Best Hawaii Vacation with Hawaii Vacation Blog

A Guide to your Big Island Vacation that will work for you

2009-11-16T16:38:00.000-08:00

Aloha Hawaii visitors,

What's on today's 'menu' of Best Hawaii Vacation blog today? It's 'A Guide to your Big Island which will work for you'. Please, keep reading if you own a Big Island vacation rental or if you plan a Big Island vacation sooner or later.

Most of our visitors are aware that besides our weekly Hawaii vacation blog posts, which include vacation articles about all the Hawaiian Islands: Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu and Molokai, we constantly update and improve our Hawaii vacation sites Big Island Vacation Guide and Kohala Coast Vacation Guide. Having called the Kohala Coast on the Big Island our home and having been Hawaii vacation rental hosts for many years before retiring from the business in 2006, that's the Hawaii we know best.

Our Big Island Vacation Guide with exclusive information about the Kohala Coast and beautiful Kohala Coast and Big Island photos, which we and Hawaii visitors took over the years, was getting Google's and thus Hawaii visitors' attention right from the beginning in 2004.

Some time after having created our Big Island Kohala Coast Vacation Guide, we noticed that we cannot pack all the Big Island vacation info onto that site. Exploring the Big Island on vacation, in cyberspace or in reality, is a huge project. Big Island visitors can get easily overwhelmed and lose track of focus. The biggest issue for any Hawaii visitor is to find the right home base on the Big Island from where they want to start their daily explorations. We consider our Big Island Vacation Guide with islandwide Big Island vacation rental s a guide which will work for you, Big Island visitors and for Big Island rental owners!

To tell you the truth there are lots of Big Island vacation sites and blogs out on the WWW. Naturally, our amateur, homemade Big Island Vacation Guide was facing strong competition especially from such big corporations like Homeaway, Alwaysonvacation, Vamoose, just to name a few. As former vacation rental hosts it was kind of sad to watch Homeaway buying out all the old well established rental directories like greatrentals, cyberrentals and even vrbo and thus being able to dictate the highest vacation rental listing prices rental owners have ever seen. Unfortunately, the high annual listing price does not guarantee Big Island rental owners that their Big Island rental gets found among the hundreds of listings and gets booked.

What makes our Big Island Vacation Guide unique?

1. Only affordable Big Island rentals, below $200/nt., get listed.

2. Only individually owned Big Island rentals get listed.

3. Big Island map shows location of vacation rental.

4. Guide displays lots of Big Island vacation info:

Activities, Car Rental, Events, Weather

Best Big Island Vacation Guide Feature for Big Island Visitors

- See all available Big Island rental locations at one glance.

- Click your preferred Big Island locations.

- See nightly rental rates at one glance.

- Only affordable Big Island rentals are listed.

- No wasting your time by visiting hundreds of rental pages!

Best Big Island Vacation Guide Feature for Big Island Owners

- Your listing is absolutely FREE. No limited time offer.

- No fine print restrictions.

- Link back to HawaiiAffordable + get a free link to your site.

So, visit Pua's and Keoki's Big Island Vacation Guide and let us know what you think of our unique Guide to your Big island vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Why bloggers steal our blog posts?

2009-11-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all our Hawaii blog visitors who checked out our recent post about 'Visit Hawaii for Thanksgiving 2009'. Well, we know a short notice Hawaii vacation is not for everybody's budget and family schedule but we are happy to share Hawaii vacation rental vacancies and deals with all those who are still looking into a Hawaii Thanksgiving visit.

So, what's on today's blog agenda for our Hawaii visitors? Well, it's a post I never thought I'd have to write. Alas, it's not for our Hawaii visitors and even takes time away from our original blog goal sharing our and other visitors experiences to make your best Hawaii vacation possible. It's about bloggers who want to save themselves time and money by taking original blog content from other bloggers who put all the hard work in.

Blogging about our favorite topic Hawaii is a labor of love and commitment. When writing our Best Hawaii Vacation blog posts, we write them with the intent that the people who are searching the web for this Hawaii vacation information will find our posts. Believe me there is a lot of efforts, time and research going in each post!

Unfortunately, not all bloggers respect that. For quite some time, we have experienced that bloggers copy and paste entire of our top Google ranked Hawaii blog posts to their so-called 'vacation' and 'travel' blogs - without quotation marks, using our exact post title and without giving us, the original blog author, any credit for the post and without asking permission.

Why do bloggers steal our blog posts? Easy answer. They take advantage of top ranked Google posts under popular search terms for traffic boosts to their site and financial benefits. Good news is that Google really supports the real bloggers and helps us in keeping the search results clean from 'sploggers' with the Google spam report form. Each time I used it, Google removed the splogger from Google SERPs. However, I'd rather use my precious time to write about Hawaii + Hawaii vacation than having to report bloggers who steal our blog content!

Last but not least, a word to all our Hawaii or vacation blog friends who'd like to use content of one of our posts on their blog. We love you to do that! Please, make sure to give us credit in the very top before quoting us, limit the quote to 2 - 3 paragraphs with a continue reading link to our blog, include quotation marks and create your own post title. Thanks for spreading the word about Best Hawaii Vacation within the copyright terms. Mahalo and aloha, Pua & Keoki Best Hawaii Vacation Blog Editors
p.s.
Kahiau, one of the beautiful girls from Hawaii Big Island is our today's post girl with courtesy from WahineStyle.com.

Visit Hawaii for Thanksgiving 2009

2009-10-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving 2009 is coming up with high speed. Anybody of our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors who still wants to visit Hawaii for Thanksgiving 2009, might want to catch up on some Thanksgiving info from our older posts 'Best Places Hawaii for Thanksgiving 2008' or '3 Best Hawaii Vacation Tips for Thanksgiving in Hawaii' and of course, continue reading.

Here is a short list fully equipped Hawaii vacation rental homes near best beaches which are currently still available for 2009 Thanksgiving in Hawaii. Most vacation rental hosts offer great amenities, such as free high speed Internet access for your laptop and snorkel gear or and boogie boards. Visit Best Hawaii Places for Thanksgiving 2009, from most expensive luxury homes to cheap, affordable vacation condos and cottages:

Spend Thanksgiving Kohala Coast Vacation at this brand-new Luxurious Kohala Coast Villa - 3 Bd/3.5 Ba - (Sleeps 6) at the lowest rate ever $1100/nt.! This 3000sft features spectacular ocean views from each room, private swimming pool and spa. Guests will enjoy all the luxury Kohala Coast resort amenities of Mauna Kea and Hapuna Beach Resort.

This Puako Oceanfront 3Bd/3Ba from $735/nt. (sleeps 8) is currently still available for Thanksgiving 2009. This is the Best price for your family beach vacation in Hawaii! Book it when you can. There is no beach home available at this price.

You look for a luxury Hawaii ocean view vacation home, then this one is right for you Kohala Coast vacation home 3BR/3.5BA, $435/nt. (dbl.) w/pool & tennis court Enjoy ocean views and top amenities at the most affordable rate at upscale gated community!

It's just the two of you and you love to stay close to the beach, this Puako Apartment is right across from Beach 1Bd/1Ba Puako Vacation Apartment Best Deal Puako Beach $115/nt.! It is available before Thanksgiving week 11/10 - 11/22/09.

Save lots of money on your nightly rate for going out to dinner or do a whale watch tour when you stay at this fully equipped (full kitchen), private location with short 10-minute drive to the beach, which is currently still available for Thanksgiving week at $95/nt. with 7-night booking. Sunny Side Waimea Kohala Coast Vacation Rental Cottage Near Best Beaches

There is no place like Hawaii on a Thanksgiving vacation. Hope you found what you were looking for on our list of Best Places Hawaii for Thanksgiving. Please, let us know in the comments whether you booked one of these vacation homes and how you liked it. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Hawaii vacation rentals owners still having a vacancy for Hawaii Thanksgiving 2009, check our affordable Best Hawaii Vacation blog ads for finding your Thanksgiving guests TODAY.

Best Place for your Hawaii Ad

2009-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Our Best Hawaii Vacation blog offers affordable advertising options to Hawaii, Hawaii vacation or travel and vacation related businesses. The best ad place for your vacation business just opened up on top of our sidebar! Take advantage of our top search engine results in Google for Hawaii vacation + Hawaii travel related keywords, such as:

#1 in Google Search for Best Flights from Seattle to Maui
#1 in Google Search for Big Island Places to visit City of Refuge
#1 in Google Search for Fly cheap between Hawaiian Islands
#1 in Google Search for Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo now?
#1 in Google Search for 'Save Money on Hawaii Vacation'
#1 in Google Search for 'Favorite Hawaiian Island for Vacation'
#1 in Google Search for 'Big Island or Maui Vacation'
#1 in Google Search for '2009 Hawaii Real Estate Market'
#1 in Google Search for 'Spring 2009 Hawaii Vacation Rental Specials'
#1 in Google search for 'Hawaii Vacation Blog'
#1 in Google search for 'When is best Weather for Hawaii Vacation?'
#1 in Google search for 'Best Hawaii Youtube Videos'
#1 in Google search for 'Maui Vacation Trip Report'
#1 in Google search for 'Big Island Vacation Trip Report'
#1 in Google search for 'Best Hawaii Events'
#1 in Google search for 'Favorite Hawaii T-shirts'
#1 in Google search for 'Favorite Hawaiian Flowers'
#1 in Google search for 'Best Photo Tips for Hawaii'
#2 in Google Search for 'Is Hawaii a Good Place to Live'
#2 in Google search for 'Christmas Vacation in Hawaii'
#2 in Google search for 'Big Island Ironman 2008'
#3 in Google search for 'Best Hawaii Vacation'
#3 in Google search for 'Best Time to Visit Hawaii' and more.

