Hawaiian Traditions

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors,
The ones of you who visit our Hawaii blog frequently know that we, Pua and Keoki, are not just dedicating this blog to providing you with the best Hawaii vacation tips for travel to the Hawaiian Islands. We love to go beyond that by introducing Hawaiian culture, traditions and heritage to all of you you want to know more about Hawaii, the land and the people. Today we warmly welcome another guest author who will be assisting us to accomplish this mission.

Catherine Tarleton, the blog author of today's post had worked at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel for 18 years. When the hotel closed for renovation in 2006, she looked for new ways to get actively engaged in keeping the Hawaiian heritage alive and thriving. Cathey is a free lance writer on the Big Island of Hawaii who had become involved with promoting the rich and beautiful Hawaiian tradition and culture through the 'Moku O Keawe' International International Festival, which is coming up at the beginning of November 2008.

Here is what Cathey has to share with Big Island visitors about the Festival which features an amazing hula competition by dancers from Hawaii and Japan and several cultural workshops led by some amazing kumu in the arts of chant, hula, lei-making, language and more:

"Experience the rich Hawaiian culture during Moku O Keawe International Festival, November 5-9 at Waikoloa Beach Resort. Top hula troupes from Hawaii and Japan take the stage for exciting kupuna, kahiko and auana competition under the stars in the Waikoloa Bowl at the Queens' Gardens.

And during the day, cultural workshops offer an in-depth excursion to practice protocols, gather materials and make authentic lei, a look at the intricacies of lauhala weaving, a visit to the Makali'i to learn story and song about the fabled voyaging canoe--and much more. Kickoff concert starring Na Hokuhanohano Female Vocalist of the Year Napua Greig, fabulous made-in-Hawaii Marketplace and final night Ho'ike starring workshop students and special guest halau complete the third annual event.

Through what is learned in the cultural workshops, hula competition, exhibits of Hawaii-related arts and crafts and other extraordinary events, the Hawaii traveler from near or far can take the Moku O Keawe experience home and share it with their community.

For information visit www.MokuOKeawe.org or call Margo at 808-886-8822."

Much mahalo, Cathey, for your nice invitation to this amazing festival of celebrating Hawaiian traditions and sharing them with our Hawaii Big Island visitors. If you don't know where Waikoloa Beach Resort is, check our Kohala Coast map. It's at a great central location between Kona and the Kohala Coast and Waimea area.

A visit to the Moku O Keawe Festival will be a unique Hawaii experience on your Big Island vacation. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations and Big Island Vacation

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Hawaii Blogs

With holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas 2008 approaching fast, our highest season for Hawaii vacation and travel is coming up. No wonder that most Hawaii blogs are writing posts about the fun of celebrating holidays in warm, sunny Hawaii. A Christmas vacation in Hawaii is on many travelers' wish list for Christmas.

Well, Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts. Recently, our Best Hawaii Vacation blog received an early Christmas gift. Alene from True Aloha Blog nominated our 'Hawaii blog' for the 'I Love Your Blog award! What a nice surprise. We are truly honored! We thought this is the most wonderful idea to say mahalo to our Hawaii blog ohana for staying in touch through blog visits and comments. Last time we did that, it was at our 1st Hawaii Blog Carnival over a year ago.

So, here are our nominees of favorite Hawaii blogs, in alphabetical order to be fair to everybody:

Beat of Hawaii and Beyond: A travel Chronicle from Hawaii http://beatofhawaii.com/

Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha http://hawaiianalohashirts.blogspot.com/

Hawaiirama http://hawaiirama.com/

Hawaii Vacation Blog http://www.hawaii-aloha.com/blog/

Homespun Honolulu - A Honolulu Blog http://homespunhonolulu.com/

The Right Blue - Recounting a Lifetime of Ocean Devotion http://therightblue.com/

True Aloha - Everything about Hawaii and Aloha http://truealoha.com/blog/

Remember what goes around, comes around. Here are the 'rules' for the recipient:

* Display your award.
* Link back to the person who gave you the award.
* Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
* Put links to those blogs on yours.
* Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated.
* Enjoy your award!

