In my previous discussion on recommendations for travel to Hawaii, I concentrated on the big costs associated with airfare, hotel, and rental vehicles. In this post, I want to get more into what to see and do on the islands. Unfortunately, I only have knowledge of Oahu and Maui at this time, but hope to get to travel there with my wife and family within the next couple of years. Prior to when I went to Hawaii in 2006, I studied quite a bit from books at the library. I then learned about the Holy Grail of travel books for travel to Hawaii.

By far my favorite books that I took with me were the Oahu Revealed and Maui Revealed books. Wizard Publications also makes books for the rest of the islands. There are several reasons I loved these books. 1) They were very well written and informative. 2) The maps were very helpful. A good majority of the great finds in Hawaii are off the beaten path, and get passed over by the majority of tourists. The Revealed series of books includes maps with mile markers, and is written around mile markers. For example, they may tell you there is an amazing waterfall located between mile markers X and Y. So go to your library or bookstore and take with you the “_____ Revealed” book.

My next recommendation pairs great with the “_____ Revealed” books. Assuming you do not own your own snorkel equipment, as soon as you get to the islands go to the local Walmart or other big box discounter, and purchase some snorkel gear. It is cheap, and does not need to be super expensive. Then you throw it into your trunk of your vehicle. Use the “_______ Revealed” book to find the ideal snorkeling locations on the islands, which are often hidden gems. Since you will have your own gear, you do not need to worry about germs, losing anything and then getting charged, or having to return them to the rental agency. Owning your own equipment, you can easily pull off the road, and jump in the ocean.

One thing I just remembered that I do not want to overlook. When you are using the “_______ Revealed” books, and you find what will be an awesome hike to a hidden waterfall or natural feature, make sure you take a friend and pack accordingly. You might be hiking for a half mile into the woods. From a safety perspective, take along someone you know, as there might not be other people back with you. Second, realize that many parts of the islands can be wet and rainy. Therefore, wear appropriate shoes and clothes and protect your valuables.

Of course as I discussed previously, you need to secure any valuables in your vehicle, but I am talking more about your camera and cell phone, which you more than likely will carry with you. I recommend placing your camera, cell phone, and any other electronics in a double ziplock bag.

I can speak of all these suggestions from firsthand experience. While on Maui, I was alone, and decided to use my Maui Revealed book to pull off the road and hike back to a waterfall. It was stunning, and the hike through the bamboo forest was so enjoyable. I had no idea what to expect. Luckily some other people were also back by the waterfall, so I decided to hike back with them. After crossing a river with giant boulders, I slipped on a rock because I was wearing sandals. I fell into the river and got washed downstream. The people I was with were able to retrieve me. Except now I was soaked, which made the hike back difficult because it was uphill in a wet, muddy environment. The worst part was my phone and camera were in my pockets. I had lost use of my camera for the rest of the trip, but was luckily able to dry out my phone to salvage it.

Well that is it for another day. In the next lesson, I will try to focus on my opinions of some of the best things to see and do while in the Hawaiian Islands.