What type of tours are fun to do in Hawaii?

 Prior to working full time as a travel agent, I worked exclusively in the activity business here on Maui.

Part of my job is to qualify activities for my clients just as I do accommodations. This is done by personally staying at the properties we offer, going out on a tour or excursion, plus our valuable feed back from clients.

Recently I had a client booked on one of our preferred snorkel trips to Molokini. As it turned out I was in harbor at the same time they were getting off the boat. I asked them what they thought of the tour? Their reply was exactly what I wanted to hear. “We were so glad when we showed up and saw the boat you had booked us on.” “We saw many boats with countless people on board and thought I hope that isn’t the one we are going on!” They thanked me for booking them with a quality tour company with a great staff, personalized service and well maintained equipment.

Granted you may find cheaper snorkel sails, or dinner cruises online, but please keep in mind that cheaper seldom means better. It just means cheap!

I know your time is limited here in Hawaii, and I don’t want you to be disappointed with a tour that doesn’t live up to the highest of standards!

Here is a list of my favorite tours here on Hawaii:

Maui:

Love the water? Then a snorkel trip is a great idea for you. Swim with colorful tropical fish at a marine reserve or just right off the shore of Maui. Snorkel trips include a lesson how to snorkel, pastries for breakfast, deli lunch and drinks.

I think everyone should go to a luau at least once during their stay. If you have already been to a luau I suggest a more traditional luau with authetic Hawaiian hula. I believe Maui has the best luaus in the state!

One of my favorite is the Old Lahaina luau. Mahalo for these great photos.

 Never been to a luau or traveling with kids? Then a Polynesian revue would be your best bet.

Luaus last about 3 hours and will include the food, drinks and show.

A sunset cruise is a romantic way to spend the evening sipping beer, wine, and tropical drinks while enjoy the beauty of Maui from the sea!  Dinner cruises are also available.

Stand up board, kayak tours or surfing lessons are great water activities here on Maui.

These tours range from an hour to ½ day.

Are you a thrill seeker? You will love our zipline tours. They range from a couple of hours to a 5 zipline with lunch.

Whale watch tours are amazing! This tour is only available December-April.

Hawaii aka the big island: swim with a manta ray, helicopter over an active volcano, or dive in a submarine.

Oahu:

 Fly over Waikiki Beach in a sea plane, mountain bike tour, Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial, Polynesian Cultural Center.

Kauai:

 Enjoy the beauty of Kauai with these great activities: ATV adventure tour, kayak and hiking, and the Hawaii movie tour.

Written by Marie Glodt a Hawaiian Destination specialist and Maui travel agent at Travel to Maui.

Considering a vacation to Hawaii? Travel to Maui is your travel agent in Hawaii!

To schedule a consulting appointment with Marie Glodt contact us at http://www.traveltomaui.net/php/contact.php

http://www.traveltomaui.net/index.php

http://www.traveltomaui.net/php/hawaii-travel.php Hawaii vacations information

http://www.traveltomaui.net/php/travel-faq.php FAQ page

Photo credit to the Old Lahaina luau for their great luau photos. Other photos and videos from the Hawaii visitor bureau.

My weekend in Wailea, Maui

Aloha from Maui,

As a resident of Hawaii and a travel agent at Travel to Maui I am blessed with being able to hop in my car and in 60 minutes or less be at wonderful 4 star resorts.

This weekend I celebrated in style at the Fairmont Kea Lani. I decided to splurge and got a beautiful deluxe ocean view suite. I only stayed one night but I sure did a lot in just 24 hours. I will start with the things I learned on this trip about the Fairmont Kealani. I have stayed here many times. But I always find something new that I have over looked.

 On this trip I found out they have a water aerobics class for free, every day except Tuesday & Thursdays. It is in the adult’s pool at 9:30am.

I have never done the complimentary canoe ride for guests staying at the Fairmont Kea Lani, but I plan to on my next visit. This is held Monday-Friday and books up often times weeks in advance. You can make a reservation by contacting the Fairmont Kealani’s concierge desk.

Another great tip is if your suit case GROWS while you are here on Maui ship some of your goodies home ahead of time. The Fairmont Kealani concierge desk will help you box it up in the USPS priority flat rate box. For $13-16 you can stuff everything in a box and be done with it. Generally it takes 3-5 days to arrive at your destination.

