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Hawaii - How to decide which islands?!

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we aren''t so much interested in the luau at the PPC, but more so the history of the people and culture. thanks for the recommendation for the old lahaina luau though. we''re planning on doing a luau on maui. also, thank you for the info on the bus. very good to know. we were going to rent a car. a bus seems much easier though.


i guess my thing is that we both really want to learn about the culture and we heard PPC was the place to go, but oahu is so out of the way for us flight wise. plus it means we have to stay a night on that island.
 

jcrow I just got back from Kauai in late July.... I found this website helpful in planning things to do and see...


http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g29218-Kauai_Hawaii-Vacations.html

It''s a very beautiful place...must go to the northern part of the island (Princeville) and see the sunsets from the Princeville Hotel...amazing. Eat at their resturant too if you get a chance...it''s a little pricey (as is most of the island) but no other place on the island has such an amazing view and atmosphere.

If you or your SO golf...Play the Poipu Bay golf course...great views and it''s where the PGA Grand Slam is played...

Tunnels Beach in the northern part of the island is a great place to snorkle

You must try Puka Dogs...Its a hotdog place which isn''t anything special...but they have all of these amazing exotic relishes (pineapple, passion fruit, guava, etc.)

We took the Hola Hola catamaran trip around the Napalii Coast and that was great...6 hours, breakfest, lunch, drinks, snorkeling...and they bring the boat soooo close to the caves you get amazing pictures...Not to mention the wild life...spinner dolphins, sea turtles.

Rent a Jeep if you can and drive all the way south as far as you can...It takes you to (part) of the top of the Napalii Coast...You can see it from a view that you don''t get to see from the boat trip....

I could tell you more but I''d be here all night...If you want any more info I''ll be glad to share!!!

There''s sooo much to do and see in Kauai...Have fun!!!



 
Date: 8/13/2008 6:49:51 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 8/13/2008 6:42:08 PM
Author: jcrow
we are interested in doing the polynesian cultural center in oahu. to do so, it looks like we''ll have to stay a night on oahu. so, i have a couple of questions.

1 - have you been to the PCCenter? did you enjoy it? is it a must see?
2 - do you have any recommendations for a hotel in oahu? should we stay by the northshore or by the airport?
I liked it but I absolutely loved the Old Lahaina Laua better on Maui http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/index_main.html. The PCCenter is great for learning about the different natives that came to Hawaii and it is all put on by college students; you eat dinner at various locations depending how much you spent (I think we did the second level where were were there an hour before dinner). It was fun and beautiful out there but I loved the intimate feel of the Old Lahaina Luau and at the OLL, is right on the ocean (not the PCC), also, they serve unlimited cocktails (no cocktails at the OLL) and the food was very good and the dancers very professional. The PCC is done in a big pit, the grounds are beautiful but not on the ocean and the OLL is on a stage with the ocean in the background. A bus can pick you up at your hotel and drop you off on Oahu if you do the PCC.
i second Skippy''s recommendation! I was fortunate to attend this luau with Emeril when we filmed a Hawaiian Islands special program back in 2001/2002. of all the luaus in Hawaii, THIS was the one that our Food Network research team decided to go with!

to answer your original question, i did the PCC on my HS grad trip MANY years ago. I honestly don''t have a ton of memories about it. I wouldn''t travel to Oahu just to visit it. Diamond Head and the USS AZ Memorial would be my must-do''s on Oahu
 
Date: 8/13/2008 7:16:02 PM
Author: ChargerGrrl


Date: 8/13/2008 6:49:51 PM
Author: Skippy123



Date: 8/13/2008 6:42:08 PM
Author: jcrow
we are interested in doing the polynesian cultural center in oahu. to do so, it looks like we'll have to stay a night on oahu. so, i have a couple of questions.

1 - have you been to the PCCenter? did you enjoy it? is it a must see?
2 - do you have any recommendations for a hotel in oahu? should we stay by the northshore or by the airport?
I liked it but I absolutely loved the Old Lahaina Laua better on Maui http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/index_main.html. The PCCenter is great for learning about the different natives that came to Hawaii and it is all put on by college students; you eat dinner at various locations depending how much you spent (I think we did the second level where were were there an hour before dinner). It was fun and beautiful out there but I loved the intimate feel of the Old Lahaina Luau and at the OLL, is right on the ocean (not the PCC), also, they serve unlimited cocktails (no cocktails at the OLL) and the food was very good and the dancers very professional. The PCC is done in a big pit, the grounds are beautiful but not on the ocean and the OLL is on a stage with the ocean in the background. A bus can pick you up at your hotel and drop you off on Oahu if you do the PCC.
i second Skippy's recommendation! I was fortunate to attend this luau with Emeril when we filmed a Hawaiian Islands special program back in 2001/2002. of all the luaus in Hawaii, THIS was the one that our Food Network research team decided to go with!

to answer your original question, i did the PCC on my HS grad trip MANY years ago. I honestly don't have a ton of memories about it. I wouldn't travel to Oahu just to visit it. Diamond Head and the USS AZ Memorial would be my must-do's on Oahu
Really Charger, that is sooo cool! I always laugh because the OLL was the 1st luau I had ever been to so it really ruined me for any other luau!
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You lucky girl
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I was in heaven there; it was like a dream and the dancers were amazing and the cocktails was fab! hehe

I agree on your thoughts on the PCC and the USS and Diamond Head a better plan.
 
