Get a Tour of Hawaii with Hawaii photos from Honolulu photographer Jennifer Crites

Dear Best Hawaii Vacations blog visitors,
Thanks for visiting and reading our 1st Hawaii vacation blog carnival. Our web stats showed us the highest number of visitors to our Hawaii blog ever. We feel honored. We very much hope that you found useful information for your next Hawaii vacation.

Today we start a new Hawaii blog project. We thought it might be a good idea to introduce Hawaiian businesses to you. By doing this, we will show you that there are plenty of business opportunities in Hawaii besides the Hawaii real estate agent or massage therapist at a big Hawaii resort. Making your dream of Moving to Hawaii come true, it's nice to know how other people manage to make a living in Hawaii without being independably wealthy.

Today we invite you to our first interview with one of the Hawaiian Islands experienced photographers, Honolulu based Jennifer Crites. We include a few of Jennifer's photos in this post, just to awaken your interest to visit her site to see more of her Hawaii photography with Hawaii life style or Hawaiian wedding photos.

Jennifer is also an experienced travel writer. Her Hawaii related articles and photos have appeared in many publications, including Islands, The Hollywood Reporter, Honolulu, Hana Hou! (Hawaiian Airlines magazine), Fodor's Hawaii, National Geographic Kids, Destination Hyatt, Travel & Leisure and The New Yorker (U.S. and U.K. editions), among many others. She is the co-author and photographer of a nature book 'Sharks and Rays of Hawaii' (Mutual, 2002).

Here is our interview with Hawaii photographer Jennifer Crites:

Best Hawaii Vacations:
How did you come to live in Hawaii?

Jennifer Crites:
I had vacationed in Hawaii just once, fell in love with the Islands immediately, and returned to live on Oahu a few years later. That was more than 20 years ago, and my love for Hawaii has only grown stronger over time.

Best Hawaii Vacations:
Did the beauty of Hawaii bring out your interest in taking photos and writing articles about Hawaii or what about Hawaii?

Jennifer Crites:
Everything about Hawaii inspires me, and living here gives me the opportunity to capture the many moods of the Islands in depth. I’ve photographed the full moon rising over Diamond Head, rain showers in a forest of ferns on the Big Island, and sunsets over ancient Hawaiian fishponds fringed with palm trees. Living, writing and photographing here has also allowed me to get to know the island cultures and people. I photograph Island weddings and family portraits regularly. Just recently I participated in (and photographed) a Japanese floating lantern ceremony. I’ve thrown a Hawaiian spear, and I even like eating poi--the fresh kind, not sour poi. It goes well with kalua pork and lomi salmon, then finish off with delicious haupia (a creamy coconut jello-type pudding) for dessert.


Best Hawaii Vacations:
What's your message you want to deliver with your Hawaii photos and articles about Hawaiian lifestyle?

Jennifer Crites:
Hawaii is so much more than gorgeous beaches and scenery. Most people who vacation in Hawaii don’t have enough time to really get to know the Islands. I hope my articles and photographs will take them on a ‘road less traveled,’ introduce them to the people, lifestyle and cultures that make Hawaii unique, and let them explore parts of Hawaii they might not ordinarily see, or well-known places from a different viewpoint.

Best Hawaii Vacations:
Do you have a preferred theme when taking photos of the Hawaiian Islands and last but not least, would you give our Hawaii blog visitors a few tips for taking in photos when on their Hawaii vacation?

Jennifer Crites:

My theme is to show the real Hawaii as I see it every day. I look at old sepia photos taken in the early 1900s and think, ‘how precious these images are; they give us a glimpse into Hawaii’s past,’ and I want my photos to serve the same function: a timeless window through which we can see ourselves and our special place on the planet. By focusing on the details of our lives, photographs help us better understand our world. Yes, I would be happy to give your Hawaii blog visitors some tips for taking photos in Hawaii.

Much mahalo, Jennifer, for answering our questions about your Hawaii photography business. We will definitely take you up on your promise to give our Hawaii visitors some tips on how to take photos on Hawaii vacation.

So everybody who loves to take photos when on Hawaii vacation, be ready for Jennifer's post on 'How to take photos when on Hawaii vacation'. Believe us it's not that easy. You think you have the perfect shot but...you got to know what you are doing! See you at Best Hawaii vacation blog next time for Jennifer's photo tips in Hawaii.

Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

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Hawaiian Flower Lei Greeting

Best Hawaiian Luau Show

Celebrities in Hawaii

Watching the Humpback Whales

Best time to Watch the Green Flash

Tags: Hawaii photos, Best of Hawaii

1st Best Hawaii Vacation Blog Carnival Hot Picks

***LET'S HAVE SOME FUN IN THE SUN!***

Alooooooooooooooha to all our Hawaii vacation blog readers.

Our 1st Best Hawaii Vacation Blog Carnival is here. We hope all of you find something of interest for planning their next trip to the Hawaiian islands to make it your Best Hawaii vacation.

We, Pua and Keoki, the blog owners and writers of Best Hawaii vacation, decided to start with posts of our Hawaiian blog ohana (family in Hawaiian) first. Family comes first! The blog posts are just selected randomly.

Let's start with Sheila from GoVisitHawaii. She told us actually that her posts might not be good enough for the carnival. Guess what the opposite is the way. So we thought if Sheila cannot decide, we do it for her. One of her most recent posts is about how to be a more welcomed visitor by accepting Hawaiian culture, understanding a little more Hawaiian and show respect to Hawaiian residents. Who wants to act like an elepphant in a china store? Cruise Sheila's blog and you will find vacation guides, hotels & air fare specials, Hawaii vacation recommendations...all great stuff to read for planning your trip to Hawaii.

Here is another dear member of our Hawaii blog 'ohana'. Visit Cheryl's blog HawaiiVacationGifts frequently and you will find an amazing variety of Hawaii vacation related posts. This one is for pet owners who go on vacation to Hawaii. What is a vacation without your closest friend? We found these great article by HawaiiVacationGifts Take your whole family on vacation - pets included about taking your pet on your Hawaii Vacation like Paris and Oprah do. Thanks HawaiiVacationGifts for thinking of all the pet owners.

Well, have you ever wondered where the origin of the Hawaiian Aloha Shirts is? Charles from WaveShoppe tells you all about in his post about the interesting history of the Hawaiian shirts. And if you look for a Hawaiian shirt for putting in your suitcase for your Hawaii vacation, you might just find the right Aloha Shirt right there. Don't miss the great shirt selection.

Each time when visitors go shopping in Hawaii, they visit what gifts to take home with them from their vacation in Hawaii. Evelyn from HomeSpunHonolulu comes up with all the good reasons why to buy Hawaiian Macademia Nuts as a Gift. Most of all, Mac nuts are good for your health! Evelyn's Honolulu blog is a huge resource for everybody who plans a visit to Honolulu and wants to know more about the town and its people.

Planning a visit to Honolulu or Oahu, HawaiiVacationHelp might have the answers to lots of your questions about your Hawaii Vacation whether it's about activities like Pearl Harbor Tours, nightlife in Waikiki, Hawaiian luaus, food, restaurants..Eivissu knows his way around Oahu and the Hawaiian islands. All the Hawaii Vacation Help answers are in categories. So, it's easy to find what you want to know.

Well, what is a Hawaii blog carnival without mentioning Celebrities in Hawaii. As we all know Hawaii is one of their favorite 'playground'. Who can blame them? We all love a vacation in Hawaii. As we are all a little tired of hearing about Paris Hilton or Oprah in Hawaii, how about this nice post from HawaiiRama.com about Robert Deniro paying a recent visit to one of Nobu Wailiki in honolulu, which he partly owns? Hawaiirama is a enrichment to Hawaii blogosphere with blogging about Nightlife, Where to stay in Hawaii, Eating in Hawaii and more.

Bruce Fisher from Hawaii-Aloha.com has been blogging about Hwaii air fares, Hawaiian Cruises, Hotel specials for a long time. If you look into planning your Hawaii vacation, you might want to check with his blog about current or future Hawaii travel specials or Hawaii vacation packages. Here is a blog post about Pricing a Hawaii Cruise which I found interesting to our Best Hawaii Vacation visitors. Check it out.

Let's visit another blog. Julie from IdealVacationRentals blogs about places and accommodations to stay around the world but Hawaii definitely plays a major role in her blogging themes. Maui has Julie's special attention as it is the Hawaiian island where she and her husband have been coming back for their Hawaii vacation on Maui for many years. That's why they are the most trusted source about Maui on a Budget.

