It has been a dream of mine for a long time to take a cruise from California to Hawaii and swim with the dolphins on the big island. Not sure when I can go but you might be interested in visiting Dolphinville with Joan Ocean.
I would also love to visit the Garden Isle of Kauai.
The Garden Isle. It’s the wettest, a lushest and most verdant island in the state of Hawaii. That’s because it’s a central dormant volcano, Mount Waialeale, which is the rainiest place on earth. Its crater is lovingly referred to as The Blue Hole, and all that rainwater carves its way back to the ocean via Hawaii’s only navigable rivers.
Add tropical heat to all that moisture, and you have a recipe for life; lush, ever-growing life as far as the eye can see. But for all its beauty, Kauai lacks in urbanization. You won’t find any semblance of the city on Hawaii’s westernmost touristed island. The island’s government has even outlawed the construction of buildings taller than a palm tree, so you’d be hard-pressed to find a three-story structure.
I did visit Oahu around 2003 or 2004 and Maui in 2007.
My visit to Maui was paradise, more so than my trip to Oahu yet the Hawaiian aura still felt heavenly. I stayed in the home of someone who had invited me to visit. He was thinking of opening his home to become a bed and breakfast. He decided against it since he enjoys his privacy too much.
I never went to a luau or tasted poi but I loved being in Hawaii. Oahu was warmer than Maui. And Maui had a lot more car traffic.
Oahu
I stayed at the North Shore of Honolulu where the surfers enjoy riding the waves. It was a short walk to the beach. One day I traveled by car to various beaches. And my favorite was Sunset Beach where turtles came up close and personal and visited me and the other tourists on the sand.
I was told that there was a bus that takes you all around the island for $2 but I did not do that.
After I left the North Shore, I stayed in a hotel a block from the famous Waikiki Beach. It was relatively inexpensive and I was able to do some sightseeing with a tour bus that took us to local museums and markets.
More info about tours hotels, beaches in Honolulu and Oahu
Maui
My Trip to Maui on Million Dollar Mamas
We stayed in the mansion of Christian Riese Lasse, painter artist of dolphins and whales. It was a press trip and each of us had our own room. My room featured one of a kind (except for Madonna) bed that I slept in. There was a big staircase, a pool outside, in a private enclosed area of Maui right off the beach. I also recall a golden bathroom. We were fed by top island chefs and visited numerous luxury properties that rented for $1,000+ per night.
In the 90’s when I lived in Las Vegas, I used to visit the underground shops at Caesar’s Palace and loved Lasse’s paintings before I visited his amazing home.
Christian Riese Lassen’s super-realistic series of marine paintings, featuring whales, dolphins and fish seen both above and below the ocean's surface are stunning "multi-environmental" paintings. The "Two Worlds" style is an eloquent statement about the interconnection of the Earth's bio-systems and made the artist internationally famous almost overnight.
"The thing about art and surfing is: a wave is like an empty canvas. I try to do something new and different with each; every time," says Mr. Lassen. In truth, Mr. Lassen places color, light and contrast so beautifully, he creates such intensity and drama, it can be difficult to take your eyes off of his pieces
This Zen-like journey to find balance between the digital and organic world is not unlike his exploration of multiple worlds above and below the ocean or in and out of multiple art styles. An adventurous spirit comes naturally to Christian Riese Lassen, as his mother taught him, "Reach for the stars; you can always take the moon!"
“It is my hope that my artwork allows people to feel closer to nature. I want to communicate the beauty of unspoiled oceans and land and express my respect for the many creatures living in the sea environment. All of my inspiration for my marine life paintings come from direct experience. I have always lived and played in the ocean since a small child and it has been the biggest influence on my life. Because of my love of surfing, it has brought me to various parts of the world to experience and appreciate the fragile balance of many different marine environments. I have gained so much from the ocean and without my connection to it, I would have never found my true calling or become an international artist. I wanted to give back to the ocean that has given so much to me and so I started Sea Vision.” - Christian Riese Lassen
Purple Paradise
I love lavender as a side trip a few of us went to this lovely lavender farm to experience the scents, soaps, lotions and potions made from the delicious plants.
Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm
Ali’i Kula Lavender
1100 Waipoli Road Kula, Hawaii
Phone: 808.878.3004
Farm Hours: Friday – Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Relaxation, Rejuvenation and Renewal are all held in this magical place that the spirit calls home!
