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Monday, April 4, 2011

Weddings and Honeymoons in Hawaii

Hawaii is without any doubt one of the most naturally beautiful and romantic holiday destinations in the world. Its no wonder that honeymoons in Hawaii are so popular as the perfect setting in which to embark upon wedded bliss. Dreamy beaches, tropical rain forest, picturesque sunsets ñ Hawaii offers couples the ideal backdrop for a unique wedding and an unforgettable honeymoon.

Hawaii offers a variety of wedding venues. You can get married barefoot on the beach, in a chapel adjacent to the ocean, inside lush tropical gardens, in a traditional church in Honolulu or flying high in a helicopter. A special experience is an authentic Hawaiian wedding according to the rites of the native population. The ceremony can be accompanied by traditional songs and be conducted by a Hawaiian priest. The Bride and Groom have the option to wear traditional Hawaiian robes and a conch player initiates the ceremony with the traditional calling of the Pu. You’ll find an impressive list of venues and resources on the island for weddings and honeymoons in Hawaii, and expert wedding planners will attend to your every need. No effort is spared to make sure your special day turns out exactly as you imagined and that your honeymoon goes smoothly.

Once you have had your special day, the Islands of Aloha also offer you the perfect setting to start a wonderful life together. Honeymoons in Hawaii allow you to relax, unwind and start your married life in one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the world. Accommodation ranges from 5 star luxury resorts to private boutique B&Bs and cater to everyone’s needs.

With 120 miles of coastline, Maui boasts over 30 miles of beautiful beaches for you to relax and unwind on honeymoons in Hawaii. On these world famous shores you will find white, black and red sand beaches, renowned surfing spots as well as some of the best beaches in the world to swim, snorkel and sunbathe.

Kilauea, the active volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on The Big Island has been erupting for more than 25 years, its lava creating a plume of steam as it spills into the Pacific Ocean. Encircling the crater of Kilauea Volcano is a 50 mile drive, which descends to the coast where visitors can view active lava flows plunging into the sea, a once in a lifetime experience for those desiring something exciting on honeymoons in Hawaii.

Oahu was the home of the Hawaiian monarchy, the birthplace of modern and big-wave surfing, and, as the site of Pear Harbor, the tipping point in the United Statesí involvement in World War II. Explore the historic places of Oahu, the perfect option for those looking for more than just sun, sand and surf during their honeymoons in Hawaii.

Share unforgettable views along the Napali Coast, within Waimea Canyon and on the cliffs of the Kilauea Lighthouse whilst spending your honeymoon on Kauai. Take a mid-morning drive to Opaekaa Falls or witness other incredible sights like the 80-foot Wailua Falls and the Spouting Horn blowhole at sunset.

You Can’t Ride a Bike to Hawaii (And You Won’t Get Rich Trading Time for Dollars)

Making lots of money has long been a desire of mine (there, I said it). I scoff at the self-righteous pundits who say money doesn’t matter. I agree with the notion that it’s not the most important thing and that having money and nothing else (i.e., health, relationships, passion) is futile. However, to deem it unimportant is laughable.

My personal development studies started in pursuit of what has been painfully elusive in my family, generation after generation after generation. I’ve made lots of discoveries along the way that I am grateful for. None of them, however, have resulted in millions of dollars. And yes, I still want lots of cash.

I’ve been troubled by the connection between beliefs and manifestation. There is the suggestion that if I don’t have it, it’s because I don’t believe it. With this in mind I started working on my belief system. More money was made. Not millions though. And yes I still want it.

I asked a mentor what I was doing wrong. She shared that belief is a critical element, however, it’s not the ONLY one. This shook my foundation and initially there was resistance to anything else she had to say. She asked a silly question, “Why can’t you ride a bike to Hawaii?” Huh!? “Well, because I would drown before I got there,” was my reply. She said, “exactly!”

