FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Category: Hawaii

  • What to Do in Historic Downtown Honolulu

    Just a few miles from the throngs of tourists in Waikiki is a more urban, budget-friendly part of Honolulu.

    Whether you choose to spend an afternoon soaking in the unique history of the Honolulu waterfront, walking around downtown and taking in all of the public art or heading over to Chinatown to take in the ethnic eateries, flower stalls, fresh produce vendors, dish and housewares shops, you’re sure to experience a side of Hawaiian life. If you don’t have a rental car, it’s still easy to get downtown (even if you do have a rental car, I suggest taking public transportation downtown - it’s much easier). Most hotels offer shuttle buses downtown. You can also take a city bus (schedules available at concierge desks and tourist information centers). Shopping In general, the further one gets from Waikiki, the more reasonable the prices will be. Prices in downtown Honolulu tend to be much better than those in the tourist shops along the beach. You’re also more likely to get a better quality product and have a better selection of cheap souvenirs. If you're going to take a trip to Hawaii, then don't miss one of the most famous sights in downtown Honolulu - the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Surrounding the tower you’ll find an eclectic array of shops and eateries. There is a small jewelry district here that sells gold Hawaiian jewelry charms for much less (and a better selection) than you’d find them in Waikiki. Unique and inexpensive souvenirs can also be found in Chinatown. If you’re in the market for traditional Hawaiian souvenirs (artificial leis, macadamia nuts, Kona coffee, muumuus and shirts), head to one of the Hilo Hatties outposts in downtown Honolulu. Eating [caption id="attachment_4759" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Historic Iolani Palace"][/caption] If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat, there are some commercial options (chains, etc.) around Aloha Tower. Chinatown has some of the best fresh Asian food (both street food and sit-down restaurants) in the city.  There are quite a few “foodie-friendly” Asian fusion restaurants of note in downtown Honolulu, including Indigo, Zen Shu, Alan Wong, Roy’s, Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas, Duc’s Bistro and Chef Mavro. Museums and Cultural Sites The Hawaii Maritime Center allows visitors to discover Hawaii’s fascinating ocean history, featuring exhibits on ancient Polynesian voyagers, rough and tumble whalers, and the luxurious cruise liners of the 1920s and ‘30s. The beautiful and famous Iolani Palace is located on King’s Street. It holds the distinction of being the only royal palace standing on American soil. The palace was the royal residence of Hawaii’s last two monarchs. Guided tours are available 5 days a week. While you’re in the area, head across the street to tour the Iolani Barracks (also called Halekoa or “house of warriors”). It was built in 1870 and housed 80 members of the Royal Guard (before the overthrow of the monarchy). The Mission Museum is located on Punchbowl Street and is located on the site where the first American Protestant missionaries established their headquarters in 1820.  Most of the buildings are original, and represent the oldest Western-style buildings in Hawaii. Here you can see a variety of artifacts – furniture, books, quilts, clothing, etc. - from these missionaries. There are several lovely churches in downtown Honolulu, including St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral, Cathedral of our Lady of Peace, and Kawaiaha'o Church, each representing different architectural styles. Ho'ohoihoi k' ho'omahana! (Enjoy your trip!)

  • Visit Hawaii This November

    We couldn’t stop thinking about chilly winters and rainy falls. Although watching the leaves change and bundling up under cozy blankets is all part of the package it definitely loses its charm after you’ve been waiting for the car to defrost and it starts getting dark around 5pm. That’s why we did a random search on flight deals to Maui and found remarkable prices that we simply couldn’t ignore! This November, from the western United States we found flights for as cheap as $281 from Portland and Seattle and as low as $380 from San Francisco and Los Angeles. For a seven-day trip at almost any point during the month you can enjoy incredibly low flight prices such as these. Go ahead and look for yourself and while you’re doing so, keep in mind that Hawaii’s average temperature in November is 82. That sounds like a pretty strong selling point if you’re thawing out in the low 40’s come Thanksgiving. Book a flight now!


