When most people think of Hawaii, they probably think of surfing, and justifiably so. The state is arguably home to the best surfing on the planet, and when the pounding surf is paired with beautiful white-sand beaches and a lush, green landscape, it is almost impossible to resist. Of all the islands, Oahu, Maui and Kauai offer the best surfing conditions, and inter-island travel gets easier all the time. The group is islands is one of the most isolated places on Earth, and that’s why we are going to use Oahu, Hawaii’s most accessible island, as our base.
Oahu gets three times as much airline traffic as any other Hawaiian island from the continental United States. Because of that, the island is easily Hawaii’s most cosmopolitan destination. And it is also the premier surfing spot in the entire world. Surfers are free to take advantage of over 100 miles of the greatest beachfront they will ever see. Of course, at the center of it all is Waikiki Beach, home to the famous North Shore. If you can make it here, at the Mecca of surfing, then you can make it anywhere.
But Oahu can be too cosmopolitan. If you are looking for a more peaceful surfing atmosphere, look no further than Maui. Hawaii’s second biggest island is easily the state’s most luxurious. Upscale resorts and private beaches allow you to surf without crowds or interference. The private environment allows you to focus on surfing without the distractions that can come with too many people. Maui also has an almost non-existent nightlife, meaning if you want to do more than surf and relax, Maui is not the place for you.
One place that might offer an even more solitary surfing environment than Maui is Kauai. Nicknamed the “Garden Island,” the place boasts everything from jagged mountains and waterfalls to lush, abundant flora and fauna. Not as popular as Oahu or Maui, Kauai offers the serenity that surfers seek. And there are all kinds of different beaches from which to take advantage of the surf. One example is the sun-drenched Poipu Beach, with the mountains in the background framing the seascape. There’s also Lumalai Beach, where you can ply your trade in utter seclusion. If you decide you need a break from the surf, there’s also great hiking along the Na Pali Coast.
The Hawaiian Islands are one of the true gems of this planet. For surfers, the islands are a particular paradise. We haven’t even touched on the rich, beautiful culture of the native people. There are a number of places you can go to take advantage of this unique place. But one thing is certain: whether you’re at cosmopolitan Oahu, luxurious Maui or serene Kauai, you are guaranteed to have a wonderful time amid the best surfing around.
August 24, 2007 2 Comments
For those thinking of traveling abroad this Labor Day weekend, the problems with subprime lending may serve to keep you grounded. The downturn in the US economy, mainly as a result of the housing recession will cause many people to change their minds about that vacation. But those that do venture abroad will find things a lot cheaper due to the recent appreciation in the US dollar.
The economic slump affects the prospective traveler in a number of ways (all negative). First, the housing recession has spread to other parts of the economy, depressing wages in a variety of sectors. If you are getting paid less, you have less money to spend on discretionary items like travel. Second, your purchasing power is tied to not only your income, but also your wealth. And the largest component of net worth for most Americans is the value of their home. What the subprime crisis (and the broader housing decline) has done is cause that value to depreciate, lowering your net worth and ability to spend money on foreign vacations.
Subprime problems will also prove detrimental to travel in more general ways. Going abroad on the Labor Day holiday is a luxury, and the ability to pay for that luxury requires certain things. We have discussed how American consumers have less real money to spend, but many times, vacation decisions are made on the basis of how we feel about our economic health. Consumer confidence in this country is at a multi-year low, partly due to so many people losing their homes in the subprime fiasco. And since consumer spending accounts for 2/3 of our economy, the low confidence is only likely to perpetuate itself, creating conditions where no one feels up to traveling.
Lastly, we have to consider that many people pay for vacations by borrowing money. The most direct effect of the subprime issue is the tightening of the credit market. Banks are so afraid to lose money on loans (or at least, some loans) that they have begun charging higher interest rates to cover their losses. Higher borrowing costs mean that last vacation before summer ends just got more expensive.
There is a silver lining to those that just have to show off those white clothes one last time. I said that banks have become gun-shy with loans; that feeling of fear is true with regard to investors and traders as well. Everyone wants to get out of risky investments in case everything blows up on them. And when fear pervades the marketplace, traders turn to the world’s safest investment: US Treasury bonds. People love buying the debt of the world’s largest economy because it is the world’s most liquid asset, and the US government will never (absolutely never) default on its debt obligation.
What does this mean for American travelers? Well, to buy US Treasury bonds, you need US dollars. As the demand for Treasuries increases, the value of the US dollar goes up. And that’s been the direction of the American currency for the past two weeks against all the other major currencies (Euro, Pound, Swiss Franc, etc.) except for the Japanese yen (a more complicated story). That means it’s cheaper to visit Europe, Australia or New Zealand than at any other time this summer. So if the housing slump hasn’t gotten you down, take advantage of the dollar strength while you still can and realize a discount on the last warm weather holiday of the year.
August 21, 2007 No Comments
According to the Chicago Tribune, expediting passports may soon be a thing of the past. With the increase of passport applications after 9/11, and new laws stating that crossing any country boarder (including Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean) now requires a passport, the State Department is overwhelmed with passport processing. So overwhelmed, in fact, that they have hired hundreds of new employees, and even shipped ex-employees back to the United States to try to deal with the backlog.
Usually, people can pay an extra $60 fee to have their passport expedited in a week. Now, the realistic wait for an expedited passport is three weeks, or longer. A regular passport, usually taking 6 weeks, can take anywhere from 10 to 12 weeks. Though the State Department website can be checked regularly to see how fast expediting is, there is no guarantee for when your passport will be returned.
August 17, 2007 No Comments
Experience the Alaskan wilderness! Take advantage of this special offer from Green Earth Travel and explore the Kenai Peninsula and Denali National Park for just $995 per person, for selected dates throughout August. The trip features a five-night stay in a deluxe camping and one night stay at a hotel or lodge. The package also includes entrance to the National Parks, a wildlife bus tour, canoeing on the Kenai Peninsula, a professional guide, a specially equipped passenger van, specialized camping equipment, and exceptional freshly-prepared meals. Along with excellent canoeing and hiking, you will see glaciers and wildlife in Kenai Fjords National Park, the tallest mountain in North America in Denali National Park, and more. Optional adventure tours include whitewater and scenic river rafting, mountain biking, glacier and wildlife cruises, and sea kayaking.
For more information, visit http://www.greenearthtravel.com/alaskantoursp3.htm.
August 16, 2007 No Comments
Flying, it seems, is becoming less a question of convenience and more a question of patience and good nerves. U.S. airline delays have apparently soared up to a 13-year high, according to a New York Times report. And things are expected to get worse. According to data provided by the Department of Transportation, U.S. Airlines’ on-time arrival rate for June was just above 68 percent, compared with June 2006’s 72.8 percent and May 2007’s 77.9 percent. As the agency reported further, nearly 25 percent of flights on the 20 largest carriers have not arrived on time so far in 2007. At the same time, there has been an increase in the mishandled baggage rate, while the number of filed consumer complaints about the airline service is higher than the number of complaints received in June 2007 and May 2006.
There are several reasons behind the worrying data. Firstly, the demand for air travel is rising, both on major airlines and smaller regional carriers. Rather than flying bigger planes, airlines tend to rely on small 40- to 80-seats jets that fill up more easily, hence fly with fewer empty seats and are more profitable. This strategy, however, puts additional pressure on already crowded skies and runways. As a result, the number of delayed flights increases. Also, the increase can partially be attributed to bad weather conditions. According to government agencies, weather-related delays in June were up seven percent in a year.
Furthermore, the airline industry puts the blame on an outdated radar-based system. With a modern satellite-based air traffic control system, they claim, flight passengers could see some improvement in the present situation. In the meantime, however, the technological upgrade has been suspended due to a pending decision on the lawmakers’ part as to who should cover the related costs. Before it becomes clear whether it is the big airlines or the users of smaller aircraft who should be responsible for paying the money, the delays might get worse.
August 16, 2007 No Comments
Denver Business Journal stated this week that the Dollar and Thrifty rental-car services around Denver, Colorado are starting to offer services where car renters can pay a fee up front to cover toll payments on the E-470 and surrounding toll routes (though the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group is actually based in Tulsa, Oklahoma). The service is called Pass24, and is already offered in Houston and Dallas, along with the three Dollar and Thrifty rental offices in Denver (including Denver International Airport).
Pass24 covers a total of 65 miles of highway, such as the E-470, the Northwest Parkway and the I-25 express lanes. Travelers can sign up for the service at the rental counter to pay $8.95 per day for Pass24. This enables them to drive an unlimited number of times through toll booths, without any sort of electronic device (the technology is provided by Rent A Toll, a Texas technology company).
August 15, 2007 No Comments
Affordable outgoing and incoming calls while abroad are no longer just a traveler’s dream, with the National Geographic Talk Abroad Travel Phone. Having a mobile phone while traveling is not just a question of convenience; it is also a matter of safety. Expensive rates and little or no technical support, however, have been discouraging the general public from relying on international cellular services while staying abroad. National Geographic, in a partnership with California-based Cellular Abroad, introduced a solution that fills this niche when they launched the National Geographic Talk Abroad Travel Phone. Its pre-paid service allows the users to receive incoming calls free of charge in 65 of the most frequently traveled countries, including all of Europe, while rates for outgoing calls are a lot cheaper than those offered by other cellular services. Picking up local services, the Talk Abroad Travel Phone promises to provide its customers with the best coverage available and work seamlessly across international boarders.
