These are a few ofour own personal tips & travel opinions that we either discovered by ourselves or read about. The tips & opinions are by no means meant to say you have to follow them and they are pertinent to the time of year (Oct) that we traveled.

North side Maui drive: In our opinion this is well worth the drive and a much easier drive than if you circled the south side of the island. Any time of the day is fine but plan to stop along the way at one of the small towns for shave ice, souvineers, and some beautiful views. The drive can be slightly un-nerving at times especially if you have to 'back up' 100-150' if you happen to meet another vehicle on a narrow stretch of road but we did it. The road is all paved along the way, just very narrow in some places.

Luau's: We tried several luaus over the years and we highly recommend the Old Lahaina Luau in Lahaina. This is one of the highest rated luaus and you don't get that 'tourist trap' feeling.

First - third day activities to consider: If you fly from the mainland to Hawaii then your body will be, at a minimum, 3 hours 'ahead' of Hawaiian time. This translates into you feeling like you're about to drop in your tracks around 10pm there because your body is still on mainland time. The mornings are the exact opposite, you wake up wide-eyed and bushy tailed at 4-5 in the morning! From Texas we have a 5 hour difference so our 10pm there is 3am here and our 4am there is 9am at home. Confused? Our advice is to structure your trip for the first 2-3 days where it's conducive to get up very very early (Haleakala on Maui, Moana Loa on Hawaii, an excursion that leaves very early, etc.).

What to wear: Honestly, unless you can't be in shorts, then just take shorts, and comfortable tops. This was the first trip where we actually took our own advice and never regretted. For 17 days we each lived off of 4 pair of shorts each, 6 shirts apeice, 1 pair sandals, 1 pair hiking boots & sneakers. We washed twice and if we would have hiked more often we'd probably have washed more (most condos have washer/dryers). We never wore long pants even when we packed them in previous trips and even when we went to very nice restaurants. Hawaii is blatently casual.

Snakes (or lack of): Did you know Hawaii has no snakes? zip. nada.

Mosquitos: If you plan on doing any hiking in Hawaii it is very likey that you'll need mosquito spray. There were some hikes where we weren't bothered and some where there were mosquitos everywhere.

Lindbergh's grave: Charles Lindberg is buried on Maui, about 6-7 miles past Hana. In our opinion the drive to Hana is nice and beautiful but the drive past Hana to the church graveyard where he is buried is something we do almost every trip. The grounds of the church are nice and there is a picnic table nearby which overlook a 300' cliff. This is a wonderful and serene place to stop and visit and enjoy the journey along the way. Not a lot of people know about this and it's not written up in a lot of guide books yet so ask us if you want directions. I don't think you'll regret it.

:izzetta's on Kauai: In the small town of Koloa, near Poipu, is a wonderful pizza place which has about 5 beers on draft (some of which are made in Hawaii) The beer is very good and the pizza's are pretty good too. This is a very casual place, not very pricy and we really recommend it.

Waterfalls: Everyone wants to see waterfalls but you usually have a better chance of seeing many more waterfalls when you visit Hawaii during the time of year it tends to rain a bit more. Usually our 'winter' months. We believe that, so far, October is a good choice since we usually tended to go during the summer months. The rain showers during this time of the year are, for the most part, brief but there can be longer stretches (day or so) of intermittant rain.

Shave Ice: Mark lives for good shave ice (not sno cone ice. bleh.) There are many places on the islands that serve shave ice but our most favorite is Jo-Jo's in Waimea. The quality of the ice and the combination assortments are excellent. They have a unique shave ice combination there called 'halo halo' and it involves shave ice, ice cream and nuts and other goodies. Yum!!

Polihale Beach on Kauai: This is truly one of the nicest and most remote beaches we've seen. Beautiful sandy beaches, not many people and excellent waves. The only danger is that there tends to be an undercurrent here so you have to really pay attention while swimming here. Mark absolutely loves this beach since the waves beat him up pretty good :) This beach is on the west-northwest side of Kauai and the last five miles of it is literally on a bumpy non-paved road.

The Fish Market on Maui: We discovered this place a few trips back. It's a small place with a cooler full of different types of fish and some sides and different marinade sauces. The idea is that you pick out what you want to grill and sides, etc., and they put everything in foil containers for you ready to grill out at your condo. You won't save a ton of money but the staff are very helpful and knowledgful if you want something different to try. Fish Market is in Honokowai, near Kaanapali.

Brew Pubs: Yes, Hawaii has them and we've visited every one of them on all the islands we've been to. If you are a brew pub fan too and want to know more details or suggestions please email us for further information.

Snorkling: In my opinion the best snorkling I've experienced this trip was Black Rock on Maui, Hulopo'e beach on Lana'i and Poipu beach on Kauai. I didn't list the famous one, Hanauma bay, since it's always so busy. I saw 5 turtles at Black Rock and very colorful and plentiful fish at both other places mentioned. I think Poipu Beach is my favorite now because the snorkling is great right off the beach you lay on.

Plate Lunches: Plate lunches usually consist of 2-3 meats, macaroni and rice. They tend to be very inexpensive and better if you can find them in small towns or off the beaten path. They are very common pretty much everywhere except the real commercialized touristy places.

Lappert's ice cream: just try some of the more exotic flavors and combinations that you won't see on the mainland. My favorite is the coconut-pineapple combination. Truly yummy!

Chickens on Kauai: The story goes that in '92, when Hurrican Iniki hit, most of the island's structures (including chicken houses) were damaged badly. Chickens got out and without natural predators they multiplied. They are everywhere on this island and they (for the most part) put up with our presence.

Entertainment book - Hawaii edition: Worth the $20 bucks. We made our 10x our money back just from the hotel savings. There are really a lot of coupons in the book that you'll use.

Rent a convertable: If there is any way you can spring for the extra bucks while on Maui, do it!!! Moreso than on any other island, if you plan on driving around, your nose will thank you for all the wonderful smells you'll experience along the way. Closed windows and air-conditioning on Maui should be illegal. If you have to rent a different type of car then keep all the windows down while driving around especiall to Hana or beyond.

Banana-nut bread: It's sometimes difficult to find but if you're on Maui and you're driving to Hana, about 11 miles this side of Hana is a turn off to Ke-anae Peninsula. There is a lady who makes the best banana nut bread EVER there. Problem is that for the last 2 trips she's been closed at the time we stopped by.

Do what the locals do: If you're going to be in Hawaii for several days pick up a local paper and check out the local events happening on the weekends. We experienced some of the neatest 'day festivals' or community fundraisers, etc., that the locals put on in some of the smaller towns. When you drive through a small town it's very common to see bulletin boards at grocery stores, cafe's, etc., with local events posted. You'll really see what life is like that way!

Haleakala: If you're planning on going up to Haleakala early one moring be advised, it will be very cold. The temp at the top hovers in the 40's. Here's a tip we've done: if you're planning on buying something like a sweatshirt or jacket as a souvineer (even for someone else) then buy it prior to going up Haleakala and you avoid having to pack it to bring it over.

Nightlife on Kauai: There is none, zip, nada. This is one reason why Kauai is our favorite island. We are forced to relax after dinner and can either watch TV or go to bed early.

Good macadamia nut pancakes: We absolutely loved the large macadamia nut pancakes from the Gazebo at the Napili Shores Hotel. The Gazebo sits on the beach and is behind the hotel. They also have a huge breakfast burrito that was very delicious and required a large appetite. Worth finding and eating breakfast here but plan on being there when they open since it can be very popular and seating is limited.

Of course this isn't all the tips and advice we could give but if you have any questions or want our advice on something please feel free to email us. We enjoy helping people out when it comes to Hawaii!

Questions/comments: comments@marklyn.us