Hawaii travel guides, island

Hawaii State Vacation Planner - Hawaii vacation information, Waikiki and Big Island of Hawaii vacation rentals, Maui and Kauai hotels, Hawaii travel guides, island maps and Hawaii vacation stories Win a Trip to Hawaii! '10 Best in Hawaii' Insider's Guide Scenic Tours Maps Explore the Site Free Vacation Planner Service | Exclusive Discount Card | Travel Discounts Newsletter Hawaii Vacation or Vacation Hawaii -- these two Hawaii travel phrases define the dream tropical vacation experience of a lifetime. The Hawaii State Vacation Planner helps you plan and experience your own dream Hawaii Vacation. Best Places Hawaii is where you can "stop searching and start planning" your dream Hawaii vacation. Here, you will find complete Hawaii travel and vacation information including the largest direct source of Hawaii vacation rental homes, vacation rental condos, bed and breakfasts, resorts, hotels, and spas. The Hawaii State Vacation Planner also features the largest collection of vacation activities including luaus, helicopter tours, whale-watching, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, surfing, hiking, golf, guided tours and more. You will find extensive information on wedding and honeymoon services, major Hawaii events, dining, entertainment, shopping, real estate, airlines, rental cars, and travel booking providers. How to Use the Hawaii State Vacation Planner To explore any of the main Hawaiian Islands on your own, just click above on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, the Big Isle or specific categories. For even more personalized tour and travel information for planning your dream Hawaii vacation, take advantage of the totally Free Hawaii Vacation Planner Service , the ultimate vacation match-making service. Simply complete your personal profile and receive free information from Hawaii vacation providers (accommodations, activities, wedding services, Hawaii travel and tour companies, etc.) who will make your dream Hawaii vacation a reality. Also, be sure to sign-up now to receive TNT News Hawaii , a monthly Hawaii travel newsletter filled with entertaining, valuable, and useful Hawaii vacation information along with discounts on Hawaii travel. Welcome to the Hawaii State Vacation Planner, dedicated to making your Hawaii vacation the dream of a lifetime. - What's New - Special Offers and Savings! Exclusive travel discounts and Hawaii vacation savings for Best PlacesHawaii visitors only. Get big discounts, free nights, free goodies, and more... new Specials allthe time. Best Places Hawaii Discount Card Free to Get - Pays to Use! Sign up now to get the only totally FREE Discount Card in Hawaii! Available at no cost and welcome at locations across Hawaii. No Signup or renewal fees; No obligations; Never expires. Click to get! Free Listings for Hawaii Travel Businesses | Affiliate Administration Login © Best Places Hawaii , 1995-2005. All rights reserved. Photos by Mario Perez. Contact Us | Marketing/Advertising | Email this Page to a Friend | Privacy Policy

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Hawaii's Volcano Parks Let Visitors Go With The Flow Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search , Section Navigation , Content . TBO.com Life TBO.com WFLA The Tampa Tribune Search: Keyword Site News | Weather | Hurricane Guide | Things to Do | Sports | Jobs | Cars | Homes | Shopping | Classified Travel TBO.com Life Travel Hawaii's Volcano Parks Let Visitors Go With The Flow Skip directly to the full story . By TANYA BRICKING LEACH For The Associated Press Published: Dec 18, 2005 ADVERTISEMENT More from this channel: This feature requires the Macromedia Flash Plugin. Please visit http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer to download this plugin. Search our archives: Type keyword(s) 30 days 6 months 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 All Past 7 days most viewed | Tribune archive from 1990 VOLCANO, HAWAII - About the time jagged edges started poking through my T-shirt as I wormed my way through a tight spot in a lava tube, I began to wonder: What am I doing here? We could have been relaxing on the famous Green Sand Beach at South Point of the Big Island of Hawaii. But in the spirit of adventure, we were instead exploring the world underground. I had convinced my husband that it would be neat to go hiking to see flowing lava at the Kilauea Volcano on the first night of our weekend getaway, and then get up early the next morning to go caving in 1,000-year-old lava tubes. He was