The Aloha Insider We don't know anyone who has visited Hawaii who hasn't been enchanted by the beauty of this lush tropical paradise and charmed by the spirit of Aloha. Whether you seek the excitement of Oahu, the action on Maui, the beauty of Kauai, the diversity of the Big Island, or the privacy of Lanai, the islands of Hawaii offer an unforgettable experience that are sure to make you want to visit again and again.

A Hawaii vacation can be mind changing with memories of a tropical Paradise! Each year many visitors to the Hawaiian Islands contemplate their options about moving to Hawaii for good. Get away from the cold and wet Mainland winters sounds like the perfect decision. Our Best Hawaii vacation blog reviewed a few aspects about relocating and moving to Hawaii and what is involved. Read first before you move.

How better can we finish our 1st Hawaii Blog Carnival than with some entertaining Hawaii videos, one a commercial video about Hawaii vacation and the other one about Elvis in Hawaii with a song from his live concert in Honolulu. Let us know what you think about our 1st Best Hawaii Vacations blog Carnival. And if we missed a blog or exciting post. This is the great thing with blogging, we can still add it.

Mahalo for visiting. Stay curious for more ideas for your Hawaii vacation. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

One Stop Guide to Hawaii on Youtube Hawaii Videos Click this link and enjoy Surf + Sun, Hawaii's rich culture, including the traditional hula, breathtaking scenery, the explosive volcanic forces in Hawaii Volcano National Park, stunning waterfalls and more.

Let's have some fun with Elvis in Hawaii!

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Hawaii Blog Carnival

How to comment on Best Hawaii Vacation blog

How to leave a comment on Best Hawaii Vacation Blog

Mahalo to all our readers for following us on our blogging journey on how to make your trip to the Hawaiian Islands your Best Hawaii Vacation. We were proud when we were able to announce our Best Hawaii Vacation Blog1st Birthday in July. We told you in 'About Us' that ''we'd like to close the gap between visitors and vacation hosts. Our Hawaii blog is about people's experiences, ours and our blog visitors and Hawaii residents, and what it takes for your Best Hawaii Vacation. Little things contributing to the big picture of a unique Hawaii vacation."

Now, we would like to take the next step...evolving the blog from a good read to a great place to say your opinion and hear others about Hawaii and Hawaii vacation related topics by leaving comments. In the past, we noticed again and again that the biggest obstacle for readers is that they don't know how to leave a comment.

Here are Step by Step Instructions to 'Post a Comment'

1. How get to 'Post a comment' window

There are two ways to make it to Post A Comment window:
When you are on the blog index http://kohalacoastweb.blogspot.com/, you scroll down the posts till you find a post where you want to comment. Under the post you will find the number of comments. Just click the word 'Comments'. A new window for your comment will open.

When you are on an individual blog URL like this one http://kohalacoastweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/moving-to-hawaii-vacation-for-ever.html, go to the very bottom (if there are already comments, go past these comments!) where you see 'Post a comment'. Now click 'Post a comment'. A new window for your comment will open.

2. 'Leave a comment' text window

The new window shows a box where you can type in your text comment. When leaving a website in that box, it needs to be in html code in order to show as a link. If you cannot do html, it's still OK to leave the URL. Readers can copy and paste it into their browser. The better way to leave your URL will be with 'Choose Identity'.

Under the text box, is a note for you: "Comment moderation has been enabled. All comments must be approved by the blog author." That means you will not see you comment immediately. As a blog owner we have to protect our blog content from spam and not blog related comments.

3. Word verification

Retype the letters you see in the box you see. This is another way to prevent spam.

4. Choose Identity

This is the biggest tool for those who take advantage of commenting to get the word out about their site or blog. Most important, click the circle for or the words 'name/URL' (not Google/Blogger!). Now the display shows Name and Web Page URL. Add your name or your business name and your URL with http://. Your comment will be displayed with that name as a link to your homepage. Interested readers can visit your site or blog right then and there! This is a great free ad for your Hawaii business.

5. Publish your comment

After Publish Comment you will see in the top of your comment in green typing that the comment will be approved by the author. If you cannot see the green typing (very rare but happens, even Google is not perfect), do word verification a second time and publish. If we get your comment twice, not a problem we will only publish once.

Again, after you hit publish, you have to see on the very top of your commenting window "Your comment has been saved and will be visible after blog owner approval." If not, do word verification again.

We guarantee you after you commented once or twice, you will be an expert in 'Post a Comment.' Thanks to everybody for joining our Best Hawaii Vacation blog. We appreciate your opinion.

