Our trips to the Hawaiian Islands

Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island, Maui

Many years ago---around the year 1998--- Ken and I went to yet another timeshare presentation in St. Louis (for the entertainment and free stuff they gave us), but this time we ended up buying into it.  This presentation was for Pahio Resorts (specifically Kauai Beach Villas---- one of the 4 Pahios on Kauai).  We had never been to any of the Hawaiian islands and didn't really figure we'd go to the Pahio resort, but we were sold on the idea that we could bank the week into RCI and go anywhere, anytime, that we desired.  We were so naive back then!!!  So we bought a 1 bedroom/1 bath EOY (every other year) unit.  

About the same time that we went to the presentation, I came across a great TWA Getaway Vacations to Oahu for $599/person which included airfare from St. Louis and 5 nights on Oahu ( at the Maile Sky Court Hotel which we extended to 7 nights for a couple hundred dollars more).   With our first year at KBV set to be 1999, and we already had reservations for Oahu for Nov. of 1998, we banked the KBV week into RCI---and began to learn what "go anywhere, anytime you want" really means - go anywhere that is available, at the worst times of the year!  That usually means somewhere over saturated with timeshares (like Orlando or Las Vegas); or where you really want to go (usually only available during off season) if you're lucky enough to catch it as soon as it's banked.  Since we had a really good time on Oahu in 1998, when our next EOY week rolled around in 2001, we decided to go with the sure thing and see exactly what we bought.  We even booked 3 nights on Oahu that year, too, in case we didn't like Kauai.  Ended up liking Kauai even better then Oahu!

And that was the beginning of my Hawaii love affair!  We never banked that week again.  In fact, we bought more and more weeks at Pahio until we had 2 weeks every year (1 bedrooms in even years and 2 bedrooms in odd years).  That worked so well, that when Wyndham took over as the management company (around 2007), we ended up converting our weeks into Wyndham points by buying another EOY 1 bedroom unit at Bali Hai in 2009.  With that purchase, all our Pahio weeks were converted into Wyndham points.  We lucked into a rather inexpensive way to become Platinum VIP in Wyndham (which has been great!).  Part of what got us to convert, was we were told we'd be able to reserve ocean view rooms 13 months out.  That did work for a couple years, then they "learned" that we could only reserve our original type units that far in advance.  But it worked out.  With lots of persistence and patience, we still got a lot of ocean view rooms in the 10 month Wyndham open reservation window and often within the 60 day reservation time when our VIP ((Platinum privileges kicked in with 50% off the number of points normally needed and free upgrades if they're available.    

Since we didn't yet have an even year timeshare week in 2002, we decided to check out the Big Island that year by renting a week at Kona Coast Resort.  Then we went back to Kauai in 2003 and started picking up more Pahio weeks at Kauai Beach Villas (all on the resell market at a fraction of the cost of our original unit) until finally buying another developer EOY week from Wyndham in 2009 to convert us to VIP Platinum Wyndham owners.  (2025 update: A lot has happened to our poor Kauai Beach Villas ownership in the last couple years!  First---a couple years ago they finally "fixed" their error making us VIP Platinum owners.  We should have been VIP Gold.   I'd heard they realized the mistake for awhile, but didn't have a way of correcting it until they totally redid their website a couple years ago.  Of course in the last 15 years or so, they also upped the amount of points needed for the various VIP levels so we no longer qualified for Gold.  Fortunately they Grandfathered us into Gold.  Still a good deal!  In 2023 we were hit with a pretty hefty special assessment for KBV, which I paid.  Unfortunately, in 2025 KBV actually voted to go bankrupt and close at the end of 2025.  That's when I found out "converting to Wyndham" doesn't really mean "converting to Wyndham".  According to Wyndham, it's up to Kauai Beach Villas what happens to our points and they aren't making a "deal" for us to change our home resort with Wyndham---like the other resorts going through bankruptcy are.  So, looks like as of 2026 we'll only own the 1 EOY week at Bali Hai in our Wyndham membership.  Some consolation is a Wyndham customer service guy did say we'd maintain our VIP Gold status for that week.  In a way, I'm disappointed since we got some incredible deals with our VIP points.  But I'm also thinking this could be a "happy coincidence" since it would be an easy way  out of a costly timeshare maintenance fee.  Especially since we haven't been able to travel in almost 5 years and the kids aren't able to use that many points.  So, now to wait and see what actually happens.)

