Which Hawaiian Beach photo do you like best?

Hawaii Beach Bums Wanted,
At least, their personal opinion about Hawaii beach photos!

When visiting the Hawaiian Islands and asking our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors why they prefer Hawaii for their vacation destination and NOT Mexico or California or Phoenix the majority of visitors will tell us, the answer is the Hawaiian Beaches on clear turquoise ocean waters of the Pacific Ocean. There is a never ending discussion going on among Hawaii visitors and residents which one is the best Hawaiian beach. Hawaii Beach photos it is TODAY!

After our most recent post of Best Big Island Beaches Youtube Videos, we decided to stay with the theme and asked our Hawaiian ohana from different Hawaiian Islands for their best Hawaii Beach photos. We received a very unique selection of Hawaii beach photos. We are proud of sharing our friends' Best Hawaii Beach photos'. You will find out very fast that they are very unique, beautiful but each one is very personal and reflecting the photographers relation with the Hawaiian Islands and its beaches.

Best Hawaii Beach Photos Oahu, Maui and Molokai

Special 'Mahalo' goes to Brigitte from 'Be Back Hawaii' who submitted the following Hawaii beach photos of Beaches on Oahu, Maui and Molokai.

Waimanalo Beach Photos Oahu

Napili Bay Beach Photos Maui



Molokai Papahaku Beach Photos

Best Hawaii Beach Photos Big Island Kona

Barbara from 'Kona Ocean View' took these unique photos of Big Island beaches on the Kona side of the Big Island. Enjoy photos with views of Kona Beaches.

Kukio Beach Photo Kona Big Island

Photo of famous Kahaluu Beach in Kona


Another Photo City of Refuge Snorkel Beach

Another photo City of Refuge snorkel beach

Best Hawaii Beach Photos Big Island South Point + Punaluu Beach

Each time Big Island visitors are at awe when they see the Green Sands Beach at South Point and beautiful Black sand beaches on big Island's East Coast. Missie from 'Big Island Cottage' shares some rare and unique photos of Green Sands and Black sands beaches with you.

Best Hawaii Beach Photo Kohala Coast

When taking best Hawaii beach photos on the Kohala Coast, it's mostly Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea beach photos. Barry Rose from 'Waiaka Homestead' shows a beach photo of Puako's Wailea Bay beach, also called Beach 69 among locals, which is claiming more attention among Kohala Coast Big Island visitors for its unique beauty, privacy and easy access.


Hope you enjoyed those Hawaiian beach photos just as we did. Please, let us know which of our Hawaii beach photos gets your vote as 'My Best Hawaii Beach Photo'. Looking forward to hearing from you. More personal Hawaii Beach photos are welcome. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
If you are interested to use any of these Hawaii beach photos on your own Hawaii website, please, be aware that these photos are copyright material. So please ask the site owners for permission to use a certain photo from our blog post,and in most cases you will get it when you refer to your Hawaii beach photo owner's site.

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Tags: Best Hawaii Beach photos

Best Hawaii Sunset Photos

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation visitors,

Our last post 'June is the month of Hawaii sunsets' and our call for your best Hawaii sunset photos triggered a nice response with beautiful Hawaii sunset photos. Without any further ado, here is our display of unique Hawaii sunset photos with information about the Hawaii location and the person who took the sunset photo:

Hawaii Sunset Photos in Kailua Kona Big Island Hawaii

These very unique Hawaii sunset photos were taken by Barbara the owner of Kona Ocean View.










Hawaii Sunset Photo Kealakekua

This sunset photo was taken by Viviane the owner of Bellevue Kona Bed and Breakfast


Hawaii Sunset Photo in North Kohala Hawaii Big Island

This sunset photo in Mahukona was taken by Bobi the owner of Kohala Coast Adventures


Hawaii Sunset Photos South Kohala Coast

These Hawaii sunset photos were taken by Kalia the owner of Hale O Pueo in Kohala Estates.