Mahalo, Pua and Keoki Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Tags: Best of Hawaii

Hawaii Flight Specials to Honolulu Fall Discounts

This is great news for travelers for the Pacific Northwest who are planning a Hawaii vacation in fall. We received this Hawaii flight information for Seattle to Honolulu Roundtrips from Travelocity yesterday.

Travelocity offers a great discount on Hawaii Roundtrip Specials from Seattle to Honolulu for the fall months, starting as low as $286 on Northwest Airlines (Webfare). Maybe you can even find a hotel special rate for this time period. First check with Hawaii vacation rentals.

The West Coast of Hawaii Big Island, Kona and Kohala Coast, is always nice and sunny and centrally located for your Big Island activities. Fall months are low season and Hawaii vacation rental owners are willing to offer you generous discounts on your accommodation.

Have fun planning your Best Hawaii Vacation. We are here to help. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
Take advantage of the Interisland flight specials by Hawaiian Airlines! Do some Island Hopping and see more of Hawaii on your Best Hawaii vacation.

Tags: Hawaii Fall Flight Specials to Honolulu, Hawaii Accommodation Discounts Low Season

Hawaiian Airline Interisland Special As Low As It Gets

Just came across this great, unbelievable Interisland Special from Hawaiian Airlines. Hope travellers will still find it.

$19* & $29* each way, inter-island
Travel between Honolulu and Hilo, Kona, Lihue, & Kahului
Book: 8/21 - 8/23/2007 Travel: 8/21 - 8/23/2007
• No round trip purchase required
• No overnight stay required

Just a great fare from the nation's #1 airline.

To/From
Fares Starting From*
Honolulu - Hilo
$19
Honolulu - Kahului
$19
Honolulu - Kona
$19
Honolulu - Lihue
$19

Enjoy the Island Hopping. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Tags: Island Hopping, Best of Hawaii

Moving to Hawaii Vacation for Ever?

Moving to Hawaii Dos and Don'ts

Are you tired of the long cold winter months on the Mainland? Do you dream of warmer times, sunny beaches and a more casual lifestyle? You are not alone with those dreams. They seem to sprout like mushrooms when hotel guests are sitting in the hotel jacuzzi, looking out on the wide Pacific Ocean, sipping a Maitai when waiting for the miracle of the Green Flash to happen for them on their best Hawaii vacation.

Remember this is your vacation and moving to Hawaii seems all so easy and without any obstacles. This is just like when we fall in love for the first time. Life is wonderful!!! To discover shortcomings on our new love interest, will follow much later. Let's find the shortcomings for Moving to Hawaii before you packed the container and moved the family to their new home or rental in Hawaii. Over the years of living in Hawaii, we have seen many people come and go. Moving to Hawaii takes the right planning, and making a living in Hawaii, which allows you time to enjoy Hawaii's natural beauty, is another challenge.

Don't ever forget your dreams why you moved to Hawaii! Make your life in Hawaii as much a vacation as possible.

The following Hawaii moving considerations are for people who are not independably wealthy and still want to live their Hawaiian dream.

Moving to Hawaii Dos
1.
Visit the Hawaiian island of your choice as many times as possible, most favorably at different times of the year, before buying property in Hawaii. Maybe, even rent for a longer period like a month to get a feel for island living, the area and its people.

2.
Talk to as many residents in the area where you want to move to: about the community, schools, crime rate, health care, costs of living in Hawaii

3.
Most important, make sure that you have a job when arriving in Hawaii. Hawaii jobs are mostly related to the tourism industry. Yes, there are frequently jobs available at the hotels but for some you might be overqualified and turned down.

4.
If you have children who still go to school, make sure that the public school in the area where you intend to move to is right for them. If you suddenly face having to take your kid out of public school and enroll in private school, that can become your biggest expense ever and may jeopardize your living in Hawaii.

5.
We mentioned before that the Hawaiian islands have a wet side (east side) and a drier west coast. House prices on Hawaii's east coast areas are about half the prices to the west coast. The same applies to house leasing prices.

6.
Consider commuting time for yourselves or your kids. Only Oahu has a public transportation system which works well and is affordable. On the other Hawaiian islands, you depend on your own car for transportation.

Moving to Hawaii Don'ts
1.
Don't buy Hawaii property on your first Hawaii vacation at a spur of a moment. Do your homework using the above Hawaii moving suggestions. A house on the wet but lush and green side of Hawaii, can look very tempting on a sunny, blue sky day but make sure that you can cope with frequent rain. Mold in your house can trigger allergies.

