Vacation spot

Friday, May 9, 2008

What does a Hawaii Vacation cost?

Well, we all know the costs for a Hawaii vacation cannot compare with an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico! But again there is no place like Hawaii! I get really mad when Hawaii travel websites pretend to offer all-inclusive Hawaii vacations. There is not such a thing. Advertising all-inclusive Hawaii vacations is misleading and false promises. You really pay for what you get. If breakfast is included in your hotel stay in Hawaii, believe me this is not free. But let's come to the point of this post: How much does a Hawaii vacation really cost?

Definitely not $792/day average for lodging and food in Hawaii as recently announced by the American Automobile Association AAA. Coming up with a figure like that really stirred reactions in the Hawaii blogger community and probably by all those travelers who love to vacation in Hawaii. You bet that all the major newspapers picked up on this Hawaii vacation 'quote'. We appreciate what our friends Jeff and Rob from Beat of Hawaii had to say about it in their post Conflict of Interest in AAA Hawaii Report We don't want to repeat their concerns and considerations. We warmly recommend to go and visit their blog for further details.

Here are a few thoughts from Best Hawaii Vacations editors. Nobody doubts that it's easy to spend the quoted amount of $795, actually just for lodging at any of our 5- star Hawaii Beach Resorts. However, we are talking a quote for average costs of lodging and food for a Hawaii vacation.

In all these years which we have been running our Hawaii vacation rental business and having hosted hundreds of guests, we've never come across visitors who spent $80/meal, meaning $80 for breakfast, lunch and dinner each as listed by AAA! What a luxury! The average couple visiting Hawaii probably has 2 or 3 dinners between $100 - $120 (prices at Hawaii restaurants went up quite a bit like anywhere on the Mainland) and adding that to a daily rate for an affordable fully equipped Hawaii vacation rental of $85 - $150/nt., this definitely does not add up to the AAA Hawaii Vacation quote.

Bottom line: Hawaii vacations are still possible for the average Hawaii visitor but tourists will have to set priorities. With high gas prices, those who visit Hawaii on a budget might want to limit their driving activity around the Hawaiian islands and be selective with choosing activities. Does it need to be this special helicopter flight or would a hike through a wonderful rainforest valley do? What concerns us more is the fall-out of Aloha Airlines and ATA.

Hawaiian Airline is in the process to cover those old Aloha flight routes from the Mainland to Hawaii. It was bad news for all those who accumulated thousands of miles with Aloha and lost them all. We learned to use our miles as soon as we can get a flight for it! One never knows what can happen. Hey, if you are in love with Hawaii, it's a good idea to sign up with Hawaiian for email updates to find the lowest fares the minute they are available.

And again, Hawaii business owners are awaiting you with their hospitality and aloha spirit. Come visit Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Thanks Kawika from WahineStyle for our today's Hawaii post girl, another sexy girl from Hawaii! What better way is there to invite you to a Hawaii vacation?

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Best of Hawaii from Hawaii Blog Carnival

The Hawaii blog community is growing rapidly. It's fun to follow Hawaiian bloggers what they have to say about their subject of expertise and passion. Believe me keep the blogging alive and have something interesting and attractive to say can be challenging. This is where the love to Hawaii and to the Hawaiian people becomes a major motivation.

Take time to smell the plumerias in Hawaii

Evelyn from Homespun Honolulu shows this love with posting about Honolulu related topics plus she takes the challenge to host our Hawaii Aloha Blog Carnival on a regular basis. It's quite surprising what variety of blog posts got submitted by Hawaii bloggers for the latest Hawaii blog carnival 'Taking Time to Smell the Plumeria'. From watching the stars over Mauna Kea summit to the Meaning of Aloha, Thoughts on Fishing, Upcountry Maui, Best Hawaii Vacation Money Saving Tips and much more.

We joined with our blog post 'Maui is the Best More about Surfing'. So, if you are not only intersted in your Best Hawaii Vacation but would like to hear about Hawaii life style, traditions and culture, visit the Hawaiian blogs on this 9th Aloha Blog Carnival.
Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Hope you did not miss our post about Mauna Kea beach - Best Beach of Big Island. You will find lots of plumerias there.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Best Beach Big Island

After visiting Maui for best beaches for surfing and windsurfing in recent blog posts, it's time to catch up with famous Mauna Kea beach on Hawaii Big Island, which has its well-deserved reputation as the Big Island's best beach. It's definitely our favorite Big Island beach! Can you imagine that Mauna Kea and Hapuna beach have both been ranked among the best beaches in the world by Conde Nast Magazine? That's proof by itself.

Walking Mauna Kea beach

Why do we love Mauna Kea beach so much? The beach is a nice half a mile stretch of beautiful white sand shaped in a crescent bay, witch each side extending coral reefs into the ocean perfect for amateur snorkelers. Best time for snorkeling the clearest turquoise waters are the early morning hours before bigger waves roll in and make the water murky. Most visitors take advantage for easy beach walks and strolls along the water's edge. The afterwards swim feels like a heavenly reward.