Please, note that Google search results may vary from week to week.

Advertising options on our Best Hawaii Vacation blog:

Blog Ad Option 1 - Sponsored Post Link at One time $20

Sign up for a sponsored link on one of our Best Hawaii Vacation blog posts. Your link will be displayed in the top of the post. You may choose from current posts or from older posts which place in the top of Google SERPs. This one-time fee will guarantee you a link from our blog for a lifetime. 'Nofollow' tag will be included with your URL link.

Blog Ad Option 2 - Text Link Ad on Sidebar at $15/mo. (3-mo. min.)

Best Hawaii Vacation blog offers advertisers a unique opportunity to purchase a text link to their web site. Restrictions apply, “nofollow” is used for each paid link, and each link is subject to approval. You may advertise your Hawaii or other travel or vacation related business with a short 4-5 word text link ad at $15/mo. (3-mo. minimum). Save $30 when signing up for 1 year at our 'Economy Slowdown' ad rate of $150/yr.

Blog Ad Option 3 - Logo Ad on Sidebar at $20/mo.(3-mo.min.)

Our blog visitors are mainly consisting of people who are planning a visit to Hawaii and are researching Hawaii accommodations, hotels, activities, events, travel, air fares and car rentals. This is a great opportunity to promote your Hawaii business. Your logo ad will be displayed in the top of the right sidebar above Feedburner links. It's a 3-mo. minimum for your logo link. Save $60 when signing up for 1 year at our ad 'Economy Slowdown' rate of $180/yr.

125 x 125 static ad logo
Displayed on index page and every archive and blog post page
Your link URL with logo - 'Nofollow' tag applies

In addition to advertising here on our Best Hawaii Vacation blog, please, view advertising options for your Hawaii business on our well established Hawaii vacation sites KohalaCoastWeb and HawaiiAffordable Check out our very affordable Economy and Premium ad listing offers.

Please, contact us for advertising your Hawaii vacation or travel business on our Hawaii blog. Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
We appreciate your interest in writing a guest post on our blog about best Hawaii vacation themes. Write us an email and submit your Hawaii story for review. Sorry no advertising articles. If approved, we will publish your Hawaii article with your short bio and link to your Hawaii blog or website URL for FREE!

Share your love for Hawaii with your Friends

2009-10-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors,

After our recent visits to Kihei Maui 'Is Kihei a good place for a Maui Vacation?', we are ready to move on with more Hawaii blog posts enticing our visitors to plan their next Hawaii vacation, sooner or later. Actually, we'd recommend better sooner than later because Hawaii vacation rental hosts still make unbelievable special accommodation offers for fall months and so does Hawaiian Airline. Air fare rates + Hawaii vacation rental rates will go up for the busy holiday season 2009.

Let's get straight to our today's post 'Share your love for Hawaii with your friends'. I love to read Hawaii tweets from my Hawaiian friends. If I come across one which I feel is of special value for our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors, I retweet it. My Hawaii tweet will be displayed on my blog side bar where all my recent Hawaii tweets show up with links to Twitter friends or Hawaii sites of interest.

One of my favorite Hawaiian sites is HawaiianRainbow.com I wrote about my friends in my post 'Hawaiian Music' and told our blog visitors how they can listen to Hawaiian music 24/7 for FREE. Just add this site to your favorites and whenever you are in the mood to get in the relaxed Hawaii mood, go visit Hawaiian Rainbow and click the link 'Listen to Hawaiian Music NOW'.

Close your eyes and get transported to the Hawaiian islands. Feel the warm Hawaiian ocean breeze and hum to your favorite Hawaiian songs. Best way of releasing stress through this special Hawaiian meditation! Not to forget to mention 'Keoki's Hawaii Easy Stretch Video', which also includes a guided relaxation to the sounds of gentle ocean waves!

Besides Hawaiian music, I love Hawaiian hula whether it's the lovely hula ladies of a hula halau like the ones on our Hawaii youtube video or the powerful warrior hula of the guys, hula is food for your soul and your spirit. So sit back and relax with this wonderful Hawaiian hula halau 'Hula Halau O Kamuela', Merrie Monarch 2009 Women Auana Winner - a treat for your ears, eyes and soul. Don't forget to share your love for Hawaii with your friends by telling them about the magic of Hawaiian music and Hawaiian hula. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Vote for best Kihei Beach for Maui Vacation

2009-10-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Hawaii travelers,

As you can see from our blog title today we ask Maui Visitors and residents to vote for their best Kihei beach, at least what they think is the best beach. Charlie Young became our favorite Kihei Beach when we stayed in South Kihei on our Maui vacation. Before we ask you to vote for your favorite Kihei Beach at the end of this Maui article, we share 3 reasons with you why we think Charlie Young is the best Kihei beach.

3 Reasons to vote for Charlie Young Beach as Best Kihei Beach

1. Charlie Young Beach - Best South Kihei location

We noticed that the beaches in North Kihei were prone to frequent winds which makes them the favorite beaches for wind and kite surfers. Charlie Young beach seems less windy and also offers nice little 'alcoves' and shady places from palm trees, which allows more privacy on the beach than the sometimes busier Kamaole Beaches with all the condo visitors from the Kihei Condo complexes from across Sout Kihei Rd. like Kihei Kai Nani, Maui Vista and Pacific Shores.

2. Charlie Young Beach - Perfect for Swimming & Beach Walks

The soft white sand beach of Charlie Young Beach next to crystal clear ocean waters affords easy ocean access for swimmers, for those who just like to float and relax in the warm waters of the Pacific or the more ambitious kind who like to swim across the bay parallel to the shore. The long stretch of white sand beach - Charlie Young extending into Kamaole Beach I - is perfect for those who love to get their exercise in with beach walks. One can see beach walkers starting off Charlie Young at all times of the day.

3. Charlie Young - Great for Boogie Boarders & Families

The ideal location of Charlie Young Beach makes this a special beach more protected from high surfs, especially through winter months. Boogie boarding looks pretty easy but we don't recommend newbies to start with the high surf waves. Charlie Young allows to ride some easy waves when trying boogie boarding the first time. It is pretty safe for families with kids, especially since the life guard stand of Kamaole I is right next to it. If you want to make sure that your kids are safe, you may walk a little closer to the life guard stand for optimal protection.

There is no long trucking your beach stuff to Charlie Young Beach from the parking lot and the fresh water shower for rinsing the salt water off after you come back from the beach before you climb back into your car, are nice features too.

How about a Maui vacation at Kihei Vacation Condo?

2009-10-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

E Komo Mai and welcome to Kihei on Maui,

Our today's post is a sequel of our last post where we listed 3 reasons why Kihei is a good place for a Maui vacation. 'Keihei Vacation Condos' are HERE for everybody who loves a Maui vacation on the white sand beaches in sunny Kihei on West Maui. The Kihei Condos we talk about are located in 'Kihei Garden Estate', the best kept secret among the many ocean front and ocean view Kihei vacation condo complexes.

We love the laid back Hawaiian ambiance of Kihei Garden Estate: low 2-storey buildings in a peaceful tropical garden setting, away from the traffic noise of South Kihei Rd, and only steps to a quiet white sand beach. Enjoy this beach for tranquil early morning beach walks, a dip in the ocean, watching Maui's magnificent sunsets or our gentle giants, the humpback whales, during the winter months. Serenity NOW at one of the 1Bd/1Ba or 2Bd/2ba Kihei Condos on your Maui vacation at Kihei Garden Estate!

The special 'makai' (ocean side) location of 'Kihei Garden Estate' does not only allow easy access to the ocean, but at the same time convenient shopping at Azeka Shopping Center and Star Super Market. Plenty of Kihei restaurants from fine dining to affordable nationality restaurants or fast food add to your comfort when staying at a Kihei Garden Estates condo. It's only a short 5-minute drive to the wonderful Kamaole Beaches and Charlie Young beach making these Maui vacation condos in South Kihei an ideal vacation home away from home.

