Go Visit Hawaii

If you’ve been to Kauai then you’ve probably noticed all the feral chickens. They’re hard to miss. I’d imagine just about everyone who has been to Kauai has vacation photos of the waterfalls, the beaches, beautiful Waimea Canyon, and then there’s the obligatory photo of the chickens.  (Note that the photo above is from our own vacation photo collection.)

So what does Kauai have so many wild chickens?  Most people suggest that the feral chicken population can be traced back to when Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai in 1992. It’s been reported that the devastating hurricane destroyed a number of chicken farms.  Wikipedia also suggests another possible theory:

Others say that sugarcane plantation laborers in the late 1800s and early 1900s brought and raised chickens (for eating and cockfighting) and many got loose over the years and multiplied.

The reason could be a combination of the two.  Have you heard any theories on the Kauai chicken population?  Do you have a vacation photo with a free range Kauai chicken?  If you have the photo hosted online, please share the link in the comments. 

July 8, 2008 Update: Points of Light has suspended operation of their ebay store for travel. For more information see this Q&A.
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A Go Visit Hawaii reader, Lindsay, recently wrote me to tell me about how she had purchased two roundtrip tickets for $780 on American Airlines. That’s a steal at $390 per person from the Midwest!

Now, you’ll probably never guess where Lindsay purchased these tickets. It wasn’t through the American Airlines, or a travel agency, or online discount agency like Travelocity. Are you ready for this? She purchased the tickets on ebay. That’s right, ebay! So, how did she do it? She was kind enough to give me to the scoop to share with you.

So, here’s the deal. There’s a non-profit organization called Points of Light that auctions tickets and vacation packages on ebay as a means for raising funds. Here’s a link to their ebay shop. They sell other items besides airline tickets and travel packages, so you may have to sift though random stuff to find the Hawaii travel related items for auction. Some travel items are available for “buy it now” and others are available for bid. At the moment, here just a sampling of the Hawaii airline tickets and packages that are up for auction:

• Buy It Now: 2 Roundtrip Coach Tickets from the West Coast - $900
• Buy It Now: 2 Roundtrip Coach Tickets from US and Canada - $1500
• For Bid: 2 Roundtrip Coach Tickets from US and Canada - current bid at $810
• For Bid: 4-Star Hotel and Coach Roundtrip Airfare for 2 to Kauai - current bid at $1,475.

Note that there are restrictions for each item for auction so make sure you know what they are before purchase or bid. Also, make sure you understand what additional taxes and fees may be required. Most tickets and packages have restrictions like a 7 or 14 day advance reservation and a Saturday night stay. Most tickets must be used within 12 months. From sifting through a few of them, it appears that it’s best if you have flexibility in your travel dates.

Though this ebay seller has an overall positive feedback rating (approximately 96%), they do have a some neutral and negative ratings. Make sure you shop with ebay wisely.

For frequent fliers, you’ll still earn travel miles with these tickets. That’s a great bonus.

A big mahalo to Lindsay for sharing this tip! What do you think of this way of purchasing discount tickets? Do you think it’s worth a try or are you scared? Have you purchased tickets or vacation packages from this ebay store? How did it work for you?

UPDATE: Did we flood their system? The day after I posted this tidbit, all the travel items were removed from the ebay store and this notice was posted:

Due to unexpectedly high volumes of summer travel, we have exceeded our capacity to handle new travel packages efficiently. We have temporarily suspended the sale of future travel until we can catch up with your demand.

The islands of Hawaii have some fantastic fourth of July events planned for 2008. Here’s some of what’s going on:

On Oahu

July 3rd - Pre-Independence Day Celebration: Aloha Tower Marketplace will be the host of a pre-independence day celebration filled with a fabulous fireworks display over Honolulu Harbor at 9pm. The free event includes live entertainment on multiple stages, a fashion show with top Hawaii models, face & hair painting, a balloon artist, and many strolling entertainers throughout the entire marketplace. These events start at 5pm.

