Hawaii Vintage Jewelry
If you make a trip to Hawaii, an interesting thing to check out is the Hawaiian heritage jewelry. Black enamel engraving, traditional symbols, and floral inspired textures are some of the characteristics that make this jewelry distinctively Hawaiian.
Hawaiian heritage jewelry is believed to have originated in 1862 when Queen Lili’uokalani, who had a fascination for all things English, had the first gold bracelets made. These were engraved with the words “hoomanau mao” (i.e. “lasting remembrance”). In those days, gold jewelry that had black enamel engravings was very popular in England. The Hawaiian monarchy visiting England brought such English jewelry designs back home with them, and gave them a Hawaiian touch by having Hawaiian traditional sayings engraved into pendants, bracelets, and rings. This type of Hawaiian jewelry is popular even today.
Heritage Jewelry Stores in Hawaii
Though there are several Hawaiian heritage jewelry stores across Hawaii where you can pick up heritage pieces, a good place to feast your eyes on Hawaii’s heritage jewelry is the Phillip Rickard Honolulu in the Royal Hawaiian Center. Here, you’ll find a museum that has exhibits of heirloom jewelry and vintage pieces, as well as a jewelry shop right next to it.
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Hawaiian Heritage Jewelry
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The Hawaiian Islands are a big draw all year round with tourists from all over the world flocking there for beach vacations. But though Hawaii has a number of fine beaches to offer, some like Waikiki beach are exceptionally beautiful.
The charm of Waikiki
Waikiki is a tropical paradise offering a measure of scenic beauty and serenity that few can match. It is an ideal location for a Hawaiian beach holiday. The fact that there are discounts on hotels during different months of the year make Waikiki an even more attractive destination.
Waikiki Beach is situated on the sunny Island of Oahu, and is one of the most well known and popular beaches in the world, with an exotic tropical ambiance, and colorful beach clubs, cozy restaurants and luxury hotels located right there on the beach.
The activities around Oahu for the hordes of international visitors include surfing lessons, canoeing, scuba diving and swimming with the dolphins. The well known Kalakaua Avenue runs parallel to Waikiki beach, and is a shoppers’ paradise, offering classy restaurants and a vibrant nightlife.
Waikiki Beach hotels
Traveling from Diamond Head along the beach from west to east, you’ll come across a number of luxury hotels. Some of these include Hilton Hawaiian Village, Outrigger Hawaii, Sheraton Waikiki, and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Restaurants in Waikiki
Waikiki is also noted for the excellent dining options available right on the beach itself.
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Waikiki Beach Vacation
Romantic things to do in Hawaii
Hawaii is one of the top honeymoon destinations in the world. Couples from all over the world choose to escape to Hawaii for getting married, spending their honeymoon or celebrating their anniversaries. The deep blue Pacific Ocean, the vivid scenery, gentle breezes, silvery beaches, Hawaii has everything that makes for a romantic getaway.
Let’s check out the different features that make people find romance in the air in Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Oahu or anywhere in Hawaii.
The fabulous beaches
Hawaii is famous the world over for its breathtakingly beautiful beaches. Couples find it so easy to rekindle romance sitting at a beach here in Hawaii feasting their eyes on the ocean’s changing shades of blue, watching the waves gently lapping the shore, and feeling the gentle tropical breezes as they gaze at the lava rocks stretching across from the sea shore to the ocean. The experience is relaxing and mesmerizing, and makes people forget their worries, reset your priorities and focus on their relationship and other things that matter.
The wonderful seclusion
In Hawaii, you’ll find it easy to escape from the milling crowds and find a beach all to yourself. You and your loved one can unwind in peaceful seclusion, enjoying the spectacular scenery on a beach or setting off on a hiking trail on your own. A hike into the Waimea Canyon, or a stunning sunset on a quiet, secluded Kapalua beach, for example, would provide great opportunities for sharing romantic moments and creating lasting memories.
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Romantic Hawaii Vacations
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Tips to improve your Hawaii Vacation
Are you planning to visit Hawaii for your next vacation? Are you interested in gathering information on how to make your Hawaii vacation memorable and enjoyable? Then please note these useful suggestions so which would make your trip to Hawaii a pleasant and enjoyable one.
