Your flights are booked, your hotel reservations are made and in a few short weeks (or days) you'll be off to paradise in Hawaii. But what should you do once you get there? Here are a few of the events happening around the islands over the next few months to help you plan your stay.
Aloha Fridays
The Big Island
Every Friday in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park there's a hands-on demonstration lesson given about a cultural craft. The lesson varies from week to week and the events are free, though donations are welcome. Call 808-967-8222 for more information.
LPGA Lotte Championship Presented by J Golf
Oahu
The Ladies Pro Golf Tournament will be held at the amazing Ko Olina Resort from April 14th-20th. The tournament will feature some of the world's best female golfers, including Hawaii's own Michelle Wie. For more information check out www.lottechampionship.com.
A Culinary Romp Through Paradise - Nani Moon Mead
Kauai
Local food experts guide you "from farm to fork" as you explore authentic tastes of Kauai. The monthly tours are designed to offer a variety of tropical flavors as guests explore an exotic fruit orchard, enjoy a cooking demonstration and four-course gourmet meal, and learn about locally made beverages. The tours are held on the east side of the island and reservations are required. Visit www.tastingkauai.com for more information.
Wailuku First Friday
Maui
Wailuku Town's monthly street party comes complete with live music, sidewalk artisans, crafters and food vendors. The street closes to local traffic for this free community event which runs from 6-9pm. The May event will be held on May 3rd. For more information visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wailukufirstfriday
These are just some of the events going on in Hawaii in the coming weeks. Visit Go Hawaii for a full list of all 113 upcoming events.
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It's easy to say "I want to go to Hawaii for my honeymoon". What's not so easy is determining which island you want to spend what's likely to be the most special trip of your life. Do you want the peace and quiet of Kauai? Or maybe the vibrant Waikiki nightlife on Oahu? In this post we'll cover some of the differences between the four major Hawaiian Islands (Maui, Oahu, Kauai and The Big Island) to help make that decision a little easier for you.
Maui
The Valley Isle (Maui's nickname) was recently listed #2 on US News & World Report's list of the 17 best honeymoon destinations in the world. For anyone who's been there before it's easy to see why. Maui is the most well-rounded of the Hawaiian Islands since it's able to offer lots of shops and restaurants along with lots of natural beauty without feeling overly commercial and busy. Also, if getting accommodations on the beach are important to you then you should take a close look at Maui. Without a doubt it's the island with the most beachfront accommodations. If shopping is your thing there are plenty of options for that with Front St. in Lahaina, Whalers Shopping Village in Kaanapali and the Shops at Wailea. If your more into nature then you can drive the Road to Hana, go horseback riding in Haleakala (the extinct volcano) or take a snorkel trip out to Molokini. Maui really does have it all.
Best for: Those wanting to experience everything Hawaii has to offer all on one island.
Popular Honeymoon Accommodations: Fairmont Kea Lani, Four Seasons Maui, Grand Wailea, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ritz Carlton Kapalua
Oahu
Do you love the idea of having lots of different shops and restaurants within an easy walk from your hotel? Does the energy of a bustling city excite you? If so then Oahu may be the island for you. Waikiki (a neighborhood within the city of Honolulu) has the most shops and restaurants within easy walking distance of any of the Hawaiian Islands. In fact, it's the one area in Hawaii where you don't need to rent a car. One really cool thing about Oahu is with the busy atmosphere you have in Waikiki vs. the quieter areas of the island like the North Shore and Ko'Olina it can almost feel like you're visiting two islands. They also have some of the most popular attractions in the state with places like the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay.
Best for: Those who enjoy the energy of a city and exciting nightlife. Also great for history buffs with the likes of Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Popular Honeymoon Accommodations: Halekulani, Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider a Westin Resort, Turtle Bay Resort, Kahala Hotel & Resort
Kauai 
Kauai was #4 on US News & World Report's list of the best honeymoon destinations in the world. If you're looking for rest and relaxation with a bit of adventure mixed in then this is the island for you. Kauai was nicknamed The Garden Isle due to its vast amount of tropical foliage. It's also the island with the most waterfalls in the state, and it's not even close. Kauai's majestic vistas and jungle vegetation have drawn countless Hollywood film crews to capture her beauty and sense of adventure. Some pretty major motion pictures have been shot on Kauai, including Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, Avatar and Pirates of the Caribbean. The North Shore of Hawaii offers the famed Bali Hai view with mountains disappearing into the ocean. Be sure to check out Waimea Canyon (what Mark Twain dubbed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"), the Napali Coast and the countless waterfalls dotting the landscape.
