Molokai Vacation Trip Report 1

Hawaii Trip Reports are ‘surfing’ in. Best Hawaii Vacation visitors will appreciate it. Mahalo to Brigitte from BeBack Hawaii for this Molokai Trip Report

"Take a special Hawaiian getaway vacation in Molokai. If you have run out of ideas on what to do and where to go in Hawaii, take a few days off and go back many years. In Molokai, time stood still. We would like to share some personal WHAT TO DO ON MOLOKAI tips and recommendations with Hawaii visitors.

What is there to do on Molokai?

There are beaches all around the island. Summer is a good time to swim on the West End and to the right of the Hotel you will find some beautiful beaches with golden sand, one cove after the other. In winter, surf is majestic and dramatic and too dangerous to swim. Unexpected high waves can be dangerous while walking the shore and there are strong currents in the water. NEVER swim alone. Ask for safe swimming places. These conditions change all the time. There are no Lifeguards on Molokai's Beaches!

To the left of the golf course is everybody’s favorite beach, Papahako Beach, 3 miles long and hardly a soul. You can easily walk to it across the golf course. Be very careful, as swimming at this incredible beach is dangerous most of the time. But what a great place to walk! Also a fun place to have a sunset picnic. For a great view, walk up to Kaiaka rock. Stunning views on all sides.

There is lots to do in Molokai, even if it seems very slow. The people are friendly and ready to help. Make sure you take a drive to the east end, or at least take a look from the Kalaupapa lookout over the dramatic North Shore where Kalapapa is located. It is breathtaking.

All along the East end are lots of pretty sandy beaches, which offer scenic palm lined swimming opportunities. Here the beaches are calm and protected by a reef. Perfect snorkeling and also great for kayaking
On the way to the east end take a break halfway at the old neighborhood store (now called something else) but you cant miss it - the only place where you find something to eat and drink. They have very good sandwiches!! Of course the lookout at Halawa valley is not to be missed. If you can drive all the way down and enjoy a walk on the beach. To get into the valley you need to sign up for a tour and the Fish and Dive shop in Kaunakakai

For land activities see Molokai Ranch Outfitter Center in Mauna Loa. They can set you up with bike and horseback activities and let you know about other planned events during your stay. For ocean activities (whale watch, sailing, fishing) you should call Mike Holmes at 567-6789. For organized Hikes into Molokai's Nature Preserves call the Nature Conservancy on Oahu (808) 537-4508. They have hikes on set days only. Plan ahead. These are fantastic landscapes you will be hiking through. Or call Off Road Tours at 553-3369. You can hike to Kalaupapa Peninsula on your own but you have to pay a fee and get the permit (from the same place where you take the Mule Ride). Once you reach the Peninsula you have to join the group to sightsee. Or you can fly in or do the Mule ride. Ph: 567-6088. Check with the Molokai Visitors Bureau for vendors contact numbers and vacation ideas.

In Molokai you can mostly plan your day as you go. No need to reserve this and that - but instead book an activity if the weather and mood is right. Or just go for a drive or walk and discover Molokai on your own. After all, this island is known for what it does not have…crowds, traffic, malls, noise or pollution! Only the Nature Preserve and Kalaupapa visit should be planned in advance. In winter you might also reserve a whale watch tour if you have only a few days to choose from.

Shopping and Restaurants on Molokai

If you arrive early in the day you might want to go to Kaunakakai first to get your groceries. It saves you a trip. Otherwise get your essentials in Maunaloa. They close at 6 PM and are closed Sunday afternoon! If you arrive very late, be prepared to eat out (in Maunaloa) since there are no shops to get groceries on the west end. Or bring something with you to make an easy dinner on your first night. Once you are settled you should do your big shopping in Kaunakakai. If you are lucky to be there on a weekend visit the farmers market in Kaunakakai.

The Friendly Market for general groceries, the Health Food Store (Outpost) has lots of healthy goodies and the Liquor Store in Kaunakakai a surprisingly fine wine selection and some cheeses & gourmet items! In Maunaloa, there is the Maunaloa grocery store where you can find most of the essentials Also there is the only Gas Station on the West end (which closes at 1 PM).

