With fear and some reluctance, my friend Nathan Kam flew over to Maui from his Oahu home to experience ziplining for the first time. I followed his day of adventure via his twitter account. Nathan didn’t just try one zipline course, he tried Skyline Eco Adventures’ two  courses (Kaanapali and Haleakala) in the same day. That was thirteen zips in one day! Way to kick your fear’s butt, Nathan!

Nathan posted a video of his experiences which I thought gives you a great idea of what ziplining is like. Check it out! (Email subscribers, please click here to access the video.)

I had my own zipline experience on Kauai that I too feared, but found to be absolutely exhilarating. I felt like a kid, with a daredevil alter ego.

If you meet the age and physical requirements, I highly recommend you give Hawaii’s ziplines a try. Here are some ziplining tips:

• You’ll find ziplines on the islands of Kauai, Maui and later this month (November 2009), the Big Island will have its first zipline.
• Each zipline company has different age and weight requirements. For example, when I took the Princeville Ranch Zip n’ Dip tour, there requirements were that you must weigh between 80 and 280 pounds and be age 12 or older.
• You need to be in average or better physical condition to zip.  You can’t zip if you’ve had recent injuries or surgeries.  Expectant mothers shouldn’t  zip either.
• You probably shouldn’t have an extreme fear of heights.
• You should wear sunscreen and mosquito repellant.
• Bring water, 16-oz per person is recommended.
• You should wear shorts that are mid-thigh length or longer.
• Since you’ll need to run on to the ramps at the end of each zipline, you should wear sneakers or something similar.
• Bring a hat
• If you have long hair, bring something to tie your hair back.
• Bring a small backpack to store your water, wallet, cameras, etc when you zip.
• Be prepared for the possibility of rain. Tours will operate rain or shine. Actually, we experienced rain on our tour. We were wearing quick drying clothes.
• Have fun with it. Give your lungs a workout as you zip across these isolate ravines. Andy and I enjoyed practicing our Tarzan yells.

Have you ziplined in Hawaii? How was your experience? What additional advice would you like to pass along?

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If you are going to be on Oahu for Thanksgiving, then you’ll find several opportunities to celebrate the day with a bit of tradition and Aloha.  Here’s a great collection of special Thanksgiving dinners, buffets, parades, and celebrations going on Thursday, November 26, 2009.

Oceanarium Restaurant at the Pacific Beach Hotel – For a unique setting, consider having Thanksgiving with the fishes in the Oceanarium Restaurant with their large saltwater aquarium. Oceanarium Restaurant will offer Thanksgiving Day brunch and dinner buffets. See their brunch menu here which costs $36 for adults and $13.95 for children. Brunch will be served from 9am until 3pm. Their dinner buffet menu will be served from 4pm until 10pm with a price of $41.95 for adults and $15.25 for children.

The Royal Hawaiian, that famous “pink lady of Waikiki”, has an afternoon Thanksgiving buffet planned for the Monarch dining room. In addition to the buffet, guests will also enjoy Hawaiian entertainment. The cost of the buffet is $88 for adults and $44 for children. Note that children ages 4 years and younger eat free. This buffet will be offered from 3pm to 5pm and if you’re driving there, free parking is included with the buffet. See this link for the menu and contact details on how to make a reservation.

Hanohano at the Sheraton Waikiki will offer a four-course “from farm to table” Thanksgiving dinner from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. I’ll keep an eye open to see if they post a link to the special Thanksgiving dinner. The special menu includes soup, salad, entree, and dessert with all the traditional Thanksgiving ingredients, but with a sophisticated Hawaii twist. For example, the entree is: Herb Roasted Smoked Turkey with 3 Hamakua Mushroom, Maui Onion and Chestnut Stuffing Roasted Fall Vegetables, Big Island White Honey Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Apricot and Cranberries, Giblet Gravy, Yukon Gold Potato Puree, and Pancetta Brussel Sprouts. The cost for the Thanksgiving menu is $85 ($110 with wine pairings) per person plus tax and gratuity. The Twist at Hanohano will also offer their standard three-course menu priced from $65 per person. As you know, I’m a big fan of the view from Hanohano. (Psst: my advice is to reserve a table near the window on the Diamond Head side of the restaurant.) Fancy some Thanksgiving dancing?  The dynamic swing band Hot Club of Hulaville will perform from 7:30 to 10pm. For reservations or more information, please call the dining desk at 808-921-4600 or send an email to tdrc.hawaii@starwoodhotels.com.

