Hawaii Vacation Tips

Just wanted all of you Hawaii-bound folks to know about a new policy at Aloha Airlines. All of their flights are now booked as one-way segments, not round-trips. If you make any changes to your itinerary, they will charge you $100 per segment plus any fare changes to accomodate you. I just found this out the hard way. I had to change an upcoming trip and will be charged almost $600 to do so! If I cancel it, I'll have a year to use the ticket, but will still have to pay the change fees when I re-book. I feel as if I've been punched in the gut. If any of you travel savvy folks out there know any recourse let me and all the TC'ers know. Thanks and be careful of this company. They'll hold your money hostage!

-Weird Unc

I am pleased to announce that the Seamus clan is heading for the islands Dec. 1st! Jauna and I spent our honeymoon on the Big Island more than ten yrs ago, and we've wanted to return ever since. This is also our first non-working vacation in as many years, and Fiona's(7) first ride in an airplane. This is a big deal for us, and we are very excited to get to spend 2 weeks in paradise. We found some amazing deals on airfare from Portland ($320), and even better deals on inner island hops ($39 o/w). It ended up being cheaper to fly to Oahu, and hop over to Hawaii and back, than to just go to Hawaii for the entire trip, so we're feeling like real jetsetters!

We're spending the bulk of the trip on the Big Island, and the last few days on Oahu. Haven't actually made reservations for Lodgings yet, but will be doing so in the next couple of days. We appreciate all the excellent tips found in this thread, and are smack dab in the middle of researching, pricing, and getting our list of must do's in order.

Thanks to all who took the time to post their suggestions, and advice. I'll try to do the same after we return.

Cheers!
Seamus

The wahine and I are going to Maui December 7-14. We're staying with her cousin that lives in Wailuku on Maui, but I'd like to see some sights on other islands. What's the best deal for island hops? I've been reading as many old posts about Maui travel that I can find, I'm really excited to go. We hope to do some snorkeling, take in a nice luau, eat some great local food, find some rum made there, go beachcombing, maybe try surfing, most of all ... take it easy.

Any new info to share? I'd love to hear it.

Seamus: If you havn't made your reservations yet give Dug a try. His website is http://www.tikiislandhawaii.com we stayed at his place a few months ago and it was fantastic. His place is amazing. At least stop by the Tiki Museum while you are on the big island. Scott

On 2002-08-01 11:53, laney wrote:
The best sandwich in the world is at a little bar/restaurant just across the King Kam Hotel on Alii Dr. in Kona, Hawaii! It is a hot crab salad sandwich and they call it the Kona Gold. I believe the place is "Lucilles almost by the Sea" ask anyone in Kona where this place is-they'll know.

Tiki Dug and I spent some time looking for this place (about a month ago).

It is gone.

I was really looking forward to that sandwich too, after Laney hyped it up so much!

Well, here's another travelogue:
The Missus and I just got back from Hawaii a couple of days ago, and now that we're recuperated from the jet lag, here's the details:
Day 1 Oct 26th
We flew Hawaiian airlines for all of our travel and I have to say that everything was pretty nice. Our flight from the mainland was on a huge plane with plenty of room. Beverage service included Trader Vic's Mai Tais --pre-mixed cocktails in a bottle, like TV Mai Tai mix, but with the rum included. The airline provides pineapple and orange juice for mixing, but if you want a real Mai Tai, just drink it straight out of the bottle. The airline music channels included a channel of old Hawaiian favorites such as Elvis' Blue Hawaii and some of the old Hawaii Calls recordings. There was also a channel of Exotica hosted by Fluid Floyd of Don Tiki. Loops were about an hour, with a little variety in the middle of the playlist. The Exotica channel began with Les Baxter's Quiet Village, and ended with Martin Denny's version. Very cool. After landing, we had lunch at a little place that's inland from the University campus on University avenue. I wouldn't say it was much better than L and L, but plate lunches are pretty hard to mess up.
We stopped at the Walmart near Waikiki and picked up a few nice leis and also some Aloha wear. I've been suprised with the quality of Walmart aloha wear, with most of it not only being made in Hawaii, but also being pretty decent quality.
We went to the Waikiki aquarium which has very well maintained exhibits and contains excellent fish and coral specimens. Why not just go snorkeling, you ask? Well, at any given beach, you may not see all that there is to see. The aquarium is a good chance to see what may otherwise escape you while snorkeling or diving. The octopus display is especially good.
That night we hit the Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian, where the Mai Tai contains fruit juice and really isn't that good. The occasional glass does have their logo screened on it. Cool. Drinks were a little overpriced, but the view was spectacular. Service was just okay.
Dinner was at Da Big Kahuna near the Waikiki Wave Hotel. I had a Kalua Pork sandwich, which was very tasty, and a Mai Tai, which also had fruit juice. It was served in a souvenir tiki mug for like $6 more, available only at the restaurant, manufactured by Tiki Farm. I think Holden posted a pic of it at some point. Decor has lots of tikis, but is set up more like a sports bar type place. All things considered, it's a fun place, and worth a visit. If you're looking for a more serious atmosphere, probably not the place for you.

Day 2 Oct 27th
We tried some shore diving in the morning at Hanauma Bay. The swell coming in from the south messed up the conditions pretty badly, so the visibility was probably 15 to 20 feet in a place where it should have been 50 to 60 feet or more. The swell also made it dangerous to go to the outer reef, so we didn't stay long. That afternoon we went to La Mariana and had Mai Tais. Very nice, although I think mine had fruit juice. The decor is fantastic. There are few places in the world with as good a feel as La Mariana. We were there during Happy Hour, so drinks were extra cheap. If you go to Oahu, you have to stop here.
Additional drinks at the Sheraton's Sand Bar are not worth mentioning. Probably the worst Mai Tai I've had, ever. I'm not even sure what was in it. Actually, I don't want to know. It was bad, and overpriced.
Dinner at Tiki's Bar and Grill. I had the Kalua Pork, very tasty. Mai Tai served in a souvenir hurricane glass, but they actually have screened tiki mugs. They've got 'em hidden somewhere, so you have to ask, but they will sell them to you. Not bad at $6. The decor here is also very cool. Torches everywhere, along with many tikis and tons of Shag paintings. Near the entry of the restaurant are Mark Ryden's Pele and Exotica paintings. Fun atmosphere, but crowded. Suprising, service was good for the number of people. Parking can be a pain, and expensive.

