honeymooning
- Thread starter SAZAMA
- Start date
I'd steer away from anything connected to Mexico as much as I love birding. I went to the Big Island for my honeymoon and loved it. There are so many cheap places to stay (hated Kona). An old coworker was from the Big Island and he gave very detailed information as did a work study I supervised who is also from Hawaii. They all agreed Kauai was beautiful, but stressed the bad weather, beggars and hurricane recovery which was quite extensive. I do have some exceptional and nice leads for hotels on the Big Island if that's where you choose. I'm anti Estes Park in the tropics if that makes sense. To me to go that far, make it worth the culture/change otherwise the hotels, especially Kona, Maui and Kauai are so damn expensive and tourist traps you might as well go to Estes Park. We stayed at the hotel Manago by Cooks Bay. Really cheap, but is known for some of the best ocean view on the island and well known. It is not at all plush, but again the view from the balcony is famous. We strolled around the grounds and picked our own coconuts, pineapple, etc. They also had a kick *** koi and bonzi garden that is so well known. We went to Hilo for several days and just loved it. There is so much to see on the Hilo side, very famous waterfalls that are HUGE; ginger, papaya, guava all you can eat. The Dolphin Bay is very well known, simple, but they spoil you rotten to say the least. We also stayed in Waimai at a place called the Log Cabin. Super cheap, gorgeous home. They came in every day and brought a ton of very fresh local produce and of course Hawaiian coffee. We went wild at a Hilo farmer's market and had a ball. Came back to the hotel with huge armloads of fresh flowers and very fresh seafood, fruit and vegetable you can't even begin to envision how incredible it was. There is also a famous observatory on the Hilo Side. If you do look at the Big Island, you don't want to stay at the Volcano places. Total tourist traps, way overpriced, and just plain not enjoyable. I wouldn't discount the Florida Keys, or the banks of of South/North Carolina which I hear a ton of good things about. Unless someone is buying your airfare, the cost is insane to travel far. Jamaica can be wonderful to say the least. You just have to stay right around the resort, and not go out at night. My sister was in the Peace Corp in Jamaica and she loved it. You do not want to hang out in Kingstown, even for the day, ever.
