Hawaii. Is it worth all the effort getting there?

Hawaii is OK....

A bit expensive and hotels have entertainment package deals that keep you busy. Then there is the amount of people that are trying to do the same thing you are doing. I myself like Cebu, Philippines because you can easily find a quiet beach, put up a large embrella then sit in a reclining beach chair and drift off for an afternoon nap. Everything is inexpensive and they have restaurants on the beach. It doesn't cost much to rent a few scooters, just don't park them anywhere because they will disappear. So many small fishing villages were tourists don't go and friendly people that help you enjoy yourself. If you want to tour the island you just find the local bus stop that travels the coast highway and talk to the younger people waiting on the bus and make a deal for them to be a guide and they will show many hidden secrets most people never see. Then there is Bali, Indonesia that is low cost and friendly with so many people telling you what you should go see. Georgetown, Indonesia is the old British township that is quite civilized with a blend of many ethnic backgrounds and the food reflects that.....just so much to see and eat at such an inexpensive treat.

I mentioned these places because they are safe, inexpensive, just as much to do and see, overlooked and not overridden with tourists.

Then if you like warm water for swimming and scuba diving the Tahitian island of Rangiroa has the largest lagoon in the pacific. Most of the tourists there are from Europe and the great service and food reflects that, then because it's a bit out of the way as a vacation destination the prices reflect that too. So if enjoying warm blue water irregardless of the method of enjoyment like snorkeling just inside the reef in a wet suit, jet skis or even taking a boat trip to other islands Rangi is the best the pacific has to offer.

I'm sorry, but Hawaii is a bit of a monkey see, monkey do at an insane cost. A hotel on the beach....forget about it ! Then your stuck doing the hotels group tours and going to preplanned events planned for large groups of people.
 
I went several years ago.

If I went again I would do a 3-4 day layover in California before flying out to Hawaii.

We went direct and it was like a 10 hour flight. By stopping in CA it would shorten the flight to about 5-6 hours.
 
Hawaii is OK....

A bit expensive and hotels have entertainment package deals that keep you busy. Then there is the amount of people that are trying to do the same thing you are doing. I myself like Cebu, Philippines because you can easily find a quiet beach, put up a large embrella then sit in a reclining beach chair and drift off for an afternoon nap. Everything is inexpensive and they have restaurants on the beach. It doesn't cost much to rent a few scooters, just don't park them anywhere because they will disappear. So many small fishing villages were tourists don't go and friendly people that help you enjoy yourself. If you want to tour the island you just find the local bus stop that travels the coast highway and talk to the younger people waiting on the bus and make a deal for them to be a guide and they will show many hidden secrets most people never see. Then there is Bali, Indonesia that is low cost and friendly with so many people telling you what you should go see. Georgetown, Indonesia is the old British township that is quite civilized with a blend of many ethnic backgrounds and the food reflects that.....just so much to see and eat at such an inexpensive treat.

I mentioned these places because they are safe, inexpensive, just as much to do and see, overlooked and not overridden with tourists.

Then if you like warm water for swimming and scuba diving the Tahitian island of Rangiroa has the largest lagoon in the pacific. Most of the tourists there are from Europe and the great service and food reflects that, then because it's a bit out of the way as a vacation destination the prices reflect that too. So if enjoying warm blue water irregardless of the method of enjoyment like snorkeling just inside the reef in a wet suit, jet skis or even taking a boat trip to other islands Rangi is the best the pacific has to offer.

I'm sorry, but Hawaii is a bit of a monkey see, monkey do at an insane cost. A hotel on the beach....forget about it ! Then your stuck doing the hotels group tours and going to preplanned events planned for large groups of people.

The places you mentioned sounds wonderful! Also even further to travel!

As for the hoards of people going to Hawaii, I haven't been to Maui or Oahu as of yet, but I found that, particularly on Kauai that it was pretty easy to find out of the way beaches if you are willing to hike a ways, or go down some rough roads to get there. While a bit more expensive, renting something like a Jeep wrangler or similar with ground clearance is what I prefer.

Our room was about 100 feet from the beach, not very crowded and pretty laid back. None of the hotels in the area were over 3 stories high so less people.. I live in a very sparsely populated place so I tend to not like crowds of people and I really didn't experience that except maybe some of the main hiking trails.
 
I don't know anybody that's ever thought a trip to Hawaii wasn't worth it, all things considered.

I can relate a time that it wasn't worth it. In the USAF and got sent to Clark AB in the Philippines as a "manning assist" because they were permanently short handed. Landed in Hawaii for a 4 hour stop to re-fill the tanks. After that it was 2 months of 12 hour work nights and no AC in the day while trying to sleep.

It wasn't worth it. :)

Cheers,
James
 
The places you mentioned sounds wonderful! Also even further to travel!

As for the hoards of people going to Hawaii, I haven't been to Maui or Oahu as of yet, but I found that, particularly on Kauai that it was pretty easy to find out of the way beaches if you are willing to hike a ways, or go down some rough roads to get there. While a bit more expensive, renting something like a Jeep wrangler or similar with ground clearance is what I prefer.

