Holiday reading: Hawaii for Dummies

It seems some people clearly need instructions for lying by the pool! This guy is reading Hawaii for Dummies. LOL! It goes something like this: take towel from hot towel guy, lay it on sun chair (nearest pool steps is preferable), sit down and beckon hot pool girl to bring drink with umbrella in. Repeat tomorrow.

And if you need any more tips on great things to do in Waikiki, here’s a few of my suggestions:

1. Take the trolley all the way down the main drag (Kalakaua Ave) to Ala Moana Shopping Centre when you need to get out of the midday heat. This is an excellent and HUGE mall with really posh shops and run-of-the-mill ones, enormous food hall, cinema and bars.

2. Get along to the International Marketplace on Kalakaua Ave to ferret for souvenirs, jewellery, sun dresses, weird gimmicks…

3. Go to a Hawaii College football game at Aloha Stadium and watch the cheerleaders (oh, and the game) whilst eating hotdogs in the stands.

4. Walk along the beach and sit under the banyan tree at the majestic Moana-Surfrider hotel and people-watch over a nice cold beer.

5. Eat at Cheeseburger in Paradise for greasy burgers and fries (go on, you’re on holiday!)

6. Take the kids (or just yourself) to Honolulu Zoo right down by Diamond Head. Wander the extensive grounds or take a picnic on a Wednesday for the 6pm concert.

7. Dine at Roy’s on Waikiki Beachwalk for a bit of fine dining on “Hawaiian fusion cuisine”.

8. When in Hawaii you really must surf. Get a lesson or rent a longboard and head out into the waves. The latest craze actually seems easier though – punting on your longboard (not that I tried it!)

9. Pretend you’re ex-miltary and have dinner at Hale Koa Hotel – exclusively for US Military and right on the beach (down near Hilton Village). RSA prices on beer and cheap dinners. (Actually if you arrive and say you’re visiting, the manager will most likely “sponsor” you in.)

10. Swim in this man-made lagoon down at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki in front of Resort-Quest Waikiki. It’s not very crowded and the waves are blocked by this wall.

Packed out Aloha Stadium

This is so typically American and a great (albeit long) night out – complete with hotdogs and chips!

College football is HUGE in America. Take a taxi from Waikiki (it’s quite a way though!) and head out to the 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium to see the Hawaiian Warriors play. Thousands of people arrive in the afternoon, parking in their designated season-ticket parking spaces, tressle tables, bbqs and chillybins laid out all having monstrous picnics. A marching band plays outside before the game starts. When I was there a clown was making balloon whatnots, face painters were painting and there was much hoopla. Inside the gates are the hotdog and burger stands, the beer outlets and a tent selling creole cuisine. Bizarrely.

The home team runs out through an inflatible football helmet dressed in dark green amid the cheerleading girls in crop tops and waistbands for skirts and boys in jumpsuits (what’s with that??) They jump and flick flack, wave their pom poms, leap into the air while the lads catch them and hold them by their feet. They lift up signs for us to cheer to or chant ‘D’ ‘fense’ when required. We kiwis tried to start a few Mexican waves and really if we’d shown more determination we would have, but eventually the big Hawaiian mascot guy wearing lots of leaves got the crowd going.

Four 15 min quarters takes about 3 hours to play and is an excellent  night out. Tickets $29. Experience: priceless.

AND – today is the LAST LAST day of the kick-ass 9 night Fiji/Hawaii special from $1599 so let your fingers do the walking and click on this link to Harvey World Travel.

This is what you get: 2 nights in Fiji (you can extend it if you like) then 7 nights in Hawaii, all your flights from Auckland AND… drum roll… if you mention Blogger At Large when you book you’ll get FREE $25 DFS vouchers – each!

But hurry – deal ends TODAY

From the surfers heading to the waves to bob like seagulls, to the late night shopping and clubbing crowd, it’s action stations pretty much 24/7.