agreeable, even after twisting his ankle on the initial hiking excursion, which lasted past midnight. Once we got back to our cabin at Volcanoes National Park, we understood why each room had a Jacuzzi. But we weren't about to let our sore muscles get the best of us. Watching the orange glow of waxy-looking lava hiss into the ocean had intoxicated us. We wanted to see tunnels formed by the molten stuff. The Dawn Patrol So we caught just enough sleep to wake at the crack of dawn and drive to South Point in search of a labyrinth of lava tubes at a place called Kula Kai Caverns. To get there, we punched in a pass code and entered a remote neighborhood built on lava rock. Then we saw our guide's landmark, a thatched hut that looked like something out of "Gilligan's Island." Our tour guide, Kathlyn Richardson, led us into the yurt and handed us spelunking helmets, lights, gloves and kneepads to gear up. We looked like coal miners without the soot, and we were about to go on a two-hour spelunking tour. So she tested us a little. Would we like to try shimmying up parts of the cave and crawling around in tunnels? We were game. Let me just say my previous experience in caves was limited to a guided tour years earlier on a heavily traveled pathway at Kentucky's Mammoth Cave. Although it is considered the granddaddy of American caves - and the longest cave in the world - I saw only the easy-access "tourist" part of it. No shimmying through narrow passageways was involved. And I had seen Thurston Lava Tube, a major attraction on the drive around Crater Rim Drive at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. But that was just a peek into a cavelike shell. I had never seen much of caves or could explain the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. Somehow, the idea of exploring a pitch-black volcanic cavern still appealed to me. That's just the kind of tourist Kula Kai Cavern founder Ric Elhard wants to educate. "I started crawling around in caves when I was 12 years old," said Elhard, a California native who bought property on the Big Island because he knew there were caves underneath it. He and other cavers have since mapped out miles of lava tubes that crisscross the area. "We're not doing big numbers, but we saw huge potential," Elhard said. "We want to be more of an educational tour. We want people to learn and understand about the archaeological aspects of caves." Treks Of Your Choice He and other guides lead small groups, even children as young as 5, through parts of the caves on tours that last from easy half-hour strolls to more challenging half-day explorations. When my husband and I were there, it was just the two of us, following Richardson into a braided maze she knew by heart and getting a taste of massive chambers and small spaces formed by volcanic gases rising through cooling magma 1,000 years ago. A National Park tour, it is not. It's a fledgling operation that's loosely organized, and sometimes the battery-powered lights on the well-used equipment go out. But it's definitely an adventure tour. We broke a sweat, despite the cool 68-degree temperature inside the cave, and had to watch our footing navigating craggy rocks that seemed to grow out from above and below. One of the most interesting parts was when we turned off our head lamps and sat in the dark, listening closely to dripping water and the sound of ourselves breathing. I'll admit I liked climbing and scrambling over loose rocks much better than belly-crawling through the tight spots. The crawling part made me think about being swallowed by hot lava as I tried to untangle myself from its pointy fingers. Underground Point Of View But squirming around on my hands and knees gave me a feeling not just for overcoming claustrophobia, but also for looking at a volcanic island from a different perspective. I thought about the cave dwellers who must have used the spaces for shelter. I wondered how long the kukui nuts, which contained oil that Hawaiians used to light like candles, had been left on the rock shelves that we passed. I pictured the lava flowing through the walls I could now touch. The tour captured my imagination. Yes, I could have spent the day relaxing on the beach. What I did instead made me feel like an explorer. And to me, discovering a world I had never seen before made the vacation feel complete. FOR LOVE OF LAVA KULA KAI CAVERNS AND LAVA TUBES: www.kulakai caverns.com or (808) 929-7539. Located off Highway 11 in Ocean View, Hawaii. Tours by appointment ranging from $15 half-hour walking