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| Joke of the Week |
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Q:
Where do you take a cat with no tail???????? |
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A:
A retail store.............Boooo, that was really bad. Jokes by Ken Tredinnick. |
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Click on a destination below to find out more information.
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Hawaii Island
The Big Island has it all: fiery volcanoes and sparkling waterfalls, black-lava deserts and snowcapped mountain peaks, tropical rainforests and alpine meadows, a glacial lake and miles of golden, black, and green (!) sand beaches. The Big Island has an unmatched diversity of terrain and climate. A 50-mile drive will take you from snowy winter to sultry summer, passing through spring or fall along the way. The island looks like the inside of a barbecue pit on one side, and a lush jungle on the other. |
The Big Island of Hawaii -- the island that lends its name to the entire 1,500-mile-long Hawaiian archipelago -- is where Mother Nature pulled out all the stops. Simply put, it's spectacular.
The Big Island has it all: fiery volcanoes and sparkling waterfalls, black-lava deserts and snowcapped mountain peaks, tropical rainforests and alpine meadows, a glacial lake and miles of golden, black, and green (!) sand beaches. The Big Island has an unmatched diversity of terrain and climate. A 50-mile drive will take you from snowy winter to sultry summer, passing through spring or fall along the way. The island looks like the inside of a barbecue pit on one side, and a lush jungle on the other.
The Big Island is the largest island in the Hawaiian chain (4,038 sq. miles -- about the size of Connecticut), the youngest (800,000 years), and the least populated (with 30 people per sq. mile). It has the southernmost point in the United States, the world's biggest telescope, the ocean's biggest trophy marlin, and America's greatest collection of tropical luxury resorts. It also has the highest peaks in the Pacific, the most volcanoes of any Hawaiian island, and the newest land on earth.
Five volcanoes -- one still erupting -- have created this continental island, which is growing bigger daily. At its heart is snowcapped Mauna Kea, the world's tallest sea mountain (measured from the ocean floor), complete with its own glacial lake. Mauna Kea's nearest neighbor is Mauna Loa (or "Long Mountain"), creator of one-sixth of the island; it's the largest volcano on earth, rising 30,000 feet out of the ocean floor (of course, you can see only the 13,796 ft. that are above sea level). Erupting Kilauea makes the Big Island bigger every day -- and, if you're lucky and your timing is good, you can stand just a few feet away and watch it do its work. (In just a week, Kilauea volcano can produce enough lava to fill the Astrodome.)
Steeped in tradition and shrouded in the primal mist of creation, the Big Island called to the Polynesians across 2,000 miles of open ocean. In fact, ancient Hawaiian chants talk about a great burning in the night skies that guided the sojourners to the land of volcanoes. The Big Island radiates what the Hawaiians call mana, a sense of spirituality that's still apparent through the acres of petroglyphs etched in the black lava, the numerous heiau (ancient temples), burial caves scattered in the cliffs, sacred shrines both on land and in the sea, and even in the sound the wind makes as it blows across the desolate lava fields.
The Big Island is not for everyone, however. It refuses to fit the stereotype of a tropical island. Some tourists are taken aback at the sight of stark fields of lava or black-sand beaches. You must remember that it's big (expect to do lots of driving). And you may have to go out of your way if you're looking for traditional tropical beauty, such as a quintessential white-sand beach.
On the other hand, if you're into watersports, this is paradise. The two tall volcanoes mean 350 days of calm water on the leeward side. The underwater landscape of caves, cliffs, and tunnels attracts a stunning array of colorful marine life just waiting to be visited by divers and snorkelers. The island's west coast is one of the best destinations in the world for big-game fishing. And its miles of remote coastline are a kayaker's dream of caves, secluded coves, and crescent-shaped beaches reachable only by sea.
On land, hikers, bikers, and horseback riders can head up and down a volcano, across black-sand beaches, into remote valleys, and through rainforests without seeing another soul. Bird-watchers are rewarded with sightings of the rare, rapidly dwindling native birds of Hawaii. Golfers can find nirvana on top championship courses, less-crowded municipal courses, and even some unusual off-the-beaten-track choices.
This is the least-explored island in the Hawaiian chain, but if you're looking to get away from it all and back to nature in its most primal state, that might be the best thing of all about it. Where else can you witness fiery creation and swim with dolphins; ponder the stars from the world's tallest mountain and catch a blue marlin; downhill-ski and surf the waves in a single day? You can do all this and more on only one island in the world: the Big Island of Hawaii.
