Itinerary Help

Aloha! My husband and I are, at long last, taking our very first trip to Hawaii. We are departing from Fort Lauderdale, Fl on Feb 20, 2009, and arriving in Kauai that evening. We will spend 6 nights on Kauai, then fly to Kona airport on the Big Island. We will explore the Big Island using Kona as our base for 5 nights, followed by 2 nights in Volcano National Park at the military camp, and then one day/night in Hilo. We fly out of Hilo on Friday morning to Ohau, where we will spend our last weekend, departing from HNL at 9:05 pm Sunday night. Our accomodations are pretty much set in stone, as are the dates we move from one location to the next (we already have all of those arrangements made). So what I am really looking for is assistance on what we can reasonably fit in while we are there. We are a very active couple in our forties, and we enjoy history, culture, etc. We want to really experience each island. I don%26#39;t know whether my current itinerary is too ambitious. Here is my proposed itinerary for the Big Island:

THURSDAY: arive KOA at 1:21PM - pick up Jeep at Thrifty - drive 5 miles to rental home. Evening at Kahua Ranch that evening (pick up at 4 pm at local hotel)

FRIDAY: 8 am - 3 tank scuba diving charter. In the afternoon, explore Pu%26#39;ukohala Heiau and the Mauna Lani Resort grounds (petroglyohs, etc). Any suggestions for dinner? (we need to stay at low elevations, so probably need to stick to Kona area)

SATURDAY: Kayak across Kealakekua Bay to Capt Cook Monument, snorkel. Go to Place of Refuge. Explore a coffee plantation. Does anyone recommend the Surf, Sand, and Stars buffet at the Four Seasons for dinner?

SUNDAY: See Fern and Cloud Forest. Drive up to Mauna Kea, arrive at visitor center by 12:30 to do the 1 pm ranger led summit tour. Bring dinner and stay for sunset and star gazing (saturday and sunday itinerary are interchangeable depending on weather conditions at the summit)

MONDAY: 9 am horseback ride through Wai%26#39;pio Valley. Stop in Waimea for lunch and explore. Drive up to North Shore to see Pololu Valley. Which historical and/or cultural sights do you recommend for the drive to/from the North Shore? Suggestions for dinner?

TUESDAY: early morning depart for Volcano National Park. See southernmost point and Green Beach???? on the way there. Check in at the military camp. Maybe take a catamaran tour to see the lava flow into the ocean that evening?

WEDNESDAY: explore Volcano National Park. hike to Lava flow that evening?

THURSDAY: depart Volcano early and drive to Hilo. Check in hotel, then explore waterfalls, scenic drive and any interesting sights in Hilo. Suggestions?

FRIDAY: 8:54 am flight to Honolulu

Any comments or help with this itinerary would be so very greatly appreciated. This is a once in a lifetime trip for us, and we really want to make the most of it.

Mahalo, Jennifer

Itinerary Help

Sounds like you have some great plans! I think that you are going to have a wonderful trip!

The one thing that I would change or ask you to seriously think about is the ride to Mauna Kea.

Please, for the sake of those that should rent that Jeep after you, please consider doing a tour instead of driving. If you do a search on Touring Mauna Kea, there are several conversations on the pros/cons of driving a rental up there.

If you should have any issues, you are going to be on your own for some time, as most rental car companies are going to take time to come and rescue you and there have been some accidents up there that could have been avoided.

I know that this is your choice, but please, do give this one serious thought. For your life and the life of the next people who use your vehicle.

Thanks.

Itinerary Help

Forget the jeep...Thrifty prohibits it from Mauna kea. and to get to fern and cloud forest is 4x4 roads that your rental cant handle and are also prohibited....the jeep cant cut it here...plus the rest are private. You will have zero security and be a target for theft....only tourists drive jeeps on this island.

The green sand beach is a long dusty/dry windy hike several miles....you cant drive to it...prohibited by rental and by Hawaii homelands both. People who get into problems there end up having to buy the Jeep..and you insurance. personal or anyother will not pay off.... you will be on the hook for $14-16,000 payable in cash before you can leave the state.. The rental company is adeptat havng the courts enforce this...I have seen it happen.

Its a totaly barren not very attractive area...that no island resident can figure out why people want to go there at all...with all the other wonderful things to see.....why would anyone want to see this blah place.... The green sand is not a briliant green but a rather olive-drab/dark gray... pictures in books have used filters and extra color to make it look nice.......it isnt.

If you leave your jeep filled with your luggage at southpoint and go for a hike....there is a good chance it wont be there on your return....you cant leave any luggage in an unattended jeep...any where in this island....if you want to keep it.

Please, Please, Please do not Kayak to poor capt cook bay ...Kayaking is very , very damaging to the bay and the dolphins( whats left of them) Please take a tour with Dolphin Discoveries or Sea Quest

where they will take you with 6-12 others, not let you damage the reef ( in a Kayak if you land your are killing fish and coral when you land....you cant help it...Please dont kayak...Please not in this bay plenty of wonderful other places to Kayak where you will not do such lasting harm..... Please look up this topic ';Kayaking in Capt Cook'; to read the reams of information.... Plus most of the shore and the monument is closed....

There is no catamaran to see the lavaflow... any boat ride to see that is extremely dangerous in terms of super rough seas, toxic gas and glass particles you will inhale without a breathng apparatus on, and less than knowlwdgable boat crews.

stick to viewing on land.. In my opinon there are some real whack-jobs that will offer to boat you out.

There are sound reason why in 25 years no responible tour operator has ever offered this activity? With unemployment high.. we are seeing some crazies try anything for a buck....

