Ko Olina, Oahu’s Hawaii is a fairly new destination resort offers a fun alternative to Honolulu.   In early October, Jan Geiser a 35 plus year travel consultant at James TravelPOINTS vacationed in Oahu Hawaii with her husband were they stayed at the luxury J.W. Marriott Resort and Spa.  

Prior visits included the neighbor islands, so this trip we opted to stay solely on the island of Oahu, the “Heart of Hawaii”.  In Denver, we boarded our nonstop flight to Honolulu.  United Airlines offers daily wide-body service to Honolulu.  Upon our early afternoon arrival in Honolulu, we rented our Hertz car.  Our destination was Ko Olina.  Ko Olina, Oahu’s newest destination resort, is just a short, easy 20 minute drive from the Honolulu Airport.  “From secluded lagoons and exciting adventures to championship golf and undersea panoramas, Ko Olina offers a neighbor island-style getaway without leaving Oahu”.  Our hotel was the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa.  After brief check-in procedures, we were escorted to our partial ocean view room.  Our accommodations were very spacious and well-appointed.  The size of the room was the equivalent of a Jr. Suite in many hotels.  Our room included a walk-in closet and over-size bathroom with an European-style bathtub.  The lanai was furnished with a table and padded , adjustable chairs.  The view of the ocean and subsequently, the sunsets, was magnificent. 

The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa is regarded for its award-winning cuisine and amenities.  We shared a romantic dinner for two at the Azul Restaurant.  This restaurant has an excellent reputation and the food and service were exquisite.  The Naupaka Terrace, an alternate dining venue,  is open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, offers regional cuisine and also, themed buffets.  We enjoyed many morning and evening walks skirting the 4 lagoons that comprise the resort of Ko Olina.  The pristine lagoon  surrounded by white sand directly in front of our hotel was complemented by an azure sky and view of the Wai’anae Mountains.  The pool offered view of the oceans.  The award-winning Ihilani Spa provides an oasis of tranquility.  Its treatments aim to soothe your soul and experience harmony of mind, body, and spirit.  A brochure of numerous services and treatments is available.  My spa choice was the Deluxe Thalasso Therapy with  color and aqua essences.  It was, as promised, a sensory, therapeutic experience for the body, mind, and spirit.  I was a new person in less than 30 minutes.  Next time a half day of treatments sounds like heaven on earth!  It was difficult to leave our resort, even for a day.  We did take a drive to the North Shore one day.  The beauty and quaintness of the “other” Oahu are definitely missed by many visitors to the island.  We enjoyed lunch in Haleiwa at Jameson’s by the Sea.  We returned to Ko Olina driving through fields of pineapples.

 All too soon, it was time to leave paradise found in Ko Olina.  We spent the last few days of our vacation in Honolulu.  This vibrant city has much to offer — culture, sights, beautiful Waikiki Beach, dining options for any palate, and of course, shopping.  My husband’s birthday was celebrated in style at the 5 star restaurant, La Mer, located in the Halekulani Hotel.  Our oceanfront table enabled us to experience a breathtaking sunset.  The dinner was superb and the service was impeccable.  Our remaining days were spent walking and relaxing on Waikiki Beach and swimming in the ocean.  We did a little shopping at the International MarketPlace and also, at the boutiques and shops located on Kalakau Avenue.  Evenings were quite pleasant for outdoor dining at numerous ocean side restaurants. It is difficult to put into words the beauty of the islands.  The sights,  the flowers and fragrance, and the “Aloha” lifestyle all contribute to the unique destination of Hawaii.  If you are planning a trip to the island of Hawaii, please call me.  It would be a pleasure to discuss your any of your travel plans.  

About Jan Geiser 

Jan has been in the travel industry for 35+ years and is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC). She has extensive personal experience in both leisure and cruise travel.  Jan has traveled all over the world and brings a wealth of experience and advice to our clients.  She has been recognized by American Express as a World Cruise Specialist. She is also a graduate of advanced travel industry training offered by Holland America Line and has achieved the rank of Commodore status with both Princess and Cunard. Destination specialties include:  Europe, South Pacific, Caribbean, Mexico (Master Agent for Secrets Resorts), USA – Alaska (Certified Expert) and Hawaii, and of course, Cruises. Call Jan at 303-442-2340X231.

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Mauna Lani Bay is a luxury resort located on the Big Island in Hawaii.

The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows are a mecca for golfers, a treat for the gourmets and wonderful hideaway to relax and a nature preserve for rare green sea turtles.  The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows is an oceanfront paradise on the Big Island’s sunny Kohala Coast that has a list of accolades as long as its white-sand shoreline. 

This AAA Five Diamond-rated property on the Big Island of Hawaii, is an award-winning combination of sophisticated luxury and Hawaiian style hospitality.  Guestrooms are spacious and tastefully furnished all feature private lanais.  Ninety percent of the rooms have magnificent ocean views, the other overlook lush tropical garden’s.  The resort’s five restaurants include the widely hailed Canoe House.  Its Pacific Rim fare has received recognition in such prestigious publications as Gourmet, GQ, Esquire, Bon Appetite and Departures. 

Seafood specialties include Nor9-Wrapped Tempura Ahi with tomato-Ginger Relish and Fresh Seared Mahi Mahi with Chinese Black Bean Sauce.  The resort is renowned for its cuisine.  The Mauna Lani tradition of fine food began centuries ago when Hawaiian Ali’i (royalty) first settled on the Kohala Coast, creating the fishponds that are now the heart of this luxury destination. 

