# Considering HI for Christmas 2015



## VegasBella (Aug 12, 2014)

We're thinking about going to Hawaii for Winter Break 2015, ideally for Christmas. We would mostly likely rent, not exchange. We may rent timeshares or a home. If timeshares, we'd get 2 or 3 units. 

The group would most likely be:
6 adults, 2 teens, 1 kindergartner
2 of the adults will be seniors and one has limited mobility

At least 4 of us want to surf/ boogie board/ play in waves so I want a place walking distance to a nice beach, but I'm worried about big dangerous waves during the Winter. 

We will eat home-cooked most of the time and don't want to spend a lot of time going out to eat. We will want to explore some natural beauty (hiking, volcanoes, snorkeling). We want to keep it relatively inexpensive, including flights.

Suggestions as to where we should stay and what we should do?


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## DeniseM (Aug 12, 2014)

> We want to keep it relatively *inexpensive*, including flights.



This is the most expensive time of year to go to Hawaii - there is enormous demand for the holidays, and you will pay far more for both airfare and accommodations, if you go Christmas/NY week.  You can save a lot of money by going a different time of year.



> We will want to explore some natural beauty (hiking, volcanoes, snorkeling).



Only the Big Island has an _active_ volcano, and it also has excellent snorkeling.

The only other island that has an accessible _inactive_ volcano is Maui, which has Haleakala.  Of course, all the islands are essentially gigantic old volcanoes, because that's what created them.


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## presley (Aug 12, 2014)

I can't really think of something that meets all your requests.  The Big Island is probably the most decent, but not sure if there is a rental on a calm beach since I've only stayed in Hilo and Waikoloa.  I suppose there will be rentals on the beach on the Hilo side, but the sun rarely shines over there and it could be very disappointing for those wanting to bask in the sun in Hawaii.  The other place to check is Kona.  Kona is on the sunny side and has everything within walking distance.

Cost wise, we have looked at going for Christmas several times and it just wasn't going to work out for us.  The flights are often more then double the flight cost of going a few weeks before or after.  Car rental rates are really high, too.  Even if we owned a fixed Christmas week over there, I doubt we'd be able to use it because of the other travel costs.

I've seen beautiful houses on the beach on Oahu for vacation rental on the North Shore.  The ocean is rough and dangerous, though.  So, it would really just be for looks, not for swimming or boogie boarding.  Turtle Bay Resort is the only hotel over there and will probably be hundreds of dollars for a night during that time.


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## buzglyd (Aug 12, 2014)

+1 on the airfares. 

They can be pretty scary unless the airlines release some seats at the last minute.

You won't want to be on the North Shore of any island in Winter if your worried about rough surf. 

Lawai Beach and Poipu area of Kauai would be great. You get great snorkeling. Boating and you can also explore the Hawaiian Grand Canyon. It's on the south side and the dry side.


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## VegasBella (Aug 14, 2014)

When I search Kayak the flights are the same or cheaper from Vegas to Honolulu during Winter Break than Summer Break. 

Is is mostly room rates, rental cars, and other flights that are more expensive?


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## sjsharkie (Aug 14, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> When I search Kayak the flights are the same or cheaper from Vegas to Honolulu during Winter Break than Summer Break.
> 
> Is is mostly room rates, rental cars, and other flights that are more expensive?



Everything is more expensive during Christmas/NYE in Hawaii.  I would say that rental cars are the most inflated because they do sell out depending on the island you are visiting -- therefore if you book late, you are at their mercy to get a car.  Room rates and flights are more expensive on average, but you generally can find something at a slight premium over normal high season.

I suspect flights right now are cheaper for winter than summer because we are so far out from summer break 2015.  Prices will go down for that time period as we get closer in.

-ryan


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## DeniseM (Aug 14, 2014)

Hawaiian Air:  LV to Maui - Dec. 20-27 - $1,344 PP

Hawaiian Air:  LV to Maui - July 4-11 - $938 PP
(this is usually the highest week of the summer)


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## klpca (Aug 14, 2014)

We're going over Thanksgiving this year - never again. 

