Sunday, August 31, 2008

All-inclusive Hawaii Vacation

After pondering the popular question 'Is Hawaii a good place to live', Best Hawaii Vacation blog is about to reveal what we think about the claim of 'All-inclusive Hawaii Vacations'. As Americans got so much used to all-inclusive vacation packages in Mexico at bargain price, including air fares, hotel room and free meals three times a day and even alcohol and cigarettes, there is no surprise that the average traveler, who is not that familiar with Hawaii travel, is looking for an all-inclusive vacation in Hawaii!

Relax on your Hawaii vacation
Vacation advertisers are well aware of this ever alluring search term all-inclusive vacation. Unfortunately, there are quite a number of Hawaii travel websites using the all-inclusive Hawaii vacation term for attracting customers or guests, which is to my mind quite misleading. Sorry to have to disappoint you but there is not such a thing for all-inclusive vacation in Hawaii in the sense as in Mexico, including meals and drinks and entertainment 'all-inclusive'. Don't mix up Hawaii with Mexico.

However, there are different vacation packages available, combinations like: Hotel + Air fare, Hotel +Air fare + Car rental, which are mostly offered by the leading Hawaii airlines: Hawaiian Air or Alaskan Airlines (with promo deals for Big Island, Kauai, Mauai + Oahu) and of course, by the big online vacation and travel companies as Expedia Hawaii, TravelocityHawaii Deals and Orbitz Hawaii Specials. By now, we all know that it's worthwhile spending some time to check out those online companies for special Hawaii vacation packages, get quotes and compare rates.

If you made up your mind and want to stay at a hotel in Hawaii instead of renting a fully equipped vacation rental with kitchen and other 'all-inclusive' amenities (free Internet, free beach stuff, welcoming tropical flowers or/and fruit basket), it might pay off to check with the Hawaii hotel website what special amenities packages they offer. Most quality Hawaii hotels offer special hotel room packages, combining room + breakfast, room + spa, room and golf! Those offers also save you some money on your stay when you compare to paying individually for these amenities. You will be very lucky, if/when your hotel offers breakfast with your room rate. And believe me the hotel figured those expenses into the equation.

Hawaiian island tours, like your intended trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, or snorkeling, scuba diving or sunset cruises will have to be paid for by yourself. The Hawaii hotel concierge will help you to arrange it. It won't be wasted money.

Well, it all depends what Hawaii visitors want to do on their Hawaii vacation and how much they can afford to spend. You can have a wonderful vacation on Waikiki's white sand beach at an affordable rate. You don't need or want to go anywhere, just hang out on the beach, have a great dinner (sometimes offered 2 for1!) at the hotel restaurant but definitely not all-inclusive and have a wonderful time in Hawaii.

You can also have a great Hawaii vacation and save money by booking air fare and car rental through one of the big travel companies and then decide for a Hawaii vacation rental on your favorite island which meets your budget and expectations. Fall Hawaii accommodation rates are the lowest in a long time!

Hope this helps our Hawaii visitors and was not too disappointing. There is no place like Hawaii! It's worth every penny you pay. Have a great vacation on the Hawaiian Islands Maui, Big Island, Kauai or Oahu. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
Our today's Hawaii post girl is beautiful and sexy Hawaiian girl Amber from WahineStyle.com

Related Articles

All-inclusive Hawaii Vacation

After pondering the popular question 'Is Hawaii a good place to live', Best Hawaii Vacation blog is about to reveal what we think about the claim of 'All-inclusive Hawaii Vacations'. As Americans got so much used to all-inclusive vacation packages in Mexico at bargain price, including air fares, hotel room and free meals three times a day and even alcohol and cigarettes, there is no surprise that the average traveler, who is not that familiar with Hawaii travel, is looking for an all-inclusive vacation in Hawaii!

Relax on your Hawaii vacation
Vacation advertisers are well aware of this ever alluring search term all-inclusive vacation. Unfortunately, there are quite a number of Hawaii travel websites using the all-inclusive Hawaii vacation term for attracting customers or guests, which is to my mind quite misleading. Sorry to have to disappoint you but there is not such a thing for all-inclusive vacation in Hawaii in the sense as in Mexico, including meals and drinks and entertainment 'all-inclusive'. Don't mix up Hawaii with Mexico.

However, there are different vacation packages available, combinations like: Hotel + Air fare, Hotel +Air fare + Car rental, which are mostly offered by the leading Hawaii airlines: Hawaiian Air or Alaskan Airlines (with promo deals for Big Island, Kauai, Mauai + Oahu) and of course, by the big online vacation and travel companies as Expedia Hawaii, TravelocityHawaii Deals and Orbitz Hawaii Specials. By now, we all know that it's worthwhile spending some time to check out those online companies for special Hawaii vacation packages, get quotes and compare rates.

If you made up your mind and want to stay at a hotel in Hawaii instead of renting a fully equipped vacation rental with kitchen and other 'all-inclusive' amenities (free Internet, free beach stuff, welcoming tropical flowers or/and fruit basket), it might pay off to check with the Hawaii hotel website what special amenities packages they offer. Most quality Hawaii hotels offer special hotel room packages, combining room + breakfast, room + spa, room and golf! Those offers also save you some money on your stay when you compare to paying individually for these amenities. You will be very lucky, if/when your hotel offers breakfast with your room rate. And believe me the hotel figured those expenses into the equation.

