Late Night Flight out of Hawaii

Image by Thorsten Thees via Flickr

When I traveled to Hawaii, my flights home departed at night. A late departure meant more time in Hawaii, but it also presented a problem when we had to check out early. Fortunately, some resorts offer luggage storage and the use of a hospitality room to freshen up prior to departing on a late flight. That was a nice benefit when we stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu. If you stay in a hotel or condo without luggage storage and a hospitality room might want to take the time to visit sites on the way to the airport.

During our second trip to Maui, we stopped by the Buzz's Wharf restaurant and then went to the Maui Ocean Center on the way to the airport. We left our luggage in the car trunk and were able to pass a lot of time before heading to the airport. I heard stories about people breaking into rental cars, but I made sure that I carried any valuables.

Although a late night flight home might seem like an inconvenience, it can be a great way to get in some last minute sightseeing. If you prefer to have more access to your hotel room, you can purchase an extra night or see if your hotel offers late check out. Sometimes you can get a late check out for an extra charge or you might qualify for free late check out if you're a member of the hotel's frequent traveler club.

Touring Hawaii without Leaving Home

Image by penmachine via Flickr

I recently discovered a neat software program that allows you to tour a location without going anywhere. It's called Google Earth and can be downloaded free from http://earth.google.com/. You can fly to a certain location such as Maui and then visit various points of interest by clicking on a small blue square. Then, a picture of the location pops up. You can also get a good idea about the highways and geography of the location which can be especially useful in planning a vacation to a mountainous location such as Hawaii.

Maui Spotlight: Road to Hana

Traveling the Road to Hana was something I definitely wanted to do during my first visit to Maui. Although I had read about the road on the internet and in the book, Maui Revealed, I couldn't completely imagine what it would be like. I knew that I would see waterfalls and I knew that there were hundreds of curves and some one lane bridges, but it was still difficult for me to visualize it prior to making the trip.

In planning the trip on the Road to Hana, I definitely knew that I didn't want to drive. I also knew that my family members wouldn't want to drive either so I opted for the Hana picnic tour through Temptation Tours. The tour company received really good reviews, but we were not completely happy with it. I think it had a lot to do with our driver. I thought that he drove too fast and didn't stop at many of the waterfalls and other sights. Hana is a beautiful road with a lot of waterfalls and lush rainforests. It's best driven at leisurely pace with frequent stops. When you take a tour, you don't have control over the frequency of the stops or the speed at which you drive. For that reason, it may be better to drive yourself to Hana if you don't mind driving along narrow, winding mountain cliffs.

Admittedly, we were exhausted during the trip. I made the mistake of booking the tour for the day after we arrived on Maui thinking that we would want to go somewhere early in the morning due to the time difference. Well, we did want to wake up early, but the prior day's long travel time had us wiped out early in the tour. I think I was the only one with some appreciation for the beauty provided by the Road to Hana. My mother hated the road and was terrified about the possibility of going over a cliff. The passing truck drivers zooming by didn't seem to help either.

The trip to Hana was better than the return trip because we were on the mountain side of the two lane highway. The return trip was on the cliff side of the mountain, which was worse. The one lane bridges weren't bad at all because they were very short and you could easily see when there was a car on the opposite side trying to cross.

In going to Hana, it's really about the journey, not the destination. Hana didn't seem to have much and we didn't really enjoy it. (Of course, we were really tired.) However, the Road to Hana is unique and I definitely believe it's worth going at least once.

Sightseeing Tours on the island of Maui - CLICK HERE!

Where to Stay in Hawaii

Hawaii offers many great places to stay regardless of budget. Whether you are looking for a home away from home or a single room, Hawaii offers something for everyone. Resorts/ hotels, timeshares, condos, and private homes are available accomodations for visitors to Hawaii.

Resorts/ Hotels: Resorts are especially fun for first time visitors to Hawaii. They offer cultural activities such as hula lessons and lei making. Many are located directly on the beach and they often have some of the best swimming pools and restaurants. The negative thing about resorts is that they are not as cost effective as some of the other options. You pay more money for a smaller room or suite and larger families or groups may benefit from more room.

Timeshares: Even if you don't own a timeshare, you can rent one through an owner or directly through a timeshare provider. I saved a lot of money by renting a timeshare unit on Redweek.com. Redweek is a web site that lists timeshare units that are available for purchase or rent. I've looked at other timeshare rental web sites, but I found the best deal on that one. I was able to rent a two bedroom unit for seven days at the Hilton Waikoloa Village for $1200. This was far less expensive than a single hotel room at the same resort for seven days. Timeshares can be great because you get more room and they often have a washer/dryer and kitchen. Some timeshares are located at resorts and offer some of the same amenities as a result. One downside is that they don't provide daily maid service unless you pay extra.

