Westin Villas (North) Kids programs

This will be our 5th trip to the Villas but our first with young kids! We have a 9yr old and a 11 year old joining us and I was wondering if anyone has experience with the programs they offer, the only groups I%26#39;ve ever noticed appeared to be in the 5-8 yr old range. Don%26#39;t know if their folks will be interested, we have a lot planned, but thought I%26#39;d go to my ';experts'; for the option! Thanks

Westin Villas (North) Kids programs

Don%26#39;t know about programs. But an option : Just wanted to share that our 9 %26amp; 11 yr old nieces loved the small $10 boogie boards we got at ??maybe Longs. They played in 3 to 4 ft water, staying ';on'; the boards helped to keep them up and in the sun and warmer. Since we were out of the water by 11 they never got sunburned. Also you can p/u sand toys at 2nd hand store or Salvation Army in Lahania.I thought they were too old for snad toys..I was wrong. They did use the mask/snorkel and fins we rented to look for ';sea'; glass in the shore break. They got to cold to fast to snorkel further out.

South swells had our beaches closed, so we drove to Kapalua Bay 4 days in a row for them.

It was fun having them along...opened our eyes to seeing Maui another way, We enjoyed them so much we didn%26#39;t even miss our usual every morning snorkel.

Have fun with your group.

Westin Villas (North) Kids programs

Thanks for your input, these are very savvy young travelers. HAve been to Maui several times, know snokeling and own their own equipment, but first time with us. And we want to make it special.

Mamma, I%26#39;m sure they will think it%26#39;s special just being with you.

They will have fun just playing and sharing ';their Maui'; with you.

Thanks Barefoot..you put tears in my eyes! The boys do love us and spend a lot of time up here, but Maui is special...their parents ';Christmas gift'; was a night at the Sheraton, by themselves. Figure we will take the guys into Lahaina for dinner and wing it from there. They are awesome kids!

Are these the grandboys? How special to get have them for a day w/o parents. Maybe they will have a special place to take ya%26#39;ll. Be sure and let us know what you end up doing. Whatever it is it will be special. I%26#39;ll be watching for the trip report or PM.

We took the girls Sept 05 and the boys in 07 when they were 14 %26amp; 16. Neices and nephews but like grandkids. Youngest of the crew is now 8 he wants to know when we will take him.

I guess that these are ';sort of grand boy%26#39;s'; But we view them as grand%26#39;s! As the World turns in this day and age...They are my daughter%26#39;s SO%26#39;s boys and we have been having a blast with them for the last 3 years. We roll with it and love the guys and their Dad! I am very excited to have them join us on Maui!

This is gonna be a great trip!

We have 4 kids - our youngest 2 are 10 and 11, one of the things they really enjoyed was ';fishing'; - that is looking for sea life in the tide pools, they would catch the fish (we went to Longs and bought them a net for $5) and a plastic pail they would put some ocean water and sand in the pail and then ';catch'; a couple fish, show us and name the fish and then release them! They did this everyday for 2 weeks, along with playing in the surf, just jumping in the waves, we had so much fun watching how much fun they were having. We had offered to put them in surf lessons and but they didn%26#39;t want to, they just wanted to hang with us.

Who offers the best surfing lessons?

We will be visiting in a couple of weeks and would like to know where to find a good surf lesson - single or group, it doesn%26#39;t matter. Location doesn%26#39;t matter either - north or south.

Who offers the best surfing lessons?

Don%26#39;t know if they are the ';best';, but friends of mine took a surf lesson in Poipu via the Nukumoi Surf Shop in Poipu. I know there are other companies but these folks did a great job.

http://www.nukumoisurf.com/

Who offers the best surfing lessons?

Titus Kinimaka%26#39;s Hawaiian School Of Surfing up north in Hanalei was really good for us. Last June my nine year old daughter and took a lesson through them. Had Ethan as our instructor. Small class of about 4-5 students. Good teaching, good success!!. Next day, we rented boards and went surfing on our own. Eathan, the instructor saw us and helped us again, even though we weren%26#39;t signed for a lesson that day!

I second the motion for Titus Kinimaka up in Hanalei. Smaller groups, better location for beginner surfing over Poipu. Hanalei Bay is mostly a sandy bottom and lots of room, good beginner waves usually. The lessons given in Poipu, by Nukumoi Surf Shop are not worth it, IMO. O.K. for a good time for younger ones but I wouldn%26#39;t quite call them surifng lessons. They ahve in a small and somewhat rockier section of the beach, in a small area, not out very far, and the %26#39;surfers%26#39; have to dodge others in the water. Too constricted of an area, imo. They have a good sized job with 2-3 instructors stanidng out in the water telling them when to go for it and giving them a push if needed. If they ARE able to catch a wave the ride is very short. They use the big foam boards too.

When my son was young we used to look through the ads when there and find him a private person. The best we had was a guy named Ambrose who has a surf shop across from the Kapaa Safeway. ( a small yellow building). We just stopped in there and made a date with him. He%26#39;d usually take my son down to Kalapaki. Now THAT was fun beginner surfing. Actually out pretty far and in some good waves with the big boys. He was very diligent about staying with him at all times. I%26#39;d rather pay the extra for a private lesson and have this kind of personal attention than what I see happening with some of the bigger surfing schools.