Hawaiian island tours, like your intended trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, or snorkeling, scuba diving or sunset cruises will have to be paid for by yourself. The Hawaii hotel concierge will help you to arrange it. It won't be wasted money.

Well, it all depends what Hawaii visitors want to do on their Hawaii vacation and how much they can afford to spend. You can have a wonderful vacation on Waikiki's white sand beach at an affordable rate. You don't need or want to go anywhere, just hang out on the beach, have a great dinner (sometimes offered 2 for1!) at the hotel restaurant but definitely not all-inclusive and have a wonderful time in Hawaii.

You can also have a great Hawaii vacation and save money by booking air fare and car rental through one of the big travel companies and then decide for a Hawaii vacation rental on your favorite island which meets your budget and expectations. Fall Hawaii accommodation rates are the lowest in a long time!

Hope this helps our Hawaii visitors and was not too disappointing. There is no place like Hawaii! It's worth every penny you pay. Have a great vacation on the Hawaiian Islands Maui, Big Island, Kauai or Oahu. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacation
p.s.
Our today's Hawaii post girl is beautiful and sexy Hawaiian girl Amber from WahineStyle.com

Related Articles

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Vector Illustration in Web Design

An inspirational blog posting that I found while browsing in Digg.com. A set of screenshots of websites implementing vector illustration in their interface. To see the posting click here.

Digital Illustration: new opportunities

An eye-opening article from ComputerArts Magazine.
"Lawrence Zeegen investigates how illustration has been reborn for a new audience, with a new generation of illustrators who are taking it into new territories

Illustration is a force to be reckoned with. Not content to break back into a marketplace once dominated by the photographic image, illustration has fought hard, forced itself under the spotlight and stepped into the limelight. A rebirth, once attributed to the flexibility that digital kit offered, has now reached a vital second phase – a new stage of extended opportunities in the development of the discipline." Read more.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Vector Speakers #2

Another free vector stock by xavialonso10. To use open the pdf in Adobe Illustrator. Download
*note: You can also take a quick look at the first vector speakers that I posted in March.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Spirals

A free set of of spiral vectors by sexualtyranosaurus. You can easily create similar shapes with using the "Transform Again Feature" in Adobe Illustrator (Ctrl + D or Cmd + D) Download. To use open the pdf with Adobe Illustrator.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Chocolate Cake - Kak Fiza



Kek coklat + topping ganache dan hiasan rose coklat ni adalah order dari Kak Fiza. Kek khas untuk birthday mak kak Fiza. To kak fiza, sorry sgt sbb kek tu comot sket, insyaAllah next time saya buatkan yang lagi kemas.

Actually, ni my 1st online customer yang order. Tapi sayangnya masa hantar kek, x dapat jumpe kak fiza. InsyaAllah, panjang umur nnti dapatla kite jumpe yer kak ;)

Monday, August 25, 2008

Is Hawaii a good place to live?

Here is the Hawaii vacation scenario which happens again and again, whether it's for first time visitors to Hawaii or those who are spending frequent vacations in Hawaii: You sit in a jacuzzi at a fancy Hawaii beach resort and the question 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?' appears naturally. If you are lucky, there will be a few Hawaii residents who can answer that question for you and even give you some specific information about the costs of private schools, electric bills for running AC, median housing prices and more. Lucky you! Sometimes this is already the end to your Hawaiian dream of living in Hawaii.

Living in Hawaii
Here is Best Hawaii Vacation's blog answer to 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?'. What a question! Of course, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places to live on this earth with:

- warm weather all year round
- warm waters of the Pacific Ocean attract surfers, divers, swimmers...
- abundance of tropical flowers, plants and fruits
- white sand beaches and so much more.

We say 'There is no place like Hawaii'!

What you should Do before moving to Hawaii

However, if you want to enjoy all these wonderful things which make people want to move to Hawaii for good, it takes commitment and dedication and the right attitude.
1.
Do your homework with research on all the Hawaiian islands. Best island to start out with is Oahu, as it has public transportation, lots of jobs and yet nice beaches.
2.
Stay in touch with Hawaii through daily reading online publications of Hawaii newspapers. Pay close attention to classifieds in regards to job offers and sharing rooms. Don't forget Craiglist Hawaii in your resources for Living in Hawaii.
3.
Don't rely on other people, even if they are your friends. They might be able to provide you with advice but you got to determine what you want.
4.
Make sure that you have housing and job lined up, before you go to Hawaii.
5.
Good idea before moving to Hawaii, try a longer vacation on the island of your choice and talk to as many locals as possible.

Even if you have done all the necessary preparations, be aware that Hawaii is not for everybody to move and live there for good. Hawaii has the biggest fluctation rate in the states. Young people often get 'island fever' but guess what, if you lived in Hawaii for 2 years and after that you move back to the Mainland, it will be probably the most adventurous years of your life. And you can say 'I lived in Hawaii'!

Yes, Hawaii is a wonderful place to live! With the right preparation, you can do it too. Hope our Hawaii Moving Tips come handy. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Do something 'touristy' when Hawaii Vacation...visit a Hawaiian luau.

Related Articles

Is Hawaii a good place to live?

