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10 Condos on Kauai Under $100/Night

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The most difficult part of planning a Hawaiian vacation for me is deciding where to stay. While I love luxurious beach resorts as much as the next girl, most of my trips to Hawaii tend to be pretty active (especially Kauai!), and it just doesn’t make sense to pay an arm and a leg to stay at a fancy place when I’ll be spending most of my days hiking in Waimea Canyon or boating down the Napali Coast. But…sometimes I like a little more comfort than a budget hotel provides. Luckily, I’ve figured out the perfect way to save some cash and still get amazing amenities by staying in a condo or vacation rental!

Hawaii has a great variety of accommodation options, which makes it the perfect place to try out a vacation rental. Since Hawaii is a major vacation destination, there are of course MANY condos to choose from but besides condos, Hawaii has a ton of “ohanas.” Ohana means family (any Lilo and Stitch fans out there???) and in Hawaii the term is applied to separate living units located on the same property as the main house. Many homes in Hawaii are divided up into multiple spaces (each with its own private entrance, bathroom, kitchenette, etc.) while some have a guest cottage on the property. Because so many homes are configured this way, it’s easy to find a private apartment or cottage on the same property with a local host.

There are several ways you’ll save money on a trip to Oahu by staying in a condo or vacation rental. The biggest way you’ll save money is that it’s soooo much cheaper than staying at a resort or hotel. On many islands you can find condos or ohanas either right on or just a block or two from the beach. Plus, resorts can get expensive really fast if you have more than two adults staying in a room. Rental units are perfect for larger parties who can rent an entire house or multi bedroom condo and split the cost. Another big benefit that rentals offer is the full kitchen (or kitchenette depending on what you book). Having a place to cook some meals and a fridge to store snacks and drinks can really save you a lot.

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

Before you start looking around for specific condos or rentals, it’s best to have a general idea of where you want to stay. If you’re not very familiar with Kauai, you should read this post to get the lay of the is(land) and decide which area you’d most like to stay.

Consider what you need. What’s important to you? Are you looking for a specific location near a certain beach or resort area? Do you need a full kitchen? Reliable Wi-Fi? A full house or just studio? Be clear about what you want before you start searching.

9 Condos on Oahu under $100/Night

A trip to Hawaii can be a once in a lifetime experience, but wow can it be hard settling on a good place to stay! If you’re on a budget and trying to avoid paying resort prices, or you’re just looking for a little something different (maybe a more local experience?) then a condo or vacation rental on Oahu is perfect for you!

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

Before you start looking around for specific condos or rentals, it’s best to have a general idea of where you want to stay. If you’re not very familiar with Oahu, you should read this post to get the lay of the is(land) and decide which area you’d most like to stay. But before you start looking, you should know that by far the bulk of accommodations are located in Waikiki (a neighborhood of Honolulu), and Oahu just passed legislation that limits the rentals in “local” parts of the island. More on that below.

Read reviews. Before you even consider staying at a property, you should read up on what people who have stayed there have to say. Remember, you’ll only hear the good points from the host but reviews usually give a much more honest story. And when I’m weeding through listings, I also put a lot of weight into the photographs provided. If the photos look professional, it probably means that the owner runs their vacation rental in a professional manner and that is a indication that it’s a good place to stay.

Ask plenty of questions. When you’re seriously considering staying at a specific property, you should correspond with the owner and ask them any questions you may have.

Count the extra costs. Be sure to factor in any security deposits, cleaning fees, and booking fees.

Know the cancellation policy. Each property and owner may have different terms so know what they are before you commit.

13 Vacation Rentals on the Big Island Under $100/Night

Are you struggling finding the perfect place to stay on the Big Island? Picking just the right spot is usually one of the hardest parts for me when I’m planning a trip. I love staying at fancy beach resorts (pretty much more than anything!), but it just doesn’t always make sense to pay so much money when I’ll be spending most of my days hiking in Hawaii Volcano National Park or visiting amazing colored sand beaches.

