New Year's in Hawaii

Happy New Year to all our blog visitors, whether you are currently on Hawaii vacation on Maui, Kauai, Big Island, or Waikiki Oahu or Molokai or are just dreaming of visiting Hawaii in 2008. If you belong to the ones, who plan their Hawaii visit for spring 2008, make sure to check our listings of flight specials on '2008 Hawaii Vacation' post. Your town might be one of the privileged ones with Hawaii specials and promotions for January till March. Don't worry the airlines always come up with more during the year.

For those who will have the chance of experiencing New Year's in Hawaii, here are a few things you need to know. When you are staying at a Hawaii vacation rental in a residential neighborhood, be aware that it will be a noisy night. New Year's celebration in Hawaii can be noisy with all the strings of firecrackers taking off. Purchase of firework in Hawaii is limited to certain kinds (non-aerial) because of being a fire hazard plus smoke causing big problems for people with asthma (Hawaii is the leading state of people with asthma!). Fireworks (non aerial!) in Hawaii can be only purchased with a permit, which costs $25. Firecrackers have become the most used kind of 'fireworks' in Hawaii, which made me always wonder why, as they develop lots of smoke + noise. The fireworks permit allows Hawaii residents to buy upto 5000 firecrackers.

Best way to have really a great time with your New Year's celebration is a nice dinner at one of the ocean front Hawaii resorts (early purchase of ticket required!), which include Hawaiian music and hula of course, access to the fireworks of the resort, if the resort has a New Year's fireworks display. I know that there are also hotels on all the Hawaiian islands which allow other visitors without New Year's dinner reservation access for watching the fireworks. If you don't have a New Year's dinner reservation on vthe Hawaiian island where you stay, I noticed that the Internet is not of much help when I did searches for New Year's Dinner in Hawaii. You'd better call a few hotels for New Year's dinner reservation in the area where you stay in Hawaii. Here are a few New Year's dinner choices at hotels on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. Good luck!

A few New Year's dinner choices in Hawaii
Sheraton Waikiki New Year's Dinner
Westin Maui Dinner Menu 2007 New Year's Eve
West Hawaii Today lists New Year's Dinners
New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance at Hilton Waikoloa Big Island

Here is our rule of thumb for watching fireworks in Hawaii: The fancier the hotel, the less chances you have for access for watching the fireworks. 5-star Hawaii hotels mostly allow access to hotel property only with dinner reservation. Hard to sneak in. Hotel beaches get closed for public access at around 6pm. So make sure to call the hotel where you would like to watch the fireworks and ask whether it's open for the public. Otherwise, just hanging out on the beach (public beach!) or at a little higher elevation, gets you at a great location to watch different fireworks at Hawaii resorts along the coast at the same time.

Have a wonderful New Year's celebration in Hawaii - Hawaiian style! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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2008 Vacation in Hawaii

The New Year is looking around the corner and New Year's resolutions with plans for 2008 will be made. As travel and vacation will have a big priority for most of our Hawaii blog visitors, I changed blogging plans, when I came across those great airfare specials to Hawaii. Best Hawaii vacation blog was created with the idea to help our visitors with their visit to Hawaii.

So, if you will make a vacation to Hawaii your New Year's resolution, you will experience some unique Hawaii 'only' activities like watching a live volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, ski on Mauna Kea summit (if that is too challenging, star gazing through the telescopes at the Visitor's Center is not less thrilling), watch the famous humpback whales on their visit to Hawaii, learn how to hula, attend a Hawaiian luau, get a lomilomi massage and so much more.

Whether you want to get pampered at a luxurious spa, indulge in the thrill of an outdoor adventure, made in Hawaii, or just relax in the warm Hawaiian sun, a Hawaii vacation has it all. The combination of sun bathed white sand beaches and low fares by Hawaiianair makes this a perfect time to plan your trip to Hawaii. There are some New Year's Special Rates by HawaiianAir for Book Now - 1/4/2008 for Travel Now - 3/14/08, which you don't want to miss. I was especially impressed by Airfare Specials for 1/7 - 3/14/08 for flights to Honolulu from LA, Phoenix, Sacramento and Seattle.

Here is more. Hawaii.com has some low Airfare Specials with Book now. Sorry guys you might have missed really even some better cheap Airfares to Hawaii which had to be booked by 12/25/07. Cheap air fares like
Hawaiian Airlines - Phoenix to/from Honolulu from $298* RT* Book: now-1/4/2008. Valid 01/07/2008 to 03/14/2008. and Hawaiian Airlines - Sacramento to/from Honolulu from $349* RT*Book: now-1/4/2008. Valid 01/07/2008 to 03/14/2008 are available. Anyhow, I still think it's worthwhile to check out this list.

Residents on the West Coast, who can use the airports of Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego seem to really get a special flight promotion by AlohaAir for 1/8 - 5/31/08 with flight specials to Honolulu, Kona, Lihue (Maui).

