Hawaii

There is nowhere that is more beautiful or breathtaking than the islands of Hawaii and I love it when I have the time to fly over and spend time on any of the islands.  I recently had some time available where I was able to spend a few days on the Big Island and then I managed to sneak over to Maui for a couple of days as well. 

When I arrived in Hawaii, I knew that I should go straight to my hotel, but I couldn’t resist heading to the beach first.  I wanted to sink my toes in the sand and walk along the shoreline as the water lapped over my feet and I smelled the fresh, sweet Hawaiian air.  I instantly felt relaxed and couldn’t wait to experience more of that feeling while I was there. 

I reluctantly left the beach and made my way to my hotel.  I was staying at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, which is a luxurious resort filled with guest rooms, suites, and two-story bungalows.  Everything at this hotel is open and airy, so I was able to see the water and the gardens from everywhere I went. 

Every guest room has a view of the ocean, which is something that I love and appreciate when I am at a hotel.  I find that there is nothing better than waking up in the morning to seeing the waves rolling in onto the sand. 

As soon as I walked into my room, I was instantly drawn to my outdoor sitting area.  I immediately sat in one of the comfortable chairs that faced the water and looked around at my new surroundings.  The one thing that really piqued my interest was the lava rock garden shower and I knew that I would be using that quite often during my stay. 

At that point, I was getting really hungry, but I couldn’t decide where I wanted to eat.  Thankfully, the hotel staff had been quite helpful when I arrived and had given me some tips.  I would be able to ask for any type of food I wanted, whether I was in one of the restaurants or lounging by one of the numerous pools.  This was wonderful news to me, because I wanted real food while relaxing by the water. 

I chose to order a nice Italian pasta dish to delve into while I sat next to the pool.  After a while, I chose to take a swim in the pool, which happened to be one of their infinity pools.  They have one of the better infinity pools, as it seems to lead right out into the ocean and I couldn’t tell where the pool ended, and the ocean began. 

The next day, I took a private two-hour helicopter tour of the island, and that ended up being the most fascinating part of my entire trip.  We left from the middle of the hotel’s golf course and began our journey over the Kohala Mountains.  Before we returned, we had seen massive waterfalls, hidden valleys, working ranches, and beaches filled with black sand.  I had never seen any of the islands from this perspective before and it is a memory that I will cherish forever. 

When my time on the Big Island came to an end, I was very disappointed, but at least I was still going over to Maui to continue with my adventures.  I was staying at one of the Marriott hotels on the island and I could not wait to experience their phenomenal customer service with their luxurious accommodations. 

My room had a spectacular view of the ocean and I could have stayed in it all day long if it weren’t for all the activities on my to do list.  One of the first things I did was attend a luau show right at my hotel.  The festivities began in the early evening hours and the fun seemed to last forever! 

As soon as everyone arrives, they receive a fresh flower lei or a carved wooden fish hook necklace and there are numerous pre-show activities that take place to keep everyone entertained and laughing.  I watched a Imu Ceremony, which is Hawaiian underground oven cooking, and that was how they prepared our food for our evening feast.  It was amazing to see how everything was made, and it all tasted delicious!  Afterwards, there was luau dancing under the moon and the stars as we experienced a true luau. 

I recommend that everyone goes to a luau when they visit Hawaii as it is definitely a tradition like no other and it will help you learn about the culture of the Hawaiian people.  I learned so much that night, and I can’t wait to back and participate in another one. 

The rest of my time in Maui was spent at the beaches and talking with the locals.  I wanted to absorb as much information as I could, so that my next visit would be even more enjoyable than this one was.  If that could even be possible.  I was given many tips and I cannot wait to put them to use when I return again in the future!