BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i

Subject: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 09:40 PM

Is there an especially obnoxious tourist season in Hawai'i? We're thinking of visiting and would like to avoid...you know, touroids.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Alice
Date: 02 Jan 10 - 09:43 PM

I think depending on where you go, you will find tourists there all year 'round. When it's cold in the northern states, you will find more tourists there in general.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 12:27 AM

Well, Both Obama and Rush Limbaugh were vacationing there, at the same time...anyone for visiting Ebbie, in Alaska????

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 12:35 PM

I heard Rush was rushed to a Honolulu hospital with chest pains 3 days ago. It turned out he found someone's Luau and ate the whole thing himself thinking it was the Hotel's complimentary snack.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 01:09 PM

This visit occurred at this time of year, 1996...

Poem 32 of 230: THE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTRE

North, on the warm island of Oahu
    There's a really good place to see:
The Polynesian Cultural Centre -
    A centre linked by Christianity;
It's run by a broad-minded Christian group,
    Championing cultures while they preach.
I talked to a few of the kind members,
    And here's an abstract of their speech:

The employees are all uni. students,
    Labouring for their study and board;
They come from many Pacific islands,
    And are all believers in their Lord;
They are studying for varied degrees,
    And working at a number of jobs;
Some work as cultural entertainers,
    While others serve the tourist mobs.

I walked around for more than half a day,
    Then went to a skilled stage-show at night.
By day, the different island nations
    Do shows at their own cultural site;
There's good Tahitian cooking to be tried,
    Tamure dancing and hula, too.
Plus, at night, dramatic fire-walking,
    Drums and song, to name you but a few.

From http://blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse (e-book)
Or http://walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com (e-scroll)
(C) David Franks

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: MarkS
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 01:22 PM

Nancy Pelosi is there too.
Hmmmm.
Island full on libs and Limbaugh is sent to hospital with chest pains. Good start on a new conspiracy theory.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 01:52 PM

Few or no tourists are found in many places in the Hawaiian Islands.

-On Oahu, with Waikiki and Honolulu, one would expect the entire island to be covered with them, but a short drive to the west coast will find beaches that are almost deserted except for a couple of local families.
-Moloka'i is one of my favorites; few tourists and a 'local' feel. Ride the mules down the sea cliff trail to the old leper colony; a haunting place. A few lepers (cured) remain. Unforgetable! Good ribs at Pau Hana (inn at Kaunakakai). I hope this inn has not been scuttled. Deserted beaches and a dune area, not visited by tourists.   
-Hawai'i, the "Big Island," has many beaches with few tourists; also two great volcanoes (Mauna Kea almost 14,000 feet) and interesting flora, one may even find a couple of nene on slopes of Mauna Loa looking for a handout. Drive to the high central part of the island, see the observatories, and stop at Waimaea for a steak at a Parker Ranch restaurant. A jacket is needed in the central area, which in parts is quite cool. Many falls, heiau, trails and beaches with few tourists or only knowledgable ones. Even Hilo has a small town feel.
-Kauai also has places seldom visited by outsiders.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 02:15 PM

Answer to Rapaire- there are many places with few or none of the obnoxious types. Get maps and look for some of the places I named above. Even 'high' season; most of the sun-seekers keep to the well-known resorts, esp. Waikiki. Even downtown Hololulu, west of Waikiki, gets few tourists.
-Maui. Take the drive from Kahului around the south coast to the east end at Hana. Not for the foot to the floor driver!

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 03:28 PM

My only real experience is the Big Island.

I have a cousin who has a family in Kailua-Kona (he moved there in the 1960's and married into one of the oldest families there).
I also have friends from college who live there, some on the Hilo side and some on the Kona side of the island. I rented a car and drove completely around the island, but stayed mostly on the Kona side. I love the waterfalls, the botanical gardens. I was there in what would be a winter snowbird month, but I didn't notice any overpowering number of tourists on my stay.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 05:16 PM

The tourists there remind me of a flock of starlings. They huddle together in a few areas with hotel packages sold to them by travel agencies and their forays restricted to places offering 'luaus' or 'authentic' shows such as those offered by the Polynesian Cultural Center (operated by LDS). Not that these are not fun or interesting, but one does not get a feel for Hawai'i through them.

