Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there? We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

When K墨lauea volcano in Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes National Park began to erupt last December, spewing lava 300 feet into the air, I knew I had to see it in person. And there was only one place I wanted to stay.

As the lodge closest to the mammoth K墨lauea听Crater, is a highly sought-after spot among lava lovers. On any particular day鈥攁nd especially during eruptions鈥攖he back of the property is jam-packed with people watching for a telling orange glow or bubbling magma. During an active period, it鈥檚 not unusual for 1,000 people to pass through Volcano House鈥檚 doors daily. And given that the area is one of the most volcanically active spots in the world, this happens more often than you might think.

Why I Love the Volcano House

There was a crackling energy when I walked through the doors; I鈥檓 still not sure if it was from the excitement surrounding the recent eruption or some sort of shared energy between us and the volcano. (K墨lauea had another minor eruption听the day before my arrival in the park.) I was hopeful I鈥檇 be there for a follow-up.

Volcano House staff have plenty of stories from previous eruptions. Food and Beverage Manager Tina Balubar remembers when part of K墨lauea crater was filled by a lava lake. (This lasted from 2008-2018 when the lava burst through steam vents further along the island, destroying the Leilani Estates community and causing Volcano House to briefly close.) She showed me a photo of nearby Mauna Loa erupting, K墨lauea glowing a deep orange.

鈥淚 grew up near a volcano, so I don鈥檛 get scared,鈥� Balubar says. 鈥淲hen an eruption happens, I make all the employees stop, look up, and take it all in. That鈥檚 why [many of us] are here.鈥�

Volcano House鈥檚 history stretches back further than the establishment of the Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes National Park in 1916鈥攁ll the way back to 1846. Increased tourism caused the original thatched inn to give way to larger wooden lodges. (The original building was later moved and now serves as the park鈥檚 art gallery, where you can find听oil paintings, sculptures, and photographic prints of previous eruptions in the park.) Over the years, dignitaries like Mark Twain, Jack London, Princess Victoria Kaulani, Amelia Earhart, and President Franklin Roosevelt have stayed at one Volcano House iteration or another.

In 1921, a new two-story wing was built, upping the capacity to 115 people. Unfortunately, that version of Volcano House was destroyed by a fire (started in the kitchen, not by the volcano) in 1940; the current iteration was erected in 1941 and expanded yet again in 1961. The lodge鈥檚 current capacity is 33 rooms.

Given its position on the National Register of Historic Places, updating the lodge presents a host of challenges. Painting the building exterior took more than five years, Balubar says, because a laboratory had to analyze layers of existing paint to determine the original shade used in 1941.

I took a peek inside the old steam room, where volcanic steam was piped in for the enjoyment of male guests in the 1940s. (Back then, women weren鈥檛 allowed to sweat, apparently.) When upkeep and repair costs became too high, they filled in those steam vents with concrete, rendering it obsolete.

Room furnishings are a bit dated, but comfortable. The ratan lobby furniture fits perfectly with that aesthetic.听But let鈥檚 be honest: When you鈥檙e visiting Volcano House, you鈥檙e really here for the volcano.

Floor-to-ceiling windows face K墨lauea, allowing guests to watch for eruptions in climate-controlled comfort. Across the lobby, a stone fireplace featured a sculpted image of the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele inset in the rock. Oil paintings of previous eruptions ringed the room, while a flat-screen television played a never-ending loop of past eruption videos.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel

Considering the current administration鈥檚 war on our national parks, I felt the need to do something positive to give back to the protected land听during my visit. Each Saturday, , an NPS-approved group of volunteers, meet up to fight invasive species in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I joined more than a dozen others armed with loppers, all prepared to cut as much Himalayan ginger as we could. For three hours, we slashed and stacked the plant, ultimately clearing about an acre of the fast-growing plant. By the end, I felt like you could see the accomplishment radiating off of听 me鈥攂ut you probably could only smell the sweat.

With the work out of the way, I had time left for more traditionally听 fun activities. I spent the remainder of my first day hiking much of the , which traverses the north end of K墨lauea before connecting with the. The next morning, I was reluctant to move away from the K墨lauea overlook outside Volcano House, not wanting to miss the expected eruption, but there are too many things to do in the park to stay in one place for too long.

Parking at the K墨lauea Iki trailhead, I hiked to the short .2-mile lava tube before descending into the K墨lauea Iki Crater. The trail, my favorite in the park, winds down a series of switchbacks beneath a rainforest canopy to the crater floor.

The change of environments, from lush forest to arid lava rock,听 is a bit jarring. Walking onto the crater surface for the first time, I felt more like an astronaut than a hiker. As the cinder crunched under my feet, I wondered what would happen if the next eruption happened here. I found myself moving a little faster afterward.

Choice Rooms

While my own room offered comfort and stunning views of the crater, front desk agent Pam Bowers suggests asking for room 11, a.k.a. Uncle George鈥檚 Room. The former abode of the longest-tenured owner of Volcano House (and the namesake of its bar), the deluxe room is among the lodge鈥檚 most spacious, with gorgeous hardwood floors and one of the best views of the crater. It鈥檚 the most requested room by far, so be sure to book well in advance.

Can鈥檛 get a room at Volcano House? Check out the lodge鈥檚 , located about five minutes from the front entrance gate.

Eat and Drink

Volcano House鈥檚 menu is a mix of familiar favorites, like pizza and burgers, and more upscale offerings. The seafood is top notch. I overheard a few other diners raving about the barbecued prawns and New York Strip. But after a busy day on the trails and in the woods, all I wanted was a cheeseburger and a beer. Volcano House鈥檚 signature burger with cheddar cheese and avocado aioli, served on a punuluu sweet-bread bun, hit the spot perfectly.

When to Go

You can reserve rooms a year in advance, and Volcano House is typically fully booked about two months ahead. If you wait until a volcano starts burping lava to reserve a room, you鈥檙e probably going to be too late. But that doesn鈥檛 stop the calls when the volcanic activity starts.

鈥淎 while back, we had an eruption that started at 4 A.M.,鈥� Bowers says, 鈥淭he phone didn鈥檛 stop ringing until at least 2 P.M.鈥�

It鈥檚 a roll of the dice as to when the next eruption might happen, but for the best chances of getting a room, try booking for the spring or summer.

As my time at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park came to an end, I was reluctant to leave. Not just because K墨lauea hadn鈥檛 yet erupted during my visit, but also the hospitality I was shown at Volcano House made me want to stay. But given the volcanic upheaval here, I鈥檓 sure I鈥檒l be back at some point.

How to Get There

Volcano House is less than an hour鈥檚 drive from Hilo International Airport (ITO) and about 140 minutes from Kona International (KOA). There鈥檚 no airport shuttle, but you can reserve a car from any number of rental companies on site.

Don’t Miss

If you鈥檙e crossing the ocean to visit Hawai鈥檌 Volcanoes, you should also make a point to visit Hawaii鈥檚 other national park, Haleakal膩 on Maui. Both spots used to be known collectively as Hawaii National Park, but were split into two distinct parks in 1960. The flight between Maui and the Big Island is fairly inexpensive and lasts about 30 minutes.

I enjoyed a day hiking throughout Haleakal膩 and a night near the summit, observing the stars with ( , from $250). Ironically, Haleakal膩鈥檚 crater summit isn鈥檛 volcanic, but rather another form of geographical upheaval: two valleys merging at the summit of a volcano.

If you want to stick to one island for your visit, check out on the Kona side of the island, about two hours away. You鈥檒l learn about the lives of ancient native Hawaiians, as well as the geologic history of the island.

Details

Price: Room prices start at $285 for a standard room, $335 for a room with a crater view.

Address: 1 Crater Rim Drive,
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI 96718

The post This Hawaii Lodge Overlooks an Active Volcano appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I am a total luddite. So when 国产吃瓜黑料 proposed I test the latest artificial-intelligence travel-planning tools, I groaned. When it comes to researching trips, my MO remains steadfastly old-school. I still read books to learn the history of a destination and look to recent magazine and website articles for restaurant and hotel suggestions. I scan local news sites to get a pulse on upcoming events. Mostly, I rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and colleagues in the travel industry.

But around 70 percent of Americans are using AI for travel planning, according to a conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the personal-finance app Moneylion. That stat convinced me it was time to give AI a try myself. Wouldn鈥檛 it be awesome if it could save me hours of research? What if a quick 鈥渃onversation鈥� with a chatbot could deliver intel on par with what I get from real people and my reporting? I decided to give it a go with an open mind.

My AI Trip-Planning Test

Maui is my part-time home, and because I know it so well, I chose it as the logical destination for this experiment. I honed in on the island鈥檚 west side, curious to see if AI would direct travelers to the island鈥檚 main tourism hub, the town of Lahaina, which is still recovering from the decimating wildfires of August 2023.听I haven鈥檛 visited this area since then, and while some parts of Lahaina remain closed to the public, several restaurants and businesses have reopened, and the tourism board has encouraged visitors to respectfully return.

I tested four free AI tools in mid-August. All were incredibly easy to use, even for a tech-phobe like myself. For most, I simply typed in my vacation wish list: I wanted to take an adventurous weeklong solo trip to west Maui in October, and I wanted to experience ocean sports, cultural activities, great food, and fun hikes. In seconds I was usually presented with a thorough itinerary. I could continue to ask more refined questions (like intel on the best food trucks) to fine-tune the details.

