to: Grand Wailea, Fairmont Kea Lani, Hyatt, Westin, etc. That is from Little Rock, but I encourage you to do some searches yourself. There are also usually good reviews of particular hotels on tripadvisor.

ETA: All of that said, I would try to go for at least 7 days if I were you, going from such a great distance. But that's just my opinion.

[chortles]

Actually you can go to Oahu and stay on the non-Waikiki side of the island, and it isn't city-like at all. It's beautiful, and quite quaint. We rented on www.vrbo.com and found a house that was right on the beach, totally quaint -very perfect. It was awesome.

That being said, Waikiki is really touristy and has a lot of high-rises. Doesn't really feel hawaii-like.

[wendalah]

I have found Kauai to be the most expensive in terms of both airfare and lodging. Maui isn't cheap, but there's a good range of accomodations there--probably best for a first-time experience.

[Jess71903]

Thanks to all! I will keep looking around, but you guys have been a big help.
I will check out that site, Chortles. I have used it to find a condo in Gulf Shores, AL before, but I didn't even think about it for this trip!

[Ade]

DH and I are planning a trip in April. Neither of us has ever been before. One of our friends just got stationed at Pearl Harbor and is begging us to visit. SIL will probably join us. I think we'll only stay a few days on Oahu and then try to hit another island. The questions is, which island?

I always thought I wanted to do Kauai. We are major adventure travelers, love to scuba dive, snorkle, hike, raft, climb etc, and DH is a big surfer. We can only spend one day tops just laying on the beach. We hate crowds and touristy type things; we prefer to just hop in a car and set our own adventure. We're not afraid of trying something new, or forging our own path. And, we're not huge on nightlife. So, Kauai seemed like a good fit.

But, the more I look into it, Maui or Hawaii seem like they might have more to offer. Our friend and SIL don't have much money (DH and I will be picking up most of the costs), so things like a heicopter tour are probably out, and they might want to go out a bit at night rather than hang with the boring married folks. If it were just DH and me, I would say Kauai, no question, but with other travelers, I'm having some doubts that Kauai has enough to offer. Keep in mind that we would NOT be staying in the city of Poipu if we went to Kauai, maybe near it, but definitely not in it (way too crowded and touristy for us).

Lodging isn't an issue as we'll stay with our friend on Oahu and plan on renting a house or cottage on the second island (we're not big resort people). So, any input on which island to do? Kauai? Hawaii? Maui? Just stay on Oahu? :confused:

[Sazoo]

Anyway, we've got our accommodations on the Big Island set, but I'm interested in recommendations for must-see/do sights/activities, good places to eat, etc. Suggestions...?

No one has any suggestions for me for stuff to see & do on the Big Island?

[wendalah]

Keep in mind that we would NOT be staying in the city of Poipu if we went to Kauai, maybe near it, but definitely not in it (way too crowded and touristy for us).


Just a quick note: Poipu isn't crowded at all. Kauai is much more rural than Maui or Oahu. There is somewhat of a concentration of condos and hotels in Poipu, but it seriously doesn't feel crowded at all. In fact it doesn't even feel like a "city." More like an...area. With some shops and restaurants here and there.

You can also stay on the north shore in the Hanalei area, or the east shore--I wouldn't call any place on Kauai terribly overrun.

If you love adventure activities, though, I'd suggest the Big Island. SO much to do and it's DEFINITELY uncrowded. You can hike to lava flows, visit the observatory on top of Mauna Kea, snorkel in lava-rock tidepools (the most unique snorkeling I've ever done), swim in volcanically heated ponds, hike to a green sand beach...I just love the Big Island.

[laura]

Sorry, Sazoo, I missed your post before. On the Big Island, we stayed at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. I say this only b/c it probably partially influenced what we did. I went w/ my mom, too, so that was different than going w/ my husband.