Here is the Hawaii vacation scenario which happens again and again, whether it's for first time visitors to Hawaii or those who are spending frequent vacations in Hawaii: You sit in a jacuzzi at a fancy Hawaii beach resort and the question 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?' appears naturally. If you are lucky, there will be a few Hawaii residents who can answer that question for you and even give you some specific information about the costs of private schools, electric bills for running AC, median housing prices and more. Lucky you! Sometimes this is already the end to your Hawaiian dream of living in Hawaii.

Living in Hawaii
Here is Best Hawaii Vacation's blog answer to 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?'. What a question! Of course, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places to live on this earth with:

- warm weather all year round
- warm waters of the Pacific Ocean attract surfers, divers, swimmers...
- abundance of tropical flowers, plants and fruits
- white sand beaches and so much more.

We say 'There is no place like Hawaii'!

What you should Do before moving to Hawaii

However, if you want to enjoy all these wonderful things which make people want to move to Hawaii for good, it takes commitment and dedication and the right attitude.
1.
Do your homework with research on all the Hawaiian islands. Best island to start out with is Oahu, as it has public transportation, lots of jobs and yet nice beaches.
2.
Stay in touch with Hawaii through daily reading online publications of Hawaii newspapers. Pay close attention to classifieds in regards to job offers and sharing rooms. Don't forget Craiglist Hawaii in your resources for Living in Hawaii.
3.
Don't rely on other people, even if they are your friends. They might be able to provide you with advice but you got to determine what you want.
4.
Make sure that you have housing and job lined up, before you go to Hawaii.
5.
Good idea before moving to Hawaii, try a longer vacation on the island of your choice and talk to as many locals as possible.

Even if you have done all the necessary preparations, be aware that Hawaii is not for everybody to move and live there for good. Hawaii has the biggest fluctation rate in the states. Young people often get 'island fever' but guess what, if you lived in Hawaii for 2 years and after that you move back to the Mainland, it will be probably the most adventurous years of your life. And you can say 'I lived in Hawaii'!

Yes, Hawaii is a wonderful place to live! With the right preparation, you can do it too. Hope our Hawaii Moving Tips come handy. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Do something 'touristy' when Hawaii Vacation...visit a Hawaiian luau.

Related Articles

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Typographic Techniques in Adobe Illustrator

If you had any ideas or questions about designing type with Illustrator, take a look at this image-based tororial. It covers techniques like: transfering sketches type into vector-based format, using templates, stroke cap options, outlining stroke and balance. Click on the image to see the full tutorial.Thanks to inde-graphics

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Double Coklat Kek (Indulgence Cake)



Double Coklat Kek ni order dari Tanjung Malim, request kek dengan hiasan bunga ros coklat. Dalam kek cam indulgence kek, ada 3 lapisan coklat kat dalam.

* Untuk tempahan kek dengan hiasan bunga rose coklat, harga bergantung pada kuantiti bunga rose. Sila hubungi/sms 017-3557734 untuk details. tq

Friday, August 22, 2008

Adobe MAX 2008/2009

MAX is an experience unlike any other — an opportunity to connect with thousands of designers, developers, partners, executives, and Adobe staff for education, inspiration, and community. MAX 2008/2009 will be held in San Francisco, Milan, and Tokyo. Be sure to mark your calendar for this important global event. More here and here

Sydney Opera House Vector

The Sydney Opera House in vector format. Free stock from limeshot. To use open the PDF file with Adobe Illustrator. Download

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Adding perspective to maps with Adobe Illustrator

Mark Mayers shows you how to give flat Illustrator maps a third dimension by using the Free Transform tool and a custom perspective grid...

Illustrator has many features that help you create maps. In the first part of this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a 2D map from a sketch. You’ll use type on paths, utilise Symbols and discover how global swatches can be a real time-saver. Full Tutorial and Source Files via Computar Arts Magazine

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Weather Forecast Icons

A set of vector meteorological icons in SVG Format. Download from here. Resource by Kodein

Monday, August 18, 2008

Best Big Island Luau

When visiting Hawaii on vacation, attending a Hawaiian luau is kind of a must, at least when you are visiting the islands for the first time. From our many years as hosts in the Hawaii vacation rental business, we know that not everybody likes the luau food or even the show. Some visitors consider the luaus extremely 'touristy' plus it takes a lot of money out of your vacation budget. We have been to many luaus and many luau shows in Hawaii, mostly on the Big Island or Kauai where we spend several vacations and must admit we always had a great time.

We wrote about Best Hawaii luau show before, however, when we were asked by Big Island visitors who are planning their Big Island vacation for October this year, what we think is the best luau on the Big Island, we thought it's time to update the Big Island luau information on our website and share with our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors what we think is the Best Big Island luau.

Best Big Island luau show
Well, when we updated all the prices for Big Island luau shows - we had to call quite a number of the Big Island hotels which offer regular luaus to their guests and tourists in general - we were quite shocked how the prices had climbed within the last few years. So, for those who are on a budget travel to Hawaii, the most expensive luau ticket might not be the best decision. Finding the nice medium seems to be key in our search for the best Big Island luau: decent Hawaiian luau food combined with a quality fun show of Hawaiian or Polynesian character.

Generally, Big Island visitors will find out that luaus on the Kohala Coast are more pricey than in Kona Hotels. In the past, many Kohala Coast tourists would just do the short trip to Kona. Nowadays, you have to figure your gas prices for that 'short' trip into the equation. Maybe you'd better stay where you are and book a luau on the Kohala Coast, at least when you are just a couple. For a family with teenagers, you might be better of to book the Kona luau, where the tickets for adults are generally much lower and children receive quite a discount.