We decided for Hawaii blogs on our blog award. Now, we are curious about your blog choices for 'I love your blog' award! Let us know in a comment when your blog award is live. Mahalo, Pua and Keoki Hawaii Vacations and Affordable Hawaii

Tags: Hawaii blogs, Best Hawaii blogs, favorite Hawaii blogs

Have fun in Hawaii at Christmas 2008

Our recent little excursion to Upcountry Maui at Best Hawaii vacation blog got attention by Hawaii travelers who look for the Hawaii paths less traveled away from the tourist crowds. Well, we are sure that today's blog post will get everybody's attention who has a Christmas vacation in Hawaii in mind for this year.

There is no doubt that Vacation in Hawaii is special at any time of the year. Hawaii still holds its position as a top destination for visitors from the Mainland and from around the world, whether it's for a special Hawaii honeymoon, a family beach vacation with kids or celebrities taking a break from their Mainland lifestyles. From our experience as longtime vacation hosts in Hawaii, we can say that the most desired time for a Hawaii vacation is Christmas together with New Year's (this is how most people book it), followed by Thanksgiving and the snowbird months January and February.

We always considered it our most special Christmas gift to go on Christmas Day or the afternoon of Christmas Eve to white sand Mauna Kea Beach, lie in the sun and have a swim in the ocean! Hawaii spoils its visitors with its warm sunny days and warm ocean waters even in December when most Mainland states are in the tight grip of frost, ice and snow. Admittedly, the fun of a Hawaii Christmas vacation does not come cheap to Hawaii visitors. Hawaii hotels charge higher holiday room rates and hotels, 5-star or budget, but they book very fast in advance. We noticed that even this year, after lower Hawaii visitor numbers during the summer and fall months, Christmas holidays don't make an exception.

Here are a few Hawaii Vacation tips for the average Hawaii traveler to save money and have fun at Christmas Vacation 2008:

1. Rent a Hawaii vacation home or condo instead of staying at a hotel

First of all, privately owned Hawaii vacation rentals don't book as fast as hotels, if they are not right on the beach. There are lovely places with short 10 - 15 minute drive to best beaches in your vacation area. They are fully equipped with complete kitchens, which can save you tons of money on all your meals. With this extra money, you can take the whole family to a whale watch tour. Remember the humpback whales are back in December. Vacation rentals by owner come all inclusive with beach equipment, snorkel gear and even Internet access, even saunas or jaccuzis. Remember that's what you pay those Hawaii resort fees for.

2. Share a Hawaii vacation home or condo with family or friends

So many guests would love to have a private pool for their Hawaii Christmas vacation, but cannot afford the place, unless they make a small sacrifice and share the home + the rate (!) with family or friends which you hang out with anyway on a daily basis. Look for vacation rentals which have short driving distances to beaches, shopping and fun entertainment.

3. Share a rental car with family or friends for Christmas

It does not take big planning to share a car with friends for going to the beach, going shopping or do a special Hawaiian island adventure. With a few easy adjustments and planning, you can save a lot of money with a shared car. With higher gas prices in Hawaii, this makes perfectly sense. Remember your last Hawaii vacation when you afterwards wondered why you rented the car in the first place. Book your Hawaii rental car for Christmas as early as possible. Guys these are the Hawaiian Islands and rental cars are not unlimited.

4. Free Christmas entertainment in Hawaii

Yes, there are still things in Hawaii for Christmas which are free. You just have to find them. Hotels have beautifully decorated Christmas tree exhibitions, electric toy railroads in winter wonderland scenery or even ginger bread houses as tall as people (hmm, that smell!). Shopping centers do nightly Christmas entertainment with hula dancers and carol singing. It's a wonderful experience to join those Hawaiian Christmas traditions, more so when you can show up in shorts and Aloha shirts! Welcome to Christmas in Hawaii! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
If you are still looking for a Last Minute Thanksgiving Hawaii rental, visit our 'Best Places Hawaii Thanksgiving 2008'.

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Maui Upcountry

When talking about Maui Vacation on Best Hawaii Vacation blog, a lot is said about the Maui resorts in Hawaii Kapalua (read our recent post Hawaii Kapalua Maui, Kaanapali and Kihei with their famous white sand beaches and ocean front and ocean view Maui condos. It makes perfectly sense that Hawaii tourists focus on sunny, white sand beaches when getting away from rainy Mainland. It comes with a sacrifice. Most of our beloved Hawaii beach areas are overflowing with tourists and thus become 'touristy'.