In 2006 I finally made it to Maui with my Dad.  I had read that if you love Kauai as much as we do that you'll hate the hustle and bustle of Maui.  Wrong!---I loved Maui, too.  But we're snorkelers and the shore snorkeling there is fantastic.  I went again in 2012 with my sister.  Hubby was reluctant to go to Maui because he had read the same things about Kauai lovers hating Maui that I did.  But I finally convinced him to go there in 2013 and he loved it, too---probably even more then Kauai.  Since then we've been going to both Kauai and Maui. 

1998 Oahu - first trip to the islands (Jan)

2001 Kauai - first trip to Kauai (Jan.: Helicopter tour, Blue Dolphin Napali cruise, )

         2nd trip to Oahu (Jan.)

2002 The Big Island (Jan)

2003 Kauai with Dad (March)(buy a 2nd week) (Kalalau hike; resort scuba dive; Waimea Canyon)

2003 Oahu with Dad for Sean's reinlistment (Aug. 9-15)

2004 Kauai with Tim and Faith ( March: fern grotto,   McBryde Gargens, Keahua Forestry Arboretum, Smith's luau, Waimea Canyon )

2005 Kauai  (Feb. 7-16: Queen's bath, Niihau snorkel tour, Kipu falls, Waimea Canyon)

2006  Kauai with Tim and Faith, then Dad  (Jan. 29-Feb. 12: Limahuli Gardens; Kauai Museum; Sleeping Giant hike; Kukuiolono golf course; sunset cruise, )

2006 Maui father/daughter trip - first trip to Maui (Oct. 30-Nov. 6)

2007 Kauai (Feb. 26-March 11:  Tandem surfing; Moir Gardens; Secret Beach; Mahaulepu Beach)

2008 Kauai  (March 1-14:  Bike East side trail; Keiki hula; giant North shore waves)

2009 Oahu by myself (Feb. 18-22)

         Kauai with Ken, Angie and Josh (and we convert to Wyndham)  (Feb. 22-March 8:  Napali cruise, Smith's Luau, Waimea)

2010 Kauai with Tim and Faith, again  (Feb. 19-March 5:  Moloaa beach; Gaylord's train; Smith's)

2011 Kauai  (Feb. 10-25:  Shark; vog; Hanapepe; Waimea Canyon; Na Aina Kai Garden; Kanikapila Kakoa Concert)

2012 Kauai with Schneiderjans  (Feb. 16-March 2:  Na Aina Kai; Smith's Luau; Just Live Zip Line; Coffee Plantation; Waimea Canyon; Polihale)

2012 Maui sisters' trip (May 28-June 4)

2013 Maui with Baileys (Feb. 18 - March 6)

2014  Kauai  (Jan. 18-Feb. 4:  Kauai Coast Resort; biking East trail; Smith's Garden; Allerton Garden; Na Aina Kai)

2015 Feb. 6-26
          Kauai  (Feb. 6-12:  6 nights: Lydgate; Anini; high surf)
          Maui  (Feb. 12-26)

2016  8/18 - 9/14 (2 weeks each place)
          Maui   (Aug. 18-30)
          Kauai starting 8/31 (Aug. 31-Sept. 14:  Waimea; St. Regis)

2017  no Hawaiian islands!!!!

