please help....

when to come.

We have a week vacation time we can either redeem mid december, or mid january.

We plan on visting kauai for a few days, then heading to maui for the rest.

I would really love to see the whales, and go snorkling, but other then that, we just want to lay back on he beach.

keeping in mind that we want to be able to go in the water and snorkel and such, when would you recommend coming?

From what i have been able to find out, seems like jan. is a better time for whale watching, but not a great time for snorkling....?

Thanks for any help!!!!

please help....

I don%26#39;t think there is really going to be much of a difference between mid-December or mid-January - the biggest difference is when you are comparing summer vs winter. The south shores will have the calmer water for snorkeling, so I would make sure you plan for that.

If you are planning for December, make sure it is well before Christmas break - Christmas season is the most expensive time to visit Hawaii and many accommodations are booked almost a year in advance. January will be busy as well - everyone coming from cold winters likes to hit Hawaii then. Good luck! :)

AJAX in .net

Atlantis Submarine

Has anyone taken the submarine trip in Oahu? If so, what is it like and is this something that I would need to book before arriving in Oahu. We will be on Oahu the week of September 24.

Atlantis Submarine

We did the trip on the larger sub. It really wasn%26#39;t that impressive. You don%26#39;t really see all that much. You probably need to book ahead if you want the larger sub because it was full and the one before and after us as well. It leaves on the hour. You can%26#39;t really board any earlier than your scheduled time because they are continuously going out and coming in with the ferry to the sub. WE booked ours ahead. You go to Hilton Hawaiian Village beach to a ticket booth to get your actual ticket and then wait to board. It is clearly marked and they will direct you at HHV if you get lost. We got a shave ice at a stand there and sat at a picnic table by the beach and waited until they started to board our group. Let%26#39;s just say I wouldn%26#39;t do it again but if you have never done it go ahead.

Atlantis Submarine

We took them out of Maui. Not at all impressed.

We went in May. We had the military discount, it was worth it for that price. We booked when we got there.

If you can snorkel or scuba you may not enjoy it that much since we don%26#39;t do either very well and we don%26#39;t really want to meet a shark face to face in it%26#39;s territory we took the sub.

I have heard that the reefs are newer and haven%26#39;t established themselves on Maui as well as the ones on Oahu.

Keep in mind you are dealing with nature and no one can guarantee what you may or may not see as the one we were on happened to catch a few reef sharks coming in and half a dozen sea turtles resting on the reef. The tour narrator said the one just before only saw a couple of turtles and some fish.

cosmetics online

Hyatt and Sheraton on Priceline / Hotwire

Hotwire:

Which hotels are 4.5 stars and which are 4 stars?

How can I identify the sheraton?

Priceline:

if I choose Ka%26#39;anapali - Lahaina and resort: which hotels are included in the list?

Hyatt and Sheraton on Priceline / Hotwire

On priceline I%26#39;m fairly sure the Kaanapalli resorts will be the Hyatt, Westin or Sheraton for the name your own price. (I got the Hyatt) My sister got the Hyatt for the 4.5 star selection on hotwire. This was 2 summers ago so things may have changed.

Hyatt and Sheraton on Priceline / Hotwire

I%26#39;m planning a trip for my wife and I in June 08%26#39; and staying at the Sheraton on Black Rock. After reviewing orbitz, priceline, expedia etc. for months, I finally went to a local travel agent that I%26#39;ve used in the past and got a deal through Apple Vacations for a Deluxe Ocean Front room cheaper than a Garden View room was offered on the sites above. If you have a travel agent near by, maybe give it a shot...most of them don%26#39;t charge fees...as they get paid by the travel companies such as Apple.

Good Luck!

There are many posts that recommend researching on biddingfortravel.com and there%26#39;s another that I can remember the name. I think they give you ';hints'; as to how to bid to win the hotel you want. I%26#39;ve never used either for hotel, but if you do a search on this board for the sheraton, priceline, hotwire, you%26#39;ll come up with info that could be helpful.

Tipping advice needed

I have tried to read other posts within this forum but ended up more confused. Coming from Australia the majority of us tip only in restaurants - approx 10% - so tipping all sorts of people is pretty tricky. Could I please have some calm responses to my specific questions please? (Previous posts seem to get pretty heated!) I just want to do the right thing by everybody without it costing me more than it has to holiday in Hawaii anyway!

1. Housekeeping - daily or at the end of the stay? How much? How do the staff know that the money I accidentally left on the counter is not for them?

2. We are scuba diving on three days - an expensive exercise. Do we tip boat staff? One amount or individual staff - eg captain and divemaster.

3. If we do the bike tour from Haleakala - are we expected to tip at the end?

4. Old Lahaina Luau - already debited my credit card. Tip staff? Is that per drink or at the end?

(See why I am so confused?!)

5. Kayak tour - same as the scuba diving?

6. Helicopter trip - tip pilot? (...and that is costing me a lot for three people, anyway!!)

7. Restaurants - % of bill?

As for car rental, I%26#39;m guessing I don%26#39;t have to tip them as well.

As you can imagine, coming from a non-tipping country this is a pretty frightening list and quite a daunting task as I really want to do the right thing by the Hawaiian people.

Many thanks in advance

Tipping advice needed

Can%26#39;t answer all

but my two cents -

I always tip housekeeping daily. That way if the shift changes you know that your person gets the tip. I usually either put the cash ($5) in an envelope labeled ';housekeeping'; or wrap a paper around it and leave it in an obvious place (labeled housekeeping).

Restaurants - tipping is standard at 15% - 20% for exceptional service.

No on the car rental

Kayak, snorkel, etc...when we went they had a %26#39;tip jar%26#39; and we just dropped in and they sorted out who got what.

Hope that helps!

Working in tourism (non-tip industry though) I do tend to tip perhaps a little more heavily.

Tipping advice needed

Welcome to the good ol%26#39; USA :)

My responses ... I do a lot of traveling and these are my standards ... but there is some wiggle room especially on tours.

1. Housekeeping -- I leave a couple of bucks per day (or $5 in Hawaii, sometimes) on my pillow. That way I figure they know its for them ...

2. I%26#39;m not sure about a scuba trip ... if you%26#39;re with the same company I%26#39;d say tip them once at the end (assuming it%26#39;s the same staff each day)

3. If it is a guided tour, and the guides are helpful/informative/etc, I%26#39;d say yes ... but I am not sure how much interaction you actually have with the guides. Some of these trips are self guided. I wouldn%26#39;t tip over $10 here.

4. Luau -- I think we left a tip on the table -- maybe $10-$20. I really can%26#39;t remember but I%26#39;d follow the example of others around. You do not tip per drink.

5. Kayak tour ... I%26#39;d say $20 here if the guide is good.

6. Helicopter trip ... yes, I%26#39;d say tip. Not sure how much. When in doubt, my rule for a tour is $20. But maybe someone else will give you a better idea.

7. Restaurants -- minimum of 15% of the bill (pre tax) if service is acceptable. If bad service, tip less (this really sends a message, as waitstaff in the US have tips included as part of their salary and their hourly wage is very low.) If very good service, 18-20%. You can buy ';tip tables'; (a small card listing 15, 18, 20 percent of various dollar amounts) in some convenience stores or in Wal Mart ... sometimes these are up around the cash register. (Okay -- it%26#39;s not that hard to figure, but I know plenty of people with these things in their wallets!)

You do not have to tip the car rental agent ... however, if you valet park, a tip of $2-$3 is common when getting your car back (not when you drop it off)

Other places tips are sometimes expected ... the concierge at the hotel if they are particularly helpful. The bellman at the hotel who takes your luggage ($1 per bag) or the porter at the airport if you use them. Also a taxi driver gets 15% of the fare or so.

Good luck. Good idea to get some $1 bills when you get there :) I keep $8-$10 in ones if I%26#39;m staying at a nice hotel just for this purpose.

Thanks - this is confirmation of what I thought I was reading in the other posts! Really needed to make it relevant to me, though!

Out of curiosity, what is the average hourly wage for housekeeping and wait staff?

Per 2006 surveys, wait staff made an avg of $11.2/hr ... this includes tips, I imagine.

Housekeepers%26#39; wages averaged $12.50/hr.

Just curious, any idea what a tour helicopter pilot on Maui makes? Thanks for any information!

this link may help you out

http://howmuchtotip.org/

denise226:

You%26#39;ve already gotten great advice from others and I have nothing to add except my cell phone has a feature that will figure the tip for me. If yours does too, you won%26#39;t have to buy a tax table card (which is still a good idea). Check your phone features!

Have fun!

jc

Your phone has a feature thjat will calculate the tip for you ? Would that feature be called A CALCULATOR by chance ?

Are there REALLY people that can%26#39;t multiply by 10%, 15% or 20% in their head ???

denise

when you are figuring out restaurant tipping you tip on the food and drink amount BEFORE any taxes are added --- you should not be tipping on the tax amount

denise -- You may think wages are high in Hawaii, but please remember that almost everything is imported and costs more. Also housing is a huge cost. Many people in Hawaii work three jobs.

Kauai Must Do's?

Hi!

My husband and I are going to Kauai, Hawaii from Sep 25th to Sep 29th 2007 for our honeymoon. We are staying at the Grand Hyatt, Popiu for the first 2 nights and then up to Hale Makai Cottages for 3 nights (near Princeville).

Can anyone tell us 5 MUST DO things when we are there e.g. helicopter trips, restaurants, bars, walks anywhere in the island. We like nice food, are quite active but also like to relax and would like to do nice things (budget is not necessarily an issue because this is our honeymoon).

I really appreciate anyone%26#39;s help.

Thanks!!