Created by Agricultural Artist and Horticultural Master, Ali’i Chang, AKL’s 13.5-acre farm resides at an elevation of roughly 4000 ft. and is home to approximately 55,000 lavender plants and 20 different varieties of lavender. Lavender is a summer bloomer, however the farm grows about 9 varieties of lavender, that bloom all year round. Olive trees, hydrangea, Protea, succulents and an exceptional variety of other plants can be found on the farm, which offers the first and only Lavender Lifestyle experience on Maui.
I did not take this trip to Hana Road but heard that it is lovely.
One of Maui’s best drives, of course, is the famous Road to Hana—a twisting, narrow, all-day journey where waterfalls, sea caves, and roadside fruit stands emerge around every turn. The drive, however, doesn’t stop in Hana; it actually wraps around the island, past Kipahulu and Kaupo, where the crystalline, multi-tiered Pools of Ohe‘o flow gently down toward the sea, and cattle roam through grassy fields that seem perched on the edge of the Earth. Some rental car companies say driving out here will violate your contract, which doesn’t mean that the drive is forbidden—simply that they won’t come and get you.
We drove around the island of Maui and visited a small town where we ate lunch and some saw country scenic sights with food trucks that offered unique treats. Some of the people hiked down the trail while the rest of us took photos and enjoyed the views.
For a casual drive on an old country road, head Upcountry to Keokea and out to Ulupalakua, where a twisting jaunt through rich green pastures emerges at Maui’s only winery. Diesel trucks and feed-filled tractors will likely be rumbling down the road, but so are classic, pastel wagons with surfboards strapped to the roof, and clusters of cyclists straining their calves on a two-wheeled Upcountry ride. As part of a proper Upcountry road trip, stop at local coffee houses to sip the island-grown coffee, or shop for spices, jewelry, or glass in shabby chic, Western-themed Makawao. Need to stretch your legs from the drive? Head to the top of Olinda Road to hike the Waihou Springs Trail, where the air is cool at 4,000 feet and smells of Eucalyptus and Pine.
Travel Restrictions
Now before you go, here are a few words about the travel restrictions.
Travel restrictions to fly there, you must take a test and test negative before you go…or you can quarantine for 10 days.
The quarantine applies to anyone traveling to and between the islands of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The interisland quarantine does not include interisland travelers arriving on Oahu, and it also does not apply to a layover in Honolulu en route to another island.
“If you have just a layover in Honolulu then the negative test result is good through to your final destination. If your break in Honolulu is more than a layover, then you are captured by the interisland quarantine,” advised the Hawaii State Department of Health on its
(Just like with pets, dogs, cats, rabbits, except they are quarantine for less time than humans).
Pets
Hawaii is the only state in the United States that is rabies-free. Because rabies poses zero threat in Hawaii, the Hawaiian state government does not require pet owners to vaccinate their four-legged family members for the virus. Why vaccinate your pup for a viral disease that doesn't exist in the surrounding environment.
Because Hawaii is rabies-free, the Hawaiian government is extremely strict when it comes to four-legged tourists. Dogs and cats traveling to Hawaii from states and countries where rabies exists must follow strict protocols to ensure they do not introduce rabies into Hawaii's unique ecosystem.
To prevent rabies from entering the state, the Hawaiian government requires that dogs and cats be quarantined upon arrival. Before you freak out, know that there are three quarantine options for travelers: the 120-day quarantine program, the 5 Day Or Less quarantine program, and the direct release program.
Hawaii's Direct Release quarantine program (aka Direct Airport Release or DAR) allows your dog or cat to fly into Hawaii and be released from the airport on the same day as arrival. Your pet will be examined by the Animal Quarantine Station upon arrival (or within a few hours of arrival) and will not be quarantined overnight. In order to qualify for the Direct Release quarantine program, you must ensure your airplane's arrival time is within the Animal Quarantine Station daytime office hours.
Hawaii's Direct Release quarantine program costs $185 per pet. The 5 Day Or Less quarantine program costs $244 per pet. Pet owners are required to pay the fee prior to arrival, and there are no discounts for multiple pets.
More info about pets going to Hawaii
Pet Airways is not flying the friendly furry skies right now but hope to do so soon.