Stay away from these clusters and the few tourists are people who blend in.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 05:38 PM

If you want to visit when tourists are at a minimum, it would seem logical to avoid winter and early spring (snowbirds) and summer (family vacationers). That leaves late spring and fall as the theoretically least crowded times.

Of course, if enough people approach the question from such a logical standpoint, they'll all go in the late spring or fall. Then, instead of beating the crowds, they'll become the crowds and the theory is shot to hell.

In other words, you can't win. Go whenever you can get the best prices on airfare and lodging.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 06:00 PM

Winter is as good as any time to visit Hawai'i, if one takes the suggestions I have given. Hawai'i is not just Waikiki or Kona.

Moreover, when one lives in a cold winter area such as Canada, it is the best time to go there.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 08:26 PM

More about Hawai'i, where I used to go every winter.
Even around Honolulu, much is unknown to tourists.
O'ahu- rental car at airport. But within Honolulu, use the bus.
-Nice short walk, through a kukui and bamboo forest to Manoa waterfall. Drive to start of trail or take Bus 6. (The bus passes Univ. Hawaii, with excellent bookstore)
-Circle Island- take Bus 55. Follows east coast to north tip of O'ahu. A stop at the big hotel at Turtle Bay, good for lunch. One can use the beach below the hotel, or walk SE from there to secluded spots. Get on The Bus again and return through the central part of the Island. A half-day trip, but fare same as local city fares.
Pali- may be some tourists, but the lookout is breath-taking. May have rain there but sun on the beach.
-Many walks from valley heads.

Look at koa 'ukuleles and guitars-
Wahiawa town. http://www.koolauukulele.com
Honolulu. Kamaka. Several types of 'ukes, including 6-string, 8-string, and the guitar-like baritone. Beautiful! http://www.kamakahawaii.com.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 10:07 PM

Well, we're SERIOUSLY looking into a trip there this year. The table is covered with books on Hawai'i, the "Revealed" series I think they are.

With Hawai'i, my wife will have visited all 50 of the States. I will be left will Oklahoma and Arkansas to visit, and I would like to see Oklahoma sometime.

Q, the suggestions are great. And everyone, please keep 'em coming. If you'd like, I'll reciprocate with places to visit in Southeast Idaho (actually, there ARE some interesting places here).

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Clontarf83
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 10:43 PM

My wife and I go as tourists every two years. Hawaii offers you anything you want. We have had moments of pure magic there. For example, when we go to Waikiki we go the Marriott on Sunday night to hear the slack key session with George Kuo and other masters of the craft. I don't mind the tourist buzz in Waikiki--they are all just normal people in holiday mode, and the music in some of the hotels can be excellent.
ps
If you want quiet, Hana is great, as is much of north Oahu. Kuauai is magic any time, once you avoid Poipu and Princeville--just take the island bus to Hanalei, and find the Yurt where they have slack key music sessions in the afternoon. etc etc

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 09:04 PM

Rapaire, if you are going through books and maps, you will find more places of interest than you could visit in a month of years.

Try and catch a concert (free) by The Royal Hawaiian Band and soloists. Schedule at
Concert Calendar
The band has a long history, started in the 19th C. by the King. It is currently an agency of the City and County of Honolulu. They frequently played (Sunday) in the bandshell in the park to the east of Waikiki; I think they vary locations more now.

Like Clontarf83, I have enjoyed people watching at the beach in Waikiki. A good place is by the chess tables (newspaper vendors, and other "working class" players, who take the game seriously).
Toward the east end of Waikiki Beach is Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hale Koa, near Fort DeRussy. The beach is not crowded here, and in the mornings, instruction in Tai Chi is given near the "Fort" in the recreation area (open to the public). Don't know schedule, but a call to the Fort should tell. Hale Koa is a first class resort for active and retired service personnel.
The Hilton (22 acres) has many facilities for non-guests. Lapperts Ice Cream in the varied shopping area, an outdoor snack bar which had excellent inexpensive mahi-mahi sandwiches and fresh fruit platters, overlooking the beach; When in Honolulu I would eat lunch there on occasion.