Good luck for finding the best flight deal for your Hawaii vacation. Get ready for the fireworks in Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: 2008 Vacation in Hawaii

Kauai Na Pali Coast

With the Christmas holidays, our attention shifted for a few days away from blogging to some quiet family time. We hope our Hawaii visitors had a great Christmas in Hawaii, not with white snow but with lots of white sand and warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Don't forget though that during the winter months, the power of waves gets really big. Don't let yourself deceive by times when the ocean seems calm and peaceful. This will change in minutes (or seconds) and can get you by surprise. Be aware that undertows and rip currents increase during the winter months. Hawaiian North Shores become a big tourist attraction with Hawaiian surfers riding huge waves to the beaches. Enjoy the show but don't try it yourself!

With our most recent post about watching the whales in Hawaii, we are sure we got your attention to sign up for a whale watch when on Hawaii vacation or at least to keep your eyes open when you are by the ocean. Our Hawaii youtube whale videos proved that the encounter with the whales is not always planned and anticipated the way it happens. We told you that the whales are hanging out most everywhere around the Hawaiian islands but there are definitely some unique locations, which make your whale watch encounter really special. The Na Pali Coast on Kauai is one of those really special places. Famous Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites provided us with this great shot of the Na Pali Coast from her amazing Hawaii stock photography samples for our belated 'Hawaii photo of the Week'.

Just looking at the photo, will intrigue your couriosity about to get to know more the Na Pali Coast on your next Kauai vacation. This fifteen-mile stretch of rugged coastline on the northwest shore of Kauai literally means "the Cliffs." Sheer cliffs that drop straight down, thousands of feet into the ocean, make much of the Na Pali Coast inaccessible. Best way to really get an impression of the magnificence of Kauai's Na Pali Coast is by Helicopter. Blue Hawaiian shows a great video clip of the Na Pali coast taken from a helicopter tour. Be aware that hiking the Na Pali Coast takes a lot of hiking experience, knowledge of the terrain and the right preparation. For hiking on the Na Pali Coast follow this link with photos of the Na Pali coast, hiking trail description (Kalaulau Trail), hiking map and much more.

Another great way to get spectacular views of the Na Pali Coast region is from the ocean. Whale watching, rafting, boat tours and sailing are top Hawaii visitors's attractions for exploring the Napali Coast. Many Hawaiians believe that the Na Pali spirits can play tricks on hikers and campers alike. It is said that the Na Pali region was the first part of Kauai to be settled. Last but not least, if you tackle one the Na Pali Hiking trails, pay close attention to the weather forecast to avoid flash flood conditions. A state hiking permit is required! However tempting the ocean looks after hours of hiking, do not swim from the Kalalau or Hanakapi'ai Beaches as the currents are strong and harzardous!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe Hawaii vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Whale Watch in Hawaii

Aloha to all our Best Hawaii Vacation visitors,
The lucky ones of you are enjoying their Hawaii vacations over Christmas and New Year's in Hawaii, away from the cold, the rain or even the snow. What a blessing! Enjoy each minute of it. One of the best things to do in Hawaii during the winter months is not just playing golf or snorkeling and diving in the warm Pacific Ocean. Well, you guess it right it is taking advantage of the rare opportunity of watching whales in Hawaii. Probably you already booked a Whale Watch tour for your vacation. If you did not book your whale watch in Hawaii yet, here are a few factors for your consideration and concern:

The best whale watch operators will put the whales first. What training has the crew and how do they take part in whale research? What type of boat is it? Supposedly the catamarans are the more stable ones for whale watch. Ask the companies whether the boat carries hydrophones. To listen to whales sing will be an experience of a lifetime! Make sure that you know what's included in the price for the whale watch and how long you will be out on the ocean.

And for all those Hawaii visitors, who don't join a whale watch tour, there is no reason for regrets. You will see them everywhere along the Hawaiian coasts, closer or farther out. Mostly when you at least expect them. Best advice: always have your binoculars ready in your car. Don't just drive along the ocean without paying attention. The whales are there. Just be a little patient. Also watch your fellow travelers. When everybody suddenly gets out of their car and points at the ocean, then it's time to do the same. The encounter of those giant humpback whales in Hawaii will lift your spirits, and those special moments will stay with you for ever!

Surfing with Whales in Hawaii!



Here are a few whale watch tours which I put together for our Hawaii visitors for the different islands:

Maui is a great island to watch whales

Maui is a great place to see humpback whales in their natural breeding area in Hawaii. During the months of December till May the humpback whales make their home in the waters surrounding Hawaiian Islands. The whales migrate close to 3,500 miles from their Alaskan summer feeding waters, to the warm waters of Hawaii where they mate and have their calves. Whale Watch Maui offers cruises four times a day from Lahaina Harbor, where the wind and the seas are calm. On Maui's Best Whale Watching Guide, Maui visitors can find various Whale watch tours from different Maui locations and decide what is the best for them, according to the Maui location and whale watch rates.

Spectacular Hawaii Whale Watching Tours On Oahu

North Shore Catamaran Charters offers great whale watch, in addition to Sunset Cruises and Snorkel boat trips, for Oahu visitors. Observe the giant Humpback whales of Hawaii as you sail across the deep blue waters of the famous North Shore. It is said that the North Shore is the least crowded whale watching spot on Oahu. You can watch the whales from this quiet sailboat. Small groups for the whale watch encounter are another plus.

