TRAVEL PACKAGES
We are NOT travel agents, and we do not do, nor recommend travel packages. It has been our experience that the set packages assume that everyone is the same, with the same needs and desires. Consequently, we recommend and that you, as do most of our clients, use the Internet to find and book your flights, cars and accommodations. Check out the Accommodations, Dining, and Activities pages for some of our recommendations.
PACKING
What do I really need? - It is said you'll be in good shape if you pack 1/2 the clothes you think you'll need and twice the money. Not a bad idea. Clothing is very informal. Shorts are fine anywhere in town - even out to dinner, except the main dining rooms at the Hotel King Kamehameha and the Four Seasons. Sorry, guys, you must wear long pants of some sort. Neckties and sport jackets are regarded as foreign objects here, except at the Mauna Kea and the Mauna Lani, where jackets are required in the main dining rooms, but they do have "loaners". Aside from that, dress wear for men is dressy slacks and a nice shirt(usually aloha wear is fine). For women, any dress or pants outfit. A sweatshirt or jacket is excellent both for the higher elevations (we have heard of people who stood in snow flurries at Volcanoes National Park in December) and after diving on some chilly winter days. Slippers/sandals are standard footwear. If you're a jogger, horseback rider, hiker or plan to do any exploring, a pair of jogging/hiking shoes are a good idea and heavy socks for warmth up on the mountains.
CHILDCARE
Call Marla with Big Island Nannies, well in advance, at 808.325.9693. We have used them for our two children and loved the nanny they sent.
For more island information, check out our What You Need to Know Now That You Are Here page.
PLANNING YOUR HAWAII TRIP
TRAVEL LITERATURE
Guide books and travel brochures are fine tools for planning a trip to Hawaii. There are, in fact, several good books on the Big Island, including The Big Island Revealed. That said, remember that all travel literature, and especially the free “information” booklets you will find around town, should be taken with a grain of salt, as many feature only their advertisers in direct proportion to the amount of dollars spent.
With regard to diving in particular, the two best bits of research you can do are:
1) Ask others who've been there. If their response is "Only OK", keep asking until you find someone who is raving about their trip and their diving. Ask questions about service and safety. How many Divemasters for how many divers? Does a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain remain on board while you are diving? How were the dives conducted? Were people helped with their gear? Did the boat carry oxygen and a full First Aid Kit? These are questions that are rarely asked, but should be.
2) Call, write, and subscribe to UNDERCURRENT (P.O. Box 3120, Sausalito, CA 94966, their telephone number is 1-800-326-1896). It is the only dive publication that does NOT accept advertising. Representatives show up unannounced to dive. and they never tell who they are!! They come, they dive, they write. Through letters from readers they keep pretty current on who's doing what where. We always advise divers traveling, particularly to remote areas, to give them a call or drop them a line and find out where to stay and who to dive with. Dive operations can change hands with astounding rapidity.
As a general resource for things to do on the Big Island, we recommend “Big Island Revealed.” It has the best and most comprehensive list of restaurants and activities we’ve seen. Also, the sometimes humorous writing style makes it a great book. It is available at www.wizardpub.com.
