Cleaning up an urban oasis in Hawaii

8:22 am by admin

For those interested in eco-tourism, but who have no interest in staying in a yurt, riding a bike for miles or living on wheat gluten and lentils, there are ways to have a positive environmental impact during a Hawaii vacation without having to abide a monastic asceticism suited only to the most devoted earth warriors. There are many community groups that conduct cleanups in different parts of the islands. KAUPA is just such a non-profit group. The Kalihi Ahupua’a Ulo Pono Ahahui is dedicated to restoring the Kalihi Stream to its rightful and vital condition.

Kalihi Stream is a true urban oasis, a verdant swath that runs from the depths of Kalihi Valley through downtown Honolulu to the ocean. Due to residential and commercial development over a period of over 100 years, the area has been degraded by pollution and invasive species. The problems Kalihi Stream faces range from simple litter to industrial waste. On the second Saturday of each month, KAUPA conducts a stream cleanup that seeks to remove litter, eradicate invasive species, make walking path improvements and reintroduce native plant species that once characterized the natural environment around Kalihi Stream.

In its two years of service to the community, KAUPA has removed many tons of solid waste, things like plastic bags, cigarette butts and engine blocks. Tons of green-waste, items ranging from carelessly chucked yard clippings to great bundles of invasive California grass. Native species have regained a foothold along KAUPA’s area of stewardship, with several varieties of staple food plants now being lovingly tended.

All of this work has been done by an army of volunteers who have thus far donated thousands of hours to efforts to clean up Kalihi Stream. KAUPA Executive Director Barbara Natale reports that many of those hours have been donated by visitors to the islands with an interest in helping mitigate environmental problems in the places they visit. These aren’t people who drive hybrid cars and live “off-grid,” they’re simply people who care enough about the condition of the planet to get dirty trying clean it up. Groups from Oahu schools, the University of Hawaii, and dozens of other institutions and organizations have participated.

There’s nothing quite like working up a sweat for a truly good cause. The cleanup of Kalihi Stream has important cultural impact by educating people about the original condition of the stream, and how it was a crucial resource for native Hawaiians who lived in the area.

Recently awarded a new grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, KAUPA is poised to step up its efforts and increase to positive impact it has clearly already had along Kalihi Stream.

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Tukey-Prestige Holidays launches new hotels

8:19 am by admin

Luxury independent operator, Prestige Holidays, has expanded its Turkey programme with the addition of seven hotels for 2010.

Nicky Shafe, Marketing Manager for Prestige Holidays said ‘We introduced Turkey this summer and after a slow start it sold very well. Holidaying outside the Eurozone is a growing trend and I am confident that Turkey will continue to boom next year.  We wanted to offer our clients greater choice in the destination, hence the expansion in our programme. Last year the emphasis was on small boutique accommodation but in 2010 we are offering larger and all inclusive properties as well. In the current economic climate clients are keener than ever to stick within their holiday budgets and all-inclusive options make that a lot easier. They are particularly popular with families. We have introduced all-inclusive options at Hilton Dalaman and Select Maris in Turkey’

The Hilton Dalaman is a very modern hotel with 410 rooms and suites. Facilities here include, seven outdoor pools, a huge spa and six restaurants. For families there are waterslides, a kid’s park, open-air disco and a children’s club for 4-12 year olds.

The select Maris resort has it all, spectacular views, magnificent coastline, forests, a beautiful spa, a good selection of modern accommodation and a choice of dining options. It also has a kid’s club, for 4-11 year olds, with a swimming pool.

Also new in Turkey are the Kempinski Hotel The Dome and the Mardan Palace near Antalya. The 157 room Kempinski property offers a wide variety of dining options, two golf courses, a large outdoor pool, spa, extensive health and fitness facilities and a children’s club. The luxurious Mardan Palace resort combines palatial architecture with excellent service. It has 546 rooms, seven places to eat, a large pool area, large spa and children’s club for kids up to 17 years old. The property even offers a swim reef featuring 2,500 fish.