Definitely do:

* go snorkeling
* take a helicopter tour over the volcano (which is fairly constantly erupting)
* drive to where the lava overflowed on the road (we didn't do this, though)

- We snorkeled off the beach at our hotel, which was good for my mom b/c she had never been before and she wasn't sure if she would like it. I had never snorkeled not off a boat, and I didn't prefer that way personally, but we accomplished what we wanted to do (and saw lots of stuff) for very minimal cost (I think the equipment was free for the first hour, and then cheap after that), so it was worth it. I was planning on doing a snorkel tour, but we opted for a helicopter trip instead.

- We were able to book our helicopter tour through our hotel, and we ended up getting 50% off by being flexible; essentially we were put on the "wait list" and there ended up being last minute space available, so we paid half price. We easily could have just paid full price later if this didn't work out, so it was a fairly safe gamble. We went through Sunshine Helicopters on their "black beauties" and it was perfectly fine. I was kind of hung up on doing Blue Hawaii or whatever it's called, but they were about twice as expensive as the regular price for Sunshine (but they're supposed to be really nice), so I didn't. They took a video of our trip, though, and I gave it to my mom - that was kind of cool for her. (Of course you have to buy it.)

- We went to a luau b/c my mom really wanted to go to one - it was okay, not really my thing, but she really enjoyed it. We went to the one at the Mauna Kea Resort; there's a coupon for a discount (half off?) in the tourist books that are everywhere on the island; you'll probably get one of the books when you rent your car. The Samoan fire thrower was interesting (and hot!). Hee.

- We did a spa day, which was nice of course. Okay, it half sucked b/c we did it after we got majorly sunburned (!!) from snorkeling, so the massage was no picnic, but the facial was really nice. We went to the spa at our hotel, which I would recommend.

- We drove to Kona and spent some time walking around, shopping. There was a flea market down there which had some cute stuff cheap - not sure if it's there all the time or not, but it might be b/c I think we were there on a Wednesday or something.

- We took our helicopter tour from Hilo, so as a result we ended up driving basically to the other side of the island. At first I wasn't that jazzed about the prospect, but the Hilo side of the island is so completely different than the Kona side that I would recommend checking it out. I think it rains something like 300+ days per year on the Hilo side, though it didn't rain the day we were there. It's so green compared to the Kona side, and there are some breathtaking views - very interesting.

To Eat:

* The CanoeHouse - located at the Mauna Lani Resort. Probably the best meal we had on the island; we saved this for our last night and my mom's "birthday dinner" and she loved it. On the pricey side, but fantastic food. Go at sunset b/c the view is amazing, also. (I actually think they open at sunset b/c they didn't seem to be open when we arrived.)

* Roy's - located in the mall, which was really weird. The food was of course great, but I didn't much care for the location. It was also *very* loud, which was such a contrast from the other Roy's I've been to (in Carmel, CA). The food was delicious, though, and I definitely recommend it.

* The Coast Grille - located at the Hapuna Beach Prince. Good food, nice atmosphere. I don't remember much about this meal, honestly, but I do remember it was good.

* Reef Lounge - also located at the HBP, we ate breakfast here every morning b/c it was included w/ our hotel package. That said, the buffet was great and the view is amazing, so I would recommend it if you are staying in the vicinity.

I think those are the dinner places we ate. Lunch was either fresh fruit or sometimes we ordered from the beach bar. One night we ate at the luau, and the night we arrived we ordered room service.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[justHB]

Ok, so I don't think I want Oahu if it's the big city stuff. I don't want out in the boonies, but I guess more of the resort kind of feel. I have heard that Maui is more expensive generally speaking, but absolutely beautiful. True? Thanks for the help so far!In general, yes. The hotels in Maui are more expensive. You have to keep in mind though that they're also very nice and you get what you pay for. For you, I would recommend the Big Island. We found it to be a tad cheaper than Maui.

[WestieMomma]

Activities on Maui

Can anyone give me a general idea of how much a helicopter tour and snorkeling excursion would run us? We are trying to get a budget in place for our vacation there in May so we don't go too crazy spending in the meantime.