Kai Market, also at the Sheraton Waikiki, will offer a more family-friendly Thanksgiving brunch and dinner option. Kai Market’s Thanksgiving Day brunch is open from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. Prices are $49 for adults, $15 for children 6-12 years old; children 5 years and younger eat free, one child per paying adult. I will link to the menu when it becomes available online. The restaurant opens again from 5:00pm to 9:30pm for Plantation Nights Thanksgiving Day Dinner Table. Prices for dinner are $55 for adults, $15 for children 6-12 years old; children 5 years and younger eat free, one child per paying adult. For more information about Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii please visit Starwoodhawaii.com or call 1-866-716-8140.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House will offer a special New Orleans-inspired Thanksgiving menu starting at 5pm. The menu includes choice of soup or salad, traditional oven roasted turkey with cornbread Andouille stuffing, and all the traditional sides. For dessert, you can choose between pumpkin cheesecake or sweet potato pie ala mode. This three course dinner is priced at $45 for adults and $19 for children. For reservations in Waikiki, call 808-440-7910.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse by Wolfgang Zwiener will feature a special turkey dinner from 11am until 10:30pm. The dinner features slices of turkey plus all the traditional sides and a slice of pumpkin pie for $34.95. Reserve by calling 808-922-3600 or reserve online with OpenTable.

Embassy Suites at Waikiki Beach Walk offers a very good value buffet. This Thanksgiving buffet will include items liek  guava-glazed sweet potatoes with toasted coconut, pumpkin soup with brandy and oven-roasted turkey with cranberry-ginger chutney. The resort will be hosting this celebratory feast on November 26, 2009 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on its Grand Lanai at just $29.95 for adults and $15.95 for kids ages 6 to 12. Kid under five years old are free with each adult paid buffet. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the resort at 808-921-2345.

The Beachhouse at the Westin Moana will feature a three-course tasting Thanksgiving dinner menu from 5:30pm to 9pm. I will link to the menu when it becomes available online. The cost is $65 for adults and $35 per child. You’ll have lots of options as you’ll be able to order a la carte and a special child’s (keiki) menu will be provided. For reservations or more information, please contact the Starwood dining desk at 808-921-4600 or e-mail tdrc.hawaii@starwoodhotels.com Also, see this link for more information on The Beachhouse.

Lani Kai at the Westin Moana Surfrider will prepare a huge buffet spread with island favorites like ahi poke as well as traditional roast turkey and dressing. The buffet will include separate stations for appetizers, hot and cold entrees and desserts. The buffet will be open from 3:00pm to 8:00pm and the cost is $75 for adults and $45 for children ages 6 to 12. Entertainment will be provided by a strolling Hawaiian Trio Hala’i from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. For reservations or more information, please contact the Starwood dining desk at 808-921-4600 or e-mail tdrc.hawaii@starwoodhotels.com

Thanksgiving Meals To-Go
If your accommodations offer cooking facilities, you might be interested in these economical heat and eat Thanksgiving to-go options.

• Pacific Beach Hotel Catering offers Wiki-Turkey Take-Out Banquet that can be prepared in two “easy” hours. For $89 you can heat and assemble a traditional thanksgiving feast for six to eight. See more about the menu and ordering details, click here.
• Zippy’s offers a couple of different traditional Thanksgiving meals to go starting at $36.95 for a meal that serves four people. See this link for the ordering options and details.

The 35th Annual Turkey Trot will give you a chance to burn off those Thanksgiving calories before you eat them with a 10-mile run on Thanksgiving morning. Registration is at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand at 6:30am and the run begins as soon as all are registered, so participants are advised to arrive early. Each runner will predict their finish time. At the finish line, their predicted time is compared to their actual finish.  Awards will be given to those coming closest to their own predicted finish time; also, there will be random drawings of finisher names for door prizes. Entry fee is $3; no watches, headphones, or pacing devices are allowed. For more details see this link.

11th Annual Waikiki Holiday Parade marches through Waikiki on Friday, November 27. The parade commemorates Pearl Harbor Survivors and the anniversary of the attacks. The parade starts at 7:00pm and will feature thousands of marchers, vehicles and bands from all over the US. The parade starts at Fort DeRussy and follows Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park. For more information, see this link.