Louise

Kauai Must Do's?

Congratulations on your honeymoon!

I am not a honeymooner, but will be doing Kauai for the first time next May. Apart from the great advice on your Maui question (coffee in the am on the lanai, drinks in the pm on the lanai, with partner), these are the things I plan to do on my trip.

Sugar plantation tubing adventure---a coworker went, he is still raving about it. Sounds perfect.

Horseback riding in the am up at Princeville, then explore the north shore. Maybe get to Ke%26#39;e beach and walk a bit on the trail out to Na Pali.

A boat ride to the Fern Grotto (I%26#39;ve wanted to see it since I was little) for a relaxing end to the afternoon, maybe the lu%26#39;au at Smith%26#39;s if I am up for it.

Waimea/Kokee trip in the early am with a hike on the swamp trails if it is not too muddy.

Blowhole, to see the spectacle and shop for sparklies ;-)

The swinging bridge.

Na Pali sunset cruise.

Now if I was on my honeymoon, these activities would probably be more geared to leisure exploration, nice meals, etc. Or maybe not---I%26#39;d probably marry an actionperson just like me (though at almost 50, I kinda doubt that%26#39;s gonna happen anytime soon).

Have a wonderful honeymoon!

Kauai Must Do's?

Must do things.....hmmmm. The two that come to mind for me are a Na Pali coast trip, and spending time on the North Shore. I%26#39;ve never taken a helicopter trip on Kauai, although I%26#39;ve heard wonderful things about them - we chose to do a boat trip to see the Na Pali coast instead and had a terrific time. Got to snorkel, see the beautiful sea caves, etc. I would wholeheartedly recommend a Na Pali boat trip. The North Shore overall is absolutely gorgeous and shouldn%26#39;t be missed.

I also think you%26#39;d enjoy seeing Waimea Canyon, and spending time at various beaches. They are all different in their own ways, and all beautiful. Two that come to mind for me are Ha%26#39;ena and Mahalepu (I can never remember how to spell that!).

Bars - you%26#39;ll love the view from the Happy Talk Lounge on the North Shore and we had a great time at Tradewinds in the Coconut Marketplace. Although we ate at quite a few restaurants, food isn%26#39;t really a big thing with us and we usually just stopped at the closest place to eat! Having said that, we enjoyed the Olympic Cafe, Duke%26#39;s, Tropical Burgers, and Kalypso. None of them fancy - just good food.

You%26#39;ll have a great time, no matter what you choose to do. Congratulations!

Zipline at Princeville is really fun

Helicopter tour is cool

Napali boat cruise is very popular

lots of hiking, check the blue book Ultimate Kauai guide

relax on a beach

sample the shave flavors

sample the fruity cocktails

Hike down to Queen%26#39;s Bath in Princeville....to a lava rock swimming pool with the waves crashing against it...absolutely beautiful!

Horseback riding at Silver Falls...relaxing, beautiful and the little waterfall/pond area was fun!

Dinner at Roy%26#39;s....excellent.. I know that its a hit or miss but it was a huge hit two weeks ago. Beach House or Grand Hyatt for appies during sunset...our dinner, though, at Beach House was a huge disappointment. Great view though.

Waimea Canyon.

Polihali Beach....the drive is bumpy!!!! and on dirt...but the beach was awesome.

Hanelei....anywhere there

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29218-s409/Kauai:Haw…

Really like Duke%26#39;s at Marriott in Lihue - great setting right on Kalapaki Beach. We thought fresh fish dishes were outstanding. Also very romantic for honeymooners.

Mahalo

Pacific'O restaurant in Lahaina review

We have had several excellent meals at I%26#39;O, the sister restaurant of Pacific O. We had a so-so meal a year ago at Pacific O, but decided to give it another chance. We found the same dithering at the hostess check-in that we had the last time, and were shuttled upstairs even after we said we really wanted to sit downstairs. The downstairs had lots of empty tables, but I guess they were expecting a crowd so we went upstairs to a barn like structure where the view was good, but it was obviously the Siberia of the restaurant. The wait staff was unprofessionally attired and behaved, spending much of their time chatting and hugging. We ordered two glasses of wine and my wine, a Malbec was served cold at the same temperature as my husband%26#39;s chardonnay. When I asked about it, the waiter told me that wine was supposed to be cool, but this was refrigerated and not what a Malbec needed. He acted as if I needed to be taught wine etiquiette. We ordered their ';award winning'; appetizers and were treated to a goat cheese salad with local greens. It turned out to be a big salad surrounded by sprinkles of paprika all around the edge of the plate with the goat cheese mix squirted out of a pastry bag. The cheese didn%26#39;t taste much like goat cheese, perhaps because it was ';cut'; with something else . The chef must enjoy ';the bag'; because the butter (with Gran Marinier?) also came out the same way. The salad was very ordinary and the pink fried won tons skins added to the unattractive presentation. The scallops, another award winning dish, was at least not rubbery but was not very warm and it certainly did not have the makings of a great dish. We were very disappointed and glad to pay our check and check out. Pacific O does not deserve the hype it gets, and diners ought try the more professionally appointed I%26#39;O across the walkway.

Pacific'O restaurant in Lahaina review

Unbelieveable!! That%26#39;s a shame! I have friends that ate at Pacific O a couple of months ago. They ate downstairs outside near the railing (I saw their pictures). They said the food was outstanding! Sorry you had a bad experience......again!

Pacific'O restaurant in Lahaina review

Thanks for the thought. I know Pacific%26#39;O gets great reviews all over the place and is much recommended on the island. We%26#39;ve eaten upstairs now and downstairs as well. It would take a lot to get us back. It might be possible that the place has been sold or something and the chef%26#39;s name is still all over it as thought he were still there. Here in foody-land (Sonoma County, CA) where we live, one of our top restaurants did that and it was quite a while before anyone caught on.

I think our experience was even worse because I let the hostess bully us into sitting upstairs. Cheap Costco folding tables and uncomfortable chairs. I noticed that the folks that complained seemed to get seated downstairs. We should have complained, but I always think that takes the edge off the meal. Live and learn.

I%26#39;d still say that anyone going there now should remember caveat emptor..

Bruce, Thanks for the heads up. I was considering hosting a dinner party here next Fall but will go with one of my other options.... just for kicks since I%26#39;m in the area too what%26#39;s your fav. Sonoma County restaurant??

Mine changes but right now I have to go with Willie%26#39;s Seafood in Healdsburg ;~)

Hi Dreday

Good choice. Willi%26#39;s is fantastic. No surprise it%26#39;s your fave.

Currently, our two favorites are:

K %26amp; L Bistro - Sebastopol -- Everything is great and great service, fair prices, etc, etc..

The Fig - Glen Ellen -- REALLY good food, very good service, and the make up for a short wine list by having *no* corkage on whatever you want to bring in. Hard to spend $60 on dinner. Also, a nice short drive in the country from our home.

Have a great Maui trip. We go every year..

Bruce

blackheads whiteheads

Solo girl on a budget

Hi all,

Looking for a little advice. I%26#39;m planning to head to Maui in mid-September. I%26#39;m going by myself and have a fairly tight budget, so I%26#39;m looking for input on where to stay that%26#39;s wallet-friendly but also safe and clean. I%26#39;m most interested in renting a condo or staying at a B%26amp;B, but am open to other ideas.

I%26#39;m mainly hoping to spend some quality time snorkeling and lounging on the beach, so any advice on the best areas to stay in and/or visit would be welcome. Thanks for your help!

Solo girl on a budget

I went to Maui solo in May and never felt alone partially because of where I stayed: Kanapali coast. The people in the condo next door happened to be from a town 20 minutes from where I live so we struck up a friendship. They also had the guidebook Maui Trailblazer with them from which I found some fantastic places to snorkel and hike.

I drove to Big Beach (recommended in the book) and on the way dropped in for some shopping at the Wailea mall stores (luxurious and pricey but my only splurge). Kanapali was a nice compromise budgetwize and came close to the big megaresort feel of Wailea. Best about my trip: I didn%26#39;t have to sign up for tours since all of the info I needed for the week was in the book.

Eating at the condo saved big bucks as I wasn%26#39;t anxious to sit alone in a restaurant. I joined Sarah and Josh for the drive to Haleakala for the sunise and hiking.....what a blast! We saw lots of people biking down but it didn%26#39;t look appealing. I returned with a beautiful tan, I love it there. I think it was more of an adventure because I went alone and it gave me an opportunity to meet others. Thumbs up. Have a great time!

Solo girl on a budget

If you are on a budget and do not want to feel isolated, it will be very hard to beat Kihei.

Nice September weekly condo accommodations for 1 can be had all over the place for under $100/nt, even in south Kihei. North Kihei can be had for below $80/nt and definitely even lower if you shop hard.

Just to put some real numbers on ';budget'; for you.

Now, I wonder what those ';budget'; numbers are in Ka%26#39;anapali ? ;)

Aloha :)

Aloha! Don%26#39;t know when you are goin in September, but here is a very nice place - B%26amp;B, so then your breakfast is included. $85 per night, drops if you stay a full week. Very clean, great owners and I would feel totally comfortable staying here by myself. http://www.maui.net/~tcroly/ Hope that helps you some. :)

Have we got a deal for you -- you can save significantly on lodging and stay in a very convenient, central location with the possibility of meeting some great folks. The savings on lodging can give you more fun money in your budget ... and $ for a rent car which you will definitely need to explore all the magic that Maui has to offer [check out discount car rental places too].

Before the ';we'; of my current travel sisters %26amp; bud ... I traveled to Maui many times on my own ... this place proved to be an EXCELLENT home base, and I really did meet the coolest folks from all over the world, plus made some invaluable Maui contacts.