At this point I’m thinking what does this have to do with making millions. Her point was that no matter how determined I was, no matter how much I believed, no matter how much I loved Hawaii, no matter how hard I peddled it wasn’t going to happen. And it had nothing to do with feeling worthy of the vacation (my belief system). It was simply the wrong vehicle.

We looked at my source of income. She quickly pointed out that because my income required my presence (if I didn’t show up it stopped) I was not in the right vehicle. The next lesson I received will be the one that changes my life; it may do the same for you. The lesson was on linear v. leveraged income vehicles.

Leverage income is always more powerful than Linear income! Linear income is when you trade your time (hourly wages) for money. The only way you can get rich on a linear system is to get multiple jobs. The problem with this is that you only have 24 hours in a day, meaning if you were to never sleep and work 24 hours a day, you could only get paid on 24 units in a day! Obviously it is impossible to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This would be like trying to ride a bike to Hawaii. Linear income is not the way to go.

Success leaves clues. If you want to become wealthy you must start doing what wealthy people do and that involves leveraging your time through building a network. Let me explain.

J. Paul Getty, who created some of the largest fortunes ever, said it best, “I’d rather have 1% of 100 people’s efforts than 100% of my own.” Think about that for a second.

I’ll put it in more recognizable terms. Let’s say a person builds a network of thousands of people. For the sake of easy math lets say each of those people work 10 hours a week and there are 5,000 people. In this case, the owner of that network has 50,000 hours working for her every single week.

Leveraged income is a much more powerful system than you trying to work 24 hours a day 7 days week (168 hours)! I’m not saying that building a network is easy, but it’s simple. And with today’s technology and tools it is much easier than it’s ever been. The key is to find the right system and leadership.

95% of Americans are either still working, dead, or dead broke by age 65. They didn’t plan for that I assure you. The mistake was not recognizing soon enough that they were in the wrong vehicle for where they wanted to go.

5% found a way to leverage their time through the efforts of other people in a win-win way. If you will do the same, there is a great chance you can achieve wealth.

My vision is to mash personal development and business ownership together. In the process, the 2% success rate for people building networks and having financial liberty will be shattered. If you would like to be part of this vision and/or you realize that you’re riding a bike and its not going to get you there, let’s connect. Be 1 of 1000. This is the path to personally driven personal development. It’s key to staying relevant in a changing world.

Affordable Family Vacations in Hawaii and Hawaii Ecotourism

It’s easy to see why an affordable family vacation in Hawaii seems out of reach to most. Even the Hawaii Tourism Authority reports total visitor expenditure in Hawaii at $171 per person per day. This brings the total cost of an 8-day vacation to $1368, not counting airfare.

Most visitors are getting far from the best airfare rates and are likely spending during low tourism season around $500 and hundreds more the rest of the year or if flying from the East Coast. It’s easy to see why many of the travel experts estimate the average Hawaii vacation costs around $2,000.

However, when it comes to Hawaii ecotourism, the numbers change. You can vacation in Hawaii for less than half of this amount. Consider…

Shopping is generally a big part of the expense. Visitors spend on average $210 in 2009 per 8-day vacation, per person, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Sightseeing, ocean play and other Hawaii eco travel activities take a back seat to this favorite tourism activity, according to a report sent to me from Hawaiian Airline’s Hana Hou magazine. This doesn’t really add up to a low cost Hawaii budget vacation.

Not true for eco travelers who spend more time enjoying Hawaii’s beautiful outdoors and often free/low cost cultural activities, while shopping mostly at fairs, growers’ markets, swap meets and locally owned discount stores.

The dining portion of a vacation can take a big bite out of the family vacation budget too. Eco travelers cut costs in this area by preparing some of their own meals with foods bought at local supermarkets and growers markets. There are also very nice restaurants with great food and atmosphere but budget prices.

Hundreds can also be saved in accommodations and airfare when you shop for these wisely at discount sites and book your reservations online. Also keeping in mind, not all discount sites are equal. To save even more, consider a family camping vacation in Hawaii.