Hawaiian Humpback Whales on the Coasts of Kauai

Just as Maui and Oahu get visited by the Humpback whales, Kauai does too. Their eerie whale songs resonate in Hawaiian waters from December through April.Watch as the whales leap into the air (breech) or slap their tails on the water, teach their calves to breach and explore their underwater world. The highlight of any vacation on Kauai during the winter months is a whale watch tour like with Blue Dolphin Charters. In preparation for this blog post, I came across some great whale and dolphin photos off the Na Pali Coast on Kauai.

Big Island Whale Watch

One of the most experienced captains for Whale watching on the Big Island is Captain Mc Sweeney's, located in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. A lot of our guests at our vacation cottages joined his tour in Kona, as he he is specializing in Whale Watch. Most other boat companies include whale watch tours in winter into their traditional scuba, snorkel and sunset cruises programs.

As many as 10,000 whales are expected to visit the Hawaiian Islands this winter, we would like to make you aware of a great organization, dedicated to the whales in Hawaii. Learn more about the Hawaiian Humpback whales and the initiative taken by the Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to keep the boats safe and protect these unique mammals as well.

Wishing you all your Best Vacation in Hawaii with a spectacular Whale Watch tour. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Thanks to our friends from youtube videos for those two great video shots in the Hawaiian waters.

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Christmas Vacation In Hawaii

Hooray it's Monday and time to post the 'Hawaii photo of the Week' on our Best Hawaii vacation blog. Our bonus photo post with the 'Maui golf photo' last Friday found the immediate attention by the search engines and by Hawaii visitors who come to the islands more or less for golfing our world-championship golf courses. Are you ready for more? Let's get into the Christmas mood!

Can you imagine it's just one week till Christmas. No way that we'd miss Hawaii Christmas in our 'Hawaii photo of the week'. For all those, who have never been to Hawaii for Christmas, get prepared that this will be the most special Christmas you've ever had. Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites found some typical Hawaii Christmas photos in her huge files of Hawaii stock photos.

We decided Christmas vacation in Hawaii is so special and deserves more than one photo. The above photo shows Santa with a big crowd of Keikis (Hawaiian for children) with Christmas leis and hula outfits. In the next photo the keikis gather around Santa, who has just arrived by canoe. It's a big spectacle on all the Hawaiian islands when Santa arrives by canoe. Remember there are not too many chimneys in Hawaii. You will find plenty warm weather in Hawaii for your Christmas vacation (the rain spell from beginning of December is over).

Now, we are back on schedule, stay curious for our next Monday Hawaii photo of the week. It will be a photo of one of those special places on earth, which make you hold your breath because of its rare beauty. Your memory (or camera) will store it for times to come. Maybe we should do a guessing contest - well, you won't guess. Just come back to Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. We'd love to see you here!

Mele Kalikimaka and Merry Christmas to all of you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations Vacancies January 2008
p.s.
Sorry guys but to get to Hawaii on a LAST MINUTE Christmas vacation is like doing a magic trick. That is the time when not only Hawaii Resorts and Hotels are booked at a 100% occupancy but also Hawaii vacation rentals are hard to get. Not to mention Hawaii air fares and car rentals being way out of reach with exorbitant rates. Want to visit Hawaii for a Christmas vacation, plan now for the 2008 holidays! The following link will take to a Hawaii site with beautiful images and music for a Merry Christmas in Hawaii.

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Tags: Christmas in Hawaii, Hawaii, vacation, Hawaii Christmas vacation

Best Things to do on your Maui Vacation - How about Golf?

Best Hawaii vacation blog is back, at least we are! Guess what we had been doing...we were on vacation, for 14 days! Not Hawaii vacation but a nice place away from the hustle and bustle of it all and away from the computer and blogging about Hawaii. Just to show you that we are still committed to our goal to share everything on Hawaii and Hawaii vacation, we posted midway through our vacation 'Why rent a vacation rental when on Hawaii vacation'. We hope it helps answering the question where to stay in Hawaii on vacation, hotel or private vacation rental. It is definitely worthwhile reading.

Great to see that the blog has already a life of its own by coming up in the search engines under many Hawaii vacation search results. OK we are all ready and eager to make your Hawaii vacation your best and most memorable one. Coming Monday, we will continue with our Hawaii photo of the week. As we have many Hawaii photos lined up for our Hawaii visitors, we decided to do a little extra one today, on a Friday. We are certain the golfers among you will love Jennifer's photo. Jennifer chose this Maui golf course photo from her Hawaii stock photos. It shows what spectacular views golfers can enjoy when golfing at Kapalua on Maui. See that island in the background? That's Molokai across the channel!

Maui is one of the top golf destinations in Hawaii and the world. Golf is one of the favorite activities Maui visitors come for when visiting this Hawaiian island in addition to surfing. It's not just one of the best things to do on Maui. There will be many Maui visitors who will tell you, it is the best thing to do on your Maui vacation. With over 20 golf courses, several in the world top category, Maui attracts not only the professional players with famous golf championships like the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua and the Champions Skins Game at Wailea. If you are a golf beginner or a vacation golfer, we are sure you will find the right Maui golf course and golf pro to help you improve your game.