I figured that airfares would be about double what I normally pay. Nope. Nearly 4 times the amount. Luckily I have used miles for a couple of the tickets, but I just paid $1500 for a refundable fare for my daughter (and used my Alaska companion fare for her bf). Alaska has only had refundable fares since I started monitoring the flights in March and the prices haven't changed a bit. I am hoping that since the flight is pretty full they will add another flight and there will be a price reduction then, but otherwise I am just resigned to the cost. I think that Christmas would be similar. 

Our cars, through Costco, are normal prices. We are staying in exchanged units so I can't comment on cost there.

As far as location, I would look into something in Poipu on Kauai. Waikoloa on the Big Island would be my second choice. And of course, Maui is always good.


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## VegasBella (Aug 16, 2014)

DeniseM said:


> Hawaiian Air:  LV to Maui - Dec. 20-27 - $1,344 PP
> Hawaiian Air:  LV to Maui - July 4-11 - $938 PP
> (this is usually the highest week of the summer)


Hmmm...
I just did that same search and found the rate you got for that Summer week but got $935 for the Winter week you searched. 

I did the same dates in Kayak and found the Summer week lowest rate as $937 (American Airlines) and Winter lowest $879 (Hawaiian Air). 

Allegiant can do Vegas to Honolulu Dec 19-27 for $612 roundtrip. Course we'd have to spend extra for a flight to another island if we don't stay on Oahu. And we'd have to pay for an extra night at the hotel/timeshare/vacation rental home. So it might not be worth it, but it's an option.
---

ANYWAY... I said "relatively inexpensively" not "as cheap as possible." Our plan is to travel during Winter Break, ideally Christmas, and we'd like to do it without spending extra totally needlessly. We understand it's not the least expensive vacation we could take and if it helps just pretend I didn't mention finances at all.


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## DaveNV (Aug 16, 2014)

I'd suggest you consider renting a place in Lanikai, on Oahu.  This is where President Obama vacations.  It's adjacent to Kailua Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. There is plenty to do on the island for a group such as yours, and airfare will be the most affordable.  Hanauma Bay is a few miles down the road, excellent for snorkeling, even in Winter. Lots of hiking, lots of history (Pearl Harbor, the Bishop Museum, Iolani Palace, etc.) Waikiki Beach and nightlife is waiting, but you can return to your rental home when you're done. The North Shore, with its high surf beaches and amazing scenery is literally right up the highway from Lanikai. And you're less than 15 miles from Honolulu, an easy drive over the Pali Highway.

I looked at http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rental...nikai?from-date=2014-12-20&to-date=2014-12-21

Hope this helps,
Dave


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## tompalm (Aug 16, 2014)

Agree with the above, Christmas is not the best time if interested in saving money. Also, if you live in Vegas, avoid the summer and travel when it is hot and go to Hawaii as soon as school gets out in June.  The cheapest places to stay are on outer islands. I like the big island and maybe you can rent a timeshare from a TUG member in Waikaloa at one of the Hilton properties. Lots to do there.


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## Laurie (Aug 16, 2014)

If you're renting and not timesharing with a large group, an area off many people's radar is the Kapoho area (east side) of the Big Island. There are fabulous warm ponds to snorkel in, it's incredibly gorgeous there, and many big houses to rent. And compared to other areas, it's relatively uncrowded.  We have rented there for a few nights - an oceanfront house - and wished for more time.

I did a quick google search, you can try VRBO or something like that, but here's who came up for a quick glance:

http://www.flipkey.com/kapoho-vacation-rentals/g1553524/


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## ThreeLittleBirds (Aug 16, 2014)

Laurie, that looks incredible!!! If our OGS for Maui doesn't produce anything for this December, we may just do that for 5-7 days.

I just recently found out about warm pools/hot springs on the Big Island. We are big fans of hot springs in Colorado, and never considered there may be some in Hawaii (but makes sense). 

