Arrived Big Island, no problems

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

To those who recommended Kauai, I now have Marriott Waihoia on hold, need to figure out transport, I can't get a flight back to Maui in time to make our plane our Thursday so we'd only get to stay on Kauai 4 nights and return to Maui Wednesday. Worth it? Frank, what is the high speed boat you mentioned? We will be tapped out for big $$ trips like helicopter, etc. so will likely need to drive around and kids will want to hang out at hotel at least a day or two.

The Waiohai is a beautiful resort with very nice two bedroom condos and lush grounds and nice pools. It is on a beach where you can swim, snorkel and I saw people surfing every day when we were there.

Only four nights out of the seven almost doubles your cost. Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent somewhere or can't you book a promotion deal? I would hate to give up all these days.

A drive to Wailea is a must do and Steve posted here that he took a hike and saw the cliffs as good as you can see them from a boat. It is not an easy hike. We went by boat and this is what we saw! We went a second time but the weather wasn't half as nice so it didn't look like that.

Kilauea lighthouse is also a very nice spot where you will see a lot of birds and we spotted two enormous manta rays and many whales and dolphins. The "Spouting Horn" blowhole is near the Waiohai. You don't have enough days but Kauai is beautiful!

Avery, don't forget the Haleakala crater.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Emmy,

If we keep it I will be using either an AC or a cancellation week that expires soon anyway. Our other add'l costs are inter-island flights and add'l car rental, not too awful. OR we could wait and try to get there next time for a full week, we'll see. We would have to fly back here to Maui the day before we leave for home, so we may decide it will too much hassle, but I would like to go.

Either way, we are planning to go to Haleakala on Thursday, even if the boys don't want to join us. Oh, we went to Mama's Fish House on our way home from Hana today, THANK YOU for recommending it. It was the most expensive meal we've had here (you warned me), but the only one that felt worth the money. We were lucky and got a table at the 'window' facing the beach, so we didn't feel crowded. Next time I would just try to allow time to get there early and relax/play a little at that gorgeous beach. It was really great food, and DH's desert (the Black Pearl) was so pretty we took a photo of it...

[Ann-Marie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ann-Marie]

Next summer we have a week on Maui at Kahana Falls, and then a week at Kona Hawaiian Village. From what you are saying, I'm glad my trade worked out that we will be in Maui first. We were there 20 years ago. I'm sure things have really changed.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Changed a lot. They are building one resort after another and also condo projects too and the traffic is as congested as here. It is a shame but we still like it as you can find places where it is less crowded. It's the traffic what bothers us most. It is very slow at certain times of the day.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Next summer we have a week on Maui at Kahana Falls, and then a week at Kona Hawaiian Village. From what you are saying, I'm glad my trade worked out that we will be in Maui first. We were there 20 years ago. I'm sure things have really changed.

Ann Marie,

I think you are doing it in the right order. There is much here on Maui to see/explore, but our kids love the resort area so it's tough to get away. They were very happy at FFKHV, too, and it was a lot mellower for me If you find West Maui too busy, take the road to Hana and stay the night!

Avery

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

A drive to Wailea is a must do and Steve posted here that he took a hike and saw the cliffs as good as you can see them from a boat. It is not an easy hike. We went by boat and this is what we saw! We went a second time but the weather wasn't half as nice so it didn't look like that.

Some comments on the difficulty of the hike. For reference, my wife walked it in Keds. I wore Nike cross-trainers. My daguhter had tibi hiking sandals, and her boyfriend had hiking shoes (not boots).

Unless there has been recent heavy rain, the hike is not technically difficult at all. The harder part is the length and the changes in elevation. My wife - who does only moderate exercise - was quite tired at the end of the day. The return to the `Awa`awapuhi trailhead at the end of the day took a lot out of her. We also started on the Nualolo and finished on the `Awa`awapuhi, which is a gain in elevation of about 1300 feet from start to finish. Based on where cars were parked and traffic on the trail, my guess is that most people hike it the reverse direction.

Because it is an all-day hike with some climbs and descents, it's critical that your footwear not give you blisters. Getting a hotspot halfway along the Cliff Trail would pretty much ruin that day and the next several days as well. The other important element is water - bring lots of it. Think in terms of one gallon per person. Going into heat stress and dehydration would also be a real vacation bummer.

Of course, if you have only one car and need to hike back to your orignal trailhead along the Koke`e park road, there's no net change in elevation no matter how you do it. One strategy might to have the person who is the best hiker drop off everyone at the `Awa`awapuhi trailhead, drive the car down to the Nualolo trailhead and leave the car there, and then hike back to the `Awa`awapuhi to rejoin the rest of the group.