The 1bd/1ba Kihei Vacation Condos are ground floor condos with a comfortable 640 sqft vacation space with garden views and peeka-boo views of Haleakala from your lanai at Maui's most desired location. The covered lanais are perfect for enjoying the tropical Hawaiian atmosphere with your meals. Cool tile flooring greets your feet as you enter the condo from the nearby parking lot. No climbing stairs with your shopping bags or beach equipment! A wall mounted A/C unit keeps the condo cool during hot summer days. Most of the time, a nice cross ventilation and ceiling fans throughout the condo, does not make the running of AC necessary.

Kihei condos at Kihei Garden Estates offer everything you need for your home-away-from-home for your Maui vacation: fully equipped kitchen, high quality mattresses for a good night's sleep, flat screen TVs w/DVD players for your entertainment at night, Hawaiian style sleeper couch for additional guests, lanai furniture for sitting outdoors, high speed Internet WiFi, beach equipment and so much more.

There is no need to venture out far from your Maui condo home, if you don't want to. You may relax right there. Kihei Garden Estate has a beautiful big enclosed gated swimming pool. This ground floor unit makes going to the pool a fun activity. In addition, a relaxing hot tub, two gas barbeques, a large picnic area will make your Kihei condo experience one to tell your friends about.

How about a Maui vacation at a Kihei Condo? Kick back and enjoy a relaxing Maui vacation at Kihei Garden Estates Vacation Condo at affordable nightly rates, depending on length of stay + # of people:

$79 - $99/nt.(2 - 4 people) for value season (NOW - 12/15/09) and $125/nt. - $135/nt. for high season (12/16 - 4/15/10). NO cleaning fee applies when staying 6 or more nights. Please, inquire for 2bd/2ba condo rates. Just write me an email with your travel dates and number of people in travel party and I will respond asap. Aloha from Keoki from sunny Kihei Maui

Kihei Condo Reservation & Rates

Deposit of $200 is required within 10 days of confirmation to secure reservation.
Full prepayment is due 30 days prior to arrival.
All rates are subject to 12.42% Hawaii State Tax.
Minimum stay is 4 nights. Cleaning fee for 5 nights or less is $85 per stay.
NO cleaning fee when booking 6 nights and more.
CHECK-IN time is 2:00 PM. CHECK-OUT time is 11:00 AM.
A 1/2 day charge is required to guarantee a late check-out.
Special rates available for 8 days stays or longer.
All rates and taxes are subject to change.

Kihei Vacation Related Articles

Is Kihei a good place for a Maui Vacation?
Our Maui Condo Vacation in Kihei

Best Flight offers from Seattle to Maui

Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW

Is Kihei a Good Place for a Maui Vacation?

2009-09-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

After we had published or most recent post 'Our Maui condo vacation in Kihei' on our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog , not only our Hawaii friends were wondering whether Kihei is really such a good place for a Hawaii Maui vacation. Most of our friends figured from our enthusiastic blog writing that we must have liked our Maui vacation in Kihei a lot. We are happy to share with all our blog visitors our best reasons why Kihei is a good place for a Maui vacation.

3 Best Reasons why Kihei is a good place for Maui vacation

1. Kihei Maui has a beach for everyone

North Kihei offers great surfing beaches for wind- and kite surfers because of frequent wind activity. Wailea / Kahena area in South Kihei invites snorkelers and scuba-divers for some great ocean adventures. And all of the Kamaole Beaches, I, II, II together with Charlie Young Beach are 'displaying' Hawaii the way the Mainlander is dreaming of when he thinks of a Hawaii vacation: soft white sand beaches, blue skies and swaying palm trees.

2. Kihei has a condo for everybody + every budget

Naturally, when we searched for the, our, best place to stay in Kihei Maui, we cruised hundreds of websites and Kihei condo listings allowed for vacation rentals. Decision making was tough! You can choose from high end ocean front condos like Kauhale Makai, the more medium priced ocean view condos of Kihei Kai Nani or the more affordable vacation condos at Kihei Garden Estates, which we loved for its mellow Hawaiian ambience with its 2-story buildings in a tropical garden setting.

Be aware that you will always pay extra, double or triple, for ocean front or ocean view condos but again, there is a Kihei condo for everybody. Make sure that your Kihei vacation rental condo complex has a decent size pool for those days when the huge winter surf waves hit the Hawaiian Islands + Kihei during the winter months.

3. Kihei offers plenty of things to do

...in addition to beach walks, ocean swimming, snorkeling, board surfing, board paddling, boogie boarding + sun bathing on the beach. We love to play tennis. There are plenty of public tennis courts at the Kihei Beach Parks, like Kalama Beach Park and Waipuilani Park. Kalama Beach Park offers tons of fun things to do besides the tennis (4 hard courts with lights!) for Kihei visitors and residents alike. The park provides excellent facilities for picnicking and family outings with picnic tables + pavilions, BBQ grills, showers for those who played volleyball, basketball, baseball and soccer. I also noticed a great playground for little kids and a skate board facility which was busy with young skate boarders.

When we visited Kalama Beach Park, we also noticed a lot of weekend fishermen having several fishing rods with baits out in the ocean, staring at the ocean patiently waiting for the fish to bite and telling us all these angler stories about how many fish they caught the other day!

South Kihei offers paved trails along the ocean for biking and jogging, which we actually both like. For those who stay longer on their Kihei vacation and don't want to miss their daily workout with free weights and machines, Kihei offers 2 gym or fitness centers with daily and monthly rates.

Kihei's restaurant choices are from affordable to luxury, from fine dining to fast food. Kihei offers a restaurant for everybody's taste and budget. Nationality restaurants like Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese are favorites of visitors in Kihei. Another good reason why Kihei is a good place for a Maui vacation.

Honestly, we were kind of overwhelmed by all the dining and shopping options in Kihei. Our favorite place to shop was the 'Farmer's Market' in north Kihei with its daily fresh tropical fruits. Not cheap but who can resist tasty apple bananas, juicy strawberry papayas or sweet Hayden mangos?! Interestingly, no white pineapples. Those are really a speciality of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Last but not least, it is Kihei where you find the best weather for your Maui vacation. Kihei offers nice sunny weather all year round with our Hawaiian trade winds working as natural AC. Tell us what you think why Kihei is a good place for a Maui vacation. A hui hou. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Kihei Vacation Maui Related Articles

Our Maui Condo Vacation in Kihei

Best Flight offers from Seattle to Maui

Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW

Cheap Hawaiian Interisland flights
3 Best Things to do on Maui Vacation
Things to Do on Maui

Our Maui condo vacation in Kihei

2009-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, Keoki and Pua spent a Maui condo vacation in Kihei? Really, Maui? Big surprise for all of our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors who know that our favorite place is the Kohala Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii. After writing two Maui vacation blog posts recently: Best Flight offers from Seattle to Maui and Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW, not to forget our most recent post about Cheap Hawaiian Interisland flights, we decided it's time to reunite with Maui by spending a Kihei condo vacation there.

We took advantage of one of the Maui Vacation condo bargain offers and the most affordable air fares + Maui car rentals in years. Guess what. We got rewarded with a week of sunshine + blue skies, mellow trade winds, perfect ocean conditions for swimming and stretches of empty white sand Kihei beaches for those early morning beach walks!

Finally, we were able to visit all those Maui beaches in South Kihei, Hawaii visitors and residents rave about, and tell you what Kihei beach became our favorite beach. However, let us tell you first where we stayed in Kihei. We had booked a nice ground floor 1Bd/1Ba condo at Kihei Garden Estates. Kihei Garden condos are not ocean front like Kauhale Makai but they are a few 2-story buildings in a beautiful Hawaiian garden setting meeting our expectation for a peaceful Maui vacation. And the price was right for our Maui condo vacation!

We felt sorry for all the Maui condo owners who did not have any visitors. September is usually a slow month in Hawaii. I keep recommending this month because the weather is beautiful (not as hot as summer), travel to Hawaii is cheap, and beaches and restaurants are empty. This year, September seemed even having less visitors than in the past. We mostly had the swimming pool and the jacuzzi at Kihei Garden Estates to ourselves. As we are not big BBQ-ers, but we enjoyed the closeness of Star Market and a huge number of affordable restaurants (Thai restaurant was our favorite), all in walking distance from our Kihei condo.

From our Kihei Garden Estate condo it was just a short walk to the beach - wonderful for beach walks and cooling off dips in the ocean. As Charley Young Beach was only a short 5-min. drive down S.Kihei Rd, it became our favorite S.Kihei beach. In the mornings, we hopped in our car equipped with beach chairs, towels, books and camera to enjoy the most splendid Hawaii mornings by the ocean. Heavy winds are not really blowing in S. Kihei as they do on the northern coast. It was also fun to watch the board paddlers!