Condos/ Private Homes: Renting a condo or private home can be cost effective for large families and groups. I used VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) to rent a great two bedroom condo on Maui. Renting a condo or private home gives you the chance to have a vacation with the amenities of home. Many offer full kitchens if you like to cook while on vacation and you can pack fewer clothes because many also include a washer and dryer. Large groups can reduce their per person cost by sharing a luxury private home.

In Hawaii, I tried more than one accomodation experience by spending part of the trip at a resort and then moving to a condo. I love the activities provided by resorts and I also love the extra space that condos provide. There are some condos where you can get both benefits. There are some Wailea condos that provide access to the Grand Wailea Resort amenities on Maui. That's an idea situation for Hawaii visitors who want it all!

Planning for Hawaii

Whenever I travel, I usually prefer to plan in advance. I don't plan for something to do during every minute of the trip or even every day. However, I do like to book activities in advance and plan for something to do at least every other day. If I don't plan, then I waste too much precious vacation time trying to decide what to do.

Hawaii is so far from where I live that I wouldn't want to visit for less than 12 days. The time zone difference and flight time make a short trip to Hawaii undesirable to me. The last time I went to Hawaii, I was there for 15 nights. I usually like to visit two islands. Next year, I want to visit Kauai and Maui. Last time, I went to the Big Island and Maui. Before that, I went to Oahu and Maui.

For me, planning includes reading hotel, condo, restaurant, and activity reviews. My favorite web site for planning is Tripadvisor.com. In addition reviews, many people post trip reports on the discussion boards detailing everything they did during their Hawaii vacation. The trip reports are especially great for deciding how to spend your time.

My first decision is usually where I will stay during the trip. Then, I book activities. Booking activities in advance is good because some of the most popular activities and shows with the best vendors are sold out in advance or for your preferred date. By booking in advance, I am guaranteed that I will be able to do what I want when I want.

Which Hawaiian Island is Best for You?

I've been to several Hawaiian islands and I was amazed at how different they were. There's definitely something for everyone and the islands you should visit depend on your interests. My favorite island was Maui. To me, it had the best mix of nature, shopping, and activities. I really loved its beauty and hated leaving when it was time to go home. Maui seemed to have something for everyone: great beaches, art galleries, shows, golf courses, and a lot of scenic locations for hiking. Maui is very near the island Lanai.

Lanai has great snorkeling and can easily be accessed from Maui by taking a ferry or snorkel cruise. We enjoyed seeing spinner dolphins near the island. Lanai has a more rural environment and Lanai city is very small and has an old fashioned feel. Lanai is great for someone who wants a more secluded island experience. There are a couple of luxury resorts, but there's not as much to do on the island other than hiking, playing golf and relaxing on the beach.

I've also visited the island Oahu. Honolulu is located on Oahu and the island seemed very urban in many areas. It was like Hawaii's version of New York city. As we approached the island from the air, I was stunned that the island appeared to be cluttered with buildings and concrete. It seemed to lack Maui's overall beauty, but I'm sure shopaholics love the huge malls and sunbathers love the great beaches. As a major metropolitan area, Oahu has many cultural activities, restaurants, and entertainment venues. I especially enjoyed the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Hawaii's largest island is called Hawaii and is also known as the Big Island. I didn't really enjoy this island as much as the others. The Big Island is the only one with an active volcano and it doesn't real beaches. Although it does have a some pretty scenery, a large portion of the island has black lava and limited greenery. The volcano was interesting, but the air quality due to vog was questionable and I noticed a lot of dead flies floating on the water when I went snorkeling. The island is definitely large and there are wide open spaces. You will definitely need to do a lot of driving if you want to go anywhere. Some people love the Big Island for its diverse climates, great hiking, kona coffee and active volcano.

I still haven't been to Kauai, but I definitely plan to go there next. The island is probably the most scenic of the islands as it gets the most rain. For that reason, I'm convinced that Kauai will become my second favorite island. Many people consider it to be the best island for helecopter rides and ziplining. There's not as much shopping or other activities as there is on Maui or Oahu, but it still seems like a really nice island.

Molokai is another island I haven't visited. It's referred to as the most Hawaiian island due to it's rural environment, slow pace, lack of streetlights, and extra large white sand beach.