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Showing posts with label kauai vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kauai vacation. Show all posts

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Big Island or Kauai

Aloha Hawaii travelers,

After we recently answered the question 'Is November a good time to visit Kona Hawaii?', we are about to talk about choosing the Hawaiian Island best suiting for your vacation in Hawaii. With Aloha Airlines not being available anymore for flying to Hawaii or for Interisland flights and rising gas prices, cheap airline tickets to Hawaii or between the islands are hard to get for your Hawaii vacation, especially for high seasons like summer or winter season.

In the past, Hawaii traveler loved to do some island hopping on their Hawaii vacation, especially when it was their first time visit to Hawaii. This allowed them a few days on each Hawaii island, get a first impression of best beaches, things to do and to see and find out which island they will come back for a longer vacation. As Hawaii hosts, we always recommended to 'just' visit two islands in order not to be rushed and enjoy each of the island as much as possible.

Big Island or Kauai Vacation?Now, this recommendation of limiting your Hawaii visit to two islands or even just one, becomes even more a necessity when you are a budget traveler and don't have unlimited funds available for your Hawaii vacation. Extra Interisland flights can be quite expensive. If you have to choose for one, the early and late flights are offering the best rates. Here are a few Hawaii travel tips:

Yes, the Superferry can help Hawaii visitors somewhat but it's really limited to island hopping between Oahu and Maui and vice versa. Rates are affordable, tourists don't have to deal with early check-in at Airports in Honolulu and Kahului and you can enjoy a voyage with lovely Hawaiian island scenery. Ocean conditions are very calm in summer.

Try to book direct flights into Maui or Kona or Hilo Big Island in order to avoid having to pay for an extra Interisland flight. When you have a direct Hawaii flight into Maui, you might want to plan your Maui vacation and forget about visiting other islands, except maybe a family outing to Oahu with the Superferry. You've got some really nice beaches right there, on Maui. It's a little touristy and not that easy to find that private corner on a beach but definitely beautiful. Maui is the paradise for surfers, windsurfers or board surfers.

Quite a number of Hawaii visitors cannot make up their mind whether it will be a Big Island vacation or a visit to Kauai. Well, making a decision between Kauai and the Big Island is like deciding between oranges and apples.

What are major differences? Kauai is the Garden Island, meaning it's green and lush because it has frequent rain showers but they don't last long. You can walk on stretches of white sand beaches for ever, at lot of the times even without meeting any people! Meaning no Maitai or restaurant either. Pack yourself a picnic and you will be happy as could be. Kauai hiking is great as well. We loved to kayak the Wailua River and combined it with a hike to a spectacular waterfall. It's definitely a laid back island and when getting away from the tourist places like Poipu, you will still find old Hawaii at many Kauai locations.

The Big Island is the island of adventure. Beaches are not as endless as on Kauai but the West Coast spoils visitors with white sand beaches and sunny dry weather all year round. Even if you are not into activities, at least you have lots of options to choose from. Big Island things to do include many beyond the ordinary: Stargazing on Mauna Kea Summit, watching a live volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, visiting Waipio Valley on the Hamakua Coast and Pololu Valley Lookouts on North Kohala (even the walk into the valley is easy and the most amazing ocean and cliff scenery awaits you), or attend one of the Hawaiian luaus (I like the one at the Marriott at Waikoloa Beach Resort) .

If you decide for a Big Island vacation, the big question is where to stay on the Big Island. The West coast, the Kohala and Kona Coast, is the sunny side with lots of white sand beaches (most famous Hapuna und Mauna Kea Beach). Hotels on this coast can be expensive. If you are on a budget, I recommend a vacation rental with a short drive to the beaches. When deciding for a rental on the East Coast (Hilo side, Hamakua Coast, Puna), anticipate more rain but beautiful tropical rainforest will reward you. Hawaii vacation rental rates are considerably cheaper on the East coast of the Big Island.

Hope this helps planning your Hawaii trip. Have a wonderful stay in Paradise. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Which Hawaiian Island, Big Island or Kauai, did you spend your vacation on? Amber, our today's beautiful Hawaii post girl from Wahinstyle, is from Hawaii the Big Island.