[laura]

I didn't do a helicopter tour on Maui, but on the Big Island it was ~$200 pp for the basic volcano tour (about 45 minutes), I think, but we ended up getting 50% off. The prices went up based on the length of the tour. We used Sunshine Helicopters, and it appears they have service on Maui also, and it also appears you get a discount by booking in advance: http://www.sunshinehelicopters.com/

We did a snorkel tour on Maui and I remember we saved ~20% by booking in advance via the web. We used Maui Classic Charters Four Winds II, which is highly recommended in Maui Revealed. A look on their website says it is 15% off to book 7 days in advance, which makes it ~$72pp. They do provide 2 meals, and we thought it was worth it. Here's the website: http://www.mauicharters.com/

HTH!

[WestieMomma]

Thanks so much laura

[Sazoo]

Thanks so much laura
DITTO! :D Thanks for all the great advice about the Big Island! I'm just starting to think about things to do, places to go, etc. We'll be staying near Kona, but I do want to drive around to the Hilo side of the island to check it out.

Thanks again! I'll be back later if I have more questions, as our itinerary starts to come together. ;)

[WestieMomma]

I have another Maui question regarding spending money.

We are going for 8 nights, staying in a villa so we will have a kitchen and plan on buying groceries for breakfast, lunch and snacks. We will be renting a car. We will only probably eat lunch out 2-3 times while we are there and eat dinner out every night. We like a mix of casual and nice places. At a nice place we would typically order an app or salad, entrees, desert and maybe a glass of wine or two. We also plan to try and do a helicopter tour, snorkerling excursion and maybe a luau.

How much to bring??..I was thinking $1500-$2000 would be plenty for food and activities. What do you think?

[laura]

No problem. :)

I think $1500-$2000 sounds reasonable for food and activities. If a helicopter tour is ~$400 and snorkeling is ~$150, that still leaves you a minimum of $900-$1400 for meals and you can probably buy breakfast/lunch stuff for $100-$150. A luau is an activity, but it's also a meal, so that does kill 2 birds. Plus the snorkel tour will likely provide at least lunch, or breakfast and lunch. Or, if you end up really wanting to save $$, you can rent snorkel equipment on the island for about $20 or so for the week and you can snorkel off the beach in lots of locations. I prefer a tour, personally, and especially on Maui since they take you to the crater, but that is another option.

We went for 5 nights and I would say we spent about $1000-$1200 (I actually don't remember, so I'm estimating) for meals, but we ate out for every meal, we didn't try to 'budget' at all, and we ate every breakfast at the buffet at our hotel (The Four Seasons) which was ~$50 but so good we couldn't help ourselves! :p We ate every dinner out at the following 'fancy' places: Spago, Nick's, Mama's Fish House, the sushi place recommended in Maui Revealed, and ... another fancy restaurant which I can't think of the name of right now - it's highly recommend in MR for fabulous sunset (which is true) and the food was amazing. We ate appetizers, salads, entrees, and dessert at every place w/ either a cocktail or 1-2 glasses of wine per meal. I would say the dinners cost us around $150 each on average, but the sushi place was much cheaper (around $75) and Spago was most expensive, I believe, but also quite worth it. The one thing I would have done differently regarding eating is I wouldn't have planned a fancy dinner for the night we arrived - or if I did, I would have made an early reservation. We went to Nick's the first night and we couldn't get a reservation until 9 PM, which was midnight to us w/ the time change and we were exhausted by the middle of the meal, so it really changed our experience and became our least favorite meal even though the food was very good.

The food on Maui is *so* good, I want to go back just for that!

[WestieMomma]

Thanks laura

It sounds like we will be fine. Our trip is booked, villa, plane tickets and now my DH is freaking out because he keeps hearing "how expensive" Maui is. I don't think it sounds anymore pricey then St. John and we have been there several times before.