All in all, Keoki and I had a wonderful Maui vacation in Kihei. Affordable condos in Kihei, Kamaole Beaches and Charlie Young Beach are worth a Maui visit. Hope you like our Maui condo vacation photos. Where did you spend your Maui condo vacation in Kihei? Aloha, Pua Hawaii Maui Vacation

Maui Vacation related articles

Best Flight offers from Seattle to Maui

Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW

Cheap Hawaiian Interisland flights
3 Best Things to do on Maui Vacation
Things to Do on Maui

Fly cheap between Hawaiian Islands NOW

2009-08-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

We just island hopped virtually yesterday from Maui to the Big Island. But this is much better. Here is our Best Hawaii Vacation blog Interisland Flight Special Alert for everybody who is visiting Hawaii in September. Hawaiian Airlines offers Island Hop Hawaiian Style at $24.99 Interisland Fare One Way, which includes tax!

Hawaii Traveler Alert:

Sign-Up by 8/31/2009 + get this Hawaii Interisland
Flight Special for 9/1 - 9/30/09

- The $24.99* Interisland fare inclusive of U.S. tax is applicable to one way routing
- You'll get unlimited Interisland trips at this low fare
- Reservations must be booked via HawaiianAirlines.com from 08/24/2009 - 09/30/2009
- Travel must be completed by 09/30/2009
- The $24.99* Interisland fare inclusive of U.S. tax is good for coach class travel booking class 1
- Discount cannot be applied to tickets purchased before sign-up
- Interisland flights booked with this special promotion are eligible for HawaiianMiles Mainland Madness credits.

Read more about this Cheap Hawaii flight between Hawaiian Islands in September 2009. Hawaiian island hopping as cheap as it gets! Don't miss the deadline on 8/31/09 for your September Interisland travel for this Hawaiian Airlines flight special. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Big Island Places to Visit - City of Refuge

2009-08-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

It's time to island hop back to the Big Island after we spend some time on Maui dealing with the current abundance of Kihei condo short sales and the question 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo?' Maui condos are also getting some special attention this fall because condo vacation rental rates are lower than ever for the 2009 fall season. One reason for us to share with our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors Best Fall Airfares from Seattle to Maui. After Labor Day, flight tickets are outrageously low. It's time for a Maui Beach vacation in Kihei!

If you are not a beach bum but prefer adventure, the Big Island is right for you as we pointed out in many previous posts such as 'Which Hawaiian island is your favorite island?' My favorite saying about a Big Island vacation is this Hawaiian island offers 'adventure beyond the ordinary'! Where else can you see a live volcano or go ski in the morning on a snow covered mountain and swim in the warm waters of the Pacific in the afternoon. Those who plan their Big Island vacation now, might want to peruse our previous Big Island vacation articles.

Here is another of those special Big Island adventures, which actually allows you to combine learning more about ancient Hawaiian traditions and culture with having the best Hawaii snorkel experience. It's a visit to the City of Refuge or Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, National Historic Park. The park is located on the southern Kona Coast. Take Hwy 11 to Hwy 160 and continue downhill 4 miles to the entrance of the park.

The visitors Center is open 8am - 5:30pm. A self guiding tour takes you through the grounds: The Royal Grounds and the Place of Refuge. With Honaunau Bay offering an easy canoe landing place + the availability of drinking water, it was the perfect place for the ali'i (Roayals) to build one of their major residences there. The Royal grounds were separated from the pu'uhonua, place of refuge, by a massive stone wall built about 1550 - 10 feet high + 17 feet thick! - and still standing today. Can you believe that?!

So, what's the story behind the City of Refuge? In ancient Hawaiian life, activities were regulated by 'Kapu'. If a 'kapu' was broking, Hawaiians feared that their gods would get mad at them with an earth quake, volcano eruption or tidal wave. To 'prevent' that they tried everything to catch the kapu breaker. A kapu breaker was sentenced to death, unless he/she managed to reach pu'uhonua, which meant absolution by a priest and a safe return home. Tough times, I'd say.

See for yourselves how ancient Hawaiian ali'i lived. When you walk those ancient sacred Hawaiian grounds, you might get transported into the past and feel the spirit of old Hawaii. We did not feel any goose bumps as some visitors report when visiting ancient heiaus in Hawaii. Get back into the presence by swimming and snorkeling in the ocean waters of Honaunau Bay. Don't forget your snorkel gear, as Honaunau Bay is one of the best snorkel spots on the Big Island. It is also a great place to see the Hawaiian green sea turtles.

You want to share your personal City of Refuge experience, we'd love to hear from you. Have a wonderful time on your Big island vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Best Flight Offers from Seattle to Maui

2009-08-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Aloha to everybody who loves a Maui Hawaii vacation,

Let's stay for today's Best Hawaii blog post kind of within the topic we talked about 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?' We heard from Maui realtors in the South Kihei condo area that the months January through April 2009 had been really slow with interested buyers in Maui condos. Summer 2009 showed a big slowdown in vacation rental requests but on the other hand, more "Mainlanders" showed up interested in buying Kihei condos at 'bargain' prices as investment and as a vacation rental and a place to stay warm during cold winter months!

For all those, who are still looking into buying a Maui condo now or are getting ready for a Maui vacation during fall season, there is great news out there for Maui travel, especially for travelers from the Pacific Northwest, from Seattle and Portland. I came across those new best flight offers from Seattle to Maui through a Maui Twitter friend whose tweet I actually retweeted for our best Maui vacation visitors yesterday:

RT @MCIMaui New Direct Alaska Airlines Flight from Portland to #Maui: Will more competition mean more affordable... http://bit.ly/17sif9

It's pretty amazing how things come and go around through social networks like twitter. Anyways, my Maui Twitter friend had picked up the good Maui travel news from the Maui Real Estate Directory Blog, which wrote on a post 'Will more competition mean more affordable flights to Maui?': "As of July 3rd, a convenient new flight via Alaska Airlines is taking passengers direct from Portland, Oregon to Maui, Hawaii. Alaska offered three flights weekly at first, but as of August 7th, service will expand to daily flights." I definitely recommend Maui visitors to read the entire post New Direct Alaska Airlines Flights from Portland to Maui.

As we all know affordable air fares to Hawaii can and will give the Hawaii Tourism Industry a big boost. That's why we were happy to see our friends from Beat of Hawaii on the same track when they are talking about Hawaii Fall Airfare predictions, referring to Hawaiian Airlines, on one of their recent posts:

"Pacific Northwest will be the hottest market. In just the past week the cost to fly from Seattle to Honolulu has dropped by 25% and is now at $298 round-trip on Hawaiian. I expect to see Seattle and Portland fares continue to drop, especially on service to Honolulu and nonstop flights to the outer islands. Likely we will again see round-trip fares for as little as $200 (plus tax of about $20), from time to time, as we saw last year." Again, we recommend to read the entire article about the best flight offers from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii.

Here is a copy of part of my comment in case you missed that:

"Much mahalo, Jeff, for making our Hawaii visitors from the Pacific Northwest aware of those special air fares from Seattle and Portland to the islands. I've checked on Hawaiian and found the special rates you mentioned Seattle - Honolulu and Seattle Maui for RT $298.

However, I noticed with Maui, that travelers might want to leave a little more time between now and their departing flights to Maui in September. As the direct flights to Maui leave only once a day, the planes get filled up fast and then Hawaiian asks more money for their seats, whether Wednesday or weekend flying, it does not matter."

So guys check Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines for those special fall airfares from the Pacific Northwest or San Francisco to Hawaii. Find your best flight special from Seattle to Maui or Honolulu Hawaii. Hop on the plane and have a great Hawaii Vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
We chose beautiful Hawaiian girl Sara from WahineStyle.com as our Hawaii post girl today.

Is it a good time to buy a Maui Condo NOW?

2009-08-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

Aloha to all our Hawaii blog visitors, our regulars and the drop-ins,

The Sharks, Rays and Whales on the most wanted Youtube Video post took off right from the start. It was fun writing the post and sharing this spectacular video with everybody. Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors and our Hawaii friends liked it a lot. I am sure Jon got quite some extra traffic for his video from our blog, and he deserved it.

As mentioned before, visiting other Hawaii blogs and Hawaii twitter friends is a steady source and pool for new ideas. A recent post by our friend Julie from 'Maui Vacation Guide' about Short Sales of Maui Condos got my special attention this time. Reading Julie's article on low price short sale offers for Maui condos for sale, triggered my curiosity to that extend that I thought Maui condo short sales will hit a nerve and attract the attention by a lot of our Hawaii blog visitors. It seems time to talk 'Hawaii Real Estate' again. This time specifically about 'Is it a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?'

My first action to prepare this post was a Google search for Maui condos for Sale and peruse a big number of those top search result sites for Maui condos. Bottom line, there is quite a number of Maui real estate sites which focus on Maui condo for sale real estate market trying to lure the 'Mainlanders' hungry for Hawaii sun to buy a Maui condo now.

I liked those sites which provided in addition to the basic condo info like:

- Asking price

- Maui condo resort location

- condo bedroom + bathroom number

additional detailed condo info like:

- Is the condo zoned for vacation rental?