OK we promised our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors an update on Mauna Kea Beach. Here it is. Mauna Kea Beach hotel is still under major construction and remodeling, which naturally comes with some noises. However, since the beach is stretching from the hotel south for a good distance, you can totally get away from it. Currently, parking is not at the former beach parking by the golf shop but at the regular hotel parking.

When you come to the entrance of Mauna Kea Beach hotel, you just ask for your beach pass, which is free. The hotel gives out 30 beach passes a day according to the available parking spaces. We watched that at low season months like April and May, passes are available all over the day. As in the past, some visitors and locals don't want to 'go through the hassle' to ask for a beach pass and prefer the easy access at public Hapuna Beach State Park. But as there are only a few hotel guests from Hapuna Beach hotel who take the shuttle to Mauna Kea beach, this most wonderful beach is all yours! At least till Mauna Kea Beach hotel will reopen in December 2008.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and the totally remodeled Mauna Kea golf course - old sprinkler system was deteriated and grass was not resistant enough to constant ocean spray - are expected to open for business December 20, 2008. We heard, not from an official source, that the hotel is already booked out for one year in advance. To be honest I don't doubt it. When you once fell in love with Mauna Kea beach, there is no other Big Island beach which can compare.

But who knows?! What doe you think which Big Island beach is the best beach? We'd love to hear from Big Island beach lovers. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

p.s.

Locate Big Island beaches on our Big Island map.

7 Days on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island

Does the sun always shine on the Kohala Coast

Get a Taste of Hawaii

More about Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel closed

Monday, April 21, 2008

Things to do on Maui

Best Maui Attractions Central Maui

So, you got an idea what a house in Hawaii with ocean view at a gated community on the Kohala Coast on the Big Island costs these days, but would like to hear more about Maui for your next vacation or even for moving there.

When writing about Maui, you have to realize that best Maui's locations are defined by geographical location on the island and altitude - from the beach resorts like Maalaea, Kihei, Wailea and Makena on the south coast, the waterfalls and mountains around remote town of Hana, grassy ranchland below Haleakala's summit to West Maui with historic Lahaina and Ka'anapali, Kahana, Napili and Kapalua resorts.

Your Maui visit will probably start with Kahului Airport where you feel warmly welcome after your long flight from the Mainland by the warm breezes of Hawaii and scents of tropical flowers of your greeting flower lei. Kahului, Maui's largest town, and Wailuku form Central Maui. Unfortunately, many tourists immediately get on the way to their West Maui resorts and only a few come back for exploring this area.

Shoppers will enjoy Maui's largest shopping mall, the Ka'ahumanu Shopping Center, in Kahului. However, the lovely town of Wailuku is well worth a visit. Wailuku is situated on the slopes of the West Maui Mountains and has many historic churches and quaint restaurants. Wailuku is also home to the Maui County. If you are interested in Hawaiian traditions and history, visit Bailey House Museum, which displays furnishings of different periods, artifacts and art. The museum is constructed of lava rocks and native hardwood.

Maui visitors know that Wailuku is also the entrance to spectacular Iao Valley, one of Hawaii's most sacred and most beautiful places. Our post photo taken from our Maui vacation photos, shows the popular landmark the 'Iao Needle', a pillar of stone rising 1,200 feet into the air. Hike into Iao valley from the parking lot, till your come to a mountain stream, a perfect location for having a picnic.

To complete your Maui vacation experience in Central Maui, try one of the Wailulu restaurants which offer a great variety for dining: Hawaiian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Japanese and more.

We will continue this Maui serious about Best Things to do on Maui. If you would like to share what to liked best on Maui, our Hawaii vacation blog visitors will appreciate your suggestions. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Maui Vacation Related Articles

3 Best Things to Do on Maui
Maui Vacation Trip Report
Ritz Carlton Kapalua Maui
Surfing Maui Beaches

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Best Price Hawaii Home for Sale

Kohala Coast Home for Sale on Hawaii Big Island - Ready to move to Hawaii?

This Kohala Coast Home is SOLD!

Our today's blog post will probably not only attract Hawaii visitors who love to surf on Maui for their best Hawaii vacation. Most everybody in love with Hawaii will get excited reading this new post from Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. How many times have you contemplated your options of moving to Hawaii for good after returning in the cold (or rain) from another Hawaii vacation!

Believe us this is a permanent topic when sitting in your Hawaii hotel jacuzzi and exchanging opinions with fellow hotel guests about severe weather reports from your Mainland homes. When enjoying the warm, sunny Hawaii weather at any time of the year, conversations about moving to Hawaii are heating up!

As we, the editors of Best Hawaii Vacation blog, are well aware of the relevance and importance of questions regards Moving to Hawaii and the Hawaii Real Estate market 2008 for our Hawaii return visitors, we made it one of our priorities to keep you informed about the situation with Hawaii homes for sale. Many tourists who have become annual Hawaii visitors are currently sitting in the 'starting blocks' for buying a Hawaii home or condo at the best price within the last decade.