Check it out for only $50 per night - Peace of Maui. This is a Frommer%26#39;s guide recommendation and one of the BEST lodging values on Maui. It is near upcountry, between Paia on the coast and Makawao, off Haliimaille Road so you are very close to summit adventures on Haleakala, the hiking in %26#39;Iao Valley in central Maui near Kahului, easy access to the wonderful upcountry towns of Haiku, Makawao and Kula ... plus 10 minutes from Baldwin Beach or Ho%26#39;okipa Point / Beach near Paia; right close to the Hana Highway; 15 mins from airport at Kahului or the Maui Swap Meet location on Sat AMs; plus only a short 30-40 minute drive to south Maui and Kihei area for beaches, snorkeling, etc.

Peace of Maui has great views down the slopes of Haleakala and across the pineapple and cane fields; wonderful rainbows in this region of Maui. However, this is not on the beach; you do have to commute for water sports and adventures.

Check the TA postings on this property too - it has some good recent reviews as well.

John and Tammi are wonderful hosts and have designed and dedicated this place in order for single travellers, families and folks on a tight budget can still afford to enjoy Maui. They keep it very well maintained and very CLEAN too !!!

We love it, and generally stay at POM when we first arrive to enjoy central, south or upcountry areas, gather our supplies and groceries, etc. Then we head to Hana for most of our time on Maui - we adore the east side of the island.

Here is info for cheaper car rentals too ... also recommended by Frommer guides.

We prefer to use the discount car rental places that handle %26#39;not quite new%26#39; cars, often recycled from the other standard and higher priced car rental places. These may be 2 to 10 years old, with some exterior wear and tear, but they generally run great. Plus you look more like a local than a tourist ... so less chance of theft or vandalism.

Check out Word of Mouth. They rent only compacts, Toyota Corollas or Nissan Sentra sedans, which run great ... they do keep them maintained, even if appearance is not perfect. All WOM cars are 4 door automatics with AC - $180/ week + 4% tax and a $3.00 per day Rental = total of $208.49. Contact them at word@maui.net

Also WOM will pick you up and take you to their facility, depending on your arrival time - saves long lines at the airport kiosks and hauling luggage onto the shuttles from terminal to main car rental places. The WOM office is right down the highway from the airport and port area in Kahului; like 5 mins. away.

Also -- Check out Maui Car Rentals at 800-567-4659 or 808-877-3300 on Maui.

Word of Mouth was great. The cars are not that new but they run fine and are great for people on a budget. We rented from them in June and everything was great. Also check out sunnysouthmaui.com. Stayed in one of these condo%26#39;s , nice, clean and great areas and inexpensive.

Thanks all for your advice and encouragement! I think for this first trip I%26#39;ve narrowed it down to south kihei. Still checking out condos and B%26amp;Bs in the area (definitely hoping to find some for under $100), so any other recommendations are welcome!

Here is a good link for budget choices in south Maui ...

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60632-i109-k26767…

Or are you already in paradise?

Low Cost Maui :

Thanks to you all for the great info in response to

my post early today about where to stay, hike and snorkel

on '; Low Budget '; mode.

We%26#39;ve narrowed the island to MAUI , but I still know very little about it . ( Yes , I%26#39;ve got homework to do ).

Now we%26#39;re interested in weather patterns in mid - December....

...... anyone care to forcast ?

Is there a dry and a wet side?

Do winter storms stir up the water all over, all the time?

All info appreciated.

Rick

Low Cost Maui :

Maui Revealed is the easiest-to-use guidebook, but Frommers has more hotel/condo reviews.

East Maui has a 10,000 foot volcano and the West Maui mountains are pretty big, too. So rainfall varies wildly, depending on where you are. The ';south Maui'; resorts (Kihei etc) would be dry.

In December, big surf from the Aleutians is likely on the island%26#39;s north shore. You might want to visit Honolua Bay to watch the activity (binoculars a good idea).

Hana is wet.

I%26#39;m doing a quick, cheap visit in October and plan to spend two or three nights in Hana, and otherwise use one of the two inexpensive hotels in Kahului. Best rates seem to be at Hotwire. People at my employer%26#39;s Honolulu Office normally use the Maui Seaside because it%26#39;s easier to drive to conservation lands (such as Haleakala National Park) from Kahului than from Kihei. Since I live in a resort town, I just don%26#39;t need to visit any resorts.

Low Cost Maui :

Check out this link from former TA posts on Maui weather patterns and what to expect in December ..

tripadvisor.com/…8277461

As you research, ask what you want to experience? Favorite activities? You will begin to narrow your search as to what part of the island will be best for your lodging / home base.

Leeward side is drier; south Maui near Kihei is reclaimed desert; windward side of Hakeakala and towards Nahiku / Hana will be wetter. Also wetter up in west Maui mountains and sometimes those rains can come down the slopes into Lahaina / Ka%26#39;anapali areas.

Winter storms, as with all storm systems, generally approach the island from one direction ... usually the north and that is why big time surfer dudes come to north shore on Maui during this season. But surf can be totally calm for south or west Maui on same day at the same time.

Maui is a relatively small island; easy to go from one section / area to another and experience completely different climate and weather.

Here is another recent TA link with some good info and some great links for researching ...

tripadvisor.com/…321406

cosmetics online

Hana Budget Lodging Options for Dec '07 - Hana Aloha Hale-??

Anyone ever stayed at this one; we travel to Hana a lot, but don%26#39;t recall this lodging option. For 3 adventurous and fairly flexible adults on a budget - who do like clean but know that geckos are part of the bargain in a rainforest, i.e., not ready for Hotel Hana Maui price scale.

Description says it is located 3 miles past Hana Town in the Maka’alae District; and that it is 2.5/2 house on 2 acres of private land w/ 40 acres of unoccupied pasture in front as well as 85 acres of tropical rain forest and views of Mt. Haleakala behind the house. And that there is both a master bath and an outdoor bath w/ shower.

http://www.hanaalohamaui.com/index.html

We know sometimes local maintenance is an issue in Hana; and some properties are not consistently well maintained; things can get run down so quickly in the tropical rainforest climate.

Hana Budget Lodging Options for Dec '07 - Hana Aloha Hale-??

--- Bump ---

Which airport?

I am surprised to find that a small island like Maui has two airports. If I want to stay at Marriotts Maui Ocean Club which airport should I fly into please. Many thanks in anticipation.

Which airport?

West Maui Airport is about 7 miles away, OGG (the main airport) is about 30 miles. The difference is the West Maui Airport is smaller, has less flights and less car rental options but it is closer. You will have to take a smaler propeller plane there vs a jet to OGG. If for some reason you miss your flight you may be waiting for some time for the next one.

Which airport?

Thank you for your reply. What does OGG stand for please.

Brightonbill. I just booked Hawaiin Air to the bigger airport even though it is further away as there was a vast difference in the price. Cheers.

OGG is the designation of the Kahului Airport . All airports have a 3 letter designation, most sort of resemble their location (like HNL for Honolulu or KOA for Kona). The designation OGG was given in honor of aviation legend Capt. Bertram J. Hogg

(pronounced Hoag), who is credited for being one of the frontier pilots who helped build the airlines of today in the Pacific.

Thank you for that information.

Wow - I did not know that about the origin of OGG and Kahului airport code - thx BrightonBill. Cool factoid !!!

Also good to mention stricter luggage size and weight requirements if you have to do one of those small propeller plane hoppers from OGG to the smaller west Maui airport. Sometimes on smaller planes they literally can%26#39;t take all the weight - due to regulations and safety. Might have to wait for your heavy bag until the next day.

Depending on where you are coming from, you may not be able to go direct to the west Maui airport. If you have to fly into OGG, then do the switch of airlines / deal with luggage thing at OGG ... that can be a hassle.

We fly into OGG / Kahului and prefer to drive even if we arrive later in the evening - it is just not that far to either south or west Maui from Kahului and the main airport, and you get a feel for Maui and its diversity. Who knows - you may have a %26#39;follow the rainbow%26#39; moment as you arrive. We usually head for nearest beach and take off our shoes to wiggle our toes in the sand, listen to the waves, RELAX !!!

We have often been greeted with rainbows on arrival, sometimes full doubles from horizon to horizon ... like an upside down smile that we feel all the way to our toes; starts us smiling and giggling ... we are suddenly hit with another level of realization - we are in PARADISE !!! Such an amazing greeting and a good omen / blessing from Maui%26#39;s Magic.

BBill -- Mystery solved. Thanks.

Best places to buy local fruit and veggies.

Does anyone know of great places to buy locally grown foods?

Best places to buy local fruit and veggies.

YES - go to the farmer markets, open air markets or the Maui Swap Meet.

From another travel site --

'; If you shop the farmer%26#39;s markets and specialty stores you will score big from a vast assortment of excellent organic produce and tropical fruits grown on the island. If you don%26#39;t, you may as well be visiting the desert in a third-world country and buy canned and frozen varieties of produce. Okay, in a pinch, Safeway does fine, but beware the $7 quarts of strawberries from Chile and $5/lb. local sweet onions.';

Here are some locations and days:

Wailuku: Market is set up daily across from the I`oa Theater

Honokowai: Market is set up daily just past the ABC store.

Regular hours are kept by the Farmer%26#39;s Market of Maui, a group of growers who set up in Honokawai in the parking lot across from the beach park on M/W/F mornings

Kihei: Farmer’s Market of Maui, just past Suda%26#39;s from 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. M/W/F

Kahului: Saturday Swap Meet in Kahului (5:30 a.m. to Noon) has a variety of locally produced and fresh produce. Next door to post office, across from McDonald%26#39;s

Lahaina: Friday farmer%26#39;s market at the Queen Ka`ahumanu Mall.