- Condo monthly maintenance fee

- Annual Taxes

- Sales history

The prices for Maui condo short sales are really tempting but be aware of that the banks take their time to 'collect' a number of offers for a certain short sale condo and decide for the highest offer after 3 - 4 months or even longer. If you are not in a hurry, try your luck. Maybe your nice cash offer will be accepted by the bank. In any case, that's probably the lowest price for Maui condos, not just short sales, I have seen in a long time. So, is it a good time to buy now?

Believe me, not just us regular folks wonder whether the Hawaii Real Estate market has reached the bottom or will even further slow down, meaning Maui condo prices will even come down more. The following article about reaching the bottom and about current trends in Hawaii Real Estate market by Michael Gallagher shows you that Hawaii realtors can't guarantee either whether this is now the best time to buy a Maui condo. One thing is for certain though, Hawaii real estate market will recover as it always has. There is no place like Hawaii! The decision is yours. Before you buy a Maui condo, here are 3 facts you need to know when buying a Maui condo NOW.

3 Facts to know for buying a Maui Condo

1. Maui Condo Vacation rental zoned

If you don't want to move to the island of Maui permanently and consider spending 2 - 3 months on Maui in winter, you want to rent out your Maui condo for the rest of the year at the best rate you can get. Lots of things have changed recently in the Maui vacation rental scene recently. Make sure that the condo you buy is in a vacation rental zoned condo resort or complex. If the complex got 'grandfathered' in, make sure the condo complex bylaws state 'short term rental allowed'. BTW, Maui legislature is still dealing with making more vacation rentals legal.

2. Maui Vacation Rental business Slowdown

Remember the economic slowdown has a big effect on family's capability to go and spend some extra money on vacation. Hawaii vacations got postponed by many families this summer. Summer 2009 in Hawaii was one of the slowest high season summer months for vacation rentals in years. Hawaii visitors who stuck with their travel plans to the islands, received deals they had never dreamed of. Good for them. However, vacation condo rates did often not cover the expenses Maui condo owners have like high monthly maintenance and annual taxes. Good news: Winter months look much better for Maui vacation condos!

3. Maui condo Property Management

Be aware that renting your Maui condo as a vacation rental requires knowledge, business skills and means to advertise it. That's why the majority of Maui condo owners rely on property management companies. Maui property rental managements charge for booking and renting you condo fees between 20 - 25%. You might want to check and compare. I even found out that one of the biggest Maui management company charges a monthly fee whether they book your condo or not.

BTW, when you are not a permanent Hawaii resident, you need a Hawaii agent to act on your behalf which is another reason that Maui condo owners decide for a Maui property management company. Lots to think about when you want to make some money from your Maui vacation condo.

Do you think 'It's a good time to buy a Maui condo NOW?' Our Best Hawaii blog visitors and we'd love to hear from everybody, whether Hawaii realtor or lay people like us. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Real Estate Related Articles

2009 Hawaii Real Estate Market
Best Price Hawaii House for Sale
Hawaii Real Estate Market 2008
Will falling prices in Hawaii Real Estate attract new home buyers?

Sharks, Rays, Whales on the most Watched youtube Travel Video

2009-07-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

More Hawaii ocean life, you ask, what is that for? Just wait a minute and I will explain.

Actually, the sharks, rays, whales and fish you are about to see are ocean creates also live in Hawaii's ocean waters but these sharks, rays and whales do live in the 2nd biggest aquarium (biggest one is in Georgia, Atlanta) in the world, in Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan

I can't believe this coincidence. One minute, I am writing my blog post about the wonderful book 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii' and shortly after, when cruising my favorite Hawaii ocean blog 'The Right Blue', I come across this most awesome and amazing youtube video shot by video producer Jon Rowlinson! This is one of those miracle stories which twitter + tweets, youtube and the world wide web can make happen.

I just read on @jonrowlinson the following tweet:

Kuroshio sea is the top rated travel video on youtube...of all time. http://bit.ly/AZhJ9 Wait, it got a higher rating than Matt dancin??

Long story short. Here is Jon Rowlinson's famous youtube video displayed on Best Hawaii Vacation blog for your convenience and of course, for getting you all excited to watch all the fantastic ocean life in real nature on your next Hawaii vacation. Don't know how close you want to be to the sharks though. Watching sharks through the glass walls of an aquarium feels definitely safer.

Kuroshio Sea by Jon Rowlinson - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world

Here is what Jon says about the aquarium:

"The main tank called the 'Kuroshio Sea' holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 centimeters. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank." Let's not forget to mention that music is "Please don't go" by the group 'Barcelona'.

So, what do you think about the video, sharks, rays, aquarium, music and all? Mahalo for your comments. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Ocean Life in Hawaii

2009-07-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Aloha Hawaii Lovers,

After we talked about the big fish in Hawaii's ocean like Ono, Ahi, Mahimahi, Marlin and the big game fishing season, which has arrived in Hawaii, specifically in Kona Hawaii with the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament, we decided to stay in the water, the water of the Pacific Ocean around the Hawaiian Islands. Let's talk more about ocean life in Hawaii.

Those of you who have been following our Best Hawaii Vacation blog since we started this blog in July 2006 - Oh my, it's another blog anniversary, the 3rd! - have seen lots of great Hawaii photos taken by our friend Jennifer Crites, renowned Oahu Hawaii photographer and travel magazine writer. However, when Jennifer needed to have foot surgery after a hiking accident on Oahu, she was not able to continue to follow up with more Hawaii photos or guests posts like '5 Best Photo Tips for Your Hawaii Vacation' for our blog. We had to fill in the blanks with Kawika's beautiful and sexy Wahine girls of Hawaii - I am sure the guys did not mind - and our own amateur photos of Hawaii.

Today's blog post is about catching up with our dear friend, Jennifer Crites. Good news is that she is back to her busy schedule taking photos of our beautiful Hawaiian Islands, writing interesting articles for travel magazines, and now listen, she is also in the midst of writing a mystery book, which picks up the strong spirituality of native Hawaiians for 'weaving' the story. When the book is on the shelves of the bookstores, we will let you know.

Speaking with Jennifer about her latest book project, reminded us that this is not Jennifer's first book. Her first fiction book, yes.

Jennifer actually wrote together with her partner in life, Gerald Crow, longtime manager at the Waikiki Aquarium, a fascinating book about 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii', which was published in 2002. If you can get your hands on this book, you won't be disappointed. Amazing, there are 40 species of sharks and 9 species of rays living in the ocean around the Hawaiian Islands, yet, little do we know about them. There is so much in the book that is fascinating. Here are the reasons why we, Keoki and myself, love this book.

5 Reasons why 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii' belongs on the best seller list of Hawaii books

There are about 400 photos in the book. There are NO all-text pages. About 60 % of the photos were taken by Jennifer Crites. Other photos were contributed by underwater photographers and scientists from all over the world.

There are exciting stories from people who've had unusual encounters with sharks and rays.

There's also a chapter on the early Hawaiians, their shark gods, how they used shark teeth for weapons and shark skin on their drums, how they co-existed with sharks and rays, and some of their legends.

There's information about staying safe from sharks while swimming in the ocean, and how to recognize the different types of sharks, which ones might hurt you and which ones you don't have to worry about.

There are a lot of "Wow, I didn't know that about sharks!" facts in the book. Kids like to read that sharks, when they have a tummy ache, can push their stomachs out through their mouths, wash them in sea water, and pull them back in again. It's called "gastric eversion."

Now, you can understand that 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii' does not only attract the adult audience but kids alike. It's educational and entertaining at the same time. This is definitely a book which will keep your and your kids' attention on your next flight to Hawaii.It makes a great gift too.

Well, you may want to own your own copy of 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii' and peruse through it with your kids leisurely. Amazon makes it possible with used books as low as $4.49 a book. We'd love to hear from our readers who have read the book and tell us how they liked it. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

p.s.

Last but not least, here is a short bio about Gerald Crow who co-authored the book "Sharks and Rays of Hawaii" with Jennifer Crites. Jerry is a well-known science researcher who has been interviewed for many TV programs and has appeared nationally on the Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" and on Animal Planet. He's also featured in the Discovery Channel's book, "Sharks." He's currently doing research on jellyfish.

Hawaii Game Fishing A Hawaii Story

2009-07-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Hawaii visitors,
First things first, the Kona Ironman condo (sleeps 6) at the best rate for Kona Ironman accommodations, is still available at this moment. What do realtors always say 'Hurry, this won't last long'. Well, we are not realtors but definitely would like to help those Hawaii visitors who still want to visit Kona for the 2009 Ironman and were just not lucky yet to find a Kona vacation rental for the price they can afford.

We are also happy to welcome back Bill for one of his fantastic stories about Hawaii and island life. His story fits right into the time frame of the First Hawaiian Storytelling Conference with people from Hawaii and from around the world. Story telling starts today in Honolulu 7/16 - 20. There will also be a continuing part on the island of Maui on 7/23/09. We are so happy to hear about this new event to keep Hawaiian traditions not only alive but further support the tradition of storytelling in the Hawaii's culture. Let's get right to our today's Hawaii story about Hawaii Game Fishing.

