Hawaii roundup: Whale-season message for boaters; Mokulele adds flights; no Kokua Festival in ‘09; and more

If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii soon — or are hoping to — following are some tidbits of news that you may be able to use:

Watch (out) for whales | All boaters on the islands’ Pacific waters have been asked by state officials to be particularly careful (e.g., maintain slow speeds) during whale season, which is January through March, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. However, if you’re on the seas expressly to get a look (though not too close, of course) at a whale or two, see our whale-watching guide.

More inter-island flights | We had expected new services by Mokulele Airlines from Maui’s Kahului (OGG) to begin in March. But apparently the airline can’t wait to get going with this — the services, to Kailua-Kona (KOA), Lihue (LIH) and Honolulu (HNL), instead will begin Feb. 1, reports the Associated Press.

Kona hotel makeover | King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, received kudos in a Frommer’s review for its prime ocean-front location and good budget value, but jeers for its “tired” look. Well, stay tuned because the hotel is planning some serious renovations over the next 18 months, estimated to cost $25 million, reports West Hawaii Today.

Festival circuit | The Kokua Festival, which ran for five straight years in Honolulu, is taking a break this year, organizers announced last month on the event website. The 2008 event was headlined by Jack Johnson.

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: "Aloha Sunset" by Scotty Daguro; Your Scene / Los Angeles Times]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 4:00 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under Hawaii, Hawaii's Big Island, Kauai, Maui, News, Tips & Advice, Oahu. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.