The timing has never been better for planning a trip to Hawaii.  Deals to the famous islands are better than we’ve seen in years!  Whether you’re looking for a swanky hotel on the Kona coast, or a private Wailea vacation rental, there are deals to be had for everyone!

Although all of Hawaii is breathtaking, Wailea is one of our favorite beaches on the Big Island.  Wailea Bay offers amazing snorkeling, sunbathing, sunsets, and much more!  A lava rock formation in the bay attracts a variety of fish, so be sure to bring your snorkeling gear!  In the winter, enjoy watching surfers perfect their craft near the south end of the beach.  Wailea Bay is a state park, and guests can enjoy showers, restrooms, and changing areas on site.

While visiting the Big Island, be sure to check out Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Experience the world’s most active volcano, hardened lava as far as the eye can see, and much more!  Truly a sight to be seen!

For more information on fun things to do on the Big Island, visit GoVisitHawaii.com, one of our favorite resources on all things Aloha!

Images Courtesy MBelgard

Welcome back!

What better way to see the beautiful island of Kauai than by air, sea and land.  I imagine that they are all spectacular in their own way.  Helicopter and airplane tours, sea kayaking and boat tours and biking Kauai are just some of the ways to see this amazing island. 

Taking a helicopter or airplane ride can let you experience the beauty of Kauai without lifting a finger or making a step in the rugged terrain.  Air Kauai Helicopter Tours flies over 10 hot spots on their daily tours.  They offer a deluxe 1-Hour Tour that takes you all over the island highlighting the Waimea Canyon which is known as the “Grand Canyon” of the Pacific and Mt. Wai’ ale’ ale Crater which is actually the wettest place on Earth averaging 420 inches a year!  The famed NaPali Coast and the Jurassic Park Falls are also part of the tour.

Seeing Kauai from a boat or kayak is also a wonderful way to see the hugeness of Kauai’s coastline.  Kauai Sea Tours offers catamaran as well as zodiac boat tours.  The guides are educated on the local wildlife, marine life, conservation and history so that you get a full view of Kauai’s environment and existence.  One can go snorkeling, whale watching and enjoy sunset cruises along the NaPali coast with Kauai Sea Tours.

Discovering Kauai on a bike allows one to be up close and personal with the island and its’ environment.  You can pretty much ride on flat roads around the island or choose to mountain bike easy, moderate or steep terrain.  Coconut Coasters is a bike rental company that specializes in biking from Baby Beach to Kealia Beach on what is known as the Coconut Coast.  You can rent a classic cruiser with tandem bike attachments or kid carriers so that the whole family can enjoy the ride.

All of these activities can be done while staying at a number of places on the island.  Whether it’s a luxury vacation rental on the Poipu coast that you are seeking or a rustic inland villa off the beaten path Kauai enjoys less people and more of Mother Nature.

So, the next time you are planning to go to the Hawaiian Islands, try to make time to get to Kauai where the Grand Canyon meets the Pacific.

Maui is the second largest in the Hawaiian Island chain. The island, known as “Valley Isle,” is covered with lush verdant valleys which are full of tropical foliage and colorful flowers. A visitor to Maui will never want for exciting activities from hiking to swimming to basking in the tropical sun. With so much to do, when will you have time to relax?

1. A scenic drive up to Haleakala National Park takes visitors from sea level to the summit of a massive volcano over 10,000 above the ocean. Watch as the ecosystems change at each turn of the road. Hiking trails through the crater valley offer views of rare plant life and the remnants of volcanic activity from nearly 200 years ago.

2. For the ultimate mountain biking experience, book an amazing Haleakala Downhill Bike Ride. It is the world’s longest downhill bicycle cruise down the slopes of Haleakala, the largest dormant volcano in the world. Cruise down the ever-changing landscape from the lava encrusted top of the crater, to the lush seaside plantation town of Paia, 38 miles away.

3. For the animal lover, try the Haleakala Ranch Horseback Ride. Saddle up “paniolo-style” and ride across the rolling hills of Haleakala Ranch, Maui’s largest operating cattle ranch. Your seasoned wranglers will take you on an uplifting ride across some of the Ranch’s 35,000 picturesque acres, passing some of its 7,000 heads of Hereford/Santa Gertrudis cattle.

4. Drive the road to Hana. Hana is an elegant, yet quiet, community once prized by Hawaiian royalty for its beauty and serenity. The road to Hana is an unforgettable experience, in part because the narrow road twists and turns all the way along Maui’s north coast, but mostly because of the spectacular scenery the drive offers. The drive takes you through a lush green tropical rainforest marked by crystal water-falls and gulches full of tropical plants and flowers.