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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Hawaii Vacation Travel Tips

When searching the web for Hawaii vacation information, you have probably noticed that more and more Hawaii blogs show up in Google search results. The Hawaii blog community is steadily growing. We reported recently about the big variety of Hawaii theme related stories and posts one can find these days when searching for Hawaii vacation.

Today we'd like to introduce one of the new Hawaii travel blogs. The 'new kid on the block' is Beat of Hawaii, which we actually mentioned in our recent post What does a Hawaii vacation cost? and hopefully triggered your curiosity about it. Within a short period of their blog existence, Beat of Hawaii got acknowledged by Arthur Frommer, the Arthur Frommer from 'Frommer's Budget Travel' or 'Frommer's Hawaii'. That alone makes this blog stand out among Hawaii blogs.

The editors of Beat of Hawaii, Jeff and Rob, post about Hawaii travel tips, deals, events and culture. Their post topics are chosen carefully, well researched and presented in a way they attract the attention of Hawaii travelers and Hawaii blogging fellows. Their commitment, unique approach and Hawaii Travel Tips definitely got our attention. Ever since their start-up we have been following their blogging project closely and decided to have a little interview with the guys from Beat of Hawaii, currently living on the garden island of Kauai. Don't miss what Kauai Vacation Tips they have for visitors.

Visit Hanalei Bay on your Kauai Vacation Best Hawaii Vacation:
"What was the reason to start a Hawaii blog about travel tips? What is your connection to the travel, vacation or tourist industry generally?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: I’ve been active on many travel forums over the years, and decided it was time to start
my own site. In addition to writing about Hawaii, I also wanted to write about the travel industry. Travel has been a part of my life for decades. When I had my own international technology consulting company, I traveled around the world 4 times a year. I also managed travel for 30 of my consultants.

Rob: I felt it was a great opportunity for us to write about Hawaii since we live here full-time. We know what’s happening and have an insider’s perspective. Many years ago I worked in the travel industry for United Airlines. Otherwise, I’ve been an avid traveler. I started young. When I was a kid I was always planning our family vacations and writing away for travel brochures. I still remember writing to the Hawaii Visitor Bureau in grade school and the two-color brochure they mailed me (perhaps a sign of things to come!. My favorite place to
hang out as a kid was the airport to watch planes come and go.

Best Hawaii Vacation:
"What blog message do you want to accomplish by writing posts about Hawaii travel?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: Hawaii is affordable and within everyone’s reach. I want readers to feel that they are better informed consumers after reading our articles.

Rob: There’s a lot of Aloha in our state and we hope that message comes through in our writing.


Best Hawaii Vacation:
As the new 'kid on the block', is there anything you would like to change or improve within the Hawaii blog community? What do you like? What don't you like?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff/Rob: Even though we’re new to the blogosphere, we’re not new to technology. It’s been exciting for us to participate in this new medium. We both appreciated the warm welcome you gave us Pua when we first started Beat of Hawaii. That’s what we like best: feeling part of a community. The only thing we don’t like happened recently. Another Hawaii blog placed one of our articles on their website, in its entrity, without permission or giving us credit.

Best Hawaii Vacation:
"We all made a decision when moving to a certain Hawaiian island. What made you choose Kauai over the other islands?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: I started coming to Kauai in 1974 and bought a condo here in the ‘90’s for business. As time went on, I was spending more time on Kauai than my home in California. About 8 years ago I sold the condo and bought a home in Kalaheo. I always found Kauai to be comfortable and a good fit for me.


Rob: My very first trip to Hawaii was in 1989. I remember a few minutes after arriving on Kauai, I felt this immediate connection. Perhaps it was a feeling of coming home since my family’s history on Kauai goes back to the 1850’s. I moved here full time five years ago.