Bill picks up Big Game Fishing in Hawaii which experiences a high season during Hawaiian summer. If you are interested in fishing, not just the little fish but big game fishing, check out our article about 'Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament July 20 - 24, 2009'. or visit their site about the Kona Billfish Tournament.

"As the summer blooms full and broad across the boundless Hawaii sky, days are long and lazy, and the nights are brightened by a zillion stars. The sun baked land seems to sigh as the cool evening casts welcome shadows across the brilliant flanks of towering Mauna Kea. The daily flock of trade wind clouds now gathers in the lee of Hualalai, and the reaching leaves of the high forest embrace soft rains at Kukuiohiwai. We see these things, and our hearts rejoice that we are among the luckiest to enjoy this wonderful natural theatre each day.

While the shimmering summer air sweeps and swirls around our towering mountain peaks, lacy patterns of bright daylight and racing shadows play over the vast stretches of pasture and forest, lava and sun beaten coastline. This is the sea of air that we live within, the vast atmospheric ocean of north Pacific breezes with their rich currents of oxygen and cooling squalls, while just below us the deep currents of the sea itself surge and grunt against the incredible bulk of the Island. Summer in the off shore waters has a story of its own to tell, and we big game fisherman listen very closely.

Game Fishing for Ono Ahi and Mahimahi on the Kona Coast with Bill on his boat 'Kakalina'

Far below the marching waves, where the rough skin of the Island stirs dark currents of rich, cold water up into the warm surface layers, great plumes of kailua stretch up and down the coast, attracting hundreds of schools of opelu and young aku with a swelling banquet of shimmering nehu and clouds of plankton and algae. Pelagic hunters migrate across the endless expanses of ocean to feast on this rich gift. These oceanic hunters arrive as schools of giant ahi, packs of high speed ono and the always terrifying Pacific Blue Marlin. Few people know that the Pacific Blue Marlin was not documented as a separate species until Captain George Parker, of Kailua-Kona, caught one in November of 1954. That fish weighed 1002 pounds, and Captain George caught it single-handedly from the Mona H on his way to Honolulu for dry dock.

While the ahi and ono provide wonderful meals to friends and family, the marlin provides the most hair-raising episodes a fisherman or woman will ever experience. We don’t hang those fish much anymore. On our boat, Kakalina, we tag our marlin and send them on their way instead of killing them just to weigh. It is good to know that same fish may come back to wrestle with us another day.

Going fishing is the sort of thing that occupies the mind during the soft summer months in the world’s most beautiful place to live. Aloha, Bill"

Thanks Bill for this wonderful story about fishing big fish in Hawaii ocean waters. Not to forget the fun youtube video of your fishing tour in Kona with family and friends. What do you think of big game fishing in Hawaii on vacation? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Bill has been living on the Kohala Coast for most of his life and has helped many people in the past to find their Hawaiian dream home. Also visit Bill's other Hawaii blog stories on our Hawaii blog guest author page.

Kona Hotel or Kona Condo which one is Best for Hawaii Ironman Accommodation

2009-07-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

Warm aloha to all of our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors,

and especially to those who still want to visit the Big Island in October for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship but were not able yet to find that affordable and special Ironman rate offer. If that is you, please, continue reading. Our today's blog post might have just the best place with top amenities at top location for the best rate I could find online.

Inquiries for Kona accommodations, vacation rentals such as Kona condos come in quite frequently in our Kohala Coast Vacation Guide, where we also list Kona vacation rentals, homes and condos. The Kohala Coast is a great option when visiting the Big Island for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon event.

However, for active triathletes competing in the Kona Ironman we always recommend lodging in Kona. If you are still searching for a place to stay in Kona for the Ironman 2009, we recommend to read one of our most recent posts 2009 Hawaii Ironman Visitors Information.

Now, coming back to our blog title question Kona hotel or Kona condo which one is best for your Ironman visit?', that does not take much thinking. First of all, Kona hotels are currently filling up fast and with no amenities like a fully equipped kitchen they are not as much desired as a vacation condo. OK admitted Kona hosts raise their condo or rental rates significantly for the Ironman week but still most everybody comes out ahead with renting a Kona condo versus a Kona hotel room.

Against all odds, our friend Joe decided to make our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors the following special offer for his Luxury 2Br/2Ba Kona condo at Mauna Loa Resorts for the Kona Ironman Week: $1650/wk (sleeps 6)! Believe me this is a rare find. That's why we agreed to publish it on our blog:

Week October 4 - October 11, 2009 Ironman week race starts Oct 10, 2 bedroom luxury condo at Mauna Loa Resort completely furnished incl bedding, dishes cooking utensils etc, near all events in downtown Kona Rate $1650 for the week. Call Joe at 703-269-7014!

Mauna Loa Resort is a quiet oasis and a beautiful place for a wonderful Hawaii vacation. This Mauna Loa 2-bedroom deluxe condo offers fully-equipped kitchen, washer/dryer, dining room, bedrooms with plenty of closet and storage space, living rooms with pull-out sofas, and large lanai with tropical views. Remember: better than a Kona hotel! Mauna Loa Village features 8 swimming pools, hot tubs and plenty of tennis courts. BTW, you're just two blocks away from convenient Keauhou Shopping Village: grocery store, shops, restaurants and multi-screen movie theater.

If you are not one of those crazy triathletes who have to immediately take each minute to prepare for their biggest performance in a lifetime, this wonderful Kona condo allows you to enjoy many outdoor activities, such as swimming, snorkeling, bike riding, walking, hiking, and more. When searching for Kona condo specials for the Ironman, I found a 2Br/2Ba at the same resort for $5000/wk. If you don't believe me, Google has the answer!

If you do believe me, call Joe and make your Kona condo Ironman reservation at a premier Kona location for the best price in the Kona Alii Drive area. What's your experience with Kona vacation rental hosts for this 2009 Hawaii Ironman? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Related Articles

2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman Visitors Information

Kona Ironman ccommodations 2008
Visit Hawaii 2007 Hawaii Ironman in Kona
Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Kailua Kona 2006

Watch 2006 Ironman Kona videos

Secrets of Hawaii - Hawaii Blow Hole Diver

2009-07-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

Aloha to all our Hawaii visitors,

Yes, the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon is special, unique and fascinating but wait till you have watched our today's you tube video. It will take your breath away, just like the surfing of Hawaii monster wave video, which we posted recently on 'Hawaii Special Tweets'.

Twitter is still a big secret to me with all the possibilities to connect with like-minded bloggers and twitterers. I am on the steady alert for those Hawaii tweets, which our Best Hawaii vacation visitors might love to read or see. Here is one youtube Hawaii tweet which I came across from @Aimforawesome just last week on Twitter. To tell you the least, it is more than aweome. It's about Hawaii blow holes, a secret not many Hawaii visitors know about, unless they visit the special area and location where the blowhole location is.

However, this is not 'just' one of the many blow hole videos from the Hawaiian islands. It's about a blow hole diver. Yes, you read right. Blow hole Diver it is! Somebody diving into this narrow blow hole with the strongest ocean current you can imagine. Here is what the guy who posted the blow hole diver video on youtube said with it. This makes it even more mysterious, spectacular and absolutely unique:

"I walked up to look over the edge of a blow hole, forty plus feet deep. The ocean comes in and out of it through a keyhole cut into the cliff side. A local guy sees me, walks up and out on a rock ledge-claps his hands twice, makes a prayer, and times his jump with an incoming wave. At first I'm not sure where he's at and then he shows up on the ocean side of the sea cave, swims back in and waits for a surge to catch a rock to climb up and out like a spider man."

The video was taken at the blow hole at South Point of Hawaii Big Island in June 2009. To tell you the truth Keoki and I have never been there in all our many years of living in Hawaii. My online research also showed that each year people even die for their curiosity to see the blow hole action close-by. As ocean surf on a beach is not predictable, the same applies to the blow activity, which can easily blow as high as 30ft at winter surf and get visitors by surprise. We recommend for your safety to view the Hawaiian blow holes from a safe distance or lookout.

If our youtube blow hole diver video does not satisfy your fascination with Hawaii blow hole videos, I found 25 video clips of Hawaii blow holes on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island on Ocean Footage like the famous Halona Blowhole on Oahu, Sandy Beach blow hole on Maui, Spouting Horn on Kauai or South Point Blow Hole on the Big Island. BTW, blow holes developed on the volcanic Hawaii islands by lava tubes running into the ocean and at high surf ocean water is forced through the tube and pushing it out to the top with great pressure, sometimes up to thirty feet high. I found an interesting article about Hawaii blow holes on this Hawaii website.

