Occasion: Wedding Anniversay
Theme: Touristy
People: 2 adults, 0 children
Cities: Islands – Oahu, Maui
When: January 2015
Duration: 7 days
Dietary Restrictions: Vegetarian
Overall Experience: Awesome – A big thumbs-up.
Why this destination:
We were shortlisting destinations based on the weather. Since it was January, a lot of destinations fell off the list due to cold weather.
Another point to consider was the number of days we were planning the trip for. Other destinations like Cancun did not have much to cover for 7 days, whereas in Hawaii (from what we had heard from our friends) a lot could be covered in 7 days. Besides Hawaii is closer to the West Coast (USA). Hence, we finalized Hawaii.
Another point to consider was the number of days we were planning the trip for. Other destinations like Cancun did not have much to cover for 7 days, whereas in Hawaii (from what we had heard from our friends) a lot could be covered in 7 days. Besides Hawaii is closer to the West Coast (USA). Hence, we finalized Hawaii.
Tips and Tricks
- We booked our hotels for the entire trip through Hotwire.com/Priceline.com using the ‘Name your own price’ feature for both the websites.
This feature basically, asks you for the area (locality) and number of stars for the hotel along with the price you are ready to pay per night. And then shows you whether there is any room available based on your specifications.
The catch here is that Hotwire/Priceline does not show you which hotel and the exact location of the hotel unless you finalize your booking.
In our case, we noted that the Kaanapali beach has all good (4* and above) hotels. Hence, it wasn’t much of a risk. We booked Hyatt for a sheer $150 / night as compared to the $400 / night which was the rate then.Use the following websites to get an idea about which hotel you might get on Hotwire/Price
http://www.betterbidding.com
http://www.bidgoggles.com/lookup-tool.phpYou will get a pretty good idea about what hotel you might get and will end up saving a lot of money. - We took the back road to Hana (Maui) instead of going back and forth the same road to Hana. The back road is a lot more beautiful and picturesque than the normal route.
- We rented a car on both the islands and it made a lot more sense to do so. Renting a convertible car makes perfect sense in Hawaii, and the upgrade is really cheap (you only have to ask for it!).
- If you are interested in snorkeling, and plan to snorkel at multiple places, buying your own snorkeling gears from Costco is a lot cheaper than renting them every time you want to snorkel.
- Aloha Stadium Swap Meet (Oahu) is open only three days a week, so plan your days accordingly.
- I would recommend experiencing the Luau & Dinner on a smaller scale may be in the hotel you are in or a smaller restaurant. We did this in the Polynesian Cultural Center and although the experience was good, it would have been awesome if we would have gotten to participate or even be closer to the dance group. We were seated far away from the stage.
Also, keep in mind that the dinner aspect of it represents Hawaii and there is not much in store for Vegetarians, so if you want to focus on food, this may not be the right type of dinner for you. However, I would recommend leaving the food aspect behind and focusing on the overall experience. It is amazing! - We purchased the Go Oahu Card at the airport.
Itinerary
Day 1
Accommodation:
Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach (Hotel)
We landed in Oahu around noon. Our hotel was on the Waikiki beach, which is an amazing location with a lot of hustle bustle even at night.
Activities:
- Stroll on the Waikiki beach
We checked into the hotel late afternoon, cleaned up, took a nap (we had caught an early flight) and were off for a stroll on the Waikiki beach. This street is very lively and is a treat to the eyes. It is filled with tourists clicking pictures, shopping souvenirs, eating, strolling and the list goes on. We were here on the 31st of Dec and the street was a spectacle not to be missed.
Day 2
Activities:
- Dole Plantation
We had dedicated day 2 for Polynesian center, however since it was the 1st of Jan all the sites were closed including Pearl Harbor. Only the Dole Plantation was open.
We set out early in the morning to Dole plantation. Sounds familiar? This is where your fruits come from (definitely the bananas). They have a nice toy train ride through their pineapple plantations and the history. There is a plantation garden tour and also a pineapple garden maze you can try getting through. All in all, a good experience, but if you are short on days, this one can easily be given a miss.
- Diamond Head Trail
We were off for the Diamond Trail Hike in the evening. This is a ‘moderate’ level 1.6 miles hike, but is a must-see. The view from the top of the volcanic tuff cone is breath-taking. This is one of the popular hikes in Oahu. The last entry is at 4.30 pm and the gates close at 6pm. So if you don’t want to be rushed start before 4 pm.
Day 3
Activities:
- Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
Our Day 3 was initially planned only for Pearl Harbor and the flea market. However, due to sites being closed on Jan 1, we had to change our plan last minute.
This is Hawaii’s largest open flea market. This is an awesome experience and shouldn’t be missed while in Hawaii. Some really inexpensive, authentic, local stuff can be bought here. We stopped on our way to Pearl Harbor, and hence did not get to spend much time. However, if you have time I would recommend spending a good 2-3 hours here. It is worth the shopping experience.
http://www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net/content/home.aspx
- Pearl harbor
We had heard a lot about this historic spot and had watched the movie too. So visiting this site was inevitable. We visited all the four sites Pearl Harbor had to offer.
a. The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial
a. The U.S.S. Missouri Battleship
b. Board the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine
c. Visit the Pacific Aviation Museum
It was a very good tour. That is the thing about Hawaii. You are not limited to just beaches. It has so much more to offer. If you are interested in history, you definitely shouldn’t miss this one.