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I will keep this list updated as I discover new options and details. Several other resorts will also have a special meal for the day, so also check with the concierge of your accommodation for their options. Happy Thanksgiving!

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* November and December have always been really quiet and economical times to visit Hawaii, with the obvious exceptions of the days around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. TravelZoo.com has a great list of hotel deals on all the major islands. There’s too many deals to list, so check it out here.

* From our series on the best Hawaii restaurants, we were fortunate to have Oahu residents, Dave and Alice, provide a very detailed list of their favorite Oahu restaurants. Dave and Alice recommend the Oceanarium Restaurant in Waikiki for the best buffet. I found a great 25% off coupon here that’s valid through December 15, 2009.

* I found the Oceanarium coupon through eCouponsHawaii.com, which usually has a handful of coupons to help us visitors save a bit of cash. See my post: Hawaii Vacation Coupons and Discounts for more information.

This surfing-themed prize pack includes:

• Set of 10 gorgeous vintage Hawaiian surf postcards to send to your friends or frame them for a little Aloha for your walls.
• A surfing gecko luggage tag
• A stack of surfboards in the sand  “stick n notes” (post-it notes) that were designed in Hawaii.

The contest requirements are simple.  Here’s how to enter:

1.  First you must be a subscriber to Go Visit Hawaii’s free daily updates via e-mail and/or RSS.  Only subscribers will be able to see the secret message.  If you aren’t sure how to subscribe for the free updates, see these simple steps.

2.  Look for randomly issued secret messages near the bottom of the individual article/posts.  Multiple secret messages will be issued. With each message you find, submit it for a new entry.  The secret messages will say something along the lines of:  “Go Visit Hawaii Tip:  Time to enter the contest.  The secret message is _______.”

3.  When you see the secret message.  Use the contact form at the bottom of my about Go Visit Hawaii page to send me your name, email address, and the secret message

4.  All entries must be received by November 30, 2009.

5.  As a thank you to the nice bloggers who may blog about this contest, they will get an entry for blogging about the contest.  Please contact me with a link to your post. 

So, watch for the secret messages and good luck!

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If you’ve ever wanted to swim with dolphins in open water, you’ll have an excellent chance of doing just that when you visit Lana’i’s beautiful Hulopoe Beach. Pods of spinner dolphins come to the protected bay waters almost daily and often several times each day.

While relaxing on the sand and soaking up the soothing sounds of the waves crashing at  Hulopoe Beach, Andy and I admired the dolphins as they frolicked in the bay. We observed other visitors swimming out towards the dolphins and allowing them to swim past. These visitors would come back to the shore shrieking with excitement from the experience.

You know that I’ve confessed many times that I’m a big chicken in the sea. As I observed others having so much fun swimming with the dolphins, I wanted to join in the fun, but I was having to work up my nerve. Eventually, I became brave enough to give it a try. After picking up snorkel gear, I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and dove it the water.

While trying to work up the nerve to get in the water, I must have wasted too much time. We swam out towards the area where we had seen dolphins, but we must have been too late to the party. Alas, they were gone!

With our snorkel masks on, Andy and I swam side by side while pointing out beautiful fish. We came across a large section of a sandy bottom and didn’t see any fish for a while. That was until I spotted a six-foot shark hovering on the bottom approximately 10 feet away. I still don’t know how I reacted so calmly, but I tapped Andy on the arm and pointed to the shark. Though I was freaking out inside, I was remaining calm on the outside. Without even stopping to discuss the situation, Andy and I immediately began to swim back to shore.

The shark didn’t even seem to notice us and definitely didn’t bother us. In a way, I’m glad that happened. One of my fears of snorkeling is encountering a shark. Now that I met the fear and it was such a non-issue, I think I’ll feel a bit more confident the next time I snorkel.

Have you had any shark encounters while snorkeling in Hawaii?

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This post is part of a series of Hawaii vacation mishaps. See the entire collection of our misadventure chronicles.

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* Just a reminder — though you may have adjusted your clock back one hour this past weekend, Hawaii time remains the same year round.

* The Village People will be playing at this years New Years Eve party and concert at the Sheraton Waikiki. I’ll post the details when they’re available.

