Need some advice with excursions please

[Chicky331]

My hubby and are booked on the Wind in August and are looking at excursions. We are 25 and active, but not athletes. This is also first trip to Hawaii We want to see as much as we can at each port while trying new things. Our preliminary thoughts are as follows:

 

1. Hilo - Waipio valley ATV tour

2. Kona - Cultural and snorkel adventure

3. Maui - Haleakala Crater

4. Kauai - Jungle Mountain Trek, Wagon and Zipline (hubby wants the Zipline - I am afraid of heights!)

 

I was wondering if anyone had an experience with any of these tours. My big hesitation is that we are not going to Volcanos National Park. Are we going to miss alot if we also plan to visit Haleakala and Diamond Head (2 days pre-cruise planned)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA:)

[ranyk]

Hey Chicky331

we just got back from Hawaii on the Celebrity Infinity ... you asked about Volcanoes National Park ... you have to, have to, have to go and see the lava flow (if it is still flowing in August) - check out my second photo album at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/ranyk

for pictures of what you may miss. It's a very difficult hike (my husband & I are in our late 30's)but it is very worth it.

As for Haleakala, not sure if your ship tenders overnight, but if so, make sure you get there for the sunrise - it's awesome!and well worth the wait.

Kona - we went to the place of refuge

and Kauai we took a helicopter ride, but hiking looks fabulous there ... it''s so beautiful! Every island is!

Aloha!

[Chicky331]

Thanks so much. Your pictures are incredible! We are now looking into shifting everything so we can go see the lava (hopefully it will still be flowing). :)

[pugsbest]

We will also be on the Wind in August and I was just looking at the new excursions list. For some reason it shows all the "Waipo" activities as N/A. Not sure why. We booked a helicopter trip to see the volcano flow because that will still leave up hours to do some other activities.

 

Julie

[Chicky331]

Julie,

We are on the 10-day wind leaving August 3rd. You must be on the 11-day leaving the 13th. That would put you in Hilo on Sunday - I don't think the Waipio valley excursions run on Sundays (I remember reading that somewhere). The good thing is that they show up with prices on the 10-day form! The Helicopter would be fabulous, but I am hesistant to try a helicopter as I am afraid of heights. I can't even look out the window of the plane! I hope you have a great trip

 

Shannon

[Bsan1221]

My hubby and are booked on the Wind in August and are looking at excursions. We are 25 and active, but not athletes. This is also first trip to Hawaii We want to see as much as we can at each port while trying new things. Our preliminary thoughts are as follows:

 

1. Hilo - Waipio valley ATV tour

2. Kona - Cultural and snorkel adventure

3. Maui - Haleakala Crater

4. Kauai - Jungle Mountain Trek, Wagon and Zipline (hubby wants the Zipline - I am afraid of heights!)

 

I was wondering if anyone had an experience with any of these tours. My big hesitation is that we are not going to Volcanos National Park. Are we going to miss alot if we also plan to visit Haleakala and Diamond Head (2 days pre-cruise planned)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. TIA:)

 

Dear Chicky:

 

In Maui - Mt. Haleakala is a MUST!!! If you can do the sun-rise bike ride, that would be even better. You wont be able to believe your eyes, its INCREDIBLE, your above the clouds watching the sunrise.. It still takes my breath away to this day.

 

Diamond Head is in on the "Big Island" and you can do that on your own before your trip. Diamond Head will take you about 2 hours to climb and take pics and get back down! But hubby and I took the bus (the bus system in Hawaii is incredible) for 5.00 in total we did Diamond Head.

 

We went to the Volcanos National Park and walked on top of dormant :confused: volcanos and you saw steam rise out of it.. We didnt get to see LAVA :( that day because it was tooooo far in and the cruise ship wouldnt take us, but still very cool.