Day 3 Oct 28th
We went to the Aloha Stadium Swapmeet in the morning. I found a Hawaiian quilt, made in the Philippines (go figure) for about $80, the cheapest I saw anywhere by easily $80. Not the best quality, but I didn't want to pay $1500 for a genuine hand made beauty. I'm using it to cover the tool cabinet that currently resides in my tiki bar, so I was just buying something cheap. The design is a brown Honu pattern, very cool. Similar patterns all over Waikiki for at least double the price. Probably even from the same manufacturer. Other tourist items available, usually cheaper than other souvenir outlets. Admission is 50 cents, increasing to $1 in the next month or two, I think, but no parking charge. Not bad to walk around. The Missus found a couple pairs of boardshorts, too.
After the swapmeet we hit the Aloha Tower marketplace. Lunch at the Don Ho Island Grill. Mai Tais are good, but contain fruit juice. The Kalua pork sandwich is very tasty.
Did a little driving tour later on, up the Pali Highway. Very nice views, and very fun. Dinner was just an open fast food joint in Haleiwa. It was late, and all the good places were closed.

Day 4 Oct 29th
Went diving in the AM with Breeze Hawaii. Very friendly people, even with tourists. Dive boat was suprisingly uncrowded, which was nice. Dives were excellent, with turtles, leaf scorpionfish, whitetip reef shark, schools of moorish idols.
That evening we went and saw Don Ho. He's pretty old, and not looking so hot. Still, he's got tons of aloha spirit. We had him sign our Tiki Farm Don Ho tiki mug. During the show, he sang about 5 songs, and other acts filled in the rest of the time. Drinks were not very good. One of the worst mai tais anywhere. The Hinano tahitian beer is better.

Day 5 Oct 30th
Went snorkeling at Hanuama Bay. Conditions were mildly better than the day before, but it still beat being at work.
Later that day we went to the Dole plantation for a Dole Whip. We'd done the tour on a previous trip, so we skipped that, but when on Oahu, you should at least stop by and pick up a Dole whip. They used to have them in the Honolulu airport, but not anymore. A friend going to the University said that some movie theaters serve Dole whips, too. A Dole whip, for those that don't know, is sort of like a pineapple sorbet dispensed from a frozen yogurt machine. It is not frozen yogurt, and it is not ice cream. At least, I don't think it is. Hawaii and Disneyland are the only places in the world I know of that you can get these things, and they're awesome.
We also stopped by Matsumoto's shaved ice on the north shore. Make sure you get the ice cream in the bottom. Also, purchase one of the plastic orange cups for 25 cents. They work a little better than the paper cone.
That evening we went to House without a Key for drinks. This was probably the best Mai Tai on the island. Made with the traditional recipe, using rum, curacao, orgeat and lime juice. The only one I found. I also tried the tropical itch (served with all the garnish and an 18inch backscratcher!). Awesome! There was also live music and hula dancing. Very nice. A little on the classy side, but we didn't feel underdressed in sandals and jean shorts. No worries. The Halekulani hotel, where the bar is located gets a little fancier at night, and requests resort wear.
Dinner that night was at the Cheeseburger Waikiki. Food was okay, if you want a burger, it's a good place to go. The mai tai is good, but made with fruit juice. Served in a souvenir mug of a tiki holding a cheeseburger. Made by Tiki Farm.

Day 6 Oct 31st
Went to the airport to fly to the Kona Coast of the Big Island. In the airport we stopped for breakfast at Stinger Ray's. The mai tai here was also made using a traditional recipe, almost as good as the mai tai at House without a Key.
After arriving on the Big Island, we stopped by our hotel, the Royal Kona Resort (home of Don the Beachcomber's). Our room wasn't ready yet, so we decided to head down to the Puuhonua O Honaunau (place of refuge). It's about 45 minutes or so south of Kailua town on the kona coast. The site itself is awesome, the temple reconstructions are fantastic, and carved tikis are everywhere. Since the site itself is sacred, no sunbathing is permitted on the beach. We went snorkeling from a little beach just to the north, where the dive site "Two Step" is located. Snorkeling was excellent here. We saw tons of turtles in the shallow water, and schools of fish everywhere. Conditions were very nice compared to Oahu. The island was blocking the swell, so conditions all along the Kona coast were excellent.
That night was dinner at Don the Beachcomber's, but the original Mai Tai contains pineapple juice. The Huli Huli chicken is good, and the Kalua pork quesadilla in the bar is a good appetizer.

Day 7 Nov 1st
We went to Island Lava Java in the morning and had a huge cinnamon roll for breakfast. It's also an internet cafe with two computers, an hour's access it about $4 or so.
We drove down to the volcano park, and made a brief stop at the Punaluu Black Sands beach, very pretty. Not much going on, but there were some people swimming and snorkeling.
At the Volcano park, we stopped and had lunch at a cafe in Volcano town.
Once in the park, I would recommend a stop at the visitor center just to see what's going on that day and chat with a ranger. We drove around the Kilauea caldera and stopped to check out Halemaumau (the reputed home of Pele, the fire goddess). The walk through of the lava tube is also fun. Make sure to bring a flashlight so you can explore the tube after the trail ends.
After doing the drive, we went down the 20 mile chain of craters road to the active lava flows. The weather in the park was cloudy and cold, but was hot and humid down by the coast where the lava pours into the ocean. At the point where the lava blocks the road, you can park and walk across the lava to see the steam plume where the lava hits the water. After parking, the walk to the point closest to the steam plume is about 3.5 to 4 miles. The trail is L-shaped, going about three miles towards the lava flow and then a mile towards the water (give or take). You'll wind up about a mile or so away from the steam plume at this closest point. They don't allow visitors any closer since the steam is poisonous, and contains hydrochloric acid and sulfur and nasty stuff like that. If you choose to go this way, there are reflectors over the first 1/2 mile or so of the the trail to help you find your way over the rough lava. Stay to the left of the trail, as there will be a split about 1/4 mile in. The left fork is the trail that goes closer to the steam plume. At the end of the first 1/2 mile or so of the trail, the reflectors disappear, and there's a big giant orange light that flashes when the sun goes down. At intervals of about 3/4 mile or so (I don't know exactly), there are additional lights on top of poles to help guide you along the way to the point where you can view the steam plume from close up. There are a total of 6 beacons/markers, including the first at the 1/2 mile mark. The Missus and I got to the fourth beacon, but I would say the best view of the steam plume is between the third and fourth beacon. The closer you get, the more the lava blocks your view. This walk is very difficult, over rough terrain. We tried to time it so that our journey out occurred before sunset. We stopped and watched a bit of the lava flow after it got dark and then headed back to the car the way we came. I would guess that we walked out about 2 miles to the 4th beacon. This took us about 2 hours, one way, but we were going slowly and being careful. You should definitely wear tennis shoes. Pants make the trip very hot, but if you fall on lava, getting scraped up wouldn't be much fun either. I would not recommend doing any of this walking in flip flops. Make sure that you plan ahead and leave yourself enough time.
I suppose conditions change a bit, so this information may change over time.
For those that don't feel like hiking 4 miles one way over rough lava terrain, there's a gentler walk that hugs the coastline and gives a pretty good view of the steam plume. This easy walk takes about 20 minutes or so, one way. While walking the part of the trail with reflectors, at the fork about 1/4 mile in, take the right fork. This trail heads down to a point near the water and gives a very good view of the steam plume.
If you're going to be down near the lava flow after dark, you should plan out your dinner strategy. Packing a cooler with water and sandwiches is probably the easiest. The drive back to Kona can take 2.5 hours or more, so you may not get back that way until after closing time for most dining options. If you don't pack dinner, you can always try to eat at the Volcano House, located within the park itself, or you could try going to Hilo and getting food there. The drive out of the park will take you at least 30 minutes though, and Hilo is another 30 miles away, so you're still looking at an hour drive just to get food.
The Missus and I tried packing a cooler, but the sandwiches we purchased had mayonnaise on them, and it looked a little funky after being in the cooler all day. We decided not to take our chances, and went to Hilo for dinner. We left the park around 8pm, and didn't get back to our hotel in Kailua until around 11 or 11:30.