* I was sad to read that the Big Island’s Parker Ranch will be shutting down all their tours. (Source)

* I’ve been holding back this next tidbit for quite a while. I figured that since we’ve just celebrated Halloween and you’ve seen lots of scary ghosts and goblins over the weekend, perhaps you won’t be so frightened to see me interviewed in a video clip. Our local CBS affiliate, WRAL, filmed a segment on avoiding credit card foreign transaction fees. It’s a good idea to be aware of these very sneaky fees, especially if you are traveling outside of the US. By the way, I’ve considered many scenarios and I can’t think of an instance where these credit card foreign transaction fees would apply to Hawaii travel for US credit card holders.

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In the Poipu area of Kauai, you will find an impressive blowhole called Spouting Horn. A blowhole forms at the end of a lava tube and as waves crash in, water goes into the tube and it builds up pressure to blow the water back out. The spouts of water can reach up to 50 feet high. Not only does the blowhole create an impressive display, but it also makes interesting sound effects as well.

This brief video from You Tube gives you an idea of how Spouting Horn looks and sounds. Email subscribers, please click here to watch the video. (Video credit to miinaba):

The Hawaiian legend of how Spouting Horn began is interesting. Here’s how it goes per the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau’s web site:

Ancient Hawaiians believed this coastline was once guarded by a giant moo (lizard). Everyone was afraid of the moo because it would eat anyone who tried to fish or swim in the area. One day a man named Liko entered the ocean. The moo went to attack him but Liko quickly swam under the lava shelf and escaped through a small hole to the surface. The large moo followed him and got himself stuck in the lava tube. To this day, you can hear the lizard’s groan and see his breath spraying from the hole.

See more of our photos of Spouting Horn. To find Spouting Horn on a Google Map, click here. It is very easy to find and access.

Have you been to Spouting Horn? What did you think of it?

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Isn’t it incredible that the lava burns the asphalt with such ease? There’s no way a speed bump would stop a lava flow from going where it wants to go. What an amazing force!

Note that this video was just filmed this past Saturday. The brave camera person, volcanochaser, got much closer to the lava than what us amateurs should do. Please keep a safe distance and see my tips for watching the lava flow.

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Giant (Spider) Lily

* A brand new zip line is due to open on the Big Island in November. Zip Isle will be the first zip line adventure tour to open on the Big Island. From their Web site, it appears that they’ll begin operating November 23rd and the rate is $87 per person. Zip Isle is located northwest of Hilo at the World Botanical Gardens and Umauma Falls.

* Want to visit Hawaii and volunteer, too? Preserve Hawaii lists some excellent volunteer opportunities. (Hat tip to Dave)

* Aqua Hotels & Resorts will take over management of the [Hilton] Kauai Beach Resort as of January 1, 2010, per the Pacific Business Journal.  It seems like there’s been quite a few hotel management changes in Hawaii this year, doesn’t it?

* TravelZoo just released this 10-night New Years Eve Hawaii land and cruise deal for $999 per person. That would be an excellent way to ring in 2010.

* Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice 2009 Awards named Maui and Kauai the best islands in the world. The Big Island, Oahu and Lana’i were listed among the top 10 Pacific Islands. Three Four Seasons Hawaii hotels were named to the esteemed top 100 list. Those Four Seasons resorts are on Maui, the Big Island and Lana’i (Koele Lodge). No surprises here!

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Team Outrigger Canoe Club on Molokai to Oahu Crossing. Monica is wearing a white hat and is in the third seat.

I was really curious about what it takes to race outrigger canoes and Monica was nice enough to answer my questions. Here’s are some of the highlights of what she shared:

We begin training in May and regatta races (i.e. sprinting races) start in June. The distance is from ½ mile to 1.5 miles depending on the division you race. They have age group divisions and then novice divisions (for new paddlers) and then open races for more advanced paddlers. Every weekend crews paddle in races and the sprint season ends with State championships, this year in Hilo Bay on the Big Island. Long distance season starts after this in August.

Women are allowed 10 people per crew and men can have 9. There are 6 seats in a boat so we have an escort boat and do water changes mid-race. This means the escort boat will speed ahead of the canoe and drop 2-3 people in the water. The canoe will paddle up to the people treading water and 2-3 people will jump out on one side and then the incoming fresh paddlers climb in on the other.