tours to $95 half-day tours. The two-hour spelunking tour is $65. Discounts for Hawaii residents and groups. Wear a T-shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. WHERE TO STAY: For the full Kilauea experience, stay in a B&B in Volcano Village or in a cabin at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. •Carson's Volcano Cottages: www.carsonscottage.com or 1-800-845-5282 or (808) 967-7683. B&B accommodations, from one-room spaces to family cottages with kitchens and storybook cottages nestled in the tropical rain forest. Breakfast is served in a dining room beside the fire. Rates range from $115 to $170 a night. •Volcano House: (808) 967-7321. This historical hotel sits on the edge of a crater, and the rooms are heated by volcanic steam. Rooms range from $95 to $225. Its cabins are among the few available in the park, but the rooms are a bit worn. Cabins are $50. •Kilauea Military Camp: www.kmc-volcano.com or (808) 967-8333. A joint services recreation center in Volcanoes National Park, open to military members and Department of Defense workers and retirees. Rates are based on rank, and accommodations range from dorms to cottages. WHERE TO EAT: After a spelunking tour, drive to the Kona side of the island for food. •The Coffee Shack: A casual coffeehouse with a sweeping view of the ocean. The staff is friendly, and the portions are big. •Cafe Pesto in Hilo: Whether you're in Kawaihae near the harbor on the scenic South Kohala coast or in historic Hilo on the Big Island's east side, find this restaurant. It has gourmet pizzas, an assortment of pasta and seafood. Most items are about $10. •Ken's House of Pancakes: Ken's is like a local Denny's. It's open 24 hours a day, and most items are less than $7. Write a letter to the editor | Subscribe to the Tribune | Place an Ad Online TBO.com AdLinks Site Tools Advertise with us Web site feedback Make TBO.com my homepage RSS Feeds: Feed for this channel All feeds/RSS FAQ Most Popular: This feature requires the Macromedia Flash Plugin. Please visit http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer to download this plugin. 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Hawaii Rental Cars ---

Hawaii Rental Cars for the Big Island of Hawaii * Hawaii Rental Cars - from $19/day (2000 weekly rate) - Hawaii Cars for Rental Big Island of Hawaii Rental Cars --- from $19/day (2000 weekly rate) Big Island of Hawaii Rental Cars BOOKING Form For Immediate Confirmation, please call: 800-767-9603 or 808-942-3639 Rates and terms & conditions are on the Hawaii Rental Cars Home Page. Hawaii Rental Cars in excess of 7 days on one island are at the daily rate. Hawaii rental cars reservations for Economy, Compact, Intermediate & Full Size Cars are GUARANTEED , if reserved more than 7 Days in Advance. We will book you a Hawaii rental cars and email you confirmation information. We will book other classes of Hawaii rental cars and reservations within 7 days, if available, and email confirmation information or notice the car was not available and available options within 24 hours. Name: Subject: Big Island of Hawaii Rental Cars Address: City: State: Zip: Country: Pick Up Date: Time: Location: Kona, Hawaii Airport Hilo, Hawaii Airport Return Date: Time: Location: Kona, Hawaii Airport Hilo, Hawaii Airport Email Address: Please double check Daytime Phone: Ext: email address & Evening Phone: phone numbers Fax Number: Type of Cars: Economy 2 Door - Hawaii Rental Cars Compact 4 Door - Hawaii Rental Cars Midsize 4 Door - Hawaii Rental Cars Full Size 4 Door - Hawaii Rental Cars Luxury 4 Door - Hawaii Rental Cars Convertible - Hawaii Rental Cars Mini Van - Hawaii Rental Cars Jeep Type - Hawaii Rental Cars Other information to enable us to be responsive to your requirements. PLEASE double check your email address and phone number. Atleast one of our email responses is returned each day because of an incorrect email address. You will be contacted by telephone or email to confirm your Hawaii rental cars reservation. If this form is not working correctly, please email us yourinformation. additional Hawaii sites Hawaii Car Rentals -- from $19.95/day (2004 weekly rate) Discount Mainland to Hawaii Airline Tickets Maui Vacation Rentals Great Lodging . . . Affordable Prices !!! Kapalua to Kaanapali - Maui, Hawaii The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach | Sands of Kahana | Kahana Sunset | Papakea Resort | Villas at Kapalua | Maui Sands | Mahina Surf | Royal Lahaina | Maui Islander | Hyatt Regency Maui | Maui Eldorado | Kaanapali