Kona luaus

Let's start with the Kona luaus. On top of the list of Big Island luaus is the King Kamehameha Island Breeze Luau, which is very popular among Big Island visitors with its best Big Island luau price and top beach location:

King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel Luau

The Island Breeze Luau is the most popular Hawaiian lu'au and show on the Big Island. A Hawaiian buffet combined with dramatic Hawaiian and Polynesian entertainment provide guests with an unforgettable evening under the stars by the ocean from 5pm - 8:30pm. At each luau the Hawaiian Royal Court arrives by canoe.
Sun, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri $65/adult, $29/child under 12.
Tel. (808) 326-4969 or toll free 800-267-2111

Royal Kona Resort Luau

The Royal Kona Resort invites guests and visitors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the oceanfront Coconut Grove for an evening of traditional Hawaiian celebrations. Royal Kona Resort presents Polynesian Luau by award-winning Tihati Productions dancers, musicians & fire artists. Luau includes shell lei welcoming and photo opportunities, Open Bar with standard cocktails, mai tais, beer, wine, soda & fruit punch, Traditional Imu Presentation and Hawaiian Luau Buffet with traditional island food. Great location right next to the water.
Mon Wed Fri. $75/adult. $25 for children under 11.
Tel. 808-329-3111

Kona Village Resort Luau

Each Wednesday and Friday evening, Kona Village celebrates the culture and heritage of our island home with its longest-running luau, which includes a sumptuous buffet with kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, fresh island fish, tasty chicken and tropical fruits. Experience Hawai‘i's sacred traditions and history, passed down through the generations, as revealed in hula and chant in Kona Village Hawaiian luau show. Located at fish ponds. There are discounts for children younger than 13. This is one of the most expensive luaus on the Big Island but well worth the price!
Wednesday + Fridays: $86/adult and children 13 and older
Tel. 808-325-5555

Kohala Coast Luaus

Kohala Coast luaus have had a great tradition and are very popular among Big Island visitors staying at the fancy Kohala Coast hotels. Let's start with our personal favorite, the Marriott luau. Shell lei greeting welcomes guests. The fast paced Polynesian show soon gets everybody in its aura.

Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort Luau

This Polynesian kind luau at sunset over beautiful Anaeho'omalu Bay offers great Polynesian entertainment including music, traditional dances of the South Pacific and a wide selection of Hawaiian food. Located adjacent to the fishponds at A-Bay beach.
Wednesdays & Sundays: $80/adult.
Tel. 808-886-6789

Hilton Waikoloa Village Luau

Hilton greets its luau guests with exotic Polynesian dances, music of the Pacific Rim, highlighted by a Big Island Luau Buffet: kalua pig, roasted chicken, short ribs, a variety of tropical fruits, salads, fresh island fish and island-style desserts. Hilton luau starts at 5:30 p.m. The imu presentation is at 6 p.m. and is followed by buffet-style dining. The Legends of the Pacific show begins at 7:15 p.m. Discounts for seniors, teenagers and children, kids under 5 are free.
Tuesdays and Fridays: $85/adult.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Luau

The hotel and golf course are currently still closed for renovation. All the return guests to the Big Island's most favorite beach and hotel, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, will have to wait a little longer. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Grand Opening, which was planned for middle of December 2008, was recently announced for Spring 2009. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel luau is more a traditional kind Hawaiian style luau.

If you have been to any of the above Big Island luaus, let us know what you think which one is the Best Big Island luau and why. We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
For best luau locations, visit our Big Island map.

Related Articles

Best Big Island Luau

When visiting Hawaii on vacation, attending a Hawaiian luau is kind of a must, at least when you are visiting the islands for the first time. From our many years as hosts in the Hawaii vacation rental business, we know that not everybody likes the luau food or even the show. Some visitors consider the luaus extremely 'touristy' plus it takes a lot of money out of your vacation budget. We have been to many luaus and many luau shows in Hawaii, mostly on the Big Island or Kauai where we spend several vacations and must admit we always had a great time.

We wrote about Best Hawaii luau show before, however, when we were asked by Big Island visitors who are planning their Big Island vacation for October this year, what we think is the best luau on the Big Island, we thought it's time to update the Big Island luau information on our website and share with our Best Hawaii vacation blog visitors what we think is the Best Big Island luau.

Best Big Island luau show
Well, when we updated all the prices for Big Island luau shows - we had to call quite a number of the Big Island hotels which offer regular luaus to their guests and tourists in general - we were quite shocked how the prices had climbed within the last few years. So, for those who are on a budget travel to Hawaii, the most expensive luau ticket might not be the best decision. Finding the nice medium seems to be key in our search for the best Big Island luau: decent Hawaiian luau food combined with a quality fun show of Hawaiian or Polynesian character.

Generally, Big Island visitors will find out that luaus on the Kohala Coast are more pricey than in Kona Hotels. In the past, many Kohala Coast tourists would just do the short trip to Kona. Nowadays, you have to figure your gas prices for that 'short' trip into the equation. Maybe you'd better stay where you are and book a luau on the Kohala Coast, at least when you are just a couple. For a family with teenagers, you might be better of to book the Kona luau, where the tickets for adults are generally much lower and children receive quite a discount.

