Thursday, July 16, 2009

Hawaii Game Fishing A Hawaii Story

Dear Hawaii visitors,
First things first, the Kona Ironman condo (sleeps 6) at the best rate for Kona Ironman accommodations, is still available at this moment. What do realtors always say 'Hurry, this won't last long'. Well, we are not realtors but definitely would like to help those Hawaii visitors who still want to visit Kona for the 2009 Ironman and were just not lucky yet to find a Kona vacation rental for the price they can afford.

We are also happy to welcome back Bill for one of his fantastic stories about Hawaii and island life. His story fits right into the time frame of the First Hawaiian Storytelling Conference with people from Hawaii and from around the world. Story telling starts today in Honolulu 7/16 - 20. There will also be a continuing part on the island of Maui on 7/23/09. We are so happy to hear about this new event to keep Hawaiian traditions not only alive but further support the tradition of storytelling in the Hawaii's culture. Let's get right to our today's Hawaii story about Hawaii Game Fishing.

Bill picks up Big Game Fishing in Hawaii which experiences a high season during Hawaiian summer. If you are interested in fishing, not just the little fish but big game fishing, check out our article about 'Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament July 20 - 24, 2009'. or visit their site about the Kona Billfish Tournament.

"As the summer blooms full and broad across the boundless Hawaii sky, days are long and lazy, and the nights are brightened by a zillion stars. The sun baked land seems to sigh as the cool evening casts welcome shadows across the brilliant flanks of towering Mauna Kea. The daily flock of trade wind clouds now gathers in the lee of Hualalai, and the reaching leaves of the high forest embrace soft rains at Kukuiohiwai. We see these things, and our hearts rejoice that we are among the luckiest to enjoy this wonderful natural theatre each day.

While the shimmering summer air sweeps and swirls around our towering mountain peaks, lacy patterns of bright daylight and racing shadows play over the vast stretches of pasture and forest, lava and sun beaten coastline. This is the sea of air that we live within, the vast atmospheric ocean of north Pacific breezes with their rich currents of oxygen and cooling squalls, while just below us the deep currents of the sea itself surge and grunt against the incredible bulk of the Island. Summer in the off shore waters has a story of its own to tell, and we big game fisherman listen very closely.

Game Fishing for Ono Ahi and Mahimahi on the Kona Coast with Bill on his boat 'Kakalina'



Far below the marching waves, where the rough skin of the Island stirs dark currents of rich, cold water up into the warm surface layers, great plumes of kailua stretch up and down the coast, attracting hundreds of schools of opelu and young aku with a swelling banquet of shimmering nehu and clouds of plankton and algae. Pelagic hunters migrate across the endless expanses of ocean to feast on this rich gift. These oceanic hunters arrive as schools of giant ahi, packs of high speed ono and the always terrifying Pacific Blue Marlin. Few people know that the Pacific Blue Marlin was not documented as a separate species until Captain George Parker, of Kailua-Kona, caught one in November of 1954. That fish weighed 1002 pounds, and Captain George caught it single-handedly from the Mona H on his way to Honolulu for dry dock.

While the ahi and ono provide wonderful meals to friends and family, the marlin provides the most hair-raising episodes a fisherman or woman will ever experience. We don’t hang those fish much anymore. On our boat, Kakalina, we tag our marlin and send them on their way instead of killing them just to weigh. It is good to know that same fish may come back to wrestle with us another day.

Going fishing is the sort of thing that occupies the mind during the soft summer months in the world’s most beautiful place to live. Aloha, Bill"

Thanks Bill for this wonderful story about fishing big fish in Hawaii ocean waters. Not to forget the fun youtube video of your fishing tour in Kona with family and friends. What do you think of big game fishing in Hawaii on vacation? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Bill has been living on the Kohala Coast for most of his life and has helped many people in the past to find their Hawaiian dream home. Also visit Bill's other Hawaii blog stories on our Hawaii blog guest author page.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Kona Hotel or Kona Condo which one is Best for Hawaii Ironman Accommodation

Warm aloha to all of our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors,
and especially to those who still want to visit the Big Island in October for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship but were not able yet to find that affordable and special Ironman rate offer. If that is you, please, continue reading. Our today's blog post might have just the best place with top amenities at top location for the best rate I could find online.

