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Old 04-14-2011, 05:41 PM   #1
Kioshi
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Hawaii Visit in Mid-October...

Hey everyone,

Instead of doing a typical google search or looking through a tourist guide book, I thought I'd ask the locals DIRECTLY. Spend time more in the non touristy spots and whatnot.

Gist: My friend and I celebrating our 25th birthday together and having a few friends come along. First time going there and we want to get the best out of it because it takes place during the school year.

I looked up prices for Kona/Big Island on Orbitz and other places (have not consulted a Hawaiian Airline Agency) and came up with these price ranges - $530-$750.

The dates we are looking at are: October 15th-20th....we can make it Oct 14th-19th as well. 5 days total for the whole trip.

What would some of your recommendations be? Places to visit? Activities to do? etc... as a native would?

I hope i get to meet with some of the Yaris owners there. Unfortunately I cant bring my Vitz there

Also if you have any recommendations of cheap places to stay at as well? Hotel/Hostels/dorms....etc....i would GREATLY appreciate it!


Thank You in advance
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Old 04-17-2011, 12:09 AM   #2
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Sorry Kioshi. I don't know much about the island of Hawaii (known here as "The Big Island"). There are a couple of people on here that live on Hawaii, maybe they could chime in? I'm on the island of Oahu where Honolulu International Airport resides.
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Old 04-17-2011, 04:52 AM   #3
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I've been to the big island a few times since my grandma lives over there, on the Hilo side of the island. But I don't know much of any places to go or cheap hotels to stay at since I only went for family occasions.

But based of what I remembered, I think driving to the Kona side of the big island would have more activities for you to enjoy than the Hilo side since its a bit country like. But Kona side did get hit from the recent tsunami that hit Japan, although not as serious, it still caused some damage to some stores along the shore. You could also visit the volcano

I know there is at least 1 person on here from the big island so hopefully he could let you know about the best spots to check out.
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Old 04-18-2011, 04:25 PM   #4
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kona has $75+ a night range
kona seaside and uncle billy's in kona
dont know any hostels thou
you can check them online
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Old 04-20-2011, 03:18 PM   #5
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Good information to know.

A little update on the vacation~
My friend and I found cheaper tickets to Honolulu instead. For $600 something we have a hotel and airline ticket for 14th to 19th of october.

We will be calling to lots of places on Sunday morning and getting everything confirmed.

I think my friend and I are leaning towards Honolulu more and more.

Yarisugi we will have to get in touch after the airline and hotel are booked for sure.
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Old 05-11-2011, 04:31 PM   #6
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So we just booked our tickets to Honolulu as our destination.

Oct 14th around 9pm we arrive at the airport.
We leave on the 19th at 6am.

yarisugi, or anyone else, would you have free time to meet up, or..if you can be kind enough to tell us where the cheap places are to eat, aside from fast food~

Heard food is expensive there.

thanks in advance.
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Old 05-27-2011, 04:53 PM   #7
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Aloha Kioshi, pm me around that time, i would be down to cruise it. I should be back from Oakland by then.
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Old 05-30-2011, 06:56 PM   #8
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Aloha Kioshi, pm me around that time, i would be down to cruise it. I should be back from Oakland by then.
Aloha. Can you pm me your cell number if possible? I dont know if verizon wireless charges roaming fees and i dont know if my hostel will have internet there.

Lets meet up, im def. down. Thanks.
Though i dont have my Virz there with me.

My friends and i are also wanting to buy the oahu card for attractions whatnot....is it worth it?

Oakland? If you want to meet up when you are here in california, let me know..i can shiw you around or something.

Last edited by Kioshi; 05-30-2011 at 08:35 PM.
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:45 PM   #9
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Hey man,

Well cheap places to eat? There aren't much in Waikiki. I assume that is where your hostel will be. Actually, even the fast food places like Mcdonalds are more expensive in waikiki, because of all the tourist staying there. Once you get out of waikiki, fast food places are normal price and hole in the wall food places are all decently priced. I mean, we got Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, Hooters, and etc. Not sure what you are looking for when you say "cheap" places to eat besides fast food?
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Old 05-30-2011, 10:27 PM   #10
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Hey man,

Well cheap places to eat? There aren't much in Waikiki. I assume that is where your hostel will be. Actually, even the fast food places like Mcdonalds are more expensive in waikiki, because of all the tourist staying there. Once you get out of waikiki, fast food places are normal price and hole in the wall food places are all decently priced. I mean, we got Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, Hooters, and etc. Not sure what you are looking for when you say "cheap" places to eat besides fast food?
Thats good to know. We are renting out a car so we can traverse wherever the hell pretty much.
I actually wanted to ask about hole in the wall type of places. Just never came out of my mouth. If you know of any around oahu, id greatly appreciate it to know what the names are and whatnot.

