Discounted Rental Rates and Activity Combinations
You might have the idea that they are high on both price and style when you think of rental properties on Oahu . In terms of style, this can be true, however, during the off season prices are usually negotiable and most homes are discounted, especially in the current economy.

There are many agencies that offer the additional option of combining your ideal rental accommodations with activities, travel guides, insider tips, and even car rental. Book these things in a package deal wherever you can; rare will be the time that you do not save a hefty chunk of cash by doing so.

Additional Oahu Travel Tips
When selecting your travel agent, it’s important to be sure you are dealing with a local company . This ensures you’re sourcing info from those who truly know the island and all it has to offer. While there are many companies located over the world, you may be surprised to find that many of their agents have never even visited Oahu. Each different part of the island offers its own individual charm, and they can differ vastly!

HONOLULU - Home to abundant Historic landmarks, museums, Chinatown, the financial district, and a mix of dining options and art galleries unrivaled in the rest of Hawaii, it is unsurprising that Honolulu is the state capital, and a rich arena of arts and culture to inspire and stimulate the senses. It’s easy to join in and be a part of it, just come on over!

WAIKIKI - The Manhattan of Hawaii, Waikiki is renowned for it cocktail of vibrant nightlife, and both world-class hotels and ocean front fine dining. On top of that, the local culture is known for its surf lessons, live entertainment, luaus, “Aloha wear”, and of course, the Waikiki Beach sands. Immerse yourself in the fun, history and wonder that is Waikiki!

WINDWARD OAHU - If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, this is the place to go. Home to some of Hawaii’s most beautiful beaches and the luxury estates of Lanikai, Kailua and Diamond Head, Oahu’s Windward coast also contains some of Hawaii’s finest beaches. The area offers everything for the outdoor enthusiast: kayaking, horseback riding, hiking, surfing (of course!), and much more. Come explore the verdant vales, tropical basins, white soft sand and crystal blue waters!

LEEWARD & CENTRAL OAHU - Central and Leeward Oahu are home to some of the island’s most well-known attractions. Here you will find the battleships, aviation museums and memorials of Pearl Harbor, the Dole Plantation’s pineapple fields and the resort area of Ko’Olina with superb golfing, a marina and beautiful lagoons.

NORTH SHORE - The island’s North Shore is most well known for the surfing at Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, home of monster winter swells and many world-famous surf competitions. Both electrifying and laid-back, here you will find rustic surf villages and wide-open spaces with a laid-back country feel.

Finding the Best Deals When it Comes Time to Pay
When the time comes to pay, you get better deals when paying with checks. In general you can save an additional 5% if you simply ask for it! They can save up to 4% in credit card fees, so it’s often a win-win situation.

Damage Deposit for Exclusive Rentals
Ranging from several hundred up to several thousand, both security and damage deposits are required by the majority of exclusive coastline vacation accommodations. Avoiding damage deposit charges is possible in two different ways. First, ask your travel or vacation property agency if there is a travel insurance policy available, which will cost you a fraction. As an alternative, ask to have a hold placed on your credit card, rather than a charge.

Holds on your card are free of charge and will be released within 2 weeks of the end of your stay-if that there hasn’t been any destruction of property of course (but you’d never do that).

Security Deposit
Security deposits are deducted from your final balance due, usually 30-90 days prior to arrival on the island.

Remember, by properly researching and examining a variety of options, you are more likely to choose the Maui vacation rental that is best for you. It’s not too hard and can build you up some nice anticipation for your holiday.

You can find most everything you need by looking at travel websites. Most provide photographs, full descriptions, guest reviews and rate information. Of course, if you need any more information you can typically contact the site or an agent by email or telephone. You may well even end up with the vacation home of your dreams!

Pearl Harbor began as a large, shallow bay teeming with oysters. It was named Wai Momi or Pu’uloa by the original Hawaiians, who considered it the home of the shark goddess Ka’ahupahau and her brother Kahi’uka. To allow easy access for canoes and larger vessels, the Ewa chief Keaunui widened and deepened the Pearl River estuary. After the annexation of Hawaii in the 19th century, the U.S. took ownership of Pearl Harbor in 1887, designating it “Naval Station, Hawaii”.