If you see items provided for Ono Farms - they are a great, organic outfit from Kipahulu [non-GMO] side of the island. Great to support them because they have had a hard time lately with the road closure between Kipahulu and Kaupo; have to drive the Hana Hwy all the way around to get their produce to the other side markets. They are usually at the Swap Meet on Saturdays.

ONO Organic on Maui: Monday and Thursday in Hana just past the gas station

Upcountry: Visits to upcountry gardens and farms always offer an opportunity to take fresh grown products home after enjoying the outing and views.

Island-wide: A few retail establishments offer the more popular fruits and vegetables, Maui Onions, Pineapple, Papaya, Macadamia Nuts and other tropicals every day. Take Home Maui in Lahaina and the Tropical Plantation in Waikapu along with the Maui Fresh Store in Hailemaile, are such outlets. Also, the amazing Long%26#39;s Drug Stores often offer a great selection of locally grown well-priced produce. Arrive early as they sell out quickly.

Best places to buy local fruit and veggies.

Wow, thank you for all the great information. We are so looking forward to all the raw food!

LinaKaJoy,

I%26#39;ve been reading some of these post and let me say, you have posted some excellent ideas and information. Keep it up!

Another question regarding the locally grown foods....

other than the obvious (pineapples, maui onions, mangos) are most types of tropical fruits grown/available in Maui (i.e. passion fruit, star fruit, guava fruit, dragon fruit, etc)

While I love pineapple/mango/etc, I can get great one%26#39;s here in town (albeit for quite a bit more money).

Thanks!

Check out the Ono farms website for some great ideas ... and as always, there are growing seasons, even on Maui, so some things may not be available while you are there. If you stop by their booth in Hana, or at Maui Swap Meet in Kahului on Sat AM, they will tell you all about unusual items and often let you taste before you buy. These are great folks ...

http://www.onofarms.com/

They even have a ';ONO Exotic, Tropical Fruit Tasting Adventure'; -- surrounded by abiu, avocado, apple banana, ice cream banana, Cuban red banana, mountain apple, rose apple, star apple, star fruit, cacao (chocolate), cinnamon, durian, strawberry papaya, low-acid white pineapple, lychee, mango, breadfruit, jackfruit, red sweetsop, soursop, coffee, white and chocolate sapote, pink and white pomelo, pomegranate, egg fruit, kumquat, sweet lilikoi (passion fruit), rambutan, tamarind, tangelo, tangerine, gourmet guava, oranges, and more.

Tours are on Monday and Thursday afternoons; IF you are n Hana

Reservations: Call us at (808) 248-7779, send e-mail to tours@onofarms.com

';Farmer’s Market of Maui, just past Suda%26#39;s from 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. M/W/F

Where is exactly is the old Suda Store? I looked online and all I could find was a notation from 2003 that the store is closing.

I also looked up Farmer%26#39;s Market of Maui 1 to get more info - both phone numbers I found were out of order. :-(

Any info as to the address of the Farmer%26#39;s Market and a working phone number would be really appreciated.

Some of the information posted here is close, but needs some cleaning up.

There are many farmer%26#39;s markets and craft fairs, but not all are worth the time or your money, IMO. My very favorite and still the reigning champ of markets has to be the Aloha Friday Farmer%26#39;s Market from noon to 6 on Fridays at the college in Kahului. It is a product of the Maui AgMarketing coalition and you will find the best of Maui at this event, local produce and food products, such as honey, jams, cheeses, baked goods, flowers and more.

Also in Kahului there are markets at the Maui Mall and the Queen Ka`ahumanu Shopping Center on Tues, Wed, and Fri mornings till afternoon. Selection is usually pretty good and I make the trip to Queen Ka`ahumanu at least once a month, if nothing else for the fried mango mochi from the mochi lady found in the center courtyard just across from the Queen Ka`ahumanu statue

In Wailuku there is the new Wailuku Banyan Tree Park in the lot that used to house a hit or miss market. They have a few tables set up during the week, and I just checked it out for the first time lat week. It was OK, but not much selection. Onions, mangoes, the usual suspects. Uncle Richard Ho`opi`i has been playing there on random afternoons though, so that would be worth stopping.

Upcountry there is a market on Saturday morning in Makawao at Eddie Tam, and on Sundays at Morihara market in Kula.

In Kihei the Nishiki Market isn%26#39;t past Suda%26#39;s, it is in the parking lot. Suda%26#39;s was a longtime Kihei fixture, but has since closed and as of recently Suda Store is now an ABC store. It is in North Kihei, just after you turn onto Kihei Rd from Mokulele, across from the cnaoe club and next to the Kihei Youth Center. For now, the Weinberg Foundation who owns the property, allowing the market to remain month-to-month. But they are open everyday now, I think from 9 -4. I have heard they were opening a storefront in Honokowai--Maui Farmers Market and Deli, across from were they have the Honokowai market. Not sure how that is going. On a side note, the Suda family tradition will continue on the upper highway, by the Tesoro when the new Suda Seafood Deli opens in coming months. I hope they bring back Hatsuko%26#39;s chow fun!

And there is always Longs on Saturday mornings. A good selection of mostly upcountry and Big Island produce. You can always find Maui onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, squash, Okinawan potatoes, green beans and various fruit in season.

Thanks for all the detailed info. I will be in Kehei for two weks in October and was about to ask the same question. Aloha.

Oops! Kihei. :-)

';And there is always Longs on Saturday mornings. A good selection of mostly upcountry and Big Island produce. You can always find Maui onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, squash, Okinawan potatoes, green beans and various fruit in season.';

I am not sure how many Longs Drugs there are on Maui. Is the Longs I should be going to on Saturday morning in the Azeka Center in Kihei?

columnheader

Kona

Aloha!

Family members are looking into traveling to Kona in December or January. What is the weather typically like during those months? Thanks for any/all replies :)

jc

Kona

Aloha, About 80 degrees during the day.

Kona

There must be a half-dozen websites that address your question; one of my favorites is hawaiianvacation.com. Once you are there, click on Kailua-Kona (or practically anyplace else in Hawaii) and scroll down the page for high/low monthly averages, total rainfall and typical water temperature (';slightly'; warmer than Huntington Beach!).

During this time the winter or south swells become common and places like '; La Aloa'; ( magic sands beach) are nothing but bare rock.

Shore snorkeling is generaly poorer..... during this time.

as others have said low 80%26#39;s for a high and around 67-68 for a low ( cold..... local wisdom is that water freezes at 60)

There should be snow on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.....

Ocean temp hovers around 74 in Kona and 72 in Waikoloa

Beaches in the North such as Hapuna become very windy as can the entire coast north of the Four Seasons. ( thats why they picked the site)

Mahalo everyone! I will let my family know your answers, and also pass along the tip on that weather info website.

About being slightly hotter than Huntington Beach? Oh last weekend was a scorcher! It was miserably hot! Record-breaking. I hope Kona does better for my family :)

Thanks again !

jc

Motion sickness

My wife and I are planning to go on a helicopter tour as well as a whale watching cruise in January. I tend to get a little motion sickness and was wondering what is the best tempary cure. Thx, Scott

Motion sickness

Here is a very good med site about this ...

Antihistamine meds are commonly used in the prevention and treatment of motion sickness as they seem to prevent and treat the nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. May act to calm the stimulation from the inner ear that is in conflict with what your eyes are seeing and your body is sensing. These include meclizine (Bonine, Antivert, Dramamine). Another class of medications used to prevent motion sickness is the scopolamine skin patch, Transderm Scop. This medicated skin patch is applied behind the ear at least four hours in advance of the motion activity. The medication is slowly absorbed directly into the underlying skin. Either way - they are MOST effective when you remember to take them well before the boat or helip ride -- read instructions.

medicinenet.com/motion_sickness/article.htm

Medical research has not yet investigated the effectiveness of popular folk remedies such as ';soda crackers and 7 Up'; or ';cola syrup over ice,'; or ginger products. There are also alternatives from alternative and eastern medical traditions - such as the ';Ney Guan'; or ';Inner Gate'; wrist bands; well known by Oriental practitioners; combines pressure and magnets applied to accupressure point. Many claim this works better than meds, aiding with motion sickness and nausea. Wrist bands are usually adjustable and reusable, one size fits all, with a Velcro™ type strap closure. Reasonably priced; generally comes in a package of 2 wristbands, one for each wrist with instructions; less than $20 with shipping.

From Lhasa Ohms -- ';Since humankind%26#39;s existence, magnets and many different metals have been used for balancing the body%26#39;s energy. It has been found that when magnets or certain combinations of two dissimilar metals contact the body, a small electric current is generated termed the Polarity Agent Effect. Magnets, by virtue of their natural north (-) and south (+) magnetic poles also exhibit this same phenomenon. In addition to polarity effects, small acu-magnets and small press pellets also provide continuous acupressure to the point. ';

We prefer the wrist bands.

Motion sickness

How about you don%26#39;t bother with either. You can see whales just fine from land on Maui in January. People who have been on helicopter tours of Kauai are crazy about having done it; Maui, not so much.

You may also want to skip the Road to Hana with all its twists and turns. Just relax. Get on ';Maui time'; and enjoy the island.

Linakajoy, thx for the info. I don%26#39;t really care if I go on the helicopter tour but my wife would love it.

Here is the best cure--LAND! ;o)

As for prevention --I would suggest whatever you do, try it out before you go. Different things work for different people. I too get motion sick and have found that the prescription patch works best but I%26#39;ve tried bio-bands, dramamine, meclizine and ginger. The reason I say try it out first is because I used meclizine for the first time on our Kauai heli-tour and it didn%26#39;t work.