Inquiries for Kona accommodations, vacation rentals such as Kona condos come in quite frequently in our Kohala Coast Vacation Guide, where we also list Kona vacation rentals, homes and condos. The Kohala Coast is a great option when visiting the Big Island for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon event.

However, for active triathletes competing in the Kona Ironman we always recommend lodging in Kona. If you are still searching for a place to stay in Kona for the Ironman 2009, we recommend to read one of our most recent posts 2009 Hawaii Ironman Visitors Information.

Now, coming back to our blog title question Kona hotel or Kona condo which one is best for your Ironman visit?', that does not take much thinking. First of all, Kona hotels are currently filling up fast and with no amenities like a fully equipped kitchen they are not as much desired as a vacation condo. OK admitted Kona hosts raise their condo or rental rates significantly for the Ironman week but still most everybody comes out ahead with renting a Kona condo versus a Kona hotel room.

Luxury 2Br/2Ba Kona condo at Mauna Loa Resort Open for 2009 Kona Ironman
Against all odds, our friend Joe decided to make our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors the following special offer for his Luxury 2Br/2Ba Kona condo at Mauna Loa Resorts for the Kona Ironman Week: $1650/wk (sleeps 6)! Believe me this is a rare find. That's why we agreed to publish it on our blog:

Week October 4 - October 11, 2009 Ironman week race starts Oct 10, 2 bedroom luxury condo at Mauna Loa Resort completely furnished incl bedding, dishes cooking utensils etc, near all events in downtown Kona Rate $1650 for the week. Call Joe at 703-269-7014!

Mauna Loa Resort condo in Kona for rent at best rate Kona Ironman
Mauna Loa Resort is a quiet oasis and a beautiful place for a wonderful Hawaii vacation. This Mauna Loa 2-bedroom deluxe condo offers fully-equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, dining room, bedrooms with plenty of closet and storage space, living rooms with pull-out sofas, and large lanai with tropical views. Remember: better than a Kona hotel! Mauna Loa Village features 8 swimming pools, hot tubs and plenty of tennis courts. BTW, you're just two blocks away from convenient Keauhou Shopping Village: grocery store, shops, restaurants and multi-screen movie theater.

2-Bedroom Kona condo at Mauna Loa Resort Close to downtown Ironman events

If you are not one of those crazy triathletes who have to immediately take each minute to prepare for their biggest performance in a lifetime, this wonderful Kona condo allows you to enjoy many outdoor activities, such as swimming, snorkeling, bike riding, walking, hiking, and more. When searching for Kona condo specials for the Ironman, I found a 2Br/2Ba at the same resort for $5000/wk. If you don't believe me, Google has the answer!

If you do believe me, call Joe and make your Kona condo Ironman reservation at a premier Kona location for the best price in the Kona Alii Drive area. What's your experience with Kona vacation rental hosts for this 2009 Hawaii Ironman? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Related Articles

2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman Visitors Information

Monday, July 6, 2009

Secrets of Hawaii - Hawaii Blow Hole Diver

Aloha to all our Hawaii visitors,
Yes, the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon is special, unique and fascinating but wait till you have watched our today's you tube video. It will take your breath away, just like the surfing of Hawaii monster wave video, which we posted recently on 'Hawaii Special Tweets'.

Twitter is still a big secret to me with all the possibilities to connect with like-minded bloggers and twitterers. I am on the steady alert for those Hawaii tweets, which our Best Hawaii vacation visitors might love to read or see. Here is one youtube Hawaii tweet which I came across from @Aimforawesome just last week on Twitter. To tell you the least, it is more than aweome. It's about Hawaii blow holes, a secret not many Hawaii visitors know about, unless they visit the special area and location where the blowhole location is.