The Attack’s Aftermath
The American flotilla lost 9 ships, and had 21 severely damaged ships. The death toll reached 2,350, including 68 civilians. In addition, 1,178 non-casualties were injured. Out of the military personnel lost at Pearl Harbor, 1,177 were crew of the USS Arizona.

The Attack: How it Happened
The Japanese Navy used Aircraft and midget submarines on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at 6:05am on Dec 7, 1941. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto launched the first assault at 7:51am, with a volley of 183 airplanes from 6 Japanese carriers striking the outlying ships, military installations, and airfields controlled by the military on Ford Island.

The battleship Arizona was sunk in a matter of seconds after it was gouged with an armor-piercing bomb that detonated the forward ammunition magazine. The navy anchored in Pearl Harbor was attacked at 8:30am by a second volley of 170 Japanese planes , mostly torpedo bombers.

USS Arizona Battleship Memorial Tours
1,500,000 visitors per year are invited to the Arizona Memorial, just off Ford Island on Pearl Harbor’s “Battleship Row”. The 184-foot-long white structure, Operated by the National Parks Service, was built to honor and remember the 2,350 people who passed away during the attack, including the 1,177 crew still entombed in the battleship.

Completed in 1961, the Memorial was dedicated a year later, and contained three main sections: the entry and assembly room; a central area designed for ceremonies and general observation; and the shrine room containing a marble wall where the names of those who passed away on the Arizona are engraved. A brief documentary film regarding the Pearl Harbor surprise attack and a boat shuttle ride to the Arizona are both included in the tour.

USS Missouri Battleship Memorial
The USS Missouri was the last of four battleships that were named after Missouri, and is the Iowa-class battleship known as “Mighty Mo”. 2,700-pound shells were fired up to 20 miles from its towering 16-inch guns. The Missouri was commissioned on June 11, 1944, and weighed 45,000 tons and was more than 885 feet in length.

When the Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945, officially marking the end of the second World War, the signing took place aboard the Missouri. The Battleship was decommissioned for the last time on March 31, 1992, after serving in both the Korean and Gulf Wars. On Jan 29, 1999, The USS Battleship Missouri Memorial was publicly opened.

USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
More than 3,500 submariners and 52 American submarines were lost in World War II, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park was made as a tribute to those lost. In its nine successful war patrols, the Bowfin sank 44 Japanese ships after its launch on December 7, 1942. In 1980, the submarine was brought to Pearl Harbor and docked next to the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center. On April 1, 1981, guests were allowed to visit the “museum ship”. In 1986, the Bowfin was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Pacific Aviation Museum
Located within former WWII airplane hangars on Pearl Harbor’s Ford Island, the Pacific Aviation Museum is an immersive aviation museum equipped with interactive simulators and exhibits revealing the stories behind authentic WWII fighter planes and bombers. Hangar 37 is a 42,000 square foot airplane hangar that survived the Pearl Harbor attack, and it displays authentic an Japanese Zero and a B-25B Bomber, similar to the one used in the famous “Doolittle Raid” on Japan in 1942.

USS Oklahoma Memorial
Dedicated on December 7th, 2007, the USS Oklahoma Memorial honors the 429 crewmen who passed away in the Pearl Harbor attack. Approximately 9 torpedoes hit “The Okie,” capsizing this 35,000-ton battleship in only 12 minutes. Some crewmen, trapped in compartments below deck after the ship capsized, used hammers and wrenches to signal rescue crews on the surface. Only 32 men were rescued from its overturned hull, after the attack two days later.

– A.R. Royo

Ever since the television hit series “Lost” took to the airwaves, captivated fans have been flocking to the Oahu location where scenes from the show were filmed. Now that the program has entered its final season, more people than ever are booking tours to see the sites firsthand.

Hummer Lost Adventure Tours
About 1½ years before “Lost” debuted in 2004, Kos Tours launched off-road Hummer tours on Oahu’s scenic North Shore.

