Well folks, just when you thought we might be slowing down on our vacation bookings to Hawaii, we have actually now entered into our busy season. And now is the time to start thinking about your upcoming trips (that is, if you want to make sure you book something for a reasonable price). Despite popular belief, booking a trip within the last few weeks of your departure date is rarely a good idea. Someone might luck out with a killer last minute airfare deal, but with the way hotel and resort occupancy has been the past year, a plane ticket to Hawaii doesn't necessarily mean a hotel room is guaranteed once you're here. In fact, this is the reason why airfare has been cheap lately, because there are no rooms available in the hotels and resorts in Hawaii! Which is why I'm hammering you over the head with my mantra, “book in advance, book in advance, book in advance!”

Now is the time when we start booking for April and May, otherwise known as spring break. There is a common misconception that travel times peak in the summer and winter months, but with Hawaii, we're almost seeing a year-round busy season these days. Spring is a wonderful time to come to Hawaii however; the weather is not too hot, not too cool (in the evenings), whale watching is at a prime time, the landscapes are in full blossom, and the ocean swells are in a sort of holding period, making swimming and snorkeling more ideal. Plus, you don't get quite the hustle bustle crowd of the summer and winter months, but don't let this fool you. Just because it doesn't seem like a popular travel season, doesn't mean it's not. And like I said before, Hawaii hasn't seen any slow down in tourism for almost a year now.

Since we're on the topic, I'm going to take this opportunity to spiel a bit about whale watching. From the months of December through May, whale watching is at its prime and you can book a catamaran cruise to view these stunning creatures for as low at $40 a person! We have a variety of tour companies on all four major islands that offer whale watching, along with food, cocktails, live entertainment, and more during the trip. It truly is an experience that is worthwhile because it achieves a few different things. #1- you get to witness humpback whales in their natural environment, during their most playful and active time of the year. #2- you get to get out on a boat. This is an activity that is high up on the bucket list for folks traveling to Hawaii. And #3, you get to experience the island from a completely different perspective, via the ocean. These factors all make a whale watching activity extremely worthwhile, and especially for the price you can find them at.

But back to booking Hawaii vacations. Often times we get inquiries about when the cheapest time to travel to Hawaii is. My answer is always May and October, but this is only relevant when you book in advance. May and October happen to be the months that fall outside of popular travel dates, such as the summer months and winter months, making them an easy target for those looking to travel on a budget. However, one new variable in these “cheap” travel months is the fact that hotel prices are a lot higher than they used to be, and likely to get even higher. The demand for hotel rooms is going up, therefore the prices are going up as well. In the past year we've seen rooms increase anywhere from 7-10% in price, making what used to be a $200 room (per night) into $220.00, which might as well be $250 with all the taxes and service charges that are tacked on! I question where the tipping point will be.

However, it is important to factor in these climbing prices when planning a vacation to Hawaii, otherwise your “off-season, inexpensive getaway” will have a hefty price tag attached to it. Some things to remember: book in advance, look into your hotel accommodations early, and start planning as soon as possible! We can beat the competition, so it's best to book with someone like us; a local travel comp...