So I’ve got the perfect solution for you…you can save a bundle and still get amazing amenities by staying in a condo or vacation rental on the Big Island!

There are several ways you’ll save money on a trip to the Big Island by staying in a condo or vacation rental. The biggest way you’ll save money is that it’s soooo much cheaper than staying at a resort or hotel. On many islands you can find condos or ohanas either right on or just a block or two from the beach. Plus, resorts can get expensive really fast if you have more than two adults staying in a room. Rental units are perfect for larger parties who can rent an entire house or multi bedroom condo and split the cost. Another big benefit that rentals offer is the full kitchen (or kitchenette depending on what you book). Having a place to cook some meals and a fridge to store snacks and drinks can really save you a lot.

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

Before you start looking around for specific condos or rentals, it’s best to have a general idea of where you want to stay. If you’re not very familiar with the Big Island, you should read this post to get the lay of the is(land) and decide which area you’d most like to stay.

How to Find the Best Maui Vacation Rentals

One of the trickiest parts of planning a trip for me is finding just the right place to stay. My trips to Hawaii are pretty active and include plenty of exploring so I don’t want to pay a bundle on a fancy beach resort when I’ll be off trekking to the summit of Haleakala for sunrise or hiking through the bamboo forests of Hana, however sometimes a budget hotel can leave a little to be desired when I’m in the mood to lounge at the beach or poolside.

So I’ve got the perfect solution for you…you can save a bundle and still get amazing amenities by staying in a condo or vacation rental on Maui!

There are several ways you’ll save money on a trip to Maui by staying in a condo or vacation rental. The biggest way you’ll save money is that it’s soooo much cheaper than staying at a resort or hotel. On many islands you can find condos or ohanas either right on or just a block or two from the beach. Plus, resorts can get expensive really fast if you have more than two adults staying in a room. Rental units are perfect for larger parties who can rent an entire house or multi bedroom condo and split the cost. Another big benefit that rentals offer is the full kitchen (or kitchenette depending on what you book). Having a place to cook some meals and a fridge to store snacks and drinks can really save you a lot.

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

Before you start looking around for specific condos or rentals, it’s best to have a general idea of where you want to stay. If you’re not very familiar with Maui, you should read this post to get the lay of the is(land) and decide which area you’d most like to stay.

Ask plenty of questions. When you’re seriously considering staying at a specific property, you should correspond with the owner and ask them any questions you may have.

Count the extra costs. Be sure to factor in any security deposits, cleaning fees, and booking fees.

Know the cancellation policy. Each property and owner may have different terms so know what they are before you commit.

Napali Coast Boat Tours Kauai

If you’re going to Kauai, you likely know that the #1 thing to do there is see the Napali Coast. If you’re done any research at all, you probably know that it’s not just something you can drive up and see. Kauai’s Napali Coast is so isolated and rugged that it can only be seen by air, from sea, or on foot. You’ll find information about the pros and cons of seeing it each way here, but this post is all about seeing it from the water!

The best time to do a boat tour down the Napali Coast is during the summer months (April to October). This is when ocean conditions are calmest. Tours are offered (only leaving from the south side) during the winter months, but they’re frequently cancelled due to high surf.

There are a TON of companies that offer boat tours down the Napali Coast, so narrowing it down can be a little tricky. I strongly suggest picking a tour operator that leaves out of Hanalei instead of Port Allen (or anywhere on the south side). When you leave out of Hanalei, your whole tour is up and down the Napali Coast. When you leave out of Port Allen, you have to sail for almost an hour before you even get to the Napali Coast, and to make it back within the four hour allotted tour time, the boats often turn back early and you don’t even get to see the entire coast. Leaving out of Hanalei is only an option during the summer months though due to weather. If your trip is during the winter months, your only choices will be to leave from the south shore.