Best for: Adventure seekers and, not to be contradictory, those who would enjoy more peace and quiet and less activity.
Popular Honeymoon Accommodations: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, Sheraton Kauai Resort, Poipu Kai Resort, St. Regis Princeville Resort
Hawaii (The Big Island)
Hawaii is nicknamed "The Big Island" because, well, it's so massive. The three main resort areas are all very different from each other. Kona is an old fishing village on the southwest side of Hawaii. The Waikoloa/Mauna Lani area is the newer, upscale part of the island about 40 minutes up the coast from Kona. Hilo is clear across the island on the east shore (about 90 miles from Kona). While it's more commercial (though nowhere close to Waikiki) it's also the only place to stay and be within a short car ride of Volcanoes National Park (Volcano House not withstanding). If you want to see a live volcano spewing lava then this is the island for you. There are some great shopping areas, too, especially in Kona and Waikoloa.
Hawaii is a bit like Maui in that it's very well rounded. The one big difference is that due to the size of the island you sometimes have to drive a longer distance to do different things. Also, one thing to point out is that the Big Island has a different look from the other islands due to the sheer amount of lava rock found everywhere. Some people love it (it's a very clean, vibrant black that contrasts nicely with the tropical foliage) while others feel like they're vacationing on the moon. We definitely recommend scoping out some pictures of the landscape before deciding whether or not The Big Island is for you.
Best for: Those who want to see an active volcano since, well, it's the only option. Also great for adventure seekers.
Popular Honeymoon Accommodations: Four Seasons Hualalai, Fairmont Orchid, Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, Hilton Waikoloa Village
So Which Island is the Best for Honeymoons?
That's up to you! The beauty of Hawaii is that you can have a very different experience depending on which island you're staying on, so it's all a matter of finding the island that best fits your interests and activity level as a couple. Hopefully this guide will help make that choice a little easier for you.
Have you honeymooned on Hawaii? Leave a comment and tell us where you stayed!
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We have good news for our Canadian friends. WestJet has recently leased two Boeing 757-200 aircraft from Thomas Cook Airlines. With the new equipment they will be adding three new routes to Hawaii. The new routes are seasonal, though they've been added for the right time- mid-December through April. So if you're wanting to get somewhere warm and sunny in the dead of winter WestJet just made it a little easier.
The new planes bring a few perks with them. For one, they'll hold more passengers than WestJet's current fleet of planes (their 737's hold between 119-166 passengers while the 757's hold 235 passengers). Another big benefit is the fact that they can fly farther as well, allowing for flights between Alberta and Hawaii.
Here is the breakdown of the new routes:
- Edmonton to Maui (Kahului) three times per week
- Calgary to Maui (Kahului) three times per week
- Calgary to Oahu (Honolulu) three times per week
The hotels and condos are already starting to fill up for the peak winter travel time (end of December through the end of February) so you'll want to jump on these fares and get your accommodations booked as soon as possible.
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We found a great article from DOWN UNDER and reproduced it here on our Hawaii Blog.
Credit to Kristy Muir of The Fraser Coast Chronicle.
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Relax and explore Hawaii's culture
8th September 2012 2:00 PM
The islands of Hawaii boast some of the best beaches and views in the world.
WHEN you hear the word Hawaii, you think coconuts, frangipanis, ukuleles, grass skirts, pineapples and surfing. But there is so much more to the 50th state of the US than meets the eye.
The country is rich in culture and history as well as being picturesque and diverse in activities. Upon landing at Honolulu International Airport on the island of Oahu, I fell instantly in love. I have never been welcomed by ground staff as warmly as I was there. The Hawaiian language is so beautiful and nothing beats being serenaded by a Hawaiian man in their native tongue.
There are six major islands to visit in Hawaii: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii's Big Island. You'll find each island has its own distinct personality and offers its own adventures, activities and sights. Mark Twain called Hawaii, "That peaceful land, that beautiful land... the climate, one long delicious summer day, and the good that die experience no change, for they but fall asleep in one heaven and wake up in another".