2018  Maui for 4 weeks  with Fischers (Jan.-25 - Feb. 22)

2019  Kauai with Carolyn (Jan. 19-Feb. 2) and Maui (Feb. 2-9) by myself

2020  Dang COVID and husband's Glioblastoma cancer diagnosis, our 4 weeks on Maui were cancelled!!!

2021  Covid still raging and Ken's still battling Glioblastoma.  At least I had booked our reservations through Worldmark, so I was able to cancel with no penalty.   I sure miss Hawaii!!!!

2022 Covid not so bad, but Ken still battling GBM and now bedridden.  Reservations cancelled again.

2023  Ken still fighting GBM and entered hospice in Oct.

2024  Ken still fighting GBM and still bedridden

2025  Ken a long term GBM survivor now, still bedridden, still in hospice, and my lock down continues. 

With 20+ trips to the islands between 1998 and 2018, we obviously LOVE the islands!  It feels like another home to us!  Can't wait to go home again!

Snorkeling Kauai

Snorkeling Kauai

Probably my favorite thing to do on vacation is snorkel---or is it photography?!  I guess it would have to be underwater photography!  As of 2015, we've made 13 trips to Kauai, all during the winter.  I read a lot of comments saying that snorkeling on Kauai isn't very good.  I'm here to offer a different opinion.  I love snorkeling Kauai----and Maui, and the Big Island, and St. Thomas, Grand Cayman, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitt's and lots of other places.  But since we always get drawn back to Kauai, I decided to make a blog of our snorkeling on Kauai.  I figure I'll start at the westernmost area we snorkeled: Saltpond;  and travel to the south side: Lawai; Poipu; and Maha'ulepu Beach--- then to the East side:  Lydgate and Moloaa; Anahola--- and last but certainly not least, to the North shore:   Anini; Tunnels and Kee.   They each have their own unique character to them.

On the South side:

Saltpond:

 Lawai:

Poipu Beach:

Maha'ulepu Beach:

On to the East side:

Lydgate Park:

Moloa'a:

Anahola:

On the North side:

Anini:

Hanalei:

Tunnels:

Kee:


So whether it's raining on the north shore, or windy in Poipu, or beach closed due to shark sighting at Tunnels, or whatever, there are plenty of other great places to find to snorkel at around Kauai.  Check the surf reports and go where the surfers don't. 

2019 Kauai and Maui:

2019 Kauai and Maui:  (Jan. 19 - Feb.10)

Back in March of 2018, I came across a couple exchange weeks in RCI for Wyndham Shearwater in Kauai for the weeks of Jan. 20th and Jan. 27th.  I know Ken's not a big fan of changing islands, but I was really missing Kauai.   So I asked Ken if he would spend 2 weeks there and 2 weeks in Maui.  He said "whatever", so I immediately booked it before he realized what I was asking.  Sure we're Wyndham owners, but the weeks through RCI for The Shearwater are half the points they would have been directly with Wyndham --- booking that far in advance.  It was like being able to use our Platinum VIP advantage before the 60 day mark!  Except that we couldn't cancel without penalty, and we did have to pay the exchange fees of something like $200/week.  OK, so there are serious advantages to using VIP Wyndham status---which came really apparent shortly before this trip!  But at that time, I was excited with the thought of another trip to the islands.  
Then in April, when a 1 bedroom exchange with RCI came available for The Sands of Kahana for Feb. 2 - Feb. 16, I booked it, too.  Usually we like to get a 2 bedroom unit, but a 2 bedroom exchange in Maui is hard to get, especially in  Feb.  I was even able to book that one as 1 exchange---meaning only 1 exchange fee for the whole 2 weeks.

I also started watching for award travel on either American or Alaska Airlines.  In March, American had a good 20,000 mile fare itinerary for Jan. 19th.  So I booked it.  1 day before our exchanges started, but I'd worry about that later.

Now we were set!   Until June rolled around and Ken's right ankle collapsed due to diabetes---Charcot's.   That changed everything!  To avoid amputation, hospitalization and visits to Dr's became routine.  He had surgery in Oct. to fuse the ankle bones and had his leg broken to lengthen it to make up for the compressed ankle.  With an external fixator on his leg, we knew a trip to Hawaii was out of the question for him. 

