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Sent in Feb. 19, 2005 from Hawaii.
1. RELEVANT STUFF.
a) I have discovered from my trips to Costa Rica, Panama,
Mexico, and now here that even the latest editions of the
LONELY PLANET are grossly outdated as far as prices. In
all cases, ADD about 1/3 to 1/2 to ALL the quoted prices in
the books.
b) Hawaii is 2 hours earlier than PST (1 hour earlier than
Alaska time). It can get cool on the island in the
mornings and in the eve, so bring along a heavy shirt. And
since it may rain frequently, bring along a water-tight
Pancho. Or get one for $3 here at the ABC (Sundry) Stores
that are on every block of Waikiki Beach.
b) The bus system in Oahu is one of the best in the USA.
All rides cost $2, but you can also circle the island for
that price. (Take TheBus 55 from MANOA CENTER in Honolulu,
connect to TheBus 52; the full ride takes 4.5 hours. More
about this below.) And there is a $20 4-day pass for all
the bus rides you want. I think this is a rip-off since
the locals can get the same for ONE MONTH with a $40
ticket.
c) For tours, rather than relying on the companies
recommended by Lonely Planet, try TOURS 4 LESS, who have a
window right below the Internet place on KUHIO Ave.
KA'IULANI St. Even better, many on-the-street counters on
the main strip, KALAKAUA St., advertise FREE car rentals,
island tour, etc. just for attending a 90-min spiel about
timeshares, condos, or what have you, similar to the ones
in Orlando and Las Vegas. BUT you must have a Visa or
Master Card, NOT a debit Visa, etc. card. (I was turned
down for this reason.)
2. HAWAII Islands. Are located on the Tropic of Cancer.
Together and individually they may be some of the most
scenic spots on earth. The name may be a bit confusing in
that there is a single island of HAWAII, the largest in the
8-island chain, and more than double the size of all the
other islands combined. Nevertheless, calling all the 8
islands also as Hawaii does confuse. The 8 Hawaii islands
are, west to east: NIIHAU (one of the smallest) KAUAI (near
and east of the former), OAHU (with Honolulu and the
Waikiki Beach), MOLOKAI, LANAI, KAHOOLAWE that are grouped
with MAUI (and only ferries in the chain between Maui
Molokai and Maui and Lanai), and the big island HAWAII.
The southern-most point on the island of Hawaii is also the
southern-most point of the USA, at less than 19-deg
northern latitude.
Indeed there are also 33 so-called Leeward Islands in the
Hawaii chain of which the only touristic one is the MIDWAY
island of the war-in-the-Pacific fame from World War II.
The Hawaii islands have some of the most beautiful spots
and scenes in the world, blended into the emerald-green
mountains and vegetation, turquoise waters, and easy-going
Polynesian ambiance, all sorts of flowers, and huge trees
(eg, rubber plant) of household plants we know. The
"Polynesian ambiance" is somewhat of a myth, as Honolulu is
a huge American city full of tourists mainly from the USA
(70%) and Japan (30%), and some from all over the world,
some of whom have made a home for themselves on the
islands, or have that desire. The indigenous population is
now only about 11 percent on Oahu, larger on the other
islands.
I came to Hawaii for 12 days, with the idea that I would
visit all the islands. Then I found out that except for
Maui, where there are ferries to the 2 neighboring islands,
all inter-island traffic is by means of flights. They cost
round-trip $140-180 for each island. There are full day
tours from Oahu--basically pick-up, flight, quick bus tour
to the highlights on an island and back for $250 per
island. For about $300 you can also fly over 6 islands,
which I may do. This in addition to other trips to the
islands, the next one probably for 7-10 days to Maui, etc.
3. My Schedule.
Day 1 (Feb. 10): Flight from LA to Oahu. For the 1st
night I wanted to check into the HI Hostel on Seaview Ave.
(808-946-0591) near the university, which is north of the
Waikiki Beach, inland towards the mountains. I took Bus 19
(20 OK too) from the airport with transfer to Bus 4 (at
King and Bethel Streets, diagonally across from Macy's).
You exit at the first stop on University Ave., stay on the
same side, walk back 2 blocks (uphill) to Seaview, turn
left, and walk about 30 yards to the hostel. It charges
members $16 per night. The bathrooms are one of the best
at hostel level, but otherwise there are no amenities at
this hostel, and it is in a tranquil neighborhood.
RECOMMENDED: WALK TO MANOA FALLS. I came there to do one of
the FREE recommended joys on the island of Oahu: climb the
1.25-mile rocky path, mostly upward, to the MANOA Falls. I
did this the next morning. from 9 to 12. Indeed, this is
one of the best ways to see the beauty of the LUSH rain
forest on the islands, the vegetation, trees, bamboo just
amazing. The falls is only about 30 meters high, the water
content puny, but the climb up makes up for whatever is
missing in the falls. (I will post several photos from the
climb.) From the hostel, o get to where the path starts,
take TheBus 5 to last station, then walk about 500 meters
to where the path starts. Once on it, you'll be in very
dense jungle. (There is a way to take Bus 6 to Bus 5.
Walk up the Univ. Ave to the first light, cross the street
and walk a few steps towards the School of Busn Admn. and
wait at the bus stop there for Bus 6, ask for transfer to
Bus 5.)
Day 2: Hostels on WAIKIKI. I checked out from the hostel,
and took TheBus 4 to Waikiki, getting a dorm room at the HI
Hostel on Prince Edward St. (808-926-8313)--which runs
parallel to the main Waikiki strip, the KALAKAUA Ave.