In Fethiye, Prestige has added the Ece Saray Marina & Resort. This is a traditional hotel with just 48 rooms, a fantastic spa and pool. The Hamak and Macakizi Hotels in Bodrum have also been added for next summer.  The Hamak is a small boutique hotel offering swimming in the crystal clear waters of the Aegean direct from platforms over the water, a great restaurant and a small gym and spa.

The Macakizi Hotel is on the north side of Bodrum close to one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World, The Tomb of King Maousollos of Caria. The hotel’s restaurant is in a stunning location and offers the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. The hotel also offers a spa, Hammam, pool and gym.

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Turkey Hotel Review: Lykia World OluDeniz

8:17 am by admin

Olu Deniz is a popular area in Turkey, situated in the South West of Turkey and made famous by its lagoon and distinctively shaped beach.  It’s popular with families due to the great beaches and clear waters in the area, plus all of the watersports and facilities available.  Lykia World OluDeniz is just 3km from this famous beach and lagoon, on it’s own stretch of beach.

Location:

Lykia World Olu Deniz is located on its own beach 750m long consisting of sand and shingle.  It’s 3km from Olu Deniz itself and in a secluded area with beautiful views.  If you take a trip out at all then Fethiye and the Blue Lagoon are a short taxi ride away.  There’s a market in Fethiye on a Tuesday worth visting should you want to explore whilst there.
Type of hotel:
Lykia World is a self contained holiday resort offering high standards of accommodation.  It prides itself on having a relaxed welcoming atmosphere in which to stay and is ideal for holidaymakers who prefer a resort hotel with all the amenities it has to offer.  Great for both families and couples alike, the hotel is a popular choice for many holidaymakers visiting Olu Deniz in Turkey.  The hotel is rated as a 4+ star hotel by many of the main operators to Turkey.

Accommodation:
There are two main areas of accommodation here 1) The Village – aimed at families and focused on making life easy for parents and their children, with 609 rooms to choose from.  2) The Residence - which caters for single holidaymakers and couples, with 265 large rooms.  These can hold between 1 and 5 guests in each room.  This includes 23 deluxe suites with sea or pool view, jacuzzi and balcony for up to 3 guests.

Amenities/Facilities:
The hotel is worth visiting just for the sheer amount of things to do here.  There are 19 swimming pools in total, including one indoor, plus numerous sports facilities such as tennis courts, a rock climbing wall, spa, turkish bath, gym, yoga, watersports and many more. The restaurants include 3 main restaurants plus speciality restaurants such as Italian, Chinese and even Sushi.  There are 14 bars in total to choose from to while away the evenings depending on which mood you are in.  Children have a ‘children’s paradise’ area including numerous waterslides and cannons, kids club and many nore adventurous activities to keem them amused and for them to enjoy.  There is a supermarket/shop on site but also on a short walk outside of the resort you will find a supermarket if you need to buy anything.

Overall:
The Lykia World OluDeniz hotel complex boasts an impressive list of facilities and everything you could want from a resort hotel on Lykia World Resort Turkey

the beautiful Turkish coastline.  With the ability to book direct holidays with many tour operators and travel agents to this resort it proves very popular during the Summer season every year.  The staff are very friendly and helpful and do their best to accommodate every request.  The pools are great if a little cold if not visiting during high season so bear this in mind when packing swimsuits.

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Calis Turkey Travel Guide

8:15 am by admin

The resort of Calis is a quiet family beach resort on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Located close to Fethiye, the resort is a popular holiday destination with families looking for a traditional ‘seaside’ atmosphere with low-key nightlife. Evenings can be spent at the romantic seafront

tavernas, in the friendly music bars, at the small discos or by taking a leisurely stroll along the beautiful promenade which is traffic free and very romantic at night. Calis also offers you the chance to have a flutter at one of the resorts many casinos.

The resort has many child-friendly hotels and self-catering apartments which offer great budget price holiday accommodation for families. Most of the hotels, including the cheaper ones, offer children’s clubs and entertainment during the summer season. We found this really good site where you will find offers to suit all ‘pockets’. Parents can sit back and relax while the children enjoy the beaches while older children and teenagers can take part in scuba diving, paragliding lessons and horse riding.

The sand and shingle Calis beach follows an arc shape around a sheltered bay which extends to the larger resort of Fethiye. This small beach has crystal clear deep waters which are ideal for first time divers as they are very calm.

Away from the beach there is plenty for the whole family to enjoy. Try paragliding over Olu Deniz beach which will give you the thrill of a lifetime or stay on the ground with a horse ride through the beautiful pine forests which have amazing mountain backdrops. The more energetic can enjoy exploring the area on a trekking excursion, visiting places such as the ancient cities of Xanthos and Saklikent and the hidden canyons which surround the 12 miles of white sandy Patara Beach. Explore the streets of Calis which are lined with shops selling all kinds of wares before stopping for some traditional food at one of the many restaurants along the Calis Aquapark way. For total relaxation put your feet up and savour some quiet time over a Turkish coffee at one of the traditional cafes.

Calis enjoys a long hot summer season beginning in April and continuing right through to the end of October! Enjoying blue skies and plenty of Mediterranean sunshine throughout the year, Calis sees temperatures around the 30C mark in July and August with an almost constant 12 hours of sunshine a day. Even October sees water temperatures in excess of 20C. If you are combining a beach holiday with a sightseeing or activity holiday it is probably best to visit in April or May when it is not so hot and the countryside is in full bloom. Winters are very mild with temperatures still around the 15C mark and around 5 hours of warm sunshine every day.

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Ten Useful Tips when Holidaying with Children

8:13 am by admin

1. Travel with compact hand luggage bags which can fit under airplane seats for easy access.

2. Suggest you keep a few handy snacks/treats available to ‘amuse’ the little ones.

3. Carry a small selection of comics, books, quizzes or crayons to entertain the children during the flight.

4. Those soft or inflatable headrest pillows are a very useful ‘bit of kit’ to keep them comfortable en-route – in fact, why not get one for yourself too?

5. Leave home in plenty of time, you don’t want to get stressed out through having to rush and children will almost always slow you down!

6. Take a bit of ‘emergency’ kids clothing; spilt drinks or other mishaps can be quite common and always tend to happen in the most awkward locations!

8. Pack all important travel documents, keys, money etc in an easy to access pocket of your hand luggage; you don’t want to be rummaging around in your cases in the middle of check-in, who needs that hassle while trying to hang on to the little darlings!

9. So you’re travelling with kids? Then pack wet wipes/tissues or damp flannel etc – you know it makes sense!

10. Finally, when you are prepared and organised yourself, you might just feel like you’re having a holiday too!

Simples!

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How to carbon offset your family holiday

8:11 am by admin

My brother Jack wrote to me recently about carbon offsets and a family holiday we were planning. My son, Callan and his new wife had chosen to celebrate their wedding by going on a South Pacific Cruise and inviting us all along. So 20 of the extended family were planning what was, for all of us, a rather unusual holiday experience with P&O. My big brother Jack, a committed environmentalist and techy/engineering type of guy, works on a community wind farm project in Victoria. He wanted my advice on how we should all deal with the carbon emissions involved in our extravagant holiday. Here’s my reply:

Dear Jack,

For once you’re in my knowledge zone. I’ve thought a lot about this issue, as many friends ask, and here’s where I’ve got to. As I see it, there are basically five possible approaches:

1. Buy trees – This is easy to do with credibility. It is, for some, controversial but not for any fundamental reason – while it can be done badly, it can also be done well. Without a common accrediting body, you do need to be a discerning consumer here and do your research before you select a provider. The upside? You absorb the carbon directly and, if done well, it stays out of the atmosphere for a long time. Some like it because it removes carbon directly, some don’t because it doesn’t address the root cause i.e. they’re concerned that the result is “you emit coal, we buy trees”. If done well, though, it has the upside of the other benefits of tree planting. A good example of that is the work Greening Australia does in planting biodiverse forests.