“Then, ‘Lost’ started filming along the same roads and trails that we were driving,” said owner Ed Kos. “So, when people started watching the show, we added ‘Lost’ locations.”
Today, people are obsessed with “Lost,” Kos said.

“Going to where it was filmed gives them a connection,” he said. “We talk about the scenes, and they feel like they’re part of it. To sit on the same logs that Jack and Ben sat on is huge for some of our guests.”

Much of the spectacular scenery seen in “Lost” is located at Kualoa Ranch, a 4,000-acre working cattle ranch that offers its own tours to the show’s filming locations. Actually, the ranch’s one-hour narrated Movie Sites and Ranch tour debuted back in 1992, following the blockbuster film “Jurassic Park” and since then, hundreds of thousands of people have experienced it.

Among other movies filmed at the ranch are “Wind Talkers,” “You, Me and Dupree,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Mighty Joe Young.” But it seems that clients get most excited when they stop at places where “Lost” has been filmed, said Kualoa Ranch president John Morgan.

From the world-famous sunny beaches to the lush, vibrant rainforests and the small local towns in between, Maui really is everything you’ve imagined Hawaii to be … and more. Whether looking for exclusive, world-class resorts or secluded honeymoon cottages, it’s all here.

It can be a scary task to find the best accommodation for newcomers to Maui, and this is why it’s important to do your research! Here are some explanations and tips that might just make your search a little easier.

Maui county closed short-term rental homes
Beginning in 2007, the county closed a stunning number of short-term rental homes on Maui, from small Bed and Breakfasts to million dollar vacation homes! Hundreds of such rentals went out of business, a few lucky ones are still permitted and others are in the arduous process of applying for the necessary permits.

Maui Cottage Rentals are still available
Most travel agencies are still offering such vacation homes, and we have high hopes that such a sad story will have a happy ending for this once vibrant alternative to the usual resort experience.

Ask any of your friends, relatives and co-workers who have visited Maui previously. Those who have been here before usually have the best advice, as they’ve had firsthand experience. You will probably hear a wide variety of thoughts and ideas that had possibly never occurred to you. Experiences of people you know will usually tell you much more than any other informational source.

Bargain hunting on expensive Maui
Though Maui rentals are generally noticeably more expensive than other islands, the present state of the economy has kept occupation reasonable on Maui, and indeed the same is true for most Maui hotels-even Five-Star resorts like the Grand Wailea and Four Season. This means possible savings for you, especially when looking for accommodations for extended stays of two weeks or more. Be sure to enquire with your agent about any vacation rental houses or promotions that may not presently listed, just about end, or just about to begin.

Maui activities

You might save some money when booking with an agency that handles more than just vacation rentals, as they mostly offer special offers like promotions or even completely free activities, tours, and the like (if you book with them, naturally). Again, it never hurts to ask!

Here are some accommodation tips:

• Remote village of Hana
  Maui offers the most diversity of rich environments and climates of all the islands. The remote village of Hana, on East Maui, is where you’ll find the most waterfalls and lush rainforests. From the star-swarmed luxury Hotel Hana Maui to basic campgrounds to comfy bungalows, there is also a great range of available vacation housing!
• The North shore for the water sport enthusiasts
  The North Shore is most famous for the Surf Town of Paia, and offers fantastic opportunities for water sports enthusiasts like windsurfing, surfing and kite surfing with well-known beaches like Baldwin, Ho’okipa or Kanaha all very nearby. You will also find eclectic shops, wonderful eateries and accommodations ranging from small B & B’s and bungalows in Paia, Haiku and Upcountry in the island to lavish maui luxury villas in the nearby neighborhood of Spreckelsville!
• Central Maui
  Central Maui is really primarily an industrial and shopping area with only a few, albeit, budget-friendly hotels and rooms for rent.
• The South and West shores
  These shores of the island are primarily home to the exclusive and manicured areas of Wailea, Kapalua, Lahaina and Ka’anapali. The sugary sands of the beaches in these areas offer the perfect environment for sunbathing, relaxation and luxury at Makena (Big) Beach, Little Beach and Ka’anapali Beach, voted among the top ten beaches in Hawaii. Nearby, beautiful maui luxury oceanfront villas such as vacation villas, private estates and beachfront condos to fit any budget are available.
• Get better deals by paying with a check
  When the time comes to pay, you get better deals when paying with checks. In general you can save an additional 5% if you simply ask for it! They can save up to 4% in credit card fees, so it’s often a win-win situation.
• Damage deposit for exclusive rentals
• For more exclusive beach and oceanfront vacation rentals, there are usually both security and damage deposits to pay, which can range from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand.
  There are two ways to avoid damage deposit charges. First and foremost, a good travel insurance policy will pay for such charges and cost a fraction of the price, and if you need you can check with your vacation rental or travel agent if they know of any. As an alternative, ask to have a hold placed on your credit card, rather than a charge.
  If all goes well and no damage to property is reported, credit card hold is free of charge and released within 2 weeks of your departure.
• Security deposit
  Security deposits are deducted from your final balance due, usually 30-90 days prior to arrival on the island.

