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In article <1992Nov1.185548.4742@ncsu.edu> dvelasc@eos.ncsu.edu (DAVID  VELASCO-GALLEGOS) writes:
>I need information about Hawaii.

Well, from the Triangle you're looking at about 10-12 hours of air time to 
get to Honolulu International Airport.  Then, there's a 45 minute shuttle
hop on either Aloha Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines to the neighbor islands.
If you're planning of going to Maui directly, United and Delta do have
direct flights from the West Coast hubs to Kahuliu-Maui Airport.  I'm not
sure, though, if anybody flies directly from the mainland to West Maui Airport
which is closer to the Kaanapali resorts/condos.  So, if you're up for the
flight, you're in for a wonderful trip.  I've been there twice and loved it.


>If you know any:
>
> - Tips

If you've never been there before, I would strongly advise going through a
packaging service.  They take care of all of the local arrangements like 
hotels, transfers, car rentals, etc.  Look to spend about $3000 for 2 people
for a week on more than one island.  With a packager, you have the ability
to get the best hotel rates and pay for the trip in advance on a flexible
payment schedule.  I've used Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays and MTI vacations
and was pleased with both.  It took a lot of the hassels out of the trip.
Make sure your local travel agent is knowledgeable about Hawaiian vacations.

> - What islands to visit

Everybody has their own opinions about Hawaii, and it's usually based on
both which islands you go to, and what time of the year you go.  Hawaii is
in the northern hemisphere and they do have the same seasons we do here.
Thus, there is a winter season and the weather is going to be a lot more
rainy.  I've heard many people who go out for Christmas come back and curse
the place.  Well, they were expecting warm and sunny weather and were 
surprised.  Also, with the seasons as they change the surf will be heavier
on certain parts of the island.  In the winter the surf is heaviest on the
northern coasts of all of the islands, then it moves to the south for the
summer.  Fall and spring kind of evens out.  So, if you go in the spring
and find a wonderful beach/reef to snorkel in, don't be surprised to have
that area to be absolutely dangerous in the winter.  Nuff said!

Oahu--

This is the home of Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, The Hilton Hawaiian Village
and the Don Ho Show.  Waikiki Beach was created by draining a swamp and
building a drainage canal (The Ala Wai) around it.  This keeps the tourists
separated from the locals and they like it that way.  The sand on the
beach has been shipped in from New Zealand and Australia and it's not
a lot of fun.  There are thousands of people crammed into hotel stacked
upon hotel.  The International Marketplace and the Royal Hawaiian Mall
seem like polyester aloha shirt hell.  People are working the corners
passing out discounts on dinners, tours, jewelry, etc.  Parking is impossible.
Kalakaua Avenue moves all night long.  This is probably the only place in
the islands with a serious night life, but you won't see the real Hawaii
if you only stay on Waikiki Beach.

City tours (cheap) will take you to Punchbowl Crater,  Iolani Palace, Pearl
Harbor, etc which are the usual must-sees.  The Polynesian Cultural Center
is up on the windward/eastern/mauka coast and is expensive, but a lot of
folks like it.

My personal experience was to stay on Waikiki for two days on my first
trip and then avoid it from then on.  My wife and I took a nice morning
city tour on a small bus that started out at Pearl Harbor.  During the
afternoon we picked up a rental car and did our own tour around Oahu.
The traffic is hairy on H-1 and H-2 freeways in Honolulu, and drops off
fairly quickly to two-lane roads with little ability to pass anywhere.
But, the drive is nice and you get to go on your own pace.  Stops at
Sunset Beach (home of the Bonzai Pipeline waves of surfing fame) and
the Dole Plantation were lots of fun.  Then, we got the heck out of
Honolulu.

Kauai--

Beautiful.  They call this the Garden Island for a reason.  It's lush and
reasonably undeveloped.  If you're into natural splendor, this is it.  But,
our hearts were broken when we saw the devastation that Hurricane Iniki
ravaged on the best hotels on the southern coast.  We were out there last
Christmas and from the footage we saw from the Hyatt Regency, we knew that
our room at the Sheraton Kauai was definitely destroyed.  Very sad.  I would
probably not plan on going there until after Christmas.  Your travel agent
should have a pretty good idea about how things are shaping up.  There are
some nice hotels on the mauka coast at the Coconut Plantation north of
the airport in Lihue which should be okay.  The Sheraton there was very nice.