Day 8 Nov 2nd
In the morning we walked around Kailua town, and saw the Ahuena heiau near the Kailua pier. A very cool structure with tikis. The mortuary platform where King Kamehameha's body was prepared for burial is also located nearby. In the afternoon, we went to Honokohau Harbor and caught our dive boat for the Manta Ray night dive. Awesome! We only had one manta show up that night, but it was quite possibly the coolest thing underwater. If you're not a certified diver, you can always snorkel at the surface. The mantas frequently come up very close to the surface, so snorkeling is still very cool.
After the dive, we stopped and got a pizza from a local Dominos. Not great, and not tiki, but the Don the Beachcomber's in our hotel had already shut down for the night.

Day 9 Nov 3rd
In the morning we took a tour of Greenwell Farms, one of the coffee farms on the Kona Coast. We also went snorkeling at Kahaluu beach park, a very nice place with tons more turtles, and a very friendly spotted pufferfish.
That evening was dinner at the Kona Brewing Co. Very good beer, if you like microbrews.

Day 10 Nov 4th
We went kayaking at Kealakekua bay. The kayak was a double, cost about $65 for the day. Since the earthquake, all foot-trail access to the Capt. Cook monument at the north part of the bay has been closed off. The only way to get there is to kayak, and it's well worth it. In addition to the monument, the snorkeling here is some of the best I've seen. The reef is in pristine condition, and has a very nice gentle slope down to about 100 feet. The visibility was in the 80 foot range the day we were there.
That night we went over the Kanaka Kava bar in the Coconut Grove marketplace. Kava is some funky stuff. Has a very earthy (read:dirt) flavor, and gives an alcohol-type buzz but without the alcohol. Dinner at Lulu's in the same place, some tikis around the restaurant. The place turns into a live music club later in the evening. They serve Kona Brewing Co. beers. Didn't try the mixed drinks.

Day 11 Nov 5th
We did the day-time circle drive around the island. We went north to the Mauna Lani resort area to the Puako Petroglyph preserve. Tons of petroglyphs in a very small concentrated area. The walk is pretty easy, but there are some tree roots and that kind of thing sticking out of the ground. The reddish dirt will stain flip flops so shoes are a good idea. Almost all the petroglyphs (they claim to have a couple thousand) are people shaped. There's another petroglyph preserve in Waikoloa near the Kings shops complex, but we didn't go to that one.
We then went north into Waimea, and stopped for a late breakfast and an early plate lunch. There's an L and L on highway 19 in a shopping center with a grocery store (or it might have been a Long's Drugs, can't remember).
North of Waimea, we took a detour to Honoka'a, a little west towards the Waipio valley. The Honoka'a trading company has some excellent antiques, vintage aloha wear, etc. One of the other posts mentioned this place too. Definitely worth a stop. The lady who runs the shop is very nice and says she was a hula dancer at the international marketplace. She's usually closed on Sunday, but she happened to be there when we drove by and was willing to open up for us.
Continuing clockwise around the island we drove through Hilo, but most of the places we were interested in were closed on Sunday. The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory just south of town has a self guided tour through the factory, but operations weren't going when we were there Sunday afternoon.
After Mauna Loa, it was back to the Volcano Park for a nice dinner at the Volcano House. Drinks are reasonably good, but the mai tai has fruit juice. Dinner is good, and the restaurant is nice. The restaurant is fronted with windows for views of the volcano, but it was very voggy the night we were there. There's a sitting lounge between the lobby and the dining room with a nice sized tiki next to one of the sitting chairs.

Day 12 Nov 6th
On our way to the airport we stopped at the Kona Coffee and Tea Company, in a shopping center with a Chevron Gas Station just north of Kailua town. The reason for the stop was the infamous Mac Pie. If you've never had one, you've gotta try one. Small 6" pies are about $10 and they'll ship anywhere in the world. My brother brought some back from his trip last year, and they're definitely worth getting a few and bringing back for friends and family.

If you're interested in any of the places I've mentioned, send me a PM and I'll provide you with as much info as I can dig up (i.e. phone number, address, web site).

TikiJosh, thanks for the travelogue. Brought back many memories of many places I've been, and many that I need to hit!

I haven't read the whole post, so if I'm doubling up on something (likely the case), my apologies...
Waikiki: Hawaiiana Hotel; great Tikis on the grounds. Thor Stor on Kalakaua just next to the entrance to the Hawaiian Marketplace. Da Big Kahuna for food & a Big Kahuna Tiki mug
Kauai: Puka dog at the Poipu Shopping Center (stop by the visitors desk first to get a discount coupon). There's an AWESOME restaurant in Kapa'a with nightly entertainment. It's in town, behind a vintage/repro store... any help here Kauai locals or oft travellers?
Big Island: Don the Beachcombers at the Royal Kona. Honaunau down by Captain Cooks.
Maui: DTB at the Royal Lahaina

There are more that I noted in the first coupla posts (all I read).

MakeDaMug:

I'd add the following:

Maui: Tiki Terrace @ Ka'anapali Beach Hotel

Waikiki: Tiki's @ ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel

NorthShore Oahu: Polynesian Cultural Center

Kauai: Tidepools @ Kauai Hyatt at Poipu Beach (the Library also affords excellent views of tiki torches over the Pacific)

Big Island: Place of Refuge & Don the Beachcomber

[i]On 2006-11-09 13:56, TikiJosh wrote:[

At the Volcano park, . . . . we went down the 20 mile chain of craters road to the active lava flows. The weather in the park was cloudy and cold, but was hot and humid down by the coast where the lava pours into the ocean. At the point where the lava blocks the road, you can park and walk across the lava to see the steam plume where the lava hits the water.. . ."