2.
Don't just pack and move to Hawaii without having proof of an affordable rental house for your family. Research carefully the house rental situation on the Hawaiian island where you are moving to. Having to stay at a vacation rental - rents for fully equipped vacation rentals include utilities are much higher than house leases - for some longer time might already challenge your budget before having started living in Hawaii.

3.
Don't commit to a mortgage for your house in Hawaii which is tight and based on two job income. There are no job guarantees in Hawaii either. Make sure you have enough money to pay your mortgage when you get laid off from your job at a hotel. Who ever thought that a big Hawaii hotel like Mauna Kea Beach Hotel had to be closed down?

4.
Don't buy property at a high, as quite a many people did before the Hawaii Housing Bubble burst last year. Your chances to negotiate with seller or realtors look much better these days. Hawaii real estate has become a buyer's market again.

Read also Keoki's article about Moving to Hawaii on Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals. It gives you an insider perspective and how we made our dream come true to live in Hawaii. Feel free to ask your questions about Moving to Hawaii or help people with more recommendations to make their dream of living in Hawaii come true.

Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
Don't forget to submit your post to our 1st Best Hawaii Vacation Blog Carnival. Everything goes: from Best Things to do in Hawaii, Hawaii YouTube Videos, Things to see in Hawaii, Hawaii Trip Reports, some special trip advice for Hawaii vacation. We extend submission till Thursday 8/23/07. We are happy to promote your blog

Resources on Moving to Hawaii
Relocation Information Moving to Hawaii
Books on Moving to Hawaii and more
Why move to Hawaii Mover's Guide Books
Moving to Hawaii Get Moving Quotes

Tags: Moving to Hawaii, Hawaii, Best

Best Time to watch the Green Flash in Hawaii

Hawaii Vacation Recommendation Visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors,
Let's get back to some more fun themes for their Hawaii vacation. When you visit Hawaii, the time of the sunset is always a very special moment. You are finally relaxing with some nice Hawaiian music and a beautiful hula dancer gracefully moving to Hawaiian tunes and a so much 'needed' Maitai. The Hawaiian sunset starts to change the skies to the most amazing colors. Let it sink in. You are on vacation in Hawaii. You are in Paradise!

Now, the moment of truth is here...will there be a 'green flash' or not? What, you have never heard about a green flash in Hawaii? I must admit, you are not alone. Most of our guests at our Hawaii vacation rentals have never heard about it and most of them left the island without having seen the green flash, even after we made them aware of this Hawaiian sunset miracle moment. I kept record of the green flashes I have seen during 15 years in Hawaii: 7 green flashes but each of it was Wow!!!! You won't forget it and talk about this tenth (or hundredth?) of a second moment for a long time.

Here is what I've experienced and learnt. The 'Green Flash' can be glimpsed when the last portion of the sun disappears under the horizon. It requires a very clear horizon. Even the smallest cloud or a little haze will interfere. Hawaii is actually one of the rare places where the Green Flash is quite common. However, still one has to be extremely lucky to see this splash of intense emerald light appearing on the horizon in the blink of an eye at the final moment of sunset. Don't be fooled by the 'Fool's Flash' the greenish after-image by looking directly into the sun, which can be very dangerous anyways and should be avoided. Best Places Hawaii has written a nice article on the question: Is the green flash is a symptom of too much sun or too many Maitais?

How can you watch the green flash best? Look away until only the very top of the sun's disk is about to disappear below the horizon. I'd always put dark glasses on and keep the sunsetting motion in peripheral vision till the last second (better hundredth of a second), when the sun disappears under the horizon. The Green Flash is an experience you could blink and miss. We have seen that happen to our friends who have been living in Hawaii for over 20 years.

The ocean was totally calm, the horizon was perfect and we all waited lined up on the beach. And...it was one of the most perfect green flashes we have ever seen! Up to this day, our friends don't know what we have seen. So stay alert but don't stare in the sun, you will get your chance of the Green Flash. It's not a mirage or a legend. I found this amazing Green Flash photo to prove it.

Sorry no green flash photo in my Hawaii photo album. To take a photo of the green flash is more than a challenge. I would not want to know how many attempts it took this experienced photographer to get this great shot of the green flash. Last but not least, I would not want to try to explain the physical reason for this special phenomenon, but if you are interested, visit this site for reading up on green flash terminology.