Decide on your over night accommodations sensibly
While planning your vacation to Hawaii, you need to give more importance to where you are going to stay. A peaceful stay would help you a lot in enjoying the vacation in a relaxed manner. You can choose among varied range of places like hotels, resorts, condos, vacation homes and much more. It is better to select the place that suits your needs the best for staying and make proper reservations in advance.
Decide the place according to your tentative schedule. So to be on the safer side, select a nice looking hotel or resort that includes the entire special features essential to enjoy your Hawaii vacation.
Remember to monitor the weather ahead of your trip
Changing weather conditions determine your satisfaction during the vacation. As you would be aware of the weather prevailing in Hawaii, pack your things accordingly. If you go unprepared, then weather might become a factor to spoil your vacation. Learn about the expected weather forecast before you start your journey to Hawaii. Depending on the weather forecast, make slight changes in your trip if necessary. You can also avoid unnecessary last minute purchase tension, if you act wisely according to the weather forecast.
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Planning Your Hawaii Vacation
Technorati Tags: Hawaii vacation
Hawaii Vacations
Are you planning to visit Hawaii? Hawaii is like a paradise on the earth. The naturally beautiful tropical islands of Hawaii combined with the hospitality of the ever smiling Hawaiian people will make your stay in Hawaii an unforgettable experience. Beaches, tropical jungles, deep blue sea waters, waterfalls, volcanoes, beautiful sunsets, surf.. you can enjoy everything that nature can offer in the most beautiful way.
You can experience the best Hawaii has to offer without spending a fortune. There are many discount vacation packages available to suit all budgets. These include discount airfare from mainland USA to Hawaii and within Hawaii islands.
What to do in Hawaii?
Hawaii has one of the biggest and most expanding tourism industry in the world. With its splendor of gorgeous natural beauty, beaches and resorts, Hawaii is a group of islands that make one of the topmost holiday destinations in the world. It’s a fun and enjoyable holiday for everybody – familiar, lovers, young and old.
Hawaii is the name of several islands in the Pacific Ocean. Of these islands Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Lanai are popular tourist destinations. Hawaii gets over eight million to experience the paradise every year, but the islands are not as packed with cooing couples on honeymoon or tourists sunbathing on beaches as you may think. If you are looking for a serene vacation resort, you may head for Maui island or the Big Island or Kauai. If you want to try something adventurous. If you don’t have much time for vacation, you better stick to one island like Oahu and make the most of it. Honolulu and Waikiki are teeming economic and cultural centers, but you can be enjoying in a tropical rain forest or sunbathing on white sand beaches within an hour.
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Hawaii Vacation Packages
Planning a Hawaii Vacation – Here is why?
There is one destination you seriously need to consider if you are wondering where you need to take your next vacation – Hawaii. Vacations in Hawaii have become very popular and there are five main reasons that we will discuss here:
1. Easy on your wallet
With steep travel costs, it seems a difficult decision to plan a holiday. But it would surprise you to know that choosing Hawaii as the destination for your next vacation would be one of the best choices you would make, considering the superb deals you will get while making the bookings online.
One way of looking for the best deals, you could try by looking up the websites catering to travel. They are ideal for comparing the rates of airline tickets, hotel reservations, and car rentals. Look carefully for special packages that are on offer. These offer a relative convenience of booking and you can be assured of a reasonable discount. Most of the websites that cater to hotels and airlines dealing with Hawaii related bookings offer direct deals to consumers that make booking online.
2. Landscape
The beauty of Hawaii experienced for the first time has been known to take the breath away of most tourists. But in addition to vacations, Hawaii also offers its islands as a venue for couples to get married. As a wedding destination, Hawaii has gained tremendous popularity and that is also due in part, to the beauty of Hawaii.
The islands of Hawaii beckon tourists who have a hard time deciding on their next vacation destination. There is no destination like the Hawaii islands where you can just unwind by taking a swim in the ocean, go check out volcanoes or take a hike to the lovely waterfalls.
3. Activities
There is a wide variety of activities one can indulge in when in Hawaii. Whether you are on land, on the water or flying in the air, there is plenty to see, do and experience while on vacation in Hawaii. Beach activities include swimming, boating, surfing, dinner cruises, fishing, scuba diving and body boarding. There are exciting land activities like sightseeing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, and camping. You could also take a private helicopter tour to explore Hawaii by air.