If you do go, you must not miss going up the the northern coasts called
Na Pali (Hawaiian for The Cliffs) which is absolutely breathtaking.  For
13 miles you can only see it from the water on a boat trip (recommend
Na Pali Adventure Tours) helicoper (expect to spend $95-120/person for
a 1-1.5 hours trip) or on foot with a treacherous 1000 year old Hawaiian
trail cut into the rock and passing many old temple foundations.  Waimea
Canyon on the south is the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  Another must.

There is great snorkeling at Ke'e, Tunnels and Poipu Beaches.  Stay
out of the water at Lumahai Beach!  Lots of strong rip tides and lots
of people drown there yearly.  There are a number of dive and snorkel
shops all over the island.  Take their advice about water/wave conditions!
For cheap snorkel gear,  check out Snorkel Bob's on the airport road in
Lihue.  You can rent out your gear for a whole week for ~$15.

Also, don't miss out on Kauai Kookies and Lappert's ice cream.  Yum!

Maui--

The Sportsman's Paradise.  Most of the established hotels are nestled along
Kaanapali on the western/leeward coast north of Lahaina.  Getting to there
from Kahului Airport will take about 30 minutes.  Get a rental car, by all
means.  Kaanapali is very nicely laid out with lots of good beaches.  The
surf is very gentle, but there's not a lot of good snorkeling at Kaanapali.
Lahaina is an old whaling town which has been taken over by artists and
tourists.  Lot of fun, but can be a bit crowded.  There is a Hard Rock Cafe
there if you're into that kind of thing.  

There is great golf (by report), sportfishing, and bicycling.  We signed up
with Maui Downhill for an *EXCELLENT* bike tour.  They pick you up from 
your hotel, set you up with a bike, rain gear and helmet and take you up
to the rim of Haleakala volcano (dormant) at 10,000 feet up.  Although it
may be 75 degrees at the bottom,  before sunrise expect 30 degree temps on top
and 10 degree wind chill.  (Pack some sweaters for visits to the top) Then,
you spend 3 hours coasting down 38 miles of twisting roads and probably 
only pedal 400 yards.  You have to stop every 5-7 miles and peel a layer
of clothing off and toss it into the van.  Wow!  The trip costs $95/person
and advance reservations are recommended before flying out.

Everybody talks about driving the road to Hana.  Haven't done it and some
folks have mixed reports.  Expect it to take a whole day out of the schedule.

Hawaii (The Big Island)--

Home of active volcanoes and sudden changes in climate and vegetation.  The
newest island with minimal beaches (this is where the black sand beaches are
located  which are on the far southern coast).  The IronMan Triathlon is
run from the Kailua/Kona district which is where the larger cluster of hotels
are located.  The Kohala district has the glitzier hotels and is a long
way from anything.  This is a *BIG* island and to get over to the Volcano
National Park is a 90 mile one-way trip.  Best advice is to get a circle
tour.  Being on top of an active volcano is an interesting experience, but
to see where it's actively flowing takes a little work and usually isn't
part of a scheduled circle tour.  In years past the Pu'u O'o cone on the
southern flank of Kilauea has been showering daily, but the lava display
is now a general slow flow and one has to hike in to see (and also melt
the soles on your Reeboks).

Molokai--

Very remote, but a good place to *really* get away from it all.

Lanai--

Small, and cozy.  The whole island is owned by the Dole family and there
are only two hotels.  There are bike tours available from Cruiser Bob's
which leave by boat from Lahaina, Maui to ride on Lanai for the day and
then head back to Maui.

Niihau--

Off-limits with no tourism.

Kahoolawe--

The island is an old target for Navy shelling practice.  Being negotiated
to be returned to the native population.

> - What places you recommend to go

Get a good travel book.  We've been happy with the Fielding's Guide by
Judy Christmas.  Fodor's is okay for first-timers, though.

> - Cheap airfares

Go through a packager.

> - Coupons that you can buy here or there

Every hotel and shopping area has a ton of folks selling cheap trips.
Don't worry.

Hope that helps out.

Mahalo



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