As usual, we cannot resist to ask you 'Have you ever seen a green flash?' and if so, what do you think of it? Can't wait to hear from you about your Green Flash experiences in Hawaii.

Mahalo and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

p.s.

Our Best Hawaii Vacation blog post girl today is Kai from WahineStyle.com.

Tags: Hawaii, Green flash

5 Best Things to Do in Hawaii on Hawaii Vacation

Blog post is sponsored by Hawaii Ironman Kona Rentals

Aloha Best Hawaii Vacation visitors,
From our blog posts and About us you know by now that we, Keoki and Pua, are in love with Hawaii, the islands and its people. For so many people, having a Hawaii vacation is just a dream like dreaming of winning the lottery. The ones who can return year after year to their favorite Hawaii oceanfront hotel are the more privileged.

For the majority of Hawaii visitors, their Hawaii vacation is a-once-in-a-lifetime dream come true. That's the people we are here for, telling them about favorite things to do in Hawaii and everything else about Hawaii which makes their trip to Hawaii their Best Hawaii Vacation. So all of you lucky ones, please, join our efforts.

Today, we made a list of '5 Best Things to do in Hawaii'. You can approve or turn them around or choose some other ones. To make it easy on your voting. Tell us and our blog readers what you think is 'The Best Thing To Do On Your Hawaii Vacation'. We will show you some link love and include your Vote with Link to your Blog or Site right here in this post '5 Best Things to Do On Your Hawaii Vacation'

We hope to hear from many Hawaii visitors, not just Hawaii business owners, what activity they like or liked best on their Hawaii vacation. We are well aware that this list varies from island to island. So, please, when voting, let us know on which Hawaiian island you stayed or are planning to stay.

5 Best Things to Do on your Hawaii Vacation

1. Sunbathing on a white sand beach & Swimming in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean.

2. Snorkeling or scuba diving to see the Hawaiian Sea Life & tropical fish. Whale Watching.

3. Helicopter flight over the Hawaiian islands.

4. Attending a Hawaiian luai with Polynesian Show

5. Getting a Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage or Swedish or Shiatsu, main thing...get rubbed.

What do you think? Mahalo and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
Thanks to WahineStyle.com for our today's blog post girl Vanessa.

To our blogger fellows: Don't forget to submit your post to our first Hawaii Blog Carnival about 'Best Hawaii Vacation Hot Picks'. Everything goes from a Hawaii luau you attended, a snorkel cruise you took on the islands, whale watch photo, some adventurous heliopter ride over remote Hawaii valleys or just any other Hawaii vacation story!

If you like our blog, please, use the "Subscribe to our Feed" or "Subscribe By Email" in the top of side bar. Mahalo!

Related Hawaii Vacation Articles

Best Hawaii Helicopter Tours
Visit Hawaii for Aloha Festivals
Humpback Whales are Back
Best Hawaii YouTube Videos
What It Takes to be an Ironman

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Hawaii

First Hawaii Blog Carnival from Best Hawaii Vacations Blog

***LET'S HAVE SOME FUN IN THE SUN!***

Best Hawaii Vacation blog will be hosting its first Hawaii blog carnival in 2 weeks. We invite all Hawaii blog owners or vacation or travel blogs to join the fun! As we are no big corporate blog but just a blog created by two Hawaii loving people, there is no form to fill out and 'rules' (if any) for your blog submission are very easy to follow.

Our First Hawaii blog carnival will be under the theme 'Best Hawaii Vacations Hot Picks'. So, if you have an exciting Hawaii article you want to share with everyone, this is the place and the time you can do it. It doesn’t matter what the topic is, as long as it’s about or related to Hawaii Vacations. We want to share it with the Hawaii vacation loving folks! Believe me there are lots who can't wait to visit Hawaii. We are sure you have some fantastic stories to tell them. So, come join our first Hawaii blog carnival and let's discover Hawaii together with our readers!

Deadline for your submission is 8/22/07. Our Hawaii vacation Blog carnival will be live on August 24. Check back here to see who has joined our virtual Hawaii carnival to share stories about their Best Hawaii Vacation Hot Picks.