2. Buy green power projects in developing countries. This is easy to do with my friends at climatefriendly.com who I think are the best offset company around, and this is their specialty. Another option here is E+Co a social enterprise that is focused primarily on community development, investing directly in small-scale clean energy projects. You’d like them, they are very “Jack” if that makes sense – they’re serious engineering types focused on doing good. The advantage of this approach, with either provider, is that you’re “addressing the cause” i.e. building green power, which is why some like it. It has the added plus of helping poor communities get electricity and water. Some don’t like it because they question whether bringing new power to people who haven’t got it is really reducing emissions. (The answer is yes, if their alternative is kerosene and they replace it, but no if they had no energy previously). I like this approach because I understand what I’m really doing with my offsets is making myself feel good, while doing others some good as well. This does that.

3. Retire credits – Technically the most pure (and most boring!) thing to do is to retire European Carbon Permits. Rather than giving poor people lights or heat, you buy a piece of paper and tear it up, virtually. Why would you bother and why do my friends do it? Because EU emissions are capped at an absolute amount and permits are then issued for that amount of emissions and no more. So if you buy and retire permits you are absolutely sure that there will be that amount less CO2 put into the atmosphere directly by your actions. The argument in favour is that we (rich countries) caused the problem so we should fix it .Buying stuff for poor people is about guilt, not solving the problem (I’m not sure a poor person being given a light bulb in their hut so their kids can study at night would see it that way, but hey, each to their own!) In their defence, of course you can both give money to energy projects for poor people and buy your offsets separately. An example of this pure approach can be found at carbonretirement.com. I don’t know the organisation well but it seems pretty good. No question it’s the engineer’s answer. My friend Jorgen Randers (an author of The Club of Rome’s Limits to Growth, and a very serious global green dude) does this and he buys double credits to make sure the calculation is right (then he knows when he flies he’s actually reducing emissions!)

4. Give money to campaigners – The argument here is that anything you do practically is pointless at such small scale because we need to change the system, get rid of coal and all the rest. As the argument goes, buying offsets takes our energy and focus away from the real problem, which is big nasty companies profiting from pollution. I see the point, but I wouldn’t recommend this approach to someone like you who is already campaigning – but if you like it, just give the money to me, your poor writer brother! Seriously though, there’s a lot of great campaigners out there who could use the support.

5. Accept that life is pointless –This argument goes that the climate is stuffed and we’re all going down, so be glad you’re stinking rich compared to those who need kerosene lamps replaced by E+Co, enjoy the cruise and ignore the world. Not sure this is sustainable for your soul, but I’m sure you’ll find company in the bar on the cruise of like-minded people, though hopefully not in our family!

See you soon.

Love

Paul

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Hawaii Duck Tours boats remain grounded until repairs are completed

8:09 am by admin

Hawaii Duck Tours was not ready for Coast Guard safety inspections Tuesday, nearly two weeks after a flash fire on one of the company’s amphibious vehicles seriously injured an employee and grounded the company’s fleet.

 

According to Cmdr. Jason Neubauer, chief of prevention with Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, Hawaii Duck Tours must complete extensive engineering repairs on its vehicles before the company can take to Oahu’s streets — and surf — again. Neubauer said the Coast Guard would not allow the company to resume tours until the repairs — which he characterized as “serious” — are completed, and did not know how long the overhaul would take.

“We’re still working with them,” Neubauer said. “They would need to make those repairs, and we would return for verification.”

On July 6 a company employee suffered second- degree burns while working on a vessel in the Duck Tour warehouse in Kakaako. Honolulu Fire spokesman Capt. Terry Seelig said a joint investigation between the Fire Department and the Coast Guard concluded that the fire started when sparks from the ship’s electrical system ignited vapors from a fuel leak.