July 4th - Ala Moana Forth of July Fireworks & Concert: Full lineup of live entertainment, games and fun, followed by a fireworks extravaganza that’s the biggest in the state. For more information see this link

July 4th - Independence Day at Maunalua Bay: Entertainment will fill the day from 2pm, leading up to a spectacular fireworks display from a barge in Maunalua Bay at 8pm. For more information on this inaugural even for this area of East Honolulu, see this link.

July 4th - 6th - 19th Annual BayFest will be held at the Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe Bay. The public is welcome to enjoy music from various national and local acts, carnival rides and games, great food, exhibits, and fireworks. Admission is required. Proceeds enhance the quality of life for the Marines, Sailors and family members stationed aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii. For more information see this link.

July 4th - Kailua 4th of July Parade, Festival, and Fireworks: For more information, see this link.

July 4th - On Oahu’s North Shore, Turtle Bay Resort Family Day and Fireworks.

On the Big Island

July 4th - 13th Annual Kailua-Kona Independence Day Parade & Fireworks: The parade starts at 5:30pm at Kona’s Kekuaokalani Gym on Kuakini and winding down Palani Road and then South along Alii Drive to Coconut Grove Marketplace. Entertainment at Coconut Grove, then fireworks at 8pm! All free to the public. Visitors are encouraged to wear patriotic colors.

July 4th - Hilo Fireworks: There will be evening fireworks displays at 3 spots in Hilo: on and along the Bayfront Highway and beach area; the soccer fields along Kamehameha Avenue; & Queen Liliuokalani Park. Call Roxie Waltjen, County of Hawaii, Dept. Parks & Recreation, Culture & The Arts for more information at (808) 961-8706. (Per KonaWeb and Cheryl.)

July 4th - 17th Annual Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race & 4th of July Extravaganza: A fundraiser for United Cerebral Palsy of Hawaii, the fun-filled event will feature the always wild and wacky rubber duckie race, great live entertainment, and lots of exciting activities, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display over Kings’ Lake. The even starts at 10am and goes through 9:30pm. For more information, call (808) 886-8811.

July 4th - Turtle Independence Day at the Mauna Lani: This is a different take on independence day. A turtle will be released from the shore fronting the hotel. This is a morning event going from 8:30am - 11:30am. For more details, see this link

On Maui

4th of July in Lahaina: Fireworks are scheduled for 8pm. The fireworks display will be over the ocean in historic Lahaina Town. The 4th of July in Lahaina is a free family event for all and it even includes a concert from 6:00 to 8:00pm on the makai library lawn. Note that some tour companies are providing special 4th of July fireworks excursions to watch the fireworks from the water. For example, see this one from Trilogy.

On Kauai

July 4th - 19th Annual Concert in the Sky: This event in Lihue at the Vidinha Soccer Field starts at 2pm with entertainment, games, and food. A modest admission fee is required with proceeds benefiting Kauai Hospice.

Photo credit to sunsurfr by Creative Commons.

If you live near Seattle, you can get a one-way fare as low as $239 to Maui or Kauai on Alaska Airlines.  Other cities from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Canada can get fares as low as $289.  You must create a “My Account” at AlaskaAir.com, book the travel online, and use the discount code ECFL05208 with your reservation.  This fare is valid for travel between now and September 30th, but you must purchase the ticket before June 20th.  Blackout dates are June 27-28 and July 5-6, 2008. 

Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources recently launched a spruced up website loaded with great information on Hawaii’s State Parks. Here’s how to use this resource to help you with your vacation plans.

Finding the State Parks
It’s easy to find the state parks for Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and the Big Island with the interactive island maps. On each individual park page, you can find out much more about the significance of the park, hours of operation, and if there are facilities like restrooms and picnic tables, etc.

Learning Hawaii’s History and Culture
This section of the website is chocked full of information of which parks to visit to learn about life in ancient Hawaii.

Finding the Hiking Trails
You’ll find great hiking advice that is written specifically for Hawaii’s trails. You’ll find a listing of the trails maintained by the state in interactive maps. Here are the trail guides for Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.

Camping and other State Park Lodging
Here, you’ll learn where you can camp as well as the permit process and fees required. You’ll find information for lodging in cabins at Hawaii’s state parks. For example, you can stay in a cabin at the Kokee State Park on Kauai.