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Kauai
KAUAI is the island of secluded beaches, fragrant flowers, cascading waterfalls, and an unhurried pace. This is what makes the Garden Island of Kauai a tropical paradise. You can soar above Waimea Canyon and Mt. Waialeale's waterfalls, cruise up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto, or enjoy a luau on the beach. Kauai is OLD south pacific. Unspoiled and a bit rustic. The best beaches for swimming are located in Poipu, on the south side, where the sun always shines. Try out Princeville for some of the best golf in Hawaii. |
KAUAI is the island of secluded beaches, fragrant flowers, cascading waterfalls, and an unhurried pace. This is what makes the Garden Island of Kauai a tropical paradise. You can soar above Waimea Canyon and Mt. Waialeale's waterfalls, cruise up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto, or enjoy a luau on the beach. Kauai is OLD south pacific. Unspoiled and a bit rustic. The best beaches for swimming are located in Poipu, on the south side, where the sun always shines. Try out Princeville for some of the best golf in Hawaii. Take a drive along the North Shore to secluded beaches and parks. Try a helicopter tour to the middle of Kauai where they get over 200 inches of rain a year. Try out a boat cruise up the rugged Na pali (west) coast. If you are in for adventure, try out the hike along the Na Pali coast, it is fabulous.
Relax and take it all in on the laid back island of Kauai.
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the busy islands, Kauai is the place for you.
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Maui
Maui is your place for fabulous beaches, sunshine, shopping , exploring and activities. Beautiful deluxe hotels and condos to small boutique hotels, the choice is your. Choose to relax on a white sand beach or go exploring and partake in one of the many activities that Maui has to offer. Most folks traveling to Maui choose to rent a convertible to get around. What a way to go. In the winter, thousands of whales use this area as their breading area. |
ISLAND OF SUN , SAND AND SURF
Maui is your place for fabulous beaches, sunshine, shopping , exploring and activities. Beautiful deluxe hotels and condos to small boutique hotels, the choice is your. Choose to relax on a white sand beach or go exploring and partake in one of the many activities that Maui has to offer. Most folks traveling to Maui choose to rent a convertible to get around. What a way to go. In the winter, thousands of whales use this area as their breading area. You are bound to see many whales just off the coast of Maui at this time.
What to Do
Perhaps the question should be , What shouldn't we do?, as the options are endless. Make sure you see the once-in-a-lifetime view from a top 10,000-foot Haleakala. Whether you see it at sunrise, coast down from it on a bicycle(fabulous-ask Bear Tracks travel about this, we've done this) or spend the day hiking the crater's interior, it's something that you will never be able to experience anywhere else on earth. Other great hikes and day trips include Iao Valley and Swinging Bridges Trail. Drive the Road to Hana - 54 miles of curves, bridges, waterfalls, streams, and parks. This is a super drive and you will experience the black sand beaches of Hana when you arrive. Check out the towns of Kihei and Lahaina for great shopping and dining.
Beaches are also why Maui is best. Spend the day at Kapalua Beach, perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving; stroll along the three-mile-long Kaanapali Beach; or venture farther south to pristine Makena Beach State Park. All beaches in Hawaii are public. Try a snorkeling trip to Molokini and on the return trip you will snorkel with the turtles(weather permitting).
And then there are the golf courses -- the best in the country and they'll not only challenge the avid golfer, but also impress with their incredible backdrop of surf and sand.
If you like eating out, Maui is the place for you. Fabulous and varied dining is available. So many places to try- so little time. Check out the two main hotel zones, Kaanapali in the north and Wailea and Kihei in the south.
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Oahu/Honolulu
Once the vacation spot for Hawaiian royalty, the beaches and hotels of Waikiki and elsewhere on Oahu continue to be fit for kings. Here you can find historic hotels that are as elegant and romantic today as they were 80 years ago; a two-mile stretch of beach that is the most recognized stretch of sand on earth, Waikiki, and literally something for everyone. The home of Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii |
Once the vacation spot for Hawaiian royalty, the beaches and hotels of Waikiki and elsewhere on Oahu continue to be fit for kings. Here you can find historic hotels that are as elegant and romantic today as they were 80 years ago; a two-mile stretch of beach that is the most recognized stretch of sand on earth, Waikiki, and literally something for everyone. The home of Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii. What to Do If it's your first visit, there are a few musts. Treat yourself to a beautiful, fragrant, and tropical lei. Spend part of a day at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, where 2,395 military died, 188 planes were destroyed, and 18 warships were sunk on "a date which will live in infamy." Take a bit of Hawaii home with you - macadamia-nut candy and Kona coffee make great gifts. For families, Oahu offers much. Hike to the top of Diamond Head Crater for spectacular views back over Waikiki Beach. Visit the Waikiki Aquarium with its shark tank, mahimahi hatchery, and 350 marine species. If it's a windy day, head off to the North Shore and watch the surfers at Sunset Beach. Or, for a morning outing, sit back and watch the presentation of Hawaiian song and dance at the Kodak Hula Show. Hanama Bay is a must for some of the best snorkeling in the islands- eels and a lion fish. Adults will find their own idea of fun as well. Historians will enjoy Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the U.S. Shoppers will be enticed by either the International Marketplace in Waikiki or the Ala Moana Shopping Center five minutes west. Water lovers have their choice of sailing, fishing, surfing, windsurfing, and more. Waikiki is a great place to "Hang Ten" and try your luck at surfing. If we at Bear Tracks Travel can do it, so can you. And for those who want to do nothing but sleep in, read a book, relax, and at the most, play a few rounds of golf, there is the western or north shore of the island.
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