4. Other interests
There are other attractions. All the islands on Hawaii – Lanai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai and Kauai – have some special features and points of interest that are famous and intrinsic to them. The Big Island sports the famous Volcanoes National Park – a very famous landmark in Hawaii.
5. Why Hawaii?
You may ask “why not”? Not only is Hawaii the best destination for a vacation, it is one of the few places that offers the best rates and packages, be it for a wedding, a honeymoon, or a family vacation. It offers attractions and activities for people of all ages and at very reasonable deals and discounts. Just go ahead and book yourself and your family the holiday of a lifetime.
Top beaches in Hawaiian islands
Are you planning to visit Hawaii, because the beautiful Hawaiian beaches are beckoning you? Hawaii Island is known for its wonderful beaches which are among the best in the world. So if you are planning a holiday to Hawaii, you should do some research to select beaches that are really worth visiting and truly worth your time.
Well, you can also get opinions from your friends, co-workers or family members who have visited any of the Hawaiian beaches earlier. Try to find out which beach they liked the best, and the kind of facilities they had on the beach. Getting first hand opinion is always the best source of information for planning your trip.
Yet another way to know more about the Hawaii beaches is by speaking to a travel agent. The travel agents are constantly making tour itinerary for their customers interested in going to Hawaii. They are qualified to do the research about popular tourist destinations like Hawaii, and so they can guide you about the best beaches in Hawaii that would suit your interests – such as snorkeling, swimming, whale watching, scuba diving, water sports and more. You may be able to get a list of the top Hawaiian beaches from the travel agent and then plan your holiday accordingly.
Some of the online communities and message board too guide people to various holiday destinations like Hawaii. These online communities are available on the Internet and you can find them easily through a standard internet search. You can also participate in discussions taking place on various travel related blogs. If you start the topic about seeking some recommendations from other people about best beaches in Hawaiian island, you surely would get lot of authentic information from people interested in travel.
When you are searching on the Internet using search engines like Google, you can put in search queries such as “best beaches in Hawaii,” or “top Hawaiian beaches” to get the results. You may hot many travel related websites that rate various attractions around the world, including the beaches of Hawaii. You may also find answers to your queries about the Hawaii beaches on a site like Yahoo answers.
When searching for the best beaches on the internet, you should take a few important factors into consideration. The very first factor is the destination for which you already have made travel arrangements. There are a number of Hawaii Islands such as Big island, Maui, Kauai and Oahu. So, if you are planning to visit the Kauai Island in Hawaii then you should type the “best beaches of Kauai” while searching on the Internet.
Only knowing about the best Hawaii beaches does not help much. You should also try to find about various conditions on the Hawaii beaches at the time you’d be visiting. You should also find out what the beaches are famous for. For example if you are interested in snorkeling, then you should find Hawaii beaches that are better for snorkeling than others.
Thus taking time to research about the various Hawaii beaches can help you to get most out of your Hawaii vacation. You can do this research on the internet, in the comfort of your home and it won’t take more than a few minutes. If you know what you’d expect at your travel destination, you won’t get disappointed when you reach there finally.
Hawaii Helicopter Tours – Tips for choosing
One of the attractions of Hawaii is its diverse terrain. And the best way you can enjoy the full impact of its beautiful landscape is by taking a helicopter tour. But there are several things you should consider before deciding which one would be the best tour for you. We present a few useful tips to plan an enjoyable helicopter tour of Hawaii.
Pick the right timing: It would be best to book your helicopter tour within the first two days of your visit. That way you would get a better idea of the orientation of the place right at the start. Also, during early afternoon or late morning flights the colors of the island would appear more brilliant and vivid due to the brighter light. On Kauai, the Na Pali Coast being located on the west of the island, it would be best toured in the afternoon light.
Pick the right islands: Kauai and the Big Island are the best picks for a helicopter tour. At Kauai you’ll enjoy splendid views of the Na Pali Coast, the Waimea Canyon, and the waterfalls at the Waialeale Crater. A tour of the Big Island would let you view the volcanic activity at Kilauea.