Remember, by properly researching and examining a variety of options, you are more likely to choose the Maui vacation rental that is best for you. It’s pretty easy to do and can be quite fun too.

You can find most everything you need by visiting travel websites. Most provide photographs, full descriptions, guest reviews and rate information. Naturally, if you need any more information you can typically contact the site or an agent by email or telephone. You may well even end up with the vacation home of your dreams!

– Kelly Stoneman

The only known breeding and birthing areas for humpback whales in the United States are the Hawaiian Islands. No wonder Maui Whale Watching in Hawaii is among the most popular commercial activities for both locals and tourists alike.

Each winter, the islands become home to 6,000-8,000 humpbacks, making the tropical, clear, shallow, and protected waters of Hawaii one of the best natural laboratories in the world to study humpbacks and similarly, to book a whale watch.

Humpback whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal, migrating as far as 5,000 miles Alaskan summer feeding areas and Hawaii’s breeding grounds. Humpback whales undergo prolonged periods of fasting and have completely separated feeding from breeding and calving activities during the winter.

The Whale Trust
The Whale Trust was formed in 2001 to support field research on earth’s largest marine mammals — whales and their marine environment. Much of their current research into the biology and behavior of humpback whales is carried out in the shallow and protected waters between the four islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe.

The mission of Whale Trust is to promote, support and conduct scientific research on whales and the marine environment, and develop public education programs based directly on results of scientific research. It also has the goalof cultivating and furthering Maui’s unique situation as a natural whale and marine environment research laboratory.

The Whale Trust is presently pursuing a number of ongoing research experiments in Hawaii, that are focused on: humpback behavior; social norms; and communication. Here are a few:

Song Study
Whale songs, occurring primarily during the breeding season, are sung only by males, and their composition slowly changes as they are being sung, with all singers in a population singing the same version at any one time. Why humpback whales sing remains unknown.
Female Status in the Hawaiian Breeding Grounds
One of the great unknowns in humpback whale behavior is the status of the female: reproductive behavour and how they fit in to the social structure of humpback breeding and calving grounds.

Feeding
Humpback whales will usually devour close to an entire tonne of nourishment per day in order to survive the winter fasting period! A humpback’s diet consists of shrimp-like crustaceans called kill (euphausiids) and various types of small schooling fish, including herring, capelin, sand lance, and mackarel.

Mating & Calving
During the winter, humpback whales assemble in Hawaii’s tropical waters to mate and to calve. Most of Hawaii’s breeding grounds are toastier, more shallow, and have fewer predators than summer feeding areas.

Humpback Whale Societies
Most humpback social groups or communities are believed to be short-lived, with the longest lasting bond being between mother and calf. Still, there are hints of unexplored depths of communication..

Cow & Calf
After a 10-12 month gestation period, female humpbacks give birth to a single calf. Scientists have yet to officially record the live bearing of a humpback calf. Females with newborn calves are commonly sighted throughout the winter, often in shallower or more inshore waters than the adult population.

Yearlings & Sub-Adults
Calves typically nurse for the first 6-12 months of life, usually separating by the end of the first year. These year-old calves(yearlings) have often increased in weight by a factor of eight, and typically approach a length of nearly 9 metres-having nearly doubled in length.