2019 Kauai

2019 Kauai (Jan. 19 - Feb. 2):

 After only spending 5 days in Kauai since 2015, I was excited about finally getting back there.  This will be a different trip.  It will be with my sister instead of hubby, but I'm looking forward to seeing her, too.  She has never been to Kauai.  This will be my 15th trip to Kauai since 2001.  It feels like home!  In fact, hubby and I have been on Kauai longer then we've actually been in our current "home" in Perry, Georgia!

2019 Maui---solo trip

2019 Maui  --- solo trip

Can't believe I'm back!  Can't believe I'm here by myself!   

2019 Kauai Beach Villas

2019 Sands of Kahana, Maui---unit 414 (1 bedroom/1 bath unit):

2019 Wyndham Shearwater, Unit 108:

2-9-19 one last day of sightseeing for me before turning the keys over to the kids and heading to the airport for my 9:30pm flight home:


Today was the start of week 2 at Sands of Kahana.  So first thing we did, was walk over to the office and have our keys reset for another week.  On our way back to our room, we ran across this little (or not so little!) guy!

 Here's Faith getting a closer view of her new little friend.  After she took the picture, she relocated him to the ferns.

2-8-19  looking for whales and picking up kids

Today is the day the "kids" fly in.  But they weren't arriving until about 4.   So I had most of the day to find something to do.  Couldn't even stick around the condo because housekeeping was doing it's weekly cleaning today.  So----
I decided to drive back to the viewpoint where I saw all the surfers yesterday.

 The water was a bit choppier and there were no surfers.

2-7-19  around the West side---Dragon's teeth, surfers


According to the Snorkel Store, "We've got yellow scores across the island from strong westerly winds that are making things choppy at the beaches in Maui today. Surf is pretty mellow this morning at most spots in West Maui but the strong wind will create "wind-waves" that will mix things up considerably."  
But I got a tip on a good place to snorkel, when conditions are right, near Kahekili, so I went to check it out. 

 It actually looked doable, but noone else was in the water and I don't get in the water when noone else is around.

2-6-19 South to Ahihi with Susan, then Kam3 by myself


Woke up to another beautiful day!!!! Wish they were all this pretty, but alas, rain and high surf is on it's way.  So --- I better get some more snorkeling in while I can.

Susan (barefootnAR) and I planned to go snorkeling on the South side today.  So about 7:30, I in the car and heading South.  Met up with Susan at her condo timeshare and we took off together to Ahihi.

We walked down to the Dumps first, but a regular there told us it was pretty murky.  Not a place I want to go to when it's murky!  So we walked down to Ahihi cove.  Figured it was more protected.  
And it was.  Out past the shoreline it was pretty clear.  And wasn't rough like Airport had been.

 some  of the residents at the Cove:
4 spot butterflyfish

2-5-19 snorkel Kahekili beach and Kapalua

Another early morning.  Gotta love telemarketers!  4 calls between 5 and 7 am!  I would have turned the ringer off, but I was expecting to hear from barefootnAR in the morning, so I didn't want to shut the ringer off.   
So I got up and cooked breakfast---even baked some chicken breasts and tater tots for later. 

 Then while I waited for barefootnAR to call, I decided to go check out how to get to Napili Bay in case I have a chance to snorkel there.  Found a beach parking spot and went to check out the bay.

2-4-19  Kapalua snorkel!  and walk the trail:

Today started out earlier then normal for me.  Woke up about 5 and  figured I'd check the computer quickly and go back to bed.  That didn't end up happening.  Got into a conversation on Tripadvisor and ended up talking to another forum reader.  With us both being snorkel fanatics, we were trying to come up with a plan to meet up and snorkel.  With the brown water advisory, I didn't want to go all the way to the South side in case it wasn't clear and she couldn't come up here today.  So we agreed to snorkel our respective areas today and report back to each other and try again on Tues.  