Hawaii’s waters can be quite rough at times and definitely not suited for a canoe full of novice paddlers. So I asked Monica for her suggestions for how a visitor might get a taste for paddling. Monica recommended Waikiki Beach Services on Oahu. She says that a professional steersman sits in the back plus one other strong paddler and they’ll take out a group of four people to catch some sun and surf. Monica added, “This is a great way [for a visitor] to get a taste of the sport and see Waikiki from a new perspective.” Sounds like fun to me!

Mahalo to Monica for sharing her insights, photos and advice with us!

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1. Download or order your free Oahu vacation planner from the Oahu Visitors Bureau. From this link you’ll be able to access and order Oahu brochures that are loaded with useful maps. These guides are very useful to help you start understanding the lay of the land.

2. Purchase a driving map of Oahu through Amazon.com or at your local book store. I recommend Nelles Map Hawaii: Honolulu – Oahu. It’s the map that I’ve used for multiple trips to Oahu and it’s not fallen apart yet. Here’s a link to the Amazon.com page of this map so that you can see what it looks like.

3. When you arrive at the Honolulu Airport, stop at one of the information desks and politely ask for a map of Oahu. The free maps that they provide are really the best Oahu vacation maps that I’ve found. Most of the major scenic points are well labeled. The only downside to the maps is that there isn’t a great deal of street detail.

4. If you have AAA, stop into one of their offices near your hometown and request free driving maps. They offer a very detailed map of Honolulu.

5. Of course you can always use sites like Google Maps, Bing Maps, etc. to print driving directions.

6. If you have a portable GPS navigation system, do bring it with you to Oahu. Andy and I first brought ours last year and it saved us lots of aggravation and time. I am convinced that we were able to see more of Oahu because we brought the navigation system. (See my post on using a GPS navigation system in Hawaii.)

Now, having listed all those resources for maps and navigating Oahu, guess which ones I use. Would you believe that I use a combination of all of them? I really do. How about you? What map and navigation resources do you recommend for sightseeing on Oahu?

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Here’s what I’m hearing from our fine feathered friends today.

* The humpback whales are back in Hawaii! Per the Maui News, there were several reports of humpback whale sightings on Tuesday, October 20th. Woohoo! (H/T therightblue)

* From twitter, the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu’s Waikiki Beach is offering a 72-hour sale that started yesterday. With this sale, you get 4th night free when you buy 3 nights of ocean view and up room categories. The deal is good for stays through January 31, 2010, with some blackout dates. To get the offer, book with code P4. See this link with the terms and conditions and a sale countdown clock.

* Aston Hotels & Resorts is offering a 2010 early bird special. If you book by October 31, 2009 you can lock in some great rates (up to 40% off) for your 2010 stay.

Nico’s Pier 38 serves breakfast and lunch. Since it’s open until 5:00pm Monday through Friday, you can also squeeze in an early dinner there. (Nico’s is also open on Saturdays from 6:30am until 2:30pm.) You can review their menu with this link. In addition to several tasty fish dishes, you’ll also find other favorite Hawaiian plate lunches like Hosin Barbeque Chicken, Chicken Katsu, and a Loco Moco.

Notice that nothing on the Nico’s Pier 38 menu is over $10. For the quality of food, it’s a fantastic bargain on Oahu! It’s probably some of the best food you’ll eat off of Styrofoam plates.

Andy and I stopped in at Nico’s Pier 38 for a late lunch and the restaurant was packed with locals, which is always a good sign. We ordered Furikake Pan Seared Ahi with Ginger Garlic Cilantro Sauce and Fish and Chips.

As I mentioned, Nico’s Pier 38 is located a bit of the tourist’s path on what I describe as the western side of Honolulu. Their address is 1133 N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI 96817. From this link, you’ll be able to access MapQuest. Logistically, you might want to work in stop at Nico’s before or after a visit to Pearl Harbor or exploring the historic downtown area of Honolulu. If I remember correctly, we ate at Nico’s on our way back to Waikiki after watching surfers ride the big waves on the North Shore of Oahu.

Nico’s Pier 38 offers indoor and outdoor open seating. Andy and I enjoyed sitting by the water at one of the outdoor tables.

I’ll be updating my Oahu restaurant recommendations to include Nico’s at Pier 38. Considering the price and fresh quality of food, it’s a restaurant definitely worth recommending.

Through writing this blog, we tend to get lots of great recommendations from local Hawaii residents. Sometimes we feel like our Hawaii friends let us in on local secrets. Such was the case with Nico’s Pier 38. We have to thank Erin for recommending that Andy and I give Nico’s a try!

