Beat of Hawaii and Beyond: Travel Deals, Tips, Events, Culture

Travel insurance can be complicated and confusing. So when is travel insurance appropriate and advisable and when is it just a waste of money?

In the past, travel insurance was often not recommended for domestic travel. That was because airline change fees were minor and hotels allowed cancellations up to the last day.

In today’s market, however, hotel cancellation or change fees can be very significant.

QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE:

1. How much money is at risk and how much am I willing to lose in the event of a trip cancellation or early termination?

2. Will the non-refundable expenses significantly exceed the cost of travel insurance?

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Watching Shakespeare on a Hawaii vacation seems like an odd mix. Trust me on this one. If you’re on Kauai in February, get thee to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) at the KAPA Rehearsal Space.

We were at the production last week and give it our top review. Three professionally trained actors take the audience on a wild two hour ride through Shakespeare’s 37 plays and 157 sonnets. The trio of Ross Martineau, Tim Evans and Mike Scarbo play all the roles and show off their comedic talent and timing with gusto.

How can it be done? Well, you perform Othello to rap, Hamlet backwards in 30 seconds, and the History plays are condensed around a football game. Martineau sheds new light on Juliet; you’ve never seen her played like this before.

This is not the Shakespeare you learned in school. What makes this production work is that the three performers can do serious Shakespeare and therefore know how to poke fun at The Bard.

This production was staged on Kauai in 2007 and played to sell-out crowds. It’s now back through March 15, but don’t wait long to buy tickets.

Performance Details

Tickets: $18 for adults and $15 for students. Call 808-246-8985 for reservations.

Directions: The KAPA Rehearsal Space is located in Puhi across from Kauai Community College and behind the Harley Davidson Store.

Theater Info: This is a rehearsal space so you’ll be sitting on the stage with the performers. If you’re in the front row, you may be called on to assist. Great news for aspiring actors.

Jeff took this photo today at Salt Pond Beach on Kauai. Not only is this a great place to swim, it’s also a beach where Hawaiian Monk Seals enjoy taking a break.

It’s important to treat the Hawaiian Monk Seal with respect and to keep your distance. We’ve seen visitors run up to these beautiful seals in the water and prevent them from coming ashore.

There are only 1,200 Hawaiian Monk Seals alive today. They are the most endangered seal in the United States. Your best opportunity to see them is on Kauai’s south shore.

Whenever I’m in the presence of a Hawaiian Monk Seal, I consider it a privilege and gift of Aloha.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in Hawaii for Valentine’s Day, here are some events worth checking out.

Safari lovers will be at Honolulu Zoo for a Love Gone Wild evening of jazz, wine tasting and culinary delights. If you’re more into sea creatures, swim on over to the Waikiki Aquarium for Seaduction and a candlelight dinner.

Delectable Delights at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, our Pink Palace of the Pacific, promises an evening of love, passion and a meal fit for a king and his queen. How can you wrong?

At the Aloha Tower Marketplace you can join local jazz diva Melveen Leed for a special concert and Valentine dinner at Chai’s Island Bistro.

Outer island events include a Big Island Valentine Concert with the Makaha Sons at Hilo’s Palace Theater, two special dinner packages at Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort, and four course dinner at Kauai’s highly rated Mediterranean Gourmet Restaurant.

For the ultimate Valentine gift, surprise that special person with their own 50 foot waterfall and 6 acre Kauai property. Be sure to include the movie South Pacific which had scenes filmed at your new estate. The property includes a main house with just under 5,000 square feet of living space. Price tag: just $5.5 million.

Maybe the best gift of all is spending time together and taking a walk on your favorite Hawaii beach.

I just entered my name and thought I’d pass the word on to you. Island Air has a Valentine contest running now through February 13. The winner, who will be announced on February 14, receives round-trip transportation for two on Island Air to Lanai, two nights at the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele and dinner.

What happens if the winner is on the mainland? Well, what a great excuse to plan a trip to Hawaii to claim the prize.

If you haven’t flown Island Air before, check out their route map. We like their nonstop service between Kauai and Maui.

The winner will be phoned on February 14. If you get the call, let us know!

Homespun Honolulu has just released its 6^th Blog Carnival of Aloha. Evelyn, our carnival hostess, has selected an assortment of posts written about the Aloha State. Beat of Hawaii is pleased to be included in the latest edition.

While we’re on the subject of carnivals, here’s a picture of one held this past weekend in Honolulu. The annual Punahou School Carnival is a yearly event to raise money for student financial aid and scholarships. Punahou is the largest college prep academy in the United States and Barack Obama’s alma mater.