Some AI tools, however, started by asking me a handful of quiz-like questions, which is helpful if you need a bit of travel inspiration. The more specific ones queried where exactly I wanted to travel, approximate dates, with whom, my budget, my interests (the beach, nightlife, shopping) and my travel style (i.e., On a sliding scale between adrenaline rush and peace and quiet, what is your ideal vacation?). The nitty-gritty questions resulted in a more robust itinerary.

Results for these AI trip-planning tools ranged from the comically wrong to the simply outdated. None completely nailed the trip planning. All included what AI users call hallucinations鈥攆alse facts that this technology makes up when it doesn鈥檛 have an answer. But one did seem to stand out among the rest.

Here are how the ones I tested fared.

A Ranking of the AI Trip-Planning Tools I Tested, from Worst to Best

听 pitched me the most hilarious hallucination. This trip-planning app provided me with four prompts: Inspire me where to go, find cheap flights, show me amazing hotels, and build me an itinerary. I chose the latter for west Maui, and it generated a chummy reply: 鈥淎h, Hawaii! Aloha vibes all the way.鈥� It then spit out a seven-day itinerary for the entire Caribbean. Day one, for example, suggested I visit the Blue Hole, in Belize. That same afternoon, the itinerary had me sunning on Seven Mile Beach, in the Cayman Islands. When I reached out about my experience, a spokesperson replied that current models are prone to hallucinations.

听 asked me several questions up front, in an effort to account for my preferences, but the process never allowed me to specify that I wanted to focus my trip on the west side of Maui. Instead, the tool generated a generic, island-wide itinerary, peppered with Maui鈥檚 biggest tourist attractions, such as Haleakala National Park and Wailea Beach. Both are beautiful places, but enjoying them means knowing when to go to avoid the crowds. Day one was entirely devoted to Lahaina, with no mention of the fires. The suggested accommodations were nearly an hour鈥檚 drive from the sites the bot wanted me to visit. And when I clicked on specific recommendations, like Lahaina Harbor, I was booted to Viator, an online marketplace for tours and activities, where I was given a selection of island-wide tours to book.

has a dynamic interface that allows users to cross-check suggestions with maps and reviews. I appreciated that. You can view the suggested plan as a printable itinerary or in calendar mode; plus, everything is shareable.

It prompted me with a straightforward: 鈥淲here to today?鈥� At first I typed in that I鈥檇 like to take a weeklong vacation in Maui, and within seconds I was given a list of attractions, activities, hotels, and restaurants鈥攊ncluding the shuttered Lahaina Grill. I mentally docked it a point for that. When I refined my ask to the west side of Maui, I was told: 鈥淯nfortunately, due to the heavy damage from the fire in 2023, there are currently no tourist services operating in Lahaina,鈥� which isn鈥檛 true. The Royal Lahaina resort is open, as are a handful of businesses, such as Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate.

Company spokesperson Michelle Denogean admitted that this particular aspect needed updating. She said that recommendations Mindtrip users receive are informed by a combination of ChatGPT and the company鈥檚 proprietary knowledge base, which contains over 6.5 million frequently updated places. 鈥淲e are continuously adding new ones, updating important information like opening hours, and flagging ones that are permanently or temporarily closed,鈥� Denogean said.

听,听a chatbot from the media brand Matador Network, is available via Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp and has over one million users. It was my favorite. I liked the ease of messaging and that I could ask for more details or tweaks to its initial itinerary. The tool cross-checks its suggestions with content from Matador鈥檚 130,000-plus online articles.

Matador founder Ross Borden told me over a phone call that when the platform launched in spring 2023, it was accurate about 85 percent of the time, meaning the AI would get confused or provide inaccurate information approximately one out of six conversations. GuideGeek has since drastically reduced the occurrence of hallucinations and now boasts 98 percent accuracy. Vigorous human intervention is key to minimizing hallucinations, he told me, and more staff have been hired to follow this issue. The technology has also relied on users flagging misinformation; errors are logged and then addressed before regular updates, he said.

Like other AI tools, GuideGeek produced a broad itinerary of Maui鈥檚 greatest hits, including the snorkel spot Turtle Town and the Road to Hana. However, I found that many of its suggestions, particularly tour operators, were spot-on, and I was impressed to see it mentioned newer offerings, like the Mangolani Inn, a recently renovated hotel in the North Shore town of Paia. It also provided booking links to hotels and offered useful tips like, 鈥淗eads up bring cash as there isn鈥檛 an ATM in this area.鈥�

But when it came to Lahaina, its information wasn鈥檛 up-to-date. I queried GuideGeek about cultural activities on the island鈥檚 west side, and its two recommendations鈥攖he Baldwin Home Museum and Lahaina Heritage Museum鈥攈ad both burned to the ground in the fires.

When I told Borden about this outdated information, he said it comes down to fielding enough input to create updates. The company receives regular feedback from users, as well as 20 or so tourism boards or destination management companies that pay Matador to create custom versions of GuideGeek鈥檚 AI tool.

I shared my suggested GuideGeek itinerary with Lei-Ann Field, a member of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, which does not partner with GuideGeek. 鈥淥verall the itinerary is pretty good, but there are other nuances that are missing, like considering guided tours for the Road to Hana and necessary online reservations for Haleakala sunrise,鈥� she said.

Will I Be Using AI Going Forward?

My takeaways: I was impressed by how seamless and fast these AI tools were. And it鈥檚 key to remember that the more specific questions you ask, the better the responses will be. Most are a good starting point, offering an overview of a destination, and they create a loose plan way faster than I could have using my traditional methods. That plan is a good enough outline to modify and build upon with further research.

My issues: Every AI tool suggested the same attractions in Maui, which contributes to overtourism. The personal touch is noticeably missing; for example, I鈥檇 tell a friend who wanted to visit Maui to opt for lunch instead of dinner at Mama鈥檚 Fish House, a North Shore spot where it鈥檚 nearly impossible to score reservations; to skip the downhill mountain-bike sunrise Haleakala experience (a recipe for injury); to stay overnight in Hana if you really want to make the most of that drive; and to make a point of engaging with locals and being aware of cultural and environmental sensitivities.

I asked Jack Ezon, founder of the travel agency Embark Beyond, if he thought AI would ever be able to deliver the accuracy of a human travel agent. 鈥淓ven in its infancy, in just a few seconds AI is able to create itineraries that are about 80 percent of what a true expert can create,鈥� he said. 鈥淪oon it will be able to suggest the right place for someone to stay and the best experiences they can consider.鈥�

That said, he doesn鈥檛 believe there will ever be an equivalent to best the advice of travel agents or friends. He sees AI as a tool agents will use to deliver even more customized advice for clients, though. To wit, Embark Beyond recently launched an AI-powered 鈥渃lienteling鈥� tool for advisers that examines all experiences, cultural events, and promotions in the marketplace and then suggests clients that would likely be interested and why.

WIll I be using AI to plan future trips? If I鈥檓 heading to a popular place like Paris or London or even Moab, Utah, for the first time and don鈥檛 want to miss the star attractions, it鈥檇 be a something I鈥檇 look to initially. But I like to get off the beaten path when I travel, and I鈥檓 not convinced AI would get me to that less-trafficked trail or mom-and-pop breakfast spot that鈥檚 only advertised via locals in the know. For now, I鈥檒l remain a luddite and stick to good old word-of-mouth travel planning.

Jen Murphy is 国产吃瓜黑料 Online鈥�s travel advice columnist. She prefers to be off her devices when she adventures and believes a town鈥檚 local bartender often has the best recommendations for restaurants.

The post Can AI Be Trusted to Plan Your Next Trip? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Typically, the winter holiday season is the busiest鈥攁nd priciest鈥攁cross Hawaii. And for good reason: the surf turns epic and the state鈥檚 balmy, palm-swept beaches look extra dreamy as temperatures start to fall precipitously on the mainland. But after unprecedented wildfires swept across Maui this summer, tourists have been wary to visit not just Maui, but other islands as well.

What this has meant for America鈥檚 paradise is hard times鈥攖ourism generates nearly a quarter of its economy. The economic loss for Maui alone, both in business sales and visitor spending, is estimated to be $11 million a day, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the fires鈥� impact has had a ripple effect across the state. Visitor arrivals decreased significantly this summer and are predicted to remain flat this fall but possibly grow again in December.

Jonathan Wilt, a spokesperson for Hawaii Forest and Trail, a tour operator on Hawaii Island, says the company was rocked by cancellations in recent months, something he attributes to the fires. Travelers were most likely on an interisland itinerary, he reasoned, and with the news of the fires, they canceled their entire trip. 鈥淎ll of the islands could use additional guests visiting their places of business in the near future, us included,鈥� says Wilt. Many small businesses on Maui, such as Hali鈥檌maile General Store鈥攍ocated upcountry, more than 30 miles from the shoreline blazes鈥攈ave had to reduce their hours, if not temporarily close.

More than a few Hawaiians have called the scenario reminiscent of the pandemic.

Brett Sheerin, owner of Maui True North, which offers surf and kitesurf lessons, says it鈥檚 been surviving only because locals have booked its services of late. He put it succinctly: 鈥淔ew tourists have been coming. It鈥檚 a huge crisis on top of a tragedy.鈥�

I also understand that there are mixed opinions after a disaster of what is best for the people on the ground who have lost the most. I reported a story right after the Maui fires that addressed this and also a more widely reported story on how to decide when it’s okay to return to a destination after a disaster. While some businesses in West Maui, the area hardest hit by the fires, are eager to get back to work, many locals feel it is too soon after such devastating losses for tourist to return and have have petitioned the state government to postpone the October 8th reopen date.