Kona luaus

Let's start with the Kona luaus. On top of the list of Big Island luaus is the King Kamehameha Island Breeze Luau, which is very popular among Big Island visitors with its best Big Island luau price and top beach location:

King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel Luau

The Island Breeze Luau is the most popular Hawaiian lu'au and show on the Big Island. A Hawaiian buffet combined with dramatic Hawaiian and Polynesian entertainment provide guests with an unforgettable evening under the stars by the ocean from 5pm - 8:30pm. At each luau the Hawaiian Royal Court arrives by canoe.
Sun, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri $65/adult, $29/child under 12.
Tel. (808) 326-4969 or toll free 800-267-2111

Royal Kona Resort Luau

The Royal Kona Resort invites guests and visitors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the oceanfront Coconut Grove for an evening of traditional Hawaiian celebrations. Royal Kona Resort presents Polynesian Luau by award-winning Tihati Productions dancers, musicians & fire artists. Luau includes shell lei welcoming and photo opportunities, Open Bar with standard cocktails, mai tais, beer, wine, soda & fruit punch, Traditional Imu Presentation and Hawaiian Luau Buffet with traditional island food. Great location right next to the water.
Mon Wed Fri. $75/adult. $25 for children under 11.
Tel. 808-329-3111

Kona Village Resort Luau

Each Wednesday and Friday evening, Kona Village celebrates the culture and heritage of our island home with its longest-running luau, which includes a sumptuous buffet with kalua pig, lomi lomi salmon, fresh island fish, tasty chicken and tropical fruits. Experience Hawai‘i's sacred traditions and history, passed down through the generations, as revealed in hula and chant in Kona Village Hawaiian luau show. Located at fish ponds. There are discounts for children younger than 13. This is one of the most expensive luaus on the Big Island but well worth the price!
Wednesday + Fridays: $86/adult and children 13 and older
Tel. 808-325-5555

Kohala Coast Luaus

Kohala Coast luaus have had a great tradition and are very popular among Big Island visitors staying at the fancy Kohala Coast hotels. Let's start with our personal favorite, the Marriott luau. Shell lei greeting welcomes guests. The fast paced Polynesian show soon gets everybody in its aura.

Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort Luau

This Polynesian kind luau at sunset over beautiful Anaeho'omalu Bay offers great Polynesian entertainment including music, traditional dances of the South Pacific and a wide selection of Hawaiian food. Located adjacent to the fishponds at A-Bay beach.
Wednesdays & Sundays: $80/adult.
Tel. 808-886-6789

Hilton Waikoloa Village Luau

Hilton greets its luau guests with exotic Polynesian dances, music of the Pacific Rim, highlighted by a Big Island Luau Buffet: kalua pig, roasted chicken, short ribs, a variety of tropical fruits, salads, fresh island fish and island-style desserts. Hilton luau starts at 5:30 p.m. The imu presentation is at 6 p.m. and is followed by buffet-style dining. The Legends of the Pacific show begins at 7:15 p.m. Discounts for seniors, teenagers and children, kids under 5 are free.
Tuesdays and Fridays: $85/adult.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Luau

The hotel and golf course are currently still closed for renovation. All the return guests to the Big Island's most favorite beach and hotel, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, will have to wait a little longer. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel Grand Opening, which was planned for middle of December 2008, was recently announced for Spring 2009. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel luau is more a traditional kind Hawaiian style luau.

If you have been to any of the above Big Island luaus, let us know what you think which one is the Best Big Island luau and why. We'd love to hear from you. Mahalo and aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
For best luau locations, visit our Big Island map.

Related Articles

Creative Brief

Composing a creative brief has always been an important step in the graphic design process. Digital Arts Magazine posted a great article with tips and some useful creative brief links...

"Not every client will be an expert on the design process – that’s your job. A solid creative brief makes all the difference to a job, and here’s how to get one.
Many designers have experienced the horror of a client seeing a design for the first time and then complaining, “But it’s not what I asked for”. It’s a nightmare scenario – and one that’s easily avoided by agreeing on a clear, functional brief." Full Article via Digital Arts Magazine

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Random Pop Art Symbols for Adobe Illustrator

A collection of free Adobe Illustrator symbols from Cherryflip.The set contains 29 shapes that could be used for constructing abstract pop-art design elements or for decorating your vector composition...

To use them you will have to expand the .zip archive and load the "besos" file in Adobe Illustrator (File>Open). After that, simply open the symbols window (Window>Symbols) and you will see a panel similar to the one in the preview image below. Download

Moving to Hawaii

Our regular Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors know that we occasionally answer questions in the Honololu Answers section of Yahoo Travel. Why not share our knowledge with all of you interested in Hawaii and desperate for helpful answers. I noticed though, not everybody who answers, is giving well researched or experienced advice. Keep an open mind and judge with common sense when reading Yahoo's Hawaii answers.

One of the most frequent asked question is about 'moving to Hawaii': which island is best to move to, what does it cost to live in Hawaii, available jobs in Hawaii and housing market are reoccurring questions. If those questions interest you, keep reading, what I think you should know about 'Moving to Hawaii'.

Hawaiian Leis, Tropical Flowers, Orchids, Wedding Leis, Hawaiian Gift Baskets, Kona CoffeeIn all my years of living in Hawaii, I have come across many people playing with the idea of moving to Hawaii 'for good', so they think. Some never made it here, it always stayed the dream. Some did and from those who did, I'd say half of them packed their cases again after approximately 2 years trying. Hawaii has the biggest fluctuation rate of all the states.

