Hawaii 2013
Loved Hawaii, and could go back annually! It is a fantastic destination for couples, families and groups with a holiday atmosphere. It is a destination which is relatively cheap when it comes to dining and taking tours. There is an abundance of ABC convenience stores located on nearly every corner which is great for those who wish to self cater in condo or apartment style accommodation.
Waikiki is clean and very safe. The Beach Walk which is adjacent to the beach is the perfect place to dine, shop & play. It has many trendy shops and classic restaurants. Waikiki Beach is a fantastic place to learn how to stand up paddle surf, snorkel & swim and the Kuhio Beach Park is the place to see lots of activity and people watch. Waikiki Beach is only 2 kms long so any hotels on the strip and within 2 blocks back are still in the area of catching the feel of Waikiki. Oahu, the main hub of Hawaii with Honolulu being your arrival city, is so diverse.
A perfect day out:
We hired a mustang, drove to Diamond Head for a hike and a 360 C view of the island once at the top. Then continued with a scenic drive to the North Shore of the island to see the start of the annual surf championships (usually in December). At sunset we witnessed nearly 100 year old sea turtles on the beach, resting! And the sunset - Spectacular! Another fabulous island is Kauai, the green island of Hawaii, where so many well know movies and TV series were filmed, like Jurassic Park, Blue Hawaii and Gilligan's Island to name a few. The scenery of the island is amazing, so green and peaceful, and a great place to surf also. Kauai being a much quieter island I would definitely recommend visiting at least a couple of islands of Hawaii to experience all there is to offer.
A must do:
A Luau! A Luau is a traditional Hawaiian party or feast . It may feature specialty Hawaiian food such as poi, kalua pig, and entertainment such as traditional Hawaiian music and hula.
Getting there:
Hawaiian Airlines currently offers a direct service from Sydney and Brisbane to Honolulu (9 hrs 45mins). Another option is Jetstar from Melbourne or Sydney direct.
Where to stay:
1. Waikiki:
To many great option to mention, but here are a few: The Starwood properties are great, the Sheraton Waikiki and the Westin being one of my favourites for location and quality. The Modern is another great choice of a 5 star boutique hotel, a little off the main area of Waikiki. It feels like a home away from home, understated elegance with friendly service. The Aston and Outrigger properties have great options for apartment / condos, options with full kitchens and generous room sizes.
2. Kauia
The Sheraton at Poipu beach is a great location and has one of the few swim beaches on Kauai. The hotel offers many room categories, the Ocean view here is spectacular. The resort offers many activities like Yoga and free bicycles to hire to explore the local area to name a couple. The 'Luau' we enjoyed here was a great experience and listening to many visitors, one of the best!