I will be on waikiki, thats where my friend i decided anyways...im not much for touristy spots....more local spots ;)

Hope i get to see your beast in person.....

Almost forgot...what are the current prices of gasoline over there?
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Old 05-30-2011, 10:51 PM   #11
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We could definitely arrange a meet up. I would think you would be coming down my side of the island (northshore, haleiwa) for sure; so it can be done.

Well I'm not sure about town's "hole in the wall places" but there is a mexican place in "pearl city" called Diego's Mexican Food, and they are legit! lol. As far as local food, there are places like L&L Drive in, Korean BBQ, Zippy's, and others. A lot of other guy's on here would be able to help with that one.
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Old 05-30-2011, 11:34 PM   #12
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We could definitely arrange a meet up. I would think you would be coming down my side of the island (northshore, haleiwa) for sure; so it can be done.

Well I'm not sure about town's "hole in the wall places" but there is a mexican place in "pearl city" called Diego's Mexican Food, and they are legit! lol. As far as local food, there are places like L&L Drive in, Korean BBQ, Zippy's, and others. A lot of other guy's on here would be able to help with that one.
Once i get home ill post up the address of my hostel on here and we can figure out the distances.

Im down for some mexican food haha. Ill def try that!

I just need to somehow save up enough money after summer school expenses hit.

Thanks Peter.
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Old 05-31-2011, 12:40 AM   #13
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ya give me an address and ill get an overview map and point out where i am and cool spots to hit up
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Old 06-09-2011, 04:38 PM   #14
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Whatever you do, stay out of waiki, or if you drive through (and you should) stay in the car. The Tourist trap there is easily gonna catch you by the short hairs. You might want to park at the zoo (cheap) and walk back toward the north and walk around the International Marketplace. You might get a few cheap souvenirs. If you do buy anything.. Bargain and dicker for a lower price, they most likely will bargain with you. Also, look around BEFORE you buy. Many vendors carry the same thing at different prices. Tell them you saw it cheaper at another vendor's stall. Don't shop anywhere else in Waikiki. DO NOT EAT THERE AS WELL. Even the McArches are high priced!
Aloha and have a great trip!
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Old 06-13-2011, 08:19 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fujiwaru View Post
I know there is at least 1 person on here from the big island so hopefully he could let you know about the best spots to check out.
The stuff that tourists do and the stuff that people who actually live here do are so fundamentally different that some of us won't be able to offer much. Tourists are mostly here for the fake fantasy world that the resorts promote - beaches, golf courses, expensive boutiques, touristy restaurants, ziplines, waterfalls, and other assorted touristy things. Occasionally there are those who like to take the road less travelled and see something different.

The volcano park should be your first destination. Steaming holes in the ground are always fun, but hopefully you'll visit some of the more out-of-the-way parts of it as well.

If you want a quick rundown of first choices for scenic vistas and checking out the scope of the island: Saddle Road, Mauna Loa Access Road (north slope), Mauna Loa Strip Road (south slope), "Kohala Mountain Road", Pololu Valley overlook, the entire highway through Ka'u district. (4-wheel-drive opens up some other interesting possiblities, but costs big $$$.) Branch out from there. Be sure to check out the lava visiting situation, which changes daily and hasn't been really good recently. If you are on this island you should be all over the mountains!

There are now direct flights into Hilo from LA.

Hopefully you will slip in before the autumn rainy season, which is usually around November.

I can say that I have a strong dislike for Kailua (Kona), Waimea/Kamuela and the surrounding area. We call it Konafornia...and spit on ground!
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Old 06-16-2011, 07:36 PM   #16
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ya give me an address and ill get an overview map and point out where i am and cool spots to hit up
Sorry Peter. I was busy trying to get settled into classes during summer session.

Here is the address of where the hostel my friends and I are staying at~

419 Seaside Avenue,, Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu, Honolulu, USA


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Originally Posted by bobolinko View Post
Whatever you do, stay out of waiki, or if you drive through (and you should) stay in the car. The Tourist trap there is easily gonna catch you by the short hairs. You might want to park at the zoo (cheap) and walk back toward the north and walk around the International Marketplace. You might get a few cheap souvenirs. If you do buy anything.. Bargain and dicker for a lower price, they most likely will bargain with you. Also, look around BEFORE you buy. Many vendors carry the same thing at different prices. Tell them you saw it cheaper at another vendor's stall. Don't shop anywhere else in Waikiki. DO NOT EAT THERE AS WELL. Even the McArches are high priced!
Aloha and have a great trip!
What do you mean by the tourist trap??
I haven't gone to exotic locations per say, i been to Japan couple of times. And the second time around I didnt become a sucker for buying stupid stuff like the majority of the foreigners that go there and do...
Curious so I dont fall into the trap :)

I guess I can use my friends girlfriend for bargaining, I never really had the patience to bargain unless it was a car or something bigger value.
I will, i make that mistake A LOT. Thanks for that tip bobolinko.