  • Great Summer Trips

    You may have heard us sound off regarding the fact that a large portion of travelers look for deals without having any idea of where they’d like to go, first. So in order to help you out, we’re featuring a couple of great travel ideas for the summer (kid friendly of course) that won’t break bank.


    Here are a few of FrugalMonkey’s great summer trip ideas for the week of July 27, 2009.

    Disney World Resort, Anyone?

    If you’ve never booked a vacation through Southwest Airlines’ Vacations, then you’re missing out on some great travel deals for summer. Southwest Vacations include a number of great booking deals that vary throughout the year. Right now, for example, every one person who flies to Walt Disney World Resort, the second person flies free! Of course there are some exceptions. For instance you have to fly Monday through Thursday and book before August 6, 2009. In addition your trip has to be completed before the end of the year. Still, we think it’s a pretty great deal. And, parents, perfect for kids don’t you think? Hurry-this deal won’t last long!

    Aloha, Hawaii

    Who can argue a summer vacation spent lounging poolside, or chasing waves on the beaches of Honolulu, Hawaii? We didn’t think so.


    While most Hawaii vacations are too expensive for large families on a budget to book, this year that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Book round trip flights for half of what you paid last year. Find out more about traveling in Hawaii from FrugalMonkey’s free online Hawaii travel guide.

    Margaritas in Mexico

    Mexico is a favorite and no one will likely argue! Beautiful Caribbean beaches in Cancun, fun water activities for kids, scuba diving in Mexico water, and hiking-Mexico has it all! Find out more about the fun that awaits your family on a vacation to Mexico. What will make this vacation even sweeter is the fact that Mexico is amazing cheap right now. Book round trip flights for less than $300 from the US.

    Now that’s great travel.

  • Cheap Roundtrip Flights to Hawaii

    Lately we’ve been reporting on cheap airfares from the west coast of the United States to Hawaii, leaving travel from NYC or Washington D.C. largely out of the Hawaii travel equation. This week however, we’re bringing the cheapest airfares to Hawaii all the way to our east coast friends. This week book roundtrip flights to Honolulu from NYC for $256. You can find this deal on Fly.com, a new site owned by the well-established Travelzoo.com. This flight deal begins in August and travelers must abide by some difficult to manage flight dates, but if you have flexible vacation time you can enjoy a seriously cheap flight to Hawaii.

    Other flights from NYC to Honolulu will cost you around $500, not including tax.


  • Unforgettable Hawaiian Vacations

    A vacation to Hawaii is almost always unforgettable. Sunning on white sand beaches, enjoying hand delivered mojitos, (more) fresh fruit cocktails, day spas, golf and a number of outdoors activities are hard to pass up.


    It gets even better for eager vacationers as cheap flights to Hawaii are getting cheaper. Although flight experts are saying flight prices won’t go any lower, they continue to amaze budget travelers by getting more and more affordable. Right now, book a flight to Hawaii from the west coast for as little as $400 round trip on almost any major airline. That is pennies considering the same flight might have cost you nearly twice that price a year ago. With that in mind, FrugalMonkey’s free online guide to travel in Hawaii is here to show you just a few of the unforgettable experiences awaiting you during your upcoming trip to Hawaii.

    Maui Beaches
    Maui is one of the most well known islands for travelers visiting Hawaii. It’s beaches, like those found on Lahaina and Kihei are two of the most famous. There you will find snorkeling, swimming, surfing, off shore boating and other activities along with a number of close in restaurants, bars and shops. Learn about hotels in Maui, so you can book accommodations that provide with luxuries like walking distance to the beach.

    Golf
    Dads will relish in the fact that Hawaii golf courses are some of the most beautiful and challenging the world. With courses located all over the islands it is the perfect activity for the active vacationing dad. Golf Hawaii and enjoy the perfect outdoor activity.