AGSHF----- you said there was no stargazing at Mauna Kea, does that mean they''re not doing it there on the peak anymore or could you not go because of the under 16 thing? Thank you for providing so much good info!
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Also, who has stayed in the condos on the islands? Sorry for a semi-threadjack! I know Skippy gave me some info, but I wanted to see if anyone else had any as well.
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This thread is awesome - my husband and I are hoping to go to either Hawaii or Fiji on our one year anniversary in December!
 
Date: 8/14/2008 3:41:01 PM
Author: SarahLovesJS
AGSHF----- you said there was no stargazing at Mauna Kea, does that mean they're not doing it there on the peak anymore or could you not go because of the under 16 thing? Thank you for providing so much good info!
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Also, who has stayed in the condos on the islands? Sorry for a semi-threadjack! I know Skippy gave me some info, but I wanted to see if anyone else had any as well.
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clearly i'm no expert.. but here's some info.

"The [Mauna Kea] Visitor Information Station (VIS) has a stargazing program that is held every night from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm"

link

eta: gosh, i just reread AGSHF's comment and i'm not sure my comment is even helpful. So star gazing at the PEAK isn't allowed, but it is at the VIS.
 
SarahlovesJS,

The stargazing on Mauna Kea is done through telescopes set up by volunteers at the Onizuka Visitors Center at 9000 feet. If you go, make sure you dress warmly and check for sunset time and darkness. There''s not much to do at the Visitors Center; it''s pretty barebones. They will show DVDs to pass the time. If you decide to go up to the peak, you will need a 4-wheel drive as the roads are rough up there. The Saddle Road up to Mauna Kea is already pretty rough. There are tours that will drive you up to the Peak for sunset, I believe they use 4-wheel drives with oxygen supply. The tour participants come down to the Visitors Center for telescope usage, though.

The sky at 9000 feet is pretty amazing already and well worth the drive there. If you have large binoculars, those would be great. A star chart came in handy as well.

Hope this helps!
 
Just wanted to say thanks Jcrow and AGSHF! This is what I had seen before: http://www.maunakea.com/. I think it might be the same thing...not sure hmm. The visitor''s center sounds amazing though! FI and I both love stars and I''ve never seen stars w/ less than average light pollution. He has since he''s gone camping and was a boyscout. So either way, I think it''ll be great. I''ll make sure to bring a star chart and some binoculars. I am not so good at naming the stars still (even after Astronomy 101 at the beginning of college..oh well guess that''s why I got a B and not an A..haha) anyway, thank you!
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jcrow,

Regarding the Polynesian Cultural Center, it is a good starting place if you are interested in getting a "flavor" of each of the different Polynesian cultures, their costumes, dances, crafts, etc. It is certainly the only place of which I aware that offers that. It has a kind of "theme park" atmosphere and is obviously geared towards tourists. But, keeping in mind that to tour all of the islands of Polynesia is a daunting trip, the PCC is a good alternative. : )

There is a an extensive website for the Polynesian Cultural Center and you can get a good sense of what you'll find. Each "village" showcases the different culture and customs of each of the islands. For example, in Samoa, coconut tree climbing and drumming were the highlights. In Aotearoa, there is a Maori meeting house, displays of the welcoming ceremony, displays about tattooing, chants, etc. In Tahiti, there was a meeting house where music and dance are performed, an outdoor cooking area where you can sample foods, watch coconut frond weaving and so on. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised. Because I have ties to Polynesia, I was afraid that it would have a "disneyland" like approach but I thought that, overall, it was well done.

In my opinion, you'll need a full day to get the most out of the experience. The staff and performers are from BYU-Laie and try to give a pretty authentic experience, as far as I could tell. You will, however, be amongst large groups of tourists and their guides, so keep that in mind.

We opted for the Twilight package which allowed entry into the PCC in the afternoon, an IMAX movie and admission to the big dance performance, Horizons. We had plans for snorkeling earlier in the day and opted for the late visit. By then, the PCC was pretty quiet, most people having participated in the big events earlier in the day. Our daughter enjoyed talking to the performers, playing games with them, making simple coconut weavings, watching dances, etc. The dance performance featured all the different dance styles from each Polynesian culture and was quite good.

The PCC is on the North Shore and, if I remember correctly, there wasn't a nice hotel nearby. You would be better off staying nearer the airport if you are making a short visit to Oahu. Allow time for the drive around to the PCC.

If you are interested in seeing Hawaiian cultural artifacts, the Bishop Museum on Oahu is a good option. It was set up through the bequest by a member of the Hawaiian royal family, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and contains an extensive collection.



And, my mistake: Matsumoto's is, of course, on Oahu, not Kauai! Aoki's is the competitor just a short walk away. I would recommend trying both. I miss Hawaiian shaved ice! Nothing here compares.


I hope you have a fabulous trip!


And another suggestion: load music by the great IZ (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole) on your Ipods and MP3 before going. It's a fabulous way of getting into the frame of mind and the perfect "soundtrack" for the trip.
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