Any Hawaii blow hole adventure to share with our blog visitors? We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman visitors information

2009-06-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Aloha Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors,

What's on our mind today? Let's talk Hawaii Ironman and here is why. It's a short 3 months to Hawaii's biggest event: the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Ford World Championship. The 2009 Hawaii Ironman takes place on Saturday October 10th in Kailua Kona. Kona attracts for the Big Island Ironman event thousands of visitors and athletes from all over the world. Last year's 2008 Ironman Triathlon recorded 1731 athletes at the start. What's new for this 2009 Kona Ironman?

2009 Hawaii Kona Ironman Visitors Information

1. Book your Kona accommodation early

Remember our most recent blog post about 'Will Hawaii foreclosures help your dream of living in Hawaii?' We mentioned there that one Hawaii town is hit especially hard by foreclosures. The town is Kona. The foreclosures of many Kona condos which were used in the past as vacation rentals will limit the availability of Ironman accommodations. Kona condos, especially those in Alii Dr, are in high demand because they are self-catering and offer the best training conditions for the triathletes participating in the Ironman. Visitors love this location as well because it's in walking distance to the Kona Pier, the start and finish of the Ironman.

2. Early bird Kona Ironman specials?

Your best chance of finding an 'early bird' special for your stay in Kona for this year's 2009 Hawaii Triathlon World Championship is when you book NOW. Generally, Kona vacation rental hosts charge double the rates for the Ironman week. If you are early enough with your inquiry, Kona hosts might be still willing to cut you a special deal. If you don't mind a little bit driving from Kona Captain Cook Kealakekua area to downtown Kona, your chances for an affordable vacation rental are even better.

3. Share a Kona vacation home with friends or family

This way your Kona visit won't stretch your budget beyond your limits. In addition, you can stay at a more luxury Kona home - maybe with a pool and jacuzzi - which you can afford by sharing the rental fees. You are hanging out with your friends anyway, so why not stay at one place?! The Kona Ironman is a huge social event. Feel the excitement of the cheering crowds and become part of it.

4. Plan your Big Island activities

The Big Island offers some of the biggest Hawaii attractions, many beyond the ordinary. Don't leave the Island of Hawaii without having visited our live volcano in Hawaii Volcano National Park or snow-covered Mauna Kea Summit for a spectacular stargazing night. These are once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Make your plans for exploring the Big Island ahead of your arrival in Kona Hawaii. Your Kona vacation week is over in a wink of an eye. So get the most out of your Kona Ironman visit.

If you have visited the Hawaii Kona Ironman in the past or have anything to share with our blog visitors about Kona or the Ironman, please, leave a comment right here. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Hawaii Kona Ironman Related Articles

Kona Ironman ccommodations 2008
Visit Hawaii 2007 Hawaii Ironman in Kona
Hawaii Ironman Triathlon Kailua Kona 2006

Watch 2006 Ironman Kona videos

Will Hawaii foreclosures help your dream of living in Hawaii

2009-06-15T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Hawaii lovers and blog visitors,
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Hawaii and whether it means 'Vacation forever'? I bet you did, and you are not alone. Most everybody who visited Hawaii once or twice or more times played with that idea. "What if we moved to Hawaii?"

The current real estate market in Hawaii seems to get you closer to fulfilling your dream of living in Hawaii by buying a home or a condo on the Hawaiian Islands at a cheap price you can afford. True or false?

Well, recently, on my daily perusing Hawaii tweets a tweet by @Starbulletin - or a retweet by a Hawaii twitter follower - got my attention. The tweet connected to an article by Honolulu Starbulletin published on June 13th about the ever growing number of foreclosures in Hawaii with the meaningful article title 'Realty investor Blues'. The Starbulletin article quotes some most recent Hawaii foreclosure numbers which are mind boggling but the numbers clearly reflect what is currently going on in Hawaii's real estate market.

There is no surprise that Hawaii with its larger percentage of second-home owners and investors compared to the rest of the nation jumped to #15 in May in foreclosures. 42% of foreclosures in Hawaii through the month of May were non-owner occupied properties. No surprise for me that Maui was having the lead with 50% of non-occupied foreclosures.

Naturally, this high number of foreclosures in Hawaii, a dream vacation or retirement location, triggers the interest of those who have a job and a steady income or enough cash money in searching for foreclosure deals in Hawaii. Just ask Google and type in the search for 'Hawaii Foreclosures' and the number of about 5million search results makes it clear that an entire new 'foreclosure industry' has developed in the Hawaii real estate market with realtors riding the wave of 'Hawaii foreclosures'.

On my personal search for putting this blog post together, I came across another interesting article regards the Hawaii Foreclosures published by Yahoo Finance News on June 11 which emphasized that "The islands now have the 15th highest foreclosure rate in the nation, at one in every 621 households. Local economists and foreclosure attorneys say Hawaii's foreclosure filings are growing as the recession leads to job and wage cuts. Declining property values are also making it harder for people to refinance their mortgages or sell their homes."

Coming back to our original question whether Hawaii foreclosures are getting you closer to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii and living in Hawaii. My personal lay person's humble opinion is that buying cheap foreclosure property in Hawaii looks easier than it is. Foreclosure properties will be auctioned off. The bank has a clear idea what they need to make to break even and where they want to start the bidding. In most cases, this is not the bottom price you have in mind.

Furthermore, mortgages for the average person are naturally harder to get these days. Also make sure that you have seen the home or the condo you are interested in buying as a foreclosure. Considering all pros and cons of a foreclosure purchase, it might be better to look for the real deal in a real estate market where the potential buyer has all the chances of negotiating the price he/she can afford instead of going 'treasure hunting' for a foreclosed property. This way you might be much closer to your dream of living in Hawaii. What's your opinion about Hawaii foreclosures? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
BTW, we won't publish comment ads by Hawaii foreclosure companies.

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Tags: living in Hawaii, Hawaii foreclosures, cheap Hawaii homes

Hawaii Special Tweets

2009-06-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hawaii Visitors Alert!!!!

It's amazing what Twitter makes possible. In an instant I get Hawaii tweets from my nearly 300 followers, most of them relating relevant information about Hawaii and Hawaii vacation.

Just an hour ago I received a tweet from @Beatof Hawaii, which I immediately retweeted about Interisland Flights offered by IflyGo for $3!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, $3 for a Hawaii Interisland Flight. Too good to be true but guess what go visit IFlyGo Specials page and you will see it's all there. Flight tickets must be purchased by June 11, 2009 but they are valid for June 9 and June 30. Hop the Hawaiian Islands THIS JUNE.

Here is my $3/flight retweet:

hop islands with iflygo in june via @beatofhawaii! Airlines $3 inter-island fares are out there but not easy to find http://bit.ly/ru4uu

Best Hawaii Surf Video - yes or no?

Well, to get you all excited about Hawaii and the islands, I decided to include this Hawaii monster wave surf video which I recently received from my Twitter friend @HawaiianKiko . This Hawaii surf video was viewed over 100,000 times and shows Tow-In surfer Dan Moore talk about Oahu's legendary North Shore and how he surfed a monster 68-foot wave at Peahi (Jaws) on Maui. Authentic Waikiki Beach Boys follow in the footsteps of legendary waterman Duke Kahanamoku by teaching visitors how to surf in Waikiki.

Follow our Daily Hawaii Tweets on our Best Hawaii Vacation blog sidebar. They are all about helping you getting ready for your next Hawaii Vacation. Did you read '5 Things to pack for Hawaii'? If you don't want to miss any post or tweet, sign up for our feed or email on our sidebar where it says 'Subscribe by Email or Feed'. Mahalo for the follow. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

5 Things to Pack for your Best Hawaii Vacation

2009-06-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Best Hawaii Vacation blog,

How did you like all those beautiful places from our last post 'Where to Stay in Hawaii this Summer'? You still have time to check out these vacation rental places and find something matching your budget and expectations. Remember it has never been cheaper and easier to visit Hawaii this summer.

Are you wondering what to pack for your Best Hawaii vacation to the Hawaiian Islands?

5 Things to pack for your Best Hawaii Vacation this Summer:

1. Bathing Suit(s)

Pack it in carry-on. Your check-in luggage might arrive a day later. Have your suit available right away. It would be too sad to have to watch your friends jumping in the ocean to cool off.

2. Casual light summer clothes

Casual Hawaiian light summer clothes work fine for going out dining. Outdoor seating at night is wonderful in Hawaii. Avoid the strong AC of restaurants, if possible. Also pack a pair of long pants, sweater for Hawaii island adventures when going upcountry or visiting our higher elevation areas: volcanoes like Haleakela, Mauna Kea summit or Volcanoes National Park. Walking shoes instead of flipflops are recommended for hiking.

3. Sunscreen

First thing when you arrive is heading to the nearest beach. Who wants to shop for your favorite sunscreen when the beach waits for you?! A hotel shop might be around but believe me sunscreen is not cheap there and your favorite sunscreen and SPF might not be available.