Other parts of Maui are open and ready for tourists, as are the rest of the islands. As with any place, visit mindfully and respectfully and consider using your tourism dollars, on any island, in ways that will help rebuilding efforts, support locals who heavily rely on tourism for their livelihoods, and give local economies on the islands a boost.

In an effort to woo back visitors, a number of hotels, restaurants, and tour operators are offering deals now and through the end of year. There will also likely be fewer crowds. But the main reason to book a vacation to Hawaii this season is because you鈥檙e giving back during a time when residents need it most and you can organize a thoughtful itinerary by using properties donating portions of their profits to helping other locals. Here鈥檚 where to look.

Score Deals on Flights

Beginning November 1, Hawaiian Airlines will launch several holiday offers, including HawaiianMiles partner promotions, gift-card deals, and special Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales on select routes, including those to and from mainland U.S. and between the Hawaiian Islands.

Save on Hotels

Hotels are often the biggest expense of a Hawaii getaway. New fall deals, many of which extend through year鈥檚 end, can save you up to 30 percent off nightly rates.

On Oahu, hip newcomer Wayfinder Waikiki is extending a through December 31, which includes up to 20 percent off rates, plus a waived amenity fee and a $25 daily food-and-beverage credit. If you鈥檙e willing to become a (free of charge), you can save up to 25 percent off ocean-view rooms and 50 percent off resort charges at the Prince Waikiki.

On the Island of Hawaii, Hilton Waikoloa Village recently launched a fall promotion offering up to 30 percent off nightly stays, and if you take advantage of Mauna Lani鈥檚 , you can enjoy up to 25 percent off nightly rates.

Kauai鈥檚 newest property, the eco-minded 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, is offering discounts of up to 30 percent, plus up to $800 in resort credits through the property鈥檚 . The package at Ko鈥檃 Kea Resort on Poipu Beach includes a fourth night free, a $5 donation to a local ocean-education nonprofit, and an opportunity to participate in a beach clean-up.

And on Maui, condo-rental property Kaanapali Alii has packages of up to 15 percent off through December 15, and is donating $50 for each reservation to the People鈥檚 Fund of Maui through the end of the year. The 70-acre, oceanfront Hana-Maui Resort is offering 15 percent off (use code 15OFF) to encourage travelers to use Hana as a base for exploration.

Castle Resorts, which has 20 properties throughout Hawaii, including Ala Moana Hotel on Oahu and Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Hawaii Island, recently launched its , with up to 30 percent off bookings through December 15. You can save up to 25 percent off nightly stays at any of Outrigger Resorts and Hotels鈥� nine properties across the islands, including the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel on Oahu and the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa on Hawaii Island; check out the brand鈥檚 . And if you鈥檙e game to volunteer, you can earn a free night at any Marriott Bonvoy property in the islands, such as Marriott鈥檚 Kauai Beach Club and the Laylow on Oahu, through the brand鈥檚 .

Restaurant Reservations Are Easier than Ever (and Will Do Good)

Reservations at Mama鈥檚 Fish House, a 42-table institution on Maui鈥檚 North Shore, usually book out a year in advance. Locals have been taking advantage of canceled dinner bookings, says owner Karen Christenson, but you can walk in for lunch (which serves the same menu)鈥攕omething unheard of. Christenson notes that dining at Mama鈥檚 doesn鈥檛 just help the Maui economy. 鈥淲e buy from farmers on the Big Island and Kauai, and fishermen on Molokai,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen we don鈥檛 have guests, they feel it.鈥�

Matteo鈥檚 Osteria, a beloved Italian restaurant and wine bar in Wailea, Maui, is donating 20 percent of all sales to local disaster relief.

Through the end of December, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea will host Love for Lahaina, a series of pop-up dinners to support the hospitality industry and farmers directly impacted by the fires. The first event was hosted by James Beard Award nominee Lee Anne Wong, who lost her Lahaina restaurant, Papa鈥檃ina, to the blazes.

The Marriott Waikiki Collection of hotels (, , , and , all on Oahu) is offering a Mai Tais and Burgers for Maui special: one dollar from every cocktail and burger sold will go toward the Aloha for Sheraton Maui Ohana Relief Fund through the end of the year.

The Places You Visit on Your Trip Can Help Maui Recovery Efforts

Still other hotels and tour operators across the islands are donating portions of profits to relief causes, which you can help bolster during your trip. The Kaimana Beach Hotel, on Oahu, has pledged to donate $20 for every booking through the end of 2023 to partners that include the Hawaii Community Foundation鈥檚 Maui Strong Fund and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement鈥檚 Kako鈥檕 Maui Fund.

On Hawaii Island, Volcano Village Lodge and Volcano Village Estates are donating 20 percent of every new booking for stays happening now through November 15 to support Maui wildfire victims. And the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea鈥檚 donates up to $200 to the Maui Strong Fund for every night that you stay through December 15.

Tour operators are also funneling funds to Maui charities. Redline Rafting, which offers snorkeling tours of Molokini (off Maui), whale-watching trips, and guided hikes in Haleakala National Park, is donating proceeds from every tour booked to the Community Recovery Fund. Or book its special charity tours, which donate 100 percent of the proceeds to wildfire-recovery efforts.

And if you鈥檝e always wanted to see the coastline from above, Maverick Helicopters on Maui has launched a give-back promotion through the end of 2023 that contributes $10 for every purchased seat on any tours.

Whale season starts in October and is especially good off the coast of Maui. The will be offering 20 percent off its through the rest of the year.

Paradise Helicopters, based in Kona on Hawaii Island, has introduced a handful of for October, which the company says will likely run through the end of the year. You can save $50 off all tours from Waimea on Hawaii Island and the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu (use code PP50) and $75 off all tours from Kona and Hilo on Hawaii Island (code PP75). When you book six seats on its Kohala Coast and Waterfalls tour on Hawaii Island, you can get them at $299 per seat versus $420, and if you book four seats on the Lava Rainforest 国产吃瓜黑料 Tour on Hawaii Island, you can purchase them for听 $349 per person instead of $469.

You can also save big on exclusive heli charters when you donate to the . Donate $750 and you get a free landing (which typically costs $1,825). With a donation of $1,200, you鈥檒l receive a bottle of champagne to go along with that landing (a $2,787.50 value).

Finally, it鈥檚 worth keeping in mind that fewer visitors mean fewer crowds at some of the islands鈥� key attractions, like the Road to Hana in Maui. 鈥淭his is a wonderful time to take the bucket list-worthy drive,鈥� says Jon Benson, general manager of Hana-Maui Resort. 鈥淲e are surrounded by unmatched hikes, waterfalls, lava tubes, and a bamboo forest.鈥�

*This story has been updated to reflect a petition from many locals asking the Hawaii state government to postpone the opening date for West Maui.*

国产吃瓜黑料 correspondent Jen Murphy lives part time in Maui and has been encouraging her friends to visit this holiday season to help bolster the local economy after the fires.听

The post Your Tourism Dollars Can Help Hawaii Right Now appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Any number of concerns are on our radar as we plan our next trip, from serious issues like how destinations are working to mitigate tourists鈥� environmental impact to inconveniences like months-long passport wait times. In this column, our travel expert addresses your questions about how to navigate the world.听

I’m supposed to go to Maui in a couple of weeks for a long-planned vacation. I love the island and don’t want to add to the suffering or be disrespectful by showing up after the fires. But I also know that businesses probably need tourism dollars more than ever right now. Should I still go? 鈥擜 Concerned Traveler

I understand how you feel. I鈥檝e lived between Maui鈥檚 North Shore and the upcountry town of Haiku off and on for ten years. I flew out the day before the wildfires took place for a work trip. Sadly, many of my friends were gravely affected, losing homes and businesses.

I asked some of my local acquaintances for their thoughts on traveling to Maui at this time.

Dustin Tester, the owner of , did a roll call of her employees last week to make sure they had all survived the island鈥檚 catastrophic wildfires. Her surf school and the majority of her 12 instructors are based out of Lahaina, the historic town on the west coast that was turned to ashes. While seven of her employees lost their homes, they鈥檙e all safe, albeit coping with serious trauma. The surf鈥檚 schools cabins where they hold camps, located outside of Lahaina at Olowalu Point, survived. The company鈥檚 Toyota Tundra and the dozen boards it transports were incinerated.

One employee barely escaped the flames on Lahaina鈥檚 Front Street with their ten-month-old and six-year-old. Another hunkered down in a car for 17 hours in a cement parking structure in a local outlet mall. 鈥淓very instructor has a harrowing story,鈥� says Tester, who created a for her staff.

The blaze that destroyed Lahaina, once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom, is now the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century. It has thus far claimed more than 100 lives, a number that is expected to rise with 1,300 people still missing, warned Hawaii governor Josh Green.

Survivors are just beginning to feel the effects of the disaster, the cause of which is still being determined. Upcountry Maui, an area on the western slopes of Haleakala that includes the towns of Makawao and Kula, is still battling fires; 19 homes there have already been reported destroyed.

While saving lives and recovery efforts in the Lahaina area are still of the utmost importance at this time, some tourists with plans to travel to Maui are asking if it鈥檚 okay to visit other parts of the island right now. I also know from reporting a story that disastrous events like this can result in many local companies going out of business because of the huge drop in tourism dollars from canceled trips.

Tester acknowledges that it鈥檚 still a fluid situation on the west side of the island at this time but told me: 鈥淲e want and need tourists going forward. By coming, you鈥檇 be providing a livelihood for my instructors and other local businesses, and I鈥檓 thinking of ways that visitors can give back when they come to a surf camp in the future.鈥�

Should You Travel to Maui Right Now? It Depends on Who You Talk To.