    Travel Deals

    We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, right now is an excellent time to enjoy cheap travel to Hawaii. Find online deals through travel sites like Orbitz and Travelocity, but keep an eye out for special deals. We found this recent deal offering $199 per night at the Sheraton Resort in Kauai, which includes a car rental!

  • Destinations Are Easy With FrugalMonkey

    According to Forrester Research, 20% of travelers search the web looking for a vacation without a destination in mind!


    A little tid bit we picked up while looking for travel deals for you, loyal blog fans. With that in mind we thought we’d feature some of our favorite travel destinations and a travel deal that will get you there cheaply. Check it out:

    Hawaii
    It’s not surprise that we would pick Hawaii as an amazing summer vacation. Hawaii is the perfect mix between local vacation and international destinations since it feels like a different world but is only a few short hours from the west coast. You can enjoy a lot of things to do on your Hawaii vacation, like horseback riding on the beach, swimming with dolphins, lounging poolside, hiking, camping, surfing, swimming and snorkeling.  It’s all there! Also, Hawaii is a hub for incredible travel deals this summer with cheap flights and great hotels running the gambit on the web. Like Maui hotels offering 50% off and incredibly cheap flights from the west coast. It’s our number one pick for summer vacations.

    Alaska
    If you’re looking for a vacation, then look no further. Alaska is undoubtedly one of the smartest summer vacations for individuals, families and couples. Even though it might take you a while to arrive, Alaska has fun cruises, camping trips, gorgeous scenery and even amazing luxury options for travelers. Don’t miss out on this one incredible vacation destination.  Right now you can ride the Alaskan Railroad and find cheap hotels, even in Denali National Park for discounts as high as 50%.

    Don’t forget about FrugalMonkey’s vacation guides as you’re looking for a vacation this summer. You could be on your way to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, Greece and even South Africa. We have great vacation ideas, all you have to do is take a look!

  • Our Bing Travel Review

    With so much talk about the new travel site, Bing, we were eager to try. This week we got our chance. Here is your FrugalMonkey review:

    Bing works a lot like Farecaster, an online travel auction site that pools information from various airline carriers to bring you the best flight and travel deals. One key feature is the site projects whether or not it thinks flight prices for your destination will go up, or down – thus giving you an idea of when you should buy your ticket.

    We found Bing to be very user friendly. We searched for flights to Maui and found some great deals. Bing showed us what other airlines were charging along with the price you would find on Orbitz. A price we verified and confirmed. It also suggested that we purchase our Maui flight, which we had set to leave in early July for only $365 from Seattle, weeks before departure.

    Bing is easy to use and very clear. Although it didn’t seem to offer anything more than Farecaster or some of the other travel auction websites, its clear and quick navigation system was something we liked using. Will Bing be the next thing in travel? We’ll have to wait and see.


  • Summer Flight Deals are Heating Up

    Enjoy amazing summer flight deals to some of FrugalMonkey’s favorite locations. That includes international and domestic travel to locations like Australia and Hawaii. This week we found some amazing flight deals to both these locations as airlines do their best to lure in summer travelers.

    Qantas has recently launched deals for incredibly cheap flight to Australia. To counter suit so have other airlines, meaning that you can flights from the United States to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne for very low prices. Some as low as $588 round trip! Before booking, check out our section on Australian travel to help plan your vacation.

    People traveling to Hawaii are enjoying some of the lowest island prices in years and that includes flights. Right now you can fly to Hawaii first class from the continental United States for as low as $522. When has first class to Hawaii ever been that affordable? Fly now and fly in style as you enjoy cheap flights to the Hawaiian Islands.


  • Destination: Hawaii

    We pride ourselves on offering the best destination profiles along with travel deals that will take you there.


    This week, we’re featuring Hawaii and bringing you all the best discounts and promotions to get you and your family on an amazing summer vacation, while doing so on a manageable budget.