Cow, Calf & Escort
Often a male escort accompanies or “escorts” a cow and calf on the breeding grounds. Surprisingly, the calves’ are not fathered by these male escorts, revealed by genetic testing. Female Humpback Whales reach sexual maturity at four to six years , and birth calves every 2-3 years after that.

Humpback Behavior
Well known for their acrobatic surface displays, humpback whales are a favorite for whalewatchers around the world. Whether there is any meaning inherent to these impressive displays, however, is still unknown.
But you don’t need to be a research scientist to experience and enjoy wild humpback whales exhibiting a wide variety of behaviors. HawaiiActive.com is located on Maui and offers a variety of Whale watching tours on the island.

They also feature:
•  Oahu Whale Watching in Hawaii
•  Kauai Whale Watching cruises in Hawaii

– A.R. Royo

As most Maui visitors know, there is one Must -Do activity while vacationing on the Valley Isle called ‘Maui Haleakala Sunrise Downhill Bike Ride.’ More than 100,000 visitors enjoy this activity every year. And no wonder! This is the ultimate bike-ride: straight down Mount Haleakala, the world’s largest dormant volcano, 36 miles to the sea.

Maui Downhill Bike Riding
Participants arrive at Haleakala’s 10’000-foot summit before sunrise between 4:30 and 5:30am to witness an incredible Hawaiian sunrise above the clouds, braving temperatures barely above freezing, at least during January and February.

But well worth it — the waiting, the cold, the shivering — because the scenery and the view from here are truly spectacular… On clear days you can see most of the large Hawaiian Islands, including Mauna Kea, rising 14,000 feet above sea level on the Big Island to the South.

After this unique sunrise viewing adventure, it’s time to start your downhill bike ride, which includes occasional stops along the way, until you arrive at sea level in Paia for a brunch of Kona coffee and croissants. This is a once in a lifetime adventure you’ll never forget, which is why so many return again and again for this experience.

Maui Uphill Cycling
Then there are those very few enthusiasts who think it’s cool riding in the opposite direction, starting at sea level and pedaling uphill to the summit. These are serious cyclists, usually on road bikes wearing full cycling garb.

There are times when Maui Downhill Bikers pass the Uphill Cyclists, and when their eyes meet, there is a smile on the face of each, sometimes in disbelief, and sometimes because both think the others are nuts.
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Maui Cycle to the Sun Bike Race
In August each year, Cycle to the Sun, a 36-mile uphill ‘strapaza,’ starts at sea level in Paia and ends at the10’000 foot summit of Haleakala Crater. This ride up the steepest paved road on the planet is appropriate only for the fittest. Most riders train by riding this road numerous times beforehand.

The current record is an unbelievable time of less than 2 hours, 50 minutes. The average time for the ride is around 4 ½ hours. The 2009 event is scheduled for August 23rd, starting at 7am.

Ride Maui Again & Again
No matter what you preference, uphill or downhill riding , you can enjoy the unbelievable scenery, the fresh ocean breezes, and riding above clouds with an endless panorama across the tropical Pacific Ocean to where the sky and sea meet hundreds of miles away.

The peace and stillness up here can be exhilarating, and once in a while, if you’re lucky enough, you’ll hear a flock of large Nene (Hawaiian geese) flying above you honking their loud welcome.

So, no matter what your ‘thing’ is, do it and do it again! A Maui Downhill Bike Ride at Sunrise or an epic ‘Cycle to the Sun.’

Lets do it – See you up at Haleakala!

PS: Riding ‘uphill’ was part of my monthly training schedule when training for Ironman distance & competition. Living on Maui for more than 22 years, I still enjoy riding Haleakala up & down, even after being involved in a heavy accident a few years ago.

Info about: ‘Guided Maui Downhill Bike Ride’
Info about: ‘Self-Guided Maui Downhill Bike Ride’
Info about: ‘Maui Road Cycling Tours’
Info about: ‘Cycle to the Sun Bike Race’

Personal Recommendation for Your Road to Hana Adventure and Beyond

Here are my personal recommendations, as someone who moved to Maui from Switzerland more than 20 years ago and enjoys cycling the Road to Hana almost every Sunday morning, rain or shine, together with a few bike enthusiast friends.