Heading to the waves

On this video I checked out the new shops at Beachwalk – including Yard House the pub with 150 beers sold in yard (and half yard) glasses. You’ll see plenty of undies/togs moments, have a quick tour through International Marketplace and finish with some fine dining at Roy’s – the father of Fusion Cuisine.

Click here for the video on TVOne Breakfast. (If you have trouble playing it, click on the format below the image to change it).

AND right now – for just 2 more days – you can book a cheap Hawaiian holiday and stop in Fiji as well. Here’s the deal: Until Friday Sept 11 you can book this wicked package with Harvey World Travel of – 9 nights in Fiji and Hawaii from $1599. That includes your flights from Auckland and all your accommodation!

You start with 2 nights in Fiji (you can extend it if you like) then 7 nights in Hawaii. AND… drum roll… if you mention Blogger At Large when you book you’ll get FREE $25 DFS vouchers – each!

But hurry – deal ends Friday

Moana Surfrider entrance - waves out the back!

The Moana is the grand old lady of Waikiki. Built in 1901 she was the first hotel along the beach. A veranda wraps around the building with rocking chairs and the huge banyan tree that sits in the front bar/restaurant/pool area has 5 trunks and is obviously growing in sand, only metres from the sea. In the afternoons there is live music to while away the day, or soak up the rays for a few minutes by the pool. There’s a wedding every day here and I saw 3 brides in one day!

They bought the Surfrider hotel next door and joined the 2. Word is the Surf’s going to be imploded sometime soon. I sooo need to come back and see that!

The Moana Surfrider is also directly across the road from the International Marketplace if jewellery or little sunfrocks are on your shopping list and is one of the hotels you can upgrade to on this amazing deal to Fiji and Hawaii…

If you’re in the mood of a tropical holiday before the end of the year, then check this out. Harvey World Travel has a cheap holiday offer running only until Sept 11 – 9 nights in Fiji and Hawaii from $1599. That includes your flights from Auckland and all your accommodation! You start with 2 nights in Fiji (you can extend it if you like) then 7 nights in Hawaii. AND… drum roll… if you mention Blogger At Large when you book you’ll get FREE $25 DFS vouchers – each!

Surfboard storage

For the really serious there’s surfboard storage rentals on the beach with boards towering at least 10 feet tall. Here’s a tip: if you’re starting out, the longer the board the easier it is to master. They say go for a 9ft board at least. How one carries it to the sea I’m not sure as I didn’t see any wheelbarrows, but perhaps you could smile sweetly and someone will carry the other end. Ahh, I think I’ll just stick to one of these hot pink tubes and bob around.

This is more me...

And right now, there is a mega cheap deal out with Harvey World Travel running until Sept 11.  9 nights in Fiji and Hawaii from $1599. That includes your flights from Auckland and all your accommodation! You start with 2 nights in Fiji (you can extend it if you like) then 7 nights in Hawaii. AND… drum roll… if you mention Blogger At Large when you book you’ll get FREE $25 DFS vouchers – each!

Running until Sept 11 with Harvey World Travel: you can book a 9 holiday in Fiji and Hawaii from $1599. It includes flights from Auckland and accommodation! You start with 2 nights in Fiji – and you can extend it if you like. Then 7 nights in Hawaii where bula becomes aloha as you lie on the beach, sip drinks with umbrellas in, shop at markets or the huge Ala Moana mall and play all night in the many cool bars and nightclubs.

From markets to expensive fashion and outlet malls, there’s something to suit every shopper’s fantasy in Waikiki. I knew about Ala Moana shopping centre (hundreds of stores, food outlets, cinemas and even a club), but I had no idea how good the shopping was just one block back from Waikiki beach. I shopped my way almost the foot of Diamond Head, all the way down to the Beachwalk – the new shopping precinct in town. It took 6 hours, when a brisk walk with one’s eyes fixed firmly on the footpath and the wallet staying put would have taken about 20 minutes.