Pick the right operator: It is important to pick a tour operator with a clean accident-free record. Always go for tour operators that declare they have FAA Part 135 Air Carrier certification, meaning they adhere to higher standards as compared to other general aviation operators. As an added precaution, you could look up the accidents database recorded by the National Transportation Safety Board. To get results for Hawaii, pick Hawaii as the state, and then Helicopter as the type of aircraft. For each accident check the name of the tour company involved.
Pick the best price: An online search would help you compare the prices charged by different tour operators. Many companies offer attractive discounts if you book a tour directly with them.
Pick the right seats: Most of the helicopters like the Eco-Star and A-Star type helicopters seat six passengers, two in the front and four in the back, with the two people in the middle seats behind getting a limited view. But the Hughes 500 used by operators like Jack Harter Helicopters seats two passengers in the front and two passengers in the back. The Eco-Stars however offer slightly extra room, more window space and less noise than the A-Star helicopters.
The best seats for helicopter tours are the seats in front. However, seating is often decided based on the weight of passengers. For touring Kauai, seats on the right side provide the best views, including that of the Na Pali Coast, since most tours will circle the island in a clockwise direction.
A few Dos and Don’ts:
- Take proper medication in advance if you tend to get motion sickness.
- Wear dark clothing to reduce the glare on the aircraft windows.
- Make sure your camera has high speed film/settings.
- Understand and observe all the safety instructions.
- Don’t wear earrings as they could obstruct your headphones.
- Don’t waste too much time gazing at the scenery below through your camera.
A helicopter tour of Hawaii is a thrilling experience. There’s no better way to feast your eyes on the forests, cliffs, volcanic shapes, craters and beaches of this wonderful destination.
Where to watch sunset in Maui?
Anyone who has been to Hawaii will tell you that Hawaiian sunsets are truly breath taking especially the ones you can witness on Maui. Lots of people love to have beach parties at sunset and take some great pictures against the backdrop of the setting sun. But no alcohol is allowed on the beaches so don’t make the mistake of planning a party with drinks included or you could find yourself in trouble with the law.
The sunsets in Maui are fabulous not just for taking photos, but also for painting, and for having beach weddings. Hollywood film producers find this an excellent location for shooting videos and movies. The best time for heading to the beach for viewing the sunset is around 5:45 in the evening. But don’t forget to take your camera and a video camera along.
The best locations to watch a Hawaiian sunset on Maui are Upcountry Maui (Pukalani/Kula/Makawao//Keokea/Ulupalakua/Haiku/Paia), South Maui (Wailea/Kihei/Makena), and the West Side (Napili/Lahaina/Ka’anapali/Kapalua/Olowalu). Another very popular spot is the summit of Haleakala located in the Haleakala National Park.
A huge shield volcano rising 10,023 feet above the coastal areas in Maui, Haleakala is a very popular and easily accessible tourist destination for watching the sunrise as well as the sunset besides the volcano itself. Tourists come here before dawn trekking up to the summit to watch the magnificent sunrise. Sometimes the crowds rise to around 1,000 per day. Sunrise at Haleakala used to be called “House of the Sun” by the early Hawaiians.
The Haleakala National Park extends over 30,000 acres from the Haleakala summit right up to the Kipahulu Valley on the Hana coast. It is open 24 x 7, offering visitors opportunities for many exciting activities throughout the year. Many visitors plan a day trip here and then stay on to watch the sunset. Should you do likewise it will surely be a memorable experience for your family or your group of friends.
The volcano at Haleakala has not erupted for over 200 years and has a number of legends attached to it. Its interesting biological diversity attracts over a million visitors each year.
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Sunset watching in Maui, Hawaii
Driving Tips for Cruising along the Road to Hana in Maui
If you’re planning a trip to Maui you simply shouldn’t miss checking out the legendary road to Hana. One of the most picturesque drives you’ll ever embark upon, it will take you through miles of coastal rainforest, past majestic waterfalls, providing stunning views of beaches and cliffs along the way.
Though well paved, the road to Hana is a long, winding road with hundreds of sharp bends and many one-lane bridges. The serene town of Hana in east Maui is located around 52 miles from Kahului, but the drive could take around two to four hours because of the constant twists and turns. Most of the road comprises Highway 360, also called the Hana Highway.