Bicycling to Hana from Twin Falls, a 37-mile ride (one-way) of amazing scenery!

The Ride of Your Life
Cycling together up to 90 miles keeps us fit and healthy. But even more important is East Maui’s incredible natural setting we ride through, which includes: verdant cliffs plunging to the ocean, tropical rainforests with huge eucalyptus trees, green and yellow bamboo forests, spectacular roadside waterfalls, century-old bridges (many one-lane only), the songs of many native Hawaiian birds, and the deliciously fresh taste of local food and drink.

Along the way, native people who are mostly farmers sell their delicious, homemade banana breads and fresh smoothies made from local mango, guava, papaya, lemon and coconut. Fresh-brewed Kona or Hawaiian blend coffee is also available for a low price.

No Rain, No Rainbows
Don’t be afraid to start your Road to Hana adventure on a rainy day, even a very rainy winter day! In fact, the more it rains the better! Only then will you easily see giant waterfalls from the road, especially between Keanae and Nahiku. Unfortunately, most streams between Paia and Keanae are dry, even on a rainy day, because water gets diverted in ditches to the sugar cane fields of Central Maui.

Drive the Full Circuit
Rental car companies prefer that you turn around and drive back the way you came after the Seven Pools at Kipahulu, but this means you’ll miss half the experience of East Maui. The road that circumnavigates the island is now open again after being closed for an earthquake two years ago.

So continue through Hana to Kipahulu and Kaupo. From there you’ll experience fresh black lava fields, dryland forests and the vast Pacifc on your left, while gradually climbing to Tedeshi Winery and then Kula at 3,000 feet, and descending again to Kahului.

We bicycle entirely around East Maui a few times each year. It takes us 6 ½ - 8 hours to pedal this approximate 107-mile route, which  includes over 10,000 feet of climbing. So a regular car can drive it easily, although I would not recommend it for a stretch limousine.

My Recommendations for a Once in Lifetime Maui Experience!
You can easily drive the ‘Road to Hana’ in your own rental car - where you you’ll be more independent and can stop as often as you like. If you prefer not to drive, I recommend booking a Hana tour with a local guide familiar with the island and Hana’s history, like the Heavenly Tour to Hana.

If you’re planning a helicopter tour, take it before you drive the Road to Hana so you can stop at points of interest you’ve seen from the air - select a flight from Haleakala & Hana Helicopter Tours.

And if you want the best of both worlds, check out the SkyTrek Road to Hana Adventure. This is probably the greatest adventure you can have while vacationing on Maui, because it includes both van and helicopter tours with thrilling aerial views of Halekala Volcano and many other spectacular sights of our precious island.

An overnight stay in Hana is also highly recommended. You can either stay 1^st-class at the Hotel Hana Maui or enjoy a family managed ‘Jungle Cottage,’ which I can recommend as well. I’ll be happy to give you further information; if you call me on my cell at 808-871-8884.

And if you’re a cycling enthusiast like me, bike the Road to Hana, up Mt. Haleakala, or anywhere else on the Valley Isle with a Maui Bicycling Tour.

Top 10 Tips for Your Road to Hana Adventure

1. Leave early from your hotel or accommodation (6am if possible) and fill your tank with gas first thing - you’ll see only 1 or 2 gas stations the entire day!
2. Don’t avoid the rain. The best days for a Hana adventure are rainy ones, which means lots of waterfalls.
3. Be sure to take one or two cameras with you.
4. Avoid wearing flip-flops (slippers) it can be muddy. Bring raincoat, windbreaker or a second dry shirt.
5. Drive steadily as far as Keanae; from there stop as often as possible - this is where the ‘real Hana deal’ starts.
6. Pause to enjoy roadside smoothies, banana bread or fresh fruit from local families - they need your business.
7. Don’t miss the local beaches like Black Sand Beach (near Keanae) and Hamoa Beach (after Hana).
8. Eat lunch at the Hana Hotel if possible. You’ll enjoy delicious , 1st- class food with a local Hawaiian flair.
9. Visit the Seven Pools at Oheo Gulch, about 10 minutes past Hana. From here you can hike 2 miles through a bamboo forest to a 400-foot waterfall!
10. Take a lots of water along. The route is often hot and humid. Once past Hana there are no stores. (Kaupo Store opens only sporadically).