So, have fun golfing when on your Maui vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Why rent a vacation rental on Hawaii vacation?

More and more Hawaii visitors don't use travel agents any more when they plan their Hawaii vacation. With the World Wide Web, the answers to FAQ about all Hawaii, Hawaii vacation, Hawaii weather and best hotels are just a few mouse clicks away.

Next to the questions "which island is the best for Hawaii vacation" and "when is the best weather for a Hawaii vacation", the most often asked question is, where Hawaii visitors should stay, whether to book a Hawaii hotel room with hotel amenities or rent a fully equipped Hawaiian vacation rental home or condo with kitchen.

A short time ago, best Hawaii Vacation Blog offered its unbiased opinion, when we think staying at a Hawaii hotel or resort would be right for your Hawaii vacation. Today, we continue with Part II: When is booking a vacation rental home or condo meeting your expectations and needs for your Hawaii vacation?

1. Save money on restaurants when staying at a Hawaii vacation rental

First things first for those visitors who travel to Hawaii for the first time. There are no all-inclusive hotels in Hawaii like in Mexico! Any Hawaii visitors expecting those cheap rate will be disappointed. Naturally, you have to figure spending money on restaurants and food in your overall Hawaii vacation expenses. Even when you got a hotel room special, there are still the three meals a day you need to go out, and believe us it all adds up - faster than you think. So, if you want to save money, choose a vacation rental with fully equipped kitchen. This will save you big money on your stay in Hawaii and will still allow you to eat a nice dinner at a Hawaii restaurant, for a night or two.

2. More Saving money in Hawaii by sharing a vacation home or condo

Certainly, an oceanview 3-bedroom house with pool does not come cheap for your Hawaii vacation bt when you split the costs between friends or family, you will be amazed how much it cuts back with the accommodation cost per person. Best of all, you and your family or friends are enjoying top 'hotel' amenities at the privacy of your vacation rental. A vacation rental home is the way to go for a family reunion in Hawaii!

3. Hawaii vacation rental guarantees top privacy

Most of the Hawaii vacation rentals are a 'home away from home', which guarantee top privacy.
Certainly, in most cases there will be other houses in the neighborhood, unless you rent a vacation cottage in the 'backwoods', but your vacation rental owners will make sure that any interference with the outside will be limited. You will definitely not have to deal with other guests coming home from a party, slamming doors, talking loud and just ignoring other guests' privacy.

4. Vacation rentals offer peace and serenitity for your Hawaii vacation

Staying at a hotel does not only mean, one has to cope with other guests habits - smoking on the beach or permanently talking on their cell phones - it also includes the steady noises a hotel 'produces' for keeping the grounds well maintained and the hotel nice and clean. Weed eaters and lawn mowers can start as early as 7am. Your good night's sleep is over in an instant. The owner of a private vacation rental will do everything to take care of property maintenance and house cleaning when you are not around. Though House keeping, room service and maintenance are great amenities at hotels, they can be quite distracting and annoying when interfering with your private vacation schedule. Then it's time to book a vacation rental for your stay in Hawaii.

We are looking forward to hearing from our Hawaii blog visitors where they prefer to stay and why, Hawaii hotel or vacation rental?

Mahalo for your feedback and ideas. Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Rent a Hawaii Vacation Rental, Hawaii Vacation Tips

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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Last Minute Hawaii Vacation at Kona Home with Ocean Views and Pool

This post is sponsored by Kona Vacation Rentals

Our first high season week for Hawaii vacation, Thanksgiving week, will end on Sunday when the Thanksgiving crowd is heading back home from Hawaii to the Mainland. For those, who want to stay away from the busy Christmas holidays in Hawaii, now is the perfect time to book a LAST MINUTE bargain for a Hawaii vacation between now and December 20th, that's when occupancy starts peaking at Hawaii hotels and vacation rentals. No special vacation packages then!

So, if you long for the white sand beaches in Hawaii, sunny weather and the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, this Kona Ocean View Vacation Home with pool would be perfect Hawaii vacation destination for getting together with friends or reuniting with family and sharing the costs for your Hawaii accommodation. Incredible panoramic ocean views, a cool dip in the pool, just hanging with friends or family pool side or on your lanai, guarantee you your best Hawaii vacation in Kailua-Kona. And the price is right!

This is your rare chance for an incredible Hawaii vacation with friends or family at a big discount. Call the Kona Vacation Home owner today with this promo code HV11231220 for SPECIAL rate $300/nt. (5 Pers.) + Tax + cleaning fee $260: 808-329-6804 / 408-930-2758 or email and ask for this special discount from our Best Hawaii Vacation blog. The vacation home owner offers this Promotion Special for the following dates: 11/24 - 12/20/07, only through our blog. He is awaiting your call. Have a wonderful vacation in Hawaii!

