Totem Travel Blog

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Maui is an island that has it all.  Beautiful beaches, lots of great snorkeling, beautiful waterfalls, sunsets to take your breath away, and wonderful hiking and biking trails.  I have been to Hawaii many times, but was really blown away by Maui.

When we arrived in Maui it was raining but that’s pretty normal for Hawaii.  It rains everyday just a little bit…..that’s how it stays so lush.  Soon, the rain stopped and the rainbows appeared.  It’s not unusual to see double rainbows after an afternoon shower.  Our first 2 nights were spent in the ResortQuest Maui Hill condominium property in the little town of Kihei, about 30 minutes south of the airport.  We had a beautiful 2 bedroom unit, with an oceanview.  This property is not on the beach, but it is a very good option for those who are more interested in exploring the island, and experiencing Maui. Kihei   is a good jumping off point for a visit to the Haleakala National Park, where you can hike the two-mile trail through a rain forest to the 400 foot Waimoku Falls!   Another trail leads to ‘Ohe’o Gulch with many pools, where the swimming is fantastic.  Just make sure you follow the posted signs for your safety while hiking into “interior”.

On the west side of the island, is Old Lahaina Town.  This little town is both historic and fun.  There are so many little shops, great restaurants, and charm.  Lahaina was once the royal capital, a rowdy whaling port and missionary headquarters!  Quite a mix!  There are several museums which boast period-piece displays, as well as attractions like the Lahaina Kaanapali Railroad, which is a reminder of plantation days in Maui.

Lahaina Town comes alive in the evening with luaus, piano bars &, dancing to live music.  We had so much fun shopping and trying a new restaurant every day.  I loved the atmosphere & Oceanside dining of the “Cheeseburgers in Paradise”.

Staying in Kaanapali the next 4 nights was a real treat.  The Hyatt Regency, on Kaanapali Beach, is a resort in itself.  From penguins in the lobby pool, to the coconut crème’ brule in the dining room, to the rooms overlooking the golf course and ocean—a view of both at the same time!  Kaanapali Beach is home to Black Rock with the best snorkeling on the island, maybe in Hawaii; the Golf Courses offer a real challenge, and the wind surfers and kite surfers are fun to watch.  Sorry, I didn’t try that, but it sure looks like fun.  Maybe next time!

If you are looking for something a bit quieter and maybe a bit less expensive than the Kaanapali Beach area, Napili and Kahana, just a short drive north, may be the place for you.  The beaches are in sheltered coves, which is very good for small children.  There are many moderately priced hotels and condos in this area, as well as shopping and lots of restaurants.

Kapalua is at the very north point on the west side of Maui.  This area is home to many luxury hotels, such as the Ritz Carlton.  But the real draw is the Plantation Golf Course, which is home to the PGA Tour Mercedes Benz Championship.  One of my traveling companions, an avid golfer, was coveting a chance to play this course, but decided the green fees were outside her budget.  Didn’t stop us from admiring the course and the beautiful views from the cliffs.

If you think that Maui is the place for you, please give me a call!  I would love to help you plan the perfect honeymoon, second honeymoon, or family vacation to the Valley Isle of Maui.  Aloha, Sandi@totemtravel.com

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Last week, the Travel Channel was in Hawaii conducting “Man on the Street” interviews with a grand prize of 24 hours at the Bungalows at Mauna Lani Bay .  Since I toured the Bungalows in December, and know the going rate is $6000 per night with a 10 night minimum stay, I was especially interested… that was quite a prize!

The smallest bungalow at Mauna Lani is 2500 square feet and has a pool, hot tub, and private butler.  The whole experience begins when guests are met at the airport by their butler and transported to the Bungalows by limousine.  And that’s just the beginning!  Perhaps you’d like your butler to arrange a 1/2 day private hike near the volcanoes with catered luncheon for a mere $1500.  Or, after a strenuous day of hiking, ask him to draw a bubble bath, complete with candles and champagne.  Your wish is his command and a stay at the Mauna Lani Bungalows is all about pampering, privacy and luxury!

If $6K per night would stretch your budget a bit, perhaps the Hilton Waikoloa Village is more to your taste.  The Hilton is considered the “Disneyland of Hawaii” with fabulous pools, 3 story waterfall and swim with the dolphin program.  The lazy river and waterslides are something both kids and adults love, you can snorkel in a huge saltwater lagoon and you’ll feel like “Indiana Jones’ while trying to keep your balance on the swinging rope bridge…the kids love to make it swing!

The Big Island has lots to offer in the way of activities such as the Volcanoes National Park.  The black lava fields look like Highway 405 has been hit by an earthquake.  If you can imagine black top erupting, that’s how the lava fields look.  On each side of the road through the fields are steam vents with steam rising from the volcano.  Hiking in Volcanoes National Park is not your garden variety wilderness trek, but the rewards are worth the challenge.  Where else can you see lava, cinders, steam vents rifts, craters, tree molds, a lava tube (where the lava has tunneled underground) and views of new life struggling through the past devastation. Since most of the hikes in the Volcanoes National Park are quite long, and some are arduous, it is advisable to not try and see the entire park in one day.  Volcano House is the only hotel in the park, and offers rooms with a view of the crater.  Hawaiiana is alive and well at the Volcano House.  Koa wood furniture & Hawaiian quilts are featured in each room.The summit of Mauna Kea, another of the Big Islands many volcanoes, also boasts 13 active telescopes, including the world’s largest optical/infrared telescope.  Yes, you can visit and have your very own “tour of the stars”. In Hilo, visit the new ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center.  The planetarium offers several shows per day, and the center has many interactive exhibits, which are popular with the keikis (children). So if you are thinking the Big Island or any Hawaiian destination, please give me a call.  Mahalo!  Sandi

I have had so many requests for an all-inclusive resort in Hawaii.  Finally, I can say that there is a very nice resort offering a near all-inclusive program. Beverages are not included, but all of your meals are!   About time, don’t you think!

