Hawaii: An Expert’s Island Favourites
Today’s article is written by all-things-Hawaii expert Pam Mandel.
It’s easy to fall in to cliched prose when talking about the Hawaiian Islands. It’s not laziness, though, it’s enchantment. The water IS that blue and inviting, the breezes ARE that gentle and smell of salt and flowers, the people really DO welcome you with great aloha. With so much to love about the islands, it’s hard to narrow it down to top 10 or best of lists, plus, your Hawaii is likely to be completely different from anyone else’s because the islands DO offer an amazing variety. With that in mind, here are a few of my island favorites.
Places to stay
Kona Village Resort, Kona, The Big Island: This is a huge splurge, but it’s all inclusive and oh, I still get weepy when I think of our stay there. The guest rooms are luxurious little “hales” — houses — under the palms, some with stunning views of the ocean, others tucked back along the lagoon… in spite of all my travels, Kona Village Resort remains on the top of my list.
Aqua Hotels, Waikiki: I’ve stayed in two of the Aqua properties and liked them both — the Coconut and the Bamboo. They’re in the heart of Waikiki, you can walk to the beach, they’re clean, comfortable, affordable, and they have great little amenities like WiFi and microwaves in the rooms. I like it when a hotel acknowledges that you’re going to snack — and makes it easier for you to do so.
Condo-a-go-go, anywhere: Let’s face it, the islands can be expensive, and it will save you some dough if you rent a place with a kitchen so you can make your own food from time to time. Condos are available anywhere in the islands. I’m fond of HomeAway for vacation rentals, but you can use just about any service you like. They come in all price ranges with all kinds of amenities, wifi, a pool, beach access… shop around.
Things to eat
Crab Ramen from Sansei at the Marriott, Waikiki: I am still talking about the crab ramen, months and months after I’ve eaten it.
Sensei has fancy cocktails, a sushi happy hour, and did I mention the crab ramen? Good lord.
Dave’s Ice Cream at the Kamoi Snack Shop on Moloka’i: Get the coffee and the chocolate and sit outside on the park bench in Kaunakakai. Forget everything but the cold taste melting in your mouth while the sun bakes your sandaled feet.
Mango smoothies, just about anywhere: Make sure you ask for all fruit, no soft serve. There’s a guy in the International Marketplace in Waikiki, there’s a bike blender at a mile marker on the road to Hana, there’s a smoothie shack on the road through Kepa’a… slurp. Yum.
Stuff to do
Kealakakua Bay has amazing snorkeling, clear waters, and it’s an essential place in Hawaii’s history. I’ve gone out twice with Fair Wind on their snorkel tour and it was perfect, really perfect. It’s a little pricey, but lunch, your gear, a very hospitable and competent crew are all included. It’s a great trip, you shouldn’t visit the Big Island without going to Kealakakua Bay. Plus, if you’re going to sing “I wanna go back to my little grass shack in Kealakakua Hawaii, you gotta go to Kealakakua, right?
At the Kanikapila Grill on Oahu in the heart of Waikiki, you can have a cocktail and listen to the best of Hawaiian music… for free. No cover. The Kanikapila Grill is at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach and hosts award winning Hawaiian musicians. There’s music every night and sometimes, in the afternoons too, and it’s some of the best Hawaii has to offer. A bargain at the price of a cocktail — you’ll pay 40US and up for a show of this quality of music on the mainland.
Everyone tells you to drive to Hana, and yeah, it’s amazing and worth every one of the 600 curves, but smart travelers to Maui book an overnight in Hana and take twice the time to get there and back. You can leave a little later, taking your time to get to Hana and be rewarded with fewer travelers, less traffic, and honestly, a safer trip because you’re not driving back in the dark.
It’s green and slippery and the humidity can take you down, but you can’t beat the views from the Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast. You’ll need good shoes, water, snacks, and determination. It’s good to be fit, as well, and sure footed because it’s a challenging slog. But oh, the views! The views! The views! Even if you decide not to tackle the entire trail, the steep climb up to the first lookout is worth the effort.
It’s easy to visit Lana’i without renting a car, you can take the hotel shuttle just about everywhere, but if you want to get your eyes full of unreal landscape, rent a Jeep and head down to the Garden of the Gods. It’s all red rock and wind and dramatic vistas — and at the end of the road there’s a spectacular stretch of beach that you’ll likely have to yourself. 4×4 novices, there are a few rough spots and it’s bouncy, but with a little patience and the random application of more gas than you think necessary, you’ll be fine.
I almost hate to tell you this because Moloka’i holds a special place in my heart, but there’s almost nothing better to do in Hawaii than head over to Moloka’i to do… nothing. I still feel myself napping under the coconut trees, watching the sunset while chatting with fisherman on the west end of the island, or hanging out in the diner having breakfast for waaaaay too long. If I can pick the heaven I go to when I die, it will be Moloka’i.
To learn more about Pam, visit her website, Nerdseyeview, though you might be more interested in her Hawaii blog, holoholowale. You can also connect with her on Twitter. All photos courtesy of Pam Mandel.
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February 2nd, 2010 at 4:16 pm
You’ve certainly listed some of my favorites. Almost ten years ago, my husband and I were married in Hana. Then, we moved on to spend a week of our honeymoon at Kona Village. Last year, we discovered Moloka’i. It’s so special to us that I hate to write about it for fear that it will become gobbled up by tourism. Enjoyed your post, Pam.
March 9th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
[...] Journey to go hiking in Diamond Head State Park in Oahu, Hawaii. It goes quite well with the other expert recommendations for Hawaii from Pam [...]