Kailua-Kona town is known all over the world for the famous Hawaii Triathlon - Big Island Ironman in October. But there are so many more things to do in Kona...just a few miles from downtown Kona, one can find the best snorkel and scuba diving spots on the Big Island, in Kealakekua Bay and at City of Refuge. Kona has had a long history with Deep Sea Fishing. Not to forget.Kona is the place where you can buy world famous Kona coffee. Downtown Kailua-Kona features plenty of restaurants and shopping.

From Kona it's a short 1 1/2hr trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which provides more excitement and adventure than any of the other Hawaiian islands. If you want to know more about Kona, visiting Kona and the Big Island, visit KonaWeb. Have a great Hawaii vacation in Kona. Find more Kailua Kona vacation rentals. Aloha, Pua

Tags: Last Minute, Hawaii Vacation, Kona

Hawaii Hiking - Maui Waterfall Adventures

It's again Monday and our Hawaii photo of the week is due today. Before I post that special Hawaii image, I was wondering whether you are still contemplating where to stay for your next Hawaii vacation, Hawaii hotel or vacation rental? If so, don't go away, sign up for our feed or email (see top buttons on right sidebar!) and you will get our insider information automatically delivered to your inbox. Next Best Hawaii Vacation blog post will tell you when we recommend to stay at a Hawaii vacation rental for your vacation and not at a resort.

We are quite sure that you liked our last week's Hawaii photo Best Things to Do on Kauai - Wailua River Tour. Hawaii stock photographer and well-known travel writer Jennifer Crites - here is one of her recent articles in the Hana Hou Hawaii Magazine - has many more of these unique stock photos available.

This Maui Waterfall photo shows us once again that Hawaii is not just about beaches, hula and Maitais. Jennifer successfully snapped this special shot of one of Hawaii's spectacular waterfalls, Maui Hana waterfall on the road to Hana, where visitors can actually swim, and the daring can jump. You can walk into the water, you don't have to jump. Doesn't that look like you want to be there right now? How about 'beam me up to Hawaii'?

All our Hawaiian islands are blessed with amazing, unique scenery, which offers lots of hiking trails to hidden valleys, canyons, secret waterfalls, volcanoes and rainforest. Like all the other island, Maui has numerous waterfalls on the island, some visible from the road, like this one, and others you have to hike to. There are moderate, short hikes or hikes which take a day (or two).

Make sure that you know what you are doing and of course, tell your hosts or friends where you are going. It does not seem like it, but every so often tourists get lost in unknown terrain, mostly due to sudden weather changes. The right hiking outfit and water and food supply is important. To carry a cell phone, won't hurt either.

If you want to learn more about the Maui Trails available, go to Hawaii Trails. That's the most comprehensive site for finding detailed hiking information on Hawaii hiking for Maui, Kauai, Big Island, Oahu and Molokai. Hawaii State Parks site has valuable information on Hawaii hiking as well. Hike Maui has offered naturalist-led hikes into Maui's wilderness since 1983. Maui Hiking Safari is another Maui hiking company which offers guided tours to Maui waterfalls and into the rainforest. I am sure you will find one Maui hiking adventure which appeals to you and your physical skills.

Let's go hiking in Hawaii. If you have a favorite Hawaii Hike, please, share with our visitors which island it is and other hiking information. Mahalo andaAloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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When to stay at a Hawaii Hotel for your Hawaii Vacation?

High season for Hawaii vacation is approaching fast. Many tourists will celebrate Thanksgiving in Hawaii next week, and in another 3 weeks, the Christmas holidays will be the the highest season week with most hotels having 100% occupancy. Hawaii as top vacation destination is in the talks. Ever wondered whether to book a Hawaii hotel at a beach resort or make a reservation with a fully equipped vacation rental for your Hawaii vacation? If you answer with 'Yes', then continue reading because this blog post is for you.

First of all, let me assure you that you are not the first or the last one, who is contemplating the pros and cons of these Hawaii vacation options, Hawaii hotel or vacation rental. And once having decided for the wrong one, might be quite devastating and totally spoil your Hawaii vacation. So let Best Hawaii Vacation blog, based on our knowledge and experience, help you make the right decision for your visit to Hawaii. Let's focus in this post on 5 best reasons when staying at a Hawaii hotel is right for you:

1. Hawaii Vacation Packages for hotel, air fare and car rental

When you want to save big on your trip to Hawaii, the big Internet travel agencies like Expedia, Travelocity or Orbitz offer unbeatable Hawaii vacation packages for hotel with airfare and car rental. Try to book all these things individually, and you will soon find out that it's very hard to beat the deals, not to mention all these hours you spend on your computer to find the best deal for the hotel, the flight to Hawaii and the car rental on the island of your choice.

2. Short term stays in Hawaii

For a 3-night stay in Hawaii, Hawaii hotels and resorts are the best solution for your visit. In many cases, you don't even need to hassle with a car rental. Just take a shuttle froim the Airport to your Hawaii hotel (forget about complimentary that was in the old days) and hang loose on the beach, in the pool and the jacuzzi. If you get the urge to do something, join one of the ocean activities or luaus organized by the hotel.

