Go Visit Hawaii

If you’re growing weary of all the political campaigning, then maybe you need a refreshing vacation campaign. The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) just launched a winter vacation campaign with the theme of Discover More Of Hawaii For Less.  Now, isn’t that a campaign we can all support?

You can find the central collection of these winter deals at GoHawaii.com/Value.  John Monahan, HVCB president and CEO, says, “The savings being offered mean the cost of a Hawaii vacation can now be less than a year ago.”  From my own observations, I’ve noticed that that the deals I’m finding now are much better than this same time a year ago. Many enticing perks like resort credits, free breakfasts, free rental car, and free night’s stay are currently being offered.  These freebies are on top of discounted rates.  Last year you might have seen one of those perks, but no more than one.  Now, I’m seeing most deals that offer at least two or three of those perks. It’s also worth noting that some of the discount offers are valid through March 2009, which is traditionally the high season.

Title quote by John Monahan, HVCB president and CEO

Today we have a special treat that Natalie Norton is sharing with us.  Natalie sends us this photo of Hawaii’s state flower, the hibiscus.  Natalie is a professional photographer who lives on the North Shore of Oahu.  I have to say that I’m a fan of hers. I follow her blog where she displays samples of her unique work.  She’s such a talent at capturing great family and wedding portraits. 

Mahalo Natalie for sharing this photo!

My parents have always had a summer vegetable garden. In fact they grew, freeze and can almost all of the vegetables that they need for the entire year. Though I hated having to help pull weeds in the garden or string and snap beans when I was a little girl, I think those experiences taught me to appreciate farming, plants and the gardening process. That’s one reason why I like that Hawaii’s Big Island is promoting agricultural tourism, also known as agtourism.  

Hawaii’s fertile ground and diverse climates make it an ideal for growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, flowers and nuts.  Here are some examples of the bounty that you’ll find growing on the Big Island:

So, as you are planning a trip to the Big Island, consider opportunities to discover what Hawaii grows and brings to the table.  Here are some ideas for you:

• Treat all your senses at one of the many Hawaii Farmers’ Markets.
• Tour historic Parker Ranch in Waimea.
• Tour Kona’s coffee farms.
• Visit one of the macadamia nut farms and visitor centers.
• See a Hawaiian Vanilla Farm.
• Visit a variety of farms with Hawaii AgVentures guided tours.

Photo above is of macadamia nuts.

If the nights and days are starting to get cooler where you are, consider these Hawaii rays of sunshine!  :-) 

• The most recent (August 2008) Hawaii hotel occupancy and rate data has been reported.  The statewide average occupancy was 74.4% while the average nightly rate was $211.  Both of these stats are down in comparison to August 2007. Though this news is a bit bleak, the good news is that if you can get to Hawaii, you’ll find exceptional value.  In this KHON report, Hawaii vacationers are reporting that they are very happy with the deals they’re getting in Hawaii.
• Jeanne Cooper from the San Francisco Chronicle has written an excellent list of top snorkeling spots along Maui’s shores.
• Kayak recently listed their picks for the top 5 state parks. The Iao Valley State Park on Maui made their list.  This beautiful and mysterious valley is not to be missed in my opinion.
• I enjoyed this short read on Maui’s historic town of Lahaina. Be warned that if you read it you may want to be whisked away to Lahaina immediately.
• As most of you know I’ve been writing about Hawaii travel for over 1.5 years.  I’ve been blogging completely unsolicited and purely out of my love of Hawaii and sincere desire to help others make the most out of their Hawaii vacation.  Someone once described me as an ambassador for Hawaii. I like that description!  Well, I have some great news to share with you. The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau have been following my blog and have appreciated my honest and balanced Hawaii travel advice. As a result, they have contacted me and offered to partially assist me with a trip to Hawaii. I am grateful for the help and promise to gather as much information as I can to share with you. There are no strings attached to this HVCB assistance.  I’ve been encouraged to continue writing as I always have and that is to tell it like it is. So, this Saturday, I’m leaving for Oahu and then on to Kauai. As always I’ll be looking for some of the best budget fun along with tips for really making the most of your Hawaii vacation.  

Yay! Yay! Yay! The first humpback whales have arrived back in Hawaii this week.  Though the “official” season doesn’t start until November/December it’s not uncommon to see these amazing creatures splashing around in Hawaii’s waters this early in October. 

As you may recall, we had a little contest to predict the first whale arrival.  The Honolulu Advertiser and Maui News both issued articles yesterday saying that humpback whales had been seen a few miles from Lahaina’s shore off Maui on Wednesday, October 8th.  The Advertiser article also mentions that whales had been seen earlier in the week off the Big Island but no specific date was given.  Since the Advertiser article was the first news article that I saw reporting the arrival, I’ll use it as our official contest source. For the purposes of declaring the winner of our contest, let’s say the official arrival was October 8th. 