5. To get your feet off the ground, fly like a tropical bird above two of the most famous sites on Maui – Hana and Haleakala Crater – and everywhere in-between on a Hana-Haleakala Helicopter Tour. Cruise over the alien vista of Haleakala, the “House of the Sun,” and see the terrain change right before your eyes.

6. Driving along the Hana Highway you will find beautiful Wailua Falls in the lush Wailua Valley. A short hike takes you to the base of the 200 foot waterfall for an extraordinary view of the rushing water.

7. Experience the Valley Island from a different perspective as you paddle gently along Maui’s golden coast on an Ocean Kayak & Turtle Adventure. This kayak adventure opens you to the world that exists both above and below the ocean. Safe and wonderfully unique, this paddling adventure is perfect for both first-time and seasoned paddlers.

8. Experience Hawaii’s aquatic journey at Maui’s world-class aquarium with a Maui Ocean Center Tour. Filled with exhibits of colorful marine life and interactive displays and activities, the Maui Ocean Center is the only aquarium devoted solely to Hawaii’s unique underwater world. This extraordinary destination was named “Top-Rated Attraction in Hawaii” and one of the “50 Top-Rated Attractions” in the country by Zagat Survey, “US Family Travel Guide.”

9. Plunge into a world of enchanting beauty and natural wonder aboard a Maui Atlantis Submarine Tour. Departing from Lahaina, you’ll board a specially designed ferry for a scenic sail to the dive site. Once aboard the sub, you’ll dive more than 100 feet below the surface. Relax in air-conditioned comfort as you watch the underwater seascape unfurl through the large portholes. Schools of exotic fish swim by in a rainbow of color among fans of ocean foliage waving gently with the current. Drift past rare coral formations and keep your eyes open for moray eels, giant sea turtles, sharks and other amazing creatures that call the living reef their home.

10. The steam engine of the Lahaina Ka’anapali & Pacific Railroad was once used to transport crops of sugar and plantation workers around the island, but now the “Sugar Cane Train” takes its passengers on a scenic 6-mile route up along Hahakea Trestle which offers spectacular views of the ocean and the West Maui Mountains. The “Sugar Cane Train” is fun for young and old.

Maui is full of activities to suit just about anyone. These 10 only scratch the surface! Amazing tours like this book up in advance, so if you have a vacation planned don’t wait any longer to book your Maui tours. If you haven’t yet booked your Hawaii vacation yet…what are you waiting for?

Mahalo!

Maui was recently honored as the “Best Pacific Island” by premier travel magazine, Conde Naste Traveler, for the 16th straight year. It was also deemed the “Top Pacific Rim Island”, #2 for The Best Island in the World” and as the #2 “Overall Destination in the World”. So what in the heck are you waiting for? Board a boat or a plane and get to Maui soon!

Why Maui? That’s easy – You don’t need a passport. You understand the language and the money and no matter what you want to do, you can do it here in style. Here are some of my top picks:

Maui Condo Rentals

Kahana Sunset, on the northwestern “thumb” of the island, offers enough to do right there that you won’t ever need to leave the resort, but it is not so remote that you can’t jaunt elsewhere. These sweet oceanfront condos all have their own lanais, daily maid service and every modern convenience and World Class golf is right next door.

Maui Luau

If you only go to one Hawaiian luau in your life – and you must go to at least one -the Old Lahaina should be your choice. It’s probably the most authentic representation of native culture and tradition and even Emeril loves their food.

Maui Beach

D.T. Fleming State Beach on Maui’s west coast, a perennial favorite, was again named “America’s Best Beach” in 2006. It’s a public beach with lifeguards, rest rooms and picnic tables, has great waves and gives you that classic Hawaiian beach feel. Plan on spending the day.

If you only go to one Hawaiian Island, make it Maui!

By: John Simmons
“Maui No Ka Oi”, translates quite simply to Maui is the Best! And if you’ve ever traveled to the Hawaiian Islands, you know exactly why this catch phrase is so popular- because Maui, also known as the “Magic Isle”, is filled to the brim with art, culture, and enough history to sink a whaling boat.

The island of Maui is the second most popular tourist destination in this south pacific island chain. Nearly 120,000 people call this 727 sq. mile isle their home, while pineapple and sugarcane are still their key exports. 2.5 million visitors each year travel to the golden-white sand beaches, mile-high mountain peaks and scores of breathtaking, natural waterfalls, all creating an ideal backdrop to the most relaxing vacation of your life.

Over 80 miles of the most stunning beaches in the world grace the coastline of this exquisite island. Scuba diving, snorkeling and “snuba” (a combination of both scuba and snorkeling) are enjoyed by so many who are so inclined to do so. Under water pictures taken by average Joe’s out for a day at the beach can turn into some of the most stunning photography available, certain to make even the most highly trained professional take a second look.

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