3. Last Minute Hawaii Vacation Deals

If you are flexible with your Hawaii travel dates and can decide for Last minute deals at resorts or hotels, that's the way to go on Hawaii vacation. OK admitted there are not many people who have the freedom to decide for a a Last Minute deal, but Hawaii resorts and hotels are definitely right for these folks. Check with the big travel companies and Hawaii vacation package links above for Last Minute deals about 1 week before you want to get on the plane to Hawaii.

4. Hotel Amenities

Hawaii hotels and resorts are right for those travelers who love hotel amenities: beach chairs, towel service, swimming pool, jacuzzi, room service, house keeping, breakfast with ocean view, hotel luau, concierge service, nightly Hawaiian music and hula dancer, massage with spa service and much more. It's all there, right at your finger tips. Not all free but definitely easy to take advantage of.

5. Travel to Hawaii with kids

Parents need sometimes a little break from their kids for some privacy on their Hawaii vacation or a round of golf or spa visit. Check with the hotel whether they have a kids program. It doesn't cost a fortune. Kids can be signed up for an afternoon. Sometimes, kids even like it more than hanging out with the parents because many hotel kids' programs are well designed with lots of fun adventure. For lunch, kids have diffent options to choose from. The hotel kids' program allow you as a parent to fully enjoy your Hawaii vacation knowing that kids are sound and safe and have fun!

When preparing this blog post, I came across the Marriott Hawaii website. Rates for the Marriotts in Hawaii are pretty decent for ocean front and other amenities. Not everybody can afford the luxury of a 5-star resort. Check it out. This might be an option for you. Just an idea to help with your next Hawaii vacation - I am not an affiliate! If you like that post, stay tuned for the next post when we tell you "When to stay at a Hawaii vacation rental for your Hawaii vacation?". Will be coming soon!

Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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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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3 Best Hawaii Vacation Tips for Thanksgiving in Hawaii

With Mainland temperatures dropping a degree or two daily and the fall weather changing from sunny, golden fall to rainy, gray November weather, sunny, warm Hawaii becomes once again the number one travel destination of places to visit in winter for Mainland residents.

As we told you in our recent post about the Best weather for Hawaii vacation, Hawaii weather proves to be nice and warm also during the winter months. Who wouldn't want to visit the Hawaiian Islands for Thanksgiving week or Christmas Holidays?! Here are our Hawaii vacation tips tourists should know when planning to visit Hawaii for a Thanksgiving or Christmas vacation.

It's a matter of fact that the Hawaii holiday crowd at the big ocean front resorts consists mainly of the well-to-do families, who can afford to meet in Hawaii for their annual family reunion. Hawaii tourism at 5-star hotels relies on these return visitors. Holiday season is the time when the hotels on the Kohala Coast or other prestigious Hawaii Resorts like the Grand Wailea on Maui are booked at 100% occupancy. Well, that said about the Hawaii VIP crwod for the holidays, let's share our tips with the average Hawaii visitor, who has his chances too for a Hawaiian holiday vacation:

1. Expect higher rates for Hawaii vacation rentals during the holidays

Vacation rentals are very high in command for the Hawaii Holiday Season. As rental owners know that, expecthigher rates for the holidays. As vacation rental owners, it has always amazed us how many people asked for Special holiday rates plus waited much too long with making their accommodation reservation. Good news for these guys: there are still a few nice vacation rental places which have availability for Thanksgiving or Christmas at this moment but you don't have the big choices anymore. Next time, make your Thanksgiving or Christmas reservation in summer. Be aware of the 5-night minimum stay of most vacation rentals.

2. Rent your car for your Holiday Vacation as early as possible

Unfortunately, when planning their Hawaii holiday vacation, too many tourists don't take into consideration that Hawaii consists of various islands which have a limited resourced of cars. It happens each year that car rentals on an island get 'maxed' out, meaning car rental companies can ask 'astronomical' rates per day. Guess what, when you have paid for your flight reservation to Hawaii and for your stay, you will be extremely happy to rent a car for $80/day! Rule number two: The earlier you make your car rental reservation, the better your chances for a decent deal.

3. Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner in Hawaii

Since you know by now that spending Thanksgiving or Christmas in Hawaii is really something special and asks for special financial means to do so, let's talk 'Thanksgiving Turkey in Hawaii'. It goes without saying that all the fancy Hawaii Beach Resorts put on their own Thanksgiving Celebration Dinner. As this mostly includes Hawaiian entertainment with hula dancers and Hawaiian music. this turkey definitely doesn not come cheap and might exceed your budget by far.

So why not take advantage of the great Turkey Dinner offers by Hawaiian local markets: turkey for 6 - 8 people, with gravy, cranberry sauce and stuffing and have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner a la Hawaiian style at the privacy of your Hawaii vacation rental home. Sit outside on your lanai and enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey with your family accompanied by warm, mild Hawaiian air and gentle Hawaiian music from your CD player! This is Thanksgiving in Hawaii! Call your friends on the Mainland and tell them 'I wish you were here!'.