Hawaii Article Submission Guidelines

- This is a 'blog only' carnival. Please, don't submit sites.
- Sorry but no advertisements articles will be accepted
- Any blog post that features aspects if Hawaii Vacations is welcome.
- One entry per blog. Pick your best article for Hawaii Vacation Hot Picks!
- Enticing articles have a better chance to be listed in the top of 'Hawaii Hot Picks'.
- More recent articles are preferred but not a must.
- Family friendly posts, please.
- Please, post about the carnival to send your blog readers to visit our Hawaii blog carnival.

If you agree with our Hawaii Carnival Guidelines, let's do things the easy way: Click the 'Post a Comment', write the blog post URL you want to submit to our Hawaii blog carnival + a short description (makes it easier for us when including it) in the comment window, sign in 'Other' with name and blog URL. Done! And don't forget to visit here again on 8/24/07.

Much mahalo for sharing this invitation with your blogger friends. We are looking forward to hearing from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua and Keoki from Best Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Almost forgot URLs for HawaiiYouTube videos are welcome too.

Tags: Best of Hawaii, Hawaii Blog Carnival

How safe are Hawaii Beaches - A Life or Death Story

Aloha to all our Best Hawaii Vacations blog readers. We were so happy about all the great responses on our recent post about 5 Hawaii myths. We really received some great suggestions for Hawaii myth #5. When we had a closer look at all the good suggestions, we decided Sheila's suggestion is definitely one of special interest for anybody who visits Hawaii, no matter on what Hawaiian island they stay.

Here is what Sheila said "I would say that most people assume that all the beautiful beaches are completely safe. Some beaches have dangerous currents, but people just hop in the water without checking for any safety concerns. They ignore beach safety signs and then get in trouble. I like to encourage people to check the official beach safety website.

This is to all Hawaii visitors from Pua: You don't want to have to learn this through your own lesson. Here is one scary story, no legend, no myth but real, scary real!

It was on one of those gorgeous blue sky winter days with extremely high surf on all the west shores of Hawaii Big Island. Huge rollers coming in with close to shore breaking. We were tennis club members at 'The Ritz Carlton', nowadays Orchid Fairmont at Mauna Lani at Mauna Lani Beach Resort. It was a wonderful place to play tennis and enjoy the nice crescent white sand beach afterwards! So that's what we did on this Sunday morning. Keoki settled in a beach chair and I went for swimming laps in the small lagoon. No big waves coming in there, just the tide moving in and out! Believe me I would never have never gone in otherwise. Even young children were still playing in the waters...

The Mauna Lani Ritz Carlton had beach attendants but no lifeguards. There were warning signs everywhere that the beach has 'No lifeguard on duty'. One can't blame them. When you see that lagoon beach, you'd never think it could do harm to anybody. It seems the most extremely safe Hawaiian beach. Again, the crescent lagoon beach has shallow waters which gradually gets deeper. The lagoon is protected by big lava rocks on both sides and in the middle before it opens to the ocean.

Remember my words 'just the tide moving in and out'. Well, here is what happened. The waves outside the protected lagoon grew bigger and bigger by the minute, which must have generated a terrible riptide. When I was on my 7th or 8th lap across the lagoon side to side, the riptide picked me up like a piece of nothing and pulled me at extreme speed in the direction of the open ocean.

I had no chance against that force and the lesson lifeguards always taught me not to resist the tide but allow yourself being pulled out till the riptide loses power, would not have worked this time. The huge waves would have crushed me in no time. What saved me, you ask, as I am obviously still walking on this planet...there were big iron chains hanging between the lava rocks on the sides and the middle one, I have no clue whatsoever what they were for but they saved my life!

In the second before being pulled out into the open ocean, I grabbed the chain and was clinging on for pure life against the power of the tide. I had to hold on to the chain with all my force...my whole body stretched in one big horizontal pull. When the riptide weakened, I took all my courage and leftover strength (not much left then!) to swim out of the danger zone before the next wave set would start.

I was one shaking person, heart pumping, hands trembling, legs wobbling but...alive!!! Keoki had not noticed. He had read his magzine all the time I had literally struggled for my life. He had a hard time to understand my aggitation and the impact what had happened. One beach attendant friend had seen me and said 'This was close!" but i doubt that he really knew how close it had been.

So, show big respect to the ocean waves and its powers. Ocean conditions can change in seconds, when even lifeguards cannot help anymore. Don't try to prove to yourself or others, how strong and brave you are. Hawaiian winter waves with undercurrents, riptides and close-to-shore breaking waves are stronger than you. Better be safe than sorry. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

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Tags: How safe are Hawaii Beaches, Danger of winter waves in Hawaii