Ask Endora

Dear Endora,

My wife and I are in search of the perfect Mai Tai. Where was the first Mai Tai concocted in Hawaii?

Clay from Austin

Clay Darling,

This delightfully refreshing cocktail was concocted at the fabulous “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” also known as the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. And it is here that you will find the “best” Mai Tai in Hawaii. Now others will state differently, but this is the story I have been told so it must be true, right?

Cheers,    Endora

Dear Endora,

I am planning my honeymoon and really want to go to Tahiti. I saw the movie, "Couples Retreat" and fell in love with Bora Bora. But when I go online and compare prices for Hawaii/Tahiti, it appears to be much less expensive to go to Hawaii. Is this a fair comparison, or amI missing something?

Bethany – Laguna Beach, CA

Dear Bethany,

Honestly you can't compare Tahiti and Hawaii by price only. First you must consider the type of experience each destination will create. Next, and I think this is a very important aspect to why Tahiti is more expensive, is the type of accommodations you are comparing. I have found that in Hawaii you have a handful of truly ultra luxury resorts, the majority of which arebudget to deluxe. In Tahiti you will find the majority of resorts being deluxe to ultra luxury. Then there is the type of room you get in Hawaii and Tahiti. In Hawaii there are only a handful of properties where you will stay in your own private bungalow, in Tahiti this is the norm. To plan a perfecthoneymoon I highly suggest using a Tiare specialist, I guarantee you won't be disappointed in asking for help planning your once in a lifetime vacation.

Hope this helps!

Best of luck,    Endora

Dear Endora,

I am in the initial stages of planning a wedding to Hawaii. There is so much information out there, where should I start?

Giselle – Iowa

Dear Giselle,

The internet is a grand source of information, albeit sometimes overwhelming. One great site to explore is:

www.gohawaii.com – this is the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau website. From here you can find information specifically for each island.

But if you already know which island you want your wedding on you can link to that specific island from the website above.

If you are planning a destination wedding that will include hotel rooms I would seek out a travel company that specializes in Hawaii so that they will be a liaison between you and the resort. This is a great way to get free help when you need it most! Our company, Incredible Journey provides these types of services for Hawaii – we offer privately owned homes/cottages/condos/resorts and can provide air/car arrangements. This will mean one stop shopping for all your guests and you know everyone will be taken care of!

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding,

Aloha,
   Endora