Na Pali Coast Tours and Kauai Snorkeling with Captain Andys

Posted on May 18, 2012 by

Na Pali Coast Tours on the Southern Star

The next Kauai Activity on our agenda was sailing with Captain Andys on their new catamaran, The Southern Star. I couldn’t wait to see the Na Pali Coast from the Southern Star catamaran after the amazing views I got of the coast from our Kauai Helicopter Tour.

The Captain Andys Southern Star is a new, custom 65′ luxury catamaran. Everything about the Southern Star says “first class.” From the air-conditioned interior lounge and bar area to the fine details like a Koa wood paddle and teak table. Even the bathrooms are top notch. My favorite area was the trampoline at the bow – a great place to relax and take in the beautiful Na Pali Coast.

Kauai Sailing on the Southern Star

Captain Andys Kauai Sailing

Once we climbed on board Captain Andys Southern Star the Captain gave us a short safety briefing and told us what we could look forward to in the next few hours.  This Kauai Snorkeling Tour had it all – snorkeling, whale watching (in season), Na Pali Coast Tour, delicious lunch and dolphin watching.

I grabbed a drink as we left Port Allen Harbor and began our Na Pali Coast Adventure!

We enjoyed breakfast as we sailed to our snorkeling site.

Kauai Cruises Fresh Pineapple

When we made it to the Kauai Snorkeling spot we got our equipment and jumped in.  The water felt great and the fish were spectacular. Some snorkelers even saw green sea turtles.

Check out this video of Na Pali Coast Tours and Kauai Snorkeling with Captain Andys.

After snorkeling we did some whale watching.  Unfortunately I was not quick enough with my camera to capture the whales but they were majestic! Quite a sight to see!  We even listened to their song with a hydrophone. (Click the video above to hear the song of the Humpback Whales)

 

By this time we were nearing the Na Pali Coast. The 17 mile Na Pali Coast extends from Ke’e Beach to Polihale State Park. The cliffs (pali) rise as high as 4,000 ft above the Pacific Ocean.  The Na Pali coast cannot be accessed by car. The only way to experience this Kauai wonder is by hiking, boating or a Kauai Helicopter Tour. My photos do not even begin to do the Na Pali Coast justice. The cliffs are spectacular and the colors are amazing but lighting was not on my side to capture the stunning colors of the coast.

 

Sea Tunnel Kauai

John enjoying the views of the Na Pali Coast.

On our way back to Port Allen the crew fired up the grill and made  a delicious lunch! Burgers and chicken with all of the fixings were cooked on board.  As I ate I thought this truly is a cheeseburger in paradise.

Lunch on a Kauai Cruise

The secret ingredient in making the Southern Star such a luxury boating experience was the crew. They were very friendly and made each person on board feel like a VIP. They did a great job teaching us about the whales and dolphins we saw from the boat. They made sure no one was thirsty and brought us unlimited drinks from the open bar. The Southern Star crew worked hard the entire tour but kept smiling and acted like it was their pleasure to be on board.

I highly recommend the Captain Andys Na Pali Snorkel BBQ Sail. Seeing the Na Pali Coast by boat should not be missed on your Kauai Vacation. If you are not interested in Kauai Snorkeling, Hawaii Discount offers Kauai Sunset Cruises and Kauai Dinner Cruises that sail the Na Pali coast.

Click here to read all about our adventures as my big brother and I conquered Kauai!

Have you ever sailed the Na Pali coast?  What did you think about it?

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Hawaii Activities for Your Hawaii Family Vacation

Posted on May 12, 2012 by

Hawaii Activities for Families

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day and I want to take break from writing about Hawaii Activities to say Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there. Eight years ago I was blessed with an amazing baby boy and my life changed forever! Being a mom is the hardest yet most rewarding job in the world! I now have 3 kids (ages 8, 6 and 2) but to me Mother’s Day is still about celebrating my mom. She is an amazing woman and still mothering me to this day!  Thank you mom for all you have done and continue to do for me!