Beach Hotel | Lahaina Shores | Kahana Reef | Westin Maui | Hyatt Maui | Sheraton Maui | Kaanapali Alii Maui | The Whaler Maui | Wai lea - Maui, Hawaii Wailea Elua | Wailea Ekolu | Wailea Grand Champions | Wailea Marriott Ourtigger Resort | Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort | Grand Wailea Resort & Spa | Maui Prince Hotel | Fairmont Kea Lani | Diamond Resort | Grand Wailea Maui | Kihei - Maui, Hawaii Sugar Beach Resort | Mana Kai Maui Resort | Maui Sunset | Maui Banyan | Maui Kamaole | Kihei Akahi | Kamaole Sands | Shores of Maui | Kihei Alii Kai | Nani Kai Hale | Kihei Surfside | Kauhale Makai | Island Sands | Hale Kamaole | Hale Kai O Kihei | Hale Pau Hana | Maui Coast Hotel | Hawaii Car Rentals ** Maui Car Rentals ** Kauai Car Rentals ** Hawaii Car Rentals ** Discount Airline Tickets: ** Priceline ** Farebeater ** Hawaiian airline Tickets ** Hawaii Airfare ** Airlines ** Hawaiian Airlines ** Airline Tickets ** Airfare ** Cheap Airline Tickets ** Cheap Airfare ** Discount Airline Tickets ** Discount Airfare ** Aloha Airlines additional travel sites Additional Discount Hotel Rooms -- Worldwide | Anaheim (Disneyland) | Atl anta | Bos ton | Chic ago | Lon don | | Los Angeles | Mia mi | New Orleans | New Yo rk | Or la nd o | Par is | | San Diego | San Francisco | Washington D.C. | More Cities | San Francisco 49ers Football Game Tickets (including PLAYOFF reservations) and Packages

Honolulu

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Features Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors. Monday, January 15, 2001 By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Players point and shoot as they jockey for position on the field. It's all fun and games at Hawaii All-Star Paintball as players come out of the woods to celebrate their field of dreams Paintball before politics By Burl Burlingame Star-Bulletin THERE'S a steady, hollow drumming -- thwip! thwip! thwip! -- as if vinyl hail is falling. And the stuttering chatter of air bursts. And the occasional shouted command, or cheer of victory. But other than that, standing at ground zero as 300 people engage in rapid-fire combat at close quarters is surprisingly quiet. Opening day at Hawaii All-Star Paintball drew hundreds of players from around the island yesterday in a benefit for Hawaii Food Bank. Owner Brandon Cayetano estimated about 1,500 cans of food were collected. By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Ray Contreras eyes the amunition being handed to him. The paintballs, decorated with spots and stripes, are lightweight, but sting when they hit. "Even the other fields shut down for today in support," said Cayetano. He stood atop a Matson container in the center of the playing fields, looking down into the arenas and occasionally shouting orders like the skipper of a pirate ship: "You! Yeah, you! Mask DOWN, brah! Safety first! You HEAR me?" Located on a largely ignored spit of landfill left over from freeway construction, Cayetano had a busy couple of months bulldozing and cleaning up the site. "You wouldn't believe the junk that was here," he said, shaking his head. By Blaine Fergerstrom, Star-Bulletin An overhead view of the paintball grounds. The field is divided into various arenas, each with varying obstacles and degrees of difficulty. The games are basically a variation of capture-the-flag. "When you get right down to it, it's just playing cowboys and Indians," he said. "Except that that you can spend a thousand dollars for your gear and get totally wrapped up in it." The paintballs themselves are surprisingly tough gelatin capsules the size of marbles, filled with water and biodegradable dye. They don't burst unless they strike the target dead-on. Otherwise, they bounce away. "Yeah, I suppose you could eat them," said Cayetano, eyeing the reporter who asks the question. "But why would you want to?" By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin From left, Alex Frederick, Jonathan Mita and Samuel Nolan, lock and load, preparing for an intergalactic shoot 'em up. Players checking out the facility were happy with it, not just for the challenging courses but because of the location. Wayne Kiyabu, by day a worker at Frito Lay, was introduced to paintball by his brother -- "I was hooked by the first night!" -- and says that Cayetano's course is "just what Hawaii needs. "It's awesome, no kidding. The main thing is that it's centrally located. All the other courses are off in the sticks. It wasn't until I began playing that I realized how big the phenomenon was." Sheryl Miyagawa, Serene Kubota and Heather Enomoto, all about 20 and coeds, were trying paintball for the first time, and were enthusiastic. "It was totally fun," said Miyagawa. "But I didn't know it would hurt! When you get hit by the paintball, it stings!" "My friends told me, wear as much as you can, and they weren't kidding," said Enomoto. "Oh, it's not that bad," huffed Kubota. "Fun has its price." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Trisha Shimomi and Barry Tokuhama, paintball beginners, take a break to give each other support at the paintball field grand opening. Brad Rodrigues, by day a sales broker, began paintballing about a year ago. "My friends said, hey, try 'em, and I really got into it. "This central location will really help the game. It has a lot of space and is organized. A field like this will draw good people into the game." Paintball in Hawaii, although popular, has yet to tap into the lucrative tour or corporate market. Some companies sponsor games as a teambuilding exercise. Although Americans have led the paintball charge, Cayetano has seen a shift in Japanese attitudes. Even 10 years ago, Japanese visitors were crazy for target shooting, but wouldn't shoot at anything resembling a human," Cayetano said. "But that has changed." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin A paintball warrior maneuvers for protection from being sprayed with lime green and fuchsia paint as he fires his weapon. How about videogames such as "Doom"? Have they made us more eager to shoot-'em-up? Cayetano shook his head. "Paintball is the antidote to videogames. It's out in the open. Fresh air and exercise. You're a target too. But mostly, there's no concept of teamwork in a videogame. You won't win in paintball unless you pull together." By Ronen Zilberman, Star-Bulletin Brandon Cayetano prefers the blast of paint to that of the political ring. Son o’ da guv is paintball commander BRANDON Cayetano has no intention of following in father Ben's political footsteps, and the governor has never played paintball, his son's passion. But the two share the gift of gab. Press Cayetano's "paintball" button and he goes, like 60 m.p.h. His new paintball field debuted yesterday near Sand Island and finally brings the islands into the modern age of the newly professional sport. "I first went crazy for paintball back in '83, and opened a competitive field in Waimanalo," said Cayetano. "I ran it basically so my friends and I could have a good time playing. I lost it in the early '90s. "I didn't have enough business savvy at the time to run it. I was naive." Discouraged, Cayetano ignored the sport for several years and explored what he calls the "dark side" of life. "Yeah, I got estranged from my family and friends. I knew what it was like on the streets, what it's like to be hungry. It was defensive times. I got into trouble. "But slowly, with the help of my parents, I worked my way back. I trained under computer gurus and got my act together." By coincidence, he worked as human resources and safety manager at United Laundry Services before the owner became his father's second wife. In the meantime, the paintball scene in Hawaii had stagnated, Cayetano believed. It was time someone brought it up to date, and why not him? His experiences in the '90s made him much more aware of the financial aspects of running a business. "In 1983, only the United States played paintball. Today, it's played in 39 countries and it's a $4-billion-a-year industry." Paintball is like any other sport, Cayetano said. It requires discipline, training, awareness and organization. This is created by creating fields like simulated war zones, with varying obstacles and handicaps. Paintball on Oahu had turned into a "renegade" game, with guys running around in the woods, just blasting away at each other. "We spent a lot of time just trying to tell people we weren't mercenaries in training!" he laughed. "There can be a kind of rift between the newbies and the tournament-level players. The newbies can get whacked on. They get excited, and the pros just rail 'em, which can be humbling and bum them out," said Cayetano. He intends to keep everything as even-handed as possible at the new site. Hawaii All-Star Paintball is divided into three zones or "fields" on a spit of land makai of the freeway near Sand Island. "It was trash land," said Cayetano. "I noticed it more than a year ago, and started the permit process to convert it into a paintball park." And no, being the governor's son didn't open any bureaucratic