New Year's in Hawaii

Happy New Year to all our blog visitors, whether you are currently on Hawaii vacation on Maui, Kauai, Big Island, or Waikiki Oahu or Molokai or are just dreaming of visiting Hawaii in 2008. If you belong to the ones, who plan their Hawaii visit for spring 2008, make sure to check our listings of flight specials on '2008 Hawaii Vacation' post. Your town might be one of the privileged ones with Hawaii specials and promotions for January till March. Don't worry the airlines always come up with more during the year.

For those who will have the chance of experiencing New Year's in Hawaii, here are a few things you need to know. When you are staying at a Hawaii vacation rental in a residential neighborhood, be aware that it will be a noisy night. New Year's celebration in Hawaii can be noisy with all the strings of firecrackers taking off. Purchase of firework in Hawaii is limited to certain kinds (non-aerial) because of being a fire hazard plus smoke causing big problems for people with asthma (Hawaii is the leading state of people with asthma!). Fireworks (non aerial!) in Hawaii can be only purchased with a permit, which costs $25. Firecrackers have become the most used kind of 'fireworks' in Hawaii, which made me always wonder why, as they develop lots of smoke + noise. The fireworks permit allows Hawaii residents to buy upto 5000 firecrackers.

Best way to have really a great time with your New Year's celebration is a nice dinner at one of the ocean front Hawaii resorts (early purchase of ticket required!), which include Hawaiian music and hula of course, access to the fireworks of the resort, if the resort has a New Year's fireworks display. I know that there are also hotels on all the Hawaiian islands which allow other visitors without New Year's dinner reservation access for watching the fireworks. If you don't have a New Year's dinner reservation on vthe Hawaiian island where you stay, I noticed that the Internet is not of much help when I did searches for New Year's Dinner in Hawaii. You'd better call a few hotels for New Year's dinner reservation in the area where you stay in Hawaii. Here are a few New Year's dinner choices at hotels on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. Good luck!

A few New Year's dinner choices in Hawaii
Sheraton Waikiki New Year's Dinner
Westin Maui Dinner Menu 2007 New Year's Eve
West Hawaii Today lists New Year's Dinners
New Year's Eve Dinner and Dance at Hilton Waikoloa Big Island

Here is our rule of thumb for watching fireworks in Hawaii: The fancier the hotel, the less chances you have for access for watching the fireworks. 5-star Hawaii hotels mostly allow access to hotel property only with dinner reservation. Hard to sneak in. Hotel beaches get closed for public access at around 6pm. So make sure to call the hotel where you would like to watch the fireworks and ask whether it's open for the public. Otherwise, just hanging out on the beach (public beach!) or at a little higher elevation, gets you at a great location to watch different fireworks at Hawaii resorts along the coast at the same time.

Have a wonderful New Year's celebration in Hawaii - Hawaiian style! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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2008 Vacation in Hawaii

The New Year is looking around the corner and New Year's resolutions with plans for 2008 will be made. As travel and vacation will have a big priority for most of our Hawaii blog visitors, I changed blogging plans, when I came across those great airfare specials to Hawaii. Best Hawaii vacation blog was created with the idea to help our visitors with their visit to Hawaii.

So, if you will make a vacation to Hawaii your New Year's resolution, you will experience some unique Hawaii 'only' activities like watching a live volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, ski on Mauna Kea summit (if that is too challenging, star gazing through the telescopes at the Visitor's Center is not less thrilling), watch the famous humpback whales on their visit to Hawaii, learn how to hula, attend a Hawaiian luau, get a lomilomi massage and so much more.

Whether you want to get pampered at a luxurious spa, indulge in the thrill of an outdoor adventure, made in Hawaii, or just relax in the warm Hawaiian sun, a Hawaii vacation has it all. The combination of sun bathed white sand beaches and low fares by Hawaiianair makes this a perfect time to plan your trip to Hawaii. There are some New Year's Special Rates by HawaiianAir for Book Now - 1/4/2008 for Travel Now - 3/14/08, which you don't want to miss. I was especially impressed by Airfare Specials for 1/7 - 3/14/08 for flights to Honolulu from LA, Phoenix, Sacramento and Seattle.

Here is more. Hawaii.com has some low Airfare Specials with Book now. Sorry guys you might have missed really even some better cheap Airfares to Hawaii which had to be booked by 12/25/07. Cheap air fares like
Hawaiian Airlines - Phoenix to/from Honolulu from $298* RT* Book: now-1/4/2008. Valid 01/07/2008 to 03/14/2008. and Hawaiian Airlines - Sacramento to/from Honolulu from $349* RT*Book: now-1/4/2008. Valid 01/07/2008 to 03/14/2008 are available. Anyhow, I still think it's worthwhile to check out this list.

