Susan-M

Agree with the others to go out and explore a bit - Maui has a lot of great scenery and many highlights that can be easily and inexpensively visited with a rental car. Missing that opportunity and staying in Kahului for the day would be unfortunate.

For Hilo, Kauai and Maui, I'd suggest renting a minvan for the day - but you'd want to have a plan worked out for each port in advance of arriving. It would be your most economical way of touring - and it's nice having the flexibility.

Which port will you be in on Maui (Kahului or Lahaina)?

Definitely do not count on finding tours upon arrival, especially for 6 people. It would be disappointing not to get a tour and then have to spend the day within walking distance of the port area.

For ideas on what to see on each island, have a look at the tours offered by the cruise line - even though you don't want to take those tours, it's a good place to find out what the highlights are, and what you can fit into the time that you have.

My suggestions for each place would be:

Hilo - Volcanoes National Park (a 45 minute drive from the port.)

Kauai - Waimea Canyon and Poipu beach

Maui - West Maui - beaches, historic town of Lahaina, scenic drive from Kapalua to Nakalele Blowhole (but avoid Kahekili Hwy #340).

Honolulu - Pearl Harbor and Waikiki

Good luck with your plans!

Google maps gives directions by bus - just choose the bus icon instead of the car one and it will give you the bus # and route, plus walking distance/time to/from the bus stop.

Any interesting lookout at around 5000 feet elevation as a "compromise"?

 

The lookouts into the crater are at the summit - but the good news is that if you go mid-day, temperatures will likely be warm enough to get by with the clothing that you mention. http://www.hawaiiweathertoday.com/maui.php?zone=HIZ022

You're welcome.:)

Based on what you've mentioned, I'd definitely include Iao Valley & a stop at the adjacent Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens - a memorial to various cultures that contributed to Hawaii http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/maui/kepaniwai-heritage-gardens/

Haleakala crater offers spectacular scenery - so I'd give that priority as well.

It would be nice if you could convince your friends to spend some time in Lahaina (maybe arrive an hour or so early for the luau) - it's an interesting historic town that you'd probably enjoy seeing some of the sites there. Even if you just spend some time around the court house and banyan tree, it would be worthwhile. http://lahainatown.com/lahaina-historic-walking-tour.php

Hopefully you can make the most of your short time there and not be too anchored down by your 'tired' friends.:)

We haven't taken the bus on Maui (have only rented cars there) but if you use google maps, you can get directions using the bus system (choose the bus icon instead of the car one) - it will also tell you how much walking there is at either end of your trip.

Between the info in the posts above and google maps, I think you should be able to come up with a bus plan. However, it's a slow trip via bus from Kahului to W. Maui or Wailea. Rental cars can be had for about $30-$35/ day - a bargain that offers the flexibility to explore more of beautiful Maui.

So for those 4 hours in the first day --

1) shall we drive until the "Garden of Eden/Arboretum" and back (2 hours each way)?

2) Iao valley? 4 hours too much??

3) Paia and the Makawao - surroundings? No Lavender in April...

Any of those would work - but it depends on what your interests are and how much time you want to spend in the car vs. out of it.

Iao Valley is a quick drive from Kahului - I would go there and if you have time, spend some time in Paia, or drive just a bit further to see Hookipa Beach and the surfing action there.

On Day 2, Haleakala is a good option if the weather co-operates (and unless there's an island wide cloud/rain system, chances are probably good that you'll have clear skies at the summit) - suggest heading up there first and if you have time on the way back, stop in Makawao (or Paia if you didn't get there on day 1.) It is definitely worth going to both Haleakala and VNP ... but if you decide against Haleakala, you could spend a day in S. Maui (is anyone interested in beach time?)

Enjoy!:)

I don't think large tour buses do the RTH, so I think any group tour would be small - perhaps see what the ship is offering for a RTH excursion.

Are your parents in the port of Lahaina or Kahului? Are they sure that's how they want to spend their day (a lot of time in a vehicle on a very winding road, with limited views, other than at the scenic stops)?

Thanks for the info. It had not occurred to me to look on the hotel's website. I knew that Dollar and Thrifty were connected but had no idea about Hertz.

You're welcome. :) Hertz bought Thrifty & Dollar a few years ago. Here's some info on rental car companies.

For Kona, I have a reservation with Hertz. According to their website, they're also at Kona King. Can someone confirm this?

According to the hotel's website, yes. I wonder if it's just one rental facility there under the Hertz, Dollar & Thrifty names, since they are all under the same ownership.