Best Hawaii Vacation:
"As Kauai residents, what do you recommend as the 3 Best things to do on a Kauai vacation?"
Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: Hike in Waimea Canyon/Kokee Park; Swim in the Ocean; Take a boat trip of Na Pali Coast
Hawaii sunset over Salt Pond KauiRob: Visit Kauai Museum; Check out one of the gardens (National Botanical, Limahuli or Na Aina Kai); Hike to top of Sleeping Giant

Best Hawaii Vacation:
"Which beach do you consider the best Kauai beach?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: Hanalei in Summer for its beauty. From April to October we’re there twice a week to swim miles.

Rob: Salt Pond Beach. Great for swimming. It’s also has Hawaii’s only natural salt ponds.

Best Hawaii Vacation:
"Which Kauai restaurant is your favorite restaurant and why?"
Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: I’m not the best guy to ask. I bake my own bread, roast my own coffee and have been cooking for years. So far I haven’t found The restaurant to recommend on Kauai. I’m still searching.

Rob: My favorite is Lihue Barbecue Inn on Kress Street (not to be confused with Garden Island Barbecue on Rice Street). It’s a local place to eat, not elegant, but we always feel welcomed the moment we walk in. Their lunch specials are a good value. The same family has owned Barbecue Inn since the 1930’s.


Best Hawaii Vacation:
"What should tourists know when visiting Kauai on their Hawaii vacation?"

Beat of Hawaii:

Jeff: If you’re here longer than a week, I think it’s a good idea to split your stay between a North and South shore accommodation. This will reduce the amount of driving time and give you more chance to enjoy Kauai.

Rob: Slow down and relax.

Much mahalos, Rob and Jeff. It was fun 'talking' to you. Our best Hawaii vacation blog visitors are looking forward to reading more of your Hawaii Travel Tips at 'Beat of Hawaii'.
Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
For your Big Island vacation, read our recent post about the Best Big Island Restaurant.

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Kauai Na Pali Coast

With the Christmas holidays, our attention shifted for a few days away from blogging to some quiet family time. We hope our Hawaii visitors had a great Christmas in Hawaii, not with white snow but with lots of white sand and warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Don't forget though that during the winter months, the power of waves gets really big. Don't let yourself deceive by times when the ocean seems calm and peaceful. This will change in minutes (or seconds) and can get you by surprise. Be aware that undertows and rip currents increase during the winter months. Hawaiian North Shores become a big tourist attraction with Hawaiian surfers riding huge waves to the beaches. Enjoy the show but don't try it yourself!

With our most recent post about watching the whales in Hawaii, we are sure we got your attention to sign up for a whale watch when on Hawaii vacation or at least to keep your eyes open when you are by the ocean. Our Hawaii youtube whale videos proved that the encounter with the whales is not always planned and anticipated the way it happens. We told you that the whales are hanging out most everywhere around the Hawaiian islands but there are definitely some unique locations, which make your whale watch encounter really special. The Na Pali Coast on Kauai is one of those really special places. Famous Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites provided us with this great shot of the Na Pali Coast from her amazing Hawaii stock photography samples for our belated 'Hawaii photo of the Week'.


Visit the Na Pali Coast on your Hawaii vacationJust looking at the photo, will intrigue your couriosity about to get to know more the Na Pali Coast on your next Kauai vacation. This fifteen-mile stretch of rugged coastline on the northwest shore of Kauai literally means "the Cliffs." Sheer cliffs that drop straight down, thousands of feet into the ocean, make much of the Na Pali Coast inaccessible. Best way to really get an impression of the magnificence of Kauai's Na Pali Coast is by Helicopter. Blue Hawaiian shows a great video clip of the Na Pali coast taken from a helicopter tour. Be aware that hiking the Na Pali Coast takes a lot of hiking experience, knowledge of the terrain and the right preparation. For hiking on the Na Pali Coast follow this link with photos of the Na Pali coast, hiking trail description (Kalaulau Trail), hiking map and much more.