What places would you recommend to eat at?
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Old 06-16-2011, 08:08 PM   #17
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The stuff that tourists do and the stuff that people who actually live here do are so fundamentally different that some of us won't be able to offer much. Tourists are mostly here for the fake fantasy world that the resorts promote - beaches, golf courses, expensive boutiques, touristy restaurants, ziplines, waterfalls, and other assorted touristy things. Occasionally there are those who like to take the road less travelled and see something different.

The volcano park should be your first destination. Steaming holes in the ground are always fun, but hopefully you'll visit some of the more out-of-the-way parts of it as well.

If you want a quick rundown of first choices for scenic vistas and checking out the scope of the island: Saddle Road, Mauna Loa Access Road (north slope), Mauna Loa Strip Road (south slope), "Kohala Mountain Road", Pololu Valley overlook, the entire highway through Ka'u district. (4-wheel-drive opens up some other interesting possiblities, but costs big $$$.) Branch out from there. Be sure to check out the lava visiting situation, which changes daily and hasn't been really good recently. If you are on this island you should be all over the mountains!

There are now direct flights into Hilo from LA.

Hopefully you will slip in before the autumn rainy season, which is usually around November.

I can say that I have a strong dislike for Kailua (Kona), Waimea/Kamuela and the surrounding area. We call it Konafornia...and spit on ground!
I'm all in for doing what non-tourist people do. I try to do whatever locals do wherever i travel abroad :)

What do you mean by, "out of the way parts"? of the volcano? like a different route that leads elsewhere?

I do want to do kayaking and ziplining. I can't swim for shit, so snorkling is out of the question for (ME).

I'm coordinating with my friends now about traversing the mountain areas. Can we take ATVs on some of the mountainous roads?

I will jot down the names you provided, THANK YOU!

I too am hoping it wont rain when we are there. Is it humid over there? Not that I mind, I've walked several miles in rain + humidy.....

hahahahah, thats funny.

You provided lots of information for our trip, thank you once again!
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Old 06-22-2011, 05:27 PM   #18
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What do you mean by, "out of the way parts"? of the volcano? like a different route that leads elsewhere?
Pretty much anywhere off of the main highways. Most rental cars never leave the highways. Plantation towns, back roads, wilderness, gnarly mud, sketchy hillbilly neighborhoods, etc. With proper 4WD (Jeeps) you can explore any old side road and sometimes get way off the beaten path, though it might not always be obvious what roads are private and what are public. There are many dead ends and sketchy neighborhoods, of course - get the Bier map mentioned below.

Quote:
I'm coordinating with my friends now about traversing the mountain areas. Can we take ATVs on some of the mountainous roads?
Woah, do you really mean an ATV, or do you mean a 4WD car? There can be some regulations for both. They are trying to cut back on rogue off-roading, which is a huge problem in some areas. If it's obviously a road (i.e. tire tracks in the mud/dust) it's probably OK. In some cases permits may be required, but you might get different answers about that from different government offices. Most roads on the island are unpaved, though most of those are remote or private.

If you do go way off the highways get the nice map of the island by Bier - on Amazon search for Bier Hawaii Map and you'll see it. It's available at airports, and a handful of places in town.

Quote:
I too am hoping it wont rain when we are there. Is it humid over there? Not that I mind, I've walked several miles in rain + humidy.....
It's always humid on the windward side up to about 5000-6000 feet elevation, though usually not soupy carribean style humid. During "rainy season(s)" there can be a few days when it pours for hours - luck of the draw. Another drawback of the rainy season is that the wilderness areas above 1000-2000 feet elevation can get socked in with blowing mist/rain most of the time.

You can do really wacky things like hiking to the "summit" of Mauna Loa (the big caldera), which is a day-trip if you take the short trail from the weather observatory at 11,500 feet on the NORTH slope of the mountain, at the top of the paved road. (Mauna Loa Access Road off of Saddle Road) The view from the weather observatory is really nice. Hang out in the lava fields near the weather observatory for a bit before heading up - there is fun lava to look . The trails from the volcano park side on the south slope are both in the "death march" category.

Example: (this site has other interesting outing suggestions to browse, BTW. it isn't remotely comprehensive, tho)
http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hawaii?Drives.loa
http://www.instanthawaii.com/cgi-bin/hawaii?Hikes.loa
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