Another great benefit of being a guest at the Kea Lani is the free shuttle in the Wailea area. This is a great option if your husband is golfing and you want to go to The Shops of Wailea.
If you would like to attend a luau being held in the Wailea area you can take the shuttle!

Of course I had to go to Ko when staying at the Fairmont Kea lani. We went for lunch one day and dessert the second day. WOW! Everything was great. I will include some pictures of the bread (it is amazing)

The fish I had was fresh, flaky and perfectly cooked. It came with rice. My friend had the flat bread pizza with a mango bbq sauce. Very good! The salad with the fresh ahi had the best dressing on it. We tried the shaved ice or Hawaii shave ice. The following day we stopped by just for dessert. I had the tropical sorbet which is on their special menu. I should mention this too. This is an awesome menu located on the back page. They have things for any kind of diet. Gluten free, raw, low calorie and more!

The deli at the Kea Lani is called Caffe Ciao. It is inexpensive and open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Caffe Ciao also has great snacks and a wonderful selection of wines and beers. I love to take my food to go and sit out on my lanai (balcony) at the Kea Lani and enjoy the view. On this visit I had 2 salads. I tried the tomato mozzarella which they sell by the pound. I also tried the special of the day. Both were great.

I decided to try a place I have been hearing about for months in the Wailea area. It was about 5 minutes from the Fairmont Kea Lani. It is called Pita Paradise in Wailea. The food was excellent. I had the spicy falafel. It was tasty, slightly spicy and very filling. My friend had the Greek burger. This is ground beef and lamb with feta, onion, lettuce, and tomato on pita bread. He gave me a bite (or two) and I loved it. The food was reasonable. It was $9.00 for my falafel and $13.00 for his burger. The service was good. The place was clean and parking is easy to find.

Written by Marie Glodt Maui travel agent at Travel to Maui. Maui Master and Hawaii Destination Specialist with the Hawaii Visitor Bureau. If you would like to read our great reviews or schedule a consulting appointment with Marie click here contact us page.

Expert advice on pet sitting from PSI

7/12/12 Aloha from Maui, Hawaii. Today I would like to welcome to Travel to Maui our guest blogger: Kitsey Burns, Communications Specialist for Pet Sitters International www.petsit.com


A wedding is a most joyous occasion for any couple, but there can also be a lot of stress involved in planning a wedding, especially when travel is involved. One of the many things to consider is what to do with pets when planning a trip.

While many pet-owners are now making an effort to include their pets in the wedding festivities this is not always feasible. Especially if you are having a destination wedding! Pet-owners should have the peace of mind that their pets are being properly cared for while they are celebrating their nuptials.

More people are turning to professional pet sitters to assist in the care of their precious family members. PSI pet sitters currently make more than 10 million visits to pet-owning homes each year.

Pets typically experience less stress and anxiety over their owner’s absence when they can remain in a familiar environment. Pet sitters make this possible with daily visits to your home.

In addition to meals, exercise, playtime and cleaning, pet sitters may also administer medications, walk dogs, and perform overnight visits as well as any other pet care duties. Pet sitters also provide vital home care and crime deterrent services such as mail and newspaper pick up, plant care and watering, rotating lights, opening and closing blinds, and placing trash outside for pick up.

Most importantly, you can relax and enjoy your wedding or vacation knowing that a knowledgeable professional is caring for your home and pet.

PSI makes it easy to find in-home pet care from a pet sitter with tailor-made services to care for your pet while you are away. The Pet Sitter Locator contains a complete listing of over 7,000 members worldwide. Be sure to ask for a bonded and insured pet sitter!

PSI also offers a wealth of resources for pet-owners including tips on conducting a pet-sitter interview, information for pet-owners who do plan to travel with pets and much more!www.petsit.com Pet Sitters International Founded by Patti Moran in 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing more than 7,000 independent professional in-home pet care businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad.

What to do in Hawaii in June

Aloha from Hawaii,

Todays blog is covering local events happening in Hawaii for the month of June 2012. Maui: June 8-10 Kapalua Wine and Food Festival will be celebrating their 31st year making wine and food magic on the island of Maui. 808-665-7231 www.kapalua.com

June 13-17 Wailea and Kahului will be hosting the annual Maui Film Festival. For times and locations contact 808-579-9244 www.mauifilmfestival.com

June 24 Kahului K Ho’alu Festival at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center from 2-7pm. FREE

Kauai: June 3-Kapa’a Tastes of Hawaii ultimate Sunday Brunch. Smith Tropical Paradise 11:30-3:30 www.tasteofhawaii.com

