Bargains in Paradise for Hawaii?
 

Hi everyone,
Hawaii has the reputation for being an expensive destination. Because travelers are paying even closer attention to their budgets, I'm looking for tips on ways people can save money in Hawaii. An example might be to save money on dining out by shopping at the local (and wonderful!) farmers markets. It can also have anything having to do with saving on lodging, car rental, activities, etc.
I look forward to your replies!

just got an e-mail from expedia.com on $288 round trip air to Hawaii..
Have to book very soon and complete travel by mid June.

Hawaii is expensive because of what people *choose* to do, high-end tours and activities, restaurants, and hotels. Of course it's a matter of personal taste and preferences, but it's easy enough to:

#1- Fly cheap. Hawaiian Air is always great for me with a bit of research and slightly flexible travel schedule.

#2- Stay cheap. I was recently at Waikiki Sand Villa for $67.50/night with free airport transfers. Great value hotel!

#3- Eat cheap. Food courts, farmers markets, shrimp trucks, grocery stores, ABC stores, bakeries, inexpensive restaurants. My average meal out is between $5-15.

#4- Drink cheap. Set up a bar in your hotel room. Limit drinks out to just a few, and when you want to take advantage of a view, sunset, or live entertainment.

#5- Free entertainment. Looks for free music, dance, movies on the beach, concerts in the park, etc.

(These tips work best on Oahu in the Honolulu/Waikiki area.)

ksucat, I didn't get that email -- what airline? The cheapest I could come up with is $389 (from SFO).

Here it is sf307!
Aloha

Just $288+ roundtrip
to heavenly Hawaii. Book today!
With rock-bottom fares on Hawaiian Airlines, sandy beaches are closer than you think. These amazing fares won't last. Book by Jan. 19; Travel by June 10, 2010.
See the Hawaiian Airlines sale on Expedia.com

ksucat, have you tried to find an actual $288 R/T fare for dates you want? Not I (not from SFO or any of the local airports).

There is or was also an AMAZING sale from Cleveland to Hawaii - round trip was $411 including taxes through April. I am not sure when you have to book by. I think it was Travel Zoo that sent it to me but I can't remember. $411 is unbelievably good - I plugged in some April dates and the fare came up. Unluckily for me, I have already booked my April trip to New Orleans. If I had known about this airfare beforehand, I would have pounced on it.

Ditto what Suze says, and the beaches are free. If you snorkel, don't go out on a boat, there are numerous places from the shore. Bring your own mask and rent $8 fins for the week from Snorkel Bob's.

If you are a Costco member, they have good rental car rates.

Stay in a condo and cook some meals.

My husband and I went on our 20th trip last year, we never spend much and laugh at all our friends who seem to pay double what we do. Shopping on the internet for airfare and hotel bargains is a MUST.

We have an American Airlines credit card, so if we time it right, we can always fly using FF miles.

We always go in low season so you can get great deals on lodging. Stay a certain number of nights and get a night free.

We always book condos. We can get a full kitchen, bedroom and bath, for half the price of a standard room at a high end hotel. I make sure it includes laundry in the unit too, so we pack light - less baggage fees :). Some people don't want to be washing their clothes on vacation, but hey, throw a load in the wash, go snorkel and then when you're back, throw it in the dryer.

We always stock up on basic breakfast and lunch items we prepare in the condo so we can splurge on nice dinners. But sometimes we pick up some fresh fish and fixings and a reasonable bottle of wine and enjoy dinner on our lanai - very budget friendly.

We also love to snorkel so have our own gear and don't have to pay to rent it.

I'm sure there are many more tips that I can't think of now, but Hawaii is absolutely doable on a cheap budget. :)

<<<We always book condos. We can get a full kitchen, bedroom and bath, for half the price of a standard room at a high end hotel. I make sure it includes laundry in the unit too, so we pack light - less baggage fees . Some people don't want to be washing their clothes on vacation, but hey, throw a load in the wash, go snorkel and then when you're back, throw it in the dryer.>>>

Ditto. Among other things, I just love having my tea at night, and breakfast on my balcony, and I don't want to pay pay room service prices to get it (I can make a bowl of oatmeal just as well as the next person!). I also love having a living room, hate sitting on the bed just to watch tv before bedtime.

Well I can't afford a condo OR a high end hotel (lol) but having at least a small undercounter frig in the room can really help alot. Both for shopping from the grocery or ABC Stores, but also to keep restaurant leftovers to stretch for another meal. Having an ice machine available, and a coffee maker in the room two other great perks that save $.

