Hawaiian Honeymoon
 

Hi I enjoy reading everyone's posts and wonder if anyone had any information on booking a honeymoon vacation in Hawaii we have never been and are really looking forward to it. We already have our flights we are in Oahu from May 21, 06 to May 24, 06 and in Maui from May 24 to May 31. I know I do not have much time left but we had some travel agent problems we thought it was taken care of and now 2 months out!! it isn't and we are back to square one. We would like to have a romantic and wonderful honeymoon and are looking to spend @ $4,000-5,000.
Thanks in advance,

Krista,

You are getting very close. If it were me, I would forget about a travel agent at this point and do some serious hotel/condo searching, and book very soon. I am not telling you that that is what you have to do, but that is what I would do. Good luck and congratulations on your impending wedding.
((D))8-)

I definitly am getting ready to book I would like to book this week. Actually I already have The Marriot in Oahu held and the Hyatt in Maui. Just wondering if anyone could give me any feed back about these resorts or perhaps suggest another resort/condo/rental that might stick out as a great place for a Honeymoon any suggestions would be great.

For me, Ohau is Los Angelos - West - lots of glitz and glamor but not much novel- if you want Hawaii - as others know it, consider Upcountry Maui (past Hana) or go to the southern part of Kauaii - or - for a fantastic, but very quiet spot - Molakai...

As always, the choice of where you vacation depends on your personality and taste.

Mahalo! D

I'm sorry, but I can't hold my tongue here. I'm no expert, but I've been to Oahu enough times to know that it is not what Mahalo2 describes.

Mahalo2,
It is Oahu. Oahu is an island, not a city. Honolulu is a big city on Oahu. Waikiki is a part of Honolulu. Oahu is not all "glitz and glamor". Your out of hand dismissal of Oahu as "Los Angelos West" is so inaccurate I can hardly believe it.

Krista,
Both hotels you mention would be great choices for yor honeymoon. The Marriott is across the street from the beach, however, so if beachfront is important to you, pick another place. The Outrigger Waikiki gets rave reviews from several posters here, some of which were honeymooners like you.

-Bill

I've heard great things about the Outriggers:
http://outrigger.com/hotels_detail.aspx?hotel=2
That one is Outrigger Reef on the Beach.
I've heard good things about the Marriott also. How about Hilton Hawaiian Village? On Maui, I like a condo. Check out Lahaina Shores Beach Resort.

Also, I found Expedia and Trip Advisor websites very helpful for Hawaii trip planning. And on Hotel/ Resort information in general. :-)

Thanks so much for everyone's help I will check it out. I actually called about the Outrigger yesterday and they were asking just about the same price as the Marriot so I just may go with that one. Also if anyone is Costco members I have found that there travel prices are next to unbeatable.

Krista, my sister stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki; it's the best of the Outriggers, I'd say, and she loved it. Said her room was very pretty, and that she thought it would be a fun hotel, especially for honeymooners (she was in her early sixties at the time.)

It's right on the beach, with Duke's being a great place to eat, drink and be merry! Happy planning ... :-)

Hi. There was a post earlier this week from someone staying at an alternative place on Maui called cliffsedge - Bali Cottage. Web site is cliffsedge.com. It looks fabulous and to me, a terrific place for a honeymoon. I'm headed to Oahu in June, staying at the Outrigger Waikiki. Most reviews are positive and apparently its location is great. Maybe that would be worth checking out? Good luck with your choices, but don't wait too long before nailing something down.

Don't be mislead by "Mahalo2"... Oahu who is much more than Honolulu/Waikiki. But even there I think the comments are narrow-minded. It is a big city, but it sure ain't LA!

I have found, among my circle of acquaintances, that those who bash Oahu most have spent the least time there, and know very little about it, overall. Krista, it is a wonderful island, with a lot of what the other islands offer, plus it's very own charm! I could live on any of the Hawaiian islands ... it's all good! ((r))

COSTCO TRAVEL...

i booked my entire Kauai vacation on Kauai and did it in about 20 minutes on the telephone...if you're in a jam, go this way to save time and likely, money. I would also HIGHLY recommend the sometimes controversial "Revealed" books for each island you visit. I used these books for 3 of the islands and haven't been misled yet. Granted, I usually don't go too off the beaten path...so I've never hiked on "private" land. Congrats!

i should edit my reply before sending them...i booked my trip on COSTCO...

Mahalo2 is definitely way off base.