Residents on the West Coast, who can use the airports of Oakland, Sacramento and San Diego seem to really get a special flight promotion by AlohaAir for 1/8 - 5/31/08 with flight specials to Honolulu, Kona, Lihue (Maui).

Good luck for finding the best flight deal for your Hawaii vacation. Get ready for the fireworks in Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Kauai Na Pali Coast

With the Christmas holidays, our attention shifted for a few days away from blogging to some quiet family time. We hope our Hawaii visitors had a great Christmas in Hawaii, not with white snow but with lots of white sand and warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Don't forget though that during the winter months, the power of waves gets really big. Don't let yourself deceive by times when the ocean seems calm and peaceful. This will change in minutes (or seconds) and can get you by surprise. Be aware that undertows and rip currents increase during the winter months. Hawaiian North Shores become a big tourist attraction with Hawaiian surfers riding huge waves to the beaches. Enjoy the show but don't try it yourself!

With our most recent post about watching the whales in Hawaii, we are sure we got your attention to sign up for a whale watch when on Hawaii vacation or at least to keep your eyes open when you are by the ocean. Our Hawaii youtube whale videos proved that the encounter with the whales is not always planned and anticipated the way it happens. We told you that the whales are hanging out most everywhere around the Hawaiian islands but there are definitely some unique locations, which make your whale watch encounter really special. The Na Pali Coast on Kauai is one of those really special places. Famous Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites provided us with this great shot of the Na Pali Coast from her amazing Hawaii stock photography samples for our belated 'Hawaii photo of the Week'.



Just looking at the photo, will intrigue your couriosity about to get to know more the Na Pali Coast on your next Kauai vacation. This fifteen-mile stretch of rugged coastline on the northwest shore of Kauai literally means "the Cliffs." Sheer cliffs that drop straight down, thousands of feet into the ocean, make much of the Na Pali Coast inaccessible. Best way to really get an impression of the magnificence of Kauai's Na Pali Coast is by Helicopter. Blue Hawaiian shows a great video clip of the Na Pali coast taken from a helicopter tour. Be aware that hiking the Na Pali Coast takes a lot of hiking experience, knowledge of the terrain and the right preparation. For hiking on the Na Pali Coast follow this link with photos of the Na Pali coast, hiking trail description (Kalaulau Trail), hiking map and much more.

Another great way to get spectacular views of the Na Pali Coast region is from the ocean. Whale watching, rafting, boat tours and sailing are top Hawaii visitors's attractions for exploring the Napali Coast. Many Hawaiians believe that the Na Pali spirits can play tricks on hikers and campers alike. It is said that the Na Pali region was the first part of Kauai to be settled. Last but not least, if you tackle one the Na Pali Hiking trails, pay close attention to the weather forecast to avoid flash flood conditions. A state hiking permit is required! However tempting the ocean looks after hours of hiking, do not swim from the Kalalau or Hanakapi'ai Beaches as the currents are strong and harzardous!

Wishing you a wonderful and safe Hawaii vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Whale Watch in Hawaii

Aloha to all our Best Hawaii Vacation visitors,
The lucky ones of you are enjoying their Hawaii vacations over Christmas and New Year's in Hawaii, away from the cold, the rain or even the snow. What a blessing! Enjoy each minute of it. One of the best things to do in Hawaii during the winter months is not just playing golf or snorkeling and diving in the warm Pacific Ocean. Well, you guess it right it is taking advantage of the rare opportunity of watching whales in Hawaii. Probably you already booked a Whale Watch tour for your vacation. If you did not book your whale watch in Hawaii yet, here are a few factors for your consideration and concern:

The best whale watch operators will put the whales first. What training has the crew and how do they take part in whale research? What type of boat is it? Supposedly the catamarans are the more stable ones for whale watch. Ask the companies whether the boat carries hydrophones. To listen to whales sing will be an experience of a lifetime! Make sure that you know what's included in the price for the whale watch and how long you will be out on the ocean.

And for all those Hawaii visitors, who don't join a whale watch tour, there is no reason for regrets. You will see them everywhere along the Hawaiian coasts, closer or farther out. Mostly when you at least expect them. Best advice: always have your binoculars ready in your car. Don't just drive along the ocean without paying attention. The whales are there. Just be a little patient. Also watch your fellow travelers. When everybody suddenly gets out of their car and points at the ocean, then it's time to do the same. The encounter of those giant humpback whales in Hawaii will lift your spirits, and those special moments will stay with you for ever!

Surfing with Whales in Hawaii!