Each winter, thousands of Whales travel 5,000 miles from the northern Pacific to Hawaii. They begin arriving in November, with  peak whale watching season extending from Mid-December through April.

100% Sighting Guarantee for These
Hawaii Whale Watch Tours
Take advantage of this amazing offer, which we extend to the Islands of Oahu, Maui and Big Island! No matter where you spend your vacation, I guarantee you’ll see whales on your whale tour!
• Or get your money back.
• Or get a second Whale Watch tour at no additional charge!

Our Sighting Guarantee makes sure you’ll see whales on your whale boat excursion,  if not the first time, then on your second excursion. There is no other Hawaii Tour operator offering you this extended Guarantee!

Our offer is limited to Whaleboat tours from January 1st – March 30th, 2009. Reserve your Whale Watch tour today with 100% Sighting Guarantee for: Oahu/Honolulu | Maui | Big Island

Whale Watch  Gift Certificate
Give away one of our Whale Watch Gift Certificates to a dear friend, a relative or as a Honeymoon surprise at no additional cost! Simply call us now and ask for this perfect gift for visitors coming to Hawaii. Call us toll-free at 1-866-766-6284.

Also, read our testimonials for each whale watch tour. Personal testimonials are the most reliable way to make your selection! Thousands of customers gave us their opinion about tours they have reserved with HawaiiActive.com. Please check them out!

Hope to see you soon,
Dan Christener
Founder/CEO
1-866-766-6284
www.HawaiiActive.com

PS: Save up to 30% on Early Bird Whale Watch tours on Maui!

Recent volcano eruptions as late as April of 2008 have blasted ash, rock and gases from the Kilauea crater, closing portions of the national park and Kilauea Lodge within the park on a number of days.

Kilauea Volcano Eruptions Continue
Kilauea is the world’s most active volcano. It began its most recent eruption within the park on January 3, 1983. In addition to destroying homes and roads in its path, lava flowing into the ocean since then has created more than 500 acres of new land along the eastern coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii Volcano Excursions and Expeditions
Kilauea Volcano draws thousands of visitors from around the globe and is the biggest attraction on the Big Island. There are many Big Island activity providers that offer exciting tours so visitors can experience Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and view Kilauea crater and lava flows.

Tours include helicopter flights over the park from both Hilo and Kona, eco walking and hiking tours, study and photo tours, and island bus and van excursions that include stops at the park’s continual eruptions - these tours can even be booked to travel from other islands as well.

Kilauea Nature Tours
A number of eco-tour and hiking companies offer daily treks into Volcanoes National

Park, as Naturalists and Hawaii certified guides lead the way on foot and on guided driving tours, allowing visitors to discover in relative safety, extinct craters, ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs, lava tubes, steam vents, and the arid desert landscape of Kilauea. While not always a guarantee (for safety reasons), this is one of the few places in the world that allows you to walk right up to a flow of molten lava!

Kilauea Air Tours
Air tours abound on the Big Island, offering a bird’s-eye view of the awesome power of an erupting volcano. While helicopter flights for most visitors are considered a must, small planes offer a quieter view from above. Departures from Hilo, Waikoloa and Kona allow a variety of options and assure something for every activity level, age and budget. For the photographer, there are doors-off flights and tours including a landing within the park. Have a picnic lunch before exploring this remote area and getting close to the lava eruption, safely.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park was established in 1916, and is only one of two national parks in Hawaii. The park’s 330,000 acres displays the results of 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution, and encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth’s most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet.

Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking, camping, and sightseeing opportunities. In recognition of its outstanding natural resources, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park has been honored as an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

In addition, Kilauea Visitor Center offers visitor information and exhibits, films and videos. The Thomas A. Jaggar Museum, located about 3 miles from the park entrance, offers earth science displays and features murals depicting Hawaiian culture. An adjacent overlook provides a panoramic view of Kilauea Caldera and Mauna Loa.