[lawyerlee]

Honestly, a quick search on Orbitz shows that you could stay pretty much anywhere on Maui (excluding the Four Seasons b/c they don't participate in Orbitz) for less than $3000 air/hotel. That includes, but is not limited to: Grand Wailea, Fairmont Kea Lani, Hyatt, Westin, etc. That is from Little Rock, but I encourage you to do some searches yourself. There are also usually good reviews of particular hotels on tripadvisor.
This is extremely helpful to me. A close friend and his fiance are getting married in Maui in October, so I've been trying to figure out what the likely cost range might be without knowing where we'll stay or anything like that. It's pretty hard to plan ahead without a lot of details! So thanks. :)

[justHB]

This is extremely helpful to me. A close friend and his fiance are getting married in Maui in October, so I've been trying to figure out what the likely cost range might be without knowing where we'll stay or anything like that. It's pretty hard to plan ahead without a lot of details! So thanks. :)Another quick tip is that you can usually rent condos much cheaper than you could a hotel room at a resort. My FIL rented a 3 bedroom condo on the golf course in Wailea for $175/night for our wedding. http://vrbo.com is a great resource for finding these places.

[girlygirl]

Anyone have any experience with Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club on Oahu? I want something quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, but I don't want it so far out that it's inconvenient to travel to the other parts of the island. I've only stayed in Waikiki and at Bellows (which I LOVE), so this would be my first experience on that side of the island. I'm wondering about nearby restaurants and things to do. If you have any other suggestions for places to stay that are quieter, I'd love to hear about those, too. Thanks!!

[honeygirl]

Ko Olina would be more of a destination resort b/c it is a way out of town. I'd say about 40 minutes or so (usually traffic) from Waikiki, less from the airport. Kapolei is a working community, mostly housing not very much shopping, etc. The resort looks beautiful (and new) so if you don't mind hanging out there mostly it would be great. They have lovely beaches, golf, their own luau (not very good though) and their own restaurants. There are restaurants in the Kapolei area, but mostly local type, not fancy.

[lyddy]

Oh I am SOOOO grateful for this thread! I was just directed here by a friend. I posted this in my LJ...

Okay, so like, I've never really been ANYWHERE. We've never been anywhere. We've done the car trips to Vegas and Arizona, up to Northern California... that sort of thing. But we've never traveled by air together and we've never traveled to any "exotic" locales. So we're totally lost.

He insists he's taking me to Hawaii (Maui specifically) this year. So what I need to know is... what travel sites do you guys like? Do the ones on tv like Travelocity, Expedia and such work and are they any good? Does anyone use travel agents anymore? Also, when are the "best" times to go (weather wise, or even money saving wise? We're not big party animals so we don't need to, and prefer not to, be there when EVERYONE and their brother also is!) :)

Please please please, all the tips, thoughts, comments and whatever would be EXTREMELY appreciated. Help a sista out. :)

Thanks in advance! :)

I plan to read all that I can here, but if you guys might have specific information for us (how to best book the trip and such) I would be so overjoyed! Thanks a bunch. :)

[lawyerlee]

Another quick tip is that you can usually rent condos much cheaper than you could a hotel room at a resort. My FIL rented a 3 bedroom condo on the golf course in Wailea for $175/night for our wedding. http://vrbo.com is a great resource for finding these places.
Thank you! I think we'll be going this route. :)

[laura]

We went to Maui in September and we had good weather and it didn't seem overcrowded. I've heard it's a good month to go b/c it's back to school time so there aren't a lot of families there like there might be in the summer or during school vacations.

I booked our Maui trip through Apple Vacations - www.applevacations.com - b/c they had the best price for what I wanted, but I checked pretty much every travel site I could think of first, like Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, AAA, Costco, American Airlines Vacations, United Airlines Vacations, etc. plus I googled a variety of different things like "discount hawaii", etc and checked all those sites. I also checked the hotel and airline sites individually. (FWIW, once I decided I wanted to stay at the Four Seasons, I was limited on 'discount' travel sites b/c they generally don't offer discounts on those sites.) Also, for Apple Vacations, I got an even better price by checking for a travel agent in my area and calling directly vs. booking the online rate. In Maui we preferred the Wailea area to the Lahaina area, but lots of people prefer the opposite. We loved the more low-key atmosphere and great restaurants in Wailea, though it is arguably the more expensive part of the island.