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Tips for Driving Along the Road to Hana
Hawaii’s Hula Dancers
Visitors to Hawaii never fail to be entranced by the graceful movements of Hawaiian dancers as they perform their traditional dance – the Hula. The exact origins of the Hula dance are not known, but according to the Hawaiians the first hula dance was performed by a god or goddess. That is why the hula is considered to be more of a sacred ritual.
The sacred Hula - a tradition of Hawaii
The hula is accompanied by chants or songs that tell of the Hawaiian legends and the culture and traditions of Hawaii. The hula is popular even in the U.S. mainland, Japan and Europe. The dance is usually taught by a hula teacher in a hula halau, or simply a hula school. Tourists to Hawaii can avail of a free lesson at the Royal Hawaiian Center or at the Waikiki Beach Walk.
Once regarded as a part of religious ceremonies, it is now performed also for entertainment. The traditional costume of hula dancers consists of the lei worn on the head and shoulders, the pau or skirt, and the kupea or anklets made from whale bone or dog-teeth.
Hula movements, including the hand expressions and signs have specific meanings. A dancer may move his or her body to represent plants, animals, or war. For instance, when hula dancers imitate a shark or palm tree, they believe they have actually been transformed into a shark or palm. The words of the song accompanying the dance give further explanations of the dancers’ movements. But since not many people understand the language of the chanting, the stress is more on the body and hand movements.
Hula Auana – Modern Hula Dance
Hula Auana (Modern Hula) Being a religious dance, the training given to ancient hula dancers at the hula school was very strict, and the final graduation ceremony also followed a strict protocol. Even today, the halau hula observe strict rules. Some of these schools were located in temples. One of the best halaus is located at Kee, on the north shore of Kauai.
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Hawaiian Hula Dancers
Watching Sunrise from Haleakala Summit
If you are visiting Hawaii on a vacation, you must have a visit to Maui island on your itinerary. And, the crater at the Haleakala summit on the island of Maui is one of the best spots on earth to watch the sunrise or catch a magnificent view of the starlit night sky. You should not miss this memorable experience.
Haleakala means the house of the sun and a visit to the summit in the pre-dawn hours to watch the sun rise at a place over 10,000 feet above sea level is not your usual vacation activity to be done in a hurry, but a wonderful experience to be enjoyed to your heart’s content.
How to get to Haleakala Crater
If you’re going to use a GPS system, check that the Haleakala summit or crater is stored in the system. From the map of the major Maui highways, write or print the directions to the Haleakala National Park to save the bother of having to find directions from a map in the dark. Also, see that you have enough gas before heading out to Haleakala. Remember, the park does not have any service stations.
The road leading up to the Haleakala crater is winding and steep without any street lights. It will be a good two-hour drive to the top and to get there before sunrise you will have to start the upward drive around 3am or before. The entrance fee of $10 is valid for three days so you can come back again to watch the sunset if you want.
When to go for watching sunrise from Haleakala Summit
Preferably, try to catch the sunrise at Haleakala towards the start of your trip to Maui, because getting up much before dawn is easier at the start of a vacation.
Many people make the mistake of checking out the sunrise times and plan the drive up to the Haleakala summit so they get there just before the sun makes its appearance.
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Sunrise at Haleakala National Park
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Advice for Viewing the Big Island Lava Flow
Recently, you might have read about the exciting volcanic activity at the Kilauea volcano a short distance from Kalapana on Hawaii’s Big Island. Every year thousands of tourists come to watch the lava as it flows into the ocean from the Kalapana Lava Viewing Area on the Big Island’s east coast.
The spot where you can currently see the flowing lava is at the end of Highway 130 on the east side, close to Kalapana. Here are a few tips for enjoying this rare and spectacular natural phenomenon.
The best time to go
The best time to watch the lava is around sunset and the period just after sunset. Earlier in the day the harsh sunlight tends to reduce the lava’s glowing incandescence. So the time just before and after sunset gives you excellent glimpses of the contrast between viewing the lava in daylight and in the night. Also, in the hours before sunset, there will be sufficient daylight for you to walk more safely to the lava viewing point. Currently, the viewing point opens only after 2 pm and closes at 10 pm. Cars are not permitted to enter after 8 pm. You’ll have to be prepared for about a two and a half hour one-way drive in case you’re going to drive here from the west side of Hawaii.