4. Camera

Upgrade the memory card of your digital camera. You will take lots of photos in Hawaii and don't want to run out of memory. Same applies to your camera battery. Don't forget the recharging cable!I won't ever forget our Hawaii visitors from Germany whose camera battery gave up in Volcano Park. They went all the way back to Hilo, bought what they needed and took the most spectacular photos of a lifetime! Take the memory of your Hawaii vacation home with you through your photos!

5. Snorkel Gear - yes or no?

Bringing snorkel gear with you has been and still is a big question for our Hawaii visitors. We recommend to pack your own snorkel gear if you have prescription glasses or are very particular with your masks and fins. Most Hawaii visitors, especially those who snorkel a lot, just buy snorkel gear after arriving in Hawaii at Costco or WalMart. With luggage weight restrictions not a bad idea.The ones at the snorkel gear rental places can be somwhat funky. Depends all where you rent the snorkel gear.

Any suggestions what things Hawaii travelers should pack for their trip to the islands? Our Hawaii vacation blog visitors and we'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
We don't want to forget to mention that our beautiful girl from Hawaii is Toshua from WahineStyle. BTW Kawika, the photographer is currently inviting Big Island girls to become models for the new 2010 Hawaiian Girls Calendar and his wahine (girl, woman) website.

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Where to stay in Hawaii this Summer Vacation?

2009-05-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

E Komo Mai everybody,
Welcome back to our Best Hawaii Vacation blog. Here is the follow-up on our '3 Reasons to visit Hawaii this Summer', our recent blog post which received lots of attention and responses by blog visitors and Hawaii vacation rental owners alike. Happy to see that we hit a nerve in Hawaii travel industry with that post about a summer vacation in Hawaii.

As Hawaii vacation rental owners are looking forward to pamper you this summer with their lowest accommodation rates in years, you may choose from luxury vacation homes with swimming pool and/or tennis court for the active vacationer or stay at a golf condo next to the golf course for the passionate Hawaii golfer, escape to Volcano for some spectacular hiking + watching an active volcano or stay in beautiful upcountry Waimea cottage with short drives to best beaches or easy access to Mauna Kea summit stargazing. Explore Hawaii Big Island this summer!

Review our 2009 Hawaii Summer Vacation Deals

Stay in Volcano next to Volcanoes National Park

2Bd/2Ba Volcano Cottage w/jacuzzi offers Summer Special at $115/nt. (dbl.) + $100/nt. w/o jacuzzi.

Kona Summer Vacation

2Bd/2Ba Kona Golf condo offers 10% off + 7th night free for weekly stay in Kona at summer bargain $115/nt.

Play Golf in Waikoloa Vacation
Golf Studio on Waikoloa Golf Cours e with Expansive Ocean Views Summer Deal $100/nt.

Luxury Kohala Coast Vacation

3Bd/3Ba Kohala Coast Vacation Home at Gated Kohala Ranch with swimming pool + tennis court at most affordable rate $415/nt. (dbl.) for luxury Kohala Coast vacation.

Best rate Kohala Coast Ocean View vacation

2Bd/2Ba Kohala Coast Vacation home at Kohala Estate at 30% off this summer for $175/nt.

Puako Beach Vacation

1Bd/1Ba Puako Beach Apartment (Mauka side) with AC. Puako beach access across the street. Best rate Puako beach $115/nt.

Puako Beach Family Vacation

3Bd/3Ba Puako Beach Condo, jacuzzi, w/beach access across the street at best Puako vacation family rate $145/nt.

Waimea Upcountry Cottage

Sunny side private Waimea Cottage across from HPA at most affordable $95/nt. or $85/nt. for weekly booking.

There are many more Hawaii vacation homes, condos and cottages available for your summer vacation. Best you visit our Summer vacation page. Much mahalo for stopping by. You comments are most welcome. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

3 Reasons to Visit Hawaii this Summer

2009-05-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Everybody around the globe and in Hawaii is talking about the Economic Slowdown. We even offer Keoki's Hawaii Stretch DVD at an 'Economic Slowdown' price for $18.50. Everybody has become very considerate about how and when to spend money. People start to cut back their expenses with anything that does not seem necessary or important like a vacation in Hawaii. Visiting Hawaii this summer has become for them a dream for the future, unless they win a free trip to Hawaii.

Who'd actually believe that there is actually no better time than this summer to book a trip to Hawaii instead of spending the money on traveling the Mainland. Here is what Best Hawaii Vacation blog editors, Pua + Keoki, think why it is a good time to visit Hawaii this summer.

3 Reasons to Visit Hawaii this summer

1. Air fares to Hawaii are at bargain prices this summer

At least when we compare the fares to ticket prices to Hawaii in the past few years. The economic slowdown forces the Hawaii carriers to come up with unbelievable low RT fares to Hawaii for this summer. This applies to Interisland ticket prices too. Just remember that about 9 mos. ago a one-way Hawaii Interisland ticket was about $150, when one did not fly in the very early morning or late at night. Today, a round-trip ticket with IflyGo from Honolulu, Oahu to Kona, Big Island is $48! With those low Interisland rates, Hawaii island hopping has become very popular again. Most of our Hawaii visitors currently visit two Hawaiian islands on Hawaii vacation.

2. Hawaii Vacation Rental hosts consider your best offer

Why shouldn't they? It's all about bookings for their vacation homes in Hawaii. They have mortgages or monthly payments for their cars to pay, school tuition and more. Smart vacation rental owners will consider your offer. Advice from us: Be reasonable with your offer and consider what you already get for free - compared to a stay at a Hawaii hotel. Don't forget electricity costs for AC and hot water in Hawaii is one of the highest in the nation.

Be aware that Hawaii beach rental owners are used to charging high rates (and always got those in the past) and are not always willing to come down with their rates. Hawaii rentals within 10 - 15 min. drive to beaches are more willing to make special offers this summer. Mostly those rentals are at a higher elevation, which allows you a comfortable sleep in the cooler air esp. during summer vacation.

3. Hawaii Vacation Effect - Priceless!

Is it the beach, the endless ocean, the swaying palm trees, the Maitai or the pretty hula dancer which makes the Hawaii vacation one of the most relaxing and recuperating of vacation destinations around the world? Who knows! But ask anybody who visited Hawaii and can compare his Hawaii vacation with other destinations, in most cases, Hawaii vacation memories don't fade. On the contrary, Hawaii and Hawaii vacation memories become more vivid with the number of passing years and 'haunt' you till you go back to Hawaii. Visit Hawaii this summer and come back as a new 'You', ready to take on the world!

As usual, we'd love to hear from you with more reasons why to visit Hawaii this summer. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Tags: Summer 2009 in Hawaii, Hawaii Summer Vacation, Visit Hawaii this Summer

Win a Free Trip to Hawaii

2009-05-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today's Best Hawaii Vacation blog post is a short one but it will grab your attention faster than you think. It's a a long time back that we told you how to win a free Hawaii Vacation. When reading Hawaii twitter tweets the other day a came across two tweets by @DiscoverHawaii about winning a free vacation. Instead of 'retweeting' the messages, I decided to share the good news with all our Hawaii vacation visitors right here on Best Hawaii vacation blog. So I went to the sites which posted the contests for winning the free trips to Hawaii and off we go to win a Hawaii vacation, a free vacation!

Win a free trip to Hawaii from Hawaii Magazine

Hawaii Magazine asks its readers for their special Hawaii photo, which shows their Hawaii memories and experiences. They say 'Got a great photo taken in Hawaii? It could win you a free trip back to our Islands in our 11th Annual HAWAII Magazine Photo Contest. Enter your photos in one of these four categories: Oahu, Maui, Big Island or Kauai. The photos can be of anything - people, places, things - but need to have been shot on the island corresponding to the category you are entering.

You may enter up to eight Hawaii photos, but no more than two photos per category. Make sure you send your photo (or photos) to Hawaii Magazine, postmarked by Aug. 7, 2009. Hawaii Magazine will be giving away nine prizes - one grand prize, four first-place and four second-place prizes. Grand Prize is airfare for two to Honolulu from your nearest Hawaiian Airlines gateway city, plus a six-night stay at the newly remodeled Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel in Waikiki.'

Win a free trip to Hawaii from the Travel Channel

Another chance to win a free trip to Hawaii is with the Sweepstakes of the Travel Channel. This month's prize winner of Travel channel will fly round-trip to Hawaii and stay for 8 days and 7 nights on the magical islands of Oahu and Maui. Enjoy complimentary transportation, breakfast and golf packages during your stay. Enter your chance to win the Travel Bug Sweepstakes free trip to Hawaii.

You have nothing to lose but a chance to win a free trip to Hawaii. I have hundreds of beautiful Hawaii photos and decided to join the Hawaii Magazine photo contest. A stay at a Waikiki hotel is always something special. If you are the winner of a free Hawaii trip, we'd love to hear about your Hawaii vacation. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
If you like the pretty girls from Hawaii, our today's post girl is Nikki from WahineStyle.com in Hawaii. Kawika is the photographer of those pretty women. Mahalo for sharing.