With October 8th as our official date, that make Marco our contest winner.  Marco lives in Milano, Italy.  Wow, that’s a long ways from Hawaii! 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest.  There were some very close guesses and interesting logic behind the choices.  I love hosting contests.  Do you have a suggestion for the next contest?

Many thanks to pmaile who commented with a link to the Honolulu Advertiser’s article reporting the first official sighting.  A big mahalo also to David who commented with the Maui News article link within minutes of pmaile’s comment!  You both rock!

Photo Credit

When I hear that friends and family are planning their first vacation to Hawaii, I usually warn them that Hawaii is addictive. I have to admit that I’m an addict. I do travel to other destinations, though.  Since I first traveled to Hawaii in 2003, I’ve been to Australia, French Polynesia, England, Canada, Mexico and a handful of US vacation spots, but it’s beautiful Hawaii that keeps calling me back. 

To prove my point of how addictive Hawaii is, I feel like I need to make a confession here.  Would you believe I never wanted to go to Hawaii in the first place?  It’s true.  Back in the winter of 2003, my husband, Andy, and a couple of dear friends of ours were brainstorming where to go on vacation together. Italy was my choice.  I had been buying Italy guidebooks and listening to Italian language lessons on my way to and from work.  (Even today I still know how to ask how much something costs and where is the restroom in Italian. Two very important phrases, right?)

So I was pushing Italy while Andy and my friend Sheryl were pushing Hawaii. I had been to several Caribbean Islands and I thought that Hawaii was just the same as the Caribbean, but with a much further plane journey from the East Coast. Since then, I’ve learned how very wrong I was! (See my comparison of Hawaii versus the Caribbean.)

Since Andy and Sheryl said that Hawaii was a dream destination for them, I sacrificed my desire to go to Italy so that I could go on a long plane ride to what I then thought would be another boring island, Maui (with a day trip to Oahu), out in the middle of the Pacific. As I’m writing this post, I’m laughing at how ignorant I was. 

Out of my compromise came such a great blessing! From the moment we landed at the airport in Maui, I became infected with the sweet addiction of Hawaii. The smell of the air, the tradewinds, the velvet green cliffs, the lava rocks, the amazing blue water, and the Aloha spirit that permeates the soul all began to rock my world. I tried to transform myself into a sponge and absorb all the sights, smells, and sounds that I could.

I can’t remember if I cried or not when I left Maui, but I do remember being really sad about leaving. I thought that I had taken my once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii and that it was all over.  I don’t recall how long it was after we returned home that we started thinking of how we could get back to Hawaii. Oh, we plotted and schemed and did our best to find a way back to feed our new found addiction. Six months later, we said Aloha to Kauai.  Another six months past and we find ourselves on the Big Island. Since then we’ve vacationed on all the islands and doubled and tripled back on a few.

Out of my love and enthusiasm for Hawaii, I began independently blogging about Hawaii travel in March 2007. I’ve written 717 articles focused on Hawaii travel news, deals, and tips. (This one makes 718, actually.) How is that for proving my point that Hawaii is addictive? I rest my case!

Have you been infected with a love of Hawaii? Please share your story in the comments.  Begin by saying, “Hello, my name is ________, and I’m addicted to Hawaii.”

With the sound of the tradewinds blowing through the canopy of trees, the Koloiki Ridge hike may be one of the most peaceful hikes I’ve trekked. The trail leads you through a forest with native Hawaiian plants and Norfolk Pines up to a ridge with views of the islands of Molokai and Maui as well as the Maunalei Gulch and Naio Gulch.

Officially, the five-mile Koloiki Ridge hiking trail begins at the Lodge at Koele. The hike is described as moderate with an elevation change of 164 feet. It’s estimated that you will need two hours for this hike. Here are some tips for hitting the Koloiki Ridge trail:

• Begin this hike by stopping in at the Lodge at Koele and politely consulting with the concierge, who will be able to provide a detailed trail map and advise on trail conditions, weather conditions, and safety hazards. This step is very important! We found the concierge’s advice and the map that he provided to be extremely helpful. We would have literally been lost without it.
• Note that the Koloiki Ridge Hike connects with the Munro Trail for a portion of the hike. 
• Wear shoes that are good for hiking on uneven surfaces.  I would not advise wearing flip flops or shoes that you don’t want to get dirty as the trail can be muddy. 
• Bring along water and maybe a light energy snack.
• Bring a lightweight waterproof jacket in case it rains. Note that with the higher elevation, the air is cooler than on the coast.
• If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle and conditions permit you to drive the Munro Trail that day, you can save some steps by driving most of the official five-mile hike.  (See my tips for 4-wheeling it on Lanai.)

  Enjoy this peaceful Lanai hike!