When eco travelers do spend more, it’s on local business and environmentally, wildlife friendly activities (like a marine biologist led wild dolphin tour or a Na Pali sunset catamaran cruise).But overall in Hawaii most of the eco friendly and cultural activities are super low cost or free; for example:

Cultural festivals Snorkeling Sunset beach walks and sails Garden strolls Waterfall hikes Snorkeling Surfing (all ages, all kinds of surfing, rentals, lessons) Whale and dolphin tours led by environmental conscious marine biologists Kayaking Historical and cultural attractions Marine life aquariums Volcano (lava viewing hike, Volcano National Park, science museums) Beach activities (and lounging:-) Much more.

Most of these Hawaii ecotourism type activities are family friendly, appealing to young children as well as teens, parents and grandparents. All but the active volcano are found on all of the main islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii (Big Island). So you see, fun and affordable family vacations in Hawaii really are possible.

Hawaii – Island Culture Shines

Great concern has been rampant about the lack of “Hawaii” in the so-called “Hawaiian” activities, merchandise and demonstrations witnessed throughout the island’s hotels. Such items like leis and bracelets being strung with shells from the Philippines or tropical print bags, dolls and pot holders bearing the status of “Made in China”—even many souvenirs sold to visitors in Hawaii are created in and sold from such places as Bali, Thailand.

As odd as it can be, much of what is offered as authentic “Hawaiian” arts and crafts is actually imported from other foreign countries and guests of the islands haven’t the slightest clue!

As a result, a lot of time and energy has been spent on allowing the “real” Hawaiian culture to stand out and become noticed by all those millions of people who come to Hawaii annually. For much too long, the tendency was to push touristy trends like torch lighting ceremonies, Polynesian dancing revues and flashy hotels—all of which were ultimately lacking in substance when authentic “Hawaiian” cultural experiences were what was really desired.

In 1998, the Kauai Heritage Center of Hawaiian Culture and the Arts opened—a 1,200 square-foot facility with a purpose to educate and create mind awareness for appreciation and respect of the true “Hawaiian” culture. Exhibits in the Center focus on the Hawaiian quilts, hand-carved fishing tools, hula instruments and implements, as well as a vast array of mats, fans and baskets, to name just a few. Most of the artefacts making up the exhibits are treasured heirlooms belonging to Hawaiian families for decades.

The Center also instructs hands-on classes that probe and discuss all aspects of a specific subject, i.e., hula, leaf printing and the Hawaiian language. These sessions also cover lei making techniques along with the sharing of its protocols and customs that span the entire experience— from the preparation of materials to the actual leis disposal.

Realizing that to preserve Hawaiian culture and perpetuate its message is a daunting undertaking, the Center’s goal is not one of just providing an activity exercise but to share information and knowledge so that responsibility is assigned to the participant. Thus, programs are constantly in the planning stages, including work shops teaching cultural insights inspired and motivated by Hawaiian themes. The presenters are artists and practitioners specializing in their specific field of expertise.

Special permission was granted by the owners of the historic Coco Palms in Wailua, heavily damaged in Hurricane Iniki in 1992, to the students of the Center to sketch its structures and lagoons. More lectures will be presented on ancient places of worship and on these lagoons—which were first used as fish ponds by the Royalty.

The Center will also organize cultural excursions, like taking 5th-6th graders to learn about Hawaii’s environment, it’s native plants and about conservation. The group size will be limited to anywhere from 6 to 30 people because of the impact on the sacred cultural sites.

With the advent of new technologies and conveniences, many of today’s Hawaiians have forgotten the value and wisdom of the “old ways”. So, a comprehensive training program aimed at Hawaiian Islands’ visitor industry—hotel employees and business organizations—commenced based on traditional Hawaiian values.

This training program offers 8 hours of instruction covering subjects on healing with herbs, sacred offerings, massage, music, proverbs and poetry.