Hawaii condos or homes for sale seem to become affordable for the average person again. Don't get me wrong. Hawaii home prices are still high. They will always be, compared to the national average. This comes with the most desired location of Hawaii. Everybody know by now that mortgages are not given out like hot crossed buns anymore after the mortgage industry got badly hurt from past greedy procedures. Anyhow, if you are ready to buy a Hawaii home at an amazing price, check out this ocean view Kohala Coast Home for Sale

HUGE $$$ Price Reduction: New Asking Price 989,000!!! This is as good as it gets for a Hawaii Home for Sale at a Premier ocean view location.

This 3Bd/3Ba 'Kohala By the Sea' home, custom built in 2003, offers sweeping ocean views from every room! Owner's are now offering this delightful home fully furnished if Buyer so wishes. Huge picture windows with jalousies beneath afford clear ocean views with plenty of air flow throughout the house.

Single level open living area offers comfortable island style living with large kitchen and great room opening up to spacious ocean view covered lanai. With two master suites and an additional guest room, 3 full bathrooms and extra space for office, this custom home has one of the best floor plans available. Plenty of room for an ocean view pool if one should want. Motivated Sellers will consider all reasonable offers.

Kohala Coast Home features include:

- Two master suites at either end of this Kohala Coast Home for sale. Both with stunning ocean views.
- Huge picture windows with jalousies beneath in all three bedrooms and great room allow for refreshing airflow throughout the house and gorgeous ocean views.
- Large ocean view covered lanai.
- Additional room off kitchen which is currently used as office.
- Mature tropical landscaping with coconut palms and bougainvilleas.
- Very private and peaceful.

Hawaii Real Estate Market 2008
Moving to Hawaii Vacation for ever
Will falling prices in Hawaii Real Estate attract new home buyers
Big Island Housing Bubble
Building Boom on the Kohala Coast Big Island
Realizing your Dreams - Moving to Hawaii Big Island

Monday, April 14, 2008

Maui Surfing Video

After posting the fascinating Maui windsurfing video on our recent blog post, we decided to be fair to the regular 'old-fashioned' Maui surfers and display another great surfing video from 2008. Maui Jaws filmed a practice session of famous surfers Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, John Gangini, Yuri Soledade and Kiva Rivers in March this year. This is for all those who have already booked their surf vacation for Maui 2008.

Hey, Maui surfers, let us know which surf spot on Maui you like best. Surf beginners are really interested in recommendations for Maui Surf Schools. Mahalo for your comments. Aloha, Pua
Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
I found some great Maui surfing photos on Maui Surf Report Blog.

Related Articles

Surfing in Hawaii
Maui Is The Best More About Surfing
Maui Vacation Trip Report 1
Best things to do on Maui Vacation - how about Golf?
Maui Hiking - Hawaii Waterfall Adventure
Best Halloween in Lahaina Maui
How to have a great Maui Vacation and Save Money

Monday, April 7, 2008

Maui is the Best More about Maui Surfing

Aloha to all of our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors,
Guess what we are still on vacation ourselves. As you can imagine writing blog posts is not on the top of our priority list plus there are no Hawaii photos available when working on a computer away from home. However, as our Hawaii blog stats show the number of our blog readers is steadily increasing, we feel we don't want to disappoint our readers. So here it is, another blog post about Maui, the favorite island for best Hawaii vacation when surfing and wind surfing is on your top list of best things to do in Hawaii.

You probably know that surfing was 'invented' in Hawaii. Just like in the old days when the call 'Surf's up', got all the passionate surfers to the best Maui surfing beaches, the tradition keeps up strongly and hundreds of tourists join the Hawaiian residents in this passion of 'sport of the kings'. Take your turn on your Maui vacation. There are lots places to rent a surfboard and plenty of surfing teachers who get beginners on a surf board. Start with a Maui beach where the waves are gentle and low. Standing up on a board for the first time, even on the top of a one-foot swell, is a big thrill for beginner surfers.

The world's best windsurfers fly through the waters at Hookipa. Hoopika Beach is known as probably the best place in the world for windsurfing. It is the site of two major world-class competitions. Due to the strong surf, windsurfing at this beach should be limited to the experts. The regular person interested in learning how to windfurf on Maui can sign up for lessons and practice at the gentler waters of Kanaha, Kihei and Spreckelsville beaches. Kitesurfing has also become very popluar among Maui' s surfing community adding a new level of acrobatics to surfing.

As my Hawaii surfing knowledge is quite limited, I tried to find a site which provides the best Maui surfing beaches or sites at one glance to Hawaii surfers. Check this Maui site for links to all major Maui surfing sites. The same site displays a list in alphabetical order of Maui windsurfing companies I noticed in both lists that a few sites are not working anymore. I also came across a few sites which just display Google ads and don't provide otherwise good content related to Maui's best surfing beaches, surfing schools or Maui stores for buying surfing products. So be selective as usual when cruising those sites. Windsurfing School Maui is worth a visit as well.

Well, last but not least for getting you in the surfing mode for your next Maui vacation - don't forget to arrange for a Hawaiian flower lei greeting for Kahului Airport -, have fun with this Maui Wind surfing video from youtube. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations