Chasing Waterfalls in Hawaii

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Any honeymoon is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but Molly and Matt wanted to make sure they really did everything: relaxing at the beach, snorkeling, hiking, waterfalls and local culture. I knew the perfect place: Hawaii. These islands are simply magical, and like most who visit them (myself included!), Matt and Molly can’t wait to go back!

Here’s their fabulous trip report:

Hi Ann!
We had the best time – thank you SO MUCH for all you did to help us plan! 

cliffs and sea coast of hawaii

All of the hotels were great!  It was really nice having the more family/big box feel of Sheraton transition to the more romantic feel of Koa Kea– best of both worlds!  The breakfast in the morning at Sheraton was AWESOME- thanks for your foresight in getting that included.

couple on a beach in hawaii

In Kona, we couldn’t do the manta ray snorkel at night because the waves were too intense- which means I guess we will just have to go back! Also, the summit was closed due to protestors (but has since reopened so we will definitely go back for that!).

honeymooners on a boat in hawaii

We did a Body Glove Sunset Historical tour which had great service with a hearty Hawaiian themed meal included.  We did some beach hopping and off-roading in the jeep which was really great to have. Overall we loved the Big Island.

hawaii jack harter doorless helicopter ride

In Kauai, we did the Jack Harter doorLESS helicopter ride– scariest but most beautiful experience of my life. 

I was completely unprepared and wasn’t expecting how tiny the helicopter would be.  It was also a pretty windy day with some bumps and turbulence. The pilot was knowledgeable and the operation was extremely well run.  Would definitely recommend for thrill-seekers- once in a lifetime experience. 

We also did the Dukes Waimea River Kayak with Secret Tour.

very tall waterfall in hawaii

It was great and we really appreciated having the tour guide to guide us through the muddy terrain to the stunning falls.

We probably could have done it on our own but it took out all the guesswork and the tour guide was very charismatic and informative. 

couple in a waterfall pool in hawaii

Otherwise, in Kauai, we did a lot of sightseeing, EATING and relaxing on the beach. 

sea turtle on a beach in Hawaii

We snorkeled right off the coast of Koa Kea- and saw beautiful tropical fish, a sea turtle, and a seal- so we bypassed by Napali Snorkel Tour (but will hopefully get to do that in the future!)

Overall we had an unreal time and it was a dream. 

Thank you for everything!  Our parents are now thinking of going to Hawaii so we will share your information with them if that is okay!

couple sitting on a log in a rainbow in hawaii

Mahalo :))
Molly & Matt

From Napa to the Napali Coast

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From here on the East Coast, the flights to Hawaii can be daunting, and clients often ask about breaking up the trip with a stop in California along the way. Honeymooners Kaitlyn and Joe did just that, with a few days of winetasting in Napa as an “aperitif” before the main event —  their adventurous honeymoon on the Big Island and Kauai.

Hi Ann,

Sorry I am just getting back to you, but we have been busy getting settled back in.

We had an awesome time on the honeymoon!  Thank you so much for all of your help planning it.  Everything went as planned and we didn’t have any issues.  Our favorite hotel room was definitely the Andaz Napa.  We got upgraded to an Andaz Large Loft room.  While in Napa, we did winery tours of Robert Mondavi, Castello di Amaroso, and Cakebread Cellars.  Castello di Amaroso is a little touristy, but was definitely worth seeing.  We want to go back to Napa at some point so we can spend a few more days checking out the other wineries.  Downtown Napa where the hotel was located, was also very cool.  We would enjoy exploring that area a little more as well.

beautiful Hawaiian beach for a perfect honeymoon

The Big Island was our favorite part of the honeymoon.  The Waikoloa Marriott was nice, but the rooms could use some renovation.  When we checked in, I asked about getting a room upgrade because we were on our honeymoon, but they said they were all sold out.  When they brought us to the Garden View room, it was on the first floor and the balcony walked out to a main pathway.  I went back to the check-in desk and asked if they had anything off the ground level.  They were able to put us in a corner room on the second floor.  It was much better than the original room we had a view of the pool and partial ocean.  The highlight on the Big Island was the doors-off helicopter tour we took out of Hilo to see the volcano and waterfalls.  We booked it through http://hawaiivolcanoeshelicoptertours.com/  We also drove around a lot and got to see all of the different parts of the Big Island.

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aerial view of waterfall in Hawaii

The Kauai Marriott was the nicest resort out of any of the hotels we stayed at.  I would love to stay here again.  The grounds were beautiful and pristine.  We were upgraded to a partial ocean view room on the top floor upon check-in.  While on Kauai, we did a boat tour of the Napali coast through http://napaliexperience.com/, saw the Waimea Canyon, hiked on the Kalalau trail, and did some shopping.  We didn’t have the best weather while we were there, which is probably why we liked the Big Island better.  Everyone we talked to said it was the worst weather they had seen on Kauai in the last 10 years, but we still had a great time.

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rocky beach waves in hawaii

Overall, it was the trip of a lifetime and was everything we thought it would be.  Thank you again for all of your help putting it together!

Joe and Kaitlyn

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS
"It was truly magical, and the logistics were seamless. We cannot thank you enough for setting it all up in such a way that we really did not have to worry about transportation whatsoever. It gave us all the more time to enjoy the sun, ocean and culture. All the honeymoon amenities were such a great surprise too – and made us feel so special."
French PolynesiaNathan & Jackie
"The vacation was all we could have ever asked for or imagined. We even got engaged!!Thank you for all your help, we had an amazing time and will be contacting you again for our next trip and our honeymoon! We couldn’t be more satisfied with all of your suggestions and assistance"
Punta CanaKyle & Keith
"We had a great time on the adventure as always. Thank you once again for your help. Our trips wouldn’t be half as good and planning would be more than twice as stressful without your wisdom!"
Alaska Lydia & Tim
"Thank you for doing such a great job for us! It really was flawless. You will hear from us again. I am hoping to plan another European vacation next year -- I’m not getting any younger! LOL Recommending you to everyone I know!"
ItalyCynthia
"Hope you had a great weekend. Just wanting to get back to you with feedback from our Hawaiian honeymoon!! We truly couldn’t have had a better time & are so appreciative of all you did in putting together such a wonderful trip we’ll remember forever!"
HawaiiJoanna & Joe
"Thank you for everything :) :) we absolutely LOVED our trip!! Moorea is the definition of Paradise! The lush vegetation and the crystal clear lagoon had me staring at the views in awe every single day. I must have said a million times that the views just do not get old!"
MooreaMeagan & Cameron
"it was AMAZING! Kudos to Thad for picking Rovos and Sindabezi Island and then you helped the two seamlessly come together with transfers and your Private Safari Connections. We will definitely chat! I also have about a thousand pictures to share! THIS was truly a once in a lifetime trip!!!"
South AfricaRosemarie
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You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

– Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

– Carli (Italy and Spain)