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Hawaiian Honeymoon - a tropical experience

"The first experience can never be repeated. The first love, the first sun-rise, the first South Sea Island, are memories apart, and touched a virginity of sense." - Robert Louis Stevenson

It’s your special trip to celebrate the commitment, love and friendship between you. But where do you go? Well if you have a green streak, pick a destination that means something to both of you, make it your honeymoon destination. And then….Green It!

Marie Chapman, a student at University of Wisconsin Stout in the Hospitality and Tourism Department, and Green Concierge Travel offer you a Hawaiian Honeymoon – a tropical experience. We picked special places and crafted a unique honeymoon that highlights how you can be romantic and support local businesses and services that make a difference!

General:
Hawaii offers a great opportunity to combine romance with tropical relaxation, adventure activities, good food and culture. We recommend making this at least a 10 day honeymoon that includes a full day of travel out to the islands and an overnight return. Below we split your time between Kauai – the Garden Island and Maui. Get ready to have a romantic adventure!

Cost:
The estimated cost: $4618 for two/ $2309 per person. This includes air fare to the islands, an inter-island flight, two car rentals (Kauai and Maui), 9 nights at 3 different bed and breakfasts/inns. Meals other than breakfasts and activities are not included in this estimate.

Transportation:
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of green ways to get to the Hawaiian Islands. So we will help you find the best air itinerary and suggest a carbon offset for the greenhouse gases generated on your way to Hawaii. Your inter-island transfer between Maui and Kauai will also be by air and that will be included in your carbon footprint.

On the island, in order to provide the greatest flexibility, we recommend renting a car but also consider activities including biking, hiking and kayaking that enable you to experience Hawaii in a direct and personal way. Packing a picnic and hiking through the exotic landscapes you will encounter may be the most memorable experience of your honeymoon! Green Concierge Travel can help you calculate your carbon footprint for the miles you do have to drive.

On Maui, you can rent a Bio-Beetle. The company will pick you up at the Kahului airport. Bio Beetle cars are fueled 100% by biodiesel. You will fill up is in Kahului after time exploring the uplands and before heading down the road to Hana.

Accommodation:
On Kauai, you will spend 4 romantic nights the Bamboo Jungle House located in Kalaheo on Southern side of island and 15 miles from the airport at Lihue. When you arrive your hosts, Terry and Lucy Ryan, are committed to making your stay romantic, peaceful and a home away from home.

“The Bamboo Jungle House gives us the opportunity to create an environment where you - our guests – get to be pampered and experience aloha spirit first hand. This is the perfect setting for you to rest, rejuvenate and explore…where you can connect with nature, your loved one and with yourself.” (From the Bamboo Jungle House web site, 11.07). Your stay will include breakfast and comfortable furnishings and the possibility of a hot stone massage by a waterfall. And as hosts who love to explore, they can guide you on your daily adventures to the Waimea Canyon or the shore.

Terry and Lucy are committed to making the Bamboo Jungle House a green inn and have added solar hot water heating in addition to nonchemical cleaning and laundry products. Relax, enjoy and experience the Garden Island from your little piece of this paradise!

On Maui, you will be staying 2 nights at the Halemano Sanctuary, located at Kipahulu, on the Southeastern shore. Because this sanctuary is on the other side of the island from the airport (4 hour drive), we suggest spending your first two nights in or near Kula at the local Kula Lodge or one of the romantic B&Bs on the shoulder Haleakala Crater. The views are spectacular, sunsets breathtaking and it’s a doable drive to make the sunrise at the top – a definite top ten for Maui.

The Halemano Sanctuary offers the opportunity to experience Maui off the beaten path. Originally dedicated as a spiritual community to care for the land in a conscious way, Halemano has been evolving slowly for 20 years, & is now available to share with people drawn to enter into a deeper relationship with the natural realms. The guest house can be rented as a whole or you can stay in the upper suite for $235/night. Organic meals can be arranged for with foods from the grounds orchards and vegetable gardens. From Halemano, you can explore the south shore, Oheo Gulch with its pools and waterfalls, the Haleakala National Park and the area around Hana with its red and black sand beaches.

Food:
Dinners can be enjoyed at local restaurants on both islands. For lunches, we recommend picnicking wherever you find yourself. Bring a small collapsible cooler with you or use the ones provided at your accommodation. Local stores and supermarkets offer a range of food that make up a delicious island feast – not to mention the wonderful coffee and fruit drinks that are available. Go native! Try local specialties. There is a growing buy local movement and a growing number of restaurants that use locally grown products in their cooking.

In Kauai, the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant located on the Eastern shore near Kapaa is the first certified green restaurant in all of Hawaii. They offer guests nightly live entertainment, dining in an outdoor tropical courtyard, and creative vegetarian dishes. The Blossoming Lotus support local farmers using many ingredients grown right on Kauai. Enjoy!

We also suggest trying a luau. “Food may be the heart of a luau, but music is the soul,” according to the owners of Smith’s Garden Luau. On Kauai, Smith's Garden Luau, a traditional family luau four generations old, offers roasted pig, poi, teriyaki steaks and lots more at their pa’ina or feast. The evening starts at 5 PM and guests are encouraged to learn about the traditional cooking methods particularly the roasted pig in an earthen oven. Entertainment covers the broad range of cultures that have had an influence on Hawaii over the years including Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii, Philippines, China and Japan presented through music and dance in a torch lit amphitheatre.

On Maui, you can find good food up country (on the shoulder of the Haleakala volcano). The Kula Lodge is known for its breakfast with local Hawaiian innovations. It can also be a great spot at 3,200’ for a drink and watching the sunset with its expansive views.

Haliimaile General Store is not a store, but is one of Maui's top restaurants. Located in the tiny town of Haliimaile, on the way into or down from the Upcountry section of Maui. The Haliimaile General Store's owner is chef Beverly Gannon, one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Just as in other parts of the United States, chefs recognize that cooking with local ingredients offers diners a dual experience – good food and an opportunity to support the local culture and economy.

Ka'uiki, in Hana at the Hotel Hana-Maui, “offers a tantalizing blend of Pacific Island and regional cuisine with a fresh innovative flair. The menu features fresh fish from the Hawaiian waters and produce grown locally or on the island of Maui.” (From the web site for Ka’uiki, 11/07). Ka’uiki offers fine dining sourced locally and great views of Hana Bay. Reservations are recommended for dinner.

Things to Do:
Hawaii does not fall short on things to do. The key is to find the balance of activities that is enjoyable and leaves you with wonderful memories and not exhaustion! Go with the flow and how you feel. If you want to spend a day watching the waves roll in, get yourself a picnic, a beach mat, a hat and sunscreen and choose from the range of beautiful spots available on the coast. Use your hosts at the places you stay to get suggestions.

Below are a few of our thoughts:
Kauai

• 5½-hour Na Pali Coast Morning Sail. Leave from Port Allen on the Southern shore. Breakfast
  and lunch included. Snorkeling depending on conditions.
• A Kauai Kayaking Adventure. Several options from half day to a full day (8 hours) are possible. Some explore the inland freshwater river systems while others allow you to explore the coast from a unique vantage point.
• Hike in Waimea Canyon or elsewhere and discover the variety of ecosystems on the island. Some trails can be quite rough and some have very steep cliffs. Bring sturdy shoes and a water bottle.

Maui

• See the sunrise and bike down Haleakala Volcano. Haleakala Bike Co. has been offering safe bike tours for fifteen years. You set your own pace and can expand your bike experience to a day exploring the upcountry of Maui.
• Lanai All-day Sunset Sail, leave from Lahaina harbor on the Western coast of Maui. Sail to the island of Lanai. Includes food, swimming and snorkeling. Other sailing adventures are available from whale watching to snorkeling to romantic dinners. Most depart from the western shore of Maui near the resorts.
• Scenic Drive to Hana. Called one of the world's most beautiful drives, with many hikes/sights along the highway. This is a full day of sightseeing so leave plenty of time. The drive takes approximately 4 hours to Hana without lots of stops!
• Hike the upcountry or follow streams to waterfalls. Maui offers a range of hiking opportunities, long and short, easy and difficult. Don’t forget good shoes. Volcanic rock can be rough!

Travel Philanthropy
For this honeymoon, Green Concierge Travel recommends the Conservation Council for Hawai’i, P.O. Box 2923, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96802, www.conservehi.org. The Conservation Council for Hawai‘i is dedicated to protecting native Hawaiian plants, animals, and ecosystems – the essence of a Hawaiian get away!

For more ideas on how to green your honeymoon, see the Green Concierge Travel
Introduction to Green Honeymoons (70 KB)