Another person we had advertised in the local newspapers. HIs name was Cliff , all I remember. He was an ex-lifeguard on Oahu also. He would check out the best surf spots that day and have us meet him there.

Any whale sightings yet?

Just wondering if the whales have made it into Maui yet?

Any whale sightings yet?

yup - lots of sightings. The first one I saw was just before Christmas.

Any whale sightings yet?

I%26#39;m seeing them daily on the drive to Lahaina From Wailuku

Lots around Molakini during our Christmas vacation.

We were in Maui from 11/27 until 12/8 and my DH went on 8 different whale watching trips and saw whales each time.

Check out www.adwalsh.com for a lot of pictures taken of whales during those boat trips.

http://pacificwhale.org/sight/ will show the whale sightings as seen on Pacific Whale Foundation boats trips. As you can see, whales are plentiful right now.

BrasilAtlanta

OMG thank you so much for sharing. .those pictures really took my breath away. STUNNING

Prince Kuhio and Ocean Intrigue hadn%26#39;t even made it out of the harbor (Ma`alaea) this afternoon, when they were mugged. Oh, it%26#39;s a Maui thing to call it a ';mugging'; when the whales come up to the whale watching ships which have stopped the legal 100 yards away. And, I see whales daily driving along S. and N. Kihei Roads.

uk hosting

mosquito bites!

Hi to all planning a trip soon..

Just a bit of advice: I got bit big time this past week! Went to Big Save to buy anti-itch cream but these are really itchy bites---the cream didn%26#39;t help! A local friend told me it%26#39;s really bad right now, so make sure you take whatever works for you to repel the critters!

rainyportland

mosquito bites!

Indeed, wiht all of our rain, and standing water, the pesky devils can be biting, depending where you are.

If on island, I found something that works pretty well called '; After Bite '; and it helps alot. It actually looks like a white felt tip pen.

But, you might be prepared, with a mosquito repellant. I still have some ';RID';, but I picked that up in Australia, not sure if they have it here or not....also works. Use it when hiking. Or even here at the condo, when eating out on the lanai.

Generally do not see them, but the ones that are giving me the bite biz, are very tiny, and black.

If you have a favorite before and after medication, you might bring it with you.

We have a hill of jungle right at our door, so prime breeding grounds.

Denny

mosquito bites!

I agree about the After Bite. It does help with the bites. I keep it with me all the time (along with repellent). Those darn mosquitos LOVE me and hate hubby...go figure

3Chihuahuas

Sometimes I%26#39;ve found that holding an ice cube on the really itchy bites numbs them enough to give me temporary relief from the I%26#39;m! Going! Crazy! From! The! Itching! sensation. My theory is (and I am certainly no biologist or health expert) that I think if you can interrupt that urgent itchy nerve signal feedback loop, then the cycle will calm down and the itchiness gets less and then the over the counter 10% cortisone creams get a chance to break in and start working.

Where were you when you got bit? The beach, a hiking trail?

In all the years we%26#39;ve been visitors, we%26#39;ve never seen a mosquito, but we base in Poipu during summer months.

Afterbite is great, and the mosquitos are bad this year. Another natural remedy is to take the green papaya skin, cut or crack it so that the sappy stuff oozes out, and use that on the bite. The papain enzyme helps to break down the mosquito%26#39;s toxin. Only problem is, there goes the breakfast papaya for the next day!

Rainy, you might have had an allergic reaction. Try some Benedryl or Chlortrimeton. Be aware that both can have sedative effects.

I use Benadryl, spray, cream, or gel. The spray has more numbing effect.

Important thing is don%26#39;t scratch when they%26#39;re new. If you don%26#39;t scratch them or disturb them they generally don%26#39;t turn into itchy welts.

What are driving me nuts are the crab spiders. They are way worse than mosquitoes. The itchy welt lasts 2-3 days. Do they have them on Kaua%26#39;i? Those webs with the folded up spiders that look like burrs?

We have what are called crab spiders but are actually Asian Sticklebacks. They bite. Sounds like your spiders. Really strong webs that bounce back if you run into them. Very persistent and ambitious in where they build webs - the support strands can be super-long.

This is the one I mean:

…hawaii.edu/haraa/documents/1990_UHurbanPest…

Thelacantha brevispina or Spiny-backed spider.

I have a feeling it%26#39;s the same thing. They suck!

Unlike many spiders that retreat when you brush the web, they charge and end up inside clothing, nip nip nip.

Sarna Lotion

Many changes in the last year?

I am lucky enough to be making in February another trip to Kihei. I%26#39;m getting to know the area after 8 visits but wonder what changes have been made since March. We will be as far from the road as it%26#39;s possible to get at Kihei Kai Nani but what of the on/off construction next door? Any new facilities (esp. food) you would recommend? Any of the old favourites gone?

I shall spend these holidays browsing amongst old friends on this forum as vital preparation.

Many changes in the last year?

fatblokeinacardy

Any new facilities (esp. food) you would recommend? Any of the old favourites gone?%26gt;%26gt;

if badda bings was one of your favorites it is time to find another favorite as they are closed

Many changes in the last year?