Is this the only area of the big island that has these warm water pools?

As for the OP, we are a family that travels to Hawaii every year over the holidays. We generally have to book a few days before and/or after for flights, but this usually opens up lower fares and air miles. For example, this year all three of us are traveling for $1098 TOTAL for airfare. Miles one way, cheap flights the other direction.


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## DaveNV (Aug 16, 2014)

ThreeLittleBirds said:


> Is this the only area of the big island that has these warm water pools?



As far as I know, those are the only ones on the Big Island. (Not sure there are any on the other islands, either.) 

At the Punalu'u black sand beach, on the far end of the beach area, there is a small freshwater pool adjacent to the saltwater. It's basically a pool of water in a lava rock bowl, fed by a trickle of water coming out of the rock.  A really old Hawaiian man showed it to me about 15 years ago. We had a nice long chat about the beauty of nature, and how Pele takes care of her people by providing fresh water where there is none to drink.  

I still remember our conversation fondly.  He was the one who told me being Hawaiian was a state of mind, not just one of birth.  As a Mainland-born haole boy who felt absorbed by all things Hawaiian when I moved there as a teenager, it made me feel great to know my love for Hawaii wasn't just wishful thinking. As a "son of a different mother" I felt like I'd finally figured out my roots. 

Dave


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## DeniseM (Aug 16, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> ANYWAY... I said "relatively inexpensively" not "as cheap as possible." Our plan is to travel during Winter Break, ideally Christmas, and we'd like to do it without spending extra totally needlessly. We understand it's not the least expensive vacation we could take and if it helps just pretend I didn't mention finances at all.



Going back to your priority list - this Big Island is the only island where you can see an active volcano, and it has great snorkeling.  Hiking is available on all the islands.

For a large group, a house would probably be more cost effective than several timeshare units.


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## mauitraveler (Aug 16, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> Hmmm...
> I just did that same search and found the rate you got for that Summer week but got $935 for the Winter week you searched.
> 
> I did the same dates in Kayak and found the Summer week lowest rate as $937 (American Airlines) and Winter lowest $879 (Hawaiian Air).
> ...




Vegas Bella,
It's too bad that you can't go for Thanksgiving.  We used to go the day before, or on Thanksgiving and stay for the week after Thanksgiving.  United must be having a sale for those dates, because I just checked and the fare is $494 pp roundtrip.  I haven't seen Thanksgiving fares this low for at least 10 years!  Enjoy your holiday trip and good luck with your plans!  CJ


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## VegasBella (Aug 17, 2014)

Great news about Thanksgiving deals. That's one holiday we never travel for. We have to stay in town for that week. 

We're planning for 2015, not 2014. The air fares comparisons were just to get an idea of flight costs. We're not actually planning to go this year.

It sounds like the north side of any island is out for me because I will literally go crazy if I can see the water but can't get in it because it's too dangerous. That is not relaxing to me, it's extremely frustrating. Like having a bike with a flat tire or a camera and no memory.

The Big Island sounds like a good plan because of relatively low vacation home rental rates and because it sounds like there's a lot to do there.


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## Ron98GT (Aug 17, 2014)

VegasBella said:


> Great news about Thanksgiving deals. That's one holiday we never travel for. We have to stay in town for that week.
> 
> We're planning for 2015, not 2014. The air fares comparisons were just to get an idea of flight costs. We're not actually planning to go this year.
> 
> ...


Don't understand that statement   And why couldn't you see the ocean, because the rent is too high   Also don't understand why you can't go in the ocean 

We were on Oahu last December and we'll be back this December.  The beaches were fine, and yes, even the North Shore and NE Shores.