Kona Village is a very unique vacation property.  Barefoot luxury and relaxation is the focus but fun and activities are abundant as well! 

There are no TVs, telephones, or radios in any of the “Hales”.  Hales are private (or semi-private in the case of the duplex hale) bungalows, much like the Bures of Fiji.  Each hale includes bathrobes and slippers, hair dryers, iron and ironing boards, in-room safe, 100% Kona Coffee plus a selection of refrigerated soft drinks, juices and bottle water. Hales are not air-conditioned but cooled by tropical breezes and ceiling fans.

Not planning to be at the resort for lunch?  No problem, box lunches or a lunch voucher for select island restaurants are included.  Tuesday night, don’t miss the Paniolo night BBQ!  Great grilled steaks, fabulous salads and side dishes, as well as many native Hawaiian dishes….lomi lomi salmon, poi, bread pudding and coconut flan.  On Wednesday and Friday night is the Luau.  On Monday the focus is on Hawaii’s sacred traditions and history.  You will enjoy as the stories are told in movement and drumbeat.  On Wednesday, the story of the time when Polynesians settled in the islands in the Pacific Ocean, including Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and Hawaii.  The highlights of this show are the Samoan fire knife dancers, New Zealand’s Maori songs and the hip-shaking Tahitian dances! 
 Kona Village also has a full service spa offering massages, facials, and other spa services.  Unfortunately, these services are not included in the all-inclusive program.  However there are many activities that are included - tennis, snorkeling, kayaking, boogie board surfing, to name a few.  Arts and crafts are also a big hit at the resor and Kona Village offers a children’s program for kids age 6-12 years old.  It operates daily except for the month of May and September.   They even offer historical, botanical and petroglyph tours for those that want to learn something on their vacation!. 

I hope you’ll contact me to help plan your vacation at Kona Village.  You can reach me at 425-821-4100, 800-321-7907 or sandi@totemtravel.com.  Aloha!

The best travel agents travel and in 2007 Totem Travel was in Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, the good ol’ U.S.A. and on the high seas with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Jennefer started the year with an all inclusive vacation at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort.  Her next stop was Las Vegas for a special family birthday, followed by an  NCL Alaska cruise and a week in France touring the Loire Valley to complete her France Specialist certification program.  She wrapped up the year with some fun in the sun on the lovely island of St Lucia and is sadly “grounded” until April when she’s off again to Scotland. 

Sandi spent a week in Jamaica, tested her slot machine skills in Reno & Lake Tahoe, hosted a group of friends on a Royal Caribbean fall foliage cruise to New England and visited the Big Island of Hawaii in December.  Some of her favorite vacation resorts were Sandals Dunns River for couples only, Kona Village for Hawaii “the way it used to be” and the Hapuna Prince Resort.

My travels included a family vacation sightseeing in Washington D.C., three weeks island hopping in the Caribbean and a Christmas trip to Playa del Carmen Mexico.  My favorites were Jade Mountain, Ladera and Jalousie Plantation for an intimate and very private villa style honeymoon, Beaches Negril or Iberostar Paraiso Maya for an activity packed all inclusive family vacation, and Sandals Whitehouse or Sandals Grande Antigua for the newest “luxury included” couples only resorts.

As a rule, the staff at Totem Travel is pretty much office bound January through March booking everyones’ sun breaks, school vacations and summer honeymoons.  But you can count on us to hit the road again by April because the best travel agents travel and we’ve got some of the finest travel junkies in the business!

One of my favorite vacation destinations is Hawaii.  Personally, I love Oahu.  It is a very busy bustling city, with tourism being, by far, the biggest industry.  Many travelers do not enjoy all of the chaos of a big city, but if you can look past that, the sights in and around Honolulu, are wonderful. 

I lived in Honolulu for 2 years in the late 70’s….yes, I am THAT old!  My children were very young and enjoyed the freedom of being outside every day, all day long.  The weather is incredible!  Most of the year Hawaii enjoys 80-85 degree weather everyday.  Usually, the trade winds are blowing which keeps the humidity down, so the warmth is very agreeable.  Every day in Hawaii it rains.  But the rain is warm and welcome, and only lasts about 15 minutes or so.  This is what keeps Hawaii beautiful.  There are a couple of weeks, early in the year, that tends to be wetter.  I can help you book the right time to avoid, hopefully, the “winter” in Hawaii.

In Honolulu, there are many historical sights that you will not want to miss.  The first place most visitors want to visit is Pearl Harbor.  The museum depicting the attack is very real.  You are also able to visit the Arizona Memorial by Navy vessel.  The feeling you get from visiting an actual National Cemetery, the ship was never raised and the sailors remains are still on board, is very surreal.  You can still see oil from the Arizona floating to the top of the water.

Another great attraction on Oahu is the Polynesian Cultural Center.  The Center is about an hour and a half from Honolulu.   I suggest driving to the Center via the North Shore of Oahu.  Here you will encounter the biggest waves on the Island.  This area is definitely not for amateur surfers. 

Once arriving at the Polynesian Cultural Center, you will experience cultures from all of Polynesia.  New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Guam, and the Cook Islands are a few of the areas that are represented in the “villages”.  This is an all-day, and into the evening, excursion, but very much worth it.  Do not miss the Polynesian Show in the evening.  This is the BEST Polynesian Show on the Island, in my opinion!  I have seen it several times and am amazed by the show every time. 

There are so many interesting and fun things to do in and around Honolulu.  This is a great family vacation destination.  Something for everyone.  Teen-agers especially enjoy the activity of Honolulu.  Waikiki is a bit hit, as well.