Budget Queen, could you please explain why not to rent a car in Kona. I'm just in the planning stages. Thank you.

It's about 8 miles to the airport and she mentions that the rental agencies don't provide shuttles (so you'd have the extra cost of a taxi each way - plus the time involved in getting there/back.)

However, she does mention using Dollar at Kona King Kamehameha Hotel (which is across the street from the pier) - worth the higher price than the airport rentals.

Another option (lower price than Dollar at the King Kam) is Enterprise on Luhia Street - about a mile from the pier. They provide shuttles, but note BQ's comment re waiting for them.

Not sure why they wouldn't accept non-U.S. citizens? But you can visit Pearl Harbor without a tour - have a look at the Oahu Tripadvisor forum - e.g. this thread provides helpful info.

We felt that it was well worth visiting.

p.s. here's a thread from this forum that also might be of help to you.

Suggest using the search box at the top of the Hawaii forum page - enter the word "Tours" and it will provide a link to threads discussing tours.

Agree with the suggestion to consider renting cars in some ports.

Which ports are you going to?

punkincc -

The responses in this thread on Tripadvisor provide an understanding of the issues with enforcement and the efforts that some very concerned Island of Hawaii residents are going to to combat this problem.

The original post in that thread highlights what is actually taking place, vs. what is being advertised by unscrupulous operators.

Bill, the link is not valid... at least on my computer. Thanks for posting.

Try putting 'rental' in the search box at the top of the Hawaii forum page - you'll get the results that Bill mentioned.:)

Thanks for posting that info Scott.

Here's a link that explains why not to swim with the dolphins: http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/PRD/prd_swim_with_wild_dolphins.html

 

As far as Mauna Loa goes it can sometimes be difficult to get to the summit due to snow and ice on the road. It can also be very cold.

I think it's a long tough hike to the summit of Mauna Loa after driving as far as possible on the road. Thinking maybe you meant Mauna Kea instead?

You're welcome.:)

There's a good parking lot there.

Also if you get a chance you absolutely must go see observatory...two levels higher elevation children under 16 and folks with health issues can't go. Usually tours will also provide you with jackets your gonna need as even first level is super cold

Just for clarification - it sounds like you are referring to the Mauna Kea Summit Tour - but not sure what 'two levels higher elevation' means - maybe that the the Visitor's Centre is at 9,200 ft, and second level is the summit which is close to 14,000 ft. ?

Another suggestion is to rent a car for the day - probably no more expensive than the $40 for the HOHO bus and you could explore a bit further during your time in port.

Hi Ottmar - not sure about the programming of GPS units from the rental car companies, but I'd suggest deciding before you go which places you want to visit and then map them out on google maps. It would be easy to do this and efficient once you are there because you'd have a plan with drive times and how much time you'd have at each location. With google maps, I'd add about 10% to the drive times indicated.

Now that you all have me scared of that road...I will have to find a golf course for him that does not include having to drive on that!

 

Thanks for your suggestions!!

You can get to all of the golf courses on Maui without driving on that road. e.g. if you want to drive from the harbour to Kapalua Plantation - here's the route - a fairly easy & very scenic drive. (The road to avoid is the curvy one north of the red dot on the map - #340.)

But as others have said - there are lots of other great choices of golf courses, and some that are much closer to the port.

Sorry, no suggestions for a sunset tour, but with an overnight on Maui, renting a car is a great option - Maui is an easy island to drive on and rentals are inexpensive. If you're worried about driving down from Haleakala after dark - suggest driving up in the daytime (it's nice to enjoy the scenery both ways in daylight) - then enjoy sunset from a beach on the west side - a perfect day. :)

For early April, I think you'd want to leave Kahului by 3:30 a.m. to arrive about 60 minutes ahead of sunrise. http://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/sunrise-and-sunset.htm

If you are coming from Kahului, allow an hour to get to the park entrance - where you pay to get in. Just past that is the first visitor's centre - or "Park Headquarter's Visitor Centre."

The summit visitor centre is approximately another 30 minute drive, and beyond that you can drive to the summit observation area (about .5 miles past the summit visitor centre) and this is the area most aim for for sunrise. On google maps, use "Haleakala Summit Parking" as the destination.

If you go for sunrise, I'd suggest getting there an hour before sunrise in order to get parking at the summit observation area and to see the changing colours in the sky as the sun comes up. It's a great drive up in the daytime though (and warmer than at sunrise), so don't worry about going for sunrise if you don't want to lose half a night's sleep and/or drive up in the dark.:)