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## PearlCity (Aug 17, 2014)

presley said:


> I can't really think of something that meets all your requests.  The Big Island is probably the most decent, but not sure if there is a rental on a calm beach since I've only stayed in Hilo and Waikoloa.  I suppose there will be rentals on the beach on the Hilo side, but the sun rarely shines over there and it could be very disappointing for those wanting to bask in the sun in Hawaii.  The other place to check is Kona.  Kona is on the sunny side and has everything within walking distance.
> 
> Cost wise, we have looked at going for Christmas several times and it just wasn't going to work out for us.  The flights are often more then double the flight cost of going a few weeks before or after.  Car rental rates are really high, too.  Even if we owned a fixed Christmas week over there, I doubt we'd be able to use it because of the other travel costs.
> 
> I've seen beautiful houses on the beach on Oahu for vacation rental on the North Shore.  The ocean is rough and dangerous, though.  So, it would really just be for looks, not for swimming or boogie boarding.  Turtle Bay Resort is the only hotel over there and will probably be hundreds of dollars for a night during that time.


Waikaloa a has a calm swimming beach fronting the marriott. Kapoho has decent vrbo rentals and the sun always shines there but in think they suffered some damage from the hurricane so you might need to check with the owners


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## PearlCity (Aug 17, 2014)

BMWguynw said:


> I'd suggest you consider renting a place in Lanikai, on Oahu.  This is where President Obama vacations.  It's adjacent to Kailua Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. There is plenty to do on the island for a group such as yours, and airfare will be the most affordable.  Hanauma Bay is a few miles down the road, excellent for snorkeling, even in Winter. Lots of hiking, lots of history (Pearl Harbor, the Bishop Museum, Iolani Palace, etc.) Waikiki Beach and nightlife is waiting, but you can return to your rental home when you're done. The North Shore, with its high surf beaches and amazing scenery is literally right up the highway from Lanikai. And you're less than 15 miles from Honolulu, an easy drive over the Pali Highway.
> 
> I looked at http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rental...nikai?from-date=2014-12-20&to-date=2014-12-21
> 
> ...


Because the president vacations there during Christmas.  Trust me it's a mess during that time with traffic.  I'd skip Lanikai for the holiday


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## presley (Aug 17, 2014)

If you decide to do an exchange, Ko Olina on Oahu has very calm water for swimming/snorkeling.  I've never seen waves over there.  It's early enough to try for an exchange to Marriott Ko Olina or DVC Aulani.  I suspect they do deposit major holiday weeks, probably not many and not enough that would show up as online inventory.  

Since you now own a Grand Pacific Resort, you can exchange or rent from gpx.  In addition to the GPR managed resorts, they get Diamond resorts and Wyndham resorts for Hawaii.  There are times when you could find a couple 2 bedrooms with a day difference for check in/out at the same resort.  I think the most I've ever seen a 2bedroom rental week was $999. - even for Hawaii during a major holiday.


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## DaveNV (Aug 17, 2014)

PearlCity said:


> Because the president vacations there during Christmas.  Trust me it's a mess during that time with traffic.  I'd skip Lanikai for the holiday



Excellent point!  I hadn't considered that.  I was thinking more of the location. It'd be a perfect place for her to go, if it could be worked out.  Add in the President, and things would tend to get a bit more hectic. 

Dave


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## PearlCity (Aug 17, 2014)

My recommendation would be to do Waikaloa for a part of the week and really check out kapoho for a couple of days. The tide pools are fun to snorkel in. Just check however about the hurricane damage. If you have military access there is also the Kilauea military camp near the volcano that is pretty affordable. For a holiday I'd skip oahu. Ko olina beach club and aulani are going to be crazy crowded and the traffic in Waikiki is not going to be relaxing. 

The big Island is my personal favorite island. Such a diverse amount of things to do.


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## jacknsara (Aug 17, 2014)

PearlCity said:


> <snip> ... Kapoho has decent vrbo rentals and the sun always shines there but in think they suffered some damage from the hurricane so you might need to check with the owners


Aloha,
Kapoho consists of two separate neighborhoods:  Vactionland  & Beach Lots
We are currently booked to spend a week in each this December.  I've not inquired about status since near term from the following links, I know the area is currently uninhabitable for tourists (not sure if power is restored yet, but wasn't as of a couple of days ago).
Vacationland resembles New Orleans after Katrina.  So many houses are gone.  Debris of all sizes up to and including a house is washed into the ponds.  Some of the debris is regulated (aka hazardous).  The ponds are reported to stink.
Surprisingly, I've found nothing specific about Beach Lots.  What a difference a half mile makes.

