So, you say you want to go to Hawaii????????? What do you really mean?
Well, I’m going to be writing this column from the perspective of a travel advisor. There is so much I need to share, I really don’t know where to start.
First of all, most people simply ask for help to plan their trip to Hawaii with no specific direction for me to start. I thought it would be a good idea to share with the reader WHY it is a complex question for me without knowing more about the traveler(s). So I thought I’d start with a general description of this great destination, however, it is more than one (1) destination!!!!! There are over 137 islands, islets and reefs..but when someone asks me to assist them in planning and booking their dream or romantic or whatever vacation, they are generally referring to requesting one or more of the eight (8) major ones: Hawaii (that we call the BIG ISLAND for its size, Oahu, Kauai, Molakai, Lanai, Maui, Niihau and Kahoolawe. All of them together make up the State of Hawaii, and each of them is very different to one another.
The State of Hawaii is really a complex personality of locations that will drive visits for so many reasons, lifestyles, needs and wants/desires. There are a variety of ways to visit also, and that is worth discussing, because travelers have many different reasons for their visit(s) and each reason will dictate a different location based on the purpose. For those who don’t know where to start, I ask if this is a 1st visit or have they traveled there before. Some may have been fortunate to have traveled there previously by ship and had experienced several islands during one vacation. They may have recognized one or two particularly intriguing enough to want to go back and spend a lot more than one or two days they got from a simple shore excursion. BTW, a cruise to visit and explore which island(s) you would return to, is a great way to do that economically. Your lodging, food, entertainment and transportation is convenient and much more reasonable than visiting each of those same islands utilizing inter-island air (that can take a lot of your valuable vacation time both before and after in airports for transportation.) Also, note: the Hawaiian Islands are not inexpensive, if you want to enjoy most of what they each have to offer. Accommodations, food and yes, car rentals can all be costly. IF you have any interest in the exploring more than one island in one visit, it can be done, but I personally wouldn’t recommend visiting more than two (2) in a 7-day trip. Cruises depart from various places, and there are exceptions, but primarily the 7-night cruise will depart from HNL (Honolulu) the State capital. You can take a leisurely cruise out of SFO (San Francisco) or LAX (Los Angeles) or SAN (San Diego) and enjoy the ship for 3 days at sea, do the islands and return over 3 days at sea takes approximately 15 days. You would visit the BIG ISLAND on 2 stops [Kona and Hilo] and MAUi, an overnight with 2 full days to visit plus a stop on Kauai and Oahu either at the beginning or end of the cruise.
The 7-day cruise is very popular and is operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and is operating under a U.S. flag. It offers an Hawaiian-themed cruise with activities like lai making while on board. The shore excursions are focused on each islands culture and history. The longer cruises are not American flagged and must stop at a foreign port. Why? The law is titled PVSA (passenger vessel services act). Actually it was enacted to protect the U.S. shipping industry. This is much like the foreign airline carriers are not allowed to leave their home country and stop at an airport in the U.S. and pick up more passengers in say NYC and travel onward to SFO and drop those same U.S. passengers in SFO before flying out of the U.S. It basically would cheat U.S. carriers from the business between NYC and SFO as an example. That law protects U.S. carriers sustainability. Did that make sense? Back to cruises, on those longer cruises you’ll see Fanning Island on the itinerary for that purpose. It’s a South Pacific
Maybe you just want to visit the island but not a SAND PERSON (ha). I’m with you here. I’m not fond of sand either, but what do you do if you are not interested in playing in the ocean, doing water-sports, getting tanned? There are great land tours that do a great job of having the visited get entrenched in the culture, learn the history, enjoy the weather, etc. Land tours means pretty much GROUP PRICING. So you can actually save money using shared transportation, accommodations can be better prices, activities are based on group pricing AND you have a guide who is enthusiastic about the destination. There can be plenty of free time and these guides can help in so many ways, assisting you in getting the most out of your trip, learn a lot about the culture and history. I’m not one to lay around on a beach for a week….most it is true that most people do. We are thankful there are these options available to us that don’t. These supplies get pretty good air pricing as well and do meet and greet services, transfers. Actually, that truly takes a lot of stress out of having to plan an independent trip on your own. Statistics tell us that a Hosted/Guided tours with all the inclusions can save you up to 40% on your vacation + you do more in less time and learn a ton of great stuff to make the trip truly interesting and rewarding. I wasn’t sure I’d like an escorted trip until I took one. I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world and hosted by vendors to learn and sell their products. I’ve seen and experienced just how stressless a trip can be basically DOOR to DOOR. All I had to do was pack and keep on schedule if I didn’t want to miss something. Easy Peasy. This is true all over the world and not just these islands.
Things to know about flights to the Hawaiian Islands. From the west coast we have an advantage of a shorter flight for sure, however, there is a need to remember that there is a time difference to still be aware of. Flying in the westerly direction TO HAWAII, it is going to still be a 5 hour flight BUT you’ll arrive 3 hours earlier than you thought. Your return is in reverse. You leave Hawaii around noon for instance, and you arrive back to California around 8 or 9 pm, but you only flew 5 hours, but the clock says 8 hours. I recommend departing RNO/CA early to enjoy as much of the sun and fun as possible from day-one. Returning, I recommend no sooner than noon or so the last day to get some time before you depart. If you are into red-eye flights, if one is available, I recommend it. Saves an addition nights lodging and gives you a full last day for sun and fun. Why cheat yourself eh? To do it any other way you could lose 1 or 2 days of your 7-day trip just in transit. Just a suggestion.
In a couple of future columns I will be describing each island (probably two (2) per column) to help you decide which islands you might prefer to spend time on. For now though, I want to talk about what to expect the Hawaiian islands to offer you, and a little bit about their culture.
WHEN TO GO? This part of the description I want you to know can help you decide when to go to save $$ if that would make or
break you going to Hawaii at all. At this destination, the prices for everything: air, accommodations, car rentals, activities, will vary. There are two (2) HIGH SEASONS: June, July and August OR December, January and February. Keep that in mind. You’ll find crowds, reduced availability if you do not book early lodging, air and auto rental. Is there a LOW SEASON? Yes, May and September. SHOULDER SEASON: March and April, October and November is a more economical time, but in both low and shoulder seasons the attractions may have limited hours and/or closed days.
One thing for sure: Hawaiian Islands have it all. Whether you are going to Hike, dive, swim, golf, sailing, running, windsurfing, conference, weddings, education, sea-life, birds, food, cruising, socializing/partying, cycling, boating, attending events, whatever, Hawaiian Islands have it all!!!!! They have been considered a diverse, safe and colorful destination to visit. Which leads me again to the inquiry:
My next couple of columns I’ll be writing about each island, what makes that particular one UNIQUE. Which one whets your appetite? I think you’ll be surprised as you learn something. They say in this business: “You don’t know what you don’t know!”
So, you say you want to go to Hawaii????????? What do you really mean? Let’s find out…..
