Hawaii
Hawaii
Broadway Star Joined: 4/18/07
Hawaii#1
Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:56pmPlanning a Hawaii vacation. Does anyone have any recommendations for non-touristy places to visit? I've never ever been there before, nor know much about it other than the obvious stuff, plus the Spam-related stuff that Joe mentioned in the Spam thread. Thanks for any suggestions!!
re: Hawaii#2
Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:00pm
first-time visitors, in my opinion should go to Maui.
Stay in Lahaina (Kihei is just like any metropolitan area).....Lahaina is nice.
Do a day trip/tour to Kauai or Big Island.
I've gone many times, and can suggest restaurants, etc.
Be aware Hawaii is expensive, as almost everything is shipped in.
Try to get a hotel/condo with a fridge at the very least, that way after you land you can hit Costco, and get things....We always had breakfest at the condo.
Condo is the way to go.
Most haoles make their first trip to Honolulu.......might as well go to Florida.....
re: Hawaii#2
Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:42pm
My first trip was on a family vacation when I was about 14. We went to Maui. Of course, we're Asian so everyone thought we were local anyway. 
I liked Whalers Village, but I don't remember too many specifics, and I'm not sure how much has changed since.
https://www.whalersvillage.com/
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/29/08
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/07
re: Hawaii#5
Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:30pmI would go to Kauai ... I hae been there twice and it was by far the greenest, non-touristy island out of the ones we went to... Not much nightlife there but, it is perfect for relaxing on the beach, snorkeling and hiking.....
re: Hawaii#6
Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:41pm
Where are you going? (Which island(s)?)
And for how long?
And what kind of 'vacation' do you like, how much do you want to be doing? (Or, for some of my friends: are you planning to actually venture away from the resort's pool area? :))
My personal ranking:
1st choice Kauai
2nd Maui
3rd Big Island
4th Oahu... Honolulu... if you must
Ideally 7-10 days, split between two islands, would be excellent, but that's too much travel for some.
I personally find Honolulu to be "Los Angeles, on the sand"- bunch of tall buildings and one way streets and it's crowded and dirty and there are *much prettier* beaches pretty much anywhere else in the state. But for some people Honolulu = Hawaii vacation. *shrug*
Spent 16 years growing up there, I love planning other people's Hawaii vacations :) but yeah those are the starting questions. Feel free to PM me.
re: Hawaii#7
Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:47pm
which island are you going to? i lived in honolulu for 5 years and i have friends who live on other islands.
lol, i love the fact that both of us who lived there asked which island are you going to first. oahu has some nice beaches (kailua's gorgeous), but everyone stays in waikiki when they go there.
Updated On: 5/29/08 at 12:47 PM
re: Hawaii#8
Posted: 5/29/08 at 12:59pmfirst things first... don't refer to the people who live there as hawaiian unless they're native hawaiians. everyone else is a local. and instead of being like, "we're going on a whale watch, right?" it'll be, "we're going on a whale watch, ya?" or if it's in pidgin, "we go one whale watch?" (and yes, it's supposed to be one, not on)
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Hawaii#9
Posted: 5/29/08 at 1:10pmIf you are staying in Maui... definitely stay in Wailea. There you will find the nicest hotels and certainly one of the nicest beaches on the island. Best of all Wailea has not been overdeveloped with the crazy high-rise hotels.
re: Hawaii#10
Posted: 5/29/08 at 1:20pm
Lol I am not even going to try and explain pidgin English in writing, too hard. :)
Yeah, which island is always my first question, because if you're the kind of person who is planning their vacay and wondering if you could do 5 days in Kauai and 3 in Maui, etc. and know there are other islands I am going to make much different suggestions than if you're flying to Oahu, staying in Honolulu, visiting Waikiki beach daily, and wondering what else to do.
Kailua's beautiful- my dad lived out there for a little bit. I grew up on the Leeward Coast mostly, and say what one will about life on that side of the island, the beaches are *amazing*. Yet you don't really find much talk about Makua Bay or Makaha Beach or Pray For Sex Beach in guidebooks.
re: Hawaii#11
Posted: 5/29/08 at 1:25pmno you don't, but whenever anyone came to visit i'd take them to kailua. i usually just went to ala moana (a. it was the closest beach, and b. i worked at the kewalo basin marine mammal lab for a while at the end of the beach, and then at the mall so it was right there). but if you want places to go out at night then i'd def say waikiki.... the other islands are good if you want to relax. if you want stuff to do (lots of bars and stuff) you almost have to go to waikiki. and i fully blame living in hawaii for 5 years for me now having a strong liking for military guys... there's not a lot of other choice when you live there... especially when you like tall.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/13/03
re: Hawaii#12
Posted: 5/29/08 at 1:39pm
My partner and I went to Hawaii several years ago. We took a day trip to the Big Island to Volcano National Park...the remainder of the time we stayed on Kauai.
These are some of the activities we enjoyed:
A catamaran trip to the Na Pali coastline:
http://www.kauaiboats.com/
(We laughed and smiled much that our faces hurt!)
Coasting downhill on a Bicycle in Waimea Canyon:
http://www.outfitterskauai.com/bikedown.html
(Take the late afternoon session to enjoy incredible sunsets!)
Enjoy some great local food (try Zelos Beachhouse Restaurant) and shopping at Hanalei Bay.
Have Fun!!
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