That being said does not mean you cannot make it. Anyhow, when you are young and motivated and/or have a job fitting right into our Hawaii tourist industry with lots of hotels and hotel service associated jobs, chances are you will be making it in Hawaii.

Here are a few 'Moving to Hawaii' tips:

1. Easiest way to start Hawaii life is Honolulu on Oahu

-No need to buy a private car as you can rely on affordable public bus transportation system till you got settled in.

-Affordable housing in downtown Honolulu by sharing a condo with room-mates, which you still need to find.

-Plenty of Hawaii hotels offer all kinds of service jobs. Good chances to find a job there.

-No need to drive far to relax after work on Waikiki's beaches!

Homeworks to do for Moving to Hawaii:
1.
Read all the classifieds of 'Honolulu Advertiser' on a regular basis for job offers matching your training and finding affordable housing. I encourage the idea of using Craigslist as well. The more resources you use, the better.
2.
Write your resume and put all your certificates together with it. Make copies of originals. As soon as you are ready, get job applications from hotel where you intend to work and mail application with your resume to hotels. Don't give your originals (certificates) away.
3.
Read everything about Hawaii, island life and of course Honolulu, so you have an idea what to expect in your new life.

If you consider moving to Maui, Big Island or Kauai, be aware of the following:

There is no public transportation system.
Regular housing in the hotel areas is not available or very expensive and beyond your means. For example, most Big Island hotels are on the Kohala Coast, west coast. However employees cannot afford to live there. They live on the East coast, Hilo side. There are buses for them which are free but in order to get to their job in time, they have to get on a bus like 4am in the morning.

Bottom line, I still think the easiest way to start out when moving to the islands is Honolulu. I have seen families moving kids + all their belongings to the Big Island without having a secure job or an affordable house lease. They ended up spending double the money relocating everything from the Big Island to Honolulu.

When doing your homework thoroughly, you may enjoy island life in the end and never look back as many other Hawaii residents! One has to make a living, if not independently wealthy, so why not at the best location in the world!

Last but not least, when you found that place in Hawaii where you would like to move to, plan a Hawaii vacation (September and October are perfect months to do that) there for a longer period. Talk to as many locals as possible and get a feel for the weather, climate, community, housing and job situation in the area. Hawaii is so diversified in all these aspects. Make sure beaches are not too far away. When working hard, you want to relax too and enjoy the Hawaiian island life, which made you move to Hawaii.

Good luck for your moving to Hawaii project. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Resources for Moving to Hawaii

Moving to Hawaii

Our regular Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors know that we occasionally answer questions in the Honololu Answers section of Yahoo Travel. Why not share our knowledge with all of you interested in Hawaii and desperate for helpful answers. I noticed though, not everybody who answers, is giving well researched or experienced advice. Keep an open mind and judge with common sense when reading Yahoo's Hawaii answers.

One of the most frequent asked question is about 'moving to Hawaii': which island is best to move to, what does it cost to live in Hawaii, available jobs in Hawaii and housing market are reoccurring questions. If those questions interest you, keep reading, what I think you should know about 'Moving to Hawaii'.

Hawaiian Leis, Tropical Flowers, Orchids, Wedding Leis, Hawaiian Gift Baskets, Kona CoffeeIn all my years of living in Hawaii, I have come across many people playing with the idea of moving to Hawaii 'for good', so they think. Some never made it here, it always stayed the dream. Some did and from those who did, I'd say half of them packed their cases again after approximately 2 years trying. Hawaii has the biggest fluctuation rate of all the states.

That being said does not mean you cannot make it. Anyhow, when you are young and motivated and/or have a job fitting right into our Hawaii tourist industry with lots of hotels and hotel service associated jobs, chances are you will be making it in Hawaii.

Here are a few 'Moving to Hawaii' tips:

1. Easiest way to start Hawaii life is Honolulu on Oahu

-No need to buy a private car as you can rely on affordable public bus transportation system till you got settled in.

-Affordable housing in downtown Honolulu by sharing a condo with room-mates, which you still need to find.

-Plenty of Hawaii hotels offer all kinds of service jobs. Good chances to find a job there.

-No need to drive far to relax after work on Waikiki's beaches!

Homeworks to do for Moving to Hawaii:
1.
Read all the classifieds of 'Honolulu Advertiser' on a regular basis for job offers matching your training and finding affordable housing. I encourage the idea of using Craigslist as well. The more resources you use, the better.
2.
Write your resume and put all your certificates together with it. Make copies of originals. As soon as you are ready, get job applications from hotel where you intend to work and mail application with your resume to hotels. Don't give your originals (certificates) away.
3.
Read everything about Hawaii, island life and of course Honolulu, so you have an idea what to expect in your new life.

If you consider moving to Maui, Big Island or Kauai, be aware of the following:

There is no public transportation system.
Regular housing in the hotel areas is not available or very expensive and beyond your means. For example, most Big Island hotels are on the Kohala Coast, west coast. However employees cannot afford to live there. They live on the East coast, Hilo side. There are buses for them which are free but in order to get to their job in time, they have to get on a bus like 4am in the morning.

Bottom line, I still think the easiest way to start out when moving to the islands is Honolulu. I have seen families moving kids + all their belongings to the Big Island without having a secure job or an affordable house lease. They ended up spending double the money relocating everything from the Big Island to Honolulu.