I recommend visiting this area right before Sunset. Witness a spectacular sunset and then the bright orange color of the molten lava becomes visible through the steam.
Somewhat like this (although the photo is a closeup):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usbrits/5547847

On 2007-01-06 01:56, christiki295 wrote:

[i]On 2006-11-09 13:56, TikiJosh wrote:[

At the Volcano park, . . . . we went down the 20 mile chain of craters road to the active lava flows. The weather in the park was cloudy and cold, but was hot and humid down by the coast where the lava pours into the ocean. At the point where the lava blocks the road, you can park and walk across the lava to see the steam plume where the lava hits the water.. . ."

I recommend visiting this area right before Sunset. Witness a spectacular sunset and then the bright orange color of the molten lava becomes visible through the steam.
Somewhat like this (although the photo is a closeup):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usbrits/5547847

I got a few pictures of the same thing. We were there right around which was pretty cool, although none of my pictures turned out as good as the one you posted. I've got one that's close, but the clouds in that one make a big difference!

My husband grew up in Kailua-Kona, and we're lucky to be able to spend time in Hawaii almost every year. A few years ago when we were back in Kona for a visit and were driving all over the island to replace my husband's local t-shirt collection, he came up with the idea to start a business that sells all his favorite t-shirts from all the local spots he loves to visit. Slowly it morphed into a way to spread the word about all of these cool local establishments. Fast forward a few years, and we now have a t-shirt shop in the Kona Inn Shopping Village.

I wanted to mention it here because so many of the places with t-shirts on our shop walls are places that I'm sure all of you here would love to check out. Not a day goes by that we don't have people come into the store and say, "I've been there and there, and oh, we've got to check out that place too." One of our Seattle friends just went to Kona on vacation with his family and ended up touring the island by visiting all of our 'Desteenations' (that's the name of our business).

Even if you don't buy a t-shirt, it's just a fun place to learn about some of the Big Island's cool, local places. You can check out our Hawaiian t-shirt collection on our website—just click on a shirt to see pictures and learn more about the place, and just so you know, each business gets a percentage of every t-shirt we sell. We're adding new places every week.

Also rest assured, as much as posting this here is about getting the word out about our t-shirt store, it's also a way to remind people to support local places when you're on the islands. As so many of the other posters on this thread have mentioned, when you're in Hawaii, you don't need to go to McDonald's or Walmart. There are so many local establishments that need your business, and visiting them will only make your trip richer and more fun.

Aloha and mahalo!

I love hawaii, I don't think there is a more relaxing place in the islands than Kuaia.

This is a very good business trick. Oh! you can enjoy your place too. Most of the people would not get such a business situation again. Keep it moving with your business and love.

====================
peter
Hawaii Treatment Centers

i read thru the whole post and finally finished.... 2.5 hours later... enjoyed every post, but was mostly interested in the Oahu ones. we have family and friends that reside there, so we enjoy going there the most. hopefully, with the superferry available now, we'll be able to check out maui for a day.

it was entertaining to see the changes that had occured in oahu during the threads. for instance, the aston hotels are now resortquest hotels and the dole plantation is now closed. i hope we will be able to see some of the new spots that you all mentioned, which we've never been too, this fall.

my husband totally loves oahu and hopes to retire there one day. his 40th birthday is around the corner and i am surprising him with a 6 day trip to oahu, and leaving the kids behind. our last trip together was taken in 2004, in oahu, to attend a weddng. we only stayed for 4 days. now the same group of friends (5 other couples) are also joining in on the surprise and booked for oahu with us. my husband will be so surprised! lol

anyhow, i have printed out some places that i have not yet checked out, but heard about; such as, puka dog and side street cafe. i'm surprised that one of my favorite spots was not mentioned in this thread, which is ted's bakery in the north shore. they have the best chocolate mac nut pies and haupia pies ever! they also have a mean crab sandwich to die for! when i get a chance, i buy a few pies and hand carry them back with me to the mainland... but not to share with friends, but indulge for myself. lol

so we'll be in oahu mid sept and i'm looking forward to checking out all the neat places to eat. can't wait and thanks for the tips!

I'm pretty sure Dole Plantation outside of Wahiawa is not closed - maybe you're thinking about the cannery.

Also FYI - Ted's Pies can be found in most Times Supermarkets on Oahu, so you don't have to drive all the way to the North Shore if you have a chocolate haupia craving in town.

**Yea, if anyone has the latest "up dated" tips of places to see and things to do that would be awesome!

Mrs. Mojo and I are going to be in Oahu from Sept 9th - 23rd on our much belated Honeymoon!

I'm excited about the new super ferry and hope we get the chance to hit one extra island while we're there!

We're really into the whole TIKI SEARCH thing! Places with carved Tiki to photograph or actual island carvers!

Our last visit to Oahu 2 years ago we could only stay 2 days, never got near the water, did Pearl Harbor to pay our respects since my Great Uncle was Captain of the USS West Virginia and died there http://www.homeofheroes.com/pearlharbor/pearl_4fire.html ), then we drove waaaaayy out on the West side to find some local carved Tiki that are still our most treasured!

Feel free to email me directly since I don't know how much time I'll have to keep checking back here!

Mahalo**

Real carved tikis are fairly hard to come by on Oahu - some suggestions:

• Polynesian Cultural Center (although I think many of these are sculpted rather than carved). Also check out the tikis in front of the Laie Inn.
• Bishop Museum (of course), the real-kine thing, but there are less tiki on exhibit than you would expect
• La Mariana Sailing Club for the amazing accumulation of Poly-Pop tikis and tiki poles
• The Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki, but many of the tikis are so old, eroded and shellaced that they are somewhat dissappointing
• Tikis Bar and Grill for some fun new tikis and a ton of Shag prints in the back room

Your mention of driving all the way out to the west side was probably a visit to the heiau in Makaha - I've never been out there, but I think there are some repro tikis in the authentic style.

Consider a visit to some of the other old Hawaiian sites - they are mostly piles of rock and/or rock walls, but it is quite amazing to think of all the labor that went into transporting those rocks. And if the weather is right (windy/rainy), and you're alone, they can be quite spooky. Maybe it's the mana.

Heiau: Pupukea on the North Shore, above Waimea Valley; Upo Heiau in Kailua, behind the YMCA; heiau at the end of Aiea Heights Road; Kukaniloko Birthing Stones outside of Wahiawa.

Superferry is about 5 hours each way - 2 hours for car inspection/loading and 3 hours transit. About $70 for your car and $60 for each person.

Have an excellent time.