For a perfect Sunset experience enjoy a cocktail at the beautiful Maunaloa Lodge Bar. This impressive Hotel has created a very luxurious but country style environment in a beautiful setting. The Restaurant at the Lodge serves Breakfast, Lunch + Dinner and also a Brunch on Sunday. The setting is superb, the food first class. Please check with Hotel for hours. The most fun restaurant now is probably the Hotel Molokai Oceanfront Restaurant in Kaunakakai. Delicious and quite reasonable here meals are served daily for lunch and dinner, and what a great spot at Sunset also.

Enjoy a Mai Tai at the very tropical Bamboo Bar at this fun little Polynesian Hotel, and rub shoulders with some local folks. Friday nights they often have fantastic Molokai style entertainment that is not to be missed and frequented by locals as well as tourists!
Close by is the new indoor/outdoor Paddlers restaurant which is getting very good reviews.

Kaluakois Oceanfront Resort Golf Course across from Ke Nani Kai has been reopened and the 18 hole golf course is ready for you! The Ironwood 9 hole golf course in Kalae is a great and inexpensive alternative to play golf in a beautiful mountain setting. Bring your clubs! And don't forget your tennis rackets to play our recently redone Ke Nani Kai courts! At our pool there is a gas grill, and fish can be bought in town, if you don't catch one yourself!

We hope you have a wonderful time, make sure you tell your best friends about Molokai for their next Hawaii vacation. Molokai is still a great secret in Hawaii."

Bookmark this blog for hot tips from your Best Hawaii Vacation team. Aloha, Pua SAVE $$ HAWAII LAST MINUTE
p.s.
We would still love to hear from your Best Hawaii Vacation. Oahu and Kauai Trip Reports and more reports on other Hawaiian Islands are much appreciated. Email us your Hawaii article and we will consider it for publication with link to your homepage URL.

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Maui Vacation Trip Report 1

A big mahalo to Julie from Ideal Vacation Rentals Blog for this Maui Trip Report.

"It just seems that everyone in the world wants to come to Maui. And why shouldn't they? The weather is fantastic with a year round average of 82 degrees, there are so many wonderful things to see and do, and the people are friendly and helpful.We have been coming to this magical island for over 20 years, so understandably we now consider it our second home and a welcome escape from the cold winters of Canada. As Kama'aina (or locals) we feel qualified to share with you, some of our cherished Maui experiences. The following is our Maui Travel Guide.

It is a fact that Maui beaches are rated among the best in the world, and water sports are unsurpassed. Kaanapali Beach is our favourite beach, and here you can either walk for miles on the sand, or take a leisurely stroll along a pathway through the many resorts and hotels that are strung along the beach. If you end up at Whaler's Village you may catch an outdoor concert of local performers, eat in one of the great beachfront restaurants, browse through a myriad of shops and boutiques or take in the informative Whaler's Museum, offering free admission.

If you keep going to the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, you will be treated to a free hula show each evening and later you can dance to a great Hawaaian band with the moonlight shining down through the Palms. Rudy Aquino, a native Hawaiian who has played there for years will leave you with a special memory when he plays "Phantom of the Opera" on his Vibra Harp. Also worthy of mention, and somewhere we have taken many of our guests, is a magic show called Kupanaha, also at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. The magicians are top notch, and you really go away with a new respect for magic.

One of our favourite Maui activities is snorkeling with the colourful fish and green sea turtles. If you try this you may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of an eel or octopus as you explore your own coral wonderland. Our favourite snorkeling spots on Maui are Airport Beach and Black Rock in Kaanapali, Honalua Bay (a marine reserve) north of Kapalua, and Le Perouse Bay out past Wailuku and the last lava flow on Maui (also a fascination drive through the lava).

If you visit Maui between December and March you will be sure to see the many humpback whales that come from Alaska each year to mate and bear their young. To watch a mother teaching her calf to breach is the thrill of a lifetime. For whale watching we recommend booking with The Pacific Whale Foundation. Their mission is to promote appreciation, understanding and protection of whales, dolphins, coral reefs and our planet's oceans.

A trip up to Haleakala National Park where you can see the famous dormant volcano, is a must. We even got up a 3:30 in the morning once to experience a spectacular sunrise from the summit. Do take warm clothes, and a picnic as there are many great hiking trails which gives you a chance to see the local flora and fauna first hand."

Read Julie's complete Maui Trip Report.

Please, share your own Maui vacation experience with our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals

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Big Island Vacation Trip Report 1

Mahalo to Joe Duck from Online Highways for his Hawaii Big Island Trip Report.