Hawaii Sunset photo Puako Beach

This photo was taken by Bruce the owner of Hale Hoaloha Puako condo



Hawaii Sunset photos Waikoloa South Kohala

These photos were taken by Andy and Diana from Hale O Malia in Waikoloa




Hawaii sunset photo Wood Valley East Coast

This photo was taken by Missie from Big Island cottage in Wood Valley

Hawaii Sunset Photo Maui

This photo was taken by Julie the owner of Ka Hale Ulu Wehi O'Maui


Hawaii Sunset Photo East Coast

This Hawaii sunset photo was taken by John the owner of Kohala Gallery

What a wonderful way to end our display of Best Hawaii Sunset Photos. Much mahalo again to everybody who submitted a Hawaii sunset photo.

We are certain that we are not the only people who love those sunset photos from Hawaii. If you are interested to use any of these photos on your Hawaii website, please, be aware that the Hawaii sunset photos are copyright material. In most cases when you ask the site owners for permission to use a certain photo, you will get it, especially when you mention your sunset photo source.

To everybody else who enjoyed the photos, let us know which of our Hawaii sunset photos gets your vote as 'My Best Hawaii Sunset Photo'. Looking forward to your comments. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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June is the month for sunsets in Hawaii

Tags: Best Hawaii sunset photos, sunset photos in Hawaii

June is the month for sunsets in Hawaii

Dear Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors,
Let's take a short break between posts about best Big Island hiking. Hiking Pololu Valley as our 'Best Big Island Hiking' suggestion, did gather momentum soon. So for all those passionate Hawaii island hikers, our next hiking tip for the Big Island is coming soon.

When our friend Bill Jardine, long time realtor on the Big Island, came up with another one of his wonderful articles about Hawaii, written with love and passion for the islands and writing skills I envy him for, I could not resist to publish it right NOW:

June is the month for sunsets in Hawaii

"There are sunsets every night. Actually, scientists might remind us that there are "horizon rises" every night, but I prefer the idea that the sun is going down rather than the horizon rising up, hurling me backward into the night at over 1,000 miles per hour! The thing with sunsets is that the ones with the ocean on the bottom have been glorified to the point that the other sunsets just don’t get the attention they deserve. The classic ocean sunset is indeed gorgeous but, really, kind of boring too.


Here on the Island we get plane loads of folks from the mainland who are dreaming of sitting on their very own lanai and watching the horizon gradually rise up to block the sun. Perhaps they will match the ruby red wine in their glass with the rosy western afterglow as the canopy of stars spreads far above. Before long the edge of the great Milky Way will be obvious, stretching across the heavens from upper right to lower left. Perhaps with subsequent glasses of wine they will toast the great good fortune that has guided them to this blessed place in the middle of the vast North Pacific. Indeed, it is a blessing, and we who have been able to spend our lives in all this beauty are way beyond lucky.

Ours is a very special view at sunset, because the rush toward dusk sets the mountains glowing with bright blades of gold before rendering their great flanks a warm burgundy against the gathering darkness in the eastern sky. Flocks of Warbling Silverbills fly like notes of a symphony into the shelter of the Koa trees.


We enjoy views of great, sunny pastures which are home to cattle and wild donkeys and goats who revel in the fresh trade winds that ruffle their coats and sweep away the flying insects seeking to climb aboard. In the distance are the three great mountains, Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa and Hualalai, gathering cloaks of afternoon rain along their western slopes. They are intensely beautiful and seem to have personalities of their own when the sun sets over the ocean and shows its reflections on the majestic volcanoes."

As soon as I was writing Bill's article about Hawaii sunsets, I was wondering what fun it would be to collect Hawaii sunset photos from residents or Hawaii visitors. If you have one of those special Hawaii sunset, feel free to email it to us with your short description where in Hawaii you took the sunset photo. Maybe, if we get enough photos, I can publish your photos in a special "Best Hawaii Sunset Photos". I can't wait to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
As a start with Hawaii sunset photos, here is my contribution.

Tags: Hawaii sunset photos, best Hawaii sunsets

Conch Shell Blowing In Hawaii

Aloha everybody and welcome back to our Hawaii photo of the Week!

If you are interested in Hawaii's ocean life and seeing photos of the Hawaii green sea turtle, you probably liked our recent post with tips for watching the turtles in Hawaii. Here is what

Honolulu based photographer Jennifer Crites selected for today's Hawaii photo. The photo is closely connected to ancient Hawaiian traditions and culture: a Hawaiian conch shell blower.