Here are a few whale watch tours which I put together for our Hawaii visitors for the different islands:

Maui is a great island to watch whales

Maui is a great place to see humpback whales in their natural breeding area in Hawaii. During the months of December till May the humpback whales make their home in the waters surrounding Hawaiian Islands. The whales migrate close to 3,500 miles from their Alaskan summer feeding waters, to the warm waters of Hawaii where they mate and have their calves. Whale Watch Maui offers cruises four times a day from Lahaina Harbor, where the wind and the seas are calm. On Maui's Best Whale Watching Guide, Maui visitors can find various Whale watch tours from different Maui locations and decide what is the best for them, according to the Maui location and whale watch rates.

Spectacular Hawaii Whale Watching Tours On Oahu

North Shore Catamaran Charters offers great whale watch, in addition to Sunset Cruises and Snorkel boat trips, for Oahu visitors. Observe the giant Humpback whales of Hawaii as you sail across the deep blue waters of the famous North Shore. It is said that the North Shore is the least crowded whale watching spot on Oahu. You can watch the whales from this quiet sailboat. Small groups for the whale watch encounter are another plus.

Hawaiian Humpback Whales on the Coasts of Kauai

Just as Maui and Oahu get visited by the Humpback whales, Kauai does too. Their eerie whale songs resonate in Hawaiian waters from December through April.Watch as the whales leap into the air (breech) or slap their tails on the water, teach their calves to breach and explore their underwater world. The highlight of any vacation on Kauai during the winter months is a whale watch tour like with Blue Dolphin Charters. In preparation for this blog post, I came across some great whale and dolphin photos off the Na Pali Coast on Kauai.

Big Island Whale Watch

One of the most experienced captains for Whale watching on the Big Island is Captain Mc Sweeney's, located in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. A lot of our guests at our vacation cottages joined his tour in Kona, as he he is specializing in Whale Watch. Most other boat companies include whale watch tours in winter into their traditional scuba, snorkel and sunset cruises programs.

As many as 10,000 whales are expected to visit the Hawaiian Islands this winter, we would like to make you aware of a great organization, dedicated to the whales in Hawaii. Learn more about the Hawaiian Humpback whales and the initiative taken by the Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to keep the boats safe and protect these unique mammals as well.

Wishing you all your Best Vacation in Hawaii with a spectacular Whale Watch tour. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Thanks to our friends from youtube videos for those two great video shots in the Hawaiian waters.

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Christmas Vacation In Hawaii

Hooray it's Monday and time to post the 'Hawaii photo of the Week' on our Best Hawaii vacation blog. Our bonus photo post with the 'Maui golf photo' last Friday found the immediate attention by the search engines and by Hawaii visitors who come to the islands more or less for golfing our world-championship golf courses. Are you ready for more? Let's get into the Christmas mood!


Can you imagine it's just one week till Christmas. No way that we'd miss Hawaii Christmas in our 'Hawaii photo of the week'. For all those, who have never been to Hawaii for Christmas, get prepared that this will be the most special Christmas you've ever had. Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites found some typical Hawaii Christmas photos in her huge files of Hawaii stock photos.


We decided Christmas vacation in Hawaii is so special and deserves more than one photo. The above photo shows Santa with a big crowd of Keikis (Hawaiian for children) with Christmas leis and hula outfits. In the next photo the keikis gather around Santa, who has just arrived by canoe. It's a big spectacle on all the Hawaiian islands when Santa arrives by canoe. Remember there are not too many chimneys in Hawaii. You will find plenty warm weather in Hawaii for your Christmas vacation (the rain spell from beginning of December is over).
Now, we are back on schedule, stay curious for our next Monday Hawaii photo of the week. It will be a photo of one of those special places on earth, which make you hold your breath because of its rare beauty. Your memory (or camera) will store it for times to come. Maybe we should do a guessing contest - well, you won't guess. Just come back to Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. We'd love to see you here!

Mele Kalikimaka and Merry Christmas to all of you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations Vacancies January 2008
p.s.
Sorry guys but to get to Hawaii on a LAST MINUTE Christmas vacation is like doing a magic trick. That is the time when not only Hawaii Resorts and Hotels are booked at a 100% occupancy but also Hawaii vacation rentals are hard to get. Not to mention Hawaii air fares and car rentals being way out of reach with exorbitant rates. Want to visit Hawaii for a Christmas vacation, plan now for the 2008 holidays! The following link will take to a Hawaii site with beautiful images and music for a Merry Christmas in Hawaii.


Christmas Vacation on Kohala Coast
Best Hawaii Vacation Tips for Christmas
Hawaii Photos from Best Hawaii Vacation


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Best Things to do on your Maui Vacation - How about Golf?