And also where you want to go. In his latest emergency proclamation, Governor Green urged travelers to postpone all nonessential travel to West Maui, which includes the popular resort spots of Napili, Kaanapali, Kapalua, and Lahaina, so that resources there can be used to help residents recover. As for other parts of the island, messaging has been mixed.

On August 12, the Hawaii Tourism Authority suggested that tourists should only refrain from visiting West Maui. 鈥淢aui is not closed,鈥� Maui County mayor Richard Bissen said at a press conference over the weekend. 鈥淢any of our residents make their living off of tourism.鈥�

The airport has remained open the entire time and major airlines are still flying to the island.

Other native Hawaiians, like musician Paula Fuga and actor Jason Momoa, feel differently and have used social media to urge tourists to cancel their trips. 鈥淥ur community needs time to heal, drive, and restore,鈥� posted Momoa.

Cole Millington, a Lahaina resident who lost his home and business, has been gobsmacked seeing tour boats holding snorkel tours on the island鈥檚 west side days after bodies burned in those waters. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the tourists鈥� fault,鈥� he told me. 鈥淏ut it underscores a pathetic divide between people who live here and tourists who think Maui is Disneyland. We ask that people give us time before we have to put on an aloha smile and be at your service.鈥�

Tester understands both points of view. Most surf schools on West Maui were destroyed, and surf breaks like Breakwall in Lahaina won鈥檛 be accessible for a long time. Authorities are also still evaluating the extent of environmental damage. Maui Surfer Girls typically operates just south of Lahaina, at Ukumehame Beach Park. This area isn鈥檛 considered a disaster zone, yet the beach can鈥檛 be reached due to road blocks.

鈥淩ight now we鈥檝e decided to close,鈥� Tester says. 鈥淚f the roads reopen, we could technically hold lessons, but there鈥檚 a lot of politics around that.鈥� She also noted that instructors have told her they鈥檇 rather be helping with recovery efforts than working. She doesn鈥檛 foresee reopening until Thanksgiving.

Tester surfed in Kihei, on the island鈥檚 south side, a few days ago, where she says it felt like business as usual. 鈥淪o many tourists were taking surf lessons two days after the fires,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t felt greedy and insensitive, but I get it. Surf schools have families and need to survive. This is high season.鈥�

How Is Tourism Being Affected on Maui After the Fires?

The repercussions of the fires on the island鈥檚 tourism industry have already started to be felt, leaving many local business owners reeling from flashbacks reminiscent of the听 pandemic shutdown. More than 11,000 people鈥攎ost of them visitors鈥攈ave flown off the island since the fires began. Airlines like Southwest and American, have issued travel vouchers and waived change fees for flights to Maui through August 31. The number of airline passengers to Maui on Sunday was down nearly 81 percent compared to this time last year, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Hotels in West Maui have temporarily stopped accepting bookings on future reservations so they can house employees, evacuees, and first responders. Vacation rental owners in west-side towns have also been encouraged to make accommodations available to the displaced. Hotel operator Hilton Worldwide Holdings, which has 23 hotels throughout Hawaii, said it was waiving cancellation penalties for those traveling to, from, or through all of the islands until the end of the month.

Airbnb owners across Maui have reported receiving cancellations through March 2024. Amy Varain, who owns an Airbnb in the upcountry town of Haiku, which was not affected by the fires, says guests booked to stay at her property even as late as December have called to cancel based on the destruction they鈥檙e seeing on the news.

鈥淚 completely understand that reaction,鈥� Varain says. 鈥淎ll you see if you search online is everything about the fires, and no one talks about how this is concentrated on one part of the island. Our island is 100 percent tourism driven. Without visitors our whole island will suffer. The rest of the island still needs their kind support and visits.鈥� She has been trying to educate guests by posting on social media to remind them how much of Maui has been unaffected by the fires.

Brett Sheerin, owner of Maui True North, a kitesurf and surf school, says people who have lost their jobs are desperately calling him to see if he needs instructors. Like Tester, he typically teaches surf lessons in West Maui and worries that the water is now toxic. He doesn鈥檛 have enough business to bring on new hires though, and currently can only operate kitesurfing lessons on another side of the island.

鈥淓veryone here already works two or three jobs,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 call it the Maui hustle. I have money saved, my house did not burn, and I could last six months to a year if I don鈥檛 make another dime, but a lot of people are going to have to leave the island if we don鈥檛 have tourism jobs.鈥�

How to Be a Conscientious Visitor if You Go to Maui Right Now

If you are planning to visit Maui in the coming months, do so with compassion and aloha. Many residents have lost loved ones, homes, and businesses. Be sensitive to what they are going through. 鈥淚鈥檓 telling friends to think of this as our 9/11,鈥� says Sheerin.

West Maui is off limits and will likely remain so until the end of the year, according to officials. But other parts of the island, including Hana, Wailea, and Paia, depend on tourism dollars.

If you鈥檙e inclined to volunteer, several organizations, like and , welcome visitors鈥� time and energy. Caitlin Carroll, who works for the Pacific Whale Foundation and lost her Lahaina home, says: 鈥淎nyone who comes should be prepared to put their boots on and help.鈥�

, a citizen disaster response team, is looking to assign volunteers to appropriate work that matches their skill sets. Jobs include food distribution, tree cutting and clearing, and clean-up efforts.

And it almost goes without saying that if and when you visit Maui, put your tourism dollars toward local businesses wherever you are.

is an 国产吃瓜黑料 correspondent who has lived part-time on Maui鈥檚 North Shore and upcountry for over a decade. Among other stories, she writes a travel advice column for 国产吃瓜黑料. She has been deeply saddened to see so many parts of the island suffer but inspired by the community鈥檚 resiliency and islanders鈥� unwavering support for each other.

The post I鈥檝e Got a Trip to Maui Planned. Should I Still Go? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Cole Millington was already racing away from a fast-moving wall of flames in his pickup truck when his phone buzzed with an evacuation notice on the afternoon of August 8. The warning, which never made it to most Maui residents, came far too late. 鈥淚f I hadn鈥檛 used my instincts and kicked into survival mode, I wouldn鈥檛 be here,鈥� says the 26-year-old Lahaina resident and owner of Honolua Hot Sauce Co.

At around 4 P.M., Millington had noticed a giant plume of black smoke outside of his apartment window. Given the island鈥檚 flash drought conditions and that day鈥檚 hurricane-fueled wind gusts, he knew he was sitting in a tinderbox. 鈥淲ithin 10 minutes of seeing the smoke I grabbed my laptop, passport, and dog and was in my truck as my street started to catch fire,鈥� he says.

Millington navigated through thick smoke and downed power lines attempting to drive south out of Lahaina only to be snarled in gridlock traffic with just one eighth of a tank of gas. He watched in his rearview mirror as flames hopped the street and began rushing toward his 1994 Toyota Tacoma. 鈥淢y truck is so old I worried it would explode,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t one point I considered getting out to run.鈥� After three terrifying hours, he made it to a friend鈥檚 house in the nearby town of Kihei鈥攖he drive typically takes 25 minutes鈥攐nly to receive an alert one hour later saying it was also ablaze. 鈥淚t felt like the whole island was on fire,鈥� Millington says.

Millington lost his home and business but is safe and staying at a one-bedroom home in Waihee-Waiehu with 14 other Lahaina residents who lost everything. 鈥淧eople are sleeping on the floor or in tents on a gravel driveway and sharing one bathroom but we鈥檙e more fortunate than many others,鈥� he says.

Last week, multiple wildfires raged on the island of Maui, decimating communities, displacing thousands, and leaving more than 100 dead. The blaze that decimated the historic town of Lahaina is now the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century, with the most recent death toll at 106 and approximately 1,300 people still missing. Hawaii governor Josh Green has warned that the number of fatalities is expected to rise. Around 2,200 structures鈥�86 percent of them residential鈥攚ere destroyed. Survivors are still reeling from the trauma and questioning why evacuation efforts weren鈥檛 better coordinated.

When Rachael Zimmerman, 34, woke to window-rattling winds at 4:45 A.M. on August 8, she saw flames on the hillside above her condo on Front Street, Lahaina鈥檚 main strip, and immediately called 911. The fire department called her back 15 minutes later to say they鈥檇 put the fire out. Zimmerman went back to bed. By 8 A.M. she and her partner realized that their home, which they had purchased in 2022, was without electricity. At 3 P.M. they noticed a blanket of dark smoke moving in and within minutes were in their car.

鈥淪moke was everywhere and no one knew where the fire was,鈥� Zimmerman says. She and her partner drove with masks and sunglasses on to protect themselves from the smoke. After driving in circles they hugged the coast, in case they needed to seek shelter from flames in the ocean. 鈥淭hen we saw the ocean was on fire and people were still jumping in the burning water because they had nowhere to go,鈥� she says. Like Millington, Zimmerman and her partner traveled to a friend鈥檚 home in Kihei, only to be alerted of another possible evacuation. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 sleep that night, we were so afraid,鈥� she says. Zimmerman lost everything and has applied for financial aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Lahaina resident Kekoa Lansford, 37, couldn鈥檛 bring himself to leave people behind in the burning town. He loaded distraught residents into the back of his pickup truck, drove them to a safe area where another vehicle was waiting to transport them to safety. Lansford drove back into the burning town to rescue more people at least five times before the flames became too dangerous.