Those of you who have stayed at one of our Hawaii Beach hotels probably experienced the sound of the conch shell first hand when the tiki torches got lit at sunset and a guy or girl dressed in typical ancient Hawaiian outfit was running from torch to torch and also blowing the conch shell at certain locations. It always attracts a crowd of visitors, naturally the kids are most impressed and follow the conch shell blower around the hotel.

Blowing the 'Pu' (pronounced 'poo'), which is the Hawaiian name for conch shell, marks these days very often the official beginning of a ceremony, whether at a Hawaiian wedding or the start of a Hawaiian luau. The conch shell blowing for a luau after sunset is actually the only exception when the shell is blown after sunset. Traditionally, blowing of the Pu, is a deep part of the Hawaiian culture, has various meanings. Today the "Pu" is used to announce the opening of the Hawaii State Legislature, a great way to keep the Hawaiian culture alive.

Did you know that the sound of the conch shell the Hawaiian people use can be heard over two miles away? In ancient times the blowing of the 'Pu' was used to communicate with each other, such as when people on canoes asked permission to land. A certain number of blows on the conch shell by the people on land would mean permission or denial to land. It would then be returned from those on shore by them blowing the conch shell back with a certain number of blows. Permission to land avoided possible death, making the Pu a vital instrument for safety. I found on a Hawaiian site that the meaning of the number of blows on the conch shell is a secret and won't be published for that reason.

I found the following legend about the 'Pu' on a Hawaiian website. It said that "the mythical Menehune, an ancient tiny people, that are believed to have lived throughout the Hawaiian islands were considered god-like by the Polynesian settlers in Hawaii. When the new settlers blew a conch shell to "control" the little gods, the Menehune stole the special conch and kept the Hawaiians up at nights with constant concerts, till a brave Hawaiian retrieved the stolen conch shell"! True or not, but when you visit Bishop Museum in Honolulu that very conch shell from the story is on display there!

Do you have any stories about the conch shell or the little menehune to share with our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors, we would love to hear from you. If you tried blowing the conch shell on your Hawaii vacation, how did you do?

Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Hawaii vacations, Hawaii, Best

Tips for Watching Sea Turtles in Hawaii

Hawaii and the ocean is calling you again here at Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. After our recent tips for kayaking in Hawaii - one of the best Hawaii attractions around the Hawaiian islands - we are still staying in or close to the water. We are delighted to publish another well written guest post by Bobbie Sullivan, who lives on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Bobbie has been diving for more than 30 years and is a PADI certified Divemaster. She writes about the ocean and diving on her website 'The Right Blue'. We promise you her ocean blog stories and amazing ocean life photos will get you hooked. Go visit and see for yourself! Get a taste now with Bobbie's article:

Tips for Watching Sea Turtles in Hawaii by Bobbie Sullivan

Most visitors who come to Hawaii spend a good bit of their time in and around the ocean, swimming, snorkeling, beach-combing or just enjoying the sunshine and salt air. Sometimes, if they are lucky, they will get to see one of Hawaii’s most special shoreline residents – the sea turtle.

Several species of sea turtle can be found in Hawaiian waters, but the one that is most commonly seen is the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). These creatures are native to Hawaii. Most Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles breed and nest in the uninhabited Northwest Hawaiian Islands, away from human populations.

During their adolescent and early adult years, they spend a lot of time at or near the shorelines of the main islands of Hawaii. Green Sea Turtles can be seen, at least occasionally, on any of the Hawaiian Islands you might visit, but they seem to be most plentiful around Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii.

A diver or snorkeler may be lucky enough to see a sea turtle swimming underwater, or resting on a coral shelf or a sandy patch on the bottom. If you happen to see a turtle in the water, it’s very important that you not try to grab or – heaven forbid! – try to ‘ride’ the turtle. Sea turtles are air breathers. They can stay underwater for quite awhile, but from time to time they have to come to the surface for a breath. They become instinctively frightened if they are restrained or cornered underwater.