Another great way to get spectacular views of the Na Pali Coast region is from the ocean. Whale watching, rafting, boat tours and sailing are top Hawaii visitors's attractions for exploring the Napali Coast. Many Hawaiians believe that the Na Pali spirits can play tricks on hikers and campers alike. It is said that the Na Pali region was the first part of Kauai to be settled. Last but not least, if you tackle one the Na Pali Hiking trails, pay close attention to the weather forecast to avoid flash flood conditions. A state hiking permit is required! However tempting the ocean looks after hours of hiking, do not swim from the Kalalau or Hanakapi'ai Beaches as the currents are strong and harzardous!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe Hawaii vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Monday, November 12, 2007

Best Things to Do on Kauai - Wailua River Tour

Best Kauai Vacation with Kayaking the Wailua RiverWelcome back to the 'Hawaii photo of the week', which is a project of aloha by Best Hawaii Vacation blog and Hawaii stock photographer and well-known travel writer Jennifer Crites. Whereas our first 'Hawaii photo of the week' showed you famous Oahu Beach of Hanauma Bay, our photo today shows you famous Wailua River on Kauai.

Wailua River is one of the many attractions of the Garden Isle Kauai. Gohawaii.about names the Wailua River tours as one their 10 Best Things to do on Kauai when on Kaua vacation. We totally agree with that. There are all kinds of guided tours on the river, which mostly lead either to the Fern Grotto or the Secret Falls (Uluwehi Waterfalls).

On our Kauai vacation, we decided to rent a kayak and get going on our own Wailua tour being our own guide. Kayakers are given their own lane on the right side of the river. Be prepared for the typical Kauai rain showers but also for the strong Hawaiian sun (hat and sunscreen recommended!) plus some good hiking shoes for the hike through the forest. The kayak rental company provides you with a map of the area and a bag for keeping your stuff dry.

We had decided for a combination kayak and hiking trip to the Secret Falls We paddled about 2.5 miles upstream, passing an old Hawaiian village, till we came to an island where we already saw many kayaks 'parked'. From there we actually just followed the trail through tropical rainforest. Soon, we'd meet other hikers already coming back from the waterfalls, so we knew we were on the right path. The Secret Falls were a wonderful resting place - not 'secret' though because it was visited by many guided tours. We set down to enjoy our picnic, enjoy the beautiful scenery and admire those who went for a bath in the icy cold waters waiting for their friend to take that one unique picture of them. We had our bathing suits too but decided against this cold, refreshing bath. This was one of our best adventures on our Kauai vacation.

To cut a long story short, the Wailua River has ever since been on our list of recommendations for 'Things to do on Kauai' for visitors to the Garden Isle. Check with KayakWailua for kayak rental guided tours. Have your best Kauai Vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Alaska Airlines New Service to Hawaii

This post is sponsored by Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals

Dear Hawaii travelers,
Great news for Hawaii visitors from Seattle. Alaska Airlines Hawaii vacations recently announced its new service to Honolulu on the Island of Oahu and Lihu'e on the Island of Kauai. Alaska Airlines will offer daily year-round nonstop flights between Seattle and Honolulu, and between Seattle and Lihu'e on the island of Kauai. Alaska will also launch seasonal service between Anchorage and Honolulu. Go here for Alaska Airlines Promo

Seattle-Honolulu starts October 12th;
Seattle-Lihu'e begins October 28th;
Anchorage-Honolulu starts December 9th.
All flights operate daily with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Hawaii Fares
Look for fares as low as $162* each way, from Seattle to Honolulu, and $202* each way, from Seattle to Lihu'e. Book today. Use Alaska Airlines Promo code for your flight reservation to Honolulu or Kauai.

Based on travel Monday through Thursday. Seats are limited. Check alaskaair.com for availability and restrictions. Have a great Hawaii vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation Rental Specials

Sunday, June 10, 2007

How to have a great Kauai vacation and Save Money!

Have a great Kauai VacationHow to have a great Kauai Vacation and Save Money!

Best Hawaii Vacation destination? What do we expect from your best but cheap Hawaii vacation and what are the things you want to do in your vacation? Last but not least, your budget will define which island to go, what to do and where to stay, at a 5-star Hawaiian beach resort or an affordable inexpensive Hawaii vacation condominium. Laid back Kauai, the Garden Isle, might just be right for you...rainforests, cliffs, valleys, swaying palm trees and most impressive, seemingly endless stretches of white sand beaches.

