Wednesday, April 25, 2012

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?