People wading in shallow water close to shore sometimes encounter sea turtles, especially in rocky areas. The Green Sea Turtle’s favorite food is a type of seaweed (limu) that covers inshore rocks. If you visit a rocky shoreline, you may notice a turtle lazily grazing on limu, but just as with the turtles you may see underwater, they do not like to have their space invaded while they are feeding. Do not approach a turtle that is grazing. Watch from a distance that will not make the turtle uncomfortable.

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles engage in a behavior called ‘basking.’ They haul themselves out of the water onto rocks or sand, and go to sleep. Marine scientists are not exactly sure why Green Sea Turtles do this. Some think that they do it to rest, away from their natural predators. Another theory is that basking serves as a way to elevate the turtle’s body temperature. In any case, this behavior is quite common. As a result, beachgoers in certain areas are very likely to see one or more turtles lying on the sand, looking like they’re working on their tans!

Some people become alarmed when they come across a turtle basking in the sun. They imagine that the turtle is injured, or that it has become stranded. Be assured that this is a natural behavior. The creature will haul itself back into the ocean when it has finished its nap -- and without any help!

You should know that sea turtles are protected by both State and Federal laws. It is important not to touch or harass the turtles, whether they are in the water or on the shore. Please respect them and enjoy them from a safe distance – safe for both you and the turtles!Have a wonderful time in the ocean in Hawaii, and stay safe."

Have you seen the turtles on your last vacation in Hawaii and if so, what was the best part meeting them? Tell us your about your encounter with Hawaiian green sea turtle.
Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Mahalo again Bobbie for helping our Hawaii visitors to get more educated about the ocean life around the islands.

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Scuba, Hawaii, turtles

Kayaking in Hawaii

It was our pleasure to publish all our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog guest authors recently. We hope to hear from more Hawaii blogs and Hawaii tourists with their exciting articles about vacation in Hawaii. Thanks for checking back what our Monday Hawaii photo of the week is all about. Our Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites from the island of Hawaii and renowned travel writer - read here one of her recent articles for the University of Hawaii magazine 'Malamalama', quite a different outdoors experience compared to Hawaii - chose a photo showing an outrigger canoe and its crew paddling along Oahu's shore.

Outrigger canoes have been proved to be a stable and save transportation means between the Hawaiian islands in the history of the Hawaiians. These days, the outrigger canoes are used for recreation, sports or races. No wonder that most of the coastal areas and marinas have their own canoe club like the Kawaihae Canoe Club or Waikoloa Canoe Club on the Kohala Coast dedicated to promoting the art and sport of Hawaiian canoe paddling. The Hawaiian canoe clubs are definitely for Hawaii residents who live close to the the ocean and love to engage in ocean sports on a social level. That's why many prefer the 4-seater or even the 8-seater canoes.

Our Big Island neighbors Sammy (paddler) and Ed (coach) have been and still are such dedicated paddlers. This is how we first heard about the challenging paddling canoe race 'The Molokai Hoe' which is a 41-mile open ocean race that launches from Hale O Lono Harbor on Molokai and ends at Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu. In addition to all the Hawaii outrigger canoe club teams, there are more than 1,000 canoe paddlers from Tahiti, Japan, Singapore, Italy, Australia and California.

Moloka'i Hoe (read a book about the race), begun in 1952 for men and Na Wahine O Ke Kai, in 1979 for women. Listening to our neighbors' stories each year, we have the deepest respect for those who accomplish this race through the unpredictable Moloka‘i (Kaiwi) Channel that has a well-deserved reputation as one of the roughest interisland channels in existence!

Believe us paddling the Molokai channel takes lots of practice, skills and strong physique. When you visit Hawaii and love the ocean and kayaking, we recommend to book a Guided Kayaking Tour. The kayak guides know the special area where they take you out and are CPR, First Aid and Lifeguard certified. The ocean condition can change in an instant. Always wear a life vest, no matter what a great swimmer you are.

