Top Ten Honeymoon Destinations!

When my husband and I were first engaged, we decided to visit the Hawaiian Islands for our honeymoon and, simply put, our dreams came true! With miles of sandy beaches, balmy breezes, hiking trails, snorkeling trips and breath taking sunsets, it is easy to see why Hawaii is among the top ten honeymoon destinations and a favorite for romantic vacations!

Don’t be afraid of “island hopping” and moving around; spend a night in Hana and a few in Kaanapali or on Kauai. All the islands offer something different, so take the time to carefully plan and you’re sure to make memories that will last a lifetime. Many on line activity planning services offer free travel guides or books for each island and the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau can be a great source of information.

Before you start planning, talk to your partner and decide what type of honeymoon vacation you are each imagining. Are you an adventurous, outdoorsy couple or do you prefer sitting back on your private lanai, sipping mai tais with your sweetheart? Are you looking for a resort with all the amenities or would you prefer the seclusion of a beachfront home? Do you want lots of nightlife or is a honeymoon beach vacation the right thing for you?

A list of the most popular honeymoon destinations would not be complete without including Maui. The South and West shores include the resorts of Kaanapali and Wailea as well as a number of more budget-friendly condo-tels with easy beach access, driving is easy and there is just so much to do! There are a number of “couple friendly” snorkel and sunset sailing tours departing from Lahaina and Maalaea daily, theater shows, rainforest hikes with waterfalls and a surprising number of quiet little hideaways for such a popular place! Maui has even become one of the top destination wedding locations in the world, playing host to over 10,000 weddings annually. With a good wedding planner to put together your details, finding the perfect photographer, musician, wedding flowers and secret spot can be easy and fun; web based coordinators like the staff at A Dream Wedding in Paradise can even help you combine your Maui wedding (or vow renewal; hey, we’re talking ROMANCE here!), reception and honeymoon travel into one easy package.

Oahu is also among the list of popular honeymoon destinations and lures couples looking for great shopping, clubs, concerts and shows. Waikiki Beach has become a landmark and is a great place for couples to try surf lessons, parasailing and sunset sailing. Some of the best Hawaiian luaus and dinner cruises in the state are on Oahu and most offer the luxury of round-trip transportation; no need to worry about driving, share a toast with your love as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean and enjoy! Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay Marine Preserve were among our favorites and the Polynesian Cultural Center is a must-do activity on this island.

Kauai was a great choice for us and is the most popular wedding//honeymoon destination, after Maui. This is not the place for travelers looking for night life; only a few luaus and restaurants. It is a MUST for outdoor lovers and adventure seekers. The surfing at Hanalei Bay is always a real treat and the setting is just so picture-postcard perfect! Snorkeling is not great from shore on this island and a number of boats will take you along the Na Pali Coast; adventurous couples should look into the rafting trips. These tend to be geared more toward adults and couples, with few (or no) children. The beach landings are on completely secluded slips of sand and usually include a romantic little picnic beside the sea. There are more zipline courses here than on any island, golf, horseback rides to hidden waterfall pools, off-road and ATV tours and so much more to do, we could have filled another week and still not seen it all.

We found the Big Island to be very romantic but very BIG. This would be one island I would recommend staying in multiple hotels on. Our two days in the village of Volcano (about 45 miles from Hilo) were the most romantic of our honeymoon. After hiking in the Volcanoes National Park during the day, we joined a night hike to view the lava flows; the only way to get a better view is a helicopter flight. A visit to the summit of Mauna Kea is equally breathtaking; remember, we want to create memories together on this trip! Most of the organized activities on the island are based in Kailua-Kona and this where the most affordable hotels are found. Hilo is a quiet little town and fun to visit but does not offer as much for the romantic get away, although there are some great hidden waterfalls and gardens. The resorts at Waikoloa promise the ultimate in luxury with stellar ocean and sunset views, quiet beaches, poolside massages for couples and a number of intimate dining options.

From my experience, Hawaii should be among the list of top honeymoon vacations. There is so much for the newly married couple to enjoy that this may well become a destination of choice for all your anniversaries to come!

Resources:

https://www.hawaiiactive.com/html/ha-hawaii-travel-guide.html

http://www.adreamweddinginparadise.com/

http://www.hvcb.org/

After spending her formative years questioning authority at Catholic school and seeking the “meaning of life” (hey, I was an intense kid!), I moved around a bit, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina, before settling in Hawaii in 1999. After 6 months on Maui, I met and married the man of my dreams. We made our home in the village of Haiku with a dog and 2 crazy cats; life is sweet on the slopes of Haleakala!
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Whale Watching In Hawaii With Humpback Whales Off Maui

For a truly exciting and once in a lifetime experience the island of Maui is the place to head to see the great humpback whales, around one thousand of which travel four thousand miles from Alaska to the archipelago to mate and give birth between the months of November and March. If its whale watching you want then Hawaii is the place to be, if you want to see the Hawaiian humpback whale in its winter home to which it returns to give birth. The months between December and April are all grand months to see this wonderful, creature so there are plenty of whale watching Hawaii opportunities.

These giant creatures can be seen off the shore of Maui and there are more than a few good vantage points such as McGregor Point, which overlooks Maalaea Bay on the west coast of Maui or the Outrigger Wailea Resort where you can stop and observe the whales and on occasion also spot spinner dolphins. The significant factor is you need a wide ocean view, to boost your chances of spotting whales, and if you visit from around January, you might see their young. For a closer view for whale watching, Hawaii visitors should head out on a whale-watching cruise from Lahaina and Ma’alaea, which practically guarantee sightings in January and February.

As it takes patience for whale-watching Hawaii luckily has plenty of stunning ocean views to keep you fascinated. Lahaina is itself worth exploring for its historic past as the center for the Pacific whaling trade with many noteworthy buildings to visit including the Old Prison, the Seaman’s Hospital and the Pioneer Inn.

Maui is a beautiful island to visit with eye-catching landscapes, beautiful beaches, great restaurants and a immense range of activities including some of the best whale watching Hawaii has to offer. Beach lovers will be astounded by the wonderful beaches at Wailea and Makena whilst Ka’anapali is the largest resort area on Maui and has large sweeping beaches. The view on the long drive along the Hana Coast is wonderful and is hailed one of the world’s most impressive drives. For unbelievable food Maui’s award-winning establishments offer a winning meal or for a more tranquil atmosphere there are informal seaside fish houses to visit.

Haleakala National Park on Maui offers an splendid view from the top of Mount Haleakala to the look out point at the Haleakala crater to look down at the vast twenty five-square-mile crater floor and it is well worth taking a break from all the opportunities for whale watching Hawaii offers, to add another once in a lifetime experience to your trip. There are some superb snorkelling spots to be discovered including Molokini, a sunken volcanic crater rim and marine reserve off Maui. Another great spot is Turtle Town just off Wailea where there are green turtles to swim among.

To spot a whale, look out for water spray that rises ten to twenty feet into the air. The creature only needs to breathe every seven to twenty minutes so you may have to watch for a while. Once you see the water spray being exhaled from the whale’s blowhole, zoom your binoculars on the spot and wait. Soon, the whale will swim up to breathe.

The thrill of seeing whales in abundance makes a visit to Maui well worthwhile. Thomas Cook offers a fourteen night stay with flights staying at the Sheraton Maui from £2,499 per person, from 1st- 30th June 2010. Visit http://www.tcsignature.com for more information.
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