Japan has finally opened up for tourists! It’s been a rough couple of years, and it is so refreshing to have travel options open up again. For those who want to travel around Japan, you may want to consider purchasing a Japan Rail (JR) pass. What is the JR Pass? The JR Pass offers unlimited … [More…]
Last year, I spent ~2 months living and working in Oahu. I had plenty of time to explore and try out various food and dessert places on the island, some touristy/popular and some off the beaten path. Here is a list of my favorite places to eat. Top Food Places Wat Thai (Pearl City) – … [More…]
I recently renewed my Global Entry membership with the Department of Homeland Security, and I was pleasantly surprised at how efficient it has become! Compared to the 6-7 month delay in getting interview time slots we experienced 5 years ago, this was a world of difference! How did the enrollment program change in the last … [More…]
Kauai is the 4th largest island in Hawaii and is known as the “Garden Isle” because of its lush tropical rainforest and waterfalls. For many people. this is the tropical paradise you are looking for. How long should you spend in paradise? The island’s not that big (you can drive from one end of the … [More…]
The Makauwahi Cave is Hawaii’s largest limestone cave, and it is located on the south shore of Kauai. The cave can be accessed by car (you need a 4wd to drive off road) or by hiking the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail. I visited the cave on foot by hiking the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail. It is a … [More…]
The Awa’awapuhi Trail is a beautiful hike in Koke’e State Park that leads you to a breathtaking view of Kauai’s Napali Coast. The trail is 3.2 miles each way (~6.4miles roundtrip) and takes 3-4 hours to go in and out. Depending on the condition of the trail, I would say this trail ranks from moderately … [More…]
The NouNou (aka Sleeping Giant) trail is a popular hiking trail on the east side of Kauai, Hawaii. Legend has it there was a giant who ate too many rocks and ended up laying down to sleep for a long time… By climbing the Sleeping Giant Trail you will be rewarded with a beautiful view … [More…]
The beauty of Kauai is that there are so many gems hidden away for you to adventure and find. Hideaway Beach (Pali Ke Kua) on Kauai’s north shore is one of those gems. Located in Princeville on the north shore, Hideaway Beach requires a hike down a steep trail supported by handrails and ropes. After … [More…]
On March 25, the Hong Kong government imposed travel restrictions to all inbound travelers to Hong Kong. Those traveling in from overseas will need to undergo 2 COVID-19 saliva tests and a compulsory 14-day quarantine at home or other accommodations (like a hotel). Violators of the quarantine are faced with HKD $25,000 in fines and … [More…]
019 marks the beginning of the long awaited Southwest flights to Hawaii. The first flight took off from Oakland to Honolulu in March 2019. At the time of this post, Southwest offers 4 direct flights from the mainland: Oakland (OAK) to Honolulu (HNL) on Oahu, San Jose (SJC) to Honolulu (HNL) on Oahu, Oakland (OAK) to Kahului (OGG) on Maui, and San Jose (SJC) to Kahului (OGG) on Maui. Southwest also flies to Kona (KOA) on Big Island via Honolulu. Besides Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest is the only other major commercial airline that flies inter-island routes*, which is great news for creating some competition in Hawaii!
For my trip this Memorial Day weekend, I flew to Kona (KOA).