Best Hawaii vacation blog is back, at least we are! Guess what we had been doing...we were on vacation, for 14 days! Not Hawaii vacation but a nice place away from the hustle and bustle of it all and away from the computer and blogging about Hawaii. Just to show you that we are still committed to our goal to share everything on Hawaii and Hawaii vacation, we posted midway through our vacation 'Why rent a vacation rental when on Hawaii vacation'. We hope it helps answering the question where to stay in Hawaii on vacation, hotel or private vacation rental. It is definitely worthwhile reading.


Great to see that the blog has already a life of its own by coming up in the search engines under many Hawaii vacation search results. OK we are all ready and eager to make your Hawaii vacation your best and most memorable one. Coming Monday, we will continue with our Hawaii photo of the week. As we have many Hawaii photos lined up for our Hawaii visitors, we decided to do a little extra one today, on a Friday. We are certain the golfers among you will love Jennifer's photo. Jennifer chose this Maui golf course photo from her Hawaii stock photos. It shows what spectacular views golfers can enjoy when golfing at Kapalua on Maui. See that island in the background? That's Molokai across the channel!

Maui is one of the top golf destinations in Hawaii and the world. Golf is one of the favorite activities Maui visitors come for when visiting this Hawaiian island in addition to surfing. It's not just one of the best things to do on Maui. There will be many Maui visitors who will tell you, it is the best thing to do on your Maui vacation. With over 20 golf courses, several in the world top category, Maui attracts not only the professional players with famous golf championships like the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua and the Champions Skins Game at Wailea. If you are a golf beginner or a vacation golfer, we are sure you will find the right Maui golf course and golf pro to help you improve your game.

So, have fun golfing when on your Maui vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations


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Why rent a vacation rental on Hawaii vacation?

More and more Hawaii visitors don't use travel agents any more when they plan their Hawaii vacation. With the World Wide Web, the answers to FAQ about all Hawaii, Hawaii vacation, Hawaii weather and best hotels are just a few mouse clicks away.

Next to the questions "which island is the best for Hawaii vacation" and "when is the best weather for a Hawaii vacation", the most often asked question is, where Hawaii visitors should stay, whether to book a Hawaii hotel room with hotel amenities or rent a fully equipped Hawaiian vacation rental home or condo with kitchen.

A short time ago, best Hawaii Vacation Blog offered its unbiased opinion, when we think staying at a Hawaii hotel or resort would be right for your Hawaii vacation. Today, we continue with Part II: When is booking a vacation rental home or condo meeting your expectations and needs for your Hawaii vacation?

1. Save money on restaurants when staying at a Hawaii vacation rental

First things first for those visitors who travel to Hawaii for the first time. There are no all-inclusive hotels in Hawaii like in Mexico! Any Hawaii visitors expecting those cheap rate will be disappointed. Naturally, you have to figure spending money on restaurants and food in your overall Hawaii vacation expenses. Even when you got a hotel room special, there are still the three meals a day you need to go out, and believe us it all adds up - faster than you think. So, if you want to save money, choose a vacation rental with fully equipped kitchen. This will save you big money on your stay in Hawaii and will still allow you to eat a nice dinner at a Hawaii restaurant, for a night or two.

2. More Saving money in Hawaii by sharing a vacation home or condo

Certainly, an oceanview 3-bedroom house with pool does not come cheap for your Hawaii vacation bt when you split the costs between friends or family, you will be amazed how much it cuts back with the accommodation cost per person. Best of all, you and your family or friends are enjoying top 'hotel' amenities at the privacy of your vacation rental. A vacation rental home is the way to go for a family reunion in Hawaii!

3. Hawaii vacation rental guarantees top privacy

Most of the Hawaii vacation rentals are a 'home away from home', which guarantee top privacy.
Certainly, in most cases there will be other houses in the neighborhood, unless you rent a vacation cottage in the 'backwoods', but your vacation rental owners will make sure that any interference with the outside will be limited. You will definitely not have to deal with other guests coming home from a party, slamming doors, talking loud and just ignoring other guests' privacy.

4. Vacation rentals offer peace and serenitity for your Hawaii vacation

Staying at a hotel does not only mean, one has to cope with other guests habits - smoking on the beach or permanently talking on their cell phones - it also includes the steady noises a hotel 'produces' for keeping the grounds well maintained and the hotel nice and clean. Weed eaters and lawn mowers can start as early as 7am. Your good night's sleep is over in an instant. The owner of a private vacation rental will do everything to take care of property maintenance and house cleaning when you are not around. Though House keeping, room service and maintenance are great amenities at hotels, they can be quite distracting and annoying when interfering with your private vacation schedule. Then it's time to book a vacation rental for your stay in Hawaii.

We are looking forward to hearing from our Hawaii blog visitors where they prefer to stay and why, Hawaii hotel or vacation rental?

Mahalo for your feedback and ideas. Pua Hawaii Vacations


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