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to even talk about what I saw,鈥� he says. 鈥淧eople were dying in the streets. People were burning because they were trapped in cars. The last people I helped before it got too crazy ended up being the parents of a childhood friend.鈥�

Lansford, a native Hawaiian, was born and raised in Lahaina and lost the family home his grandmother left to him. His uncle Joe is still among the missing. 鈥淧eople think of Lahaina as a tourist town but this is our spiritual home,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom. Our ancestors are all here and now this place has been lost.鈥�

Federal officials estimate the cost of rebuilding Lahaina to be approximately $5.5 billion. The fires impacted other parts of the island as well. A blaze burned 19 homes and 675 acres in a region called Upcountry, which sits on the western slopes of Mount Haleakala. Fires across the island are still not contained, and Upcountry residents don鈥檛 have access to safe water.

Daniel Sullivan, a local photographer and resident of the Upcountry community Kula, had his car packed and was ready to evacuate with his two sons the night of August 8. 鈥淚 sat on my roof hearing trees crack and gas tanks explode,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was surreal.鈥� Sullivan is lucky鈥攈is home survived. But after driving the island to photograph the fires, he鈥檚 been left without words to describe the destruction he saw. 鈥淟ahaina was the symbol of our island and it鈥檚 been wiped off the map,鈥� he says.

Residents have been appalled by the sluggish speed at which aid and assistance have come in. For nearly three days after the fires, residents were largely left to fend for themselves. Renowned Maui-based surfer Kai Lenny went on daily news show CBS Mornings to express his anger. 鈥淓veryone was waiting for the government to show up,鈥� Lenny said, telling the news outlet that the local communities have taken recovery efforts into their own hands.

Kaili Scheer, 37, who owns a restaurant in upcountry Maui with her husband Jeff, was also critical of the government response. She posted to Instagram: 鈥�72 hours later. Where is the Navy. The hospital ship. Helicopters. The military. We are crowd sourcing our own relief and we are damn good at it but people are starving and stranded and large scale support is needed now.鈥�

Scheer says the community has come together to help everyone in need. 鈥淣ot a single person has been idle,鈥� she says. 鈥淓very nurse I know is volunteering. All of the chefs on the island have created a kitchen to feed people. No matter where you go, everyone hugs each other.鈥�

Samantha Campbell, the owner of Deep Relief Peak Performance Athletic Training Center in Haiku, a town on Maui鈥檚 north coast, is offering free injury evaluations for first responders and complimentary children鈥檚 classes to those affected by the fires. Jennifer Yi, owner of a Lahaina surf shop that burned down, raffled the store鈥檚 one remaining board to raise funds. Local kids have been holding bake sales on the streets in unaffected neighborhoods.

Caitlin Carroll, 27, an employee at Pacific Whale Foundation, has been unloading crates of insulin, diapers, water, and gas at Maalaea Harbor on Maui鈥檚 southern coast. Carroll, who lost her home in the blaze, says the community effort has been incredible. 鈥淓veryone is coming together to help,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a long road to recovery, but when you know your community has your back and you see everyone helping, it makes it easier to stay positive.鈥�

The future is uncertain for Maui residents. Maui relies heavily on tourism, with 51 percent of its jobs related to the sector, and high season is fast approaching. In his latest emergency proclamation, Governor Green has urged travelers to postpone all non-essential travel to West Maui, which includes the popular resort areas of Napili, Kaanapali, Kapalua, and Lahaina. Hotels in this area have temporarily stopped accepting bookings on future reservations so they can house employees, evacuees, and first responders. Vacation rental owners have also been encouraged to make these accommodations available to those who have been displaced.

The fires have exacerbated Maui鈥檚 housing shortage, which was so severe that Governor Green declared a just three weeks before the blaze. Home prices on Maui are around three times the national average. The median sales price for a home in June was $999,000, up nearly 55 percent from the same month in 2019, according to Redfin Corp. data. Some residents say they鈥檝e already received calls from developers and investors inquiring about buying their fire-ravaged land. Governor Green says he鈥檚 asked the attorney general to explore a moratorium on sales of damaged properties. Reconstruction of homes and businesses will also have to take into account fire risk that it hasn鈥檛 in the past, adding to the already inflated construction market.

As the island creates a road map for the future, there鈥檚 concern that native voices will be left out of decision making. 鈥淣ative Hawaiians lost hundreds of years of culture and generational homes,鈥� says Carroll. 鈥淭hey are the ones who should be making decisions for Lahaina.鈥� Kainoa Horcajo, a cultural consultant and volunteer at Maui Rapid Response, echoed the sentiment. He says that many in the Lahaina community believe that native Hawaiians should lead rebuilding efforts.

Horcajo has been a voice of calm and order for Maui, posting frequent updates on as well as on page. As the island moves forward, he鈥檚 encouraging both residents and future visitors to embrace compassion, understanding, and aloha. 鈥淲e鈥檝e always told visitors, if they come to Maui they have a kuleana [responsibility] to be respectful of the land and our people,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat message hasn鈥檛 changed.鈥�

Ways to Help Those Affected by the Maui Wildfires

Get involved in-person:

• If you鈥檙e based in Hawaii, you can sign up to volunteer with Maui Rapid Response by . Their work spans sectors including housing and shelter, food distribution and donation, transportation, shipping, and more. MRR team members will review and vet your application and assign you to the appropriate sector based on your skill set. All funding disbursement and actions are being led by the native Hawaiian group MRR Kanaka Hui.
• You can volunteer to produce, cook, and distribute food with .
• You can peruse the

Donate to a Maui Rapid Response鈥搗erified fund:

• : Grassroots monetary fund being distributed quickly to vulnerable residents in need
• : Maui fire relief fund to directly support those impacted by the fires
• : Hawai驶i Community Foundation鈥檚 fund for disaster response and recovery

The post Survival Stories from the Maui Wildfires appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Dotted with luxury resorts, championship golf courses, and pristine beaches, Maui draws nearly three million visitors each year鈥攄espite being the most expensive of all the Hawaiian islands. The average daily rates of hotels in Maui are more than $500, while in the upscale resort town of Wailea, rooms are even pricier. In addition to accommodations, transportation costs can also add up since you鈥檒l need to rent a car to navigate the 728-square-mile island鈥攖hat since the pandemic. Throw in food and activities, and a week in Hawaii costs around $5,000 on average. Thankfully, access to Maui鈥檚 most treasured gems鈥攆rom its white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters to its cascading waterfalls and rainforests鈥攁re free. So it鈥檚 entirely possible to go on a budget vacation to Maui if you know where to look and are willing to rough it a little. Here is our guide to spending a week (including travel days) in Maui for under $2,000.

Airfare: Book Your Trip During the Winter

The amount you spend on airfare obviously depends on what time of year you book your flights for, where you are flying from, and how far in advance you buy them. Winter is one of the most affordable and least crowded times to visit, with average temperatures still in the 70s (and lows rarely dipping below the 60s). Right now, a round trip flight from O鈥橦are International Airport to Kahului Airport on Maui in December or January is somewhere around $500, according to Google Flights.

Estimated budget for airfare: $500

Transportation: Rent a Camper Van

The best way to save on lodging and transportation is to combine both by renting a campervan. rents out Jeeps equipped with four-person Tepui tents, pillows, sheets, comforters, a five-gallon solar shower, a couple of beach towels and chairs, dinnerware, a propane two-burner stove, coolers, and toiletries for $179 per day. also offers a selection of two-person campervans and roof-top tent setups, stocked with camping items like coolers, linens, pillows, and lanterns, starting at $139.

Estimated budget for six-day camper van rental: $900

Lodging: Find a Campsite

In Hawaii, it鈥檚 illegal to sleep in cars in public areas that are not permitted for camping, so you鈥檒l need to do your due diligence before the trip. On the west side of the island, in Hana allows campervans with a $30-per-night permit. Non-resident visitors will have to first make an entrance ($5 per person) and parking ($10) , which can be done 30 days in advance. Over on the east side of the island, is a 700-acre private campsite in Lahaina with four options: tent camping, car camping, 鈥渢entalows鈥� (tent bungalows), and cabins. Car camping amenities include bathrooms, hot water showers, WiFi, charging stations, fire pits, and barbecue grills. Rates for campervans are $26 plus tax per night. In 2022, guests who volunteer with the conservation group to plant native plants, remove invasive species, or help restore a taro patch, can receive 10 percent off at Camp Olowalu.

If you prefer something a bit more adventurous, check out the on the slopes of the famed Haleakala volcano. There鈥檚 a communal picnic table and grill, as well as a water station and vault toilets, but no showers or electrical outlets. The campground sits at just below 7,000 feet, so it gets chilly鈥攂etween 32 degrees and 65 degrees. Campers with reservations also get a slot to view the spectacular sunrise from the summit. The entrance fee for Haleakala National Park is $30 (and is valid for three days), and it costs $5 per night to camp.

Estimated budget for five nights at a campsite: $180

Activities: Explore the Ocean and the Forest

Maui has dozens of jaw-dropping waterfalls, lush forests full of challenging hiking trails, and the most miles of swimmable beaches in Hawaii. The go-to surfing and windsurfing spot is Hookipa Beach, near the historic town on Paia. The beach is also a resting spot for sea turtles and the endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Another popular surf break is Lahaina Breakwall, on the southside of Lahaina Harbor. The gentle waves are perfect for beginners and longboarders, while larger summer south swells and winter north swells appeal to more advanced surfers. Rentals for surfboards range from $20 to $35 per day, while stand-up paddle boards are around $30 to $40. Note: Hawaiian Airlines charges $100 each way to check in a surfboard, while United Airlines charges between $100 and $200, depending on the weight of your board. So, depending on how long you鈥檙e staying and how many days you want to surf, it might be cheaper to rent on the island.

