The Bodda Getta

stay at any of the Outrigger Hotels on any of the Islands. Great Hotels! Very nice! Liked Maui the best!

JW Marriott is an incredible resort. My wife and I returned from her business trip about 2 weeks ago. I smuggled myself along for this. It is in a much quieter area of the island. The beach is a manmade lagoon but serves the purpose quite well. The grounds are fantastic. The food is pretty expensive, but everything on the island is. The breakfast buffet is $30.00 per person! But you must try the Banana Macadamia Nut Pancakes, sold al carte, they were awesome! Beers will cost $8.00 each , mixed drinks $11.00 each. There is another Marriott around the corner that has a Steak House, I think it is called Chuck's Steakhouse very good a little better on the wallet. You must go to the North Shore if for nothing but the Shave Ice. Try a place called Akois, it is cheap and awesome. It is no the place the tourists all flock to, so no lines. They also put ice cream in the bottom! Aloha, and have fun!

The JW is nice. Food is good but spendy but that is not exclusive to the JW... It's Hawaii in general. It's right next to Disney Aulani resort. Not a whole lot to do around that area so if you are looking for someplace quiet you hit the spot. They opened up a few new restaurants across the street Just Tacos (fun place, good drinks, TVs for sports) and Monkey Pod (pizza, local Fish, a little bit of everything) if you want a less expensive dinner. I've been to every island for the most part and Wailea Maui is hard to beat. Thats my preference but honestly all of them are great.

I learned that I do not have the hips for hula dancing....But it was fun to have the lovely ladies of Germaines try and teach me. LOL

Really enjoyed the un-earthing of the pig. Made me want to dig a pit in my backyard.

My first trip to hawaii was with my grandparents. And one of the things I remember the most was doing Germaines the same day as we did Pearl Harbor (very differtent exp the second time around. Really realized that honoring the lost lives is not what most people do that trip for. Kids yealling and screaming and acting like it was a playland and not a memorial. So much disrespect that if I had acted that way with my Granddaddy he would have knocked teh fire out of me. He was a navy vet and lost a lot of friends in Pearl.)

But as we sat at the luau three choppers flew over us and I asked my grandad "What are those helicopters for?" his response stuck with me through today..."Those helos are making sure that Pearl never happens again". Wasa very special trip. One that I will never forget.

I've done the island hopping and the Waki thing. You see more diversity if you hop, or stay off Ohau. Waki is nice and is a "location". Lots to see with relative ease or you can rest on a great beach steps from downtown. Pearl Harbor is a must see. For me if this is your only trip to the mid pacific I'd do a 2 island trip including the big island and Oahu. Kinda get the feel of authentic and resort. Give some thoughts to flight times as its a LONG flight.