After reading the Hawaii travel secrets from the Arizona Daily Star that I posted yesterday, I have been inspired to share a few of my own secrets. Let’s start with some secret tips for romantic sunset dining in Hawaii.

1. Make a reservation and get to the restaurant early. Restaurants in Hawaii seat their customers on a first come first serve basis. (I have not found any exception to this rule.) So even if you have made a reservation for 6:30pm and requested a table by a window, you are going to get what is available and most likely, it is not going to be that nice table by a window that you wanted. When making a reservation, most restaurants will tell you that you can make a request, though it cannot be guaranteed. So, how do you get that nice table by the window? You do need to make a reservation for as close to opening time as possible. Most restaurants open for dinner around 5:00 or 5:30. Be sure and find out the opening time when you arrange your reservation. Though this may seem a bit early for dinner, the unobstructed sunset view will be worth the early start.
2. Don’t just limit yourself to a restaurant. Plan a sunset picnic at a beach. By picking up a few picnic supplies, you can save some money as compared to restaurant dinners and have a million dolllar view at the same time.
3. Know when sunset is. Sunsets in Hawaii generally vary from around 5:45pm to 7:15 pm. So, plan your cocktails, appetizers, etc accordingly. As you can see, getting to the restaurant around 5:00 it is really not too early for viewing sunset. Use this US Naval Observatory link to find out when sunrise and sunset may be on your trip.
4. Bring a camera and be sure to snap photos before during and after sunset to see the beautiful color variations on the sky and water.
5. Bring sunglasses because you might need them depending on the angle of the sun.
6. If you are travelling with another couple, consider reserving two tables for two instead of one table for four so that everyone will have the sunset view.

I hope you will enjoy a gorgeous sunset dinner in Hawaii soon!