It鈥檚 tempting to want to spend your entire time in Maui by the beach, but you鈥檒l be missing out on some of the most amazing hiking trails in Hawaii. features more than 30 miles of trails that meander through native shrubland, mystical bamboo forests, cloud-shrouded summits, and stark volcanic landscapes. The entrance fee is $30 per vehicle or $15 per pedestrian and is valid for three days.

West Maui Forest Reserve鈥檚 is one of the most popular hikes in Maui鈥攖he four-mile round trip trek gains more than 1,500 feet of elevation. Hikers are rewarded with views of the ocean, the deep green valleys, and a 270-foot in the Makamakaole Falls. Entrance and parking are free.

Estimated activity budget: $100

Food: Eat Out for Cheap

There is plenty of affordable ono grindz (delicious food) in Maui. If you鈥檙e in south Maui, try the refreshing salads, hearty grain bowls, and sandwiches at in Kihei and Kahului (near the airport), where prices range from $10.25 to $15.25. Also in Kihei, the family owned offers a daily plate lunch special for only $12.95, while its filling flatbread with toppings, ranging from kalua pork to garlic and mushroom, are priced at $11.95 to $14.95. is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a small menu of sandwiches with fresh-baked bread, farm-fresh salads, and sweet and savory pies. Pick up a chicken pot pie for $10 from the restaurant and some fresh fruit from the farm stand next door, then head to the nearby Olowalu Beach for a picnic. In the historic town of Lahaina, the cash-only is a hole-in-the-wall breakfast and lunch spot with one of the town鈥檚 best loco moco ($13.95), a house-made beef patty topped with mushroom-onion gravy and two fried eggs over rice. Some of the tables at the outdoor patio have views of the ocean. And in Kaanapali, specializes in Hawaiian-inspired Filipino dishes such as the pork adobo fried rice ($11) and garlic chicken ($16) with sweet soy glaze, Sriracha aioli, served with a side of macaroni salad and rice.

Dining out for three meals a day can get expensive quickly, so stock up on groceries at a local supermarket chain called , with locations in Lahaina, Kihei, and Kehalani. The stores have a great selection of fresh poke, Spam musubi, ready-to-eat bento boxes, and rotisserie chicken. Or head to the in Kahului, where you鈥檒l find hot chicken or pork buns and dim sum for less than $2, as well as a range of sushi rolls, sandwiches, and bento boxes.

Estimated food budget (eating one meal out per day): $300

Total: $1,980

The post How to Go on a Vacation to Maui for Less than $2,000 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

63 Parks Traveler started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road, practicing COVID-19 best safety protocols along the way. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late. Haleakala is her 60th park visit.

When I think of U.S. national parks, I tend to picture the rolling hillsides of Great Smoky Mountains, the sweeping granite rock faces of Yosemite, or the burbling hydrothermal features of Yellowstone. So when I touched down on the Hawaiian island of Maui to pay a visit to , I was surprised to feel as though I鈥檇 been whisked away to another country entirely. Mountains cloaked in dense jungle rose up from the sea, and my nostrils twitched in the sticky humidity.

Since the flight to Hawaii was one of the last of my trip, I asked my friend Ave along to make the weeklong excursion feel more festive. We grabbed our bags, picked up our camper-van rental, and, after a night of rest, began the butt-clenching drive across the , a crumbling, one-lane stretch of road that shouldn鈥檛 rightfully be called a highway at all.

Also known as Route 31, Piilani stretches along the southern shore from near the Kanaio Natural Area to the coastal of Haleakala National Park, with enough blind turns and steep drop-offs to make even the most confident driver nervous, especially in a two-wheel-drive vehicle. Had we known before blindly hitting the gas, we might have opted for the more touristed Road to Hana, the northerly route (which is similarly serpentine). After an hour and a half of gritting our teeth and squealing every time we were sure the van would careen off a cliff, we rolled into a parking space and set off on the forested .

Up we climbed, past an overlook for roaring Makahiku Falls, through dense tangles of rainforest, and between sky-high stalks of bamboo that rhythmically creaked and tapped against one another in the breeze.

By the time we arrived at the turnaround point at Waimoku Falls, two miles and 800 feet of elevation gain later, my head was spinning鈥攁 combination of heat, sunshine, and sublime scenery. According to Native Hawaiians, the god Maui once stood atop the summit of the 10,023-foot volcano Haleakala and lassoed the sun in its journey across the sky to make the days last longer. While I wasn鈥檛 sure if I believed the legend, the strength of the glare was enough to make me turn around in search of ice cream and air-conditioning.

The next day, we set our sights on completely different terrain, in the park鈥檚 , and a famous hike that I鈥檇 been dreaming about for years鈥攖he (or Sliding Sands) Trail. This path is one of the few in the park that dips below the crater鈥檚 rim, traveling for 11 miles across a topography unlike anything else on the planet.

Ave and I clicked our trekking poles across seemingly endless switchbacks as we made our way down 2,500 vertical feet to the crater鈥檚 floor. Oxblood-colored cinder cones sprouted up like enormous anthills, once endangered greeted us like glowing anemones, and a pair of endemic waddled across the trail. With little other life surrounding us, it was as if we鈥檇 been teleported to Mars, rich copper and umber hues replacing the previous day鈥檚 verdant tapestry.

After a grueling return ascent in the unrelenting sun, we found our van and steered it to the top of Crater Road to check out the sunset near the . A sea of clouds hovered below my feet, making the volcano itself feel like an island atop an island.

Hung between heaven and earth, watching the sky turn flame orange, I found myself speechless and utterly grateful. Grateful to live in a country diverse enough to toss me into a rainforest one day, then drop me onto a Martian landscape the next. Grateful that the two coexisted in the very same national park.

63 Parks Traveler Haleakala Info

Size: 33,265 acres

Location: Southeastern Maui, Hawaii

Created In: 1916 (Hawaii National Park), 1961 (redesignated as Haleakala National Park)

Best For: Hiking, sunrise and sunset viewing, stargazing, backpacking, Native history

When to Go: Haleakala is known for having a wide range of temperatures, due to its extreme elevation shift from sea level to over 10,000 feet at the summit. Seasoned travelers recommend visiting the island of Maui in spring (55 to 74 degrees) or fall (58 to 77 degrees) to escape the crowds and enjoy moderate temperatures. Summer (59 to 78 degrees) sees less rain and more tourists, while winter (55 to 72 degrees) will be chilly and possibly snowy in the park鈥檚 Summit District, which is typically 30 degrees colder than it is on the coast.

Where to Stay: The park boasts two campgrounds for travelers who don鈥檛 mind roughing it. sits at a lofty 7,000 feet elevation, in the Summit District, and features sites with a picnic table, grill, pit toilets, and potable water. , not far from the Pipiwai Trail, offers similar amenities (although no water) and lies in the more tropical area of the park, overlooking stunning ocean cliffs. Both sites require advance reservations. Interested in backpacking? Haleakala also hosts inside the volcanic crater that also must be booked in advance.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Watch the sunrise from the summit of Haleakala. This natural marvel is such a popular excursion that the National Park Service now requires a daily to drive up Crater Road between 3 A.M. and 7 A.M. If your morning coffee has bestowed you with enough energy to hike afterward, consider making the 1.1-mile journey along the to the first crater viewpoint.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Tackle the entire Keoneheehee Trail. Since this storied pathway is technically a thru-hike, the Park Service recommends parking your vehicle at the Halemauu Trailhead, then hitchhiking six miles up to the Keoneheehee (Sliding Sands) Trailhead, so that when you鈥檙e done for the day, you鈥檒l have car access to drive back to your lodging. Along the way, keep an eye out for nene geese, silverswords, and a vibrant rust-tinted slope known as Pele鈥檚 Paint Pot.

The post Haleakala National Park Boasts a Landscape Fit for a Hawaiian God appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Hawaii is known for its miles of powdery white, otherworldly black, and even red- and green-sand beaches. Kamilo Beach, on the Island of Hawaii鈥檚 southeast coast,听boasts blue, green, purple, and pink hues. But the colors here are not natural鈥攖hey come from plastic fragments mixed into the grains of sand. This stretch of shoreline is a magnet for marine debris, thanks to ocean currents, strong winds, and its proximity to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a trash vortex between the West Coast and Japan. Each year, volunteers from the nonprofit remove 15 to 20 tons of fishing nets and lines, straws, utensils, cups, plastic bottles, toys, and disposable lighters from the remote beach. But the garbage keeps on coming.

Kamilo Beach is not alone鈥攙isitors to even the most famed beaches in听the state, like Oahu鈥檚 Waikiki, Maui鈥檚 Kaanapali, Kauai鈥檚 Hanalei Bay, and the Island of Hawaii鈥檚 Hapuna, will encounter marine debris that鈥檚 floated ashore, along with trash left behind by day-trippers. 鈥淧eople think beaches in Hawaii are clean until they participate in a beach cleanup and start to notice all of the straws, cigarette butts, plastic wrappers, hair bands, flip-flops, and microplastic,鈥� says Shelby Serra, a conservation advocate at the (PWF).

The PWF and Hawaii Wildlife Fund are just two of a number of environmental nonprofits attempting to address the state鈥檚 seemingly never-ending trash problem, which only worsened during the pandemic with an uptick in take-out-related waste and masks showing up on beaches. To counter Hawaii鈥檚 plastic crisis, state and local lawmakers have passed legislation in recent years banning听single-use plastic, including ordinances enacted this year in Honolulu and on Maui prohibiting the sale and use of disposable plastic and polystyrene foam food ware. But just because laws are passed doesn鈥檛 mean people will abide by them. On-the-ground efforts are needed to raise awareness, too. 鈥淎ctual policy advocacy is merely one facet, passing the law is just one step,鈥� says Serra.