Da Big Island of Hawaii: Recs, Nov. 2009

Capt’n Skully and I just spent Thanksgiving week on the Big Island and I wanted to give updates as to what’s still there/good/worth it/etc. And since we basically planned our trip from recs here, I thought it only fair to give back :)

AIRLINES:
Flights were a b*tch. November has got to be about the worst time to fly, price-wise. But the trip was worth it. We went via US Air. No real complaints, save the “Mai Tai.” I was thinking they were serving Trader Vic’s ones, and a stewardess said they stopped 2 years ago. The “Mai Tai” they do serve: Stirrings Mai Tai Mix & a travel bottle of Bacardi Silver... for only $8! YUM!! It contained orange, pineapple, cranberry and I think lemon juice. “And other flavorings.” We passed (after sniffing our seatmate’s).

LODGING:
** First 3 nights at the Royal Kona Resort (3rd night free with two). Not cheap, but not crazy. And beautiful. Gorgeous inside and out. And right in the heart of the beachside Kailua-Kona “stuff.” AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, with Don the Beachcomber’s and Don’s Mai Tai Bar in the lobby and at the ocean. Some of the Mai Tai’s were cheap (Happy Hour) and some were fine. Not Don’s, not Trader Vic’s, but fine. (And we had TV’s brand mix up in our room, so acceptable Mai Tai’s were consumed on the premises... Ssshhh...)

We bought the Squid and Crazy Al mug at Hilo Hattie's; Don's was not using them. Hell, they weren't even using Don's barrels. Nor were they selling them. Grrr. (My only complaint.)
Check out the photos of Don’s:
http://www.hawaiihotels.com/Main/Sub.cfm?Id=200&Ref=HHR

** Last 5 days at a rental condo. BEST DEAL ON THE ISLAND. We found it through VRBO:
http://www.vrbo.com
Approximately 4 miles south of the heart of Kona, Kona Magic Sands was our spot, next door to Magic Sands Beach and on the other side, a green park where local [non-Haole] girls learned hula on Sat AM’s. $75 a night ($100 deposit, plus $100 cleaning fee, which was included in the price). Seriously. Everything provided: full kitchen (including coffee grinder for the of-course 100% Kona coffee), wireless/free internet, AC (which we never turned on), beach towels, snorkel gear, and even binoculars (which we unfortunately did not discover until after our volcano excursion - Agh!). But the view: worth 10X the cost. We were 30’ from the water, had palm trees out the window, fish in the waves, and rocky promontories on one side. Even had a Condo Nazi who left little notes on the car, informing us of rules we were breaking (never intrusive and always entertaining). PM me if you want our spot.

Comparison:
We loved both places and were glad that we did both.
AND we regretted not being able to stay at Tiki Dug’s spot (already booked). It too seemed perfect, despite not being on the water. http://tikiislandhawaii.com/

A.) The Royal Kona was great for just lazing around, getting happy at Happy Hour

(with TC’ers and now-locals Brad TikiShark, Thomas from Bamboo Too, Bryce & Lisa, and their friends Jeff & Cindy, who were enjoying their first night on the island with us as well, having just moved there). The silver haired vibes player is still there! Sunday nights. We watched the sun set at Don’s as we heard him play “Quiet Village.” I was pinching myself. Royal Kona also has convenient and delicious dinner at Don’s, walking to the shopping spots, and just relaxing – something I never do on vacation. Just couldn’t afford to stay there the whole time, and we both really wanted to cook.

B.) The rental was good for using as a home base, and when we stayed at the Volcano House another night, we didn’t feel horrible “throwing away” a night at the condo. View from our window. Queen sized bed behind the camera (we had more than a futon):

(Fresh mahi mahi, prepared on the poolside grill at the condo, and fruits/vegetables from the market were as good as we’d dreamed.)

ACTIVITIES:
Snorkeling/Diving with the Mantas at Night
Brad TikiShark and Laney were SO RIGHT; it’s perhaps the most amazing thing I’ve ever done. Top three at least. DO IT. DO NOT MISS IT. Brad’s rec of Jack’s Diving Locker http://www.jacksdivinglocker.com/ was dead-on. It’s a 2:45 – 9:30 affair, which was surprising. Lots of waiting around and wetsuit-fitting eats up the time, but you get an afternoon dive and a night one, plus a small dinner (sandwich and chips). We both snorkeled and loved it; there were 2 males and 4 females our night, including a 16 footer. And we both want to get dive certified and do it underwater (and see the eels!) next time.
Not our footage:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evMUdYoWaDU
Yes, I’d spend $95 (for snorkeling/$150 for diving) and 6-7 hours to dive for one hour with manta rays a second time. It really was that cool. And it is NOT SCARY, those of you who think the night thing or claustrophobia would get you. It's so well lit (and filled with divers) that you just can't be scared, even if you're floating on top of the water snorkeling.
It was rather chilly when you get out of the water (in November). Bring enough clothes/towels to keep warm.
NOTE: If you get seasick, be prepared. Thankfully, we had Dramamine. Wish the lady doing a fabulous Tretchikoff imitation on our boat had taken it...

Volcano
We didn’t give ourselves enough time to do the hike out across the caldera, but instead drove down to the bottom, SE end of the Volcano National Park to hike out to the water’s edge and watch the lava hit the ocean – at dusk. Pure magic.


View from a boat (which we did not do), from the Tourist Board:
http://www.gohawaii.com/perfect/?cid=10Brand_020#/Lava
All the recs on this thread about what to wear/bring/arrange are still true (flashlight, jeans, water, dinner for later, etc.). Maps and instructions for where is the best current viewing are everywhere, such as at the park info center across the street from the Volcano House.

We spent the night at The Volcano House, a great old hotel. Imperfect, but you CANNOT beat the location!
http://www.volcanohousehotel.com/accomodation.htm
It’s inside the park, so $10 park entrance to enter the grounds. Great old main building with an outstanding view of the smoking caldera...which glows at night. We had a cheaper [rather crappy] room (cheapest are $100 and $130), so I can’t say if a volcano view was worth the extra $ (up to $250). Perhaps. We certainly gawked like tourists when we finally saw it by day the next morning over our kickASS buffet breakfast. (With bacon 2 ways: flimsy and extra crispy!)

NOTE: In winter, the park/hotel was much colder than the viewing spot down by the ocean. Don’t be tempted to buy an expensive (but great looking) Volcano House sweatshirt to stay warm, unless you’ll be in the higher elevations. But do get a $2.50 rain poncho from the same gift shop if it looks like rain – and it’s always dizzling, from what we heard. (Drizzled on us.)
FURTHER NOTE: Their website reads that they are closing for renovations on Jan. 1, 2010. No idea when they re-open. Hopefully they’ll clean the grout in our shower....