I've collected many youtube links using search criteria like "kapoho iselle"
Here's just a few.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRZriynYNCA 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAOSb3Bn_Xo 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LjFYl0vJKk 

In another week or two, I will make contact with the rental agents.  Beach Lots might be okay by then.  There is no way for anyone to be sure if/when Vactionland will be restored.  There are many complicating factors.  If you have the interest for a real long video, try 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vqRKQjQ0e8 
FWIW: it is likely that the area is not so slowly subsiding geologically.   http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/occl/files/2013/08/Coastal-Subsidence-Final.pdf      Its not clear that some of the lots with any part of the foundation missing could ever be rebuilt since it is debatable whether the lots are inside current or pending definitions of shoreline.  I'm guessing it will take years to sort this out.

BTW - if the videos move you to want to contribute, United Way of Hawaii has set up a specific program
http://www.hiunitedway.org/iselle/
Jack


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## PearlCity (Aug 17, 2014)

jacknsara said:


> Aloha,
> Kapoho consists of two separate neighborhoods:  Vactionland  & Beach Lots
> We are currently booked to spend a week in each this December.  I've not inquired about status since near term from the following links, I know the area is currently uninhabitable for tourists (not sure if power is restored yet, but wasn't as of a couple of days ago).
> Vacationland resembles New Orleans after Katrina.  So many houses are gone.  Debris of all sizes up to and including a house is washed into the ponds.  Some of the debris is regulated (aka hazardous).  The ponds are reported to stink.
> ...



That's absolutely terrible. It's normally such a beautiful place. I hope that they recover. One thing I liked is that the residents that did live in the area were very friendly.


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## PearlCity (Aug 20, 2014)

http://www.kitv.com/news/iselle-storm-debris-may-be-polluting-kapoho-tide-pools/27633236#!bGEH7u

I guess Kapoho might not be so good for a little while.....


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## VegasBella (Aug 20, 2014)

presley said:


> If you decide to do an exchange, Ko Olina on Oahu has very calm water for swimming/snorkeling.  I've never seen waves over there.  It's early enough to try for an exchange to Marriott Ko Olina or DVC Aulani.  I suspect they do deposit major holiday weeks, probably not many and not enough that would show up as online inventory.
> 
> Since you now own a Grand Pacific Resort, you can exchange or rent from gpx.  In addition to the GPR managed resorts, they get Diamond resorts and Wyndham resorts for Hawaii.  There are times when you could find a couple 2 bedrooms with a day difference for check in/out at the same resort.  I think the most I've ever seen a 2bedroom rental week was $999. - even for Hawaii during a major holiday.


The only TS we own that we'd consider exchanging wouldn't give us enough to exchange into a Marriott or Disney. But that's an idea for the future, maybe.

I was considering maybe using bonus weeks from GPX or renting. You're right that they seem to be capped at about $999. I've seen some for much cheaper, but those aren't usually 2 bedrooms during prime seasons.

We will probably rent a home though. It depends on how many people are coming and what they want to spend. It's a little tricky with some family members, however, who don't want to share rooms. 



jacknsara said:


> Vacationland resembles New Orleans after Katrina.


Umm, I'm pretty sure that's not the case. I actually visited NOLA not too long after Katrina and volunteered with animal rescue. Katrina aftermath damage was far more devastating than any other American hurricane since. If you don't recall, over 1800 people DIED as a result of Katrina. Every report I've read about Iselle says that there have been ZERO human casualties. ZERO is quite a bit different from 1800.

Anyway, you're right. It does appear that I should not plan on visiting there for our vacation. Have you canceled your vacation or changed plans or what are you doing?


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