Case in point: Hawaii banned cigarettes in state parks and on beaches in 2015, yet three years later, when the PWF requested to see the Maui Police Department鈥檚 records, they found that zero citations had been issued. Serra believes that if people knew how harmful their butts were for the environment, they might think twice before flicking them into the sand. 鈥淢any people don鈥檛 even know that a cigarette filter is actually made of tightly packed plastic fibers,鈥� she says. 鈥淐ouple that with the toxins that are being filtered out of the cigarette itself, it can be a very harmful piece of debris if ingested by birds or marine life.鈥�

Perhaps no group needs this education more than the legions of tourists descending on the islands in even greater numbers since the state lifted its COVID restrictions in March. During the lockdown-induced lull in visitors early on in the pandemic, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) started working with local organizations to address the impact of vacationers through an initiative called the Malama Hawaii Program. One of the goals听is to enlist visitors in the fight against the island鈥檚 trash by connecting them with area nonprofits working on the issue.

The HTA recruited hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers in Oahu, Kauai, Maui, the Island of Hawaii, and Lanai to start offering discounts and free nights of lodging to tourists who participate in beach cleanups or who volunteer to plant native trees, clear non-native plants, and fish for invasive tilapia to restore ancient fishponds.听Some hotels require proof of the trash collected or hours volunteered, while others just trust their patrons to follow through. At the听听on Maui听and the听 on the Island of Hawaii, for example, it鈥檚 all on the honor system: guests just need to pick up a cleanup kit during their stay and visit a beach to comb for plastic before they leave. Meanwhile, on Oahu,听 guests can get a night comped by signing up to plant native trees with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative.

When the program was introduced in 2020, it was a huge help to community groups who didn鈥檛 have the resources to recruit and take on volunteers on their own. 鈥淧articipating Malama Hawaii organizations, like the Pacific Whale Foundation, have made beach cleanups easy and accessible for visitors by providing the necessary materials,鈥� says John De Fries, HTA鈥檚 president and CEO. The kits for the self-directed beach cleanups, comprised of recycled grain bags and data sheets to document the debris, are stocked by local nonprofits and left at the resorts鈥� front desks or tourist-friendly locations nearby. In Maui, PacWhale Eco-国产吃瓜黑料s, an ecotourism outfit run by the PWF, started placing them at the Ocean Store at Maalaea and Lahaina, as well as at the听, , and farm-to-table restaurant . The Hawaii Wildlife Fund has been carrying out similar efforts on the Island of Hawaii and inviting visitors to organized beach cleanups like the one on Kamilo Beach.

So far it鈥檚 been a big success. In the past couple of years, tourists have contributed thousands of pounds of trash pickup from dozens of beaches around the state. 鈥淲e have found that many visitors to Maui want to learn and give back while on the island,鈥� says Serra. 鈥淚f only a small percentage of them participated in a program like this one, we could easily have enough people to clean every beach on Maui every day of the year.鈥�

The increase in manpower is particularly helpful for smaller islands like Kauai, whose population of 70,000 is dwarfed by its tourists鈥攎ore than 1.3 million people visited in 2019. Many of the island鈥檚 hotels, like the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay and the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, are offering free nights for participating in self-directed beach cleanups as well as for signing up for organized volunteer outings, like hikes to remote bays to pick up marine debris led by the the local chapter of the nonprofit . 鈥淚t鈥檚 an adventure for people who come clean with us, because we typically take them to places that most visitors never see,鈥� says Barbara Wiedner, education and outreach chair of the Surfrider Foundation鈥檚 Kauai chapter.

These cleanups are also enabling visitors to have a more meaningful connection to the Hawaiian community and the environment. 鈥淲hen people physically see, remove, and record the debris they find, there are connections made that carry into their behavior moving forward,鈥� says Serra. While beach cleanups help solve the immediate problem, the bigger impact might be in the lifestyle changes visitors make afterward to reduce the amount of plastic trash they produce, like packing a Hydro Flask, using a bar of soap instead of a bottled version, and saying no to plastic utensils when getting takeout. 鈥淲e need to stop opting for convenience and selecting the cheapest option,鈥� says Megan Lamson, president and program director of the Hawaii Wildlife Fund. 鈥淲e must combat the ever-increasing problem of plastic pollution across our planet, not just for the health of our oceans but for the health and wellness of humanity and our chance at maintaining a livable planet into the future.鈥�

The post Hawaii Is Cleaning Its Beaches with a Renewable Resource: Tourists appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

One year ago, any plans you had for a spring getaway were likely canceled. Mine were. I was slated to go camping in Joshua Tree National Park in mid-April, and I remember the email from the National Park Service like it was yesterday: 鈥淲e wanted you to be aware, this location is closed. Your reservation has been canceled and refunds have been issued.鈥� It was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and so much was unknown. Now,听one year and a whole lot of chaos later, spring travel doesn鈥檛 exactly look like it did way back in 2019, but with the proper precautions, a break from the grind can happen in some shape or form. Here鈥檚 some inspiration for a much deserved听budget-friendly spring trip to celebrate the fact that you made it through a year none of us could have anticipated.听听

Find Healing in the Desert

Sedona, Arizona

If there鈥檚 a restorative vortex anywhere on this planet, it鈥檚 in Sedona, thanks to its plethora of wellness and meditation retreats, energy healers, and an听 showing sites thought to be restorative epicenters. Whether or not you believe in that sort of thing,听there鈥檚 just something calming about exploring a red-rock desert, especially when temperatures are in the 70s (and not the 100s, which the area听averages in summer). There鈥檚 climbing, mountain biking,听hiking through听canyons, and practicing yoga with epic views. The 300-square-foot tiny homes at听 (from $276) have names like Flow, Breathe, and Renew听and come with a stargazing deck and yoga mats.

Hit the Open Road

Various locations

Pick up a fully outfitted听 (from $339) from any of the company鈥檚听five hubs: Jackson, Wyoming; Las Vegas, Nevada; San Francisco, California; Whitefish, Montana; or Salt Lake City, Utah. These luxury Sprinter vans come with perks like a French press for making coffee, camp chairs, and marshmallow-roasting skewers, and offer听a variety of sleeping quarters. Not sure where to go? Moterra will also plan your road trip,听with custom itineraries, prebooked campsites, and scenic routes all mapped out.

Ride the Trails

Brevard, North Carolina

is a haven for mountain bikers. You鈥檒l find dozens of trails, a beer-serving bike shop called听,听and guided mountain biking and skills workshops for every level at the听. Pitch a tent at听 (from $34), where you鈥檒l get trail access from camp, or book one of 15 architect-designed cabins (from $150) at听, a 124-acre property bordering the forest with its own flow trail and future campsites currently in development.

Cap Off Your Ski Season

Huntsville, Utah

Yes, it鈥檚 still winter in some places.听, less than an hour north of Salt Lake City, will stay open through April 11. If you buy next season鈥檚 pass now (from $899), you can ski free this spring. Otherwise, day tickets start at $139 (buy ahead of time). Enjoy zero lift lines, late-season powder, and,听new this year, ski-up windows where you can order a slice of pizza or a breakfast burrito on the go. Stay at the听 (from $199) and you鈥檙e just minutes from skiing at Snowbasin and nearby听.

Learn Something New

Floras Lake, Oregon

Kitesurfing season opens on the southern Oregon coast in the spring, and there鈥檚 no better place to get in on the action听than听, a family-owned kitesurf school in one of the windiest spots in the country. The school is open from April through September on a freshwater lake outside of听the town of Bandon, a 4.5-hour drive from Portland and seven hours from Seattle. Camp at the neighboring听 (from $20), or book this (from $425) on the property. You can rent windsurfing or kiteboarding gear, sign up for a lesson, and borrow paddleboards and kayaks.

Jump in a Pool

Palm Springs, California

Sure, there鈥檚 plenty to do in Palm Springs鈥攖rails and desert vistas in or are about an hour away鈥攂ut we won鈥檛 judge if you just feel like posting up in a lounge chair by the pool.听 (from $147) has ten听midcentury modern poolside suites鈥攜ou can get $100 off your first stay by signing up for their newsletter.听Enjoy breakfast in a private garden, then grab a loaner cruiser bike to roll into town.听

Relax on the Beach

Lahaina, Maui

On Maui鈥檚 west side, a former sugar plantation is now (from $24), which has 35 beachfront tent sites, as well as van camping spots, tented bungalows with private outdoor showers, and A-frame cabins with kitchenettes. Located ten听minutes from Lahaina, this spot has mellow surf breaks, some of the world鈥檚 largest banyan trees, and guided sea kayaking outings through a protected reef. Be sure to read up on听.

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鈥淭he pandemic was really the second disaster. The first one was the flood on Kauai,鈥� says Alan Carpenter, assistant administrator of Hawaii鈥檚 . In April 2018, a record-breaking storm dumped more than four feet of rain in 24 hours on the north shore of Kauai, destroying hundreds of homes and the one road leading to the Na Pali Coast鈥檚 and its popular Kalalau Trail. Suddenly, one of Hawaii鈥檚 most visited attractions听went from seeing over 2,000 tourists a day to none.

Incidentally, just prior to the flood, DLNR and community members had finished drafting a听master plan听for Haena State Park, an effort 20 years in the making. It aimed to听control the crowds overwhelming the park and surrounding听towns, while also restoring the area鈥檚听natural and cultural environment. The proposal included stream and loi (wetland taro field) restoration, stormwater and erosion mitigation, an overhaul of park facilities, a shuttle service, and a reservation system that would charge nonresidents and limit visitors to no more than 900 a day.