Try reading why many of us LOVE Oahu:
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34515901
((S))((*))

I'm another that holds a special place in my heart just for Oahu...

Check out the Kilohana Villas on the north shore of Maui. Stayed there for a week earlier this month and absolutely loved it! You won't be near any big resorts or anything...but it's totally wired for honeymooners. some other perks are - you can walk into Paia for shopping, good eats etc, explore upcountry, closer to Hana & Haleakala, it's SO quiet, you'll feel like you are LIVING in paradise.

http://www.donnachameleon.com/kilohana.html

The pics hardly do the place any justice. We stayed in the oceanview cottage and my folks had the oceanfront cottage. I think we all agreed the oceanview was the nicer of the two and a litte less $$ at $195/night.

Congrats! And please let me know if you have any questions about the property...

I really appreciate everybody's responses they are all very helpful I love this website!! Its a great resource. Since I am closing in on the resorts I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for some fun or romantic activities we could do while we are there. I have been reading a lot of posts and trying to gather some information on this.

Krista......I can think of a couple of very fun AND romantic activities, but they are better left unsaid on this site.:-D

Romantic = having cocktails at House Without A Key at the Halekulani Hotel watching a hula show and the sunset.

-Bill

Hee hee. Love it.

Anyway, some of the most romantic things are free or cheap. Grab a bento plate and eat dinner on the beach (not necessarily on the sand, you can sit on the seawall) while watching the sunset. Have a moonlight walk on the beach. Once I went out to Mokuleia's Dillingham air field and did a glider ride with my then-boyfriend. That was a cool, different activity.

I prefer Maui & Kauai to Oahu. Although, Oahu still has a lot to offer. 3 nights on Oahu then 7 nights on Maui sounds great for Kristal's honeymoon.
And agree, Honolulu is not LA, LOL.

List of things to do on Oahu

These are some hints/suggestions for things to do and see on Oahu. Many of the websites listed are good for all islands.

Arizona Memorial: (free) get there early, preferably by 8am. Opens at 7:30am. If you get there after 10am the lines can get long and you may spend 1-2 hours in line. Battleship USS Missouri and Submarine USS Bowfin are in the same area. These are about $15 each so you can go or skip them. Look for coupons in brochures for two for one. You can take pictures of them from Arizona Visitors Center and the Arizona tour ferry. Go on the lawn behind the Visitor's Center (Circle of Remembrance) for great pictures. You can also walk around the Bowfin Memorial area for free without taking the tour. Its worth the time. The Swap Meet is only a couple blocks from here at Aloha Stadium.

Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC): www.polynesia.com General Admission about $50 or the luau buffet package ($80). The evening 'Horizons' show is the best Polynesian show in all of Hawaii. It comes with all ticket price options. The higher priced ticket packages get the better seating for 'Horizons'. Also the earlier you get there, the better the seating is for 'Horizons'. The Ali'i Luau Show that is part of the luau package is also a good Polynesian show. IMAX, Canoe Pageant, Samoa and Tonga villages and Canoe ride are the best other attractions (these are included with any type ticket). Plan on this as an all day event. Get there by 1pm (earlier if possible), leave around 9:30pm. When I take visitors, I try to keep on this schedule: IMAX 1:30, Canoe Pageant 2:30, Samoa 3:00, Tonga 4:00, Canoe Ride around 4:30, regular buffet or Ali'i luau buffet 5pm and 'Horizons' at 7:30. The other villages are nice also, but there is not enough time for all of them. You will have time to do some shopping or looking around between the buffet or luau and 'Horizons'. Closed on Sundays. You can go back for free for two days. Check with PCC employees for instructions before leaving the Center if you want the extra days.
Coupon in Entertainment Book to save $36.

Diamond Head Summit: Drive right into the crater and hike to the top. ($5 per carload or $1 each if you walk into the crater). I prefer to drive in. Awesome 360 degree view from the summit. Best time is around 8am or around 4pm. In between it can get hot walking to the top. Takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours roundtrip.

Punchbowl (National Cemetery of the Pacific): (free) While you are there, drive to the overlook area. Short walk to the summit that overlooks the entire city. If you have time, take the Mt. Tantalus/Round Top drive through a rain forest. Stop at the Puu Ualakaa State Wayside about 2/3 of the way to the top of the mountain. It has an awesome view of the city from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor. Punchbowl is near the bottom of Mt. Tantalus.