If you’re seeking up to the minute, non-stop activity, you will find that the Mauna Lani features the award winning Tennis Garden and Racquet Club, a comprehensive sports center, a wide range of watersports and a picture-perfect 36 hole championship golf course.  In 1991, golf course architects Nelson and Haworth reconfigured the 18-hole Francis H. I’I Brown Golf Course, doubling the number of holes and creating Mauna Lani’s now-famous North and South.  The recipients of six “Golf Medal Awards” from Golf Magazine.

The North Course is built on an older and smoother pahoehoe lava bed.  It features rolling terrain and kiawe tree forests.  A 230-acre protected archaeological district lies on the northern boundary; consequently, herds of feral goats frequent the entire North Course, providing a unique neutral hazard.  James TravelPOINTS 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com has the expertise to help you plan your next vacation to the Hawaiian islands. Give us a call, we look forward to helping you create the custom vacation to fit your needs.

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Nestled in the Hawaiian Island Chain, is the tiny island of Lana’i.  Remote, untouched and dramatically beautiful, this 16,000-acre island holds the mystery of old Hawaii. There are only 2,800 residents, and two world-class resorts on this beautiful island,  top quality recreation is never crowded, and always convenient.  And speaking of sports they’ve got it all–hunting, Sporting Clays, fishing, golf, tennis, horseback riding and hiking or of course everyone’s favorite sport–relaxation.  This sleepy little island is also home to a cultural arts program that surpasses those offered in many metropolitan cities; the visiting arts program brings authors, chefs, filmmakers and other fine artists together with you in a personal, living room setting.

Here you will find miles of sand with no footprints on both the northern and eastern shores, pristine hideaways just as they were thousands of years ago.  Experience incredible snorkeling at the Marine Preserve at Hulopo’e Bay and Manele Day with abundant tropical fish.  Don’t be alarmed if the spinner dolphins break the stillness when they cruise past you in the blue waters, and leap playfully into the air.  The clarity of the water, the fantastic lava tubes, and the underwater cathedrals provide the most dramatic diving in Hawaii.

A must see is Kanepu’u, where the Garden of the Gods is located.  Described as eerie, beautiful, serene, and spiritual, these badlands were sculpted by the raging forces of nature.

Hiking throughout Lana’i is superb.  The Munro Trail winds up from Koele though mountain grasslands, where rain forest of ohia lehua, pine, ironwood, and eucalyptus line the mountain’s backbone ridge to the summit of Lana’ihale.  Lean about the ancient Hawaiians and hike around Kaunolu in southwest Lana’i.  This area is the location of a deserted pre-contract Hawaiian village, which was once a fishing community.

Visitors can horseback ride around the uplands or take a horseback tour of the island’s many off-road trails.  Keep your eyes open for wild game such as the axis deer, mouflon sheep and an abundance of game birds-pheasant, quail, chukar partridge, and wild turkey.

The Lana’i Pine Sporting Clays is the only resort course in Hawaii. The rustic 14-station course is situated within a 200-acre pine-wooded valley overlooking Molokai.  There are different levels of play, challenging enough for the experienced and easy enough for those new to the sport.

If it’s time you got back to nature yet spent your nights in luxury it’s time you experienced the island of Lana’i, give the experts at James TravelPOINTS a call we will get you on your way 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.

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The island of Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, is the youngest and the largest of the Hawaiian Islands.  Five massive volcanoes built the Big Island and in the fires of creation formed an island twice as large as all the other islands combined.  The Big Island continues to grow as Kilauea Volcano, the worlds most active volcano is constantly adding acres of lava to the island’s shoreline.  Geographically it’s the most diverse island with deserts, rainforests, volcanoes and surprisingly, snow-capped mountains.  The mountain create a huge barrier that block the northeasterly trade winds and makes the leeward, western side of the island the driest region.  This coast has the best beaches and water conditions.  The windward, eastern coast is predominately rugged, with pounding surf, plenty of rain, tropical rainforests, deep ravines and majestic waterfalls.  Kona, Waikoloa and Hilo are the main centers for accommodation and restaurants.

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is hands down the most unique park in the US National Parks system.  The park represents life and growth and creation of the most natural, basic kind.  This exceptionally large park encompasses two active volcanoes, a still-steaming sunken crater and geologically awesome landscape of cinder cones, pumice pillars and hardened rivers of lava.  Its terrain ranges from tropical beaches to the subartic summit of Mauna Loa, and includes lovely rainforests and fern groves.  It is a fascinating, exciting place to visit.  Plan to spend at least two days in the area, exploring the hiking trails, the unusual attractions and the scenic points. 

The lush, coastal Waipio Valley is the largest and most spectacular of the series of valleys on the windward side of the Kohala Mountains.  It is enclosed by near-vertical 2000-feet-high cliffs and is accessible only by a narrow, excessively steep 4WD track, making hiking in the best option.  The valley is a fertile tangle of jungle, flowering plants, taro patches and waterfalls; this is a magical place to experience the spirit of the “old” Hawaii.

Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park encompasses ancient temples, royal grounds, burial sites and a place of refuge. Take time to check out the carved-wood representations of ancient gods; the stone board for playing konane, an ancient form of checkers played with black lava and white coral; and the wonderful snorkeling found off the natural lava steps just north of the place of refuge.  The beautiful stretch of white sand at Hapuna Beach is the island’s most popular beach.  It has good snorkeling, swimming, diving and bodysurfing.  Avoid the winter surf, which can pound the shoreline and get unsuspecting swimmers in trouble.

The Big Island is a perfect adventure for everyone; there are accommodations for every price range, great adventures, great beaches, and amazing scenery.  Give the experts at James TravelPOINTS a call and we’ll take care of the rest, 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.

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