Perpetuating the integrity of the Hawaiian culture is what the Center is all about. Its goal, in short, is to accomplish every- thing possible to keep Hawaii “Hawaiian”. There is a constant vigil to correct false and inaccurate representations of Hawaiian practices. Both visitors and locals alike are encouraged to discover the “real” Hawaii and not fall victim to activities referred to as “traditional” when in fact, they are “gimmicks for amusement”.

What To Do in Waikiki, Hawaii’s Trendiest Haunt

Mark Twain once called Hawaii “the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean”. There aren’t many people that would disagree: Hawaii’s distinct natural beauty has been memorably captured in many a film, from ‘South Pacific’ to Disney’s ‘Lilo and Stitch’. What’s more, tourists in Hawaii have long found much to admire in the island, and this is nowhere more evident than in Waikiki – Honolulu’s most popular tourist neighborhood.

Waikiki Beach – one of the best known beaches in the world – was firmly placed on the cultural map when it became popular with surfing enthusiasts from all corners of the globe since the 1950s. However, Waikiki has been a fashionable retreat for much longer than this and was very popular with Hawaiian royalty during the 1800s. Today, Waikiki Beach is the trendiest place to be seen in Hawaii and, though much of its natural beauty has been commercialized, its sandy shores are the ideal place to spend your Hawaiian vacation.

Contrary to popular opinion, there’s more to do in Waikiki than simply while away the hours taking in the sunshine. If you’re an enthusiastic hiker, for instance, don’t miss Diamond Head State Monument, the crater of an extinct volcano. Even those who aren’t experienced walkers are sure to enjoy the 45-minute hike up to the 761-foot summit, from which you’ll be treated to an unrivalled 360-degree view of O’ahu island. For a stress-free climb, make sure you wear a sturdy pair of shoes and take a bottle of sunscreen with you for continual application.

What’s more, if you’d like to take in some of Waikiki’s more historical sights, head down to Saint Augustine Church, a magnificent building that really stands out amidst Waikiki’s legion of skyscrapers. Built In 1854 by original settlers in Hawaii, Saint Augustine Church is sure to dazzle visitors with its awe-inspiring stained glass windows and tiered ceiling ornament.

Of course, if you’re traveling with your family, Waikiki is also home to wholesome attractions that are sure to please kids and adults alike. The Waikiki Aquarium, for instance, is just a few minutes walk from Waikiki Beach and offers the chance to see over 400 different underwater species, including sharks and sea turtles. And if land animals are more to your liking, the Honolulu Zoo is sure to please. This 42-acre zoo in Waikiki houses rare wildlife in fertile park surroundings; expect to see llamas and Galapagos tortoises amongst other animals.

With so much to do in Waikiki, it goes without saying that there are a great deal of hotels and guest suites that vacationers can choose from in the area. And, of all the hotels in Hawaii, the hotels in Waikiki are the largest and most diverse in their offerings. So whether you’re on a romantic trip for two or you’ve got kids with you on your Hawaiian vacation, Waikiki is sure to offer you memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Hawaii Best Things to Do – Kilauea Volcano

On your “Hawaii best things to do” list, the Big Island’s Kilauea Volcano should be near the top of your list.

It’s one of the hottest things in Hawaii – so to speak!

As a matter of fact, some tourists notice a funny smell while walking around Kilauea, only to find the soles of their shoes have melted!

Since the ground under your feet can get pretty toasty, be sure to wear comfortable, thick soled walking shoes. Sandals and flip-flops are definitely out – that is unless you’re into walking on hot coals.

As the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea Volcano is a Hawaii best things to do must and is incredibly exciting any time of the year.

Found on the southeastern tip of the Big Island, about 30 miles southwest of Hilo and about 96 miles southeast of Kona, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is Hawaii’s Number one attraction.

Once you visit, it’s easy to see why. There are few places in the world like Kilauea, where you can view such amazing volcanic landscapes and get so close to the awesome power of nature at work.

Kilauea has been continuously flowing for over 20 years.