By now, I was getting hungry and tired of cereal (which I also had for dinner the last 2 nights).  So I headed to Time's grocery store.  The sun had just risen when I left, so I stopped at a little park on the way to Time's and took a couple late sunrise photos.

 I was surprised to see they even have a really nice looking breakfast bar with quite an assortment of cooked foods for $8/pound.  I thought of getting a container full, but not having a scale there, I figured I'd end up with $24 worth of stuff for breakfast!  So I bought a dozen eggs for about $3.50  and 12oz of bacon for $4.99.  Also bought some pork chops and chicken so I could have something besides cereal for dinner.  Got back to the condo and made myself breakfast.

2-3-19  Time to Snorkel!!!!! and watch a little football

Good morning Maui!!! Thanks for the rainbow!

 I decided to go to the island orientation this morning.   Enjoyed the flowers along the way 

They have a really nice area for the presentation.

 Love the pictures there.

 They had breads and drinks to go along with the talk.

 breakfast

I hoped I could win something good.  And I did!  Unfortunately, I found out it's a BOGO and there's only one of me.  I offered it to my kids who will be coming later in the week, but they didn't want it!  So I gave it to the hostess in the bar and grill at Sands of Kahana.  Don't know if she can use it, but it would be nice if someone local could.   Worst part is, I've ALWAYS wanted to go to Lanai! 

 So to drown my sorrows, I went snorkeling.  I wanted to be back for the Super Bowl, so I went close by where I thought there would be the best chance of finding parking---Kahekili beach park.  Such a beautiful park!

 they even have a security guard rolling by now and then

 heading to the water

 almost there!

 hard to see here, but there were plenty of snorkelers out there.

 heading in

 I was a little surprised that it was as murky as it was.  Guess Maui had similar weather to what we had in Kauai the last 4 or 5 days I was there.  But Photoshop cleared them up pretty good.

 lots of black triggerfish here

 lots of coral, too

 a couple long nose butterflyfish

 some of the finger coral that covers large areas of the ocean bottom here.

 a parrotfish in the extensive coral

 more coral---love the colors of all the coral here.

 a filefish

 hawkfish

  school of fish

 school of yellow tangs---don't see many yellow tangs around Kauai

 teardrop butterflyfish

 ornate butterflyfish

 huge peacock grouper

 ringtail wrasse

many bar goatfish

 sailfin tang

 4 spot butterflyfish

 looking back towards shore

 back to the underwater.

 when I decided to come in, this little guy was waiting for me just feet from shore.

 after a couple hours, I headed back to the resort.  It was still early, so I checked out the beach at Sands of Kahana a bit better then I did this morning.

 lots of people playing in the water here

 not a huge beach, but actually more then I thought there would be.

 I walked through the bar and got a to go menu.  Looks like a pretty nice place. 

Then headed back to the room to work on my blog while watching the Super Bowl.  Being from St. Louis, I was rooting for the Rams.  But to be honest, I would have rooted for anyone but the Patriots.  Tired of seeing them in the Super Bowl.  Did enjoy Maroon 5 at half time, but found it ridiculous that once again they had to censor one of the performers!  
After the game came to a disappointing end, I headed out in search of a sunset and dinner.  Didn't do too well with either!  But I did get to see another rainbow.

 And I did enjoy wandering around through Lahaina.

 walked to the sidewalk with the ocean views and sat and waited for sunset

 Got a little bit of sun rays.

 clouds were pretty thick but there was a little color

 Even a bad sunset for Lahaina is worth seeing.

 Then I window shopped.  Not quite NaHoku!

 love these little mugs.  If I used mugs, I might have bought one.

 one of the many galleries.

I decided to stop at Time's market on the way back to the condo, but missed the turn.  Had to go a few miles before I could turn around, so I decided to skip it and go with cereal for dinner.  
Not a bad first whole day of my solo vacation here!