Look for a hotel or inn in Honolulu with kitchen facilities or at least a fridge and coffee machine (some are very reasonable). Flights from W. Canada often arrived near midnight. I would take a hotel room (previously reserved) at one of the cheaper 2-3 star (AAA) places near the main Waikiki drag, check in, and go to the all-night grocery plus (several) and get local fruit, Hawaiian Portuguese bread (a round loaf, don't miss!), Hawaiian dark honey and milk for breakfast in the room (and a six-pack of Dos Equis).
Saturday nights, the kids come to town from the sticks, and drive the main drag in their four-wheelers, etc. Stroll along, watch the patrolling cops chatting up the working girls.

In your rental take the Tantalus road above Honolulu. Great views, and upscale residential with fine plantings. Also a good art museum.

In the city, take a look at Punahou School, where the well-to-do send their sons, including Barack Obama (His grandmother was a VP of Bank of Hawaii, and stepfather Soetero was independantly wealthy- so much for the food stamp nonsense). Digression- his mother's (Dunham) Ph.D thesis is finally receiving full publication; scholars in the field consider it a classic.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Pistachio
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 12:01 PM

I went to Oahu for two and a half weeks at the end of May 1997. It didn't seem 'busy' anywhere except when we visited Pearl Harbour. My 2 children and I stayed with friends on the Army base and Karen was our personal guide. The school term had a week to run so that might be a time to aim for... Reading through the above posts makes me want to travel again... maybe drag the 'old man' this time; he couldn't get time off back then.

Pali lookout, the Sea life centre, Turtle bay, the pineapple farm, Hanauma bay, 'Pearl', the cemetery of the pacific ( well worth a visit) and Diamond head... and as reminded above.. Waikiki and Hale Koa, brilliant pools if you don't fancy the surf!! Happy memories.

Go - enjoy! I doubt you'll be bothered by mega crowds - everyone was so laid back
Hx

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 01:58 PM

Pistachio, you reminded me of Hickam AFB. If one has a friend in the military, get them to take you for a visit. A few of the buildings still have scars from the Japanese attack.
On the entrance to Pearl Harbor, water-side, they have a good club with excellent food.

The Air Base runways are shared with Honolulu International. If you arrive or leave in daylight, a variety of Air Force planes can be seen.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: fretless
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 02:20 PM

Back in the day I worked on the Big Island, Hawaii, which attracts many fewer tourists than Oahu. Try the black sand beaches in the SE and the less frequented state parks like Lapakahi in the NW. Word I've gotten recently is tht there is a "rush hour" on some of the roads around dusk as locals leave their jobs in the tourist areas to head home, otherwise it's paradise. And if you like coffee, the Kona Historical Society's reconstructed coffee plantation sells a spectacular brew.

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 03:43 PM

Beware some of the coffee sold as "Kona" in the stores. often it is only 5-10% Kona and the rest some cheap filler coffee, not Hawaiian.
Buy from a grower (one not far south of the Kona resort area on the Big Island) or other good source.

As fretless says, I have found myself alone or with one or two others on Hawai'i (Big Island) beaches. But the same is true of the stretches of beach on the west side of O'ahu and on other islands.

But as someone above said, most visitors on the beaches are there for the sun and escape from their home routine, and I have never been bothered by them.

It touristy Waikiki, go to the Halekalani Hotel near sunset and in "The House Without a Key" drink a mai tai or three while you watch the sun go down over the ocean. This is open air. Nothing more touristy, but pleasant and relaxing. One of the most luxurious resort hotels, and the drinks ans snack foods are a bit expensive, but one leaves the place with a happy glow. Live Hawaiian entertainment from 5:30- 8:30. The last drinks are served at 9:00 PM, but one can sit for a long time without being bothered.
The resort hotel itself is run in relaxed style, and a cut or two above the old "pink lady."

Subject: RE: BS: High Tourist Season In Hawai'i
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 06:16 PM

Just looked at the Halekulani website. The "House Without a Key" now offers dinners. The prices are no worse than those of good restaurants here in Calgary; or even a little less.

See menus at foot of this page:

House Without A Key

Of course one would pay a lot more in their dining room, with a good wine, etc.