However, this is not 'just' one of the many blow hole videos from the Hawaiian islands. It's about a blow hole diver. Yes, you read right. Blow hole Diver it is! Somebody diving into this narrow blow hole with the strongest ocean current you can imagine. Here is what the guy who posted the blow hole diver video on youtube said with it. This makes it even more mysterious, spectacular and absolutely unique:

"I walked up to look over the edge of a blow hole, forty plus feet deep. The ocean comes in and out of it through a keyhole cut into the cliff side. A local guy sees me, walks up and out on a rock ledge-claps his hands twice, makes a prayer, and times his jump with an incoming wave. At first I'm not sure where he's at and then he shows up on the ocean side of the sea cave, swims back in and waits for a surge to catch a rock to climb up and out like a spider man."



The video was taken at the blow hole at South Point of Hawaii Big Island in June 2009. To tell you the truth Keoki and I have never been there in all our many years of living in Hawaii. My online research also showed that each year people even die for their curiosity to see the blow hole action close-by. As ocean surf on a beach is not predictable, the same applies to the blow activity, which can easily blow as high as 30ft at winter surf and get visitors by surprise. We recommend for your safety to view the Hawaiian blow holes from a safe distance or lookout.

If our youtube blow hole diver video does not satisfy your fascination with Hawaii blow hole videos, I found 25 video clips of Hawaii blow holes on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island on Ocean Footage like the famous Halona Blowhole on Oahu, Sandy Beach blow hole on Maui, Spouting Horn on Kauai or South Point Blow Hole on the Big Island. BTW, blow holes developed on the volcanic Hawaii islands by lava tubes running into the ocean and at high surf ocean water is forced through the tube and pushing it out to the top with great pressure, sometimes up to thirty feet high. I found an interesting article about Hawaii blow holes on this Hawaii website.

Any Hawaii blow hole adventure to share with our blog visitors? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Thursday, June 25, 2009

2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman visitors information

Aloha Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors,
What's on our mind today? Let's talk Hawaii Ironman and here is why. It's a short 3 months to Hawaii's biggest event: the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Ford World Championship. The 2009 Hawaii Ironman takes place on Saturday October 10th in Kailua Kona. Kona attracts for the Big Island Ironman event thousands of visitors and athletes from all over the world. Last year's 2008 Ironman Triathlon recorded 1731 athletes at the start. What's new for this 2009 Kona Ironman?

Ironman visitors waiting at Kona Pier for start
2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman Visitors Information

1. Book your Kona accommodation early

Remember our most recent blog post about 'Will Hawaii foreclosures help your dream of living in Hawaii?' We mentioned there that one Hawaii town is hit especially hard by foreclosures. The town is Kona. The foreclosures of many Kona condos which were used in the past as vacation rentals will limit the availability of Ironman accommodations. Kona condos, especially those in Alii Dr, are in high demand because they are self-catering and offer the best training conditions for the triathletes participating in the Ironman. Visitors love this location as well because it's in walking distance to the Kona Pier, the start and finish of the Ironman.

2. Early bird Kona Ironman specials?

Your best chance of finding an 'early bird' special for your stay in Kona for this year's 2009 Hawaii Triathlon World Championship is when you book NOW. Generally, Kona vacation rental hosts charge double the rates for the Ironman week. If you are early enough with your inquiry, Kona hosts might be still willing to cut you a special deal. If you don't mind a little bit driving from Kona Captain Cook Kealakekua area to downtown Kona, your chances for an affordable vacation rental are even better.

Kona Ironman athletes biking
3. Share a Kona vacation home with friends or family

This way your Kona visit won't stretch your budget beyond your limits. In addition, you can stay at a more luxury Kona home - maybe with a pool and jacuzzi - which you can afford by sharing the rental fees. You are hanging out with your friends anyway, so why not stay at one place?! The Kona Ironman is a huge social event. Feel the excitement of the cheering crowds and become part of it.