According to the National Park Service, between 250,000 and 650,000 cubic yards of lava flow every day. That’s enough to pave a 20 miles high, 20 miles long road. That’s a lot of lava.

And Kilauea’s lava has spread over a total of 40 square miles adding over 500 acres to the Big Island’s southern shore.

Begin your visit to Kilauea at the park entrance visitor’s center. Lava flow conditions change daily and the park rangers can tell you the best and safest ways to enjoy your visit on that particular day.

Jagger Museum, Thurston Lava Tube, Volcano House and the Halema’uma’u Crater are some of the highlights recommended.

If you have the time and energy for a four-mile hike, Kilauea Iki trail is magnificent. It winds through a rain forest and across steaming lava flows down into a crater that erupted about fifty years ago.

Kilauea Iki trail gives you a full experience of the incredible power of Madame Pele – Hawaii’s goddess of volcanoes.

The rangers can tell you about other hiking trails too. They’re rated from easy to strenuous and run from a quarter a mile to over four miles in length. Overnight camping is also allowed with a permit.

Before you start on your hike or drive through, make sure you get a map of the park and a list of ranger rules, regulations and safety tips.

Kilauea is an active volcano and not without it’s dangers. Be sure to stay on the road, watch where you’re walking and avoid lava flows, earth cracks, thin crusts and volcanic gasses.

Kilauea is expected to continue to flow for at least another 100 years. So you have more than enough time to cross this once in a lifetime experience off your Hawaii best things to do list.

History of Hawaii

Hawaii was first settled by Polynesian people. The process by which this took place is still a matter of debate among archaelogists, with some favoring in a theory of a single continuous migration, and others favoring a theory involving two separate waves of migration.

It is not certain when the Europeans first visited the islands, but it is possible that Spanish explorers may have reached the islands during the 16th century. When British navigator, Captain James Cook encountered the islands in 1778, he was surprised to find them, and named them the Sandwich Islands after the First Lord of the Admiralty, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu.

Hawaii was united under a single ruler, Kamehameha I, for the first time in 1810. Until 1816, the chiefs considered the islands under British protection and flew the Union Jack. Hawaii then adopted a similar flag to the present Hawaiistate flag with a Union Jack in the canton (the top corner nearest the flagpole) and eight horizontal stripes representing the eight islands. In 1820, missionaries from a New England Congregationalist group arrived. Gradually they converted first the leading chiefs, and later the commoners to Protestant Christianity.

In the 1870s, Hawaii gradually drew closer to the United States. An 1874 treaty granted Americans exclusive grading rights. The 1876 Reciprocity Treaty allowed duty free importation of Hawaiian grown sugar and rice into the United States. Following these treaties, the Hawaiian landscape was greatly altered by the irrigation requirements of new sugar cane plantations. Additionally, an influx of immigrants from Asia (initially Chinese and later Japanese) was encouraged, in order to work the plantations.

During the 19th century, there were several periods of instability. This culiminated in the Hawaiian Revolution of 1893 when the Queen was overthrown, with the wrongful involvement of (according to the then US President, Grover Cleveland), of US diplomatic and military representatives. Grover Cleveland was however unsuccessful in his attempts to get the Queen reinstated, and eventually accepted the legitimacy of her overthrow and the new government of the Republic of Hawaii. In 1896, William McKinley became President, and two years later he signed the Newlands Resolution which annexed Hawaii to the United States.

After annexation, Pearl Harbor became (and still is) an important US Navy base. The Empire of Japan’s attack on this base on December 7th 1941 was the trigger for the entry of the US into World War II. The Japanese attack resulted in severe damage to the US fleet, including the sinking of nine ships, four of which were battleships.

In 1935 and 1937, US Congress deliberated on whether Hawaii should be admitted as a US state. However, southern states opposed the admission of non-white majority territory, and the question was put on hold. In 1950, Hawaii began a new campaign for statehood by putting the question on its ballots. In 1959 the goal of statehood was finally achieved, and Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state of the Union on August 21st.