 

Snorkel Adventure in Kona was GREAT!!!! :D

 

But if i were you I would Totally do Mt. Haleakala (YOU WONT REGRET IT, those memories will last a lifetime... and the views from Diamond Head are cool tooo....

[sceptic]

For those wanting to see lava up close the best source of current information is the following website:

http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/main.html

It is updated every morning. Conditions at the end of chain of craters road (the only realistic place to see active lava flows) varies from week to week, even day to day. Sometimes there is no active lava anywhere near the coast, sometimes it's quite active but 3+ miles away from the end of the road (over very jumbled terrain - recent cooled lava flows), and sometimes it's very very close.

 

If I had but one day in Hilo and wanted to maximize my chance of seeing active lava I'd closely check the above website prior to the cruise and even a few times on the cruise. If there is lava flowing near the end of the road (for example, near the Highcastle entrance or from the Banana Flow - check the map!!) I'd know that there is a very good chance that a reasonably short - less than one mile each way - hike might get me rather up close and personal to the action. If, however, the activity is way up near Pu'u O'o or far off at Kailili, I know that there is either zip chance of seeing it or a very grueling hike.

 

I've seen lava from helicopters and from the ground, and as terrific as the helicpoter flights were, being on the ground and watching it creep along the surface or enter the ocean is truly an unforgettable experience. And you really have no idea how HOT lava is until you're 30 feet from an itty bitty lobe of an active lava flow and it feels like a blast furnace.

[spleen93]

Diamond Head is in on the "Big Island" and you can do that on your own before your trip. Diamond Head will take you about 2 hours to climb and take pics and get back down! But hubby and I took the bus (the bus system in Hawaii is incredible) for 5.00 in total we did Diamond Head.

 

Actually, Diamond Head is on the island of Oahu, not the "Big Island" which would be the island of Hawaii. Just a clarification.

 

Spleen

[Chicky331]

Thanks so much for the great information and advice. I was thinking to wait and check and see what the lava is doing closer to the trip. It would be disappointing to spend the time to visit and see any.

 

Glad to hear that the buses on Oahu are easy to use. We are not renting a car and are planning to use the buses at times to see certain places.

[sceptic]

Chicky, I want to add something to my comments about seeing active lava. What I wrote was based solely on seeing it from the ground. If activity at the coast is not taking place - a condition that's happened frequently over the last decade - it doesn't mean that lava isn't pumping. It's just that the action is way up on the east rift zone, near the Pu'u O'o area, or simply far up the pali. It is definitely visible via helicopter at these times - in fact, since 1983 I'd guess that some surface lava action has been visible somewhere on Kilauea (either on the pali, at Pu'u O'o, or at the coast) over 90% of the time, perhaps even more than that.

 

Although no one can predict what Kilauea will really do tomorrow or next month - there could be a large structural change in the east rift zone at any time, causing magma to pool up underground or migrate elsewhere - the ongoing eruption has been remarkably consistent for many years. The only thing that could really prevent you from seeing active lava is if the activity at the coast diminishes AND the weather is so bad that helicopters aren't flying that day.

 

BTW, if the above conditions happen when you're at Hilo and you're dying to see active lava, you can always take a flight from Kona! It's more $$ because it takes longer to get to Kilauea from there, but they do have flights from Kona airport also.

 

Good luck!

[breeding]

We are leaving in less than 30 days (June 1st) for the 10 day Wind Cruise. We have 3 different families all taking different excursions and I will let everyone know how they go. What we have scheduled

OUR Family - very active with 2 teanagers

Hilo - Lava viewing adventure (through the ship)

Fanning - Special beach

Kauai - convertable and tour on our own

Maui - SUV and road to Hana on our own

Kona - Shogun snorkel/fishing combo (they only take 6 people)

Jeff parents (60's with bad back and can not sit or stand long)

Hilo - Volcano National Park and Rainbow Falls (through the ship)

Kauai - Waimea Canyon, Wailua River & Fern Gratto (through the ship)

Maui - Haleakala Zipline (through the ship)

Kona - Atlantis Submarine adventure (through the ship)

SIL, BIL & adult niece

Hilo - Hawaiian Eco Safari (through the ship)

Kauai(niece) - Poipu Beach surf lessons (through the ship)

Kauai (SIL & BIL) - Something through the ship?