When we travelled to Ohaua in '06 we stayed in a guest house with a small kitchenette in the residental area of Kailua for $99 a night. To get anywhere was a 30 min drive or so. Try the website VRBO for some cheaper rates than motels.

You can get a nice condo for less than $100 depending on the season. Buy your own drinks, cook your own food, arrange your own sightseeing, no reason to spend a lot of money!

There is a public laundromat on Kuhio (the west end) and one close to the International Marketplace (great and cheap place to eat). It sounds like a hassle to carry your laundry there, but if you wash just once you can cut your luggage in a half and maybe not need to check-in bags at the airport (think 25$ per bag each way that the airlines charge).
You don't really need a car in Waikiki, except for a day-trip to the North Shore. Take a shuttle from the airport at 15$ roundtrip per person.
TheBus runs everywhere. You can even make it to Kailua (where Obama vacations) by bus. Its 2.25$ one-way.
Instead of the expensive Food Pantry in Waikiki, you can get cheap groceries at Don Quijote supermarket behind Ala Moana.

Good point about laundry. My hotel had a coin-op laundry room that I did one load mid-trip. The Bus is amazing for getting around Honolulu/Waikiki, an award winning public transportation system. I did use Food Pantry because it was only 1 block from where I was staying, to get to the other less expensive stores I think would have eaten up any potential savings for the few items I needed each day.

I always tell people to skip the "luau" when in hawaii, they are so overpriced! You can easily wonderful examples of hula if you do your homework and find free shows, like the one they have in Lahaina Cannery Mall. I know it is not the same atmosphere as outside shows but it can save you alot. Then head over to Lahaina mixed plate for lunch, same stuff - lot less $$$. You can find similar events on all the islands, last Dec we saw an incredible outdoor hula show across from the Hyatt Waikiki, with keiki dancers, slack key etc and it was phenomenal. The ocean waves were gently lapping the shore behind us as we watched the performers on a elevated grassy knoll-loved it and it was free!

I just returned from Kauai and found the Walmart to be a great source for souvenirs- they had a lot of the same products that you'd find in airport or hotel shops, but at a lower price. They also had a lot of affordable Hawaiian candies and snacks.

Does anyone else have any other low-cost shopping or gift ideas?

If you don't have to be on the beach, you can find lots of less-expensive places to stay. Look at vrbo.com to start with.

We go to Kona every year and rent a condo and shop for produce at the farmers' market in downtown Kona (5 papayas for $1 sometimes!) They also sell fresh flowers and there is a lei stall there that is much cheaper than other places. The vendors are very friendly and get to know you after a couple of days. Also clothing and jewelry. If you need beach chairs, etc, go to Walmart or Costco.

If you stay in a hotel with a microwave and a little frig, you can buy a toaster at Walmart for $10 and you can make breakfast!

Shop at Safeway or KTA (KTA has lots of hawaiian and asian foods). We mostly eat lunch out (sandwiches on the beach, or lunch in a restaurant like Bamboo in Hawi). We frequently cook dinners at the condo.

Drive to the beach, instead of expecting it to be outside your condo. If you go early, you can get onto the beaches at the big hotels because they have to provide public access, although they limit the number of cars they let in.

Having a washer-dryer in the condo is important, so you don't have to wait your turn, and then hang around to take your stuff out and put it in the dryer, hang around some more, etc.

For shopping on the Big Island (although advice would be similar for the other islands), Costco is very good for some souvenir and gift shopping. I get 6 packs of macadamia nuts, 100% Kona coffee, Hawaiian music and children's books, aloha shirts and dresses, aloha print car covers, delicious Mele Macs (toffee and chocolate coated Mac nuts), and very beautiful and unusual locally made leis.

I like going to local festivals for free entertainment, and often there will be crafts for sale. I often get Hawaiian fabric and quilted items (sunglass cases, coin purses, etc.) and I'll get Hawaiian honey, locally made soaps, handmade baby outfits and blankets, art photographs and ceramics.

Here is a website I like for free and cheap activities on the Big Island. http://bigislandonthecheap.com/

Then, for $6 or $7 you can play a round of golf at the beautiful King Kamehameha Park Golf Learning Center in Kapa'au. The 6 hole course overlooks Maui on a clear day. It is only $3.50 for kids, and free for them on Mondays.