I spent just under a week on Oahu (with a couple of extra days on Maui), which gave me time to get around the whole island, as well as do some hiking, snorkelling, partying and lazing at the beach. My decision to spend time on Oahu stemmed from my childhood, growing up watching Elvis Presley's Blue Hawaii and as a teen dreaming about being a famous surfer after watching Blue Crush.
Despite grand plans to learn to surf, my lack of co-ordination kept me from taking the plunge. For me, walking on uneven ground, such as sand, is challenging enough, so trying to stand up on a board in the ocean just seemed too dangerous.
The magical island of Oahu is also home to world-famous Waikiki beach, Pearl Harbor, the North Shore and the dramatic mountain views from the Nuuanu Pali Lookout. Instead of surfing, I opted for snorkelling with turtles at the quaint beach of Haleiwa and hiking up the Diamond Head Summit Trail near Waikiki. I have to admit being one of only four people swimming with wild turtles on Haleiwa beach was not only the highlight of my trip, but also one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
The trip around the island was only a few dollars, on public transport and took about five hours, plus stops at the major attractions along the way, popular beaches, quaint villages and the Dole pineapple plantation. But the long bus ride went fast after meeting three guys from Germany and spending the day exploring with them. Nothing beats travelling alone, with no plans. I love nothing more than meeting a stranger and tagging along with them or letting them join me on my adventures. The people you meet definitely make your holiday unforgettable and the Hawaiian Islands are teaming with like-minded people.
The best thing about these heavenly islands is you can do as little or as much as you like, and I have to admit for most of my holiday, I just lazed on the beach, soaking up the rays and drank Hawaiian punch in a cute little bar on the Waikiki strip.
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Hawaiian Airlines, long considered one of the best carriers to offer flights to Hawaii, is offering service to another island: Manhattan. The 82 year-old airline now offers non-stop flights between JFK and Honolulu. Until now the only other option in the area for non-stops to Hawaii was the flight from Newark to Honolulu on Continental (which is now United).
Hawaiian did have some help making this happen, though. They entered into a partnership with JetBlue (announced in January) allowing travelers a convenient one-stop check-in and seamless flight connection. Customers can book a single combined ticket for connecting Hawaiian and JetBlue-operated flights. For example, you could book a JetBlue flight from Boston to Los Angeles and then connect in LA onto one of Hawaiian's non-stops into Hawaii 
and only have to check in once (in Boston) while your bags are transfered between the airlines. The two airlines now share frequent flyer programs as well. Members of JetBlue's TrueBlue frequent flyer program will earn one point for every two miles flown on a Hawaiian flight, while members of Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles program will earn one mile for every mile flown on eligible JetBlue flights.
This partnership should help make getting to Hawaii from the East Coast a bit easier. And to sweeten the deal a bit, Hawaiian is now offering first-class legroom and priority/early boarding for only $35 each way. United pioneered the extra cost for more legroom in their Economy Plus section, but their cost for the extra room starts at $59 each way (and is usually more). When faced with a 10-hour flight, the extra leg room can definitely come in handy.
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This short blog post was sent to us by Lory Quipotla who went with her husband, Jimmy, on a much-needed vacation to Oahu. They stayed at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel. and sent a few photos of that hotel, Waikiki, and showing their happiness to be there.
Thank you for your post Lory.
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We finally went on our trip to the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel to celebrate my husband’s 59th birthday, thanks to Great Hawaii Vacations!!!
We had a wonderful time!!!
By the way, check-in with Glenn of the Aston and my husband, Jimmy. Glenn was extremely helpful and friendly. We requested for early check-in (10:30a.m.) and Glenn was able to accommodate us! Yay!! We didn’t have to wait to get settled.
We will always remember the AWESOME & breathtaking view ofWaikiki Beach from our room and of the swimming pool below and the sunset in the afternoons was incredible too.
“Breakfast on the Beach” is included each morning from 6:30a.m. to 9:00a.m. They served a
variety of doughnuts, fruit, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, miso soup, rice musubi, kim chee, fountain drinks, coffee, tea, and milk. Also, for a fee, there were options of French toast, omelets or cup-of-noodles. Breakfast on the Beach was located by the pool area and entertainment was provided.
And how can we forget the view of Diamond Headfrom the hotel.