When doing your homework thoroughly, you may enjoy island life in the end and never look back as many other Hawaii residents! One has to make a living, if not independently wealthy, so why not at the best location in the world!

Last but not least, when you found that place in Hawaii where you would like to move to, plan a Hawaii vacation (September and October are perfect months to do that) there for a longer period. Talk to as many locals as possible and get a feel for the weather, climate, community, housing and job situation in the area. Hawaii is so diversified in all these aspects. Make sure beaches are not too far away. When working hard, you want to relax too and enjoy the Hawaiian island life, which made you move to Hawaii.

Good luck for your moving to Hawaii project. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Resources for Moving to Hawaii

Frankensteining Vector and Raster

A great tutorial for frankensteining pixel and vector elements with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. From istockphoto's article section.

"Many artists use only vector art in some of their designs, whether it’s for print or the web. Some clients’ web sites or print material lend themselves to consist of illustrations rather than photos. Other clients may prefer almost all photos to have a more personalized look that has more human interest appeal.
Raster images are composed of pixels, and are often photos. When you take a photo of something, digital cameras save the information in this way. So when you open the image at full size, that’s as big as it should be." Full tutorial

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Victorian Decoaration

A set of free vector brushes from sergeypoluse. The pack contains different swirtl ornamentsin victorian style. To use, open the PDF file with Adobe Illustrator. Download

Biskut Lidah Kucing



Last nite buat biskut lidah kucing. 3 dot kat tengah cam butang tu sebenarnya coklat chip. Bagi sesiapa yang x pernah mkn, biskut ni nipis dan rangup, sedap dimakan. So, kalau ada yang nak order biskut ni utk raya, bolehla contact saya. Harga nanti diupdate.

Monday, August 11, 2008

My 1st award

Thanks a lot to Intan sbb kasi award ni kat saya. Ni kire my 1st award la sejak join blog ni :). Moga hubungan kite berpanjangan dan diberkati-Nya, insyaAllah.

My turn nak kasi award pada :
1. Fiza-BawalChantique
2. KakZati-Sifu Kek
3. Kak Kacip - ForumCari
4. KakTun - BoxHouseStudio
5. Fiza - Homebake

It has been done according to the following rules:

1. The winner may put the logo on her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs. (akak nk tambah skit)
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

dan sedikit Mutiara Kata yang ingin dikongsi bersama :
"Setiap hari kita adalah manusia yang berbeza. Semalam kanak-kanak, hari ini remaja. dan esok hari tua. Semuanya menjadikan kita dan masa sungguh bermakna..."


"Ambillah waktu untuk berfikir, itu adalah sumber kekuatan. Ambillah waktu untuk bermain, itu adalah rahsia dari masa muda yang abadi. Ambillah waktu untuk berdoa, itu adalah sumber ketenangan. Ambillah waktu untuk belajar, itu adalah sumber kebijaksanaan. Ambillah waktu untuk mencintai dan dicintai, itu adalah hak istimewa yang diberikan Tuhan. Ambillah waktu untuk bersahabat, itu adalah jalan menuju kebahagiaan. Ambillah waktu untuk tertawa, itu adalah musik yang menggetarkan hati. Ambillah waktu untuk memberi, itu adalah membuat hidup terasa bererti. Ambillah waktu untuk bekerja, itu adalah nilai keberhasilan. Ambillah waktu untuk beramal, itu adalah kunci menuju syurga.


Sunday, August 10, 2008

Butterfly Brushes For Adobe Illustrator

A free brush resource from remittancegirl. " These vector butterflies are made from a Zoology text on Central and South American insects in 1901." Download (to use open the PDF file with Illustrator)

Hawaii family vacation in October

We are certain that we got with our recent post about 'Cheap Airfares from Seattle to Hawaii' the attention of Hawaii travelers from the Pacific Northwest. That was definitely good news for everybody who plans a family vacation this fall 2008 in Hawaii. Most kids get a fall break in October. So there is a great chance to take the kids on a special family vacation to the Hawaiian Islands: Maui, Kauai, Oahu or the Big Island.

If you consider Kona on the Big Island, be aware that Kona gets busy at the beginning of October with some athletes flying in early for some training of ocean swimming at the original swimming contest place, trying out the bike ride to Hawi in North Kohala and get a feel for running in the not to merciful Kona sun. The busiest week in Kona in October will be from 10/5 - 10/12/08 with the day of the Hawaii Ironman on 10/11/08 hustling and bustling with thousands of visitors and Ironman participants from all over the world. Kona Ironman accommodations will be harder to get every day now!

Apart from the Ironman week on the Big Island October school break is the perfect time for taking a family vacation in Hawaii with the kids. As mentioned several times before: There are no all-inclusive vacation packages in Hawaii, at least not the cheap way you find in Mexico. However, most Hawaiian hotels offer kids specials for meals and complimentary activity programs they can join, like learn to to hula, make a flower lei or Hawaiian umeke (bowl from a gourd) or even make a hula skirt from ti leaves for the older kids.

Family vacation with Kids, Beach in Hawaii
When you visit Hawaii in October, you can expect the same nice weather and warm ocean as at other months. Actually, it's even nicer than during the hot summer months July and August. September and October are low season months in Hawaii, when plenty of affordable vacation rentals on all the Hawaiian islands are available. Most of the hosts, include all the beach equipment, booggie boards, snorkel gear etc. in their rental fee for free. Kids love to snorkel and boogie board. Make sure they will be safe on the beach and pay attention to beach safety updates.