I would think you would want to be sure it works if you are dishing out a lot of money for these tours!

Taste of North Shore?

September 29, 2007 is the Taste of North Shore...

I can%26#39;t seem to find much info online...

Does anyone have more info? Is it worthwhile? It%26#39;s $50/person, so I%26#39;d like to have a little more info...

Here%26#39;s a description.

Taste of North Shore under the full moon and starry skies will be held at Paia Beach Park (Baby Beach) next to the Paia Youth %26amp; Cultural Center, 28 Hana Highway, Paia. Food samplings from some of Maui and the Northshore%26#39;s finest restaurants - taste all you want; musical entertainment from Hula Honeys and Voodoo Suns; a silent auction and cash bar (beer and wine). An adult only event - over 21. Tickets $50.00 available in advance at Mana Foods and Anthony%26#39;s Coffee Company in Paia.

Taste of North Shore?

I bet if you called Mana Foods,someone would have a link or a list of which restaurant / food vendors will participate. If Moana, Jacques, or Mama%26#39;s is represented would be a good event. If this is an annual happening, check Maui News archives for coverage from former years. And if they include some goodies from Makawao too ... oh wow!!!

From Paia Cultural Center info -- Fax # (808) 579-8955; email to person handling silent auction -- erockwell@yahoo.com

And they state ... ';For more detailed information contact: Eileen @ 283-4100';

Taste of North Shore?

Ok, I did some more digging and ended up emailing one of the contacts. Not used to having a hard time finding info on the internet...

Here%26#39;s a link to the event:

http://pyccmaui.org/taste.html

Not very helpful...

The person I emailed added this:

Most of Paia%26#39;s restaurants are participating (Jacques, Mambo, Cafe Moana, Charleys, Cafe Des Amis, etc.).

cosmetics online

What's your favorite dish at ...

So ... tell me ... so my mouth can start watering before I get there...

What%26#39;s your favorite thing to eat at:

Java Jazz/Soup Nutz

Kimos

Joe%26#39;s (at Wailea Tennis Courts)

Plantation House

Paia Fish Market

Any other recommendations?

(Honokowai Okazuya/Deli is already on the list ... I%26#39;ve done Mama%26#39;s, David Paul%26#39;s, Leilanis, Da Kitchen, and who knows what else .... looking for something new :-)

What's your favorite dish at ...

Java Jazz - veggie/sausage/feta frittata with toast for breakfast.

Paia Fish Market- only tried the sauteed opakapaka w/garlic and wine and it was great but next time I%26#39;d tell them to go easier on the garlic.

Okazuya Deli - mahi mahi w/lemon wine caper sause, chicken katsu.

Not on your list - The Beach House in Napili. For breakfast, the ratatoiulle (sp?) type veggies with crispy polenta/cheddar cakes, kalua pork and topped with fried eggs.

What's your favorite dish at ...

Java Jazz - only had their iced mochas - awesome!

Kimos - only had their mango coloda - omg!!! best ever!!!

My recommendation is - Sarento%26#39;s on the Beach - Linguini %26amp; Clams or Spaghetti w/Filet Mignon meatballs - yum yum!!! Service was the best, view was the best!!! My favorite place that I tried in Maui!

Kimo%26#39;s: The 32 oz prime rib on the bone... but only if you are HUNGRY! (or want to share)... or the Opah Kimo%26#39;s style, prepared with a garlic, lemon and sweet basil glaze, it is sweet, light and moist... this dish is one of the best...... AND DON';T FORGET the Hula Pie!!!

Don%26#39;t forget the Sea House at the Napili Kai. The oceanfront restaurant tables and oceanfront outdoor bar are wonderful! Who cares about the food! We had a nice dinner there and I have heard god things about ther breakfast. It was not the best food we had, but we didn%26#39;t regret going.

32 oz prime rib is in! Order on the first day there ... takes care of at least four dinners, right? WOW!

Thanks for the suggestions ... any more?

Sashimi Napoleon appetizer at the Hailimaile General Store. Malasadas at Komoda%26#39;s Store in Makawao. Hula Pie anywhere its offered.

Trixxee -- beach house at Napili? Gazebo? I haven%26#39;t heard of the beach house (other than Kauai ...) where is it?

As for hula pie ... is this the stuff that has ice cream, etc? I had some at Dukes and wasn%26#39;t terribly impressed, despite the reviews it gets on these boards ... what am I missing?!?

Sorry, sorry! I meant the Sea House! (I%26#39;m lucky I didn%26#39;t call it by it%26#39;s old ancient name - Tea House of the Maui Moon!).

The Beach House is a restaurant here in Laguna Beach. Don%26#39;t mind me - I%26#39;m old. LOL.

The gezebo is in napili and is a very short distance to the sea house resturant. The Gezebo is only open for breakfast and lunch both have killer views. There is always a waiting line at the Gezebo but they give you free coffee while your in line. Its usually about a half hour wait but the time goes fast because the views are great and its fun to talk to other maui visitors.

konagirl,

Re: Hula Pie..........What are you missing?

About 2000 calories! ;-)

Keen Sandals Question

Since they seem to be pretty popular on this board, I have a question for ya%26#39;ll. I bought a pair of Keen%26#39;s Venice H2 sandals for my husband for our upcoming trip. He has been wearing them for the past 3 days to break them in %26amp; LOVES them! Says that they are super comfy. After washing our cars today he came in %26amp; went in the office and losed the door. I went in about 1/2 hour later and almost passed out! The room STUNK! And it was the Keens! Horrible smell! Has anyone else had this problem with their Keens? If so what have you done, short of throwing them out? Should I use bleach? Will the straps fade if I d?

I REFUSE to pack them in our suitcase. Any ideas?

Keen Sandals Question

We (family of 5) own the Keen Newport H2 sandals. All of ours have odor ban in the soles EXCEPT for my daughter%26#39;s whose are a childs size 13. And let me say that hers stink. Washing only helps until she wears them again. I just figured that they don%26#39;t put the odor ban in the little ones.

Check the sole of the sandal to see if it says odor ban.

We love our Keens.

Keen Sandals Question

I don%26#39;t know about the smell but I have been trying to break in my Keen%26#39;s also but I continue to get blisters on the back of my heel - does this stop happening soon?? Just curious as I have worn them at least 4 times already and our trip is coming up the end of October.

uk hosting

Housesitter's in Canada

Aloha! Hope you can help me with this question.

I am wondering if anyone gets a housesitter or petsitter while away on vacation. And what do you pay someone for this duty?

Thanks!

Housesitter's in Canada

We paid a vet assistant $15 a day for an aquarium and two cats which we felt was alot better than having to board them. She came in fed-n-watered the cats fed the fish and checked the waterlevel and visited with the cats awhile.

Housesitter's in Canada

You are in Friendly Alberta!!! Wouldn%26#39;t your neighbours help you out??

Ours do and we reciprocate when they are away. Usually we bring them a nice gift or buy a gift certificate for a local restaurant as a token of appreciation. Our whole cul de sac seems to have an arrangement with neighbours.

The dog usually stays with friends when we are out of the country--and gets spoiled rotten at the same time.

We have 2 very very elderly cats, both on medication, one on fluids. So we have been getting a vet tech persitter who comes twice a day every time we travel...this is $50/day in a high-cost area. When it was just a non-vet-tech sitter to feed and give a pill, it was $30/day.

There are petsitter associations who could probably give you an idea of what prices are

http://www.acpsn.com/mission.htm (Canada)

http://www.petsitters.org/ (US)

i have a college student cat/dogsit for me when I travel (which is waaay too often!) I pay $25/day ... she spends the night. Good for both of us, I guess.

The service I use when she%26#39;s not available charges $15 per visit and I%26#39;d need them at least twice a day.

pedestrian crossing of wailua mouth?

My wife and i will be staying by the Coconut Marketplace at the end of the month, and i was wondering if it%26#39;s possible to walk from there to Lydgate park. Looking at Google satellite there does not appear to be a pedestrian crossing of the river mouth (hwy bridge looks very narrow) - is there a sidewalk or bike lane that allows crossing safely on foot? thanks!

pedestrian crossing of wailua mouth?

No sir! We just stayed their at Kauai Coast Resort by Coconut Marketplace in August. You will need to drive. You need a car to see pretty much everything. Lydgate was a nice beach to hang out at and snorkel. Enjoy.

pedestrian crossing of wailua mouth?

people do it but I wouldn%26#39;t if recommend it.

If the County ever gets it%26#39;s finger out, the makai bridge will be replaced with an Acrow structure which will have 2 lanes + a pedestrian lane. I%26#39;m not holding my breath.

If the water level is low, you can actually wade across the Wailua River to Lydgate. Pretty easy but I%26#39;m not sure I%26#39;d recommend that option for most people, especially if you%26#39;re lugging a bunch of stuff.

Crossing the bridge on foot is pretty scary, and I definitely wouldn%26#39;t reccomend doing that. There%26#39;s a little more room on the mauka side of the road, but then you need to get back over to the other side.

Best option is just to drive and park at Lydgate.

Don%26#39;t have an answer to your post, but reading the words ';pedestrian crossing'; recalled my last trip to Kauai when we were in the Poipu area (I think near Brenneke%26#39;s Broiler) and there was a pedestrian crossing, but the only ';pedestrians'; were 7 kauai chickens walking across the street, single-file, in the exact center of the cross-walk. It was too funny!

Yes, critters do funny things.....a photo of that would have been great, like the line of dophins body surfing that wave.

