kauai / big island info sought

[soarman]

Greetings Waccos!
I have plans to make my first trip ever to HI in November and am looking for advice / suggestions.
Here is what is currently planned:
I am going to Kauai w/ only my wife. We are looking for a super cool, super clean place to stay, small is ok,
for 1 week of outdoor adventure. Any outdoor adventure suggestions are welcome, too.

Right after that, my son and his young daughter will be meeting us for a week on the Big Island. We're looking for something a bit
more resort-ish w/ ktichen and swimming pool, close proximity to a nice beach, close by restauant(s), easy drive to the volcanos,
and other places of interest. We don't want to pay hundreds of $$$ a night.

We would really appreciate a wacco take on a trip like this.
Gratitude in advance!
Larry

[Moon]

On the Big Island please follow the advice of the park rangers, found at the National Park. They aren't trying
to be wet blankets, they're trying to save your lives. (Tourist deaths are so hard on the island's economy.)
Also, if you go hiking, stay on the marked trails; if people accidentally wander onto someone's plantation,
commercial cannabis growers don't run them off, they shoot from ambush, toss the body into a lava tube
and cover it with quicklime. Between that and sneaker waves, a lot of missing persons reports go unresolved.
On the windward side of any island, swim only where you see Native Hawaiian adults allowing young children to swim.
Another thing about the Big Island: Don't do anything that could lead to involvement with the police, unless
it's a life-and-death emergency. The Big Island cops are, as far as i know, the worst in the US (if you consider
Hawai`i part of the US) outside of the Deep South.
Still, Hawai`i really is a very nice place to visit, and Honolulu is pretty much like the mainland, only with really nice beaches.

[Lilith Rogers]

The cheaper and more hometown side of the Big Island is the Hilo side. And Hilo is a sweet, laid back sort of town with nice public beaches nearby.

The red road, down around Pahoa, is where the the hippies and some native Hawaiians live. There's a resort named Kulani that has various accommodations and is reasonably priced. And they have a great pool, hot tubs, sauna, restaurant, volleyball,hula lessons, music etc. And its not far to the beach or the Volcano. Next door, at Seaview, at a place called 'Space there's often entertainment and a great Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings. And then also on the Red Road is the Warm Ponds, a state park, free, with a big volcano heated pool and a life guard. And there's great snorkeling nearby in Vacationland. Oh, and around the corner the other direction is Uncle Robert's place where they'll walk you out, safely, to the lave if its flowing, have a kava bar and a good, inexpensive restaurant.

Oh, boy, I really need to go back there soon. Much aloha to you. Lilith

Lilith

Greetings Waccos!
I have plans to make my first trip ever to HI in November and am looking for advice / suggestions.
Here is what is currently planned:
I am going to Kauai w/ only my wife. We are looking for a super cool, super clean place to stay, small is ok,
for 1 week of outdoor adventure. Any outdoor adventure suggestions are welcome, too.

Right after that, my son and his young daughter will be meeting us for a week on the Big Island. We're looking for something a bit
more resort-ish w/ ktichen and swimming pool, close proximity to a nice beach, close by restauant(s), easy drive to the volcanos,
and other places of interest. We don't want to pay hundreds of $$$ a night.

We would really appreciate a wacco take on a trip like this.
Gratitude in advance!
Larry

[leanaedwards]

Here are my tips for Kauai:

On Kauai, you can rent a car from Island Cars (https://www.islandcars.net). They will give you an awesome deal and provide you with a car that will be an island style vehicle! My favorite beaches are Hanalei (north shore) and Secrets (north shore-worth the hike! Great for sunsets, although make sure you bring flashlights to get back). There are some awesome hikes. You can go from Ke'e beach to Honokapi'i (2 mile hike, the start of the famous Kalalau trail). Drink coconut water everyday! There are farmers' markets everyday! The one in Kapa'a on Wednesdays is awesome, so is the one in Kilauea. If you go to Kilauea, eat at the Fish Market and order the seared ahi wrap with the special sauce. My favorite bar is the Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. If I were to chose a location to stay, it would either be in Kapa'a or north shore-hanalei. You may also want to check on craigslist for deals. The local paper is at Kauaiworld.com. Kauai also has a site like Wacco (https://www.heartbeatofkauai.com/). KAUAI ROCKS! Have fun!

Cheers,

Leana

The cheaper and more hometown side of the Big Island is the Hilo side. And Hilo is a sweet, laid back sort of town with nice public beaches nearby.

The red road, down around Pahoa, is where the the hippies and some native Hawaiians live. There's a resort named Kulani that has various accommodations and is reasonably priced. And they have a great pool, hot tubs, sauna, restaurant, volleyball,hula lessons, music etc. And its not far to the beach or the Volcano. Next door, at Seaview, at a place called 'Space there's often entertainment and a great Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings. And then also on the Red Road is the Warm Ponds, a state park, free, with a big volcano heated pool and a life guard. And there's great snorkeling nearby in Vacationland. Oh, and around the corner the other direction is Uncle Robert's place where they'll walk you out, safely, to the lave if its flowing, have a kava bar and a good, inexpensive restaurant.

Oh, boy, I really need to go back there soon. Much aloha to you. Lilith

Lilith

[leanaedwards]

Here are a few more tips about the Big I:

Rent a four wheel drive vehicle (some roads need it) if you go up to visit Mana Kea. This mountain top is at 14,000 ft. It has a sweet observatory on the way up. You also drive on the visually rad road=Saddle Road to get there. Drive around the island. It is beautiful! Cheers. LE

Here are my tips for Kauai:

On Kauai, you can rent a car from Island Cars (https://www.islandcars.net). They will give you an awesome deal and provide you with a car that will be an island style vehicle! My favorite beaches are Hanalei (north shore) and Secrets (north shore-worth the hike! Great for sunsets, although make sure you bring flashlights to get back). There are some awesome hikes. You can go from Ke'e beach to Honokapi'i (2 mile hike, the start of the famous Kalalau trail). Drink coconut water everyday! There are farmers' markets everyday! The one in Kapa'a on Wednesdays is awesome, so is the one in Kilauea. If you go to Kilauea, eat at the Fish Market and order the seared ahi wrap with the special sauce. My favorite bar is the Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. If I were to chose a location to stay, it would either be in Kapa'a or north shore-hanalei. You may also want to check on craigslist for deals. The local paper is at Kauaiworld.com. Kauai also has a site like Wacco (https://www.heartbeatofkauai.com/). KAUAI ROCKS! Have fun!

Cheers,

Leana

[anelabo]

Aloha ! If visiting the Big Island of Hawaii you can get nice and affordable rentals from private parties on craigslist ads. On Kona side you will see awesome sunsets, lots of great sandy beaches and places to see. I would recommend a couple of great rentals to stay in Kailua Kona that are clean, and in non congested areas, yet really convenient, like a home away from home atmosphere, and close to best snorkle beach and also affordable with a pool, ocean views, kitchen,etc, free parking and wifi. Try emailing [email protected] or [email protected] and they can give you info on what they have available for your stay with them along with tips on deals for car rentals etc. Try to book flights early for best deals. Alaska air has fare saver days for nonstop flights to Kona Keahole airport. Christmas time the cost of flights are quite a bit higher. I feel you do need a rental car to see the Big Island, as there is no real public transportation and taxi's are expensive. Be sure that you can pick up your rental car at the airport or a free shuttle to rental car site as taxi rides cost alot. Pack lightly, you wont need much. There are plenty of thrift shops, and of course the Ross store clearance rack too. Ahui hou ! Anela