Maui - Haleakala Zipline (through the ship)

Kona - Kamanu Catamaran Sail & Snorkel (through the ship)

We are meeting back at the ship each evening to compare notes and pictures and tell each other all about the days adverntures. On the last day in Oahu (after the cruise) we have rented a stretch hummer that will take us on a personal tour all day. Our plane is the red eye so we are hoping to get to see and do a lot with our personal guild and driver. I'm getting too excited.

[Chicky331]

Skeptic, Thanks so much for the information - you seem to know a lot about the volcanic activity. We are mulling over the helicopter trips - I am afraid of heights and don't want to spend all the money and the time to get up in the helicopter and have to shut my eyes! I am trying to gain enough courage to do it, because I heard it is fabulous!

 

Breeding, Thanks so much for your thoughts. I can't believe your 60-ish inlaws are going ziplining! We chose a zipline optional tour so my husband can do it, but I will be staying on solid ground! Please make sure you post a review after you get back. Have a great trip!

[breeding]

Breeding, Thanks so much for your thoughts. I can't believe your 60-ish inlaws are going ziplining! We chose a zipline optional tour so my husband can do it, but I will be staying on solid ground! Please make sure you post a review after you get back. Have a great trip!

 

Me either - my MIL is kindof a whimp and chicken at most things. She won't go snorkelig because she is afraid of water and will not go on a helicopter again. She went on one when they cruised to Alaska so that she could go see a big iceburg but doesn't feel she needs to do it again. Our family can't go ziplining because our youngest daughter doesn't weigh enough but it sure sounds fun. I refused to go on a helicopter but I would do a zipline!

[Bsan1221]

Actually, Diamond Head is on the island of Oahu, not the "Big Island" which would be the island of Hawaii. Just a clarification.

 

Spleen

 

THANK YOU SPLEEN- I meant Oahu..

 

Got confused.!

 

Thank you

[NnJ36]

My wife and I just returned from the 10 day cruise on the NCL Wind. One of the excursions that we did was the Jungle Mountain Trek, Wagon and Zipline in Kauai. We enjoyed the excursion a great deal. There were some great views and the trekking part of the excursion wasn't too strenuous. The zipline was enjoyable. I am afraid of hights and still enjoyed it. The zipline portion is right after a lunch break and it's a short zip across a small river. After that you trek to a swimming hole with a couple of small waterfalls and a very high rope swing if you want to do that. If you choose this excursion bring watershoes along. They aren't listed as something to bring but we found that to get to the swimming hole you had to cross a very rocky knee deep stream and the guides didn't advise bare feet. If you didn't have watershoes in your backpack you either had to get your shoes wet or dare to cross with bare feet.

[Bsan1221]

My wife and I just returned from the 10 day cruise on the NCL Wind. One of the excursions that we did was the Jungle Mountain Trek, Wagon and Zipline in Kauai. We enjoyed the excursion a great deal. There were some great views and the trekking part of the excursion wasn't too strenuous. The zipline was enjoyable. I am afraid of hights and still enjoyed it. The zipline portion is right after a lunch break and it's a short zip across a small river. After that you trek to a swimming hole with a couple of small waterfalls and a very high rope swing if you want to do that. If you choose this excursion bring watershoes along. They aren't listed as something to bring but we found that to get to the swimming hole you had to cross a very rocky knee deep stream and the guides didn't advise bare feet. If you didn't have watershoes in your backpack you either had to get your shoes wet or dare to cross with bare feet.

 

NnJ36: I completely forgot I did this tooooo!!! OMG What a great tour... It was great... Am glad you had a good time.