As you are making your sight-seeing plans for Maui, I do hope you are planning in a visit to the summit of Haleakala. Did you know that the name Haleakala means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian? Given the meaning of Haleakala, I think it’s fitting to visit the summit for sunrise or sunset. Which is better? That’s a good question and I tend to lean towards sunrise. Here are my thoughts on Haleakala for sunrise versus sunset.

Practically speaking, you’re going to be jet lagged anyway so make good use of the time and see sunrise. To some extent you will be jet lagged, particularly if you are flying from the East. From my experience, I tend to be a early riser when I visit Hawaii. The first couple of days, I tend to wake up in the wee hours of the morning. Take advantage of your jet lag on the first or second day and drive up to Haleakala for sunrise. 

On the flip side of the jet lag issue, if you want to watch sunset, you may want to wait to go to Haleakala towards the end of your stay. On the first few days I’m in Hawaii, I get sleepy early in the evening - I’m talking around 7:30 or 8:00pm. So, if sunset is around 6:30pm and I’ve got to drive two hours back to my accommodation, I’m going to be fighting to stay awake while driving in the dark down a steep and winding road. That’s not a good combination.

A bonus of getting to the summit early is that you get to stargaze before watching the sky and clouds slowly light up with vivid sunrise colors. It’s hard to put into words how amazing this experience is. I’d encourage you to be observant as you watch this natural show and you will be rewarded. Now I know you can watch this sequence in reverse if you go for sunset, however, if you are fighting jet lag and you’re getting colder by the minute as the sun’s warmth goes away, you’re less likely to persevere to a nice dark sky for stargazing.    

Sunrise is more dramatic in my opinion.  Not only are you there early watching the sky change from dark to colorful lights, but the surreal, moon-like landscape of Haleakala summit is displayed at sunrise.

I have always found that it’s easer to drive uphill than driving downhill in the dark. Has anyone else noticed that, too? I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina, so I feel like I know a thing or two about driving on steep, curvy roads.  The road to the summit of Haleakala is very steep and abundantly dotted with hairpin turns. I prefer to navigate up this tricky road in the dark before sunrise rather than down the road after sunset.

With Haleakala meaning house of the sun, I think it’s more fitting to greet the sun on its house.  Maybe I’m too much of a romantic, but I feel like watching sunrise on Haleakala has a cultural significance because of its name. 

Now that I’ve gone all goo goo gah gah over Haleakala sunrise, you may be wondering if there are any plus sides to watching sunset. Yes, there are upsides to watching sunset. For starters, you’ll find less crowds at sunset. You’ll also find that the temperature is warmer for sunset. At 10,000 feet above sea level, it does get chilly especially without the warmth of the sun.

If you’ve been trying to decide between Haleakala sunrise or sunset, I hope this article has helped you make your decision. Be sure to see all my tips for watching Haleakala sunrise.

Here’s a video about Haleakala sunrise narrated by Nan Cabatbat, Cultural Educator. In this video notice that Ms. Cabatbat says that she’s been watching sunrise at Haleakala for the past 17 years and she’s never seen the same sunrise yet. 

 
Have you seen Haleakala sunrise or sunset?  What did you think of it?

• I feel a bit like a broken record, but I need to repeat that Hawaii deals are in abundance! In fact, according to the Star Bulletin, the “Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau begins its sale of travel packages at below 2007 prices as part of a $4.5 million marketing campaign to boost travel during the U.S. economic crisis.” See their current listing of Hawaii deals.
• The Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast is offering a third night free from now through December 20th in ocean view or higher guest room categories. You can combine this package with other offers including $200 in resort credit and breakfast offer. 
• Hawaii continues to be a top destination for Expedia.com customers. Expedia is rolling out new Hawaii deals.  Might be worth a peak if you’ve not checked out their deals in a while.  
• The section of road between Kaupo and Kipahulu on the Piilani Highway has reopened. It had been closed for nearly two years due to the earthquake damage in October 2006. You might know this section of road better as the south side of the Road to Hana. Though this road is open again most of the major rental car companies forbid driving here. You should check with your rental car company before driving this section.
• There’s a hot new luau on the Big Island at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa.  It’s called Firenesia and it debuts tonight. “Full of excitement and drama, entertainers showcase the beauty of fire under the stars while guests feast on Hawaiian lu‘au favorites and contemporary fare and sip cocktails at the open bar.” For more information visit www.firenesia.com.
• Chapter 14 of the Carnival of Aloha is up with many interesting articles about Hawaii.
• Here’s a touching story that you must watch.  Veteran Michael Yuhas returns to Hawaii for the first time in 67 years after surviving the attack at Pearl Harbor. It was his wish for his 90th birthday that he would get to return to Hawaii.

Color me jealous that the West Coast gets all the best flight deals to Hawaii. If you are one of those lucky ones on the West Coast then check out the extended flight sales to Oahu and Maui.  Flights are as low as $350 plus taxes and fees.  You must book by October 10, 2008.  If you get one of these good flight deals, will you just send me a post card?