Our Hawaii Honeymoon Info!

Well, what can I say except that Hawaii truly is paradise - worth every penny and every minute it takes to get there. We did fly first class which make a huge difference when you are flying for about 15 hours! We left from LGA on American and flew to Oahu. We stayed at the Halekulani in Waikiki which was such an elegant, beautiful, calm hotel in the middle of the flashiness of Waikiki. We visited Pearl Harbor and mostly relaxed while we were there to get over the wedding hangover! We only stayed there 2 1/2 days. Then we flew to Maui which is absolutely the place to go! So beautiful and romantic! We stayed at the Grand Wailea which was unbelievable! Make sure everyone knows you are on your honeymoon - we got upgraded to a room in the Napua Club where they give you free breakfast and cocktails and hors d'ouvres every day. This is a real resort hotel with 9 pools, beach, spa, etc. We played Golf at a beautiful championship course with views that were indescribable, saw sunrise from the top of a volcano then biked down 10,000 feet from there, went to a luau, took a helicopter tour of the island, ate fantastic meals, and had unbelievable massages at the spa. I highly recommend this hotel and Maui in general. We did all that and still found time for mai tais at the pool and some relaxation! We were on Maui for 5 days. Then we flew to Hawaii (Big Island) which is like being dropped on some alien planet. If we had known how much there is to do and see there, we would have stayed an extra day - we stayed 3 days. Our hotel was the Four Seasons who also upgraded our room and sent a bottle of champagne for our honeymoon. Hotel was gorgeous - very tropical. We golfed there also and went to see the active volcano - we actually saw lava pouring out of the earth - this is a full day trip and the things we saw are mostly impossible to describe. All in all we had a fantastic time - we had limo transfers to and from the airport on Oahu, rented convertibles on Maui and Hawaii. Food is expensive at the fancier restaurants, but there are fast food places and other smaller places where you can eat to save some money. Our travel agent put the package together through GoGo tours and we really had no complaints. We had a great time together! If you have any ?'s about Hawaii, I would be happy to try to help! Let me know!

Our Hawaii Honeymoon Info!

Would you be able to post or e-mail me the price of your package?? We had ruled out Hawaii because we are honeymooning for 14 days and thought it would be way too costly. Did you spend a huge amount on food, entertainment etc.?? I really appreciate it!! P.S. I'm glad you had such a great day...and it's good to know that you loved Premiere and Paul Marino (we have them both for our wedding)!! Thanks! [email protected]

Lee - Questions

Did you go to Kaanapali while on Maui? I am trying to decide if we should stay in Wailea or Kaanapali. I know the hotels on Wailea are suppose to be nicer but I am concerned that we would be bored at night. We are leaning toward Kaanapali because of the night life. What do you think?

Karen - Answers

Karen, since we stayed in Wailea, I know that best. As far as nightlife goes, there really isn't too much! The Grand Wailea has one club...most things seem to roll up really early. Also, with the time change and jet lag, we never actually adjusted - even after 12 days! We would be exhausted by 10 and then up at like 6 or 7 - which is good because you get the whole day and we didn't feel like we missed much at night. We did go to Kaanapali for a luau and there are a few more hotels up that way, plus its closer to Lahania (Spelling?) so there may be more nightlife up that way...but the word we generally got was that it's not really a 'party/nightlife' kind of place in general...sorry this isn't more helpful!

Amy - Check your email... *NM*

More questions for Lee :)

Which Luau did you attend? Which helicopter trip did you take? Do you recommend those companies? Another in what will be many questions from me - We are also planning the Halekulani and Four Seasons (Maui though) any opinion on which to do first?

Our Hawaii Honeymoon Info!

Congratulations! Sounds like you had a great time. We too are going to Hawaii on our honeymoon specifically, Kauai and Maui. The bike ride down the volcano is already on our list of things to do. I was wondering how the airlines and hotel found out you were newlywed. Did you tell them on check in or did your travel agent inform them before hand? Was it a honeymoon package you took?

Lee- biking down mountain

Glad you had a great time! We are honeymooning in Hawaii in July. I have a question about biking down the mountain. My cousin did a similar thing in Kauai and said it was not very frightening. I am not afraid of heights, but I am not much of a dare devil. What did you think of biking down the mountain in general? Very dangerous? How long did it take? What did you wear?

