# YIPPEE!!!!! Just booked 2nd week on Big Island



## suzanne (Jun 13, 2011)

Thanks to all my TUG Families help, I just got off phone with RCI, Guide was giving me grief about not having ref# for free combining of weeks if reserving unit at time of combining. Told her I no longer had email did not know I needed ref#. After being on hold forever, she came back and said supervisor gave her approval to do it. So I was able to get the week I wanted and save $99 fee. YIPPEE!!! She proceeded to lecture me on not keeping emails with reference #'s. 


The week is Saturday, Nov 3rd to Nov. 10, 2012 at the Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort. Its a 2 bedroom unit for 6. Now I can start searching for a week on Oahu for last week of October, 2012 . This way we will fly into Oahu, see tourist stuff for first week, get over jet lag  then do Inter-Island flight to the Big Island for the back to back 2 weeks there. Then fly back to Oahu for long flight back to Florida. This gets us home week before Thanksgiving travel nightmare.

So now I need everyones input on what we should not miss seeing/doing. I'm so excited to be going to Hawaii for first time. Also, for anyone who has stayed at either the HGVC at Waikoloa Kohana Suites or Wyndom Kona Hawaiian Resort any advice on which building/unit/floor we should request ahead of time? We want quiet, not next to pool or ground floor. We had ground floor at Summer Bay in Vegas and it souned like elephants walking overhead every morning around 4 AM. 

Suzanne


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## slip (Jun 13, 2011)

You have to do the Polynesian Culture Center on Oahu. The show is fantastic.
I love history, so of coarse we went to Pearl Harbor. We're going to the Big Island for 
the first time this October. We are going snorkeling with Fair winds and a few of the local beaches.
Your going to love it in Hawaii.  This will be your first of many trips.
There's always a reason to go back.


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## Luanne (Jun 13, 2011)

Buy "The Big Island Revealed".  

For Kona Hawaiian Resort just ask for a unit on the second level away from the pool.  They will usually tell you they'll try to honor your request.  I remember one time when we stayed there the unit we were assigned to wasn't ready and they let us select another one that was ready.


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## suzanne (Jun 13, 2011)

Thank you, I'm so excited. I was going to ask about the cultural center on Oahu. I don't know what it is exactly. We are definately going to Peal Harbor and the Arizona. Also will be going to the North Shore to see the surfing beaches there. Is the Dole Plantation worth a tour?

Luanne, I will get the book. Did you enjoy your stay at the Kona Hawaiian? Is it to far to walk to a beach from the resort? We plan to rent a car for the two weeks on the Big Island but not for the week on Oahu. We plan to stay close to Waikiki Beach and do a couple of day tours that I saw online.

Thanks again for all your help.

Suzanne


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## slip (Jun 13, 2011)

I didn't do the Dole plantation. When we did the Culture Center, the tour bus
picked us up and took us there. It's about an hour ride. Once there we were assigned
a tour guide that took us through. There were Hula demonstrations, 
tree climbing and coconut splitting demonstrations. They had a parade of boats that 
when down a canal. Each boat represented a Polynesian island. 
At the end was the show that was the highlight of the trip. We had a front row seat and it as fantastic. 
If I remember right they had a Luau there also. We've been to a lot of Luau's.


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## Luanne (Jun 13, 2011)

One thing you'll find about the Big Island is.....it's big.  You'll need to do quite a bit of driving.

Our favorite beach when we stay in Kona is Kahulu'u, or as we call it "the snorkel beach".  You will have to drive to get there.  I don't think there is a swimable beach within walking distance of Kona Hawaiian.  We did walk into town each morning and got coffee before walking back though.

When staying in the Waikoloa area we like to drive up to Hapuna Beach.  It's won "Best Beach" award many times.


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## suzanne (Jun 14, 2011)

Luanne, at the snorkle beach, do you take your own gear or rent from someone on the Island? We love snorkling and the beaches. I'm ordering the book today from Amazon.com. 

We saw a submarine tour that for few extra dollars you could also do a luau. Which luau is the best on the Big Island? Would love to do a real Islander one. Have put the Cultural Center on our Oahu to do list. Also want to do the Manta Snorkle Trip on the Big Island. I love those guys.

Suzanne


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## Luanne (Jun 14, 2011)

suzanne said:


> Luanne, at the snorkle beach, do you take your own gear or rent from someone on the Island? We love snorkling and the beaches. I'm ordering the book today from Amazon.com.


We do both.  Dh and I have our own snorkel gear, so we bring it.  We just have mask and snorkel, no fins.  If you use fins you might want to rent those.  We have rented for our dds with Snorkel Bob's.  There is a location in town, in front of Huggo's restaurant.  We've never had a problem with them.



> We saw a submarine tour that for few extra dollars you could also do a luau. Which luau is the best on the Big Island?


The "best" luau on the Big Island was the one at Kona Village Resort. However, the resort was closed down due to the tsunami-earthquake damage.  I don't know if there is a date for reopening.  Although I haven't been to that one, it had been the one I'd always heard was the best and most authentic.  My bet is, the rest of them are about on the same level.