The day before I went to the outlets. An outlet shopping tour would have cost around $24 but the public bus is $2. I chose the latter preferring to spend the change on things to stuff into my suitcase. What they didn’t tell me was it’s a looonnngg way and when the traffic is heavy, even longer. Try 2 hours… and I had to change buses once. There are 50 shops to choose from and shoes aplenty, but for the amount of time it took to get there, there’s better shopping in Waikiki.

I loaded up with necklaces and dresses here

The International Marketplace is opposite Moana Surfrider full of gorgeous floral sundresses and tops and jewellery. Along the road toward the market I passed several posh shops like Salvatore Farigamo, Kate Spade and Prada. Guess, Banana Republic and Ed Hardy lured me in between the countless ABC stores selling brightly coloured lilos, snacks and souvenirs.

By the time I reached the end it was time for a mojito and to people watch as the sunset over the surfers.

This sale runs until September 11, so go on, give them a ring 0800 75 87 87. You deserve it.

I’m going to start a little series-ette on Fiji+Hawaii because right now there is a wicked deal on to Hawaii that includes 2 nights in Fiji – and by mentioning this blog when you call you’ll get a free gift!

I haven’t said ‘bula’ for quite some time now so this is very tempting. Last time I was there I was on a cruise and visited some local villages to buy their crafts. It was nice to hire a car and go exploring. Basically the 2 days are up to you. There are a range of hotels to choose from so you can nip off for a cheap holiday or upgrade to any level of poshness. And then the beaches of Waikiki beckon…

So here’s the deal – starting from $1599 you go on a 9-night holiday to Hawaii, stopping for 2 nights in Fiji. This price will get you return flights on Air Pacific from Auckland. 7 nights at the Ohana Waikiki West and 2 nights at the Fiji Beachside Resort.

AND, because I am very excited about making sure you, dear reader, get an amazing deal wherever possible, this is an exclusive offer to blog readers. (You can thank me later!) When you phone Harvey World Travel – just mention Blogger At Large. Wahoo! (but don’t squeal that down the phone) and you’ll get a $25 DFS gift voucher per person. Nice. Free money. Spend it on a bottle of something delicious to enjoy in your room upon arrival.

This sale runs until September 11, so go on, give them a ring 0800 75 87 87. You deserve it.

The Big Island is one of the only places where you can get up close and personal to the core of the earth. The spewing, lava-flowing, molten rock-heaving Mt Kilauea. And once you’ve hiked over solidified lava, dodged the toxic gases, photographed the bruatality of creation, you can relax with a Kona Coffee.

Here’s my list of the things you don’t want to miss on the Big Island:

1. Fly to Hilo and drive to the latest lava flow on Mt Kilauea – this changes all the time so check with park rangers first. You’ll need sensible shoes, water and a torch if you plan to stay to sunset as it’s dodgey terrain out here!

Gutted. The lava got my house.

2. Grab a freshly brewed coffee and sit amongst the coffee trees at Kona Joe. Owner, the beautiful Deepa Alban, is also a painter. I picked up one of her prints while I was here. Hot tip: order a mochachino – comes with a melting bar of chocolate in it. Mmmm.

3. Fly into Hilo (it kind of reminds me of Dannevirke!) and rent a car. Stay a night here to visit markets, shop, look around. Drive over the volcano stopping at the Kilauea Caldera then stay at Kailua-Kona and fly out of there.

Park ranger Charles Wilson @ the steaming vent

4. Take part in the Hawaii Ironman. Ok, maybe just watch. Little piece of trivia: did you know the Ironman originally started out as a competition of bravado among some US Navy Seals? Neither did I. The next Hawaii Ironman is October 10, 2009.

5. Watch the sunset from Kailua Pier, wiggle your toes in the sand and count your blessings.

Aaaahhhhhh....

And here’s a bonus: see how many Hawaii 5-0 cop cars like this one you can spot!

It's cool to be a cop in Hawaii

And click here for my story on Hawaii’s Big Island that just ran on TVOne Breakfast.