    Hawaii has been on our travel radar for a while and if you’ve been reading our blog, I’m sure you’ve noticed. Travel to Hawaii is in a lull mainly due to problems with the economy. People who used to travel regularly are putting luxuries such as Hawaiian travel on hold in order to save money. The result however, means that the Hawaiian travel industry is in a major slump and the state’s economy as a whole is suffering. In order to entice travelers to the region hotels, cruise liners, flights and vacation packages are slashing prices – making Hawaii not only an amazing destination for luxury travel but now, an affordable one.

    Vacationers can find flights to Hawaii for prices lower than they have been in years. Prices from the west coast were coming in around $600 just last year. This year however, you can find flight discounts from the west coast to Hawaii for as little as $299, with some specials offering deals as low as $150 for one-way flights. This makes the Hawaiian Islands more accessible then they have been in years and travelers are taking advantage. Don’t take our word for it, take a look at some of these amazing vacation deals to Hawaii!

    For as little as $529 you can enjoy four nights in Honolulu at a Maile Sky Court or similar hotel, including airfare from Los Angeles or Seattle. Other prices from west coast cities include flights from San Francisco or Portland for $579 and $779 from Denver. These prices are valid through mid-July when they change, but only slightly.

    Keep an eye out for amazing travel deals to Hawaii. Additionally, keep an eye peeled for deals listed on our blog – we’re on the hunt to bring you only the best!

  • FrugalMonkey Travel Destinations and Job Information

    What better way to highlight some of our favorite travel destinations and travel jobs than showing first hand the type of travel information available on FrugalMonkey. Check it out!

    Where to Go
    If you’re looking for a great family, personal or romantic vacation, take a look at some of our country profiles.


    Our profiles include travel information on the feature country, places to go while you visit, city profiles, hotel information, sports and outdoors activities in addition to information on local wine and food.

    Alaska
    Alaska is the Last Frontier and one of our favorite vacation destinations. Whether you want to enjoy Alaska by cruising through glacier waters, taking a trip on the Alaska Railroad, enjoying a summer working the Alaskan fishing industry or by camping in one of its famous National Parks, Frugal Monkey has all the pertinent travel information you’ll need for a trip up North. Be sure to check out this FrugalMonkey favorite when considering your next vacation.

    Argentina
    FrugalMonkey likes to travel and that includes destinations like this South American favorite. In our Argentina section you’ll learn about Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Patagonia and Iguazu. Our section on Argentine culture will help you learn more about this exciting place, including the country’s obsession with soccer, wine and tango.

    Australia
    Surfers, sun-worshipers and travelers alike flock to the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Australian Outback. Learn more about this incredible travel destination through our profile on Australian travel.

    Greece
    Once we put the idea of Greece in your head it won’t be long before you’re purchasing your flight to Athens. Our section on Greece has everything you’d want to know about traveling to this Mediterranean paradise. We even include a section on Grecian customs and how to fly with pets to Greece. It’s all there, so take a look!

    Hawaii
    Hawaii is a North American favorite for getting away. Our section includes information on every Hawaiian Island in addition to hotels and activities you will find there. Start planning your vacation to Hawaii now, with FrugalMonkey’s guide to Hawaiian travel. You’ll be snorkeling off the coast and riding bareback on the beach in no time. Also, keep an eye out for amazing travel deals to Hawaii. Prices have never been lower!

    Mexico
    Mexico has something for everyone and so does our section on travel to Mexico. We give you an excellent look at some of the best beach destinations in the country, but we also highlight cool things to do in Mexico City including Mexico’s best restaurants and hotels!

    South Africa
    South Africa has it all: beaches, restaurants, amazing hotels, wildlife, adventure, romance and casual fun. It also has a big event coming up: The 2010 World Cup. Our entire section on World Cup travel will help you plan the perfect South African vacation.

    Jobs
    Traveling is great, but if you can’t afford it, the idea can be rather depressing. For the budget traveler and student, we put together some amazing information regarding travel jobs. You will learn about cruise ship jobs, resort jobs, working abroad, volunteering abroad as well as teaching English. Check out our job board as well, for up to date information on recently available travel jobs.