Food costs here in Hawaii can be very high (or not). I’m often amazed by visitors fresh from the plane buying hundreds of dollars of overpriced food at the grocery store. If you’re going to be here for a week or so, just a little extra planning could put hundreds of dollars of savings in your pocket. Enough to […]
Saving money, helping the environment and being healthy can sometimes all easily come together. Apparently, I’m not alone in my thinking. The Environmental Working Group reports that, “Kleen Kanteen,” a California company which produces stainless steel water bottles, did $2.5 million in sales last year and projects $15 million in 2008. I researched then purchased a pair of these […]
I’ve been very fortunate to spend the majority of my life’s flying time in the front of the plane. It started decades ago and I’ve rarely flown in economy since. One of those rarities is pictured above when we made the mistake of flying economy from LAX to Bangkok. I’m not sure however that the photo does justice to […]
I’ve been following a recent controversy between the Skin Cancer Foundation and Environmental Working Group over how sunscreens are tested. Beat of Hawaii previously wrote about sunscreens back in May. According to the New York Times, the Skin Cancer Foundation, which also tests sunscreens for safety and effectiveness, complains that the testing done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) […]
I’m prone to seasickness (though not to airsickness). Sitting in the back seats of cars and buses doesn’t leave me feeling all that great either. How about you? If you’re bound for Hawaii, the water starts getting rough here, generally about October. Today’s post might help if you’re planning on any of the following: Na Pali boat tours Mainland […]
The softness in the airline sector is directly impacting hotel reservations and room pricing. PKF, a hospitality research firm, believes that for every 1 percent domestic airline capacity reduction, there will be up to .39 percent less hotel demand. If they are correct, U.S. hotels could see as many as 40 million fewer room nights occupied this year! This […]
Earlier this year we offered our 10 Hawaii safe driving tips. You can save money, and your life, by slowing done and buckling up. Here are two things you should know: 1. Hawaii speeding fines are expensive. Up to 29 miles over the speed limit, the fine is $5 per mile and a $57 court administration fee. If you’re […]
As a regular feature at Beat of Hawaii, I enjoy sharing comments I’ve made elsewhere on the web: Day trips from Honolulu.
Hawaii is the only state where the sun passes directly overhead in summer. Have fun under our tropical sun but be sure to exercise caution. Here are some tips and ideas to help you protect your skin. A. Check out the Skin Deep database from EWG. Find the sunscreen that’s best for you. You’ll be surprised by their best […]
We’re starting to think that VOG, volcanic smog, may be a part of Hawaii’s landscape for the foreseeable future. It eminates from Mt. Kilauea on the Big Island, 250 miles south of Kauai, and has all the look and feel of real smog. The volcano has been belching more acid-rich air pollution than the dirtiest U.S. power plants for […]
Here’s my contrary tip to save money this summer and have your dream vacation too: Don’t book early. In fact, don’t book at all. Booking early and paying the max is exactly what airlines, hotels and car rentals are counting on right at this time. If you’re reading USA Today’s article Cheap Tricks for Summer Travel, you’ll see their […]
If you think that the exchange rate from Dollars to Euros isn’t enough to spoil your European beach vacation, and send you packing to Hawaii, there is a new and potentially serious problem arising there. The Economist is reporting an unprecedented invasion of jellyfish on European beaches this summer. Theorists point to global warming, overfishing and ocean pollution as […]
