Hawaii doesn’t have a very pronounced spring or fall. May through October is typically considered summer. This is the best time to travel to the islands because it’s less wet and a little warmer. Overall, ocean conditions are quieter during the summer but the south shores of each island are subject to large waves that originate from storms in the southern hemisphere. The longest summer day is 13.5 hours (the shortest winter day is still 11 hours). See our Hawaii weather guide for more information.
Thanks to one of our readers for sending us the following amusing and interesting vintage movie showing Hilo in 1916 taken by a dutch film maker. For the curious, the surf boards at the time were made from planks of wood and didn’t have any fins, making them very hard to balance on.
The last thing you want to do is get sick at the start of your vacation. Ironically many people get very stressed out just before a vacation. The boss doesn’t like that you’re going, you’re trying hard to get a lot of work done before you leave, and then there’s all that vacation planning to do. First of all, don’t worry about work - it will be there when you get back. Second, you’ve found HawaiiGaga.com so finding a nice place to stay is a snap. Finally, you’re going to Hawaii!
So, how to get there healthy?
Most importantly, get plenty of sleep the night before your trip.
No last minute packing, arrangements or stress. Take care of business well in advance.
Give yourself time to get the airport. Travel day should be boring. No rushing.
Airplane food is void of nutrition at best and dangerous at worst. Pack your own nutritious meals and skip all junk food. It’s better to eat light while traveling.
Don’t be embarrassed to carry and use a surgical mask on the plane.
A former flight attendent provides more interesting flying tips
The Princeville St Regis Resort, formally known as the Princeville Hotel, is set to open its doors on July 1st after undergoing extensive renovations, although at the moment the hotel is only accepting bookings starting in October. According to currently advertised prices, rates start at $510/night for a 547 sq ft ocean view room with King Bed.
The St Regis faces competition from the Puu Poa condominiums next door. Puu Poa’s upscale residences range in price from about $230/night to $430 for a penthouse unit, and feature 2 bedrooms, ocean views and 1350-2180 sq ft of living space.
The following virtual tour shows-off the spacious Puu Poa 114 which rents for $250/night during the low season. Click on the picture to load the virtual tour.
Puu Poa 114 - click on picture to load virtual tour
One of the most sought after units in the building is Puu Poa Penthouse Unit 412 featuring incomparable Bali Hai and summer time sunset views.
Guests of Puu Poa can still enjoy the lounges and restaurants of the St Regis, a pleasant 2 minute stroll away.
HawaiiGaga.com, the search engine for Hawaii vacation rentals, today released vacation rental statistics based on data from the 5600 vacation rentals the search engine indexes. Statistics include occupancy rates, visitor demographic data, and average rental prices.
Demographic data shows that the vacation rental industry has not penetrated the Japanese market, with Japanese tourists accounting for less than 1% of rental vacationers. Conversely, Canadians show a strong preference for rentals, accounting for 9% of rental visitors and spending an average of $2600 on accommodations. 43% of rental visitors come from the west coast states - California, Washington and Oregon.
The average occupancy rate for Hawaii’s vacation rentals was 59% for the period from August 24, 2008 to Mar 28, 2009. Maui had the best occupancy rate at 64% while the Big Island had the worst at 51%. Demand for rentals was highest during February, with an overall occupancy rate of 80%.