4. Plan your Big Island activities

The Big Island offers some of the biggest Hawaii attractions, many beyond the ordinary. Don't leave the Island of Hawaii without having visited our live volcano in Hawaii Volcano National Park or snow-covered Mauna Kea Summit for a spectacular stargazing night. These are once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Make your plans for exploring the Big Island ahead of your arrival in Kona Hawaii. Your Kona vacation week is over in a wink of an eye. So get the most out of your Kona Ironman visit.

Finish line Kona Ironman photo 2005
If you have visited the Hawaii Kona Ironman in the past or have anything to share with our blog visitors about Kona or the Ironman, please, leave a comment right here. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Kona Ironman Related Articles

Monday, June 15, 2009

Will Hawaii foreclosures help your dream of living in Hawaii

Dear Hawaii lovers and blog visitors,
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Hawaii and whether it means 'Vacation forever'? I bet you did, and you are not alone. Most everybody who visited Hawaii once or twice or more times played with that idea. "What if we moved to Hawaii?"

Living in Hawaii, Kohala Coast
The current real estate market in Hawaii seems to get you closer to fulfilling your dream of living in Hawaii by buying a home or a condo on the Hawaiian Islands at a cheap price you can afford. True or false?

Well, recently, on my daily perusing Hawaii tweets a tweet by @Starbulletin - or a retweet by a Hawaii twitter follower - got my attention. The tweet connected to an article by Honolulu Starbulletin published on June 13th about the ever growing number of foreclosures in Hawaii with the meaningful article title 'Realty investor Blues'. The Starbulletin article quotes some most recent Hawaii foreclosure numbers which are mind boggling but the numbers clearly reflect what is currently going on in Hawaii's real estate market.

Living in Hawaii, North Kohala
There is no surprise that Hawaii with its larger percentage of second-home owners and investors compared to the rest of the nation jumped to #15 in May in foreclosures. 42% of foreclosures in Hawaii through the month of May were non-owner occupied properties. No surprise for me that Maui was having the lead with 50% of non-occupied foreclosures.

Naturally, this high number of foreclosures in Hawaii, a dream vacation or retirement location, triggers the interest of those who have a job and a steady income or enough cash money in searching for foreclosure deals in Hawaii. Just ask Google and type in the search for 'Hawaii Foreclosures' and the number of about 5million search results makes it clear that an entire new 'foreclosure industry' has developed in the Hawaii real estate market with realtors riding the wave of 'Hawaii foreclosures'.

On my personal search for putting this blog post together, I came across another interesting article regards the Hawaii Foreclosures published by Yahoo Finance News on June 11 which emphasized that "The islands now have the 15th highest foreclosure rate in the nation, at one in every 621 households. Local economists and foreclosure attorneys say Hawaii's foreclosure filings are growing as the recession leads to job and wage cuts. Declining property values are also making it harder for people to refinance their mortgages or sell their homes."

Coming back to our original question whether Hawaii foreclosures are getting you closer to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii and living in Hawaii. My personal lay person's humble opinion is that buying cheap foreclosure property in Hawaii looks easier than it is. Foreclosure properties will be auctioned off. The bank has a clear idea what they need to make to break even and where they want to start the bidding. In most cases, this is not the bottom price you have in mind.

Furthermore, mortgages for the average person are naturally harder to get these days. Also make sure that you have seen the home or the condo you are interested in buying as a foreclosure. Considering all pros and cons of a foreclosure purchase, it might be better to look for the real deal in a real estate market where the potential buyer has all the chances of negotiating the price he/she can afford instead of going 'treasure hunting' for a foreclosed property. This way you might be much closer to your dream of living in Hawaii. What's your opinion about Hawaii foreclosures? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
BTW, we won't publish comment ads by Hawaii foreclosure companies.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Hawaii Special Tweets

Hawaii Visitors Alert!!!!
It's amazing what Twitter makes possible. In an instant I get Hawaii tweets from my nearly 300 followers, most of them relating relevant information about Hawaii and Hawaii vacation.