June 16-17-Hanalei American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Hanalei being held at Wai’oli Park 808-246-0695 www.relayforlife.org/hanaleihi

June 27-30-Lihue 5th Annual Red Clay Jazz Festival at the Kauai Lagoons Resort. 808-822-3148 www.redclayjazz.org or www.kauaifestivals.com

Ongoing on Kauai Kapa’a Slack Key Saturdays Na Keiki O Ka Aina Cultural Center 5pm $15-20 www.hawaiianslcakkeyguitar.com 808-826-1469 Lihue on Saturdays Larry Rivera aka “Mr. Coco Palms” sings songs, talks story and shares his memories at the Kauai Museum 808-245-6931

Big Island of Hawaii: June 2 In Waimea see the Brothers Cazimero in concert. Featuring chants, dances and Hawaiian music. Kahilu Theatre 808-885-6868

June 11 King Kamehameha Day Celebration being held in Kohala at the Kamehameha Park. FREE! Oahu: June 8-10 Honolulu and Waikiki will be a buzz with the Pan Pacific Festival. This will feature hula festival, parade and more!
June 9 Honolulu The King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade begins in downtown Honolulu and ends at Kapi’olani Park. FREE! www.hawaii.gov/dags/kamehameha
June 9 Honolulu will host the lei draping ceremony at the Statue of King Kamehameha . FREE! 3:30pm www.hawaii.gov/dags/kamehameha

Ongoing on Oahu: Saturdays and Sundays check at Art on the Zoo Fence. 9am-4pm FREE! www.artonthezoofence.com

For more information about Hawaiian vacations or to schedule a consulting appointment with one of our Hawaii Specialists contact us at http://www.traveltomaui.net Travel to Maui is a Hawaiian travel agency located on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii.

We specialize in honeymoons, and destination weddings to Hawaii and Tahiti. Travel to Maui is a proud member of the Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau.

Fun things to do on Maui

5/30/12 Written by Marie Glodt travel agent at Travel to Maui

As a resident of Maui and a Hawaiian travel agent I like to give my clients lots of ideas of fun things to do while they are here. Many things are very inexpensive or in some cases FREE!

This can range from day trips you can do in your car. To great places to have a romantic picnic for 2,  or just sit and watch a great sunset on Maui.

As you can imagine Maui is a beautiful island blessed with wonderful weather year round. One of the many things I love about Maui is it has something for everyone.

Not a water person?  Not to worry Maui has lots of different options for your Hawaiian vacation.

Do you like adventure tours? For example a zip line cruise, or horseback ride, or a helicopter tour.

Love the ocean and want to snorkel on your own? The best location will be depending on the time of day (mornings are best) and the time of the year. Our surf comes from the North during the fall and winter months, and the South during the summer and early fall. So what might be an awesome snorkel spot when your friends were here in December might be a terrible spot for you in the summer.

Another great option is to go on a snorkel boat. Molokini crater is a marine reserve just off the coast of Maui.

Want to see a waterfall up close? Looking for rainbows in Hawaii? Then the road to Hana is for you. This 75 mile drive is best when planned as an all day event. The reason is the road is very curvy, narrow, and often times just one lane.

The best tips I can give you for Hana would be: don’t go if you get carsick, pull over if you get a local behind you (or they will pass on a curve) and pack plenty to eat and drink. And don’t forget to fill up with gas before you leave your hotel!

Another popular day drive would be the dormant volcano of Haleakala Crater. This is a very popular destination at sunrise. But dress warmly as even in the summer this 10,000+ summit is in the 40’s or sometimes colder!

Maui has great beaches! This would include Kaanapali Beach, Makena Cove, Kihei, Big and Little Beaches, Kapalua and Napali.

One of my favorite beaches would be Big Beach in Makena. This is located on the south side of Maui. This means expect big surf in the summer months and use caution as no life guard is present.

As you can see there are many things to do on the Magical island of Maui.

For more information about your Hawaiian vacation or to set up a consulting appointment with one of our Maui Master Specialists contact us at http://www.traveltomaui.net

Check out our rave reviews of our services from past clients:
http://www.traveltomaui.net/php/testimonials.php

Travel to Maui is a Hawaiian Destination Specialist with the Hawaii Visitor Bureau and a Maui Master with the Maui Visitor Bureau.

Travel to Maui is a Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau member.

We specialize in honeymoons and destination weddings in Hawaii.