Drive Around the Island (we did counterclockwise)
Go ahead and rent the convertible; you know you want to. We found an ok price on Travelocity or Expedia, then called the company itself. They knocked $100 off the week.
Once again, didn’t give ourselves enough time to do all the things we wanted to (like stop for waterfalls on the southern drive from Kona to Hilo), but we enjoyed what we did.
**Stopped at the Ka’u(?) Trading Co. before reaching Hilo. Skully bought a nice tiki from local carver Cisco.
**Saw Hilo on Thanksgiving Day. Everything closed, so can’t give any report.
**Kolekole State Park (10 min N of Hilo). Rock beach, river runs into it. Fun watching the surfers. Too effing cold in November to swim, but we experienced true Aloha there; when we asked for a knife to cut our boulder-sized avocado from the Kona market, we were given plates of turkey dinner and pressed to stay and hang with the providers. (You can take the avocado seeds home to the Mainland to grow your own. Not illegal.)

Notice little surfers in the water.

**Akaka Falls. Almost a cliché, it was so beautiful. Postcard perfect. Walk the full circle. Bathrooms located in the parking area. Shopping alert: little shops at the turn to go there, open on Thanksgiving Day! ha! And yes, they suckered me in bigtime. I bought a ridiculously expensive sarong ($45) from another original hippie-turned-island-girl’s shop, and it’s the most beautiful thing I bought on the trip. Wore it night and day ‘til the plane home. (Another local artist product. We fell for that line every time, I swear! But we really wanted to support the local economy. The public school system is in shambles – NO money.)
Tourist Board footage:
http://www.gohawaii.com/perfect/?cid=10Brand_020#/AkakaFalls
Skully's photo:

**Waipiu Canyon. Didn’t get to do the trading co./antique store in the town mentioned earlier here on this thread, but it’s still there and it looked great. Rats. Hit the canyon rim in the afternoon and hiked down...in the drizzle. Wore my ass out. And that was going down. Started too late back up, so by the time we were halfway back up the mile-long, 4-wheel-drive-only road, it was dark. But my muscles did not die the next day, and the black sand beach and Bali Hai beauty made it worth the effort.

But next time, I AM GETTING A RIDE, DAMNIT.
Would love to have seen Pololu Canyon too, recommended here as well.

Luau
We skipped this. We watched the one at the Royal Kona from our balcony and they ain’t got nuthin’ the Mai Kai ain’t got. The one at the King Kamehameha supposedly has The King ride up right to the beach on an outrigger, which sounded like cheesy fun. But these were both running $85-ish, with maybe one shitty drink included. I’m waiting ‘til I go to Kauai and do the one there rec’d by a friend. In the meantime, I’ll gaze at Motor Booty at the Mai Kai and order another Jet Pilot.

Snorkeling at Honokohau Nat’l Historic Park
(Just north of K-K). Didn’t make Mauna Kea Resort and its killer beach (dadgummit), but we loved this spot. It’s actually at the marina where Jack’s Manta Dive takes off from, just north of town. And FI-nally saw honu (turtles) here! Nice sand, few people.

St. Benedict’s (“The Painted Church”)

and
Puuhonua O Honaunau (“Place of Refuge”) National Historical Park.

Both about 30 minutes south of town, at Captain Hook. The former is a precious little jewel, with great tromp l’oiel painting. The latter, we saw at sunset (there aren’t enough sunsets on a trip to Hawaii!!) and it was phenomenal. Took a bajillion shots and wanted to take more. TC-ers canNOT miss this.
(Couldn’t find the purported tiki shop near the church, but I think we weren’t in the right area to look.)

SHOPPING
** Bamboo Too to at least drool, get build-out ideas, and meet the wonderful TC-er (and Gecko-recommended) Thomas, aka Alii Tiki (and co-worker Autumn). Located across/down the street from 2 great thrift stores (I scored a dress and 2 shirts) and from the Kona International Marketplace. One light north of “town.”

** Zan’s stall in the above-mentioned Marketplace. Classic original hippie, super-sweet and friendly, and she carries Gecko’s and other locals’ work, and Tiki Farm mugs. And she’ll tell you which things are imported vs. island-made. Skully and I both picked up the ubiquitous fishing hooks EVERYONE wears; we were constantly complimented by dealers who noticed how nice ours were. She’ll also try to sell you her Ka’u coffee (“Better than Kona!”). A bit more expensive...and IMO, it is a little bit better than the Kona we also bought (and brought back tons of).

** Rec’d brand of Kona coffee, according to Lisa and Bryce: Kona Black Label Coffee and No KA ‘OI. Grab whichever is on sale at the grocery store. Still ain’t cheap, BTW. Zan’s Ka’u stuff rocks, too. I’m happy every morning now :)

** Antiques dealer Dan Brown (ha!) in the same Marketplace. Coooool old Hawaiian stuff, though mostly overpriced, but we got some nice things from him. He’s a carver, and Skully bought a couple of scrap chunks of beautifully grained native woods at a huge discount.

** Wed-Sun Market in town. Fruits, cheaper fishhook necklaces, flower clips for the hair (like I didn’t already have enough from the Mai Kai!! HA!!), and interesting artisan stuff. Do all of your small souvenir gift shopping here or the smaller one a little further south. Don’t forget to bargain. Note: the guys who made tikis and sold tapa are no longer there - making rock walls instead, damnit. Loads of Indonesian fake tiki crap.

** Don’t kill me: Wal-Mart. Yes, we went in there – breaking our boycott - for a camera card...and because we’d heard they had loads of cheap, tropical fabric – the kind you Californians take sooo for granted. Got 9 yards of DREAM stuff for $3.50 a yard. HELLO, FASHION TRAMP! (and new curtains, etc.). But the clincher: whole sets of pre-made slipcovers, in good, ‘50’s-looking barkcloth tropical prints for your rattan furniture!! $166 for a fiver (3-seater couch plus two more chairs, so 10 cushions) or $36 for a single chair (two cushions). Two different makers, who sell only to WalMart - and only on the islands!! Bastards! I bought - gulp - TWO complete sets. 7 lbs per set. Yep, 14 more pounds for the bags. I have a lot of rattan...

** Sack N Save, the grocery store in Kopiko Plaza, which also has Hilo Hattie’s, Kona Mix Plate ((808) 329-8104), Long’s Drugstore (north end of town, on the street that runs between Queen K Highway and Ali’i Drive). Got all our booze and mixers (like Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Mix) at the Long’s and Sack N Save (and cheap limes at the market). Great poke in the back, as well as the mahi mahi we grilled. Loved the Mix Plate rec, too; we were the only Haoles in the joint, and the food rocked.
Note: Orgeat, orange curacao, and simple sugar were available at Long’s, S n S, and The Wine Market in the shopping center next to Kona International Market, but we took the easy route.