Kilauea Volcano - Hawaiian Geology Laboratory
The Hawaiian Islands are perfect examples of shield volcanoes, eruptions that build an elongated dome much like a turtle shell. All of the Hawaiian Islands are volcanic projecting tops of the tallest mountain range in the world, created by lava oozing from the ocean floor as much as 18,000 feet below. This is caused, according to geologists, by the Pacific Plate sliding northeast over a hot spot in the earth’s mantle.

The newest Hawaiian Island — Lohi — is already forming off the southeast coast of the Big Island, but remains 3,000 feet below the ocean’s surface.

By Terry Reim

All the Romance and Excitement of the South Pacific
Many South Pacific nations are represented at the Polynesian Cultural Center, where recreated villages, exhibits and hands-on activities highlight 8 of them: Samoa, Aotearoa (Maori New Zealand), Fiji, Hawaii, Marquesas, Tahiti, Tonga and Rapa Nui (Easter Island).
• Meet, learn about and interact with the people of Hawaii, Samoa, Maori New Zealand (Aotearoa), Fiji, Tahiti, the Marquesas and Tonga
• Watch Hawaii’s only canoe pageant
• Experience an authentic Hawaiian luau, a Hawaiian food feast and dinner-show feast fit for an ali’i (royal chief) complete with Imu ceremony and Hawaiian dances
• Enjoy our world-famous evening show with Hawaiian music and entertainment, “Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky”
• Enjoy family activities from all of Polynesia.

Founding of the Nonprofit Polynesian Cultural Center
The Center is a 42-acre facility on the North Shore of Oahu. Founded in 1963, the nonprofit Center was created so that the Pacific Island students of nearby Brigham Young University Hawaii could work their way through college by sharing their island heritage with visitors.

As early as 1844, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (popularly called the Mormons) were working among the Polynesians in Tahiti and surrounding islands. Missionaries arrived in the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) in 1850. By 1865, the LDS Church had purchased the 6,000-acre plantation that encompasses all of Laie.

The students come from an area that covers approximately 12 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean. At the heart of the PCC experience are the island villages, which offer visitors a unique opportunity to learn about — and participate in — the customs of each island.

Travel Throughout Polynesia in a Single Day
Visitors are encouraged to take part in a number of authentic activities, representing everything from island games and crafts to food preparation and war training skills. An authentic Hawaiian luau, all-you-can-eat buffets, a canoe pageant, an IMAX™ theater, shops and the world’s largest evening show are all part of the experience.

With its large lagoon, waterfalls, lush tropical flora, and an “erupting” volcano, the Polynesian Cultural Center captures all the romance and excitement of the South Pacific islands. A visit here represents a chance to travel through Polynesia in a single day, and participate in the celebration of centuries of Polynesian culture — no passport is required.

Several villages provide more adventurous activities than the normal cultural presentations that have been scheduled throughout the day. These new activities now available include Spear Throwing, Fire Walking, Wood & Tiki Carving, Fire Pit Cooking, Tree Climbing, Fire Starting, Fire Knife Dancing, Tattoos, Haka Dance, Maori War Canoe, Coconut Husking.

The Polynesian Cultural Center has become world-renowned as a special place of enchantment, entertainment and education. The allure of old Polynesia lingers among the Pacific island people who demonstrate their traditional arts and crafts and perform their lively songs and dances at the Polynesian Cultural Center from noon till 10pm, 7 days a week.

All Day Package on Oahu
All Day Package for Polynesian Polynesian Cultural Center on Hawaii is the best way to experience the the cultural, diversity and spirit of Polynesia. The Ambassador Package - with or without luau or transportation, is a great way to enjoy this unique Oahu treasure. Or take a Deluxe Circle Island Tour to explore many of Honolulu’s most scenic areas, tropical forests, Dole Plantation and Northshore surfing beaches, along with a visit to the Polynesian cultural Center

By Terry Reim