optimist
TUG Member
We spent two glorious weeks in Maui, the Big Island and Ohau. Came back last night to a sewer overflow in my studio
. So as I wait for the Roto-Rooter man to arrive with all memories of palm trees and plumerias drifting away fast, I thought I would share some of our experiences...
We spent way too much time transferring from one Island to the next. Many posts are about "which island"? Honestly, I think it doesn't matter. They are all beautiful but it really takes away from the vacation to schlep between them. A full day is gone by the time you pack your bags, check out, make your way to the airport, return the car rental, check in an hour and half ahead for a 15 minute flight then do the same thing all over again at your destination. Next time, one island and stay put.
The trip to the Volcano National Park should NOT be done in one day if your base is Waicoloa Village. We spent four days on the BI and we were staying at the Bay Club. I should have rented accommodations near the volcano but I could not work it. As it turned out, visible lava had stopped flowing the week we got there so we were unable to see lava flow but we hung around till sunset to see the red glow from afar which can only be seen in the dark.
We made the mistake of returning using the Southern route based on the description in the BI Revealed book. We had a 4WD so we thought we would be OK. Not a good idea... A good twenty miles are completely unpaved and pitch black. It was a terrifying drive that took forever.
Accommodations - We stayed at the Marriott Ocean Club in Maui which was fabulous. We got an ocean view room and loved the resort.
In Oahu, we stayed at Ko Olina. Based on all the reviews, I expected to love it but ended up wishing we had stayed somewhere else. The location is very artificial, nothing there but other resorts and not close to anything. Also, the rooms (we had two studios) were railroad like and dark.
I chose the Bay Club for the Big Island because everyone said how large the units were. Very true, a huge apartment really and beautifully furnished. But it does not feel like Hawaii because the ocean is nowhere to be seen, more like Arizona. So next time, I would pick one of the other Hilton properties.
Though we generally like to go to new places on vacation, as we were heading home, all four of us were agreed to return to Hawaii. It is paradise!

We spent way too much time transferring from one Island to the next. Many posts are about "which island"? Honestly, I think it doesn't matter. They are all beautiful but it really takes away from the vacation to schlep between them. A full day is gone by the time you pack your bags, check out, make your way to the airport, return the car rental, check in an hour and half ahead for a 15 minute flight then do the same thing all over again at your destination. Next time, one island and stay put.
The trip to the Volcano National Park should NOT be done in one day if your base is Waicoloa Village. We spent four days on the BI and we were staying at the Bay Club. I should have rented accommodations near the volcano but I could not work it. As it turned out, visible lava had stopped flowing the week we got there so we were unable to see lava flow but we hung around till sunset to see the red glow from afar which can only be seen in the dark.
We made the mistake of returning using the Southern route based on the description in the BI Revealed book. We had a 4WD so we thought we would be OK. Not a good idea... A good twenty miles are completely unpaved and pitch black. It was a terrifying drive that took forever.
Accommodations - We stayed at the Marriott Ocean Club in Maui which was fabulous. We got an ocean view room and loved the resort.
In Oahu, we stayed at Ko Olina. Based on all the reviews, I expected to love it but ended up wishing we had stayed somewhere else. The location is very artificial, nothing there but other resorts and not close to anything. Also, the rooms (we had two studios) were railroad like and dark.
I chose the Bay Club for the Big Island because everyone said how large the units were. Very true, a huge apartment really and beautifully furnished. But it does not feel like Hawaii because the ocean is nowhere to be seen, more like Arizona. So next time, I would pick one of the other Hilton properties.
Though we generally like to go to new places on vacation, as we were heading home, all four of us were agreed to return to Hawaii. It is paradise!