Prince Edward is right behind the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2
blocks inland off ULUNIU or KA'IULANI streets (which mark
the borders of the 2 towers of Hyatt Regency, the latter
street much nicer to walk). It is a turquoise-colored
building that charges members $20, non-members $23 a night,
with max. 7-day stay. As for location, it is tops, as the
liveliest part of the Waikiki Beach is 2 short blocks away.
(There are 3 other hostels--1) Hokondo Hostel 2556 Lemon
(923-9566), 2) Pacific Ohana 2552 Lemon (921-8111), and 3)
Polynesian 2584 Lemon (922-1349) about 4 blocks towards the
Zoo and Diamond head, on LEMON St., between the PAOAKALANI
and KAPAHULU Avenues.) I spent the rest of the day
browsing the Waikiki Beach, one of the most famous beaches
in the world. I should add that Waikiki may be nicest
blending of a magnificent city with a magnificent beach.
The main drag off the beach is as elegant and stylish as
anything in New York or elsewhere, period. (Note: Someone
I met who stayed at 2 of the 3 hostels on Lemon St.
described them as dumps.)
Day 3: Chinatown and Downtown. Buses E, 2 and 13 from
Waikiki (off KUHIO Ave.) go to these parts of the city.
Chinatown comes after the downtown section. Be sure to eat
at the FOOK LAM restaurant. The roasted duck I had may
have been the tastiest ever. I walked back to downtown
pass the IOLANI Palace to the statue of KAMEHAMEHA, the
local king, who united the Hawaiian islands. Pass the
statue, I took TheBus 20 back to Waikiki, a drive of about
30 minutes.
Day 4: Reserved for the Beach (10 min walk from hostel)
and the Pro Bowl on TV.
Day 5: Rented a moped to circle the island of Oahu, 177
miles of it. I recommend doing this as I did, or thru the
hostel. Both cost $35. I had already visited Oahu on an
earlier occasion, incl. the Volcano Park on the big Island
Hawaii. So I paid $90 each for 3 inter-island flights:
DAY 6,7,8 (Feb. 15-17), KAUAI: Flight to the island of
Kauai for 2 days. I stayed at the International Hostel there
for $20 per night. Interesting bunch of people staying there,
including people who want to make a life for themselves on
the island. The place can be cleaner. Internet costs $3
for 30 min; they pick you up from the airport, or take you
there for $10 each way (about 9 miles to the airport).
There is a bus system but it is cumbersome as most public
transport is in USA. On Kaua'i, be sure to visit 1) The
WAIMEA Canyon (also called the Pacific Canyon), 2) the NA
PALI Coast (by catamaran, etc.) with accordion-like folding
mountains. Both are very scenic. Polynesian tours will
take to the former for $44 (7:20am to 3:30pm). Ask to add
the River Cruise thereafter for $15. The Na Pali Coast may
be more difficult, as most boats take of from the harbor
1/2 hour away, like Captain Andy. Find a boat that leaves
from the same town where the hostel is located.
I forgot to mention some trivia which may be still of
interest: Kauai is generally considered to be the most
beautiful tropical island in the world. Rather than
electing it exclusively as THE most, let's agree that it is
a beautiful island indeed. Actually many of you have
already seen parts of Kauai without realizing it. 50+
movies were made on the island, among them Jurassic Park
1,2,3, South Pacific, Donovan's Reef (John Wayne, Lee
Marvin), and 60 percent of the scenes from the Thornbirds,
for example. For me, while I go out of my way to see
interesting, beautiful, historical scenes, to live I like
lively places. The Waikiki Beach is what really impressed
me, including the Diamond Head crater that is a landmark
off the Beach. So this is not just a beautiful, elegant,
stylish beach, but also one obviously in the tropics,
including the gorgeous landscape of Hawaii. That it is an
American Beach is perhaps the real surprise, for it is
really as sophisticated as the French Riviera, etc.
DAY 8,9,10: (Feb 17-20). Fly to MAUI. Check into the
Banana Bungalow Hostel for $22 per night (10% discount to
$19.80 for HI card). It is one of the best hostels I have
seen. Many daily tours for FREE, as is the Internet. And,
they will pick you up (5pm) and deliver (9:40am) to the
airport for FREE. Alas, the tours I want for tomorrow and
next day are scheduled for other days at the hostel, so I
am paying ROBERTS Tour Agency $44 to the HALEAKALA Park,
and $82 for the very scenic and winding ROAD to HANA
(all-day) tour.
If you are arriving on the island around 9:30am, call for
pick up. They also come at 5pm, but call to make sure.
Also, be at the bus stop 3 at the center lane after exit
from airport. This is where they stop. You will see several
bus stop numbers in large numerals. The hostel has free
coffee, AND FREE tours to all relevant places every day,
including the beach with the 9:40am drive to airport.
There is a good restaurant on Market St., 2 blocks up, a
grocery store 2 blocks in the opposite direction, both on
the other side of street. The hostel has hot water and
laundry facilities. There is not much else around, but the
hostel is good for socializing, and the view to the mountains
is really nice. Off the nearby bridge, you can also see the
ocean, about a mile away.
As for the islands of Molokai and Lanai, the tour agent in
Kauai told me that these two islands, while nice, are very
laid-back--read as boring--and that there is nothing
special on them I could not enjoy on the bigger islands.
So I dropped them.
DAY 11,12 (Feb.20-21): I decided to return to Waikiki a day
early, as for me it was the most elite part of my visit to
Hawaii. I will enjoy it one more night, and then return to
LA on Feb. 21/22 midnight.
Sirman