When deciding for a vacation rental, make sure that the beaches are not far away - rule of thumb though, you pay more for ocean view and much more for ocean front - that's why you and the kids come to Hawaii.

You will have to rent a car on all islands apart from Oahu which has a very well developed bus service at decent rates. When you call the car rental companies, let them give you a quote. Write it all down and compare. October is low season, which is perfect for decent airfares and best car rental rates.

If your kids are over 10, you want to share some adventure in Hawaii with them. The Big Island has some pretty good ones with a live volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Mauna Kea summit for stargazing. The Big Island's Kohala Coast (West Coast) has the best Big Island's white sand beaches for the kids and you and the best sunny weather.

Another rule of thumb for all the islands regards the Hawaii weather, east coast has more rain, west coast is drier and sunnier.

Go to the library and get the 'Frommers Hawaii' Guidebook. It's one of the best Hawaii information books about all Hawaiian islands. Hope this will get you going. It's a little big for taking it with your for reference on your Hawaii vacation with your kids. Once you figured out which Hawaii island you want to go visit in October, buy the 'Hawaii Revealed' book for this island. There is a 'Revealed' book for each island with maps, best activities, restaurants, hiking and places to stay. The book is handy and can be taken on your Hawaii road trips when exploring the island of your choice.

Any recommendations for Hawaii family vacation with kids in October are most welcome. Good luck for your Hawaii travel plans this October 2008! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Just found out more good news for your October vacation in Hawaii on 'travel specialist' Beat of Hawaii, which prides itself to provide the latest updates on Hawaii travel deals: round trip from Newark to Hawaii for $520 with latest travel 10/27. Seems a fantastic deal to me for travelers from the East Coast to Honolulu Hawaii.

Hawaii family vacation in October

We are certain that we got with our recent post about 'Cheap Airfares from Seattle to Hawaii' the attention of Hawaii travelers from the Pacific Northwest. That was definitely good news for everybody who plans a family vacation this fall 2008 in Hawaii. Most kids get a fall break in October. So there is a great chance to take the kids on a special family vacation to the Hawaiian Islands: Maui, Kauai, Oahu or the Big Island.

If you consider Kona on the Big Island, be aware that Kona gets busy at the beginning of October with some athletes flying in early for some training of ocean swimming at the original swimming contest place, trying out the bike ride to Hawi in North Kohala and get a feel for running in the not to merciful Kona sun. The busiest week in Kona in October will be from 10/5 - 10/12/08 with the day of the Hawaii Ironman on 10/11/08 hustling and bustling with thousands of visitors and Ironman participants from all over the world. Kona Ironman accommodations will be harder to get every day now!

Apart from the Ironman week on the Big Island October school break is the perfect time for taking a family vacation in Hawaii with the kids. As mentioned several times before: There are no all-inclusive vacation packages in Hawaii, at least not the cheap way you find in Mexico. However, most Hawaiian hotels offer kids specials for meals and complimentary activity programs they can join, like learn to to hula, make a flower lei or Hawaiian umeke (bowl from a gourd) or even make a hula skirt from ti leaves for the older kids.

Family vacation with Kids, Beach in Hawaii
When you visit Hawaii in October, you can expect the same nice weather and warm ocean as at other months. Actually, it's even nicer than during the hot summer months July and August. September and October are low season months in Hawaii, when plenty of affordable vacation rentals on all the Hawaiian islands are available. Most of the hosts, include all the beach equipment, booggie boards, snorkel gear etc. in their rental fee for free. Kids love to snorkel and boogie board. Make sure they will be safe on the beach and pay attention to beach safety updates.

When deciding for a vacation rental, make sure that the beaches are not far away - rule of thumb though, you pay more for ocean view and much more for ocean front - that's why you and the kids come to Hawaii.

You will have to rent a car on all islands apart from Oahu which has a very well developed bus service at decent rates. When you call the car rental companies, let them give you a quote. Write it all down and compare. October is low season, which is perfect for decent airfares and best car rental rates.

If your kids are over 10, you want to share some adventure in Hawaii with them. The Big Island has some pretty good ones with a live volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Mauna Kea summit for stargazing. The Big Island's Kohala Coast (West Coast) has the best Big Island's white sand beaches for the kids and you and the best sunny weather.

Another rule of thumb for all the islands regards the Hawaii weather, east coast has more rain, west coast is drier and sunnier.

Go to the library and get the 'Frommers Hawaii' Guidebook. It's one of the best Hawaii information books about all Hawaiian islands. Hope this will get you going. It's a little big for taking it with your for reference on your Hawaii vacation with your kids. Once you figured out which Hawaii island you want to go visit in October, buy the 'Hawaii Revealed' book for this island. There is a 'Revealed' book for each island with maps, best activities, restaurants, hiking and places to stay. The book is handy and can be taken on your Hawaii road trips when exploring the island of your choice.

Any recommendations for Hawaii family vacation with kids in October are most welcome. Good luck for your Hawaii travel plans this October 2008! Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Just found out more good news for your October vacation in Hawaii on 'travel specialist' Beat of Hawaii, which prides itself to provide the latest updates on Hawaii travel deals: round trip from Newark to Hawaii for $520 with latest travel 10/27. Seems a fantastic deal to me for travelers from the East Coast to Honolulu Hawaii.