Hi1043,

Is Denny%26#39;s near the Harley Rental still

Open? They used to put in long hours. Most of

their food was O.K. All the best..Kwiet/B

Kwietburp

Is Denny%26#39;s near the Harley Rental still

Open? %26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

you travel all the way from oz to maui to eat in a dennys??

Hi 1043,

I usually like to eat at the Outback which is

closed by 10pm when I get my 2nd appetite.

Dennys are no record holders for sure but they

certainly beat the hell out of starvation.

I don%26#39;t drive in Maui and creates limitations

All the Very best to You Guys,,,Kwiet//B

Walk a little Bit for Breakfast

try these

Five Palms @ Mana Kai Resort

Kihei Caffe across from Kalama Park

Cafe La Plage @ Dolphin Plaza

I hesitate to recommend Freds/Moose%26#39;s for food.

But I beleive they have breakfast.

Freds is plain bad(unless ur drunk lol)

Sounds great, many thanks.

I do try not to bee too drunk at breakfast time but, hey, it%26#39;s vacation time.

If you want Fish Tacos forget about Freds. Yuck! Go to the funky Jawz truck at Big Beach instead. They are excellent there. Moose%26#39;s is fine for a drink and some appies. Cafe O%26#39;Lei is great. And LuLu%26#39;s at Kalama Village is pretty good, they have excellent peel and eat shrimp.

I%26#39;m not sure about the construction. We were there in April and stayed at Hale Pau Hana across the street. My friend was staying at Kihei Kai Nani and I spent some time at the pool there with her and didn%26#39;t notice anything but like I said that was last April.

Have a great trip next month. We will be in Kauai instead of Maui for the first time in 11 years.

There was construction next to KKN in early December...

oily skin blackheads

Authentic Hip Hop Clubs??

Are there any hip hop clubs on the island of Oahu? I%26#39;m sure they don%26#39;t have anything comparing to South Beach or NYC, but the closer...the better!

Any help or past experiences are appreciated.

Authentic Hip Hop Clubs??

Senor Frogs has a live band that usually plays a hawaiian reggae hip hop type of mix, a little hard to explain but the Hawaiians love it.

Authentic Hip Hop Clubs??

You are in Hawaii, now, bundles,not South Beach or NYC. Widen your horizons and enjoy some local tunes. Take care and enjoy. Chuck...

I don%26#39;t believe you will find hip hop a local preference on Oahu. The people I saw gathered outside clubs around Waikiki late at night didn%26#39;t exactly look the hip hop type. Someone please correct me if I%26#39;m wrong about that.

So what do DJs play in the local nightclubs? Techno?

Don%26#39;t know, but you can try this link.

鈥etromix.com/facets/bars-and-clubs/topic.mu鈥?/a>

For others:

http://honolulu.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs

Zanzabar on Kuhio plays hip hop and usally have partys sponsered by NFL players during the Pro-Bowl. They have a web site you might check.

Try the W on Friday or Saturday. They turn the restaurant into a club and it%26#39;s one of the only places in Honolulu you%26#39;ll wait in line and pay a cover.

Thank you all.

We%26#39;re in our late 20%26#39;s and hip hop and r%26amp;b is what we like so we were just trying to find something to match our tastes. We%26#39;ll be arriving tomorrow just in time to find out what%26#39;s going on for this weekend!

If you find something, it would be terrific if you post back later on. Because now you%26#39;ve got me curious! Have a great trip!!

Bundles please write back and let me know if you found something. I%26#39;m SURE there is someting there even if the locals are unaware.

Hip Hop %26amp; R%26amp;B is pretty much mainstream so someone there has to cater to the crowd.

If not, maybe some bar owner will read figure out there is a niche there and open one.

Just printed boarding passes!!

Aloha!

Tomorrow early morning flight from Boston arriving evening in Kauai (5 hours sitting in LAX - yikes)!! We%26#39;ve been keeping an eye on the weather (thinking of our neighbor from Avon, MA weather updates on the forum this past week) and looks like a fine week coming up for us. Thanks everyone - both official Kauai experts and others - for your help with our planning. Now, back to packing and repacking and seeing how much I can sneek into my husband%26#39;s suitcase.

Mahalo!

Just printed boarding passes!!

have a safe and wonderful trip

Just printed boarding passes!!

Sounds like you are excited and you should be. Have a wonderful time and don%26#39;t forget to smell the plumeria!

Very jealous. It will be memorable. Enjoy!

I am so jealous! I got excited a little early and now have no idea how I will get through the next three week of work! But...I am just glad to be working in these economic times so I will try and remember that!

I have been watching the weather...looks like a good week for sure. Have a ton of fun!! We go in 8 sleeps! Can%26#39;t wait! It%26#39;s funny, my days just seem to fly by now--I want everything to slow down. Could that be age talking??

I%26#39;m soooooo jealous!

Have a great time and please have a Mai Tai for us.

Aloha. Enjoy. Don%26#39;t forget the trip report.

Have a fantastic time. I wish we were on our way there but we had out trip already this year.