Have you tried Nico’s Pier 38? Did you like it? What menu item would you recommend?

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1.  Hawaii’s Winter Weather is Wonderfully Warm
Hawaii can be a great Winter escape, especially if you live in a cold climate. I’ve been to Hawaii in the chilliest Winter months of January and February and thoroughly enjoyed the warm Hawaiian sun. So, what sort of temperatures can you expect? Let’s take Waikiki and Honolulu as good, centrally located example and examine their January weather averages. Per Weather.com, Waikiki’s average daily high temperature in January is 80ºF. Just imagine what a respite that would be from the freezing cold of North America. I can tell you from experience, it rocks!

Now, Waikiki’s January evenings will get a bit “chillier”, that is if you want to call 66ºF “chilly”. When you’re knee-deep in snow, 66ºF is almost unimaginably, sweltering hot.

If there is a “downside” to Hawaii’s Winter weather, it’s that the islands tend to receive more rain during the Winter. Typically, spurts of rain burst in and burst out in Hawaii, it would be unusual to experience two or three of solid rain. Just think of this increased chance of rain as increasing your rainbow viewing opportunities. Hawaii has many micro-climates and some areas receive significantly less quantities of rain. So, if you are headed to Hawaii in the Winter, be sure and see my recommendations on where to stay in Hawaii to avoid rain. You may not be able to avoid it altogether, but you will certainly minimizes your chances.

2.  The Big Waves Visit in Winter
Hawaii’s Winter brings monster waves. What do I mean by monster waves? I mean waves that are 20-feet and higher. Oahu’s North Shore is the place to see these giant waves and watch the expert and professional surfers carve their way through these massive forces. If you time your visit right, you may even get to watch the world’s most prestigious surfing competitions, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. Two of my favorite big wave watching spots are the Banzai Pipeline at Ehukai Beach and Waimea Beach.

3.  Hawaii Offers Outstanding Humpback Whale Watching in Winter
Each Winter, between four to six thousand humpback whales migrate to Hawaii’s protected waters to mate and give birth. It’s virtually impossible not to be amazed when you see a 40-ton whale leap out of the water and create a giant splash. Even the sight of a whale’s tail or exhalation might make your heart skip a beat. The months of January, February and March are the peak months for humpback whale watching, though you will likely see them in November, December, and April as well. Maui, Lanai, and the Big Island are my two favorite islands for observing humpback whales.

So, let’s recap. In the Winter, you’ll have the chance of soaking in some warm tropical weather while observing incredible waves and humpback whales. Wouldn’t you agree that Winter is a great time to go to Hawaii?

Have you been to Hawaii in the Winter? What was your experience? Did you bask in the sun while your hometown was freezing cold?

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Humpback Whales Bubble Feeding in Auke Bay, Alaska

Most any day now, I expect we’ll hear the news of the first sighting of humpback whales arrival to the Hawaiian Islands. Last year we had a fun contest to predict the first sighting which was on October 8th. The previous year the first humpback spotted was on October 7 and in 2006, it was October 11th.  Here we are on the 19th with no reports of a humpback sighting.

Thousands of humpback whales spend their winters in Hawaii and their summers in Southeast Alaska. (Sounds like an ideal vacation combination to me.) Humpback whales embark on an month-long journey to the protected waters of Hawaii each winter to give birth to their calves, nurse their young, and mate. But what do they do in the summer months when they are in Alaska? Well, all in the name of blog research I went to Alaska this summer to “study” their summer behavior. Here are some of the things I observed and learned:

• They eat like crazy in Alaska’s waters. In fact, they can literally eat a ton of food each day.
• Humpbacks can only eat krill and small fish because their equivalent of teeth is a series of thin plates, called baleen,  that food filters through. (See more on baleen.)
• The mothers continue to teach their calves how to live and survive. I was fascinated to learn that all humpback whale behaviors are learned behaviors – even breathing is a learned behavior.
• When the whales travel from Hawaii to Alaska, they always return to the same spot their mothers first brought them. Isn’t that incredible? They must have built-in GPS systems that tell them where “home” is.
• Whales have really, really bad breath. We caught a whiff of whale breath when a whale surfaced to breath. Oh my gosh, it is the worst breath, ever. Someone should invent a whale Tic Tac. I guess if you eat all that shrimp and fish without brushing your baleen, you’re going to get bad breath.
• Some whale behaviors are localized. For example, we observed bubble feeding near Juneau, but the humpbacks near Sitka, never bubble feed. By the way, bubble feeding is when a group of humpbacks work together to confuse a school of fish by blowing bubbles and surrounding them until they gather into a small area where they are easily eaten. It’s very exciting to watch – especially when you see several humpbacks surfacing with their mouths open. Here’s a brief video I found of humpbacks bubble feeding in Alaska.

