where to stay in Hawaii

[tim atherton]

maybe this should be in the Lounge as it's rather off topic...

but now the Canukistan dollar is almost on par with the great american greenback I've been thinking maybe this is the time to make a trip to Hawaii - somehwere I have never been before

However, most of what I come across easily is highly tourist oriented - as in those who want a tropical disneyland experience.. either that or watching episodes of Dog the Bounty Hunter...

So, drawing on the collective accumulated wisdom of this list any good ideas for which island to visit, what sort of places to stay, etc etc

while there will be some photography involved (he says hopefully - and any suggestions for such will be gratefully accepted - lets say I find Beahan & McPhee's photos of the islands interesting) it will primarily be a vacation with two wee ones along as well. And while a sandy beach is nice for a couple of days, we aren't exactly the lay on the beach until you are as pink as a lobster sort of folks. So mountains, forest, waterfalls, wildlife (along with good food) etc are also equally attractive!

[John Kasaian]

tim,

Hawaii is a great family destination, lots of stuff for the wee ones to do. Mine were content just to spend mornings on the beach playing in the sand, which brings up a good point---get kids off the beach by noon to avoid the most intense uv rays even with sunscreen.

Photographically I found Hawaii to be a delightful place even with family oblligations. Probably the worse place in the islands is Waikiki but even there I caught some architectural relics of territorial Hawaii in the early morning when the light was primo. The Big Island of Hawaii is IMHO one of the most photogenic with the volcano, ferns, lava tubes and all that stuff. Kauai is fabulous (from what I remember---its been awhile and things change, especially in Hawaii)

There are a lot of quirky places in Oahu too. A staircase that goes a mile up the side of mountain where a communications array used to be (great view) trails to 'hidden' waterfalls, old concrete coastal artillery emplacements, places of refuge for the ancients, a natatorium and one of the best zoos around.

The best guide I know is by Lonely Planet and there is a guide called Hawaii with Kids (or something like that) that has lots of neat stuff of interest to children.

Have a great trip---and try not to fall into any of AA's tripod holes! ;-)

[Andrew Ito]

Hawaii is a great place to vacation. In fact I just returned from Oahu last week. I've visited Oahu, Kauai and Maui. All three islands are different. Oahu is great for the nightlife/food/shopping. Maui is very relaxing and beautiful. Kauai is probably the most laid back of the three with very little nightlife.

If photography is what you're after perhaps Maui or Kauai are good destinations. Kauai offers Waimea Canyon (the Hawaiian version of the Grand Canyon) and the Na Pali Coastline. Maui offers the road to Hana and Haleakala (at sunrise). Personally, I found Kauai to be the best destination for photography.

[bwoitaszewski]

Get out of Honolou, there are some teriffic sposts going east there is a pullout where you can get some great sahots, for sentimental reasons, hit Perl, national cematery
If in the winter time, get shoys of of the waves on North Shore
In Big Island,
Volcano shots.
Sunset shots of the volvano foing into the ocean - remember to bring a flashlight so you can find your way back
\Black sand, green sand beaches. From the visitor center up the volcano, get shots of the crater when the cloud cover clears - its awesome, silver sword blooming
Maui
Road to hana - just remember its easiest to pull-off and take shots going TO Hana. There is some sort of arborteum on the way down, great color shots of some local vegation
Wind surfers

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you're going to Oahu, the key is to get out of Waikiki, though there is some interesting old Honolulu architecture in places like Kaimuki downtown, which is also the location of Imageworks Photo--the last place to buy sheet film in the islands.

There are many places to pull out as you drive East around the island. I suspect the spots that bwoitaszewski is thinking of are around the Halona Blowhole, just past Hawaii Kai, right next to the small beach where that famous beach scene in _From Here to Eternity_ was shot. It's also right near Sandy Beach, which is less touristy than the Waikiki beaches.

Get up to the North Shore and explore the inner island, and there's lots to see on Oahu. We like going to Ka'ena Point, and on another great trip we visited all the accessible Heiaus (Hawai'ian religious sites) on the island. There's not much pineapple cultivation left, so if you see signs of it in the central and northern parts of Oahu, photograph it while you can.

Maui has lots of beautiful places, but it also has a lot of tourist traps. That private arboretum along the Hana Road, called "The Garden of Eden" if I remember correctly, is a nice place with some great views and an interesting variety of plant species, but beware the per person charge when you enter, considering that there are a lot of things to see along the Hana Road for free. Maui has a very "southern California" feeling about it--crowded overdevelopment in the central part of the island around Kihei (though that is the cheap place to rent a condo), celebrity culture out in Hana, galleries piled on top of each other in Lahaina, lots of New Age spirituality and such.