Hanauma Bay: Snorkel. Its for any age. You can rent snorkeling equipment there or some places in Waikiki or bring your own. Closed on Tuesdays. Try to get there as early as possible. If you drive, the parking lot gets filled up by 9:00 or 10:00. ($1 for parking, $5 for each person). You can reserve snorkel tours with several companies. They provide equipment, transportation, etc. They seem to have better equipment than the park does. You can also take the city bus. But the first city bus doesn't leave Waikiki until 8:30 am. Website:

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/f...ay/welcome.htm

Byodo-In-Temple (Valley of the Temples): $2 each. Just past Kaneohe. Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe is close by.

Chinaman's Hat: (free) Kualoa Regional Park is just past Byodo-In-Temple. Nice for pictures, picnic, swimming. Also nearby is Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet just before Kualoa Regional Park. Kualoa Ranch is across the street.

Swap Meet: You can buy almost any souvenirs here much cheaper than anywhere else. All items are new. Vendors wrap around the stadium twice. Located at Aloha Stadium near Arizona Memorial. Open Wed, Sat, Sun.

Hilo Hattie's: Nice place to shop. Higher prices than swap meet, but not too much more on many items. Has good selection of clothing, candies and souvenirs. Check brochures for coupons. Can take free Hilo Hattie's shuttle from Waikiki.

Ala Moana Beach Park: (free) Nice beach. Great sunset location in the winter. Walk all the way out to the end of Magic Island. Great view of Waikiki, Diamond Head, Ala Wai Boat Harbor (shown in opening scene of Gilligan's Island).

Hike to Manoa Falls: $5 for parking at Treetops. One mile one way. Short hike through a rain forest. Also small bamboo forest there. Treetops restaurant there (at the previous Paradise Park site) has a good Chinese buffet. Lyon Arboretum is nearby. It is a nice botanical garden. You can park there and walk a short distance to Manoa Falls trail.

Hike to Makapuu Point Lighthouse: (free) Great view from here. Easy one mile hike. In winter months (mid-November to mid-April) it's great for whale watching.

Other Hiking on Oahu:

http://www.hawaiitrails.org/ (good for all islands)

http://www.backyardoahu.com/

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/oahuhikingtrails/home.html

http://oahuhiking.com/

North Shore Beaches: Haleiwa, Banzai Pipeline (Ehukai Beach), Waimea Beach, Sunset Beach, Shark's Cove (Pupukea) & Laniakea Beach. Laniakea Beach has sea turtles. Other nice stops for pictures in the area. Can be huge waves in winter. Good snorkeling at Shark's Cove in the summer. Laniakea Beach is located about 1/2 way between Waimea Bay and Haleiwa.

Other beaches: There are close to 100 beaches on Oahu. Besides North Shore and Waikiki beaches these are some of the better ones: Makaha Beach (west shore), Waimanalo Beach, Waimanalo Bay Recreation Area, Lanikai Beach, Sandy Beach, Hanauma Bay and Kailua Beach (east/Windward side), Ala Moana Beach Park (south shore). All public beaches are free except Haunama Bay.

Dole Pineapple Plantation: On H-2 just past Wahiawa. Can visit on the way to or back from the North Shore. Nice gift shop to browse, but expensive. Go behind the center for pineapple exhibits, gardens and carp feeding pond.

Kualoa Ranch: Several movies have been set here: (Jurassic Park, Mighty Joe Young and others), ATV rides, horseback riding, tours. Located across from Kualoa Regional Park.

Waikiki: Beaches, shopping, dining, nightclubs, shows, some museums. Wide range in dining prices. $3-4 breakfasts, $6-10 lunch buffets, $20-$25 fine dining and anywhere in between. Best Waikiki shows: Creation: A Polynesian Journey, John Hirokawa's Magic of Polynesia, Society of Seven, Blue Hawaii (Elvis impersonator), many more to chose from. Many Waikiki shows offer cocktail show along with the dinner show. They seat you after everyone else has eaten. Regular price of shows around $40-$60. Cocktail show about $25-$35. There are several other short free hula shows and other demonstrations in Waikiki daily. Check the brochures for location, days and times. Check brochures &Entertainment Book for coupons for shows/dining/shopping, etc.

Downtown Area: Aloha Tower (take elevator to the top, nice view), Chinatown, Hawaii Maritime Center, Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, other museums.

