Well, the holiday season is upon us, folks! And their arrival signals another seasonal spike in visitor arrivals to Hawaii. Visitor arrivals continue to grow, and a gloomy weather forecast for North America, Hawaii’s largest source market, could see a significant spike in arrivals as temperatures on the mainland plummet.

The flood of visitors means that there will be plenty of great deals on hotels, activities, dining, and entertainment across the state. For anyone considering a Hawaii vacation, for the family, a romantic getaway, or business, this is one of the best times of the year to book. Give Hawaii Aloha Travel a call at 1 (800) 843-8771 to find out more about what is being offered- you’ll definitely be glad you did!

And as those Hawaii-bound planes begin to fill up in winter, you might be wondering what you can expect during your flight. Some international carriers provide free in-flight meals, but most don’t. Hawaii residents traveling abroad make a habit of “packing a lunch” for their flights. It’s a good idea to do the same, because six dollars for a dry ham-and-cheese seems extortionate.

Any flight to Hawaii is a long one, at least 4-and-a-half to 5 hours from the West Coast, and considerably longer from more distant, international origins. A flight from Australia to Hawaii can take more than 12 hours. It’s at least 10 hours from Newark, New Jersey. A Chicago-Hawaii flight is typically 8-plus hours. That’s a long flight! Especially if you have to deal with combative “seat defenders” that keep you from that precious few inches allowed for reclining or a colicky infant bent on making your flight miserable.

But there’s something different about a long flight to Hawaii than long flights anywhere else in the world. The reason is simple. You’re flying to Hawaii! There’s a real sense of anticipation and excitement aboard a flight to Hawaii. Whether it’s a young couple on their honeymoon in the row ahead of you, the family of five from the Midwest, or the local family returning from a visit with family in Las Vegas, you’re not likely to encounter anyone who is unhappy about coming to Hawaii.

You can also expect that excitement to spark conversations between complete strangers. I can’t count the times I’ve taken a Hawaii flight and ended up talking to a fellow passenger about their reason for taking it. Tourists, residents, transplants…Everyone is happy to be coming to Hawaii, and that shared feeling often results in friendships whether they last only as long as the flight, or for years after.

Keep in mind that this is no guarantee that your inbound Hawaii flight will be free of common air travel pratfalls, of course. But those things are just somehow more bearable when you know you’ll be landing in paradise.

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VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING GETS UNDERWAY

They call it “The Circus.” The Vans Triple Crown is one of professional surfing’s most coveted prizes, second only to the World Title in prestige. Hundreds of professional surfers, as well as many more visiting surfers from all over the planet converging on the Oahu’s “Seven Mile Miracle” on the North Shore. The Triple Crown began earlier this week with the start of the Reef Hawaiian Pro.

The Triple Crown is comprised of three contests, taking place at Haleiwa’s Alii Beach Park, Sunset Beach, and culminating dramatically at the Banzai Pipeline. The Triple Crown is an unforgettable experience for competitors and spectators alike. The hunt for the World Title comes down to the Pipeline contest, and professional surfing’s top three competitors, including 11-time world champ Kelly Slater, are in the hunt, making for possibly the most exciting event in professional surfing history.

Beyond that, dozens of other surfers will be vying to keep their professional hopes alive. And North Shore prodigy John John Florence is a favorite to win the Triple Crown, although he pulled out of the Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa with a blown hammie.