Hawaii Duck Tours runs two vessels that can operate on land and water. The vehicles are modified Army and Marine Corps surplus trucks manufactured during World War II, making them more than 60 years old.

The vessels were thrust into the spotlight this month with two major accidents involving the boats on wheels.

On July 8 a duck boat out of Philadelphia sank after it was struck by a barge on the Delaware River, killing two Hungarian tourists.

Less than a week later on July 13, a duck boat in Boston was involved in a traffic collision. None of the boat’s 29 passengers were injured.

Owners of Hawaii Duck Tours could not be reached for comment.

Correction: Hawaii Duck Tours was not ready for safety inspections of company vessels last Tuesday so the boats remain grounded,according to Coast Guard officials. A headline and story on Page A20 Friday said the boats failed inspections.

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Hawaii Tours

8:07 am by admin

Hawaii Tours at the lowest prices available. Regardless of which Hawaiian Island you plan on visiting, we have all the Hawaii Tours.  We are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to Hawaii Travel, and we’re dedicated to making your vacation as fun and exciting as possible!  Book your Hawaii Tours through Hawaii Discount.

Our Oahu Tours, Big Island Volcano Tours, Kauai Zipline Tours, and other exciting Hawaii Tours will save you money and provide you with lasting memories you’re your Hawaii Travel.  We can help you to find the most suitable Hawaii Tours for your getaway including scuba diving, snorkeling, dinner cruises, luaus, deep sea fishing, ATV rides, Pearl Harbor tours, tubing the ditch, helicopter tours, Kauai Zipline Tours, entertainment, theme parks such as Seal Life Park, and more!

First, and most important, thank you so much for the tours you set up for us.  You definitely know what you are doing.  The half-day tour to Pearl Harbor was perfect.  We spent enough time there and didn’t have to spend an entire day.  Germaine’s luau was great and the food-buffet delicious.  I did get up and learn the hula; what a riot.  I had a ball.  The dinner cruise there on Oahu was so much fun.  Trish was so kind and kept us informed of what we were seeing.  They did have a hula entertainment show on the cruise which was nice.  I thought Germaine’s luau was so great and then you sent us to the Hyatt.  Oh, my goodness!!!  It was exceptional.  The open-bar blew my husband away and the show was even more involved than the one in Oahu .  Those entertainers are amazing!!!!!  We had a ball on the dinner cruise in Maui .  They had a magician on that cruise and he was so good.  The food was excellent–steak, chicken and shrimp.  I never had a drink like the Lava Flow, but had my share of those.  Delicious, delicious!!!!!  I enjoyed our entire trip there…Can’t thank you enough for all you did and everything went perfect with no hang ups. 

Thanks, Susie and Rudy – New Jersey

When you deal with Hawaii Discount, you’re sure to save on your Oahu Tours, trips to Honolulu and Maui, and other Hawaii Tours.  We’ll beat any other legitimate price you can find! When travelling to Hawaii, check into travel health insurance for added peace of mind.

A great way to show your guests that you care is by surprising them with a classic lei greeting as they arrive at the airport.  Think you’ll need a rental car?  Or maybe you’d like to have a driver so that you don’t have to worry about directions and possibly getting lost.  Whatever your preference, Hawaii Discount can help to make all of your Travel plans a reality.

We offer a wide variety of Hawaii Tours so that you’re sure to find the activities that interest your particular group.  Interested in discovering the beauty of flowing lava and dormant volcanoes?  Check out one of our Big Island Volcano Tours.  Want to spend a day learning about historical occurrences?  You’ll love the many Pearl Harbor Tours we have available.  Want to check out the city and spend the afternoon shopping?  We have trips to Honolulu just for that, too!  Whatever your desires, we have what you need at Hawaii Discount.

Vacation timeshares are offered on all of the Hawaiian Islands, and there’s a wide variety of them so that you and your traveling companions will be able to find the most suitable accommodations.  Choose from five-star hotels, condos, Oceanside villas, and famous resorts such as Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club.  Many of our vacation rentals include added luxuries such as golf courses, fitness centers, boating rentals, laundry facilities, and even spas!

When you do your research to put together the best Hawaiian vacation possible, you’re sure to have a blast during your Hawaii Travel.  There are many Oahu Tours and Hawaii Tours to choose from, and Hawaii Discount has them all at competitive prices.  We have the biggest database of up to date information that’s essential for helping people like you make the best plans for your getaway.  When you reserve your Big Island Volcano Tours, Pearl Harbor Tours, Honolulu Excursions, Oahu Tours, Maui Adventures, and other Hawaii Tours through us, it’s easy—all you have to do is print out an email, and that acts as your ticket.  Don’t have access to a printer?  No problem!  We’ll fax your ticket to you.

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Hawaii Duck Tours

8:05 am by admin

Reserve Hawaii Duck Tours with Hawaii Discount for the most creative way to experience the most popular Hawaii attractions while on Oahu Vacations! Booking your Hawaii Duck Tours through Hawaii Discount is the best way to gather your tour group together and the Hanauma Bay Duck Tours are the most fun of all of the Oahu Duck Tours found!

Ducks are water amphibious version of a tour bus. It changes from a capable land tour bus instantly to water submergible in seconds and it’s incredibly fun. Of course Oahu Duck Tours as offered through Hawaii Discount are safe for the entire family! For the chance to take Hanauma Bay Duck Tours or any other Oahu Duck Tours, book with Hawaii Discount for fun memories of Hawaii Duck Tours on Oahu Vacations!

Booking Hawaii Duck Tours through Hawaii Discount gives you your choice of two of the most popular tours to go on. The first is the Hanauma Bay Duck Tours where you have a chance to tour world-renowned Hanauma Bay via your Duck before hitting land – Duck-style – and taking in the vistas from Diamond Head and Manalua Bay. The second tour takes you to the World War II sites of Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial before hitting land and driving to Hawaii Attractions such as Diamond Head, Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. On both Oahu Duck tours, you’re given plenty of opportunities to snorkel so remember to bring your swim gear with you!

Either of the Duck Tours gives an opportunity for plenty of photo opportunities and sight seeing of Hawaii Attractions so don’t forget your camera! Both Hawaii Duck Tours and Hanauma Bay Duck Tours love their passengers and offers pick up at the local hotels; for approximate times and dates, inquire with Hawaii Discount when making your reservation for either of the Oahu Duck Tours.

When choosing the best vendor for Oahu Duck Tours, go with Hawaii Duck Tours and Hanauma Bay Duck Tours. See Hawaii Attractions from a unique perspective. Duck Tours highlight Oahu Vacations. Why limit yourself to just one of the Duck Tours? Go with both through Hawaii Discount and have a great time on your Oahu Vacations.

Hawaii Duck Tours are really fun and original Hawaii tours! You will ride on an authentic World War II amphibious vehicle – the same kind used in the invasion of Normandy – as you see the sights of the island of Oahu. One of the highlights of this Oahu tour is the one of a kind splash-down, where the Duck drives straight from land into the water, transforming instantly from a tour bus to a tour boat.

There are two Hawaii Duck Tours available – the Arizona – Keehi Lagoon – Pearl Harbor Duck Tour and the Hanauma Bay Duck Tour. On the Pearl Harbor Duck, you’ll see sights in Honolulu and the Arizona Memorial. The Duck has special significance on the Pearl Harbor tour, since the war started for the US in Pearl Harbor. On the Hanauma Bay Duck tour, you’ll see the beautiful sights on the east side of Oahu and Hanauma Bay, world renowned for its splendid snorkeling.

Book your Hawaii Duck Tour with HawaiiDuckTours.info and save on this truly unique Hawaii activity – the Pearl Harbor Duck Tour and the Hanauma Bay Duck Tour.

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