Park Rules & Health and Safety
Before you visit Hawaii’s state parks, you should review the park rules and learn about the unique safety circumstance.

(We took the above photo at Waianapanapa State Park on Maui.)

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HCVB) and it’s partners have launched travel promotions aimed at making Hawaii a more affordable destination. Here’s more about it in a statement from the HVCB

Travelers will save at least $200 per person on their trip to the Hawaiian Islands through HVCB’s partnership with American Airlines Vacations, American Express Vacations, Classic Vacations, Expedia, NWA WorldVacations, Orbitz, Pleasant Holidays, Travelocity, and United Vacations, which offers travelers money saving air vacation packages loaded with incentives including deeply discounted airfare, free hotel room nights, free meals, free rental cars, and free food and beverage dining credits. These value packages offer significant savings and make Hawaii a competitive vacation destination this summer.

They’ve created a website to house these deals at GoHawaii.com/summerfun. Have a look at the special offers.  They’re pretty enticing.

I’m kicking off this new series of one day island itineraries with a visit to Kauai.  If I only had one day to visit Kauai, I would focus my time on seeing the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks.  These colorful parks are adjacent to each other, so it’s easy to see both in one day and they are completely free to visit.  Baring any weather issue, I promise you’ll end up with many beautiful photo opportunities and views that will almost take your breath away. The photo above shows the Kalalau Valley that you can see from the Kalalau Lookout and Puu o Kila Lookouts at Kokee State Park. So, let’s take a practical look at how we can see these excellent parks in one day.

Arrival and arranging transportation:

First, you’ll most likely arrive in Kauai at the Nawiliwili Harbor or at the main airport in Lihue.  You can pick up a rental car there.  (I suggest you shop around for rates and make a reservation before you arrive.) Be sure to grab a free map provided by the rental car company and use it to navigate your way to the Southwest side of the island heading in the direction of Highway 550, Waimea Canyon Drive.  If you don’t want to do the driving, you can easily find tour companies who can arrange a full service tour for you.

Considerations before you get to the parks:

• There is only one restaurant in the park.  It’s located at the Kokee Lodge and it serves breakfast and lunch, so plan accordingly. 
• You’d be wise to bring along a sweater or other types of layers as the higher altitude means about 10 to 20 degrees cooler weather in these two parks.  
• Allow approximately 90 minutes travel time to and from Lihue.  Maybe add a tad more to be on the safe side.  Be sure and allocate enough time to return your car and get to your gate at the airport or harbor for your cruise ship.
• If you are prone to car-sickness on winding roads, you may want to bring something to prevent it.

At the parks:

• Allocate about three hours to drive around and stop at the lookouts. Most of the lookout points will be very obvious.  Don’t miss the Kalalau Lookout and if you are able to walk a little ways from the end of the road, do go further up to the Puu o Kila Lookout for an even better view of the Kalalau Valley. Clouds often drift in an out of here, so if it’s cloudy at first, wait for a bit.  That’s what I did and I was able to capture the photo at the top. 
• If you the time available, consider some hikes, but be prepared with water, proper shoes and clothing, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant.  I particularly liked Canyon Trail. You can learn more about the hikes here. 
• I liked driving Highway 550 into the parks and Highway 552 out.
• See my article on Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Parks for a few more details.

If you still have time, here are other ideas of what to see on your way back to Lihue:

• Take a drive down to see the blowhole Spouting Horn in Poipu. 
• Drive North of Lihue and see Wailua Falls.

And what else would I do if I had two days or maybe more?

• I’d take a helicopter tour of Kauai. In my opinion, Kauai is one of the most beautiful islands for helicopter tours.  (Make sure you do your helicopter tour homework in advance.)
• In smoother water during summer months, I’d take a catamaran cruise of the Na Pali Coast.
• See the North Shore and stop along at some of the gorgeous beaches there.
• See more of my suggestions for best Kauai things to see and do. 
• Also see these other itinerary ideas.

Check out eCouponsHawaii.com before you go on vacation and you may find some valuable savings. I’ve been clicking away on that website and finding some nice deals that would definitely benefit Hawaii visitors and residents, too.