Sand surf at the Four Season is excellent...figure with 1 drink it will be about $210.00 for 2 Drinks are not included a glass of house wine is $10. a beer $7, Mixed drinks $12. Food is outstanding

Waimea is 2 blocks of strip malls...there is a mc donalds for lunch and a subway and a little korean BBq.. Parker ranch has a little museum...allow 15 min

Good luck....please be a responsible visitor...we need your help...

.

I do agree with the above posts.

You can have a fabulous trip but you have somehow zeroed in on the activities that can be most problematic except for the great choice to take a tour to Waipi%26#39;o and not four wheel it. Excellent choice on that.

You can walk in to Green Sand from a parking lot that is perfectly accessible with a sedan. You cannot off road here or you really can pay for a brand new car before being allowed to leave the state.

There has not been a hike to lava flow for a year and a half. There is now the lava viewing in Kalapana ... it is a walk, not a hike, but you don%26#39;t approach the flow.

You may find it has changed by the time you come, may be possible to take a hike then ...

Otherwise good ... but we don%26#39;t have a North Shore. No one will know what you mean. Pololu is North Kohala ... that is the way we describe that area ... Enjoy!

I would have to agree with the others about the Jeep. I see you have reserved one for both islands. Mistake on many levels. I know this is your first trip to the islands....You do not want to set yourself up to be vulnerable.Sadly the crime here exists..targeted at tourists (Driving Jeep, Convertible) It is difficult as it is to blend in and not scream ';Tourist'; as quite simply...we are tourists....But low key is the answer. safety first.

The itinerary looks busy...but you can always modify. The Saturday night buffet at the Four Seasons will be one of the highlights of your trip.

Check out Big Island candies in HIlo for some lovely presents.

Welcome.. well as it has been said, and I agree, I would not waste my money on a jeep that I am not allowed to take off the road, it uses a lot of gas and is not comfy.. especially since your itinerary includes lots of driving.

Please reconsider kayaking Kealakekua Bay, the bay is dying the dolphins are leaving.. Keauhou is a great bay to kayak.. Do take a snorkel boat to see Kealakekua Bay ;o) you would really enjoy it.

Surf, Sand, and Stars buffet at the Four Seasons is wonderful.. you will love everything about it..

I assume you are doing the tour of the Fern and Cloud Forest, and I am sure you will enjoy it. Doing Mauna Kea the same day will make for a very very long day.. I thought the Fern and Cloud Forest tour was at least 3 hours.. do they do that in the early AM? I just do not see how you will make it to MK by 12:30...

';Maybe take a catamaran tour to see the lava flow into the ocean that evening?'; I agree with HD on this one.. if someone is doing it.. not with me...

My only comment is you are doing so very much, driving so much, I hope that if you see or do something that you enjoy you will stop, take the time and let the Itinerary go ;o)

Wow - I guess I am going to have to do alot of rethinking and rearranging for the Big Island itinerary. Thanks for the heads up about the jeeps - with the money savings I guess we%26#39;ll be able to go ahead and do the van tour of Mauna Kea. I had no idea before reading all of your posts that kayaking the bay was such a bad idea. Most of my research for the trip has been from guidebooks and internet searches. Thanks also for the heads up about the boat tour to see the lava flow. It is amazing that it is so dangerous and yet is being advertised on the Big Island%26#39;s tourism website.

And yes, I know my itineraries become rather ambitious. They never work out the way I plan them, and we generally enjoy ourselves so much at one place, that we wind up staying and skipping the rest of the days activities. But at least by planning it all out with everything we want to do, we can make an intelligent decision about what we%26#39;re missing :o)

Mahalo and Happy New Year!

way to go for embracing the idea of change for the good of the dolphins and the environment!

I have shots of the lava viewing boat here in my webshots album of the Kalapana viewing, see the little speck near the cliffs and the waterspout.

…webshots.com/photo/2633727700097942048uIgoFM

The owner believes in his tours, but that land is so unstable, if a piece of it falls off, that sends superheated water all over that boat, and worse, He gambles the shelf won%26#39;t collapse or anything else unusual, but volcanic eruptions are nothing to take lightly. For thrill seekers who can live with a big risk.

I%26#39;m so glad to hear you%26#39;re saving that much money on the Jeep. That%26#39;s awesome. Let us see your revised itinerary when you get it done ... Enjoy!

PS. Guidebooks are behind the times on overused areas, and are in the business of promoting fun activities, not responsible touring. Even my favorite one, Lonely Planet, has its sins that way. As for Big Island Revealed, take it with a big grain of salt ... enjoy the maps and photos, but much of the advice is very bad.

Mahalo sightseeingfool for embracing our ideas and caring for our island.. I know you will have a wonderful visit and I am sure you will see and do lots of wonderful things.. it really takes months to do the Big Island.. after over 25+ years there are still things I have not done and things I learn on this forum!

Thank you deeply and sincerely Sightseeing, for your decision not to furthur harm CaptCook further.

As you noted ,every guide touts this....and have for decades. In the 70%26#39;s the coral reef used to grow all the way up to the monumnet... now it s dead and crushed 100 ft from it. I have seen over 80-100 Kayaks hauled out there....its not a secret place of beauty to hang out on.

The Boat tours to the bay will also take you to Place of refuge reef... well out of reach for most snorkelers because of the long swim. They also do a natural history tour of the coast... which is super great

You mention the boat tour to see the lava..being advertised in the big island web site..... Thats a play on words...its not an official govt. site but likes to delude visitors into thinking its official.

You pay to advertise on it... (They would take ads form Osama Bin laden if he sent the cash in......)

Again thank you for your help and God bless you for your service to our country and our freedom..

Jennifer,

Your trip sounds very similar to the one I am planning for a week later. Could you post back here with the results of your trip?

Neil