Just an hour ago I received a tweet from @Beatof Hawaii, which I immediately retweeted about Interisland Flights offered by IflyGo for $3!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, $3 for a Hawaii Interisland Flight. Too good to be true but guess what go visit IFlyGo Specials page and you will see it's all there. Flight tickets must be purchased by June 11, 2009 but they are valid for June 9 and June 30. Hop the Hawaiian Islands THIS JUNE.

Here is my $3/flight retweet:
hop islands with iflygo in june via @beatofhawaii! Airlines $3 inter-island fares are out there but not easy to find http://bit.ly/ru4uu

Best Hawaii Surf Video - yes or no?

Well, to get you all excited about Hawaii and the islands, I decided to include this Hawaii monster wave surf video which I recently received from my Twitter friend @HawaiianKiko . This Hawaii surf video was viewed over 100,000 times and shows Tow-In surfer Dan Moore talk about Oahu's legendary North Shore and how he surfed a monster 68-foot wave at Peahi (Jaws) on Maui. Authentic Waikiki Beach Boys follow in the footsteps of legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku by teaching visitors how to surf in Waikiki.




Follow our Daily Hawaii Tweets on our Best Hawaii Vacation blog sidebar. They are all about helping you getting ready for your next Hawaii Vacation. Did you read '5 Things to pack for Hawaii'? If you don't want to miss any post or tweet, sign up for our feed or email on our sidebar where it says 'Subscribe by Email or Feed'. Mahalo for the follow. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Thursday, June 4, 2009

5 Things to Pack for your Best Hawaii Vacation

Welcome back to Best Hawaii Vacation blog,
How did you like all those beautiful places from our last post 'Where to Stay in Hawaii this Summer'? You still have time to check out these vacation rental places and find something matching your budget and expectations. Remember it has never been cheaper and easier to visit Hawaii this summer.

Are you wondering what to pack for your Best Hawaii vacation to the Hawaiian Islands?

5 Things to pack for your Best Hawaii Vacation this Summer:

1. Bathing Suit(s)

Pack it in carry-on. Your check-in luggage might arrive a day later. Have your suit available right away. It would be too sad to have to watch your friends jumping in the ocean to cool off.

Visit Hawaii this summer photo
2. Casual light summer clothes

Casual Hawaiian light summer clothes work fine for going out dining. Outdoor seating at night is wonderful in Hawaii. Avoid the strong AC of restaurants, if possible. Also pack a pair of long pants, sweater for Hawaii island adventures when going upcountry or visiting our higher elevation areas: volcanoes like Haleakela, Mauna Kea summit or Volcanoes National Park. Walking shoes instead of flipflops are recommended for hiking.

3. Sunscreen

First thing when you arrive is heading to the nearest beach. Who wants to shop for your favorite sunscreen when the beach waits for you?! A hotel shop might be around but believe me sunscreen is not cheap there and your favorite sunscreen and SPF might not be available.

4. Camera

Upgrade the memory card of your digital camera. You will take lots of photos in Hawaii and don't want to run out of memory. Same applies to your camera battery. Don't forget the recharging cable!I won't ever forget our Hawaii visitors from Germany whose camera battery gave up in Volcano Park. They went all the way back to Hilo, bought what they needed and took the most spectacular photos of a lifetime! Take the memory of your Hawaii vacation home with you through your photos!

5. Snorkel Gear - yes or no?

Bringing snorkel gear with you has been and still is a big question for our Hawaii visitors. We recommend to pack your own snorkel gear if you have prescription glasses or are very particular with your masks and fins. Most Hawaii visitors, especially those who snorkel a lot, just buy snorkel gear after arriving in Hawaii at Costco or WalMart. With luggage weight restrictions not a bad idea.The ones at the snorkel gear rental places can be somwhat funky. Depends all where you rent the snorkel gear.

Any suggestions what things Hawaii travelers should pack for their trip to the islands? Our Hawaii vacation blog visitors and we'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
We don't want to forget to mention that our beautiful girl from Hawaii is Toshua from WahineStyle. BTW Kawika, the photographer is currently inviting Big Island girls to become models for the new 2010 Hawaiian Girls Calendar and his wahine (girl, woman) website.

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