BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND

1. Ride The Bus for $2 each from Airport to Waikiki.

When it was standing room only I told Jeff to meditate on how much money we saved. We eliminated the cost of hotel parking ($15-$20 per day), rental car and gas. Honolulu is congested and parking not easy to find.

You can bring 1 suitcase to place on your lap or under your seat. Bus 19 or 20 will get you from the Airport to Waikiki. Frequent riders can buy a 4-day bus pass for $20 at all Waikiki ABC stores.

Another option is to rent a car in Waikiki for a day to explore Oahu and take The Bus for your local travel.

You’re not a good fit for The Bus if….you want to make an entrance at your hotel, plan to spend most of your time outside of Honolulu or travel with heavy luggage.

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The Kona Tiki Hotel has to be the best deal in all of Hawaii. Where else can you pay $69 a night for two and get a clean, comfortable, oceanfront room?

We just returned from a 5 day stay and give Kona Tiki in Kailua-Kona our two thumbs up for budget accommodation.

What does $69 a night give you?
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The Hawaii Polo Inn of Waikiki has a new look and name after its multi-million dollar renovation. It’s now the Hotel Equus and part of Aqua Hotels and Resorts.

With rates starting at $94 a night, we decided to do an on-site review this month. We also have a pet mule (for real) and felt that we couldn’t go wrong staying at a hotel with this name.

Our room was a Polo Executive Suite for $109 a night. When we opened the door we were pleasantly surprised by its large size and fashionable Ralph Lauren inspired décor. The furnishings, colors and comfortable bed were a direct hit. The interior had a soothing feel. It scores two thumbs up with the Beat of Hawaii team. Continue Reading »

How bad is Lihue’s Oki Diner? After reading the thumbs down reviews from True Aloha and many Trip Advisor readers, we decided to check it out again, for ourselves.

We’ve been there twice in the past month, and they still have perhaps the best pancakes on the island. Now Chef Dominic Benzon has arrived at the scene. He was previously a chef at Nick’s Fish Market in Waikiki.

Chef Benzon and owner Barbie Oki rolled out their new signature dinner menu this week. During our dinner last night the place was packed with locals and visitors checking out the new menu. Continue Reading »

We look forward to welcoming American Safari Cruises, which is bringing luxury yacht cruising to Hawaii starting later this year. The 145-foot, 36-guest, American-flagged Safari Explorer will sail an 8-day/7-night itinerary with a maximum of 36 guests.

The small ship will permit destinations not accessible by larger, traditional cruise ships. They will employ Hawaii-based captains and expedition leaders/naturalists.

Itinerary:

The Big Island (departing from Kailua-Kona) for coastline cruising and whalewatching. A stop at historic Hilo and a helicopter tour are included.

Molokini. The ship will moor at Molokini, off the coast of Maui, and the site of a submerged crater which features the best snorkeling and diving in Hawaii.

Maui. Stopping at Lahaina and then cruising Maui, for whalewatching.

Lanai. For swimming snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing and hiking.

Molokai . Including the renowned mule ride down to Kalaupapa to visit Father Damian’s leper colony.

At present, Kauai is not included in their itineraries, due to the infamously rough crossing of the Kaua’i channel.

Ship:

The ship is presently undergoing an extensive renovation in Seattle prior to its inaugural Hawaii cruise season, from December 19, 2008, to May 9, 2009. It will sail again starting November 2009.

Rates: from $3,995/pp.

We’re scratching our heads over this one. The New York Times lists Kokee Lodge as a suggested property in their Kauai Travel Guide.
The referenced Frommer’s review in the New York Times does not provide an accurate representation of what you’re going to find here.

Your Beat of Hawaii team has stayed at Kokee Lodge every year. We’re showing photos of our recent visit. As you can see the cabins are beyond rustic. They may be too frugal for most visitors to Hawaii.

Kokee Lodge is at 4,000 foot elevation so plan on cool nights with temperatures as low as the 30’s. There’s no heat in the cabins. Be sure to pack warm clothes, extra blankets and wood for the stove. You’ll also need food. The Lodge has a small building with restaurant (open 9-3) and gift shop.

Techies beware: there’s no cell service or Internet so you’ll be out of touch during your stay.

The cabins at Kokee Lodge will appeal to those who enjoy the outdoors, can live without comfort for a few days, and want to spend part of their vacation exploring the wonderful trails at Kokee State Park and Waimea Canyon.

If your interest in Kokee Lodge is based on price, I’d keep looking for someplace closer to the beach.
Details: Cabin price for two is $92.80 the first night. If you stay longer the rate drops to $72.80. For reservations call 808/335-6061. The cabins are located 45 minutes from the highway on Kauai’s West side. Kitchens included in all cabins. There’s a Big Save in Waimea where you can stock up on food before the 45 minute drive up to Kokee.

What to expect?
The New Year is looking unusually bad for finding deals from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii. Why? Basically, the airlines now have excellent control over inventory (seats) and, with no new competitors, they aren’t likely to be offering the kind of deals we’ve seen as recently as last fall.

While there will be occasional and mostly last minute deals to watch for (which we plan to tell you about), West coast hub cities to Honolulu or Maui are starting at about $300+ round-trip (much more, say double, during peaks including spring break and summer). If you are willing to fly poorly-rated ATA (which I am not) rather than Hawaiian, Aloha or the majors, they often have some of the best deals.

To the Big Island and Kaua’i, normally add $100 round-trip for the connection, or $200-$400 round-trip more for non-stops from these cities. But there are no generalities, so check all of the options, and again, you might consider ATA.

When should I buy airlines tickets for spring break and this summer?

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