We like to go to Moloka'i, and we'll be spending the better part of two months there this summer. The tourist infrastructure isn't so well developed there (the main attraction would be the historic leprosy settlement on Kalaupapa), but there's some beautiful landscape on the east end in the Halawa Valley, midnight rainbows on Papohaku Beach at the west end (which was the source for much of the white sand in Waikiki) when conditions are right, natural and ethnographic sites to explore, outstanding local music and simple local food, and friendly people.

We've also been to Lana'i, which is almost entirely privately owned and managed, which makes it a bit sterile in some ways, but there are interesting old settlement sites all around the perimeter of the island, so you can see things like Hawai'ian petroglyphs, if you look for them. If you go there, stay in the Hotel Lana'i, which was the old plantation house and guest residence.

[Garry Teeple]

The Big island has a lot to offer, dry on the west, wet on the east. Great photography on both sides and the waterfalls are fantastic. But there are few sand beaches and they are crowded. Kawai is just great but the traffic is starting to build. The "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" (Wiemea Canyon) is great for landscapes, great waterfalls although difficult to get in good locations for photos, and lots of beachs. I have found that hotels are like everywhere else, a crap shoot. The best we ever stayed in was Kona Coast Resort on the big island and the Kauai Merriott. Just plan a laid back trip and enjoy it.

[MADONA]

I want to give my son a vacation trip for high school graduation since he's graduating with high honors. Due to the terminal illness of my spouse, I won't be able to travel for many months. He is now 20 yr old. His brother also could go with him. I know they can't rent a car, so I'd like to find a trip where they could fly and use public transportation or cabs. They'll have a credit card and cash for food and sightseeing. I'm hoping to keep it to 5-7 days, at $2500 or less. Are there any travel agencies for college kids that could have trip packages?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Are they going to be doing any large format photography while they're there? That's what this forum is about.

For student travel deals, try http://www.statravel.com/

[sparq]

Do not stay on the West shore of Oahu. It's scary and dangerous.
Kauai is beautiful, I really enjoyed the surroundings of Hanalei.

[jetcode]

I've been able to rent a 1 bedroom condo in South Kihei (Maui) for $75 a night, rent a car for $225 a week. Big Beach, Little Beach for swimming, Black Beach for snorkeling, up country 10 minutes away, Hana an hour away, Lahaina an hour away

[mrladewig]

I'd recommend the big island. There are certainly lots of options for touristy and not-so-touristy stays. In addition, I think the big island offers a huge amount of photographic potential to a large format photographer. Also, if you stay on the big island, there is a wide variety of locations from Hilo (which is not very touristy) to Kona. And then there are places on Hawaii that are not on the coast. I'm sure its true of any of the islands, but you could surely choose from condos, to private homes, to bed and breakfast to mega hotels.

The one thing I see as a downside to Hawaii is that the food is expensive, and yet generally not very good. There were exceptions, but you kinda had to look around for them. Well, the flight was expensive too. I think my flight to Kona cost more than my flight to Europe and was nearly as much as my flights to Singapore.

As for photography, the big island has lots to offer. I spent two weeks there, but could easily find interesting things to shoot for a month.

[Neal Shields]

Bora Bora.

I have been to Hawaii several times and for a laid back tropical vacation, I recomend paying a little bit more and sitting on the plane a little bit longer to get to Tahiti.

It is prettier, friendler and less crowded.

There are often really good package deals available.

[roteague]

I've lived in Hawaii for more than 10 years now. When I want to get away from the city, I normally go to either the Big Island or Kauai. I just returned from a 4 day stay at the Hilton Waikoloa, which was impressive.

Currently, the skies aren't too good on the southern part of the Big Island - a lot of volcanic haze everywhere. I'm don't think the Volcanic National Park is even open now, because of the volcanic activity going on there.

Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions, I do know my way around my state a bit.

[GSX4]

I'l also vouch for the Big Island. I stayed in the Hilton Waikoloa like Robert, and I've stayed in the town of Volcano (just outside of the park) in a bed and breakfast called Aloha Junction. I can thoroughly recommend both. Aloha Junction allows you to explore the volcano national park over the series of a few days which really is the way to do it. Enjoy.

[jetcode]

Bora Bora.

I have been to Hawaii several times and for a laid back tropical vacation, I recomend paying a little bit more and sitting on the plane a little bit longer to get to Tahiti.

It is prettier, friendler and less crowded.

There are often really good package deals available.

mmmm, someone is ringing my bell - sounds great when do we go?!!

[Jim Bradley]

We just got back from 3 weeks on Kauai. Perfect weather. If you go to Kauai I recommend you stay in the Poipu (southern side) of the Island. We (SWMBO and her Parents) rented a condo for most of the trip. Photographically speaking I found it somewhat difficult to break out of the standard cliche's, sunset, crashing waves, waterfalls, pretty flowers, whales, etc but on the other hand we now have a lot of pretty wall coverings.
PM me if want any details regardnig were to stay.
Regards,
JGB

[mrladewig]

I've lived in Hawaii for more than 10 years now. When I want to get away from the city, I normally go to either the Big Island or Kauai. I just returned from a 4 day stay at the Hilton Waikoloa, which was impressive.