For all those who want to explore the islands, get to know the real Hawaii and get away from the touristy resorts, Upcountry Maui is the place to go on your Maui vacation. Upcountry Maui begins at Pukalani and climbs the slopes of magnificent Haleakala to the ranchland communities of Makawao, Kula, Keokea and Ulupalakua. These are the areas where you can find the oldest ranches, like Ulupakalua Ranch on the slopes of Haleakala at an elevation of under 2,000 feet.

You can reach the ranch via a scenic drive past horses, cattle and purple blooming jacarandas. Enjoy the panoramic views of Lanai, Molokini and Kahoolawe. The Hawaiian cowboys, knowns as paniolos, are still riding the ranges!

When you decide to stay at one of the lovely upcountry B&Bs, inns or vacation rentals in the coming winter months, be aware that the higher elevation brings colder temperatures to those upcountry areas, especially during the nights. Make sure that there is some heating at your accommodation and have a sweater and long pants available for going out at night. Driving a convertible might not be the right thing, as rain can suddenly surprise you.

Well, one cannot leave Hawaii tourism totally behind when visiting Upcountry Maui. The green rolling pastures of rural Makawao with the blue ocean in the distance is home to beautiful boutiques, restaurants and art galleries. But one got to eat on a day trip outing and a little shopping can be fun too. If you are not into it, drive further up the road to Kula where Maui visitors can find flower farms with beautiful tropical flowers like protea, orchids and bird of paradise.

Kula Botanical Garden is another alternative to visiting boutiques and galleries. The 8-acre garden is located on the slopes of Haleakala and displays colorful and unique plants, amazing rock formations, a covered bridge, waterfalls, koi pond and aviary. Visitors will find hundreds of varieties of plants to enjoy and photograph.

We have hundreds of varieties of plants for you to enjoy and photograph.

There is much more to Upcountry Maui. If you have stayed at one of the wonderful upcountry vacation places or would like to share your upcountry Maui experience with our Hawaii blog visitors, we would love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

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Hawaii Kapalua Maui

As the the snow birds are getting ready for their winter vacation in Hawaii, we'd better cover some more areas of interest for Hawaii travel after our recent excursion to Molokai's Fishponds. Our September post 'Big Island or Maui Vacation' on Best Hawaii Vacation blog hopefully helped Hawaii travelers to make their final decision which Hawaiian island it's gonna be this year for their special Hawaii vacation. If Maui has come ahead of the Big Island, today's article about Kapalua on West Maui is for you. What's there to do and to see?

The experienced Hawaii traveler knows that the west coasts of the Hawaiian islands are blessed with plenty of sunshine, stretches of white sand beaches and reef lined coastal waters, perfect for snorkelers, divers and swimmers. This is not any different with the area of Kapalua on West Maui. The unique tropical beauty, historic sites and premier golf courses attract thousands of visitors to Kapalua at the northwest end of the island of Maui.

Elegant Kapalua is quietly nestled among tall Cook Pines which give the popular resort a countryside feeling. The five bays of Kapalua are sheltered by lava peninsula, which actually gave Kapalua its name which can be interpreted as "arms embracing the sea". Speaking of surroundings and natural beauty of Kapalua, one has to mention thousands of acres of pinapple which surround the resort and give the hillsides a blue-green tint. By the way, the Kapalua Nature Society offers guided nature hikes into the nearby rain forest.

The 23,000-acre Kapalua Resort can be considered as Hawaii's #1 Golf Resort. Passionate golfers may choose from three championship golf courses - including the Plantation Course, home of the prestigious PGA TOUR Mercedes Championship! - state-of-the-art golf academy and value-added golf packages. Not a golfer?! Kapalua Resort features three white sand beaches, two tennis complexes, restaurants, boutiques and galleries. You don't need to drive or walk far to find your favorite Maui things to do. Kapalua Resort has it all lined up for you. I've found some nice Kapalua photos on Tripadvisor taken by Maui visitors.

Now, the question is where to stay when one wants to enjoy this Hawaii luxury resort. Kapalua Villas are a great choice for those who are not on a budget. We recommend the budget conscious traveler to check out the Kapalua Condos for more affordable Maui vacation. As usual, we would like to hear from you about your Hawaii Kapalua Vacation on Maui. What do you like best in Kapalua? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Mahalo Amber from Wahine Style for being another time our Hawaii post girl.

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