We are extremely grateful for the opportunity that Great Hawaii Vacations provided to us!! The view ofWaikiki Beachfrom our hotel room was spectacular and we pulled the drapes back each time we were in the room to enjoy it!!
Again, thank you very much for the wonderful stay at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel!!
Mahalo nui loa,
Lory Quipotla
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To have your Hawaii vacation photos and journal published on the Hawaii blog, send your post with attached photos to info@GreatHawaiiVacations.com
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Don't look now, but it looks like airfare to Hawaii might finally be on the way down.
For the past several years airfare seems to have been continually climbing, with prices from West Coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco coming in between $700-$900/ticket for the summer. But recently we've noticed some encouraging signs that the price for flights to Hawaii are on the way down.
For example, if you're traveling from Denver to Honolulu in September we can find flights for as low as $200 each way on US Air. We've seen similar deals on US Air from Phoenix as well. If you're coming from LAX we've seen roundtrip airfare for under $500 to both Oahu and Maui. So, the deals are definitely out there.
This sudden drop in prices begs the question: why is the airfare finally falling?
Well, there are a few potential reasons. Gas prices have been falling, so that can sometimes translate into a reduction in airfares. Also, United and Continental are finally getting their merger figured out. It was rough at the outset, with technical glitches, obscenely long hold times on customer service lines and sky-high fares. But now that their systems seem to be cooperating we've noticed a reduction in their fares. Finally, the truth of the matter is the consumer has started to fight back by simply refusing to pay the extremely high fares. The airlines started to see that people weren't consistenly going to pay the high prices, so they've dropped their prices in order to increase demand.
Regardless of the reason, the good news is that airfare is definitely more affordable now than it has been in quite some time.
So if you've been on the fence about whether or not to take a trip to Hawaii, now is the time to grab that airfare before it disappears.
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At Great Hawaii Vacations we pride ourselves on giving honest, insightful information and we want to make sure you’ve thought about all the different options before spending your hard earned money for the vacation of your dreams in Paradise.
Here is a question sent to us all the way from Boston, MA. Mahalo to Mr. Mark Murphy.
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Q. Do you recommend booking beach front accommodations in Hawaii?
Mr. Murphy - Mahalo for your great question.
At first glance, the answer to this question would seem like a no brainer, and in some cases it is.
Beautiful Hawaii Beaches: Hawaii is known for a lot of things, and at the top of the list are the beautiful stretches of
beach lining the coasts of each island. Does your vision of Hawaii include relaxing in your resort room or condo and spending countless hours on the sand by the resort wrapped up in your favorite book or just soaking in the rays? Then staying at a beachfront property would certainly be on your list of “must-haves” when considering your accommodations choices.
Prices: Although staying at a beachfront property may be desirable, when it comes to booking beachfront accommodations the biggest potential issue may be the price. If you want to stay at a property where you’re literally steps away from the sand it will cost more than a property across the street from the beach. So you might get more bang for your buck getting accommodations across the street. For example, take Wailea, Maui: Though it sits a little ways back from the ocean the Outrigger Palms at Wailea can be a
great alternative to the more expensive beachfront properties in the resort area. The condos at the Outrigger are well appointed, the grounds are peaceful and serene and you can either walk for a few minutes or drive for a couple and arrive at one of Wailea’s pristine beaches.
Other Beaches: Another issue to consider is that while the beach on which your hotel sits may be beautiful, each island in Hawaii offers many other beaches with different qualities. Some are great for swimming, some for snorkeling, some for surfing. Some, like Kaihalulu on Maui, even have different colored sand! If, during your vacation in paradise, you plan on sampling many different beaches on your island then you might be able to save some money by staying at that condo or hotel property across the street from the ocean since you're planning on hitting a different beach every day anyway.
With all that said, the beaches in Hawaii are among the best in the world. Most people want to stay right on the beach, not only for convenience but for the beauty the beaches offer as well. When it is in your budget we absolutely recommend it.
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Great Hawaii Vacations is pleased to pass on some more great deals for your vacation in Paradise. They include free nights, free cars and more.
Don't miss you chance to book your great vacation in Hawaii with these specials...
Call now for all the details. Take advantage of great prices and deals along with the best advice and information from the most knowledgeable Hawaii professionals on the planet.
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Great Hawaii Vacations is happy to pass on all the deals we find.
Don't miss this one at one of the most modern condo properties on Waikiki.
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