Currently, the skies aren't too good on the southern part of the Big Island - a lot of volcanic haze everywhere. I'm don't think the Volcanic National Park is even open now, because of the volcanic activity going on there.

Feel free to ask if you have any specific questions, I do know my way around my state a bit.

This report is from Volcano and is very recent. He may have come in from the east side to get his photos (don't remember the name of the town), but I suspect the park is still open.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=27884&CGISESSID=a37e1041e924f69408bfc3c4930b1d1e&u=32389

[roteague]

This report is from Volcano and is very recent. He may have come in from the east side to get his photos (don't remember the name of the town), but I suspect the park is still open.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/bbs.cgi?a=vm&mr=27884&CGISESSID=a37e1041e924f69408bfc3c4930b1d1e&u=32389

The state built a new viewing area for the lava flow, just opened last week. You get access to it from the Hilo side; it is on state owned land.

The reason I'm not sure about the park is that there is now a plume of ash coming from Kilauea Volcano's Halema`uma`u Crater. This crater is very near the park's entrance.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23785816

[mrladewig]

Easy to resolve. The NPS site has info.


Most of the park and its facilities remain open including Kilauea Visitor Center, Volcano House hotel, Kilauea Military Camp, Volcano Art Center Gallery, Thurston Lava Tube, Devastation Trail, Kilauea Iki Trail, Sulphur Banks Trail, Chain of Craters Road, Kulanaokuaiki Campground, and all backcountry campsites


http://www.nps.gov/havo/closed_areas.htm

[Capocheny]

Tim,

Kuai is a beautiful island to explore... black sandy beaches and all. Very peaceful!

We stayed at Princeville on the far side of the island... get a bit more moisture there but it's gorgeous! When you're looking out at the swimming pool it looks contiguous with the ocean.

And, if you're a golfer, that's one of the courses used in tournaments played by the likes of Tiger Woods. In fact, he was there when we visited.

You'll also need a car to get around the island. :)

Cheers

[Frank Petronio]

I need to save this thread, it's exactly what I am think of doing someday too (instead of Disney...!!!)

Any flight tips? Might you find a better deal flying out of a West Coast city than trying to arrange a round trip from the hinterlands? I seem to recall flight for $150 from Portland but that was 20 years ago.

[David A. Goldfarb]

No special tips on flights.

Careful about luggage if you fly into Maui. Once my tripod was delayed one day, and apparently this seems to be a frequent problem with flights to Maui for some reason.

We usually try to get a nonstop from Newark. The summer is the off season, so you can usually get better rates on condos around that time, and flights might follow that. Rates spike at the obvious times around Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

There have been cheap interisland flights lately from Go Airlines.

One thing that was a surprise to us when we were staying on Moloka'i for two months was that it was cheaper to ship a car by barge both ways from O'ahu for a stay of 2 weeks or longer (my wife has family in Honolulu, and they have an old car that they don't use very often) than to rent a car locally.

[roteague]

Easy to resolve. The NPS site has info.


http://www.nps.gov/havo/closed_areas.htm

There is talk of evacuating the town of Volcano, which is close to the part entrance. The volcano is putting out in excess of 2000 metric tons of sulfur every day - the normal amount is between 150 and 200 metric tons. I noticed when I was over in Kona a week ago, that it is very hazy in Kailua-Kona town as well.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/NEWS01/803270343

Also, from what I have read, the only part of the park open is along the edge of the part, Crater Rim drive is closed. But, this changes daily.

FWIW, I would think twice about going to Moloka'i right now. Moloka'i Ranch just shut down, it was the major employer on the island, and laid a lot of people off. So, things are a bit unsettled there now.

[David A. Goldfarb]

FWIW, I would think twice about going to Moloka'i right now. Moloka'i Ranch just shut down, it was the major employer on the island, and laid a lot of people off. So, things are a bit unsettled there now.

Yes, I've been following the news about the Ranch. We'll be there in May after my brother-in-law's wedding in Honolulu and probably again at the end of the summer. They need the tourism!

[roteague]

Yes, I've been following the news about the Ranch. We'll be there in May after my brother-in-law's wedding in Honolulu and probably again at the end of the summer. They need the tourism!

I was hoping to go there as well this summer, but I'm not sure right now.

[matthew050204]

No special tips for flights from my side either - I usually go online and just try to find the best deals possible. Of course booking early is an advantage too.
I have been to Hawaii several times already, especially to Kauai, because I have a friend running a Kauai real estate (http://www.hawaiis.com/kauai/) business there and I can always stay at his place - lucky me :D

But when staying on the other islands I often took advantage of some B&Bs there. They are really comfortable and people there are really friendly - I always like to get to know the people when I am in another country and I feel you can do this better in a small B&B than in one of those big hotels. :rolleyes: