Day 1

walked around downtown honolulu

saw the iolani palace and grounds but didn't go in because it's a little expensive ($20 for guided tours, $13 for audio, $6 for self-guided)

king kamehameha statue

state capitol

queen statue

aliiolani hale (courthouse)

aloha tower and marketplace

watched the Norwegian Cruise Line show where people spit on each other like fountains...

 

Day 2

sea day

learned kukui necklace

ate a lot

won dinner for two at specialty restaurant little italy

saw molokai cliffs

rogers and hammerstein songs sung by cruise director

 

Day 3

rented car, drove to kihei to drop off in laws at grand wailea shops

drove to five graves in waimea but too rocky, lot of snorkelers from boats

instead went to makena surf

visibility bad and somewhat rough waters, got tired while swimming

shave ice at local boy snack shop

shopped at marketplace in kihei

back to ship for lunch

iao needle valley park

walmart for macademia nuts and kona coffee, abc stores actually cheaper for macademia nuts

da kitchen for spam musubi and fried spam musubi, ahi poke is a seasonal special and it was unavailable

second city sketch comedy

 

Day 4

rented car

hawaii volcano national park: kilaeua crater, jaggar museum, thurston lava tubes, kilaeua iki crater, crater road

back to ship for lunch

two ladies kitchen for big mochi

big island candies, tried additional samples such as brownies, mint kinto.

macademia nut factory

saw lava flow at night

second city improv

 

Day 5

rented car late at 10:15a

drove to honaunau bay for snorkeling

saw dolphins on tender boat

snorkeled, lots of coral, not that many fish, saw turtles

no time for kaleakala bay or greenwell farms or bayview kona coffee

drove back for lunch

walked around shops in kona marketplace, hilo hattie, and other kona stores

 

Day 6

waimea canyon

- canyon lookout

- museum

- two views of na pali coast

- light hiking

- kokee road

jojo's shave ice, fairly ordinary shave ice, interesting back story

lappert's ice cream

waimea falls

coconut marketplace, bought parker's outfit

briefly browsed anchor cove mall

chickens everywhere, on every island

rack of lamb was so good. like filet mignon. i ate 3 orders although each order only came with 3 pieces.

 

Day 7

drove to na pali coast early morning

- hanalei lookout

- kalalulu trail

- kokee beach

- drove around st regis area

- kilauea lighthouse

banana fruit stand closed unfortunately

early return to ship at 1p for 2p departure

watch out for whales while heading to na pali coast, missed the whales

saw na pali coast on ship

 

Day 8

took two hours to get car: waited for shuttle, waited in long line, drove to hotel, lots of traffic from filipino parade

hotel room ready early. nice view of waikiki.

drove to lanikai, pretty crowded, waded in water

didn't stop by pali lookout

shopped and ate at ala moana shopping center

hiked diamond head crater

missed waiola since it closed

ate at side street cafe

walked around international marketplace. had dole whip soft serve.

royal hawaiian shopping too expensive.

lava flow at duke's.

shopped at abc store.

in/out 24 hour parking at waikiki banyan for $10

 

Day 9

ate at waiola, softest shave ice, got the azuki bean bowl with mochi. met the owner who prepared the shave ice.

ate at kona brewing co at airport. took a while and we got 10% off. not worried because we got to airport at 10a for 1p flight. hardly anyone there in the morning except those flying to Tokyo (Narita).

 

Things missed

- kauai tunnels beach for snorkeling

- kauai snorkeling tour in na pali coast

- kauai kayaking along na pali coast

- kauai further hike into kalalulu trail

- kauai poipu beach (turtle colony) and spouting horn

- kauai opekaa waterfalls and fern grotto

- kauai helicopter tour

- big island crater row down to sea level for view of lava

- big island hike to source of lava

- big island waterfalls north of hilo

- big island snorkeling in puna east shore

- big island greenwell and bayview farms for kona coffee

- big island mauna kea

- hopaka?... beach in kona

- oahu shave ice on north shore

- oahu pali lookout for view (foggy that day anyways)

- oahu luau

- oahu ono hawaiian food (went to ala moana instead)

- more big island cookies? can't get enough.