Be prepared though for frequent tropical downpours but these make the island so lush and green. After the downpour, the sun is fast out again and the most beautiful rainbows will be displayed. The readers of 'Travel & Leisure Magazine' have voted Kauai as the best island in Hawaii to spend your vacation 3 years in a row.

Kauai vacation is perfect for the active Hawaii traveler...there are miles of trails through tropical rain forest and along rugged ocean cliffs for passionate hikers, bikers or horseback riders, huge variety of ocean sports from scuba diving, surfing, to whale watching, golf courses from championship courses to affordable local courses invite golfers. We combined on our Kauai vacation our kayak tour on the Wailua River with a hike through rain forest to hidden waterfalls. Won't ever forget that.

With miles of sandy beaches and no resort next to it, Kauai offers lots of quiet spots for relaxation or meditation away from hotel crowds and resorts. When looking for nightlife action, then Kauai is probably not the right place for your Hawaii vacation. Did you know that a Kauai rule is that no building may exceed the height of a coconut tree? So, even on the Kapaa Coconut Coast the height of condo resorts is not higher than 3 or 4 stories.

One can find affordable vacation accommodation on the east coast in the area of the above mentioned town of Kapaa, which is the shopping and resort center. Kapaa has made a great comeback after hurricane Iniki flattened the island of Kauai in 1992. We like the central location of Kapaa for vacation activities, shopping, restaurants and beaches. Resorts condos are offered at affordable rates.

Going further north from Kapaa on the one and only road the traveler gets to beautiful Kauai's North Shore with Princeville Resort as a centerpiece. Princeville Resort includes a luxury Sheraton hotel and 10 condo complexes plus lots of new timeshare golfcourse condos. Hanalei is the laid back center of North Shore life with Hanalei Bay beach attracting families with kids because of the calm ocean. Hanalei is the gateway to the wild Na Pali Coast. Be aware that the North Shore has quite a bit more rain than the south point of Kauai.

When arriving at Kauai Lihue Airport for your Kauai vacation, pick up vacation brochures for Hawaii right there. If you want to be better prepared for your best Hawaii vacation, order your free vacation brochures for Kauai ahead of your trip or buy the ‘Kauai Revealed’ book as your travel companion for your Kauai travel.

You want to know what the weather is like right now on Kauai, check current Kauai weather in Lihue, Hawaii (for your stay on the Coconut Coast, Kapaa), weather in Princeville (for your vacation at Hanalei or Princeville Resort) or Poipu Resort weather.

Please, bookmark this Kauai Vacation page. We will include links on "How to have a great Kauai vacation & Save Money". We, Pua and Keoki at Best Hawaii Vacation Blog, are looking forward to hearing from you with your Hawaii experience or questions on Kauai vacation. Aloha Pua Hawaii Vacation Guide

Kauai Vacation Links

Kauai Hawaii Vacation Information To visit Kauai is to quickly lose yourself in the quiet majesty of the island's lush tropical setting and extraordinary natural heritage. Come, discover the legendary aloha spirit that abounds in this friendly garden island paradise.

Hawaii Beach Safety Tips for Kauai Beaches

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Poipu Kauai Vacation YouTube Video

This blog post is sponsored by Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals

Aloha Hawaii beach lovers,
I guess from time to time we will get back to our discussion which of the Hawaiian Islands is your favorite Hawaii vacation destination.

When taking short breaks from the Big Island, we love to go on vacation to Kauai. So when we found this Kauai video on youtube it brought back great memories of our last Kauai vacation. We spent a week in Kapaa on Kauai and had the most wonderful time. As the island is really small, we spent some special time on the white sand beaches of Poipu with lots of sunshine (remember Kauai can be quite rainy at certain areas).

Hey Hawaii beach bums, enjoy a visit to Poipu beach on Kauai with this youtube video (thanks to its creator!).

As usual, let us know what you think. Mahalo and aloha, Pua
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