Happy Mothers Day from my family to yours!

 

Many people think of Hawaii as a romantic getaway but it is also a great place to vacation with the family! One of the highlights of my Kauai Kayak Tour was being in a group with an 8 year old boy, his mother and his grandmother. To see 3 generations enjoying Hawaii Activities together was a fun sight.

Maria Haskins is a mom that loves to travel with her family. Her blog, Traveling with Kids, contains family travel tips on how to get ready for travel, what to bring, and what to do when you are traveling. She also blogs about the destinations she travels to with her kids. I loved her post on Maui and in honor of Mother’s Day she sent Hawaii Discount a list of her kids’ favorite things on Maui.

5 of My Kids’ Favorite Things on Maui – by Maria Haskins Traveling with Kids Blog

1.  The best way to spend the day in Hawaii is hanging out at the beach of course! Baby Beach outside Lahaina, and D.T. Fleming Beach Park were our favorite spots Continue reading →

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Hawaii Real Estate – Finding a Home in Hawaii

Posted on May 11, 2012 by

Finding Hawaii Real Estate Made Easy

After about five or six Hawaii Vacations packed with Hawaii Activities you’re most likely considering purchasing a home in Hawaii.  If you are at this point and ready to browse Hawaii Real Estate then www.FindingHawaii.com is your next stop! Finding Hawaii Realty has a handle on Hawaii Real Estate with over 12,000 listings updated nightly, over a million photos to browse, 500,000+ property records to research and they are a group of experienced Realtors you can trust.  The Finding Hawaii Real Estate website is easy to navigate.  FindingHawaii.com is small enough to give you the personal connection anyone looking to buy Hawaii Real Estate should have. To go straight to Hawaii Real Estate on your favorite Island in Hawaii, choose the corresponding link below and get started! You will be pleasantly surprised that one or two clicks will get you viewing homes for sale anywhere throughout Hawaii.  You can search Hawaii Real Estate by island, district, town or MLS number. 


Oahu Homes For Sale

http://oahu.findinghawaii.com/

Contact a Realtor at Finding Hawaii Realty today and find your Oahu home! Find Oahu Hawaii Real Estate in the areas of Honolulu, Waikiki, Diamond Head, Hawaii Kai, Haleiwa, North Shore, Portlock, Pupukea, Waialua, Kahuku, Mililani, Ewa, Pearl City, Makakilo, Kaneohe, Laie and more!

Kauai Homes For Sale

http://kauai.findinghawaii.com/

Contact Finding Hawaii Real Estate and find your Kauai home today! The Realtors at Continue reading →

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Hawaii Vacation Super Hero

Posted on May 8, 2012 by

Be a Super Hero on your Hawaii Vacation

Yesterday I saw The Avengers and it was a great movie! I have to admit that I have a crush on Tony Stark but I don’t want to be Pepper – I would rather be a Super Hero like Black Widow. What does The Avengers have to do with your Hawaii Vacation? Well if you don’t have an Arc Reactor like Iron Man, the strength of Hulk or Thor’s Hammer of Lightning you can still be a hero on your Hawaii Vacation. I have listed the top 5 ways to be a hero on your Hawaii Vacation.

1) Try new things – Even if you have never seen a surfboard in real life Hawaii is the place to give surfing a try.  Snorkel with majestic Manta Rays or soar through the sky on Hawaii Zip Lines.  Get the most out of your Hawaii Vacation by trying new things. This is a great way to make lasting memories! Many Hawaii Activities give you a unique perspective of Hawaii and a new way to experience the beauty of the islands.