** Island Lava Java (in the middle of all the Ali’i Drive shopping) has free internet for your laptop, in addition to the desktops you can rent by the 20 minute module.

** Kava. We tried it at Kanaka Kava in the Coconut Grove shopping center (which has or is next to all the shopping plus Jack’s Diving Locker HQ). Trip advisor said it was run by “dirty hippies”. Um...I can see why some would say that. But super nice folks (and a tiki I covet on the bar).

The kava – well – maybe I’m just not into water that tastes like dirt. And we did it on the recommended empty stomach. 2 big cups a piece at $5 a cup. No buzz for me. Nuthin’. Just dirt-water sloshing around in my stomach. Skully had a short-lasting buzz, and it was fun to try, at least. Check that off my list of “Things To Do/Try in Hawaii”...

I gotta go back! I can’t compare with the other islands, since this was my only time ever there, but I can say a big thank you to those who said if you only do one, do The Big Island. A mix of olde/touristy/natural/tiki/busy/isolated. Just perfect.

[ Edited by: Formikahini 2010-02-07 07:56 ]

Thanks for bringing this thread up to date. Mrs. Bungalow will be celebrating our 30th on the Big Island this spring and are really looking forward to it.

I suggest that you cover up your rental car bar code with a "got aloha" sticker from Longs. Otherwise.....

Very happy to find these travel tips here! Trevor and I will be visiting Hawaii FEB 13-20 this year, and I have been looking for suggestions.
Any Tiki Central folks local to Oahu or Hawaii interested in meeting up at La Maraiana or Don Beachcombers while we are there? We are doing the first five days at Oahu and the other two at Hawaii.

On 2009-12-25 13:38, MickyTiki wrote:
I suggest that you cover up your rental car bar code with a "got aloha" sticker from Longs. Otherwise.....

...otherwise you're attractive to thieves?

Yes, do not leave anything of value in your car.

Now with the said, in kalihi (off Nimitz near the airport) there's a market called Alicia's Market and it has the most onolicious Poke' dat da break you mouth no, I'm serious. I also get the Char siu plate with mac salad and rice w/ kimchee. Crazy good

The Waikiki experience Tiki's is fun. Waiola shave ice is tasty, Rainbows Drive in is greasy good, Want a 5 Star meal Hy's steak house on Kuhio is fantastic. Genki Sushi will break your wallet but has tasty sushi.

St.Louis Drive is fantastic it's in Kaimuki. That's if you want the Plate Lunch grindz..oops can't forget about L&L burger get the HAL special (it comes with Terri beef.)

This is all on Oahu of course. I also highly suggest La Mariana for the experience.
Whatever you do here try to keep it local and your stay will be much more exciting.

Many Mahalos

Mickytiki,
I think the Big Island may be a little less "citified" than Oahu; we had no (nor heard of any) problems, but then again, with a convertible, we kept nothing of merit within top-slitting reach! I'm a City Girl. It's a reflex.

That was actually part of our having a base camp with the condo; we never wanted to leave anything of value in the car. And the trunks of convertibles are teensy (to leave room for the folded top), so out of necessity, we brought our bags in immediately, no matter where we were moving to.

So I'd say that especially on Oahu, if you can't cover your rental tag with a sticker and you're out doing a lot of shopping, do be smart and keep it out of sight - especially with a convertible!

Very smart advice Formica .

Assuming you are going to Oahu, because that island attracts more visitors, and using it as an example. The Honolulu area has dozens of museums, cultural and historic sites and activities that do not require any physical strains. Then there are places like Pearl Harbor and Polynesian Cultural Centers outside of Honolulu that you can easily spend an entire day enjoying various activities offered by these attractions.

Exactly, Hughes.

My plan for my next trip to Hawaii will be two days on Oahu (to see La Mariana, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbour, etc, and visit Gecko), then spend the rest of the week on Kauai.

I'm very happy with having done the Big Island for my first trip, since it was a mix of touristy and lush/wild, but it was hard at first to choose between it and Oahu (for 2 tiki lovers). But we got a LOT of tiki in that week.

But I'm dying to see all the above attractions on Oahu, too. Then, it seems like another 5 days in Kauai (or Maui) would be the fix of lush/tropical that I crave too, since Oahu (or at least Honolulu) ain't known for the wild jungle stuff. And since fewer flights go directly to Kauai (or Maui), one would need to go to/through Honolulu anyway, so why not stay a few days? (Flights were direct to Kona on the Big Island, however.)

These are called Mini Coupes and are a great way to get around Waikiki, to go by Baileys get a Hawaiian shirt, stop at Leonards and get some malasadas, swing by Ono Hawaiian and get some lau lau and poi. Cant go on the highway with these but you can go over to Kailua and cruise around town exploring. Easy to park! They rent em at the Hawaiian Monarch. Shoots i think the phone # is on the picture (808) area code.

Hey, it looks like the Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki closed due to bankruptcy?
Is that true?!?!?!

On 2010-02-19 09:02, surfintiki wrote:
Hey, it looks like the Hawaiiana Hotel in Waikiki closed due to bankruptcy?
Is that true?!?!?!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26469&forum=1&start=15

Grim. Thanks for posting though.

Do yourself a favor and if you are visiting Oahu find out where Taimane is performing (i recommend the Hyatts Elegant Dive bar at sunset with $5 mai tais from 5-6) and witness ukulele being played in a mind blowing performance. Thank me later! http://taimane.com/

[ Edited by: Mongoloid 2010-02-28 10:22 ]

Luckily, no problems with thieves! The only loss suffered was two pair of earrings I was bringing home for souvenirs that somehow managed to fall out of the suitcase or something...who knows. Such is life! Hawaii was amazing! Baileys for shirts was an overwhelming experience. I had no idea what rack to start on or move to next! Came home with 3 short sleeve shirts, one long sleeve, and a jacket! Be prepared for a hike if you walk to it, though...it was a long way from Hilton Hawaiian Village! Oddly enough, locals kept asking where we got our vintage aloha shirts. They said they can never find them there, which explains why we had no luck at the thrift stores. LaMariana is a dream....completely delightful, charming, and eclectic with amazing food.
Over on the Big Island, Honaunau Place of Refuge was really a sight to see. We were lucky enough that a monk seal came on shore there to sun himself while we were there. He was one of the highlights of the trip. We had paid for the cheapest room at Royal Kona, but they ended up putting us in an ocean front room that was just incredible! The sunsets...oh man....and the waves pounding the shore all night to lull you to sleep. And from our balcony, we could see Don Beachcombers. Watched them light the torches both nights we were there, then had dinner down there. The food was excellent.
One of the things that stands out to me the most was that it smelled so good everywhere we went. There was a continuous breeze, and there was always the smell of flowers, fruit, or just fresh air. The temps could not have been more perfect. It's also a bird watcher or gardener's dream vacation. I could not believe all the philodendrons and gingers and all growing so huge, then all the different kinds of birds. It really is like another country. Can't wait to go back!