Here is the latest information about the Kona Village Resort.

http://www.konavillage.com/


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## suzanne (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks Luanne, thats so sad. I hope they are able to reopen eventually. I was on Amazon to order the book and saw another one called Oahu Revealed by same author but it's from 2009. Is it worth it to buy it or wait to see if he does an updated version of it?

Hubby and I are certified scuba divers but due to his health he can no longer dive but can snorkle. Since we have all our own scuba gear we will bring our masks & snorkles and as you suggested if needed rent fins. Airline fees and weight limits sure put a damper on what one can take with them these days. 

Suzanne


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## DeniseM (Jun 14, 2011)

I think the best self-touring guide for Oahu is Driving and Discovering Oahu by Richard Sulliven.  This is an over-sized coffee table quality book with gorgeous pictures (the author is a photographer) with very detailed maps.  You can buy it on the author's website at a nice discount.

The reason I like this guidebook is that it has large detailed maps that show you exactly what to stop and see along the way.  The other guidebooks talk about what to see, but the way this book incorporates the maps makes it so much easier for a first time visitor.  The photos are also outstanding.


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## suzanne (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks for the info and link Denise.

Suzanne


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## cgeidl (Jun 14, 2011)

*Sixth visit to Kona Hawaiian Resort*

This is our favorite by far as Waikoloa is tooo remote for us for a week,although a wonderful resort.We will be there next march 23rd for a week then a few weeks on Oahu.
We always ask for a second floor unit above the lower pool. Second floor there even has a slight ocean view.The noise is seldom if evr much bother especially with my hearing!! They have very nice balconies and you can enjoy your mai tais and pupus here.It is not far bt a rather dangerous walk at night going into town as there are no sidewalks.
Lots of fun small time activities at the resort. Concierges are of no help if you don't go to the TS sales program.


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## Luanne (Jun 14, 2011)

cgeidl said:


> This is our favorite by far as Waikoloa is tooo remote for us for a week,although a wonderful resort.



And for us a perfect trip is one week in Kona and one in the Waikoloa area. They both have their advantages.  Staying in Waikoloa puts you closer to the wonderful Hapuna Beach, and the beach at the Mauna Kea.  It also puts you closer to Hawi, Waimea (Kamuela) and all points north.


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## suzanne (Jun 14, 2011)

One week in each is what we now have booked. Looking forward to seeing each of the areas. With a week on Oahu, we should see all the highlights. Like everywhere, it takes much more than a couple of weeks to really see and do everything. I just need more weeks and vacation $$$. 

Suzanne


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## Luanne (Jun 14, 2011)

suzanne said:


> I just need more weeks and vacation $$$.
> 
> Suzanne



Don't we all.


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## carolbol (Jun 21, 2011)

suzanne said:


> Thank you, I'm so excited. I was going to ask about the cultural center on Oahu. I don't know what it is exactly. We are definately going to Peal Harbor and the Arizona. Also will be going to the North Shore to see the surfing beaches there. Is the Dole Plantation worth a tour?
> 
> We did stop at the Dole Plantation because we were passing it and decided to stop.  Definitely not worth it.  An overpriced train ride through empty fields.  Gift shop ridiculously priced.  Definitely a tourist trap in my honest opinion.  Three weeks on the islands and the only thing we did not enjoy was the Dole Plantation.  Everything else we did was great.
> 
> ...


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## suzanne (Jun 22, 2011)

Thank you for your help. Dole is out Cultural Center is on our to do list. My list keeps getting longer. I need more time.

Suzanne


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## fillde (Jun 22, 2011)

To me Dole, was a good stop for the pineapple. You can taste and ship out the sweetest pineapple you will ever taste. Some scuba or sightseeing tours include this stop in their package so you will not have a choice.
Also we did not rent a car in Oahu because the bus system is excellent. 
Suzanne, at which month do you start looking at airfare?


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## suzanne (Jun 23, 2011)

I start searching fares as soon as the first available dates that I need show up and continue checking until I find one that I feel is decent for where we are going. Since its over a year til we go, I can't see any dates yet. I also check every travel site I can think of and the airlines direct. I then go with the cheapest most direct flights.

We are not going to rent a car on Oahu. We plan to rent one for the 2 weeks we will be on the Big Island.

Suzanne


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## Tedman (Jun 23, 2011)

DeniseM said:


> I think the best self-touring guide for Oahu is Driving and Discovering Oahu by Richard Sulliven.  This is an over-sized coffee table quality book with gorgeous pictures (the author is a photographer) with very detailed maps.  You can buy it on the author's website at a nice discount.
> 
> The reason I like this guidebook is that it has large detailed maps that show you exactly what to stop and see along the way.  The other guidebooks talk about what to see, but the way this book incorporates the maps makes it so much easier for a first time visitor.  The photos are also outstanding.



Thanks for the suggestion. Just bought the book on eBay.

Ted


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