It’s time to say happy aloha Friday, again! Today’s edition focuses on Maui and its nickname, “the valley isle”. The following photo taken from a catamaran off the West coast of Maui illustrates that name. (By the way, Maui is also known as the magic isle, too.) So in keeping with the Aloha Friday tradition started by Kailani at An ... Read More »

Everyone hears of Maui’s famous resort areas of Lahaina, Kaanapali and Wailea. On the other hand, Kihei is lesser known for swank hotels, but a budget travelers dream. After a recent review on VRBO.com and AirBnB.com, I was able to find vacation condo rentals that sleep two to four for under $100 per night. If you up the budget to ... Read More »

In case you don’t already know, I’m a big fan of staying in condos on my vacations to Hawaii. Sure, staying at a four or five-star hotel is a treat, but you really can’t beat the conveniences and price of staying in a condo anywhere in Hawaii. In fact, I’m going to the Kohala Coast of the Big Island in ... Read More »

Are you ready to celebrate the new Chinese New Year, the year of the brown rat?  If you’re on Oahu, you’ll find exciting ways to celebrate it  Here’s a couple of fun events going on in Honolulu: Night in Chinatown 2008 Festival & ParadeEvent Description: A day long block party features food, Martial Arts, crafts, good luck trinkets, Lion Dances, ... Read More »

If you own a business with an online presence and you’d like to learn how social media can help your business, then consider participating in the Aloha Social Media Summit on March 18th and 19th.  This two day workshop will be held on the Big Island on the Kohala Coast.  As one of the summit sponsors described it:  “The Aloha ... Read More »

Yay! It’s time for a new reader reward contest. The entry requirements are simple. All you have to do is be a free subscriber via RSS or e-mail then watch for a secret message at the bottom of a post. Once you see the secret message, you can use this easy contact form to send me the secret message. To ... Read More »

I love this article on why Hawaii is the best place in the world for stargazing. I’ve been amazed at the number of stars and shooting stars that I’ve at the top of Haleakala just before dawn.  You don’t have to get up to the top of Haleakala or Mauna Kea to appreciate the clear view of the night sky.  ... Read More »

Today, we’re so fortunate to have Natalie Norton back with us to share some fantastic tips for getting those ‘knock your socks off’ Hawaii vacation photos.  (I hope you didn’t miss yesterday’s awesome interview with Natalie on tips for hiring a wedding and family portrait photographer in Hawaii.)  Natalie Norton is a very talented and energetic professional photographer on Oahu.  ... Read More »

When I was on Oahu last June, I had the opportunity to meet a delightful and talented photographer, Natalie Norton. She certainly has an expert and creative eye for photography. Just take a look for yourself on her blog at Natalie Norton’s Photo Blog, and I’m sure you’ll agree. I had never thought of hiring a photographer for a family ... Read More »

I’m a big fan of using TripAdvisor.com when selecting a hotel for vacation or business.  The reviews are generally unbiased as well as insightful.  So, when TripAdvisor comes out with their Travelers Choice Awards, I take notice.  KHNL has an article listing all the 2008 winners from Hawaii.  Here’s a summary: Hawaii’s best luxury hotels are:  Four Season’s Resort Maui ... Read More »