I checked all the same places for a trip to the Big Island, too, and I found the best deal for what I wanted on Travelocity, so I booked air/hotel/car through them w/o a problem. I went to the Big Island in October, and I didn't find it to be terribly crowded around our hotel area, but the Iron Man Triathalon was happening the weekend following the one we were there, so the Kona area got progressively more crowded as the week progressed. Also, I heard it was a nightmare to get to the airport if you were leaving the day of the race (Saturday), but we left Thursday so I'm not sure how that worked out.

[miaclear]

I just got back from Maui yesterday. Our second trip, we went Sept 04 for our honeymoon also. I prefered Sept to Feb/March because it was less crowded but it was great either way. Also it was a little cooler this time around....a couple nights we actually got out of jackets. Sept was very nice and warm (plus it's the rainy season now which just meant more clouds and sprinkles sometimes....at least in Lahaina). I don't think there's a real big party scene on Maui....I'm sure you could find it if you wanted to but for the most part the island shuts down at 10:00, and with the time change most people are glad to be in bed by then.

We booked both vacations through American Airlines Vacations after searching up and down and all around the web for our honeymoon. I would book with them again (although AA is our airline of choice). We LOVE the Lahaina area, we stay at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel (www.kbhmaui.com) because it's not so expensive. The rooms are older (it's not the Hyatt) but the hotel and it's employees are awesome....and SO much cheaper (we pay under $200 a night). We ventured to the Wailea area this time and I wasn't too excited about it. Granted we spent all of a couple hours there but I love Kaanapali Beach and Lahaina.

[vjel]

girlygirl, We stayed at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental on our honeymoon (it's touted as the place where celebrities stay). It just became/was renamed The Kahala Hotel and Resort. It was fabulous! It's less than 10 miles from Waikiki in a (upscale) residential neighborhood. Close enough to the hustle and bustle but not IN it. The beach was nice and quiet which I prefer. We didn't rent a car there at first, just took the shuttle in to Waikiki. But decided to rent a car to drive around the island. At the time, there was someone in-house that took care of car rentals so that was nice.

They have a couple restaurants in the hotel that were good. We really liked Plumeria for the breakfast buffet! :) They had just opened their spa right when we went and the experience was wonderful. But I guess any spa experience would prob. be wonderful if it was in Hawaii. lol HTH!

[caramello]

Can anyone tell me where the famous shrimp truck (the one that has garlic shrimp) is in Oahu??? I remember seeing it on the Food Channel, and DH's friend loves to go there, but she's sick and we don't want to bother her to find out. I also did a quick search on foodnetwork.com with no luck. Is it Giovanni's? This is our 5th or 6th trip to Oahu and have never tried it!

[Koala_Gurl]

Hi ladies...I need help!

DH and I are thinking of a trip to Hawaii with our 1 year old. I would love some recommendations...

My criteria are 1) direct flight from LA and 2) a hotel that has suites (preferably, one with 2 bathrooms...one to use for DD, LOL!!)

I am open to any island, but want to be on the beach.

TIA!!!

[wine_o_girlie]

Just counting down the days till we leave in April. :) I have been on a swimsuit buying frenzy. Which leads me to my next question. I know this has been discussed ad nauseum, but I am still unsure what to bring in terms of a swimsuit cover-up. I have one of those gauzy white tunic thingies but should I wear shorts with that? A little skirt? I don't know why I am stressing this but I am. Can anyone help please?

[designer]

We are thinking of maybe going to Hawaii in December? Oahu or maybe Maui? Does anyone know what the weather is like at the end of Dec...is that their rainy season?

Also, what island would be the most convenient to go to from Oahu, Maui? How big are the interisland planes? I'm scared of flying in small planes...can you g