Hawaii Zip Lining

 

2) Get off the beaten path with Hawaii Rental Cars – If you are going to Oahu don’t spend your entire Hawaii Vacation in Waikiki. There is so much beauty on Oahu Continue reading →

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Hawaii Shave Ice – Kauai

Posted on May 6, 2012 by

Hawaii Shave Ice

My week on Kauai with my brother was going great! So far our adventures included a Kauai Zip Line Tour,  Kilauea Lighthouse, a breathtaking Kauai Helicopter Tour, Kauai Surfing, we hopped on an interisland flight to the Big Island for a Big Island Volcano Tour, then headed back to Kauai for Kauai Backcountry Adventures Tubing, Kauai Kayaking and Smiths Luau. After experiencing the best Kauai Activities we decided to refuel the with Hawaii Shave Ice!

The Hawaiian word for delicious is ono so it only made sense to stop at Ono Ono Shave Ice in Kapaa. Hawaii Shave Ice is the perfect Hawaiian treat to cool off after the best Kauai Activities!

Hawaii Shave Ice Store

Ono Ono Shave Ice

 

Ono Ono Shave Ice has a variety of flavors to choose from. From the familiar cherry and grape to more exotic flavors such as haupia, guava, mango, lychee, mai tai and even peanut butter –  Ono Ono Shave Ice has it all! You can choose up to four flavors. I could not decide which flavors to order so I went with their Continue reading →

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Which Kauai Luau? Our evening at Smiths Luau

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

Smiths Kauai Luau

After our Kauai Kayaking journey we were ready for a Kauai Luau! We headed to Smiths Tropical Paradise Luau. Smiths Luau is the oldest Kauai Luau – it started over 20 years ago and today three generations work at Smiths Luau.

Entering Smiths Luau

When we entered the grounds I was blown away by the beauty of the Smiths Luau gardens.

The Grounds of Kauai Luaus

We were greeted with a shell lei greeting.

Lei Greetings at Smiths Luau

We hopped on a tram and took a ride through the gorgeous gardens.  We saw all sorts of beautiful plants and Hawaiian flowers.

Smith-Luau-Gardens

The Kauai Luau festivities began with the traditional blowing of the conch.

Blowing of the conch

Blowing of the conch

 

We gathered around the Imu as the pig was unearthed. To prepare the pig they placed a mesquite type of wood at the bottom. Next they placed lava rocks. Lava rocks are used because Continue reading →

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Oahu Snorkeling in Ko Olina

Posted on April 27, 2012 by
Disney recently opened a new resort, Aulani Resort and Spa on the leeward side of Oahu. Aulani Resort is located between the scenic mountains and the gorgeous waters in Ko Olina popular for Oahu Snorkeling.

 

Aulani Resort is part of the Ko Olina Resort Community.  Here you will find beautiful beaches, a championship golf course, Oahu Fishing, shopping and one of my favorite Hawaii Activities – Oahu Snorkeling.

 

snorkeling with tropical fish in Hawaii

Photo Courtesy Ko Olina Ocean Adventures

 

If you are staying in the Ko Olina area or want to explore this part of Oahu check out the Ko Olina Snorkeling and Hawaii Dolphin Encounters with Ko Olina Ocean Adventures.  On this Oahu Snorkeling tour participants enjoy non-intrusive Hawaii Dolphin Encounters with wild spinner dolphins. The snorkelers assume a passive float position in a safe, non-intrusive manner.
Hawaii Spinner Dolphins

Photo Courtesy Ko Olina Ocean Adventures

 

After Hawaii Dolphin Encounters this Oahu Snorkeling Tour makes a stop at Turtle Town.  Turtle Town is a natural turtle cleaning Continue reading →
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Hawaii Vacation – What to Pack

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

Hawaii Vacation Packing Checklist

Wondering what to pack for your Hawaii Vacation?  My Hawaii Vacation luggage includes:

  • Swimsuits
  • Sunglasses
  • Shorts
  • T-shirts
  • Camera/Charger
  • Phone/Charger
  • Windbreaker and/or light sweater
  • Sneakers
  • Flip Flops (Slippahs)
  • Dark clothing if going on a Hawaii helicopter tour
Swimsuits are the most have garment for Hawaii Snorkeling and relaxing days on the beach!  Sunglasses come in handy for Hawaii Fishing, Hawaii Hiking and seeing the sights on Hawaii Land Tours. I needed a windbreaker on my Kauai Kayaking Tour and it would come in handy on other Hawaii Tours and chilly mornings. A light sweater may be needed for Hawaii Dinner Cruises. Although we saw people Hiking Diamond Head in an assortment of shoes (we even saw one lady hiking in high heels!) I highly recommend sneakers for the Diamond Head Hike.  You will also need sneakers for Hawaii Activities such as Hawaii Horseback Riding, Hawaii ATV Tours, and Hawaii Zipline Tours.  If you want to take the best photos on Hawaii Helicopter Tours be sure to wear dark clothing to reduce the glare.

Slippahs (Photo Courtesy www.abcstores.com)

 

Sounds simple enough right? Our Hawaii Discount Facebook Fans agree! I asked our facebook fans what they thought was essential to pack for a Hawaii Vacation. Most of them agreed to pack lightly.  Many items can be purchased at the ABC store when you arrive in Hawaii.

Continue reading →

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Hawaii National Park Week – Hawaii Volcanoes and Haleakala

Posted on April 22, 2012 by

Hawaii National Park

National Park Week is April 21-29, 2012. During National Park Week all 397 National Parks across the United States will have free admission. The theme of National Park Week is “Picture Yourself in a National Park.” Take advantage of this week and “Picture Yourself” in a Hawaii National Park with some of the world’s most stunning scenery, historic landmarks and cultural treasures.

Hawaii National Park Locations Include:
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail – Big Island
Haleakala National Park – Maui
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Big Island
Kalaupapa National Historical Park – Molokai
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park – Big Island
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park – Big Island
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site – Big Island
World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument – Oahu

 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will offer ranger-led hikes and other programs during National Park Week.  Special Events at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park During Hawaii National Park Week include:
  • Tuesday, April 24: After Dark in the Park – This program will feature US Geological Survey botanist Linda Pratt as she tells the story about Hawaii’s unique flowering plants.
  • Saturday, April 28: Learn about the “People and Land of Kahuku. The Kahuku Unit will be the focus for a two-mile hike through pastures, a quarry and lava fields to. Visitors will learn how people lived on the vast Kahuku apua‘aha, its history of violent earthquakes and eruptions and the people who survived them, and plans to restore native ecosystems and protect cultural sites.
Hawaii Volcano Crater

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Volcano Steam Vents

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

 

Haleakala National Park will celebrate Hawaii National Park Week. In addition to waiving the entrance fee for all visitors April 21-29, 2012, Haleakala National Park will have special activities in the Summit Area and Kipahulu Area. Continue reading →

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Hawaiian Words, Proverbs and Inspiration

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

Hawaiian Words

One of Hawaii Discount’s favorite places to shop is the Hawaii ABC Store.  They have everything you need in one shop! Plus, especially on Oahu, you can usually find a Hawaii ABC Store on every block. From sunscreen, Hawaiian Isles Water, Hawaii macadamia nuts, Hawaii souvenirs, dashboard hula girls, ukuleles and Hawaii t-shirts – the Hawaii ABC Store has it all! I was looking for a book of Hawaiian Words and this treasure was found at the Hawaii ABC Store.

Girl standing in front of Hawaii ABC Store

Hawaii ABC Store

Hula Girl on the dashboard of a car

Dashboard Hula Girl

 

The Little Book of Aloha by Renata Provenzano is one of my favorite purchases from the Hawaii ABC Store. This book has 34 Hawaiian Proverbs. These Hawaiian Words reflect the beliefs of Hawaiian culture.

Some of my favorite Hawaiian Words, Hawaiian Proverbs and Inspiration from The Little Book of Aloha include: Continue reading →

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