On Lokation Travel

Every year, Honolulu International Airport welcomes millions of visitors all the way from Japan and the US who are there to have their dream vacation. Soon after landing, most visitors hop in a cab or bus sent from the hotel and begin the journey past downtown Honolulu and on to their reservation at a Waikiki hotel. The lure of Waikiki is nearly instant. It is so exciting to be in Waikiki that most visitors never escape its non-existent borders. Every year over 6 million visitors miss out of sights, which local residents find most winsome and all of them lie within a radius of 2 square miles of Waikiki.

For those travelers interested in seeing Oahu through its residents’ eyes, please read on.

Magic Island Beach Park - Located West of Waikiki this can be found not to far from the popular Ala Moana Shopping Mall. It may sound like a theme park but in actual fact it has two beaches, areas to run and play sports like tennis and much more. A leisurely stroll around the park would bring you closer to the essence of Hawaiian culture – where a large family with all the members spends a lively day together amidst delicious food and lots of sun. Magic Island beaches are unlike many, un-crowded so it can be a relaxing experience and many people decide to have a barbecue while they are there.

The Contemporary Museum Honolulu – This is located on a ridge at Makiki Heights Drive, and as you drive up the ridge, you see some panoramic views of Oahu, which most visitors usually miss. The relatively small museum offers changing exhibits in its five galleries and after traversing the galleries, visitors can wander out onto the sculpture gardens. The museum is at its best in this place - the gardens, which include sculptures and meditation points, extend over 3.

Leong’s Cafe - Many visitors look to a lu’au for more than entertainment especially when they are after some great Hawaiian food. Food lovers will appreciate Leong’s cafe which can be found easily as it is situated at 2343 North King Street. Some renowned cuisine that you get here includes kalua pig, lu’au stew, lomi lomi and more and both the local residents as well as foreign tourists have been frequenting this place for more than 5 decades.

Champion Malasadas - Hawaii has a local dish called Malasadas which have become so entrenched in the everyday lives of Hawaiins that they renamed Fat Tuesday and called it Malasadas Day. You can find Champion Malasadas, which is a famous bakery, along South Beretania Street. Anyone that enjoys donuts will like these (even though they do not have a hole) and they come with a variety of fillings or if you prefer, you can eat them without any type of filling.

Honolulu Chinatown – when you take a stroll down Chinatown, you would be transported to another era in terms of space and time. This is like being in a small part of China where you can obtain anything you would expect to find in the mainland Country. Most American stores do not carry the produce that is sold here so that is a treat in itself but this a great place to visit for few hours or even a whole day. Though guided walking tours are available the best way to explore this historical site is to walk at your own pace stopping whenever you see something that triggers your interest.

If you are interested in seeing Oahu through a locals eyes, be sure to spend some time outside of Waikiki. The places mentioned here are only a few but they are a good place to start but just embrace the island and you will not want to leave.

These days where sky-rocketing fuel prices are always there to trouble us, airfare deals appear to be just the most favoured topic among people who travel regularly and to get the best possible price and time is the main agenda. Flying to different places around the World should never bother you because you may do so with less than the full standard fare even if fluctuation of ticket prices can never be avoided in some areas. However, some checking is required and for those who aren’t confident searching for the cheapest air ticket then the services of a trusted travel agent might be required.

Of course much of your success will require a certain flexibility on your part if you really want the best prices. Getting a cheap seat is always possible if you are that flexible and eager enough to adjust your schedule to the best day and time of the year to travel. To save money airlines will slot people into empty seats, so if you’re willing to modify your dates to suit the airlines’ program, then you can benefit on their decision. However, with most airlines, once you have booked your flight, you can usually switch to a different date only on payment of a fairly hefty cancellation of amendment penalty. Paying the expensive full amount for the ticket is somewhat an associated point about flexibility when booking your flight especially if you want to change or cancel your flight without having to pay added charges.

Airlines are still competitive even with their problems so frequent travelers still usually win with a good airfare deal offer if they are prepared to make that compromise. The frequent flyer program is designed by the airlines as a thank you for good customers because of their loyalty. Normally, points are collected every time the customer uses a plane and over a period of time these amount up to a point where they can be exchanged for flights or sometimes other benefits. Some airlines have now joined forces in this to help retain customers, and formed partnerships with hotels that can be used as part of the arrangement.

Of course, these days it is the Internet where most of these tickets are sold and where the best airfare deals are to be found. Travellers should be aware of online sites that specialize in selling discounted airline tickets, they may be legitimate business ventures, but it is safer to book your flight with mainstream discount agents. Before you make any transaction with these sites, you should be aware that you need to validate how legitimate the businesses are to avoid problems that often take place when these things left ignored. Your assessment of an agent’s knowledge of the airline industry is not limited and should not only focused to using the email contact because you still have options of visiting the office or by actually talking to the agent through a call. Ask as many questions as possible and find out any likely snags about their ticket deals, such as a stopover to an unattractive part of the world.

You will also need to be aware of just who exactly you are flying with - the importance of this information should not be underestimated. New destination opportunities and more flexible travel taxes are being opened these days due to the growing demands of airfare deals and options. By looking into the options carefully, you should succeed in finding the deal you want and to the right destination - just remember to be flexible.