To save you some steps, I’m linking to coupon pages that I felt were worth pointing out to my fellow Hawaii travelers. The offers do vary from island to island. After you click on the island link for each category listed below, access the specific coupons by clicking on the individual business logos.

• Car rental coupons for Maui, Oahu, Big Island, and Kauai. Definitely take a look at these coupons and compare them to quotes you get from some of the websites like Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, etc.
• Looking for discounts on tours and activities? You’ll find discounts for everything from guided tours to luaus to kayak rentals, bike rentals, and much more. You’ll even find coupons for helicopter tours. Here are the links for the offers for the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Molokai.
• Spas! See these spa and beauty coupons for Oahu and the Big Island.
• Are you getting married in Hawaii? Then check out these coupons for weddings including photography, transportation, flowers and beauty needs for Big Island, Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.
• A free DoleWhip with the purchase of two DoleWhips at the Dole Plantation on Oahu. A DoleWhip is a refreshing frozen pineapple treat. If you have the time a stop at the Dole Plantation is a neat little place to visit, though it is a bit touristy. I enjoyed just walking around the gift shop and seeing some unique souvenirs.

I like to thank the LA Times Daily Deal Blog and a comment from Hawaii Money Saving Mama for introducing me to eCouponsHawaii.

While we’re on the topic of coupons and discounts, I’d like to point out that the 2008 Hawaii Entertainment books are currently on sale for $9.99. You may recall we talked about these Hawaii coupon books last month. The consensus from the comments is that the coupon books were particularly valuable for Oahu, but not as useful on the other islands.

Wednesday, May 28th update:  It appears that all the lower fares are possibly all gone, but it’s still worth looking into as Kayak.com is reporting some lower fares.

Tuesday, May 27th afternoon update: These fare seem to be fluctuating erratically. I just checked Charlotte to Honolulu for myself and the best Continental fares were gone, then 10 minutes later, I rechecked and they were back. The good news is that American Airlines fares were $588, which is still a very, very good fare from the East Coast to Hawaii. I’ll keep my eye on this situation for you.

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United Airlines and Continental have dropped fares to Hawaii with prices as low as $297 roundtrip. So far, these great airfares only apply from these hubs:

• Newark (United)
• Houston (United)
• Charlotte (Continental)
• Philadelphia (Continental)
• Pittsburgh (Continental)

You must fly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays and stay for three nights minimum. Per the Frugal Travel Guy, the travel dates that apply are:

Jan 9 to Feb 15
April 24 to June 7
August 21 to Nov 10
December 5 to Dec 14

Continental is only offering the best airfares into Honolulu (HNL), while United is offering the good deals to both Honolulu and Kauai (LIH).

Use Kayak.com to help you find the best airfare. With the fantastic hotel deals in Hawaii combined with these excellent airfares, this is an amazing time to go visit Hawaii.

A big mahalo to the Frugal Travel Guy for the heads up!

Happy Aloha Friday and Memorial Day weekend! Here are some interesting newsy bits and enticing Hawaii deals for you.

• Dr Beach announced his 2008 list of the ten best US beaches.  Hanalei Beach on the North Shore of Kauai made the list at number 2.  Hamoa Beach on Maui near Hana is this year’s seventh best US beach.
• BookIt.com named ResortQuest’s Waikiki Beach Hotel in their top ten list of Memorial Day weekend getaway deals.
• Starwoods hotels have some fantastic Hawaii hotel deals.  They’re offering 35% off, fifth night free and a $100 dining credit. .  The offer is only available for Starwoods Preferred Guests, if you’re not already a member, don’t worry, sign up is quick and free.  The offer is valid for stays through December 25th, but you must book before June 30th.
• Four Seasons Resorts are offering a couple of freebies that vary by Hawaii location.  They’re offering a free night’s stay on Lanai, and free breakfast for two on the Big Island and Maui. 
• American Airlines announced that it will be charging a fee of $15 for the first checked bag. Elite status passengers are exempt from the fee.  Other airlines are considering adding this fee, but Delta said they wouldn’t. Remember that you’ll save yourself money and time by packing light.