You’ll also have to narrow down what kind of boat you’ll take on your tour. Boats range from small ocean rafts to large catamarans. When you have an option, always go out on a smaller boat. The big catamarans (although cheaper) can’t venture into the sea caves and that’s one of the best parts of the Napali Coast. Most of the tours on Zodiacs (ocean rafts) are advertised as “snorkel cruises” or “snorkel adventures,” but don’t go in expecting too much. These are definitely boat tours of the Napali Coast to revel in the scenery of one of the most magnificent parts of Hawaii with a (sub par) snorkeling spot thrown in. It’s not terrible, but I’ve done a few different tours that stop at different spots and it has never been anything to write home about. You’re going to see the scenery and enjoy being out on the water.

Like I mentioned before, there are so many tour operators to choose from. If you follow the criteria I’ve outlined above when looking, you’ll end up having a great time. I can’t speak about every single tour, but here are a couple I recommend:

Kauai Helicopter Tours: Who Is the Best Company?

Kauai was pretty much made to be seen from the air. Only 20% of the island is developed which means that most visitors only see a tiny fraction of its splendors. And boy does it have splendors. I personally think that Kauai is the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly, many of its most beautiful sites are so remote and difficult to reach that they remain unseen by all but the most intrepid hikers.

There are a TON of companies that offer helicopter tours of Kauai, so how do you know which one to pick? First of all, I don’t believe this is something you shop around the find the best deal. Helicopter and small airplane crashes aren’t unheard of in Hawaii and it’s usually a result of inexperienced pilots or ill maintained equipment. This is a time when paying more to go with a reputable company is a necessity. While I’m not going to do a rundown on every helicopter company in this post, I’m going to let you know my top three and you can pick based on what you’re looking for.

Blue Hawaiian: Blue Hawaiian is the granddaddy of all the tour operators. They fly on every major island, and their fleet is modern and impressive. I think they offer the most comfortable flight conditions available. They only fly doors ON flights. Their flights start at $269/person. Read reviews and search for discounts here.

On my last trip to Kauai, I flew on an 8:30AM departure with Blue Hawaiian on their 50 minute circle island flight. Their flights leave out of the Lihue Heliport, which is right next to the airport. Blue Hawaiian’s headquarters are in a nice building with a check-in desk, gift shop, restrooms, and safety briefing area. When you check in, they take your weight really discretely (I didn’t even know that’s what they were doing!) and this is how they determine seating assignments. About a half hour before our flight, we watched a safety video and got our personal flotation devices (a small pouch you wear strapped around your waist). This is also where we got our pilot’s name and seat assignments (there were three helicopters leaving at our departure time).

Next we went outside and waited on the lanai and watched the helicopters land from the previous tour, unload, and get refueled before we were loaded on. This flight was on an ecostar, which is known for being one of the more “comfortable” aircrafts you can fly on. It had four seats in the back and three in the front (including the pilot). I was seat #1 which is front middle right next to the pilot so I was the first one loaded. The flight crew led us out to the helipad one by one, buckled us in, and handed us our headsets. Once I was loaded, I could talk to the pilot through my headset.

Although I was a little nervous beforehand, I got a little psyched out once I was buckled in, but as soon as we were in the air I was completely fine. I’m not crazy about heights and was worried I might have some anxiety/panic being up that high, but it didn’t bother me AT ALL.

The Best Tour Operators for Biking Down Haleakala (Maui’s Dormant Volcano)

One of the most popular tourist attractions on Maui is Haleakala, a large dormant volcano whose slopes are the heartland of Maui. While tons of people ascend to the summit each morning to watch the sunrise, the lucky ones get to follow it up with a downhill bike ride from summit to sea.

In my opinion, biking down Haleakala is one of the best ways to experience the crater and Upcountry Maui while getting a little dose of excitement (van tours can be sooooo boring!). You don’t even need to be in great shape to do the bike ride…it’s all downhill! When I’ve done it, I probably pedaled less than about 10 rotations the entire time (this might vary depending if you’re ending in Paia or Haiku).

