10 Best Hawaii vacation tips

Dear Hawaii visitors,

Summer is coming to an end on the Mainland with cooler, rainier days announcing fall season for most of our 50 states. NOT so for Hawaii. Hawaii vacation in sunny warm weather all year round becomes again the top topic for family vacation plans for this fall and winter season. Our '10 Best Hawaii vacation tips' were put together to make sure you and your family will enjoy your best Hawaii vacation on your next trip to Hawaii.

When preparing our today's Hawaii travel and vacation tips and ideas, I became fully aware that this is actually what our 'Best Hawaii Vacation Blog' is all about: sharing our travel and vacation tips with all of you who are getting ready to visit Hawaii. It got me by surprise that we already listed 63 posts under 'Hawaii vacation tips' among them such interesting topics (randomly chosen) as:

How to find peace in Hawaii?

5 Things to pack for your Hawaii vacation

Hawaii Volcanoes Videos

How to visit Haleakala on Maui?

So, what's so different with our today's post from all the 'old' Hawaii vacation tips? I'd say Hawaii visitors will get basic, easy-to-follow Hawaii vacation tips at one glance. Here are our '10 Best Hawaii vacation tips' to make your Hawaii vacation easier, healthier, safer and cheaper:

1. Take snacks with you to the beach or on your island trips

Snacks like homemade sandwiches at your vacation home kitchen or granola bars, trail mix or fresh fruit. Don't count on finding restaurants or affordable food places on your island adventures. Bring your snacks, safe big, and of course, you won't go hungry!

2. Take plenty of bottled water with you

when going to the beach or on road trips around the Hawaiian islands. To buy a single bottle of water on the road will cost you much more than a 6-pack at WalMart or worse, you might not even find a place to buy water. The hot Hawaii sun can dehydrate you within 1/2 hr!

3. Stay away from soft drinks

With their high sugar content, soft drinks will make you actually make you thirstier, plus bottled water is generally healthier and cheaper.

4. Get a small cooler on your Hawaii vacation

Most Hawaii hosts offer small coolers to their guests anyways. If not, ask them. Otherwise when you stay at a hotel, we recommend to buy a small cooler at WalMart for about $5. It will keep your food and water cool + fresh, especially when on road trips or on a hidden beach.

5. Stay out of Hawaii sun between 11am - 2pm

When hanging out on our Hawaiian beaches, try to find a shady spot to settle down, especially during midday hours. You can even find at WalMart a cheap beach umbrella for sun protection. A hat (best with neck protection) and high SPF sunscreen are a must for Hawaii. Always reapply sunscreen after swimming, even when sunscreen says 'waterproof' on label. Make sure that your kids stay protected from strong Hawaiian sun. One can even get a sunburn in Hawaii from sun reflection!

6. Don't keep valuables in your car

I lot of Hawaii visitors think valuables are safe under their front seats when they go to the beach or for a hike. Unfortunately they are not. This is where thieves always look first. Carrying a backpack will help you keep your valuables safe.

7. Visit Hawaii restaurants at lunch time

Just like on the Mainland, visiting a restaurant in Hawaii at lunch is a great idea for vacation and can save you lots of money. The amount of food you will get is mostly the same as for a dinner entree at night but it's mostly 1/3 or even half the price of the dinner meal. No reservation is necessary and often you don't have to wait for your favorite ocean front table. If it's a very popular restaurant, you might want to show up before 12 noon to avoid the busy lunch crowd.

8. Carry your Hawaiian Island map

and your Hawaiian Island Revealed guidebook with you on road trips, so you will always know know where you are and what to see and to do in the area. Never go on a road trip without your bathing suit, a towel and a beach mat!

9. Talk to Locals

Talk to your Hawaii vacation rental hosts, shop assistants at markets or when you meet people. They happily share with you: best beaches in the area, affordable local restaurants, farmers markets for fresh fruits and more.

10. Hang loose, sit back and relax

Finally, relax and let go of your Mainland tension. No tight schedules in Hawaii! Give yourselves plenty of time to enjoy the ocean waves, the balmy breezes, a good book or just do NOTHING!

If you have more Hawaii vacation tips, please, share with our Hawaii blog visitors. The more, the better. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii vacacations

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Tags: 10 best Hawaii vacation tips, Hawaii travel

How to find Peace on Hawaii vacation?

Dear Hawaii vacation lovers,

When dealing with Best Hawaii vacation, we occasionally encounter Hawaii visitors asking us where the non-touristy places in Hawaii are. They tell us they are looking for hidden beaches or Hawaii vacation rentals away from the tourists and the big crowds. Just a few thoughts from us regards non touristy places in Hawaii.

How to find peace on Hawaii vacation?

Hawaii has changed a lot, even more so within the last 10 - 15 year. I love to listen to the stories my husband tells me about the Big Island when he came there over 35 years ago: there was only one highway on the island, there was only one 5-star hotel, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel built by Rockefeller in 1965, most of those white sand beaches on the Kohala Coast were still hard to reach and imagine, there was not one traffic light between Hilo and Kona!

As you know this has all changed big time. Once the beauty and warm climate of the Hawaiian islands were discovered, naturally everybody wanted and wants to experience it! Resorts and golf courses got 'dug out' of the lava fields, palm trees planted and ocean front 5-star hotels with access beach access built. Hawaii's infrastructure is still lagging a bit behind those latest townhouses and condominium subdivisions developed during the Hawaii building boom during 2000 - 2005.