Please, share your Hawaii Thanksgiving recommendations with our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors. Mahalo for your comments. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Thanksgiving in Hawaii

Best Halloween in Hawaii in Lahaina on Maui

Ghosts, goblins and fairies in Hawaii for Halloween? Oh, yes, you bet. When you are staying at one of our Hawaii ocean front resorts for your Hawaii vacation, you might not get too 'haunted' - maybe just with a special Halloween dinner - but when staying at one of the many Hawaii vacation rental homes, which are much more part of Hawaiian communities, villages and towns, be prepared for the 'Trick and Treating' crowd!

And with Hawaii weather being mostly nice and warm, get ready for a long Halloween evening starting to give out candy around 6pm and lasting till 9pm when the older kids are still roaming the streets of the neighborhood. We would always advise our vacation rental guests to take a break from the Halloween 'extravaganza' and enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant before getting challenged by more trick or treaters.

Speaking of Hawaii Halloween extravaganza, there is one which has become famous over the years - Halloween in Lahaina on Maui! This Maui Halloween celebration has been a tradition since 1990, with each year attracting more spectators. Guys, this is not the regular trick or treating costume crowd for kids.

Just like on the Mainland, Hawaii Halloween shows a trend to attract the adult crowd for partying in crazy, scary Halloween costumes. Between 20,000 and 30,000 Maui residents and visitors show up for Lahaina Halloween wearing their best costumes. You can still buy a scary Halloween costume at LahainaHalloween online for Maui's Front Street Halloween Celebration.

The Lahaina Halloween fun starts at 4:30pm with the children's costume parade. Come early for getting a parking space not far from downtown Lahaina, where the Halloween Costume Contest begins at 7pm in Banyon Tree Park with lots of food and beverage booths (bring your designated driver or spend the night at a downtown hotel!) along with Halloween crafts and live musice on two stages.

Want to see goblins, ghouls, fairies and Frankensteins dancing together in the streets, don't miss the Maui Halloween. Admission is free! Make sure to bring your camera and snap those fun photos of your Halloween party on your Maui vacation. IFlyGo.com offers for Hawaii visitors from other islands a Halloween flight special from Honolulu, Lehui and Kona to Maui for $19 one-way. Hurry before it's too late. Sale ends tonight.

We would love to get some Hawaii vacation photos from your Lahaina Halloween party to show to our blog visitors. Your comments are welcome too. Have a great Halloween in Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
For more information about Halloween in Lahaina, call the visitor center at 808-667-9193 or the Lahaina Event Hotline at 808-667-9194, or go to VisitLahaina.

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Tags: Best of Maui, Lahaina Halloween

When is the Best Weather for Hawaii Vacation?

With fall weather taking over the mainland, winter is closing in, brrr, and makes everybody long for some warm weather in Hawaii. We can't blame you. When running our Hawaii vacation rental business, the most often asked questions were "Where are the best beaches?" and, equally important, "When is the best weather for our Hawaii vacation?" And guess what these are still the most asked questions by people who are planning their Hawaii vacation.

When people finally make their dream of a Hawaii vacation come true, everybody wants to stay next to the beach, most favorably, to see the sun set over a splendid Pacific Ocean and going to sleep to the whisper of palm trees and the soothing sounds of the waves hitting the shore. And if the Hawaii ocean front resorts are beyond your budget, you want to be at least a short drive from your hotel or vacation rental to the beach. We do understand!

Same applies to the the weather! You worked hard to make this special vacation in Hawaii happen. You deserve the best weather when you finally make it to the Hawaiian Islands and breathe the Hawaiian air, which is different all together to where you are coming from...full of sweet fragrances of tropical flowers, tender with warm breezes and caressing your 'white' body with warm sunshine. To enjoy all of that, you want to make sure that you visit Hawaii at a time or season which guarantees you the best weather for your Hawaii vacation.

Let's talk about the weather some more. Here is what we Hawaii residents use to say when waking up in the morning to this gorgeous day of blue skies and beautiful sunshine "Another beautiful day in Paradise. We are soooo blessed!" And believe it or not, we say that all year round! BUT...as with everything in life, there are exceptions to the rules. However sorry we feel for those guests who experience the rare bad weather in Hawaii - and we do feel sorry - but at the same token, our plants and flowers need the rain to thrive and show their full beauty. Sprinkler systems are not the same as the rain from the sky!

With the 'snowbirds' getting ready for their Hawaii vacation over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, our busiest season lasting actually all the way into March, let's see what's the weather like over Christmas in Hawaii, generally! As summer can be really hot in Hawaii and the ocean has warmed up to bathtub temperatures, the summer crowd are the families with children who have to plan their Hawaii vacation around the kids' holidays from school. Fall and Spring weather in Hawaii promises nice warm temperatures, with probability of rain and sprinkles. Hey when it's raining where you are staying, drive a few miles up or down the coast, you will be amazed how different the weather can be there. The Hawaiian Islands have their own microclimates. Look for the sunshine, and in most cases you will find it.

