rob@genrad.UUCP (Rob Wood) (03/22/84)
I am planning a trip to Hawaii in April. Do you have any suggestions for me? It will be my first time. Rob Wood (decvax!genrad!rob)
rob@genrad.UUCP (Rob Wood) (04/04/84)
I posted my request two weeks ago, and the replies have stopped coming in. After my signature is an edited copy of the replies, taking out names. I have decided to go, getting an excursion fare of $550 round trip from Boston. It was too late for some of the travel agencies charters. I will spend 4 days in Maui at Kihei Beach, 2 days in Hawaii at Hilo, and 2 days in Oahu at Waikiki. I will stop for 2 days in LA on the way back to break up the flight. Thanks to all who replied. Rob Wood (decvax!genrad!rob) Newsgroups: net.travel Subject: Wanted: Info on Hawaii Date: Thu, 22-Mar-84 14:44:15 EST Organization: GenRad, Bolton, Mass. I am planning a trip to Hawaii in April. Do you have any suggestions for me? It will be my first time. Rob Wood (decvax!genrad!rob) Date: Fri, 23 Mar 84 08:35:25 est Subject: Hawaii Hotels Dorothy and I stayed last time at the Holiday Inn Makai at the *edge* of the Waikiki Beach area, but our travel agent told us they had been bought by another firm and were remodeling now, so we couldn't stay there in April. Our daughter called the Century 21 agent in Honolulu, and he found us a condo that rents for $150 a week, plus phone and a $25 clean-up fee when you leave. I think one of the most beautiful hotels in Oahu is the Sheraton on the north side of the island. Date: Fri, 23 Mar 84 10:51:11 est Subject: Re: Wanted: Info on Hawaii Do not, under any circumstance, miss the BIG ISLAND! The volcanoes, the parks, the black sand beaches, the lack of people, the wild bamboo, the skiing, the crystal clear waters, the lush rainforests, the huge falls (Akaka and Rainbow), the cheap and delicious restaraunts, the tropical fish tank type fish, the air, the lava flows.....Geez, I really want to go back.. Date: Thu, 22 Mar 84 15:59:12 est Subject: Hawaii There are many ethnic restaurants in Honolulu: Thai, Indian, *real* Japanese, you name it. You can have a different style of food every lunch and dinner for weeks on end. There is a particularly beautiful restaurant called The Willows. It is an out-door restaurant, though there are canopies in case of rain. It is laid out along the sides of a brook. There are some fancy local drinks, like Blue Hawaiians, but in my opinion they are pricey and not very special. Waikiki Beach is nice, but the approaches to it are just like Coney Island of 40 years ago. The sidewalks are lined with *very* aggressive souvenir sales- people. The Mauna Loa (spell?) shopping center is well worth a look because of the pools of carp that divide the pedestrian walkways. Take the bus ride around the island of Oahu. It is run by the ordinary public transit system. The payment of one fare gets you around the whole island and the trip lasts about 3 hours. If you want to pop for two fares, get off at the Sheraton Hotel on the northern edge of the island where they have a beautiful view of the ocean, and an excellent, reasonably-priced buffet lunch. If you are willing to spend about $150 per person per day, the week-long cruise around the Islands operated by the American-Hawaiian steamship company is well worth-while. Dorothy and I took it several years ago. It calls at several islands, giving you full days for sight-seeing, either by tour bus or rented car. Car rentals are quite cheap by mainland standards. The cruises leave Honolulu about 6 PM Saturday afternoon and return about 9 AM Saturday morning. The ships are the Independence and the Constitution, formerly in the New York to Genoa service of the American Export Line. They are *real* ocean-going ships, each about 600 feet long. The Island of Kauai is considered the most beautiful. There is a spectacular canyon in the middle. The "big" Island of Hawaii has the volcano, which is really fascinating. You can walk across the crater if the lava isn't flowing that day. The stench of sulfur can be almost overwhelming, though. Also on Hawaii there is a very unusual beach of black sand, created as the waves erode ancient lava flows. Back on Oahu, Sunset Beach is great for surfing. And there is a beach about ten miles northeast from Honolulu where you can rent snorkeling equipment and enjoy relatively quiet swimming since the reefs make a natural breakwater. Bon Voyage. Subject: Hawaii Just saw your article in net.travel. I'm going to Hawaii May 2nd. It will be my first time too. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going for a week to Oahu. I got a cheap deal with American Airlines, a charter called Hawaiian Fantasy. If you haven't made your arrangements yet you might want to look into it. Although I think it will be booked up for April because we tried to go the last week in April and it was full. My friend's sister lived on Oahu for a year and she told me that there is plenty to do and see. I will be talking to her before I go for good beaches, restaurants, etc. Date: Fri, 23 Mar 84 13:08:05 est Subject: Re: Wanted: Info on Hawaii Waikiki is a very busy, very touristy area. The streets are crowded and the shops expensive. The beach is beautiful if you can see the sand. I don't care for Waikiki, but that's where all the hotels are, so you needn't try to stay elsewhere. On the island of Oahu, there are lot's of things to do. Go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay -- equipment rentals abound in Waikiki. Definitely visit the Iolani Palace downtown, and the Bishop Museum for Polynesian anthropology. Drive around the north shore of the island, stopping of course for shave ice in the little town of Haleiwa. (Shave ice is like a snow cone, but the ice is shaved very finely, rather than crushed.) The dinner cruises are fun, although rather hokey. At your first opportunity, go to Honolulu Bookstore (there are several) and look at the books about Hawaii. There is lots of interesting stuff, including books about hiking trails that are hard to find on the mainland. This could give you as many interesting ideas as the Waikiki Beach Press (tourist throwaway newspaper) does. Pick another island and spend a few days there. Kauai has beautiful beaches, canyons, and rain forest. Maui has Haleakala crater (get to the top for sunrise, spend a day hiking through (wear tough shoes)), the town of Hana and the seven "sacred" pools on a treacherous road, and the swinging resort town of Lahaina. The Big Island has volcanoes. You can make good arrangements for a trip to a neighbor island from the mainland or from Oahu. Eat lots of Chinese, Japanese and Hawaiian food. The Poi Bowl in Ala Moana shopping center is the easiest place for Hawaiian, although Ono Hawaiian Food is better. Never leave anything of value in your car, and be careful where you go at night, because Hawaii is not a paradise. Be sure to check what you got with your package (if you have one). You will probably want a car the whole time you are there, but most packages don't do this automatically. Tune in station KCCN on your AM radio to get into the local culture. You may hear of authentic cultural events that wouldn't be listed in the tourist advertisements. Be there! Aloha Date: 26 Mar 84 15:27:04 CST (Mon) Subject: Re: Wanted: Info on Hawaii Check into a visit to Kauai. It is a beautiful place and not too overrun with tourists. It is particularly good if you enjoy hiking. Date: Mon, 26 Mar 84 23:32:24 pst Rob, Per your request for info on Hawaii over the net: I went to Maui last April (and am returning this year) and had the time of my life. The island of Maui is less traveled, thus less populated with people wearing bermuda shorts down to their knees. In my opinion, outside of San Francisco, it is tTHE most beautiful spot on earth. Plenty of things to do, drink, and enjoy...... A possible suggestion would be: Fly from Boston to San Francisco and stay a few nights. You can fly from SF to Maui direct fro about $350 round trip. Stay at Napili Shores, just 5 minutes north of Kaanapalli, which is the huge tourist resort. At Napili, you will get your oun condo (kitchen and everything), be 20 feet from a private beach where you can snorkel, and 10 feet from a bar. What could be better? Napili is about $65.00 per night, but well worth it. I've been to every island in the chain, and I still think Maui is with out a doubt the best. It will blow the Bahamas away too! The name of the agency that has great prices on airlines, and Napili shores is called Suntrips of California. Sorry, I don't have the number. The plane is a charter jet, which means that everyone on the plane is going to Maui also. That in turn, means that for the 5 hour flight, everyone has a GREAT time. None of the usual airline BS. Hope this is some help. Again, my vote is for Maui!