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If you have tickets booked on either go! or Mokulele, you probably won’t notice much of a difference, at least initially. From the Press Release, “Passengers will continue to book reservations on both go! (visit www.iflygo.com) and Mokulele (visit www.mokulele.com), check in for jet services at the newly co-branded go! Mokulele ticket counters and will have the added benefit of seamless travel to the destinations served by both airlines. Existing reservations booked with both go! and Mokulele will be honored.”  See all the Frequently Asked Questions about this joint venture.

Beyond the co-branded go! Mokulele ticket counter, perhaps the other change that passengers may notice is that Mokulele will no longer offer first class service as three of its 70-seat Embraer E170 jets will be redeployed to the US Mainland. The routes that used the Embraer E170 jets will most likely be replaced by the Bombardier CRJ-200 jets with 50 seats. (Source)

As a result of this joint venture, I have updated my guide to inter-island travel in Hawaii.

This joint venture takes out an element of competition, which normally leads to higher costs, according to the law of supply and demand. go! has always aimed to be Hawaii’s low-cost carrier, so, could that mean that a larger fleet and resources will lead to even lower prices? What do you think this joint venture means for inter-island service and fares?

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All four of us way over packed. If I remember correctly, Andy and I brought two cases each. On top of that, we had two sets of golf clubs. In total, I think we had about 10 medium to large-sized bags.

After landing and collecting our luggage and picking up the Jeep, we began this challenge of fitting our 10 pieces of luggage and four adults into the this little box of a vehicle. It was like working a jigsaw puzzle. We’d try combination after combination trying to fit it in. We soon realized we had to take the soft top off the Jeep. There was no way the luggage would fit with the top on.

After quite a bit of finagling, we had accomplished what seemed like an impossible task. Our luggage fit — barely!

So, we’re in the car, ready to find our condo and get this vacation started. My friend Sheryl and I sat in the back seat gripping onto this tall mound of luggage between us. We couldn’t even see each other. As we’re leaving the airport, we hear a thud. We look behind us, and sure enough, one of our pieces had fallen out of the open Jeep. Screeeetch! We had to stop and turn around to pick up the bag.

Not only was this mountain of luggage tall, it was wide, too. Sherly and I were both squished to our edges – we even had to stick our heads out of the side of the Jeep. I can’t tell you how humiliated we both felt sticking our heads out. We looked so stupid! Other drivers couldn’t help but gawk at this canary yellow Jeep mounded with luggage and two heads poking out the sides.

As if the embarrassment of sticking our heads out of the side of the Jeep wasn’t enough, we had to follow a diesel-fueled tour bus for probably 20 miles – with our faces as magnets to capture the black exhaust from the bus. Our faces and necks were covered with diesel fumes and residue. Nice, eh?

Luckily, we were all able to laugh at the situation and ourselves. From that experience, Andy and I had some lessons learned. We are now proponents of packing light. We learned that we didn’t need all the clothes and stuff we brought with us the first time. We also learned that renting a Jeep in Hawaii puts you in a more vulnerable position for theft. (See my post on thinking twice about renting a convertible or jeep in Hawaii.)

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This post is part of a series of mishaps. Click here to see more posts in our misadventures series.

Have you had a vacation mishap from over packing and/or not choosing the right-sized rental vehicle?

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Most people stop at the Garden of Eden on the day they take the scenic drive along the road to Hana. We could easily identify the folks who were stopping as part of their road to Hana tour. They were the ones who were hectically racing around trying to get to the Puohokamoa Falls lookout and then hop back in their cars for the rest of their long drive. Instead of trying to cram too much sight seeing into one day, we took a special trip out to tour the Garden of Eden. By taking this special trip, we were able to tour at a slow pace and soak in the scenery. With the entrance fee being $10 per person, I think you’ll get far more value from the visit if you go on a separate day from the entire road to Hana drive.