We have lots of birds here,and one group appears to be a kind of starling, but not exactly certain.

Regardless, driving along our hwy 50, at about 50mph.

to the right side of the road was a white line. This bird was in the middle of the hwy, and saw me roaring down on him.

Now,not saying our kauai birds are totally kick back, but flight seems to be the last option.

Swear to the grand kahuna.....this bird sees my car bearing down on his bird bones....and instead of taking flight, he starts to hop.

Hop, hop , hop, comes to the white line on the right side of the road, and does a long leap over the white line.

Stopping in his tracks, he stands there and watches me zip past him. It appeared that he knew that beyond that painted line he was safe.

I was cracking up.....

Bless mother nature, she is hard to beat !

Denny

You can walk across the main bridge. There is a raised sidewalk - which is safe HOWEVER, to get to that sidewalk, you need to cross the lane that has the northbound trestle traffic, twice. I%26#39;ve done this many times, but I don%26#39;t like doing it at rush hour and I wouldn%26#39;t do it with little kids or carrying too much. I normally only walk to Lydgate (from your direction) to walk/jog on the pedestrian path at the park, so I%26#39;m not carrying anything. If I were to go for a picnic or a swim, I%26#39;d drive.

As Kwils said, you can wade across at the mouth sometimes safely, but sometimes you can%26#39;t.

If I were you, I%26#39;d drive, to save time, sweat and nerves.

Denny,

- Loved that bird ';playing chicken'; story, most of us don%26#39;t give them enough credit for their intelligence!

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I%26#39;m the same way about out mynahs -- I think they are some of the smartest birds I have ever seen -- even though they make me gasp and hope that they hop out of the way - especially in the early morning hours when they are really out on the roads! Chickens seem to stay (for the most part) on the shoulders so they don%26#39;t make me so stressed out when I drive!

I%26#39;m afraid I%26#39;m one of those who will brake for any type of critter, so beware those folks behind me!

And also -- I would never walk from Coconut Marketplace to Lydgate Park -- I%26#39;m amazed that so many people apparently do! Anytime you are walking on our highways -- they are just that -- highways with no pedestrian areas to speak of -- my opinion is don%26#39;t take the risk -- take your car!

Malama Pono,

Janet

I was curious, the OP said he looked at the Google sat photos so I looked at the Microsoft Live search sat photos and noticed there are 2 bridges in the photo. One looks one lane and the other two. It looks like the one lane cuts off the highway, crosses the river, then comes back in. But I don%26#39;t see any cars on it like the main bridge. What is that bridge? I don%26#39;t remember it when we were there on a day trip 5 years ago.

On the chicken issue our favorite was when we were there 5 years ago and the chickens where wandering around on the lawn of Burger King. I wanted to put up a sign that said, ';Our chicken tenders are FRESH!'; ;)

Starwood Deal

Hey guys... I%26#39;m a starwood preferred plus member, and they sent me this great deal.... To be used by Dec 20th.

westinvacationownership.com/mauibeckons/…

Starwood Deal

bump

Starwood Deal

Is this the old Embassy Suites?

No, this was built from the ground up... and from what I%26#39;ve seen it%26#39;s beautiful.

Zipline attire...

What did you wear to do your zipline? I know it says long pants, will capri pants do? And did you wear long sleeves, or is that not necessary? Bug repellant?

Thanks for any info!

We leave Tuesday for our 1st trip to Maui, and my excited nerves are starting to kick in!

Zipline attire...

You are in upcountry which can be cool, esp. if you have an early AM reservation. So long sleeves for warmth and sun protection is a good idea; maybe even a light rain jacket that you can sling around your waist if not needed. We like our poly loose fitting swim shirt with long sleeves because if it gets wet in a little misty rain, it drys quick.

Long pants are recommended because it feels better to have the harness around your waist and thighs touching your longer pants; AND to protect your shins and ankles, just in case you step wrong on the hanging bridge; or a few times folks landed with a tiny bump and could have scraped their shins, but the pants saved them.

Also a good reason to wear CLOSED toe shoes like sneakers. And a hat that can NOT blow off is a good choice.

One of us wears a fanny pack that sits high on our waist with essentials - water bottle, energy bar snack, sunscreen, bugspray [yes it is necessary; may want the combo sunscreen/repellant in spray bottle], wet wipes, keys, $$$, etc. If you ride it high, or even turn it around toward the front, t stays out of the way of the harness and ropes, etc.

REMEMBER - just because you are not on the beach, don%26#39;t think you can leave the sunscreen at home. You are in the tropics and on a clear day on the slopes, you can still get a bad burn. Apply it early; reapply often.

The zip is an amazing experience and on Maui ... super Wow !!!

Zipline attire...

OOh, thank you for all of the good tips!!

We did this zipline in July. We wore capri pants, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. We weren%26#39;t cold at all and we did not wear bug repellant or sunscreen. We never saw a mosquito and because the zips are in a wooded area the sun wasn%26#39;t beating down on us. We did the 9:30 am zip. Bring your camera because you can take pictures of your travel companions.

DH %26amp; I just did Haleakala zip 2 weeks ago - it was awesome!! We did the 9:30 %26amp; when we got to the main zip cabin, I was cold %26amp; worried about being in a T-shirt. However, the guides said I%26#39;d be ok, that it would be warmer at the zip spots %26amp; they were right! As soon as we started hiking up %26amp; got thru with the first zip, I was very glad I didn%26#39;t go buy a sweat-shirt - I was warmed up! Both DH %26amp; I were in jeans, t-shirts %26amp; sneakers - perfect zip wear I believe. Capris should be just fine though.

Also, I didn%26#39;t wear bug repellent - I can%26#39;t remember a single aggravating bug while up there. Leave the hats at home or in the car tho - you%26#39;ll be wearing a helmet, no need for them.

cosmetics online

Best time to book a flight

We%26#39;re going from Sacramento to Maui (7 nights), then Maui to Kauai (6 nights) and back to Sacramento in June 2008. Just curious if you know when flights usually go on sale?

Thanks! =)

Best time to book a flight

I%26#39;ve already read you should look for deals about 8-10 weeks prior to your trip.

I%26#39;m going in Oct... and I started looking back in Aug... finally got my ticket last week. Prices hadn%26#39;t moved up or down... but it was lower then my last trip 2 years ago, and I got tired of checking every day so I went ahead and booked.

But, we don%26#39;t get any specials out here....

Best time to book a flight

Try checking out kayak.com, it checks all airline websites for fares and when you are ready to buy, it takes you to that airline%26#39;s website to buy.

We found our tickets to Maui in Feb for an Aug trip at $478 RT from Oakland airport on ATA. Week later the flights were $600+

Week before our trip (8/2-8/11), flights were $800+

bacteria grows

In search for a reasonably priced food caterer

Help! Our wedding vow renewal ceremony is in Nov 07, and I%26#39;m not getting any response from the caterer I was trying to book. I was looking at clambakecatering.com. Their menu, prices and catering style seem to fit our needs, but I%26#39;m not getting any response from them! Has anybody hired them before, and is this customary, or are they just really busy this time of the year?

Anyway, if you have other suggestions similar to what these guys can provide, I%26#39;d truly appreciate it. We are holding the ceremony at a private vacation home, and we%26#39;d probably have a total 25 guests.

Mahalo everyone.

In search for a reasonably priced food caterer

I am not familiar with Clam Bake Catering, never even heard of them.

But here are some others I have worked with.

Larry Mischle is great and very easy to work with. He%26#39;s my first choice. mauiweddingcaterer.com I bet he would do a clam bake for you, if this is what you want.

Maui Flavors Catering in Waikapu. No website that I know of, but the phone is (808) 243-7755 Not a clam bake but very good food.

Mauro Gramuglia is a personal chef who does a very nice lu`au. You can find him at mymauichef.com.

In search for a reasonably priced food caterer

Thanks, kaiwahine. I%26#39;ve left a message for all three and just waiting to hear back from them. I have a feeling that their prices are going to be above our budget, but I hope someone can work with us.

Clambakecatering.com%26#39;s prices are unbelievably great. But I guess I%26#39;m compromising the service, because I still haven%26#39;t heard back from them. Oh well...

What kind of food are you looking for? How casual is the event? There are many places where you can get catering size portions to carry out, but they don%26#39;t do the setup, etc. Tell me what you have in mind.

It%26#39;s going to be a casual event. The guests can wear shorts or some other aloha attire (By the way, is that what is called Aloha Casual?)

We%26#39;d like the food to be Buffet style, serving at least One of Each of the following dishes: Beef, Chicken, Seafood and Vegetarian, and including a salad and dessert. OR it can be an onsite BBQ (meat and vegetarian, with appetizers and dessert).

There would be a maximum of only 25 guests, but ideally, we would like catering staff. We would also need a buffet table set up, maybe a couple tables with linens and seating. Prefer to use China over paperplates, but that%26#39;s negotiable.

We are pretty flexible, considering our budget, but of course, we do NOT want to compromise the food quality. It%26#39;s got to be YUMMY and fresh. And the service should be good.

Clambake offers FIVE meat dishes (4 of which is seafood), including paper products, utensils and buffet-style service for $30/person. Now I don%26#39;t know the norm in Maui, but I think that this is a great price, and yet have to find a similar offering. (But my husband tells me - if they%26#39;re not calling us back, that price is inexistent!) We are willing to allot up to $45/person for the same type of food and buffet style service and to include rentals. Is this an unrealistic budget?

All inputs are welcome. Mahalo.

Kahului Airport, anything within walking distance?

With a five hour layover, about 4 hours to kill. Is there any beaches and good lunch spots that we could walk to?

Kahului Airport, anything within walking distance?