The fun part of a Guided Kayak Tour is that tours combine a regular kayak tour with Snorkel, Whale Watch or Turtle encounters and help you encounter the rich wildlife and beauty of Hawaii. We have put together a list of a few Kayak companies for the different islands. We are not claiming the are the best Hawaii Kayak Tour companies. We've found them just through the appropriate search. Please, make sure when using their service that they are providing Kayak tours which are safe and exciting:

Maui Eco Tours provides kayak and snorkel, whales and snorkel, easy fun for kids, encounter with sea turtles. Another Maui Kayak company is Maui Kayaks which offers guided kayak tours to small groups by experienced and enthusiastic certified kayak guides.

Big Island Kayak Their guided trips are all inclusive: guides, instruction, snacks, drinks, gear and transportation . Another Big Island kayak tour company is Aloha Kayak in Kona They also provide kayak & snorkel instruction, gear, guide, & drinks & snacks.

Kayak Kauai offers a special Kayak Tour to the Na Pali Coast to the experienced kayaker. Encounter dolphins, tropical birds and if lucky, Monk Seals. The kayak tour includes lunch and rest at Miloli'i beach, you can swim, beach comb, and visit an old Hawaiian fishing heiau.

Too bad that the Hawaii YouTube video about the 2007 Molokai Hoe race has too many blackouts. But the following video about another outrigger canoe shows the challenges of ocean canoe racing very impressively. Have fun paddling in Hawaii! Aloha Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Tags: Best, Travel, Hawaii, Hawaii video, Best of Hawaii, Hawaii Kayak

Hawaii Hula Dancers

It's Monday and our Hawaii photo is getting posted. It's a photo of Hawaiian hula dancers, which Jennifer selected for this Hawaii photo. Aren't we all mesmerized when watching a Hawaii hula performed by one of the graceful Hawaii hula dancers or hula halau (groups), whether you watch them at your Hawaii hotel or at a Hawaiian luau? Hula is a big part of Hawaii heritage and tradition. Hawaii visitors cannot resist the attraction of an ancient hula accompanied by Hawaiian music. The hula belongs to your Hawaii vacation like the palm trees and the white sand beaches. You might want to read more about 'Learn how to hula'.

Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites took the above photo of Hawaii hula dancers at Waikiki Beach, between Queen's Beach and the Hilton Hawaiian Village, at a very special event during the Aloha Festival in September last year. In 1996, hula dancers from Hawaii had set a new Guinness Book record for the 'Largest Hula Dance' with 3,500 dancers participating. Unfortunately, the record had dropped from the Guinness Book.

The hula dancer photo shows you the attempt to set up a new record for the longest hula dancers line. In celebration of the 55th Waikiki Ho'olaule'a, Aloha Festivals will be breaking its Guinness Book of World Records by lining up 5,500 hula dancers in 2007, dancing to Andy Cummings "Waikiki" and Kimo Alama Keaulana's "Aloha Week Hula". On my search for more information on this longest hula dancer line, I came across some more beautiful photos on the longest hula line on Waikiki Beach. I love the photos of the keiki hula dancers! Honolulu Starbulletin reports about this exciting event or read more on GoHawaii visitors site.

Maybe Jennifer can tell us whether the attempted record was successful and our Hawaii longest hula dancer line is back in the Guinness Book of Records? Stay in touch with Best Hawaii Vacation Blog to hear Jennifer's answer. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations Hula Festival
p.s.
Have to share this with our Hawaii blog visitors - my favorite hula halau group is Sonny Ching hula halau! Do you have a certain hula halau in Hawaii you love best?

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Tags: Longest hula dancer line in Waikiki 2007, hula dancers in hawaii

Walk Waikiki Beach on your Hawaii Vacation

It's time again to post the Monday Hawaii photo of the week. We, Jennifer Crites, the famous Hawaii photographer and travel writer and I, Pua, the Best Hawaii Vacation blog writer, never thought it would be so much fun to post Hawaii photos. First of all, Jennifer's Hawaii stock photos offer so many choices, so it's not easy to make the decision. When the decision is made for the Hawaii photo of the week, it's up to me to write an enticing blog post with it. Ok, here we go.

Everybody knows Waikiki beach, Waikiki Beach Hotels and maybe you even read my post about the Waikiki Trump Tower, which was an interesting story about Donald's real estate investment in Hawaii but who knows about the Waikiki Aquarium? This is an amazing place to see the abundance of tropical fish and ocean life in Hawaii without the hassle of renting snorkel equipment and perfect for all those who are scared of diving, snorkeling or scuba diving the Pacific Ocean.