I always have a hard time to accept all the changes at one of the most beautiful resorts, Mauna Lani Beach Resort, when visiting there. Hotels like 'Mauna Lani Beach Hotel & Bungalows' and 'Fairmont Orchid at Mauna Lani' are not easy to spot anymore with all the new condominium and townhouse structures developed around them. I appreciate that Big Island builders at least stayed away from those high rise condo buildings as visitors can find in Honolulu. Well, as Keoki says 'The only constant in life is change!'. This is not any different for the Hawaiian Islands. One cannot go back in time.

Here is the good news. There are still a few secret beaches which are not well known to tourists but mostly it's the ones which are hard to get to. The majority of Hawaii visitors prefer a short walk to the beach from parking lot. So these hard to access beaches and coves still provide the non-touristy visitors with peace, tranquility and serenity they are looking for on their Hawaii visit. Please, be aware that you might not be by yourselves on weekends when Hawaiians love to go camping on those beaches.

Quite a number of locals, Hawaiians and Haoles (white people), do still camp on the beach, play their ukuleles and BBQ. These people know each other well and don't advertise their 'beach party'. You definitely need to know somebody in order to be part of it.

Unfortunately, non-touristy Hawaii visitors' wishes of rain forest and waterfalls being close to white sand beaches do not match how 'Mother Nature' developed the islands. It's either or. There are spectacular waterfalls in Hawaii but a lot of the times it will take you long walks (or a long kayak tour like on Kauai) to reach those but already the walk, hike or kayaking is an experience by itself. Try it and you will love it!

If you really want to spend your Hawaii vacation away from people and resorts, try Upcountry Maui or Upcountry Big Island. It's beautiful ranch land with rolling hills, cows and horses. You may find a private cottage overlooking the mountains and the coastal regions. There is always Molokai being the least developed island in regards to tourists and resorts but this also means it's a little harder to get to and a simpler life with less shopping available.


Hoping this gives the non-touristy visitor, who is in search for peace and tranquility on Hawaii vacation, a better understanding of the Hawaiian Islands TODAY. Have a peaceful Hawaii vacation! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Peaceful Hawaii vacation related posts

Secret Beaches in Hawaii

Big Island Secret Beach

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Upcountry Maui

Tags: Peaceful Hawaii vacation, secret beaches in Hawaii, how to find peace in Hawaii

Is it a good time to travel to Hawaii NOW?

Aloha Hawaii lovers,
If you recently wondered whether it's a good time to travel to Hawaii NOW, you are not alone. Spring 2010 is looking around the corner and Hawaii spring vacation ideas are popping up in people's heads asking themselves 'When is the best, cheapest time to travel to Hawaii?'.

5 Best Reasons to travel to Hawaii NOW

1. Spring 2010 April + May Hawaii low season travel months

April and May 2010 won't be any different. With March being the last month of Hawaii high season December - March, the number of Hawaii visitors declines rapidly in April. Maybe because April is tax month and generally people are preoccupied and don't think of traveling to Hawaii in April? However, if you are looking for the cheapest travel month to Hawaii, add April or May to your itinerary options.

2. Best vacation accommodation deals for April and May 2010

Private Hawaii vacation rental owners are willing to offer you accommodation specials for low season months April, May and beginning June 2010. Keep in mind that with the Economic Slowdown, the vacation industry including Hawaii tourism was hit hard too. More Hawaii vacation rental owners are competing for less guest inquiries! A good chance for you to book a Hawaii vacation rental for an unbelievable low rate as we did in September 2009 when we paid for our 1Bd/1Ba Kihei condo 1000ft from beach $70/nt.!

3. Hawaii Hotel Specials for Spring Vacation 2010

If you prefer staying at a Hawaii hotel to renting a private vacation rental or condo, sign up for email specials from your favorite Hawaii hotel. I already noticed quite a number of great online specials from Hawaii hotels starting April 2010 like discounted room rates, 4th night free or resort vouchers!

4. Empty Beaches during spring months

A lot of Hawaii visitors are not aware that a big part of our favorite Hawaii beach gets under water during the high tide winter months. Some huge swells can even occasionally 'swallow-up' the entire beach for a few days. Anyways, during the winter months Hawaii's white sand beaches offer somewhat limited space for the huge winter crowd of snowbirds. During spring months, the ocean will recede again so there is plenty of white sand beach available for much less visitors guaranteeing privacy and peace for for Hawaii vacation.

5. Empty Restaurants in Hawaii in spring

Honestly, restaurants can get quite busy during our our high season winter months in Hawaii. Nobody likes to wait for their food or for getting seated in a restaurant. Hawaii restaurants are no exception. Waiters at Hawaii restaurants will warmly welcome you on your Hawaii vacation in slow spring months. No waiting for seats or being served! You will really enjoy your meal and a nice hula performance with a relaxed dinner in Hawaii in April or May.

Last but not least, Hawaii car rentals are generally cheaper during low season spring months. Just make sure that no huge Hawaii event is scheduled for the time you want to travel to Hawaii. Cheap Hawaii air fares are in everybody's mind but not that easy to get. Low season spring air fares are somewhat cheaper but to catch the Last Minute Hawaii travel deals, one has to be on a flexible working schedule and not traveling with family and kids.

'Is it a good time to travel to Hawaii NOW?' What do you think? Your comments are most welcome by our Best Hawaii vacation visitors and by us. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

'Best Time to travel to Hawaii' Related Posts

Planning a Hawaii Vacation 2010
What's Hawaii like in April?
3 Reasons to visit Hawaii this summer
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Tags: Good time to visit Hawaii Now, cheap Hawaii vacation, Spring vacation Hawaii