doors, he claims. "In fact, I think being the governor's kid might have slowed things down," he said. One zone comprises ABS water-pipe obstacles, a scenario called "hyper-ball" on the mainland. Another is what Cayetano called an "air-field," filled with inflatable obstacles, delivered by an airline with just hours to spare Saturday. "Thirteen grand to fly in balloons," he moaned. The third is a chessboard of mounds and berms for players to scramble over. The entire site is ringed with netting to prevent stray paintballs from whacking the freeway overpass. "The range on these things is only about 25 to 30 yards anyway," he said. "When I first started out in paintball, the guns were like pump shotguns, slow and inaccurate. Now you can even buy paintball guns for $1,200 that have computer chips in them to control your fire rate, like an automatic." Most paintball guns, though, run about $150, and are accurate enough to put a pattern in a pie plate at 20 yards. On the mainland, Army and Marine Corps use a paintball course for combat training because it's cheaper and more impressive than laser weapons. "When you get hit by a paintball, you know it," Cayetano chuckled. Cayetano raised the funds himself, mainly with the help of paintball enthusiasts like himself. Many show up after their 9-to-5s and help out in the evenings, getting the course ready. While dad doesn't play paintball, he knows Brandon has a passion for it. "Any father would want his son to follow in his footsteps," Brandon said. "But I'm more comfortable as a private businessman. Some people, like my Dad, are born to excel in politics. But not me!" Click for online calendars and events. E-mail to Features Editor Text Site Directory: [News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Do It Electric!] [Classified Ads] [Search] [Subscribe] [Info] [Letter to Editor] [Feedback] © 2001 Honolulu Star-Bulletin http://starbulletin.com

Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by

Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces Book Categories ---------------- Art Nature Judaica Ethnic Cultures Military Crafts Keepsake Books Books for Brides Calendars Children's Classics Other Skip To . . . ------------- Front Page Who we are / contact info. Ordering Info. Books by Title Books by Category Upcoming Titles Reference Library Authors Reviews Interactive Area Search this site Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by Robert Shaw In a land where the warmth afforded by a wool- or cotton-filled quilt is anything but a necessity, quiltmaking takes on an entirely new and different meaning Bringing elements of their Polynesian heritage to the American quilt, nineteenth-century Hawaiians created a distinctive and beautiful art form that is still actively practiced throughout the islands. Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces presents 55 remarkable historic and contemporary quilts, all reproduced in full color, which trace the history of the islands: from the early influences of missionaries and traders, to annexation by the United States and subsequent statehood, to the current concerns of today's Hawaiian quilt masters. Hawaii's stunning quilts capture the essence of the islands' overwhelming natural beauty. Early quilters developed the beloved Hawaiian appliqué quilt, its lovely floral designs cut like giant snowflakes from a single piece of cloth. They also created the unique tradition of the flag quilt, made to memorialize the glorious past of the Hawaiian kingdom that fell when the United States annexed the islands in 1898. This volume offers some of the finest examples of the islands' fabric art, highlighted by works of such masterful island quiltmakers as Elizabeth Akana, Sharon Balai, and Junedale Lauwaeomakana Quinories, whose clever variations on classic designs and techniques are spiced with subtle twists of modernity. This book's insightful and informative text tells how the designs of these extraordinary creations are grounded in spirituality, the indigenous flora, and the visual expression of history. Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces is the first new book on the subject in many years and is sure to become a standard reference in the field. If you are a lover of quilts, and if the idyllic geography and fascinating lore of the Hawaiian Islands lures you, then this is the perfect guide to the exotic and beautiful world of Hawaiian quilts. 9 x 12 in., 120 pages ISBN: 0-88363-396-5 $35.00 U.S., $47.50 Canada More info. about this book Buy This Book from . . .