This photo was taken by Jennifer at the Waikiki Aquarium , where you can see sharks, stingrays, turtles, sea urchins, chambered nautilus, octopi and all kinds of tropical fish in one place. The giant clam weighs more than 120 pounds and is 20 years old. And there are 3 blue tangs (Dori, in the movie 'Finding Nemo'). Waikiki Aquarium is located in Queen Kapiolani Park on southern shore of Oahu. This is one of the many fun things to do when on a Hawaii vacation at a Waikiki Hotel. We should not forget to mention Sea Life Park on Oahu, which is entertainment and education for the entire family.

When visiting Waikiki, Waikiki beach aquarium is not the only aquarium around. We saw many smaller ones when we walked along Waikiki Beach on Kalakaua for checking out the many restaurants and famous shops. Actually, we even were lucky with our Waikiki Beach Hotel which had a huge aquarium extending over two floors. When we had dinner, we could enjoy the tropical underwater world when waiting for our meals getting prepared. As far as I remember, it was the Waikiki Beach Tower Hotels.

As Waikiki beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world, your should also know that it means "Spouting Water" in Hawaiian. The two mile stretch of white sand coast is fronted by Waikiki hotels and tourist facilities. Waikiki Beach is excellent for swimming and sun bathing. Tourists can watch Hawaiians surfing and boogie boarding. When you try it yourself, watch the ocean conditions and read the ocean warning signs. And don't forget to visit Waikiki Beach Aquarium when you are once there. Have fun in Waikiki! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

p.s.

Last Minute Hawaii Vacation in Kona - Kona Vacation Home with Ocean View and Pool at bargain price.

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Tags: Waikiki, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu

Best Things to Do on Kauai - Wailua River Tour

Welcome back to the 'Hawaii photo of the week', which is a project of aloha by Best Hawaii Vacation blog and Hawaii stock photographer and well-known travel writer Jennifer Crites. Whereas our first 'Hawaii photo of the week' showed you famous Oahu Beach of Hanauma Bay, our photo today shows you famous Wailua River on Kauai.

Wailua River is one of the many attractions of the Garden Isle Kauai. Gohawaii.about names the Wailua River tours as one their 10 Best Things to do on Kauai when on Kaua vacation. We totally agree with that. There are all kinds of guided tours on the river, which mostly lead either to the Fern Grotto or the Secret Falls (Uluwehi Waterfalls).

On our Kauai vacation, we decided to rent a kayak and get going on our own Wailua tour being our own guide. Kayakers are given their own lane on the right side of the river. Be prepared for the typical Kauai rain showers but also for the strong Hawaiian sun (hat and sunscreen recommended!) plus some good hiking shoes for the hike through the forest. The kayak rental company provides you with a map of the area and a bag for keeping your stuff dry.

We had decided for a combination kayak and hiking trip to the Secret Falls We paddled about 2.5 miles upstream, passing an old Hawaiian village, till we came to an island where we already saw many kayaks 'parked'. From there we actually just followed the trail through tropical rainforest. Soon, we'd meet other hikers already coming back from the waterfalls, so we knew we were on the right path. The Secret Falls were a wonderful resting place - not 'secret' though because it was visited by many guided tours. We set down to enjoy our picnic, enjoy the beautiful scenery and admire those who went for a bath in the icy cold waters waiting for their friend to take that one unique picture of them. We had our bathing suits too but decided against this cold, refreshing bath. This was one of our best adventures on our Kauai vacation.

To cut a long story short, the Wailua River has ever since been on our list of recommendations for 'Things to do on Kauai' for visitors to the Garden Isle. Check with KayakWailua for kayak rental guided tours. Have your best Kauai Vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best of Kauai, Wailua River, Kauai vacation

Visit Hanauma Bay Beach on your Oahu Vacation

It's Monday but this is a special Monday. Today, we start our new exciting blog project of introducing Hawaii to our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors with a 'Hawaii photo of the week'. So get ready for seeing many more beautiful Hawaii photos taken by renowned Hawaii stock photographer Jennifer Crites.