The rates begin at 90 cents per minute for outgoing calls from Europe and many other popular destinations. According to Scott Nielsen, vice president of business development for Cellular Abroad, that is less than what most cell-providers offer; other are apparently charging roughly $1.50 a minute for both, outgoing and incoming calls. For other destinations, the rates are higher and vary, depending on the country. Incoming SMS text messages are free, outgoing ones are 60 cents each; service charges for calls to a cell phone or other National Geographic travel phone are 25 cents per minute. The NG Talk Abroad phone can be either purchased for $199, or rented. The rental charges start at $49 per week or $129 for two months. Alternatively, a SIM card can be bought for $79 and inserted into a GMS phone. All phones come loaded with $29 prepaid talking time. Once spent, a customer can purchase additional talk time in $29 increments either via website or directly from the handset.
On the top of cheaper rates and a contract-free phone, National Geographic and Talk Abroad also promise to provide a toll-free customer service available on a 24/7 basis, which can be accessed directly from the phone. Furthermore, regardless of your destination, each NG Talk Abroad customer will be assigned a UK number. Therefore, unlike with other services, the customer’s phone number remains the same irrespectively of where he or she travels. The NG Talk Abroad Travel Phone, specifically designed for an international traveler, appears to be an effective way to stay connected world-wide. Students, photographers, journalists, business travelers, as well as vacationers and explorers could all benefit from the device.
August 15, 2007 No Comments
Looking for a luxurious getaway? Check out this amazing deal announced by Expedia.com! Through Expedia.com, you can stay at the Miami branch of the world-renowned Mandarin Oriental hotel-chain for just $189 per night, per person. This is a very special offer, since due to its increasing popularity and a growing recognition Mandarin Oriental only rarely offers discounted rates. To compare, even the hotel’s special Internet Rates start at $329 per night, per person. The five-star Mandarin Oriental Miami has been repeatedly awarded as one of the world’s top hotels. Located in the hip Miami area of South Beach, the Design District and the Art Deco District are both within an eight-mile radius away from the oceanfront resort. Each room in the hotel has a private balcony and an award-winning spa is available to the hotel guests.
This fantastic offer is valid seven days a week between September 1 and September 30. For just additional $30, it also applies to dates in August.
For more information, visit http://vacations.travelzoo.com/romantic-vacations/317378
August 15, 2007 No Comments
Your frequent-flier miles may expire sooner than you thought! Airline companies have recently announced a change in policies concerning their frequent flier programs. Many of the major U.S. airlines are changing the period of time for which your frequent flier miles may remain inactive. US Airways have decreased the length of the expiration period for inactive accounts from 36 to 18 months. Delta has brought the expiration period down to 24 months, while United Airlines and American Airlines frequent-flier accounts may sit dormant for no more than 18-month. With the expiration periods getting shorter, it is now even more important to take steps to preserve you hard-earned miles and use them to your advantage.
There are many ways how to keep your frequent flyer account active. In general terms, some sort of activity on the account is required to prevent the miles from expiring. Consider the following suggestions:
Take a paid flight on the airline. Alternatively, you can take a flight with the airline’s alliance partner.
Redeem your miles. There are many possibilities as to what you can exchange your saved frequent-flier miles for. These include, but are not limited to, redeeming miles for a flight or an upgrade. Most major programs allow their members to cash in as few as 400 miles for a magazine subscription, let’s say.
Rent a car. Even though some car rental agencies may charge you with an addition fee for crediting the miles towards your frequent flier program, the charge may be worth paying if it can save your miles from expiring.
Stay in a hotel that offers miles in a carrier’s program. If you are used to credit your hotel stays to your frequent-guest account, you might have to sacrifice at least one of them for the sake of keeping your frequent-flyer miles.
Purchase an item using a credit card that awards frequent-flier miles. Buying even a one-dollar chocolate bar with one of these cards may be enough to keep your account active!
August 14, 2007 No Comments
Planning a fall or winter vacation? Then here’s the deal you’ve been waiting for! Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort in Jamaica offers amazing savings that apply to the travel dates between October 1 and December 26. With the resort’s incredible deal, you can save up to 55% off the regular price of a room in any room category, including the most luxurious villa suites featuring a private pool and a personal butler. Selecting a room for the Manor House Select Mountain View category for instance, can cost you as little as $139 per person, per night.
Along with an upscale accommodation, this package includes meals, unlimited premium drinks, transfers to and from the airport, all taxes and tips, land and water sports that include scuba diving and golf, a 65-foot catamaran ride to the famous Dunn’s River Falls (when booking a 2nd room category or higher), hurricane guarantee, in case your vacation would be interrupted due to hurricane-force winds, as well as free weddings!
This offer has to be booked by August 14. Note that this is a land-only package, and that a three-night minimum stay applies.
For more information, visit http://vacations.travelzoo.com/caribbean-vacations/317380
August 14, 2007 No Comments
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