*****

Personally, I think the hike to the lava on the Big Island is about the same difficulty as the Na Pali coast trails. If you're not up for an all day loop hike as we took, just do one of the ridge trails - i.e., go out to the end of the Nualolo, 'Awa`awapuhi, or Honopu trails and come back. That would be about a one-half day hike, and would be no worse than hiking to the lava. And if you slip the Na Pali won't cut your clothes and skin as would happen on the lava hike. And you would be hiking the Na Pali trails in the daytime, instead of pitch black dark as most people do on the lava hike.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Steve, the hike, in March, is a different story because they have some heavy rains and it was too slippery so we didn't go far. I am not sure if we are talking about the exact same hike. This was the one at the very end where the parking lot is. People have permits too, I believe, to stay overnight. It is a very long trail. We were only going to walk to the first stream and see if we could cross it but we didn't continue.

I am glad you and your family made this beautiful walk. Just show us your pictures.

Avery has decided to stay on Maui and I feel she did the right thing. It is more relaxing and it gives her a reason to go back again. Kauai deserves more time than a few days!

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Steve, the hike, in March, is a different story because they have some heavy rains and it was too slippery so we didn't go far. I am not sure if we are talking about the exact same hike. This was the one at the very end where the parking lot is. People have permits too, I believe, to stay overnight. It is a very long trail. We were only going to walk to the first stream and see if we could cross it but we didn't continue.

I believe you are referring to the Kalalau trail, whhich starts at the parking lot at the end of the road at Ke`e beach in Ha`ena park.

The Kalalau trail is definitely more technical than the Na Pali trails that are in Koke`e Park near the top of Waimea Canyon. Being on the windward side, the Kalalau trail is far more likely to be muddy and slippery. Several years ago, a co-worker was stranded for four days on the other side of the stream that you are referring to. With rains, the river was so high that no one could get across.

If there has been a dry spell, the Kalalau trail is really a pretty easy hike - my daughter and I did it a couple of years ago and it was actually easier than the Na Pali trails we did last week. But that is unusual. Most of the time it is much more challenging.

****

The Na Pali trails, though, are generally easier, and I think they are almost as rewarding as the Kalalau. Also, because the trails are several thousand feet above sea level, the temperatures are a bit cooler. Hikers can do the loop as we did, and make it a full day affair, or just go out and back on a single one and make a half day of it. Kaua`i hikes are not mentioned often by TUGgers and TS4Mers in talking about Kaua`i activities, but Kaua`i is one of the best places in the world for hikes.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Just show us your pictures.

I've probably got about 1000 photos to sort through now that we're back. That's the downside of digital photography. Instead of Kaua`i I'll give you a couple from Moloka`i.

This is the cemetry at St. Philomena Church on the Kalaupapa peninsula - the former leper colony.



The large marker on the left is Father Damien's original grave (before his body was exhumed and reburied in Belgium). The sea cliiffs in the background are the tallest in the world - more than 3000 feet high.

And here's one from the trail descending the pali to Kalaupapa, taken from the back of my mule:

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

We love Molokai but it is not for everyone because there are no fancy shops, hotels or restaurants. There is only one. However, if you like nature, it is paradise and this is how Hawaii used to be. Time is standing still here and they do not want cruise ships coming to their island either.

Very nice pictures, Steve. Will you share your album when it is ready? Yes, that is the problem with digital pictures. You take too many and it is hard to decide what to show.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Steve,
Thanks so much for posting those pics of Molokai. I want to visit in 2008 when my son turns 16 so that he can visit Kalaupapa with me. I just recently posted somewhere else about whether the Mule ride was appropriate for some one who has acrophobia and well...your photo pretty much confirms it for me-I'm not heading in on a mule-LOL-I can fly in.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Steve,
Thanks so much for posting those pics of Molokai. I want to visit in 2008 when my son turns 16 so that he can visit Kalaupapa with me. I just recently posted somewhere else about whether the Mule ride was appropriate for some one who has acrophobia and well...your photo pretty much confirms it for me-I'm not heading in on a mule-LOL-I can fly in.

When we were on Molokai last summer only my older dd and I went to Kalaupapa (we did the fly in, fly out). We left younger dd and dh "home" as younger dd was only 14. We were told that later that summer the age restriction was going to be removed. So, it may be possible for you to go sooner.