Get to know Hawaii, the number # vacation destination (read our Thanksgiving in Hawaii post), through spectacular, fascinating photos of the unique Hawaii scenery of tropical waterfalls and beaches, lush green rain forests and rare tropical flowers, snow-capped mountains or the hot lava flow of a live volcano and all the other powerful images of Hawaii. Here is our first Hawaii photo of the week. This photo was cover photo of Hawaii Magazine in in December 2006:

Who has not heard of Hanauma Bay when visiting Oahu on vacation? This large curved bay attracts many Oahu visitors each year. Hanauma Bay is well protected from huge ocean waves, which allows snorkelers and divers to watch marine and coral reef life under safe conditions. The beach is also perfect for sunbathing, relaxing and picnicing. There are even hiking trails which lead to great lookouts from where you can have breathtaking views.

Hanauma Bay was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park in 1967, in order to protect and preserve the Bay and its spectatucal natural resources. This is why Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is not just the regular beach one of the most spectacular natural resources in Hawaii. With the measuments taken by the State of Hawaii, Hanauma Bay has become the first Marine Life Conservation District in the State.

So, when visiting Hanauma Beach, be aware, that there are certain rules to maintain this Marine Life Conservation Area like: no pets allowed; no alcoholic beverages; no fishing or feeding the fish; do not remove, harass, or harm any marine life. We recommend to visit Hawaii Web for more detailed information, fees, opening hours for your beach visit to Hanauma Bay.
Directions to Hanauma Bay Beach:

Take Kalaniana'ole Highway east from Waikiki for approximately 10 miles. Entrance to the preserve is on the right.

Enjoy Hanauma Bay beach on your Oahu vacation in Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Hawaii Photos from Best Hawaii Vacation

Best Hawaii Vacation blog invites Hawaii visitors to get a glimpse of all Hawaiian Islands with our Hawaii photos taken by renowned Honolulu based Hawaii stock photographer Jennifer Crites.

After the big success of our article 'Get a Tour of Hawaii with Hawaii Photos' we decided this is the way to go. We did not want to squeeze a few Hawaii photos in the blog sidebar. In order to show you the beauty of each Hawaiian Island with all the fun places to see on your Hawaii trip, we have to make up individual photo pages for Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island. A photo speaks 1000 words.

The first step is taken. Get a Taste of your Big Island Vacation with Big Island photos.

Get a Taste of your Oahu vacation with Oahu photos.
Get a Taste of your Maui vacation with Maui photos.
Get a Taste of your Kauai vacation with Kauai photos.

Coming soon. So bookmark our Hawaii Blog or subscribe to our feed or email for getting the information about the upcoming Hawaiian Islands photo tours. Mahalo and aloha, Pua
Hawaii Vacations

1/2/08
FYI: The complete Hawaii photo posts for all the islands are still on Best Hawaii Vacation agenda. As those posts are quite time consuming and take special dedication, we decided in the meantime to introduce Hawaii photos in our Hawaii photo of the week, which you can find under the following categories:

Oahu Photos
Kauai Photos
Hawaii Big Island Photos
Maui Photos

Tags: Best, Hawaii photos

Get a Taste of your Big Island vacation with Big Island photos

This blog post is sponsored by Big Island Vacation

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation Blog visitors,
It's so great to see you guys coming back to our Hawaii vacation blog for getting some ideas for your next vacation on the Hawaiian Islands. For those, who even consider moving to Hawaii for good, we hope our guest article from Hawaii realtor Bill Jardine was of interest for you making your decision to buy a home or condo in Hawaii now or later.

For all those who have never been to Hawaii and plan a Hawaii vacation sooner or later, we are excited to introduce our new blog project about introducing all the Hawaiian Islands to you with a special Hawaii photo tour of the island. We had this great response to the general Hawaii photo tour. Everybody enjoyed that.