What to Wear
Shoes like hiking shoes that have a rugged sole and a good gripping tread are advisable since you’ll mostly be trekking over uneven surfaces coated with hardened lava such shoes will give you a firmer grip and help you in keeping your balance. Shoes with a good sole will also give your feet protection from the heat.
See that you wear long trousers for protecting your legs should you fall as the hardened lava is as sharp as glass and you could hurt yourself badly if you fall. Similarly, gloves would protect your hands if you were to have a fall. Sunscreen, lip balm, a hat or visor, and sunglasses would give added protection from the sunlight during the daylight hours.
What to carry
Carry water, energy bars or light snacks for you won’t find any restaurants in the viewing area. Also, make sure you have a flashlight so you can find your way around in the dark, binoculars for better viewing of the lava and surrounding terrain, and cameras with charged batteries and lots of memory/film. Since it could be windy near the water, bring along your tripod too if you have one.
A hiking stick to keep your balance while crossing uneven terrain, wet wipes, bandages, Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment, mosquito repellant and something to tie back your hair if you have long hair, are some other useful items to carry along.
A few precautions
- Find out all you can about the dangers of getting too close to active lava.
- Follow the signs and instructions offered by the rangers and county employees.
- Try to get to the viewing area early so you can get prime parking space and won’t have to park too far away.
- See that you lock your car doors and tuck your valuables out of sight.
The experience of watching lava flowing into the ocean cannot be described in words. So don’t miss the opportunity if you visit the Big Island and watch the lava flow from Kilauea Volcano.
Checklist of Things to Pack for Your Trip to Hawaii
To help you with your packing before setting off on your Hawaiian holiday, here’s a handy checklist for you.
- Carry a guidebook and map of the islands you’ll be visiting in Hawaii. The free maps available from car hire companies are easier to handle.
- Carry print outs of useful information such as directions, hotel booking confirmations, travel advice, etc.
- You will need casual wear such as shorts and T-shirts for daytime sightseeing.
- Pack reef shoes and flip flops for the swimming pool and beach.
- Carry two swim suits for each person to make sure each one always has a dry suit to wear.
- Remember to pack a swim suit cover-up since at most resorts they ask you to cover up modestly when in lobbies and other common areas besides the beach and pool.
- Polarized sunglasses are preferable in Hawaii.
- Carry a hat and/or a visor and lip balm having SPF 15, 30 or even higher
- The sun’s rays are very strong in Hawaii, so you’ll need sunscreen having a higher SPF than what you usually go with on the mainland to avoid getting painful sunburn. If you’re carrying a container larger than 3oz, it will have to be packed in your check-in baggage. A smaller size is permitted in your cabin luggage. But either way, be sure to pack it well inside a zip-lock bag in case it leaks during transit.
- Another useful item would be a lightweight beach bag or back pack to carry water, snacks, a guidebook, and other essential sightseeing items.
- For dining out, most restaurants won’t need you to dress in formal wear. Most of them will specify “resort wear” as the dress code. This usually means khaki trousers or dress-shorts and a collared shirt for men, and casual skirts, capri pants, sun dresses, dressier shorts, etc. for ladies. It is better to make reservations and confirm the dress code in advance in case you decide on some of the fancier restaurants.
- Don’t forget to pack a waterproof jacket just in case it rains. And as a back up, in case you don’t remember to take your jacket along, it would be handy to have a pack of disposable rain ponchos that you could keep in the rental car.
- Carry a camera that has lots of film/memory and adequate battery life. Take your battery charger along too if you have one.
- If you’re a nature lover or the outdoors type, include a good pair of binoculars for bird watching, better scenery viewing, watching lava, stargazing, or whale watching (the ideal period being January to April).
- A few snacks would come in handy in case of flight delays or other emergency situations, especially if you have small children with you. Have a pack of travel-sized wet wipes which you can carry with you in the car.
- Finally, don’t forget to carry your regular medications, including a handy first aid kit containing antibiotic ointment and bandages.