Botanical Gardens: Oahu has many botanical gardens. Most are free, the others charge a few bucks. Haiku Garden in Kaneohe is nice and is a nice stop if you are taking an island driving tour. Located near Byodo-In-Temple (Valley of the Temples).
Here is a nice site for gardens in the state:

http://www.hawaii.edu/sciref/botgarden.html (all islands)

Check brochures or get info on-line for others. Search: oahu botanical gardens

Other: Sea Life Park, Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, Children's Discovery Center dinner cruises, whale watching cruise, submarine tours, parasailing, helicopter tours, horseback riding, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, scuba, surfing lessons, other luau shows (Germaine's, Paradise Cove). Many other attractions, things to do. Check the brochures.

Brochures: (free) Can be found in the airport baggage claim area or at hundreds of news stands throughout Waikiki, in hotels, in stores, and at some attractions. These are excellent "things to do and see" guide books (maps, attractions, beaches, dining, night clubs, etc.). There are a lot of coupons in these for dining, shopping, etc. The best brochures are: 'This Week on Oahu', 'Oahu Gold', '101 Things Oahu', 'The BEST of Oahu'. Some of these brochures can also be found for other islands (Maui, Kauai, Big Island) unique to that island. Most of these brochures also have on-line versions.

Websites:

www.thisweek.com 'This Week On Oahu' They will send up-to-date brochures for a few bucks. Also This Week Maui, Kauai, Big Island.

www.spotlighthawaii.com 'Oahu Gold' They will send up-to-date brochures for a few bucks. Also Maui Gold, Big Island Gold, Kauai Gold.

www.gohawaii.com This is the official site for Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. They will send a free brochure.

www.101thingstodo.com

www.visit-oahu.com Oahu Visitors Bureau, for free brochure 1-877-525-6248 (toll free)

www.hawaii.com Good site for comparing hotel locations, prices, etc.

www.hawaiiweb.com

www.alternative-hawaii.com

www.portaloha.com/SecretsOfHawaii

www.alohatower.com

www.chinatownhi.com

www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours (driving and walking tours)

www.driveguidemagazines.com Good island maps including many detailed maps. Also good restaurant guide. Good for all islands

www.discoveringhawaii.com Free (pdf) circle island tour map. Also free (pdf) download Oahu movie location map.

www.hawaii-hotels.com Compare hotels

www.bookit.com Compare hotels

www.alohafriends.com

www.alohafriendshawaii.com

www.honoluluadvertiser.com one of two main Honolulu newspapers, has dining & entertainment guides, TGIF calendar

www.starbulletin.com one of two main Honolulu newspapers, also has dining &entertainment guides

Automobiles: Oahu is the only island that you can get around by bus. Oahu has a good bus system, but a rental vehicle gets around a lot better. Parking in Waikiki can be a problem at times. If you plan on renting a car, make sure your hotel allows parking at the hotel or in a nearby lot or garage. Get the parking pass at the hotel registration area. Probably $8-$14/day to park at the hotel. You can get city bus passes at any ABC store in Waikiki for $20 for 4 days ($40/month). Or you can pay $2.00 per trip. There are also many shuttles, tour buses and vans and trolleys that go to many places (some are free). Also 1 or 4 day Waikiki Trolley passes available.

www.thebus.org

www.waikikitrolley.com

Internet Search Engines: Use Yahoo, Google, Dogpile or any other search engine to find information on any thing else on Oahu (or other island) that may interest you. Type in: hiking hawaii, hiking oahu, bed and breakfast oahu, condominiums oahu, botanical gardens oahu, oahu hotels or any other terms that will get you information.

Hotels: Most hotels (or hotel chains) have their own 800 numbers and/or websites:

www.outrigger.com

www.sheraton.com

www.ohanahotels.com

, etc. Or you can use a search engine to find the website or use the search engine's yellow pages for the phone number.
also try www.vrbo.com for more options

Entertainment Book
Entertainment books for Hawaii and many other locations can be purchased online at:

www.entertainment.com.

They cost around $35-$40 plus shipping or if you wait until mid-March, the price is reduced to about $25 (or less) with free shipping, $15 after mid-May. Expires November 1.

Coupons include half price tickets for John Hirokawa's Magic Show. Hundreds of other coupons for reduce price luaus, shopping, dining, movies, attractions, etc. The Hawaii book also has many mainland coupons for hotels, car rentals, Universal Studios, Sea World, etc.

Maui:

www.visitmaui.com

www.mauihawaii.org