Our room was about 100 feet from the beach, not very crowded and pretty laid back. None of the hotels in the area were over 3 stories high so less people.. I live in a very sparsely populated place so I tend to not like crowds of people and I really didn't experience that except maybe some of the main hiking trails.

Yes...

I did notice that you had to do some hiking to get away from the majority of tourists while in Hawaii, then there is the over commercialism and over all cost. When I go somewhere, I want to go somewhere without considering cost plus I want the experience to be startlingly different. Trying to find something genuine in a tourist trap is an accomplishment. Not that I'm trying to down rate the Hawaiian experience because there is no comparison. But the benefits of going to Rangiroa is the seclusion due to the size of the lagoon. The cottages are just off of the beach and distanced so far apart that you are not bothered by others unless you choose to associate. Then the Europeans that frequent the islands are more understanding of others and accommodating. There are more restaurants and tiki bars outside and then there is the cost that lets a person stay a month. European vacations are a month long, they all have their favorite places and Rangiroa is a favorite among the Germans. They all try to become friends in one month then meet up the next year. But the quality and neatness compared to Hawaii is startling. Then the friendly helpful attitude of the locals is a stark contrast also. See, being in the military in Germany I used their travel agencies for my thirty day leave each year. I know cool cheap places all over the world. Like Seville Spain or the island of Capri, the southern tip of Italy is hard pressed financially and makes a great place to find an old hotel or renting a room in an Italian family's home to meet the locals in a fishing village complete with rental cars that include drivers that will take care of the local riff-raff. Spectacular Mediterranean deep sea fishing, wine tasting, and long, long wonderful lunches. They have three hour lunches and eat a light snack in the evening. It seems that people all over the world now want to rent out a room in their homes and drive you where you want to go. After I get done with what I need to do I'm going traveling again....
 
Been to the carrib several times in different places, but Maui does it for me every time, but it has changed like all places do in time.

Q
For me, Kauai is THE island - been there 3 times now.

It's all good. 'disin islands is so blah blah blah. You had a great time on island blah blah blah - great for you. I had a great time on island blah blah blah.

Next topic.
 
wow a long jaunt for sure.My wife and I have been to Oahu twice in the last 20 yrs,we were busy raiseing kids otherwise it would have been more often.The flight out of Vancouver BC Canada was approx. 6 hrs an I hated it.First time we went was in 89' and we enjoyed that first trip more than the last one.
Next trip for me will be south America,Venezuela,i hear with there beat up economy accommodation/costs are a real deal these days

hunter

You can't judge Hawaii by Oahu. Waikiki is South Beach meets Hawaii, and Honolulu is to much like any big city and is the only city on any of the islands with high rises. We did one trip there and 2 to the Big Island and while I enjoyed Oahu once was enough as it is to much busier and crowded.
 
I believe that the minimum reserve is 45 minutes. More if it's an over water flight.

Cheers,
James
I Have heard that the Boeing 737 didn't have the rating to be certified for that much over water flying until the 800 series. When those came out with their engines reliable enough to be twin rated for long over the ocean flights , that was when Alaska Airlines could make Hawaii a destination for them.
 
I Have heard that the Boeing 737 didn't have the rating to be certified for that much over water flying until the 800 series. When those came out with their engines reliable enough to be twin rated for long over the ocean flights , that was when Alaska Airlines could make Hawaii a destination for them.
So...did you miss your gear/music?
 
So...did you miss your gear/music?
Oh yeah absolutely I did! I had sound canceling headset but that just isn't the same.:dunno: They did help me keep my sanity on the long flights over and back tho.. :music:
As a side note, my system still sounded quite good to me after getting back home!
 
Oh yeah absolutely I did! I had sound canceling headset but that just isn't the same.:dunno: They did help me keep my sanity on the long flights over and back tho.. :music:
As a side note, my system still sounded quite good to me after getting back home!
No shit. Could you have taken it with you? :)
 
Oh sure, but that would be a one way trip for sure with HI being my new home...
Yup. Honestly, I don't feel like vacationing. My vacation is my gear. If I go to Hawaii, I'm going to stay. Imagine sitting in front of it looking out at those scenes. In any case, I could go for either Hawaii or Alaska for that matter.
 
I grew up in Oahu as a kid....loved it there. Visited there several years ago and had a great time.
Just got back from the Florida Keys ( Big Pine Key) spent 10 days there mostly on the water fishing and snorkeling.....sure reminded me of Hawaii!
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Next time I go, I am not coming back. I spend more time than I care to admit on Google Streets doing a virtual tour of the islands. I would be there now if it wasn't for all my worldly possessions.
 
Yup. Honestly, I don't feel like vacationing. My vacation is my gear. If I go to Hawaii, I'm going to stay. Imagine sitting in front of it looking out at those scenes. In any case, I could go for either Hawaii or Alaska for that matter.
I can relate. I'm a northerner, content to have nasty weather a lot of the year. My wife however loves it in Hawaii but prefers that I go with her. I do like the break in winter and that is why we like Feb or early March. I just like hanging out in the warmth of the place but for me, 2 weeks is almost too long. All my stuff is at home and I get a little bored after a while, and I miss my doggie too!
 
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