The Garden of Eden brochure claims that they have over 500 plants botanically labeled. Obviously, I didn’t count them, but I can say, there’s more than enough exotic plants and trees that will capture your attention and inspire you to use the flower setting on your digital camera.

In addition to the gardens, you’ll also see exotic birds roaming around the gardens. We saw several peacocks prancing around on the grounds. The brouchure claims to have a bird show, too, but it sounds like catching that show is hit or miss based on the weather. Unfortunately, the show didn’t happen when we were there.

Here are some tips and things to know before you go:

• Garden of Eden is located 26 miles or 50 minutes from Kahului between mile marker 10 and 11 of Highway 360 on the mountain side of the road. As an aside, we toured the Garden of Eden after watching sunrise on Haleakala and our breakfast at Kula Lodge. We all agreed that those plans worked very well.
• This garden is open daily from 8am to 3pm.
• Admission is $10 per person. Personally, I think that was a bit high, but so is everything else in Hawaii, right?
• Wear sneakers or hiking shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy. The paths can be slippery and muddy if it’s rained recently, which is a good possibility since it’s located in a rain forest.
• There are several picnic areas on the grounds, so consider taking advantage of that.
• If you make a special trip to the Garden of Eden, like we did, consider seeing some other nearby sites.  The beautiful coastal village of Keanae is 15 minutes (6.5 miles) away. On your way back to Kahului, stop off at Hookipa Beach to watch the kite surfers.  Also on your way back to Kahului, the town of Paia is a nice little place to stop to shop for souvenirs and there’s a great little shave ice shop, Aloha Island Shave Ice, at 77 Hana Highway in Paia.

To get a bit of an idea of what you might see at the Garden of Eden, take a peek at the photos we snapped from our visit.

Have you been to Maui’s Garden of Eden? How was your visit?

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Father Damien de Veuster was a priest who unselfishly served in Hawaii in the 1800’s. He was born in Belgium but came to Hawaii as a missionary in his 20’s. Probably his most noted effort was serving the people with Hanson’s Disease on the Hawaiian Island of Molokai.

You may not recognize the term Hansen’s Disease, but I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It is also known as leprosy, but the proper term is Hansen’s Disease.

In the mid 1800’s the first case of Hansen’s Disease was documented in Hawaii and it began to spread rapidly. In an effort to try to control the disease, victims were isolated to the Kalaupapa peninsula on Molokai. This peninsula is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and tall vertical cliffs. (To see a photo of the peninsula click here. To see a photo of the cliffs behind the settlement click here.)

VisitMolokai.com describes what the first Hansen’s Disease victims had to endure. The conditions were shocking to say the least.

In early 1866, the first leprosy victims were shipped to Kalaupapa and existed for 7 years before Father Damien arrived.

The area was void of all amenities. No buildings, shelters nor potable water were available. These first arrivals dwelled in rock enclosures, caves, and in the most rudimentary shacks, built of sticks and dried leaves.


Folklore and oral histories recall some of the horrors: the leprosy victims, arriving by ship, were sometimes told to jump overboard and swim for their lives. Occasionally a strong rope was run from the anchored ship to the shore, and they pulled themselves painfully through the high, salty waves, with legs and feet dangling below like bait on a fishing line.

The ship’s crew would then throw into the water whatever supplies had been sent, relying on currents to carry them ashore or the exiles swimming to retrieve them.

Father Damien moved to Kalaupapa in 1873 at age 33. He tirelessly ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of the Hansen’s Disease residents. He built homes and churches. He arranged for medical services. He actually contracted Hansen’s disease and died at the age of 49 in Kalaupapa.

Fortunately a drug was developed for Hansen’s Disease in the 1940’s. The drug puts the disease in remission and prevents the patients from being contagious.

Kalaupapa continues to be fairly isolated. Even to this day, the only way to get to Kalaupapa is by boat, plane, or by a long hike or mule ride. There is no access by automobile. Kalaupapa has less than 30 former patients that remain on the peninsula according to this Star Bulletin article. They are free to relocate, but they choose to stay put. They receive a lifetime subsidy as long as they live there.

Kalaupapa is now a national park. Their website has quite bit of useful information for planning a visit. You must be age 16 or older to visit Kalaupapa. If your time on Molokai is short, you can see the Kalaupapa peninsula from an overlook at Palaau State Park off Kalae Highway.

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