OK Christmas in Hawaii is soooooooo special, even more so when you left a state where it was freezing temperatures or nasty cold rainy Mainland weather. It's like a time travel. Christmas in Hawaii is like an ongoing dream. You see the same Christmas decorations with trees, and gingerbread houses or toy railroad tracks for the kids to watch but the temperatures are warm and pleasant. Early mornings might require a sweater but as soon as the sun is up, you want to just get in your bathing suit. Well, be aware that our winter months in Hawaii December - March are, meteorologically speaking, the ones with the highest probability of rain but who cares, not the vacationers, we noticed. The air is still warm and the rain will pass. Actually, tourists still keep sitting in the warm jacuzzi with drizzle rain on their heads talking about what the weather is like at home. They know, rain or not in Hawaii, they have their best Hawaii Christmas vacation. There is no place like Hawaii!!



We are looking forward to your comments, residents or Hawaii visitors. Let us know what your experience about the Hawaii weather is. Our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors appreciate your feedback. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals

p.s.

Christmas weather brings high surf to all Hawaiian Islands, more so to the north shores. Be really cautious. Before going out snorkeling or diving, read first our Hawaii Diving Tips from a scuba diving expert!

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Tips for Snorkeling and Diving in Hawaii

Aloha and welcome back to Best Hawaii Vacation blog,

Since we got you all excited with our recent invitation to a Big Island vacation with beautiful photos of places to see when on vacation on the Big Island, we thought this guest post about one of the Best Things To do on Hawaii Vacation, snorkeling and diving in the Hawaiian waters, fits right in.

We feel honored and grateful that one of the most experienced Hawaiian scuba divers, Bobbie Sullivan, is sharing her expertise and knowledge & love for the ocean and marine life with our blog visitors. Bobbie Sullivan has been diving for more than 30 years, and is a PADI certified Divemaster. She lives on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii and writes about the ocean and diving on her website The Right Blue. Her diving stories are touching and educational, and her ocean life photos magnificent, just like the marine life photos in this post, which were also taken by Bobbie. So let's take a Dive with Bobbie:

"Tips for Snorkeling and Diving in Hawaii" by Bobbie Sullivan

"I once saw a sticker in a souvenir shop that said “The best half of Hawaii is under water.” While that may be a little bit of an exaggeration in light of all the wonderful things to see and do in Hawaii, it is true that the reefs along Hawaii’s shorelines certainly are magical.

Whether you are a veteran diver or a novice snorkeler, you are virtually guaranteed to see things in Hawaiian waters that you have never seen – and won’t see -- anywhere else in the world. Because the Hawaiian islands are geographically isolated, something in the neighborhood of 20% of the fish species and marine invertebrates in Hawaiian waters are unique to the islands.

Since Hawaii has so many unique marine species, you might enjoy having a way to identify them. Dive shops, souvenir shops, drugstores and stores like WalMart and K-Mart sell full-color plastic fish and creature identification cards. They are inexpensive, and can be taken to the beach or into the water. They are a nice keepsake of your diving or snorkeling adventure in Hawaii, as well.

Basic snorkeling gear can either be rented from dive shops, or purchased inexpensively on every island. Scuba equipment is available for rental to certified divers. Be sure to bring your certification card with you!

Dive shops and tour operators throughout the islands offer organized diving and snorkeling adventures by boat. Snorkeling or diving with an organized group offers several advantages. You will be taken to prime sites where you are most likely to see the best variety of marine life, and you will be supervised to ensure your safety. Most of these operations offer basic instruction to beginners as well. The price for such an excursion usually includes gear rental and a snack or lunch.
If you choose to venture into the water on your own from shore, it’s a good idea to stop by the nearest dive shop first to chat, to learn which places are the safest and most interesting for snorkelers and divers. Some dive shops even provide free maps showing the best locations for shore diving or snorkeling.

When you arrive at the shoreline, take some time to just watch before you enter the ocean. Note where other people are entering and exiting the water, especially if there is any surf. Many visitors to Hawaii have little experience with the ocean, and do not understand how powerful even small-looking waves can be. They can knock you down or push you into rocks or coral. It’s always safest to enter the water in areas where there is little or no surf.

We always recommend that snorkelers and divers cover up when they enter the water. If you don’t have a dive suit, wear a long-sleeved tee shirt over your bathing suit. It will protect you from sunburn while snorkeling, as well as from scrapes and cuts should you accidentally brush against some coral or a sharp rock – something that happens more often than you might think! Wear a high ‘SPF’ waterproof sunscreen on the beach, on the boat, and in the water.

When you dive or snorkel in Hawaii, please do your part to help preserve this unique marine environment. Remember this slogan: Take only pictures, and leave only bubbles. Don’t stand or walk on the coral. Don’t take any coral or shells as a souvenir. Don’t feed the wildlife. Don’t chase, touch, or try to pet the critters. Not only do they bite, many species are protected by law and penalties for harassing them can be stiff. And please do pick up all of your trash when you leave the shoreline: If it doesn’t grow there naturally, take it with you when you leave.

Have a wonderful time in the ocean in Hawaii, and stay safe."

Much mahalos again Bobbie for these great tips for diving in Hawaii. We hope you can come back another time with one of your exciting dive stories. Allow me to to share with our blog visitors just one of my favorite posts on your blog about Myrtle, the turtle. Divers-to-be, have fun reading!

Til next time. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

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Tags: Best of Hawaii, Diving in Hawaii

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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