Now, Best Hawaii Vacations joined forces again with renowned Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites from Honolulu to introduce each island with island specific photos. We hope our Hawaii Islands photo tours will help you make your decision which Hawaiian island is your favorite to visit. Let's get the show started with our Big Island vacation photos:

Hilo is the second largest city in the State of Hawaii according to census figures, but to most visitors, it’s a charming country town fronting a pretty bay ringed with many parks. Best known of these is Liliuokalani Gardens, with its arched bridges, gazebos, statuary, bamboo grove and beautiful ponds.

Hilo is also known for its rain, which feeds Hilo’s Wailuku River and Rainbow Falls, a popular destination just above the town off Waianuenue (‘anuenue’ is Hawaiian for ‘rainbow’) Avenue.

A few miles above Hilo on Highway 19, a four-mile scenic route takes you to Onomea Bay and lush Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, where walking paths lead you past waterfalls, an orchid garden and a cornucopia of tropical plants.

Nearby you’ll also find Akaka Falls State Park. Traversing the wooden walkways is half the fun, but when you reach Akaka Falls, you’ll be mesmerized watching the 442-foot waterfall cascade into a rainforest pool of mist and mystery.

Following Highway 19 inland will take you to the cowboy town of Waimea where horses and cows graze on green pastures carpeting gently rolling hillsides, rodeos are common, and the Parker Ranch Shopping Center sports Stop signs that say ‘Whoa.’

On the dryer side of Hawaii’s Big Island, where famous King Kamehameha was born and spent much of his time, are two heiau, or temples, made notable by this powerful man. Puukohola (meaning Hill of the Whale) at Kawaihae was built by Kamehameha. He was told that if he built this human-sacrificial temple in honor of his war god Ku, he would be victorious over all the Hawaiian Islands. A promise that proved true.

Heading north, you’ll have to search to find the road that leads to Mookini Heiau, another temple important to Kamehameha the Great. Unless you’re in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, when you reach the end of the road at the ocean, you’ll need to make a 3-mile roundtrip walk to the temple.

The Big Island’s most northern point is Pololu Valley where the road ends. Most visitors just enjoy the view from the lookout, but it is possible to walk down the steep trail to the valley floor.

Many visitors spend a great deal of their vacation at one of the luxurious resorts along the sunny Kona and Kohala Coast of the Big Island. And why not. These resorts offer every comfort and a host of activities. There are wide golden-sand beaches like the one at the Mauna Lani Resort.
The Hilton Waikoloa offers an inviting swimming and boating lagoon capped off with a stunning waterfall. You can even walk under the waterfall to, say, have your wedding photo taken.

On the beach side of the Marriott Resort, there are trails laced with ancient Hawaiian artifacts and a once-royal Hawaiian fishpond fringed with stately palm trees. It’s the perfect place to photograph one of the Big Island’s stunning sunsets.
In South Kona, on narrow winding roads, you’ll pass through the region known for producing delicious Kona coffee. There are a number of coffee farms here. Most offer tours and coffee tasting, so enjoy.
Heading further south, as trees get shorter and the road passes through fields of lava, you’ll know you’re in Volcano Country. Punaluu black sand beach was formed from lava that reached the ocean, cooled and then broke into tiny fragments over the years. It’s the most accessible of all of Hawaii’s black sand beaches, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see Hawaiian green sea turtles frolicking in the waves just offshore. It’s also a great place to cool off on a warm Hawaiian day.

Rather than cooling off, if you’d like to take a dip in a fresh-mixed-with-saltwater pool that has been heated by volcanic activity, head for Ahalanui, a very popular thermal pool in Puna, on the Big Island’s South shore.

Most visitors to the Big Island look forward to seeing the world’s only drive-by volcano at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park is full of many interesting activities including a volcano museum, sulfur pits, lava watching (if the park guards say it’s safe), the Thurston Lava Tube, and Kilauea Caldera, where some people leave flowers wrapped in ti leaves as offerings to the fiery volcano goddess Madame Pele.

Don’t miss a walk on Devastation Trail where, even though plants are growing back around the edges, the desolate area testifies to the power of an immense volcanic lava flow.

Hope the Big Island photos by Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites awakened your interest in a Big Island vacation. If you have any questions, we are here to answer. Please, stay tuned for our upcoming photos for your vacation on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Molokai.

A hui hou. Pua Best Hawaii Vacations

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