More questions for Lee :) - Valenia

We went to the luau at the Hyatt Regency on Maui...it was good. The dancing was great, the food was probably about what you would expect - an all you can eat buffet. We liked it. My advice is get there early for best seats, although you can see from everywhere...make sure if you go to that one you make a reservation. It was about an hour drive from the Grand Wailea (which is right next door to the Four Seasons)...there is probably a luau in Wailea, but we had heard this one was pretty good. The helicopter ride was awesome - it is hard to describe things that you just can't see unless you are in the air - 1200 foot waterfalls, etc. etc. Spectacular! We used Sunshine Helicopters, and they were very professional and very good. There was a total of 5 people, plus pilot in the helicopter. It was my first time in one and I was a little nervous, but once you lift off and start seeing the sights you forget everything else! They also film a video of the entire trip (with shots of you in it) so you don't have to worry about if your pics come out - we bought it, but haven't watched it yet. From what I hear, Blue Hawaiian is also a good helicopter line. They are all right next to each other right next to the Maui airport...we made reservations the day before. Earlier in the day is less windy if that matters to you..we went at like 2 pm. You have choices of which tour you want. We did the entire island which took an hour. We went to dinner at the Four Seasons on Maui one night - you will love it! My advice is to do Halekulani first, only because in my opinion, there is less to do on Oahu than any other island, so you have a chance to just relax and recover from the wedding, because you will be exhausted! Then from there it is only about a 20 minute flight to Maui where there is so much to do!! The Halekulani is such an elegant hotel - you will love the pool!! Keep the questions coming!!

Our Hawaii Honeymoon Info! - Maria

We booked a package, but it was not a honeymoon package per se, however, our travel agent made sure to print on all the vouchers that it was our honeymoon. Plus, you will find a lot of people will ask you as you are checking in to the hotels...the airline only found out when either a gate agent or flight attendant specifically asked. They really didn't do anything for us since we were already flying first class, except between islands. On the way home from Hawaii back to Oahu, the agent asked and upgraded us on that interisland flight. The hotels, either knew from the voucher, or the person checking us in asked -- believe me, you will look like honeymooners! Plus, we kept getting mixed up since we were using my married name all over the place and some of the stuff was booked in my maiden name, so as they figure it out, they figure you are newlyweds! It can't hurt to throw it out there! You will LOVE the bike down the mountain but make sure you bring warm clothes and dress in layers - it is FREEZING up top!

Carrie - biking down mountain (long)

We actually went up to the top of the dormant volcano, Haleakula, to see the sunrise and then biked down. We went with a group called Maui Downhill and I have to admit I was a little nervous before we went! Basically, they pick you up at your hotel at 2:45 in the morning (!) and take you to their base where you have breakfast (muffins, danish, coffee) and pick up your windsuit and bike helmet. Then it is back in the van for the trip up the volcano. You go up to a height of over 10,000 feet. Keep in mind that there is 30% less oxygen up that high so some people get a little lightheaded. I was worried about that, but I felt fine! Once you get up there you put your windsuit on over your clothes and they give you gloves. The windsuit has a hood. You need to listen to their advice and dress in layers. We wore jeans and sweatshirts with tees and shorts underneath. It is really cold up there waiting for the sun to rise, but nothing extreme when you are from Long Island! I'd say between 30 - 40 degrees, but the windsuit really helps! Then you stand on the edge of this humongous crater (top of the volcano) above the cloud line and feel like you are on another planet! Watching the sun rise from up there is just indescribable! Then once the sun is up, its back in the van where they have hot chocolate and coffee and they take your breakfast order. You go back down the volcano a bit in the van where you pick up your bikes. They put you in single file from smallest and lightest to tallest and heaviest and its off you go! 38 miles down!! You coast and ride your brakes pretty much the whole time...only a little pedalingt. At first it is a little scary because the roads are steep and winding, but if you follow their directions and stick to the middle of the road and watch your speed you will do fine! It was the most exhilarating thing I've done! Halfway down, you stop for breakfast which was delicious (7 menu choices) and by this point you have stripped off your wind suit. There is a van that follows the group down and at any time you can just hop in the van and finish the ride that way. You end up at the beach at around 9:00 am and you are back to the hotel by no later than 10 am. It was really one of the highlights of the trip and I highly recommend doing it! I am no dare devil either, and like I said, I had visions of careening off a cliff at some point, but it was not like that at all! The only danger they say is when someone is blasting down at a high speed and puts on the brakes and wipes out, which I can't even see how you can do that when you are with a group and have to keep a certain distance behind each other in the line. I'm so glad I did it - nothing to fear, it's an easy trip and you will feel amazing when you are down at sea level and look back to where you came from!! Have fun!