About the only place t owalk to is wither any of the rental car companies, or a big gaudy yellowish t-shirt tourist wherehouse... right near where the Roberts Hawaii buses park

Kahului Airport, anything within walking distance?

Wouldn%26#39;t recommend walking... nothing much is close and walking in the tropics will get you pretty sweaty for the next leg of your flight. I certainly wouldn%26#39;t want to be seated next to you if you went walking and were all sweaty!

how about to a restaurant and/or gift shops at the airport itself? I agree with lwj ~ you don%26#39;t want to get hot and sweaty for the next leg of your trip and it%26#39;s hot and sweaty time walking around during the day.

jc

Kauailuvr: Actually, there%26#39;s Kanaha beach across the road, and to the back, of the airport. Not the best beach on the island, for sure, but it is part of a ';beach park';, and if you%26#39;re looking to get out of the airport for a bit, it%26#39;s a nice distraction. The easiest way to get there is take one of the car company shuttle busses over to ';car rental road'; (most are actually on Mokuea Pl, off Kaa St). Once there, start walking down Kaa St, away from the airport, cross over Amala Place, and you%26#39;re into Kanaha Beach Park. If you don%26#39;t feel comfortable utilizing the car rental company%26#39;s shuttles, it%26#39;s a pretty easy walk, too.

Aloha.

Thank you everyone, great ideas. If your flying on Hawaiian to Portland, Sept. 16th @ 3:00 p.m. we will be the smelly ones.

You don%26#39;t use SECRET? ;-P

Sheraton Kauai By Invitation Only package

I have received this invitation in the mail today. Sounds like a direct marketing plan from Sheraton. The package includes 5 night accomodation at Garden View room, 100 dollar credit toward dining, shopping and spa services, 185 dollar credit toward avis rental car. The usual holiday blackout dates apply. Once reserved, I will have 18 months to visit the resort.

Has anyone tried this kind of package before?

Sheraton Kauai By Invitation Only package

I haven%26#39;t, but it should be quite easy to check and see whether it%26#39;s a good deal. I%26#39;ve been through the Sheraton%26#39;s back deck and lobby (I was staying next door in a spacious condo at the Kiahuna Plantation) and it%26#39;s a very nice hotel, if you like resort hotels. It%26#39;s on an excellent bit of beach.

Sheraton Kauai By Invitation Only package

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

I%26#39;d be pretty cautious about the offer -- it sounds to me like they are specifically marketing the ';garden rooms'; that are the closest to the construction at Koloa Landing -- if that is the case you need to be aware of how close you are to the construction there -- the rooms that are in the garden rooms closest to Kapili Road are undoubtedly going to be affected by some noise.

Also the Sheraton is doing their own construction project pretty soon nest to the garden rooms (timeshare) -- make sure that this isn%26#39;t some type of promotion to get people there during this time.

I worked at the Sheraton for 5 years and it is indeed a wonderful hotel -- but during this time of very heavy construction in the area you need to be informed of just where you are going to be!

Malama Pono,

Janet

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

Edit my first post from ';nest'; to ';next'; -- my sinus infection must be affecting my ability to spell-check my posts!

Kala Mai!

Malama Pono,

Janet

First Trip to Hawaii!

My wife and I are making our first trip to Hawaii this November (1st week). We%26#39;ll be in Maui for the entire trip and wanted to run a possible itinerary past the experts on this forum. any responses would be appreciated.

Day 1-2

Start with the Road to Hana and spend 2 nights someplace in Hana

Things to do

- Wai%26#39;anapanapa State Park

- Halakeala National Park

- Kayak Tour

- just kick back :)

Day 3

drive from hana to Halakeala Crater for the sunset spend night in Kula,

Day 4

up early and back to the crater for the sunrise

drive to west Maui

Day 5

Molokini Snorkel cruise

Day 6

Surf or Dive (will be another first!)

Day 7

Kickback :)

Day 8

back to reality

I%26#39;ve booked my flight and car rental, havent really picked places in Hana and Lahaina to stay yet.

I%26#39;m looking to the knowledgeable experts on this forum for a sanity check, plus tips on must do activities that I may have overlooked.

First Trip to Hawaii!

Sounds like your doing an awful lot !! I would only suggest building a bit more ';kicking back'; time into your schedual. The first time we went it was go, go, go, everyday...my only regret was that we did not spend more time relaxing and snorkeling (which was my first love)...the next time we planned NOTHING and took each day as it struck us! If we felt adventurous, we headed out to find some fun, if we didn%26#39;t we took long walks on the beach and just sat back and watched the tide roll in. I have to admit, trip #2 was my favorite!

Have fun!

First Trip to Hawaii!

What time you arrive may dictate whether Hana Hwy is good idea for your first day? Since you plan to stay in Hana, a later AM start is a good thing; may miss most of earlier AM tourist rush is you go around 10:30 or 11. But if you arrive in late afternoon after a long flight, do not attempt the Hana Hwy drive. Save it for early the next day. Not only will you be hitting opposing traffic of all the day trippers and tour vans/buses coming back to other side, you will be tired. Should be fresh and rested for that trek.

Be sure to stop just past MM 16 at Kae%26#39;nea Peninsula; turn left toward ocean; go past ball park. Rest for a bit; enjoy the waves.

At Wai%26#39;anapanapa State Park, check out the cave loop trail, the black sand beach and the bluff trail that goes by the cemetary; great shaded picnic area; wonderful in early AM BEFORE tour buses arrive and AFTER 3 or 4 when day trippers leave.

Also include a late afternoon or evening on Koki beach, good kick back spot; and you may want to check out Hamoa since it is consistently such a highly rated spot.

Make a whole day heading ~10 miles past Hana to Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park; save your stub for when you pay ranger at park entrance. If you choose to go up to Haleakala summit later in the trip, you can get in free; good for 7 days. Head out early so you have the park, and esp. the Pipiwai trail to yourself; enjoy the pools a bit later in the day after the hike.

We have lots of options and info for Hana lodging - let us know if you want our expertise. If you want ocean view or within hearing distance of the waves, concentrate on Hana Bay choices. Places on the slopes - mountain side- although wonderful, and most choices before or after Hana Town are not close to shoreline; might have only distant views of ocean.

We love east Maui and usually spend the bulk of our time there; have treked there a lot over last 13 visits.

Good that you have only a rough itinerary planned... plenty of time to add things to the list or enjoy what you are doing a little more.

Ideas? Look at the column to the left and you will see a tan box with green, brown and black lettering... check out the goLists.

My go list is: tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i5994-Must_Do_s…

Finally, remember to use your sunscreen, stop and enjoy as many sunsets as you can, bring a camera to take pictures and make as many memories as you can.

Enjoy your visit!

aloha world2go :)

And I%26#39;m happy for your first trip to Hawaii :)

Your itin looks good ~ although I would only go up to Haleakala once. It%26#39;s a long winding road. But it%26#39;s your trip, not mine :) Just thought I%26#39;d toss that out.

Are you staying in Kula for the remainder of your trip? Oh wait, you%26#39;re looking into staying in Lahaina too. I%26#39;d get busy on those reservations.

One of my favorite places is Kahakuloa Valley on the North Maui side. I love the drive over the top of Maui. It%26#39;s beautiful in a different way than Hana is beautiful. A great beach is Big Beach in south Maui.

Have fun exploring and kicking back ! and seriously, I%26#39;d get cracking on making your lodging reservations :)

jc

Prince Kuhio # 337 / March weather

Has anyone stayed in this unit? Pictures look good on website, but can be decieving as i know too well from experience ( although not at this complex or area). Can%26#39;t seem to find any reviews on the internet. Apparently it has been newly renovated last Dec..

Also when looking at rental availability March ( prime time Spring Break time) a lot of condos in Poipu still have quite a bit of available dates left. What is the weather generally like in March? Maybe we are heading to the wrong island????

Thanks in adavance for advice!

Prince Kuhio # 337 / March weather

Aloha from Kaua%26#39;i!

March is usually a busy time here on the South Shore -- the ocean is usually calmer than on the North Shore and more swimmable -- also generally our weather here is sunnier than the North Shore during March.

The only thing I can think of as to why there seems to be so much availability in the area is the massive amount of construction we are experiencing -- some properties are very impacted by it -- some not at all -- just depends on where you are. But I do know that I have heard a lot of negative things from guests in the area here about the construction and in general they are saying they%26#39;ll stay up on the North Shore next time - at least until the majority of the construction is done. Maybe word is getting out.

Malama Pono,

Janet

Prince Kuhio # 337 / March weather

i stayed at prince kuhio condos last october, sorry i dont know the unit number, but the unit was very nice, it was across from a beach (PK?) and a very short walk to 2 or 3 other beaches. baby bach was one. also close to spouting horn. the grounds were nice, the pool inviting, right across from the beach house which was the best food. id stay at kuhio again. it never rained in october but i douldnt speak for march

We stayed in Prince Kuhio #307 Mar. 14 - 26, 2006 --Our comments are here: http://www.prince-kuhio.com/site/307.html

337 is quite a bit farther back, and possibly close to the construction behind PK condo that I%26#39;ve read about in this forum.

Last March, Kauai experienced record-setting rains, floods, etc. We quickly bought umbrellas and enjoyed walks in the rain, found inside activities, and headed for the beach when weather cleared! I was glad that we had Teva rafting sandals for very wet streets. Lots of people wore Crocs.

From Prince Kuhio, there%26#39;s a paved sidewalk almost all the way to Spouting Horn, and a pleasant seaside walk the other direction to the Sheraton and beyond.