There used to be dozens of companies that offered some version of a sunrise/bike tour down Haleakala, but in efforts to minimize the impact of visitors to the National Park, starting in 2018 only four companies where awarded permits to operate road tours within the park.

So while many companies used to take you up to the summit in a van so you could see sunrise, and then put you on your bike at the entrance to the National Park (no bike rides are available WITHIN the park), the options are now much fewer. There’s only one company that offers sunrise tours at the summit with the option to bike down. There’s another company that offers the same but it also includes ziplining. And there’s also the option of going with a company that will take you up midmorning (no sunrise), and put you on bikes just outside of the National Park entrance. Depending on what you’re looking for (and what your budget is), all three can be good options. I’ll detail the three companies I recommend below, but first I would caution to look out for companies who promise sunrise at Haleakala with a bike tour but don’t have a permit. If you go with them, you’ll be watching sunrise from about 6,700 feet (outside the National Park entrance), not the summit. And if you’re going to go through the trouble of getting up that early and trekking all the way up there, you really ought to see it from the top.

RELATED: Not very familiar with Maui? Read up on the lay of the is(land) and where to stay plus my favorite beach resorts, budget hotels, Airbnbs, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, luxury resorts, and boutique hotels plus my area specific guides (including where to stay, eat, and things to do) for Wailea and Ka’anapali.

Bike Maui: Bike Maui is the only company that has a permit to offer van tours to the summit for sunrise in conjunction with a bike ride down. They’re pretty much the easiest route if you want to see sunrise (as a tour) and bike down. They have options for either self-paced or group tours. For me, I knew I didn’t want to ride down the mountain with a pack of people and be confined to where the guide chose to stop and their time constraints. So I definitely prefer a self paced tour. Many people pick the group led tour because they think they’ll be on their own if something happens along the way on a self-paced ride. Don’t let that be a deciding factor. Bike Maui will provide you with DETAILED instructions for how to contact them if you need roadside assistance (this covers everything from a flat tire to being too tired to finish to having one too many margaritas at lunch). They’ll also provide you with everything you need (i.e. full-face helmets, rain suits, backpacks, locks, and maps). I would suggest bringing water, sunscreen, and a jacket (especially if you’re doing the sunrise tour, in which case you’ll want PLENTY of layers). The only thing I dislike about Bike Maui is that on the self guided tour you end your ride in Haiku instead of Paia. It’s a cute little town on the north shore (more inland), although not as walkable and appealing as Paia. Guests must be at least 12 years old for this tour. Pickup from resort areas in West and South Maui is included in guided tours and is an additional $25/person for self guided tours. Self guided sunrise tours can be booked starting at $160/person (with an online early booking discount). Guided tours (with stops at Kula Marketplace and Paia) can be booked starting at $200/person. Read more reviews and search for discounts here.

5 Best Spas on Oahu

Hawaii is home to some of the world’s best spas and resorts and while Oahu doesn’t do luxury and relaxing experiences quite as well as some of the other islands (mainly Maui), there are still quite a few noteworthy spas on the island. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious setting, a connection to ancient Hawaiian culture, lavish treatments, or convenience, you’ll find something that suits you at these Oahu spas:

Moana Lani Spa (Moana Surfrider): The best spa in Waikiki is located in the heart of the strip in the most historic hotel in Hawaii while still feeling a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s a huge menu of offerings available at lower prices than you’ll find at the spas in Ko’olina and Turtle Bay. You can also purchase a spa day pass to use the facilities (lockers, steam room, whirlpool, sauna, and lounge overlooking the ocean. Find more information here.

Nalu Kinetic Spa (Turtle Bay): If you’re staying on or near Oahu’s famed north shore, this is your best spa option. The oceanfront facility offers a wide range of treatment options including traditional Hawaiian practices. They offer the unique option of a sunset massage as well as weekly happy hour specials (Monday through Friday) which include special deals on treatments that all include a glass of bubbly. Find more information here.

destinations

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

What should you look for in a vacation rental?

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