- Polynesian cultural center
I would recommend spending an entire day here. We spent half a day and did not find it sufficient for covering all the ‘Island villages.’
We did the Ali’I Luau Package, which included the cultural experience, the Luau and the fire show.
http://www.polynesia.com/packages/index.html#.WIJn0vkrKM8
The 42 acres land has small villages set up to replicate the Polynesian islands of the South Pacific. Each village explores the specialty of the tribe and has various activities for you to indulge in. For example, the island of Samoa has the ‘fire making’ activity, which you can participate in.
We had also booked for the Luau dinner (Hawaiian specialty which should not be missed). Although, the experience was awesome, it was on a large scale. I would recommend experiencing the Luau & Dinner on a smaller scale may be in the hotel you are in or a smaller restaurant. Keep in mind that the dinner aspect of it represents Hawaii and there is not much in store for Vegetarians, so if you want to focus on food, this may not be the right type of dinner for you. This is an experience you must have!
We also experience the fire show, “Ha: Breath of Life” and it was amazing.
On the whole, this is a unique experience, and definitely an enjoyable one.p.s: If you are a vegetarian then you will need to notify the Polynesian center in advance so that they can arrange vegetarian food for you. Even after the arrangements, vegetarian food was not very great.
Day 4
Accommodation:
Hyatt (Hotel)
Hyatt Maui at kaanapali beach is an amazing hotel with amazing views and many amenities within the hotel.
Activities:
- Hanauma Bay
It was finally Snorkelling time.
We started off early morning, to beat the crowd. The park opens at 6 am!
This is ‘THE’ place for snorkeling for non-swimmers and first-timers. The water is not too deep (you can literally stand and snorkel!) and yet the experience is terrific. This was our first time snorkeling (ever) and it was a perfect experience. We had carried our own snorkeling gear, and I would recommend that if you plan on snorkeling at multiple places.We flew to Maui in the afternoon.
- Explored Hyatt, Maui
We flew to Maui in the afternoon. Travel between islands is cheap and no big deal. Ours was somewhere around $75. We rented a car from the Maui airport and drove to Hyatt. We got the deal through Priceline (described in detail in the Tips and Tricks section). It was an amazing experience. The hotel was right on the beach and I could spend a good one month relaxing there (had I the time!).
Day 5
Accommodation:
Hyatt (Hotel)
We booked the hotel through Priceline and it was an awesome deal (described above in Tips and Tricks).
Activities:
- Sunrise at Haleakala
This site should not be missed for anything in the world! I still believe it is the best sunrise I have ever seen and will see! We started at 4 am to reach there at 5 am and waited for the sun rise. A quick tip. Although Google might say that the sunrise on a particular day is at 6.15, the real fun is to watch the sun rise and so be there at 5.30 for the amazing experience. Plus considering the parking struggles and all, I would recommend getting there at least 2 hours before the ‘Google sunrise’ time. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to miss it because you didn’t get a spot to park your car or you were hiking from the car park to the spot while the sun was rising.
Be prepared to wrap yourself well to beat the cold up there. Dress well and carry something to eat because it may take a little while up there.
- Road to Hana
Most people do not combine Haleakala and Road to Hana on the same day because it can get a little hectic (especially since you were up at 3 am). However, if you take the back road to Hana and are a little adventurous you can definitely combine the two. The plus point here is, the back road to Hana is much more beautiful than the actual road to Hana (which by the way you can cover on your way back).
However, the back road is a little curvy and at places has a single lane pass, hence making it tricky to drive. You need an experienced driver here. But trust me, it wasn’t that bad at all. Many insurance companies do not cover the back road to Hana though, so make sure to check that detail. However, if you are ready to take that small risk, you are opening your experience to a heaven-like drive.
- Ohe’o Gulch – Seven sacred pools
This is a nice scenic spot with cascading waterfalls that land in accessible pools and finally end up in the ocean. It is a famous tourist site and worth spending some time on. There are some spectacular trails around this area, but we did not have the time to explore.
- Black sand beach
On our way back to Kaanapali from Hana, we stopped at the black sand beach at the Wai’anapanapa State Park. This is a good spot but don’t keep your expectations high. It is a very small beach with black sand which almost looks like cement and sand at a construction site. However the sea stacks and blow holes are interesting.
Day 6
Activities:
- Snorkelling at Black Rock
We took the free shuttle that runs on the Kaanapali beach, through most of the hotels, to stop at Sheraton (that’s where the Black Rock is located), which is the north end of Kaanapali.
This was a great experience too, however, the water was a little deeper here. You need to be a little more careful here as the water deepens quickly. If you have the time, I would recommend exploring other locations for snorkeling in Maui, like Napili bay.
- Enjoying Hyatt with couple spa on the beach
We spent the second half of Day 6 relaxing on the beach. We did a nice couple beach spa and then enjoyed the Jacuzzi Hyatt had to offer. We also did some picture clicking around Hyatt. All in all, it was a relaxing day.
Day 7
Activities:
- Kaanapali beach
Another morning spent simply relaxing on Kaanapali beach. We checked out early afternoon to get on our flight back to San Francisco.
Great Detailed Article Gaurav. You celebrated your anniversary in style. Lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing your itinerary.
Very well written Gaurav. Thanks for Tips & Tricks section ;).
Awesome post. Beautiful pictures. Kudos & thank you for writing such a detailed travelogue.