Aloha

We enjoyed the very good snorkeling off the beach in front of/ or across the street from Prince Kuhio March 07. We stayed 4 days in Poipu and 3 days in Hanalei. The weather was perfect. with some very light rain during the nights to keep the plants happy on both sides of the island. The whole island was paradise, friendly and food tooo good. We also visited in Jan 06, weather perfect.

While in Poipu we did not stay at Prince Kuhio, but stayed at Kiahuna Plantation, which we loved. Kauai is a great year round destination. Go on Na Pali whale watching tour, but you can also see the whales from your beach, drive around the island, go to the waterfalls, canyon, Na Pali is breathtaking and unique.

This year we will try the Kuhio Shores condos, right across the street from the Prince as the Kiahuna was booked

Shave Ice stand in front of Prince Kuhio is wonderful.

Relax and enjoy you picked a great island paradise with all the creature comforts and very friendly islanders.

M

cosmetics online

connecting database

diffference between wailea and lahaina?

does anyone know what the difference between wailea and lahaina is? are they far from each other? is one more desirable than the other? thanks!

diffference between wailea and lahaina?

Wailea is a resort area with lots of upscale hotels, restaurants and shops. (Four Seasons, Grand Wailea and Fairmont are all here). Great beach.

Lahaina is an old whaling town ... a little village, a main street that fronts the water, but no beach in town. It%26#39;s very touristy, but quaint, too. Lots of restaurants of all sorts, tons of shops, from tacky tshirts to upscale galleries. No resorts here ... a few condos.

Wailea is about a 30 min drive from Lahaina.

Kaanapali is the resort area closest to Lahaina -- about 10 min driving. It also has a great beach, lots of mid-range hotels (sheraton, westin, etc) and restaurants, etc.

What is more desirable depends more on you than the area ... they are all great places to visit.

diffference between wailea and lahaina?

Aloha santokkie,

Lahaina ~ have you been to San Francisco? Lahaina reminds me of a HOT San Francisco Pier area. A lot of touristy shops, crowded parking, etc. It has its attractions, don%26#39;t get me wrong, but it%26#39;s not one of my choice destinations. It is in West Maui, south of the Ka%26#39;anapali Resorts.

Wailea is in south Maui, in a resort area, but the pace is slower in Wailea than Lahaina.

I don%26#39;t know which would be more desirable for you. If you go north of Lahaina, there are beautiful places in Ka%26#39;anapali and further north that are comparable to south Maui. I don%26#39;t know that I would stay IN Lahaina. But it%26#39;s not what floats my boat, but what floats yours :)

jc

About 21 miles. Lot and lots of money versus lots of money. Depends what you are looking for. Lahina almost always crowded/touristy. Wailea, although a lot of resorts there, does not feel crowded.

I would say it is a lot closer to a 45 minute drive from Wailea to Lahaina and even longer if there is heavy traffic. Wailea Beach and Kaanapaili Beach are both really beautiful beaches.

You might find this info useful:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29220-c67800/Maui:Ha鈥?/a>

Ken

wow, thanks, everyone! this is very helpful information. looks like i will be looking more carefully into the kaanapali and wailea areas then.

Glad we could be of help. Any other questions, just feel free to ask.

Maui is a terrific place. Though Kauai is my personal favorite among the Hawaiian Islands, Maui is (in my opinion) the most well-balanced of the islands - providing a great mix of a lot of different accomodations, environments and experiences.

Ken

Most visitors choose between West Maui (NW lobe) and South Maui (SW coast).

West Maui lodgings are in Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua -- going south to north. Lahaina/Kaanapali are touristy, buzz-y, the only place on Maui where you will pay to park to shop. Napili and Kapalua are quieter, with beaches and Norfolk pines. Kapalua is about as far from the rest of Maui as you can get. Only Hana is more remote.

South Maui lodgings go from less-expensive areas of Maalea and North Kihei to the Kamaole area of S. Kihei to Wailea%26#39;s condos and posh resort hotels. Makena is the farthest south -- largely residential. Great beaches from Kamaole to Makena. (You may pay to valet park at the resort hotels.)

I have seen Ka%26#39;anapali listed under Lahaina, so be careful. Some people, websites and guidebooks lump them together. There are few places actually in Lahaina to stay. 10 to 12 miles to the north is Ka%26#39;anapali - a spacious resort area, and shuttles run between the two.

I think Lahaina is much, much nicer (and certainly smaller) than Fisherman%26#39;s Wharf ... which has really gone to the dogs, lately. Anyway - Lahaina is fun (and they have 2 Starbucks!).

Anyway - if you do a search of Wailea and/or Ka%26#39;anapali you will find oodles of information on both -- folks certainly have their favorites.

I think that one main difference is that Wailea is far more upscale. Several of my friends buy ';pool jewlery';...John Hardy type stuff to wear at the pool. In Lahaina (Kaanapali) you can really walk around in t shirts and bathing suits. Personally I prefer being more casual. I do not need to shop at stores (or in mall type places) that I can find at home. (OK...Whaler%26#39;s Village does have Tiffanys and Louis Vuitton...but you don%26#39;t have to go in...). As far as desirable: if you want a very upscale experience with fewer people go to Wailea...the Four Seasons is magnificent...the Grand Wailea fun...Kaanapali has become more crowded (darn)...but Lahaina is just more funky....

Maui Beaches & water holes

I am going to Naui in November as was wondering if anyone can suggest some beautiful %26amp; protected swimming spots?

Thanks,

Maui Beaches %26amp; water holes

There are many beautiful beaches, im not sure if you mean protected from waves,ocean life being killed, wind? Also let me know where your staying. Sincerely From Vancouver WA.

Maui Beaches %26amp; water holes

Hi there,

I am not sure where we are staying yet. I am in the middle of doing some reserach hotels. We would like to stay somewhere that is not too touristy and busy. We will be there at the end of Oct/start of Nov. When I said %26#39;protected%26#39; i meant calm waters as I am not a strong swimmer. Can you recommend anything?

Thanks for your help.

ZZ

You will find that Maui, although touristy is not crowded.The town of Lahaina is as crowed as it gets and thats not bad.Your going at a good time, if you party Halloween is big in Lahaina the whales are just starting to get there.Kapalua bay is very protected for swimming and snorkeling, however if you stay in Kapalua it can be windy with a few more clouds up on the ridges,(very peacful) and beautiful. Im not sure how much money you want to spend but there are very nice resorts in Wailea that are high end and peacful.The Grand Wailea can be crowded, probably not your style.As you get more specific I will be more help.

Hi again,

Thank you for your response. I really appreciate your help. I am going to look into a package deal and go to flight centre to check out what they have. I am keen to stay in a 3-4 star. Preferably in a quieter area but still within driving distance from shopping/restaurants. I plan to be in Maui for 9 days or so. Coming from Vancouver where it is wet and cold I hope to get in loads of sunbathing %26amp; swmming/snorkelling in. I am also interested in hiking and exploring various parts.

What other kind of specifics do you want?

Thanks again for your advice.

ZZ

If it%26#39;s peace and quiet with protected swimming, i%26#39;d recommend Wailea or points south. Great snorkeling in the mornings near La Perouse Bay...buy the Maui Revealed book for excruiating details...that book tells you which telephone pole is the best to park to reach your destination. definitely a good off the beaten path.

good luck...just remember that the earlier you get in the water, the calmer the sea. this is especially true around Kihei and Wailea.

i would avoid NORTH Kihei, sugar beach, or Malaaea Harbor as these areas are generally filled with Limu (seaweed)-N. Kihei, or just lack good snorkeling reefs and have rough surf (Sugar beach).

the best place to see ocean life on Maui is the Maui Ocean Ctr...unless you%26#39;re a diver, this place can%26#39;t be beat.

I think I am getting a picture, Wailea is very good for peace and quiet,along with great beaches and weather however,you are a long ways from Lahaina which has shopping, restaurants,the ocean, in a restored whaling village.If thats what you would like to be near in a 3 to 4 star hotel try the Kaanapali Beach hotel. The grounds are quiet but you are walking distance to Whaler Village (mall), snorkeling at Black rock,restaurants and your on a great beach.Keep in mind that there are resorts all around you.

Hi Zsa Zsa! We are also planning to be visiting Maui in November and so far have designated Hamoa Beach on the East Coast as a must do. It has a wonderful description in the guide books with the adjectives ';remote'; and ';pristine'; often used! I do not, however, see the word ';protected'; included. Another beach on my must do list is on the West Coast at Kapalua Bay.

A search using the keyword ';beach'; will give you many, many other suggestions.

I find that the beaches in South Maui are often described as the ';best'; in terms of sand and water quality.

I feel ';obligated'; to the many TA posters who want answers to visit and to enjoy as many beaches as possible during my visit for their sake!

Somebody has got to do it and write about it !

LOL!

';Hamoa Beach …It has a wonderful description in the guide books with the adjectives ';remote'; and ';pristine'; often used!';

Hamoa was once remote and pristine. Now it is on the route of every Hana van tour driver and car full of Hana day trippers. Most of the visitors to Hamoa park, walk down, take a few pictures and then rush back up to their next stop. Lather, rinse, repeat. Hundreds of times a day. The last time I went to Hamoa we left after about an hour of this. Somehow the constant flow of picture taking visitors detracts from the once relaxing beach experience that was Hamoa. We have been going to Koki to escape, but on the last few visits it seems that Koki beach has also found its way onto van tour and visitor itineraries.

You might find this useful:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g29220-c67800/Maui:Ha…

Ken

Once again, I must defend Sugar Beach. There is NO seaweed on Sugar Beach. The Seaweed starts south around Menehune Shores. There are also some pretty decent spots to swim around The Sugar Beach Resort.