For me the big “surprise” of Hawaii was how relaxed and uncrowded it was, even during Spring break, *except* in the Honolulu area surrounding Waikiki Beach. A little research after our trip of a few years back told me that almost all Hawaiian tourism happens in the few square miles of Honolulu right around Waikiki Beach, the stretch of beautiful white sand and surf that curves in a gentle crescent around the surf side of Honolulu. Pearl Harbor was also fairly crowded, though even these “busiest” parts of Hawaii were easily manageable.

I think the kids remember the high rises, beach, and trinket shopping in Honolulu the most but my wife and I enjoyed our stay at the Keauhou Bay Resort, an “Outrigger” Brand Hotel about 10 miles south of Kona on the big Island. Our first room was too low and with a bad view but they relocated us to higher floor where we enjoyed a great view of the surf and swaying palms. Hawaiian hotel lobbies are often in the open air in a patio like setting, and that was the case at the Keauhou Bay. The restaurant also was “outside” but under a roof, next to a nice small pool and within view of the surf. The immediate area was a sometime home of King Kameahameha, the dude who unified the islands (sometimes with brutal force), but is still celebrated as one of Hawaii’s great historical figures. A recreation of his small house is still on the grounds.

the Keauhou Bay Resort Hotel was somewhat isolated from the big groups of resorts and hotels located at Kona and at Waikoloa. Kona appeared to cater more to the “middle class” where the huge resorts at Waikoloa tend to cater to the wealthiest visitors to the big island. Based on our short visit to Waikoloa the resorts there seem to spend a lot of time “recreating” Hawaii at the resort grounds and pools rather than having you experience it a bit more directly on the beaches and the small city of Kona. However if you want to be pampered more you’ll probably want Waikoloa places.

The big Island is not nearly as big as I’d expected - you could drive completely around it in 5 hours 20 minutes using the main Hawaii Belt Road that circles Hawaii (this is pretty much the key main road on the big Island, though there are a few other big roads in Waikaloa area.

Links to some key attractions of Hawaii:

DO NOT MISS the historic native village at Honaunau a US National Historic Park. This is a “must see” to understand Hawaii before colonialism. A beautiful recreation of a native polynesian village with interpretive information.

Kealakekua Bay is where Captain Cook first landed. He was greeted by Hawaiians peacefully and left, but then returned and was killed. The monument area offers excellent snorkelling as part of a *great* full day adventure that was the highlight of our Hawaii trip. No special skills required though it is a bit physical unloading and loading the boats on the car and into the water:
* Rent Kayaks and snorkelling equipment at one of the places south of Kona. We used “Kona Boys” and they were nice.
* Drive to the put in area at Kealakekua Bay. There were some folks hanging out there to help put in and take out for tips, but we just did it ourselves.
* Kayak out to near the monument. You can take out on the rocks north of the monument and then snorkel the reef around there. Lots of fish, great “drop off” to deep water.
Keep an eye out for Dolphins, or even whales. Dolphins are most likely in the mornings and evening.

Hilo is Hawaii’s largest city but not nearly as big a tourist destination as the Kona area. However our drive along the Puna Coast offered some of the most scenic views of the trip. At the end of the road is a great fish and burger cafe, and you can walk from there to the black sand beach that used to be among the world’s most famous until the area was overrun by Lava from Kilueau. Now you’ll see the beach in the process of eroding away into black sand again and note the coconut palms planted all around by a local. Although technically you could hike to Kilauea from here it is many miles away, not recommended, and could be dangerous.

Kilauea Volcano - Walking right up to the red molten lava flow, and seeing a lavafall shooting into the ocean were, for me, a personal “life’s great moments” kind of adventure. Eruption updates.

Kona Coffee: Be sure to do one of the many coffee tours offered just south of Kona at the small coffee plantations. Our 40 minute tour showed the trees and the process. Also it was “free” (though you should give the guide a nice tip) and including sampling several Kona blends and taking away some free avocados from their trees.

Yes, there is a lot more to note about Hawaii, but I need to move on to some new destinations. We’ll do more Hawaii later….

We invite all our readers to join our Hawaii Trip Reports. Write a short trip report about your Hawaii vacation on Oahu, Kauai, Maui or Hawaii Big Island or Molokai and Lanai. Hawaii visitors would like to hear where you stayed, island, hotel or vacation rental, and what you did on your Hawaiian vacation. Please, email us your report. When approved, your Hawaii trip report will be published immediately. Mahalo and aloha Pua Hawaii Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

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