The original听timeline proposed introducing the changes in听five to ten听years (although, because of听permitting and funding challenges, 20 years was more likely). 鈥淎t that moment, we had exactly $100,000 allotted to implement a multimillion-dollar plan,鈥� says Carpenter. 鈥淎nd boom, here comes the flood, and with it $100 million of state emergency funding and several million tapped for park funding. The combination of that, along with the temporary lifting of all of the typical regulations and government red tape, made it an amazing opportunity. Without the flood, it wouldn鈥檛 have happened.鈥�

A little more than a year after the flood, in June of 2019, Haena State Park reopened with all of its new regulations in place. 鈥淚t changed the whole tenor of that area,鈥� Carpenter says. 鈥淓verybody saw the success of Haena and wanted to apply it to other places.鈥�

Visitors to the Hawaiian听Islands, which have a resident population of 1.4 million, have been steadily increasing over听the past decade, hitting听a record high of 10.4 million in 2019. As the number of tourists grew, so did concerns about traffic, overcrowding, and damage to the environment. In a 2019 Hawaii Tourism Authority , two-thirds of the residents polled believed that the state government was running the islands for tourists at the expense of locals. Tourism was leading to diminishing returns鈥攁djusting for inflation, total visitor spending had fallen since 1989, despite an听increase of four million annual tourists since. Hawaii residents听were听getting fed up. New laws on Maui and Oahu cracked down on vacation rentals, for short-term units that hadn鈥檛 gone through the extensive permitting process. An existing 听at Oahu鈥檚 Kailua Beach, instituted in 2012, extended to Waimanalo beaches on the island鈥檚 east coast听as a way to curb tour buses and tourism-focused interests. The DLNR instituted at other parks to help pay for eroding infrastructure.

And then the pandemic hit. A mandatory 14-day quarantine for incoming travelers effectively closed Hawaii to tourism for seven months. 鈥淭he pandemic did for the whole state what the flood did to the north shore of Kauai,鈥� Carpenter says. 鈥淚t shut it down and reset tourism to zero.鈥�

Will the pandemic be a turning point for the state,听like the flood听was for Haena?

At听the beginning of COVID-19, as in听many other places, a stillness descended on Hawaii as residents sheltered at home. Pictures of empty beaches abounded on Instagram and in the media, but if you shifted your camera to the water, you鈥檇 see crowds of surfers in the ocean. For a time, shelter-in-place orders closed the beaches, but state law required public shoreline access, so residents were never forbidden from听the water, and from the unemployed to children unmoored from school, they took to the waves. Waikiki surf breaks were as packed听as they were during pre-pandemic times, but with locals.

According to Chana Makale鈥榓 Dudoit Ane, resilience officer at the Maui County听, there used to be 鈥渢ourists crowding the beaches鈥� at multiple surf spots,听including Honolua Bay and near Kihei, 鈥渨hich made it uncomfortable being there. Now听there are tons of local people, you鈥檙e sharing waves, and it鈥檚 a different kind of vibe of culture and respect.鈥� Wade Tokoro, shaper and owner of , says his sales have increased compared with听the previous year, something he attributes to locals surfing听more and beginners picking听up the sport.

Without the pressure of tourism, fish seemed to . Stores couldn鈥檛 keep fishing supplies in stock, and area听anglers听. For months, schools of halalu, an indigenous shad, swarmed Oahu鈥檚 usually tourist-dense Ala Moana and Kaimana Beaches like dark underwater clouds, and fishers听followed. Ane describes how one day she and her family were walking the shoreline in Kaehu, near a surf break called Churches, and 鈥渨atched an old-timer throwing a net to catch his dinner.鈥� He was tracking schools of nehu. The man told Ane that the ancestral听name for both this听place and the surf break were听called Nehu, and that it was a site听frequented by alii (traditional Hawaiian royalty) and chiefs back in the day.

Even the food banks have become a resource for cultural knowledge in these tough pandemic times.听When听the听, on Hawaii Island, faced a rice shortage, it听distributed ulu, or breadfruit, which was brought to the islands by the听first Polynesian inhabitants. Rice, despite being a staple in local cuisine, is imported, and as food insecurity skyrocketed and supply chains were disrupted, it became hard to come by.听The , formed in 2016 to promote production of ulu and develop a market for it,听stepped in and supplied the Food Basket with the healthier alternative, introducing many locals to the product for听the first time, says Dana Shapiro, the cooperative鈥檚 manager.听鈥淯lu could save the day in the starch category, which is how we鈥檝e always thought about it,鈥� Shapiro says.

At the start of the pandemic, many hoped that the state would take the听pause in tourism to address overtourism, as with Haena State Park. But COVID-19听has wreaked economic devastation on Hawaii. Tourism鈥檚 shutdown led to increasing homelessness, and the unemployment rate jumped to 23 percent. So unlike the aftermath of Haena鈥檚 floods, Hawaii鈥檚 state parks have not seen a swift infusion of federal emergency money; instead, most funding has gone听toward听helping households and small businesses directly affected by the pandemic. Between the drop in nonresident visitors and a loss of vendor contracts, the DLNR has estimated its losses at $500,000 a month.

Because of this, minimal state-level action has taken place听since the start of the pandemic to听proactively address听future overtourism. Many of the protocols that have been instituted since March 2020 were in听the pipeline before the pandemic hit; namely, a fee increase across eight state parks was finalized in October听(though parking and entrance for residents remains free), and a new reservation system will be introduced at on Maui鈥檚 Hana Highway in March. The only direct change as a result of the pandemic was outside of DLNR鈥檚 jurisdiction,听at Honolulu County鈥檚 Hanauma Bay: a first-ever daily visitor cap of 720 was set in January, reducing the number of permitted visitors from听3,000, the听average daily figure seen听in 2019.

There is some evidence that the Hawaii Tourism Authority听is shifting its focus from marketing for more tourists to managing visitors鈥�听impact on the islands. In September, the HTA hired John De Fries as its president and CEO, the first Native Hawaiian to serve in those听roles, and last听fall听it began drafting Destination Management Action Plans for each of the islands, with community input. In February, it released , and the other islands are slated to follow with theirs shortly. Among the recommendations for Kauai tourism: better management of natural resources (to be funded by increased听user fees), a limitation on听visitors, and enforced听rest days. However, the HTA does not currently have any kind of enforcement authority, so it remains to be seen if anything becomes of this wish list.

In place of larger measures, some of the state鈥檚 conservation nonprofits have experimented with small-scale models during this forced pause.

Calling to mind the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, a portion of Hawaii鈥檚 CARES money went to hiring and training听unemployed residents to work in conservation. Among the programs that qualified were , which teaches听local youth about听land preservation; the Aloha Aina Workforce Program on Kauai, which gave agricultural roles to听two dozen workers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19; and a partnership with the . The last initiative sought to retrain a workforce previously employed by tourism for positions听in the natural-resources sector, bringing on听70 people across seven land and sea nonprofits; workers restored听loi fields,听which help retain water and reduce sediment runoff into the ocean,听recovered ancient fish ponds听that help curb coastal erosion,听removed invasive plants,听and learned about watershed management and stream maintenance.

鈥淚 would say that every one of them would like to continue doing what they were doing, if they could,鈥� says Ekolu Lindsey, a board member of the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and , another nonprofit that has听been rebuilding loi fields. After the CARES money ran out at the end of last year, 6听of the 17 people听hired by Kipuka Olowalu were able to continue employment in the environmental or farming sectors.

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 seen the adverse effects that tourism really brings to our natural environment, but also understands it鈥檚 a necessary part of our beating hearts. So how do we manage it effectively?鈥� asks Lindsey.听Rather than replacing tourism with another industry, he sees tourism as a way to fund investment and provide labor to restore cultural practices. Tourists on vacation in Hawaii might be interested in, say, repairing a native fishpond and learning about the ancient ahupuaa system of land division, he hopes.

His vision is also a way of sharing Indigenous knowledge.听Hawaii鈥檚 people, language, culture, flora, and fauna have听long been negatively affected by outside forces.听In the听1970s, a modern Hawaiian renaissance began with a revival听of听the language and cultural practices that were nearly lost, like hula. The next step is to share this听culture outside Hawaii; one such effort was听Malama Honua, a worldwide voyage of the Polynesian canoe听, which sailed to 23 countries from 2013 to听2019听using traditional听way-finding techniques.

On Hawaii Island, Kuhao Zane, creative director of clothing retailer Sig Zane Designs,听is active in听the听, named after Zane鈥檚 grandmother, a revered hula and Hawaiian-culture practitioner. The foundation听focuses on sharing Indigenous knowledge听and the role it can serve in this modern time, whether in school curriculums or proper resource management in culturally significant areas. A few months ago, Zane and his cousin were enjoying a relatively empty beach when they overheard a tour guide telling stories about the place. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 have the right depth of Hawaiian culture that we felt we could share,鈥� he says. They are now working with the HTA and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau on developing a knowledge-certification program for those employed in tourism.

Right now, Zane is looking to his own heritage for some answers. 鈥淐oming from a hula background, we call these kinds of times hulihia, or 鈥榖ig upheavals,鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淎 lot of the chants talk about big lava flows, earthquakes, whole forests going down. These are times of constant change.鈥� He鈥檚 in the process of translating the texts of chants听to 鈥渢ake a look at the chants that happen after hulihia,鈥� he says.听鈥淢aybe that could give you some inkling of what鈥檚 to come.鈥�

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