Hawaii- Things to know
Tips to save money in Hawaii and have fun all rolled up in one!
In September 2010 I got married and for my honeymoon we went to Hawaii. I have to say that when I talk to people they are always shocked that a young couple could afford to go. I live in Toronto, Canada so the distance to Hawaii is about 10,000 miles, which means spending big bucks! I want to emphasize bits of advice before I give my tips on what to watch out for in terms of spending. I feel quality always trumps cost cutting because at the end of the day how you felt about the experience is what matters.
Don't sacrifice a good time for money. If you are going to travel to such a long distance and be a cheapskate I promise you won't have a good time. You will regret not going full-out and enjoying the finer luxuries of such a beautiful paradise. Also how many times can you possibly go to Hawaii in your lifetime? For most people its only once or twice so make it the best possible.
Try not to get in a fight with your loved one or others on the trip. This has happened to me on two different vacations including the one to Hawaii. I know it's not always avoidable but you paid a lot of money and are using precious vacation time, be more tolerant than you normally are in your home city.
If you do get in an argument cool off and repair the damage as soon as possible. Don't hold a silly grudge only to come back home and regret having to get in the argument during your vacation.
Buy your airline tickets for September or October . This happened to me by necessity because I got married in September but talking to the locals in Hawaii they told me the crowds in December and January as well as the steeper airplane ticket prices may cause one of the first two points mentioned above to occur.
Make sure the person you are going with is into water related activities. A friend of mine went on his honeymoon to Hawaii and his wife did not want anything to do with the water and he ended up doing everything by himself, which saves you money but is not as fun. The tip here is to decide beforehand if the people on the trip are willing to do most of the same activities.
3.Rent a convertible if you are going to the island of Maui. At first I had a little compact car all line up for the trip until my brother told me what a fool I was. I thought I was saving a few bucks on the car and being smart, that was almost a big mistake! The images I have almost a year later of driving down the mountain side with the ocean on my left my babe on my right and sitting in a mustang convertible are priceless! Don't bother renting a car if you are just going to Oahu. The main points of interest are all within a couple of miles of each other. Also the bus service is fabulous, costing only $5 total both ways.
4.Do not buy the hotel activity packages that they offer the first morning that you get in. However go to the free breakfast, I had the best pineapple ever! Not only that you can learn from them which are the main attractions. The main this is that a person can easily book activities on their own for a huge discount from the prices the hotels are offering.
5.Be ready to wake up early if you want to enjoy the many fun things to do. If you wake up late places tend to become more crowded and you usually end up with less time to enjoy them. Worst of all if you miss your pick up time the "white vans" barely wait 5 extra minutes before they are off to pick up others and their may not be a refund.....so be on time!
6.Schedule your vacation for more than 5 days. I would recommend at least 7 or 8 for Oahu if you want to experience everything the island has to offer. Five days are too short and you will end up compacting activities.
7.Get a kitchenette when purchasing a hotel room. The prices of food in Hawaii are 60% higher than the mainland due to shipping costs.
8.Plan ahead. Buy one of the "F" guides i.e. Fodor's or Frommer's to help you set up where and what you will be doing. With a little planning a lot of time and money can be saved. I hope this article helps you have an awesome holiday.
I'll leave you with my wife's picture of the Waikiki sunset...I tried to claim it was my picture, but guys you know how that goes.
I hope at least some of these tips were helpful.
No matter where you travel have fun and stay safe!
Thanks for reading!