Nah you never have problems with thieves in Hawaii, there is no such thing as stealing, they just call it small kine Hawaiian borrowing!

Aah, SouthBamaTiki,
You're bringing me back!
Just like that!
I just took a mini-Hawaiian vacation, just by reading your post. :)

(And I was actually at the Mai Kai Saturday night, and still I'm jealous of you!)
So so happy that it was all perfect for you!

Our trip to the Big Island is coming up at the end of April. (Gonna have SOME fun!) So, for those of you who've been there lately, can you give me some more Mai Tai advice? Do any of the bars have one worth paying for? If not, what's a guy to drink?

Is alcohol sold in grocery stores or liquor stores? Should I just bring rum and mixes from home, carefully wrapped?

Bongo Bungalow said, "Our trip to the Big Island is coming up at the end of April. (Gonna have SOME fun!) So, for those of you who've been there lately, can you give me some more Mai Tai advice?"

The Happy Hour ones at Don the Beachcomber are acceptable, both in content and price. If you can get Thomas (Ali'i Tiki) from Bamboo Too to join you (which takes very little arm twisting!), he can also point out all on the menu worth getting or avoiding.

"Is alcohol sold in grocery stores or liquor stores?"

Yes!
My big "report" post on p.8 mentions Long Drugs and I think the Save-On(?) grocery store, both in the same big shopping center at the beginning of Kailua Kona as places where we bought booze and mixers. We went ahead and ended up getting Trader Vic's Mai Tai mix and a couple of bottles of rum (dark and light), plus limes, and we were perfectly happy. You can get tiki mugs from the Hilo Hattie's at the same center, or get some Tiki Farm ones from Zan's stall in the [international?] marketplace closer to the airport (also in my post). A liquor store across the street from the big marketplace also has everything. That is, you can go the whole orgeat/Curacao/rock candy syrup route too, available at the drugstore, grocery store, and liquor store.

It's a boozer's paradise!! :lol:

"Should I just bring rum and mixes from home, carefully wrapped?"

Nope! Get it all, and leave the undrunk behind for someone worthy :wink:

Thanks for filling in the details Formikaini! Formikahini!

[ Edited by: Bongo Bungalow 2010-03-02 17:35 ]

"If you can get Thomas (Ali'i Tiki) from Bamboo Too to join you (which takes very little arm twisting!)"

Hey!!!
I may have very little arms but there's no need for twisting them just to have a drink !!!
I'll gladly do that on any day that ends with a Y.
Always up for meeting more of the mainland Tiki crew.
Aloha Y'all

NO!
I meant, you only have to have very tiny little arms in order to twist your huge, brawny, masculine arm!

No, -wait.
Never mind.
(Thanks again for having shown us such delightful island hospitality. You're a good ambassador indeed :) )
F

Just got back from Oahu and all the suggestions were great. One disappointing thing was the bartender at la marina saling club. We stopped of for a quick drink after the Swap meet and when we got their there was a sign on the door that stated they would be close at 2:30pm so it was 2:10pm and a couple walked in right in front of me and my wife so we went to the bar and after the bartender served the couple that was in front of us he looked at us and we said can we get a quick drink came all the way from Michigan to see this place and he said no !!!! By this time it was say 2:20pm and there where about 9 customers sitting at a couple tables and the couple that was in front of we were sitting at the bar. I was dumfounded. Instead of arguing we just left shaking are head. Great Polynesian hospitality I guess. Besides that from what I saw of the bar it looked very cool.

Headed to the Big Island two weeks from today! Wahoo!

Surfintiki going surfing/tiki hunting south and north shore Oahu! Woot Woot! Now til April 26th! Love to hear from some TC'ers!

Back from the Big Island and boy did we have fun! Thanks to all for the information, suggestions and Ali'i Tiki for taking the time to meet... at Don the Beachcombers... for a Mai Tai and what was that other drink called we had? I was getting fuzzy, but it tasted just fine!

I'll post a few pictures when I can.

Still haven't got to the pictures, but for anyone going to the Big Island, my recommendations include;

1. Both the Volcano National Park and the lava show at The End of the Road, (at sunset).
2. Don the Beachcombers, Huggo's and Fish Hopper.
3. Kayaking and snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay.
4. Horseback riding in Waipio Valley.
5. Renting a car and getting into funky shops and restaurants.
6. For the good ukuleles to purchase- Just Ukes; for the best ukuleles- the back of the little furniture store behind the Shell station in Hilo.

Akaka Falls. Nice little paved walk.

Don the Beachcombers.

Thurston Lava Tube.

Kilauea Volcano.

Me at Kealakeua Bay where Captain Cook died and the snorkeling is excellent.

The Place of Refuge.

some off the beaten track Big Island ideas -

This island is full of hidden spots. For example. just north of Hilo are several beach parks. They are marked on the highway, and you pull off and down winding little roads, and park. There are waterfalls into the ocean, fishing spots, high beautiful surf. You will feel like an explorer making discoveries when you visit these out of the way spots.

Kona is much visited and well known. Hilo not so much. In a strip mall of all places, there is Hilo Bay Cafe. You may think to pass on this place because how much atmosphere could it have... the menu is great, and the drinks superb. This restaurant and Cafe Pesto on the Bay front are two favorites. Advantage of the Bay Front is of course the view.

If you are trying to conserve funds while vacationing here, stay someplace with a kitchen and do some of your own food prep. Otherwise, be prepared to spend about $100 or more a day per couple to eat fairly modestly. Go food shopping at Farmer's markets to get good buys.

Lots of people who come to the Big Island expect and hope to see lava. The flowing kind. Lava tends to creep along in a somewhat sluggish and uninteresting way. Except for when it is dribbling in falls into the ocean. It's pricey but a lavaboat is a good way to go if this is what you came for. Also, check at the park to see whether the flow at night is visible from Kalapana. If so, worth the drive at the end of the day. Get there before twilight and watch the light show. Jaggar Museum in the park is where to drive to also at dusk to see the glow at Halemaumau. This information is current as of June 2010. Changes are frequent, so check what Pele is up to just before you come.

The real sense of Hawaii comes alive in the small towns. World class slack key happens all over the place in places like Hawi, north of North Kohala.

As for tiki, there is Don the Beachcomber. And we are trying to bring tiki culture to Volcano. To see that, our website is on my profile. I hope! Below is the moongate to our treehouse at the volcano.

Aloha!