Hawaii
One Heavenly Honeymoon

By Patricia Ambrosini

When Peter Ginsberg, 28, of Long Island, New York and Melanie Nelson, 27, of Moravia, New York were chosen to get married on "The Today Show," they agreed to have viewers plan their entire wedding for them - even their honeymoon destination.

Rome, Paris, Hawaii and Acapulco were all possibilities, but Peter and Melanie crossed their fingers for a chance to honeymoon in Hawaii.

Finally, on the day of their wedding ceremony, the announcement was made Hawaii was the chosen destination. More than 220,000 viewers voted for the Pacific hotspot and both Peter and Melanie were ecstatic.

The decision to honeymoon in Hawaii has become a given for many engaged couples. Perhaps this is the result of Hawaii's physical beauty. With majestic mountains, Pacific wave action and patterned coral reefs, Hawaii's romantic backdrop is ideal for courting a lover, rekindling a romance, or reuniting with an old friend. There are however, so many Islands and so little time. Hawaii's four main Islands, Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii, each provide a unique honeymoon experience, making it difficult to choose one over

With a population of 830,000, Oahu Island is the Metropolitan home of Honolulu and Waikiki beach, and now the popular television show Lost. Millions of tourists visit Waikiki every year for its white sandy beaches, clear ocean snorkeling and wild surfing adventure. One criticism of Oahu is however, that its urban scenery does not match the perennial airiness of Hawaii itself. But to some, this urban setting is a selling point. Visitors love the numerous museums, natural attractions and great restaurants.

La Mer, a long-time established restaurant in the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki, combines five-star French specialties dishes with Asian decor and traditional Hawaiian hula. Oahu's Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, or fusion cooking, is displayed in various restaurants, many of them pricey tourist hotspots. But, of course, there is always Hawaii's Hard Rock Cafe for the American cuisine lovers at heart. The best part about all of these restaurants and attractions is that they are easy to get to. Visitors have the option of walking, riding the bus or taking the Waikiki Trolley.

If you're looking for a place to stay in Oahu, you can choose from several well-known island resorts. The Outrigger Waikiki, for example, (Outrigger's Flagship Resort), is centrally located in Oahu on Waikiki beach. Here, guests often boast about their rooms with ocean views and deluxe accommodations. Guest rooms and suites include air-conditioning, refrigerators, coffeemakers, color cable TV and in-room movies.

But, unlike the Outrigger Waikiki, the Outrigger Reef, also located in Oahu, is capable of being transformed into a wedding hall. In fact, one of its most popular features for honeymooners, is the Diamond Head Terrace conference room. This room adjoins a pool deck and is the perfect setting for a wedding reception. The Diamond Head Terrace has a 2,520 sq. ft. ballroom that can be divided by soundproof walls into two, three or four separate rooms, making it suitable for a number of events. Additionally, Outrigger Reef offers three restaurants and lounges on the premises.

Hopping over to the Island of Maui, you'll find extinct volcanoes, famous beaches, massive mountains and shimmery waterfalls. Here many visitors head for Lahaina, a picturesquely restored whaling port on the veranda of the Old Whaler's Grog Shop at Pioneer's Inn. If you drop by Lahaina on Friday night, you'll be sure to catch Art Night. This event, hosted by colonies of working artists from over 40 galleries in Maui, offers a variety of artwork, live music, wine and hors d'oeuvres.

There are plenty of places to stay in Maui. The majority of resort hideaways and hotels include honeymoon packages. As a matter of fact, Outrigger's Wailea Resort in Maui offers ocean view rooms and includes a flower lei greeting on arrival, champagne and tuxedo strawberries on first night, dinner for two at Lea's restaurant and a keepsake champagne flute.

Most recently, the Outrigger Wailea Resort has undergone a $25 million facelift. The newly renovated Outrigger Wailea Resort was built around a 22-acre oceanfront setting. The transformation includes a new 32,000 sq. ft. garden court, a waterfall, pond, a new water activity area, two water slides, a children's recreational area and several new restaurants and lounges. In addition, all rooms and suites have been completely refurbished with new decor and sophisticated accents.

"The Outrigger Wailea Resort's landscaped grounds take full advantage of Ulua Beach to the North and Wailea Beach to the South," says Alex Doyle, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Outrigger Wailea Resort.

In keeping with the spirit of Aloha, the "Garden Island" of Kauai, is a 553 square mile island that enjoys gorgeous weather. Physically this isle benefits from near-perfect year-round weather (temperatures range from the mid-70s to the mid-80s). In fact, the weather on all of the Hawaiian Island's ranges from 60-90 degrees all year long. It's a little warmer in summer, and a little cooler in winter, but there is no disputing that every day is beach weather. The weather remains consistent, with only moderate changes in temperature throughout the year. In practical terms there are only 2 seasons: the summer months that extend from May to October and the winter months that run from November to April. The wettest months are from November to March, but these winter rains do not generally disrupt vacationers' plans.

Perhaps a more fitting name for Kauai Island is "Hollywood Isle." Movies like, "Raiders of the Lost Arc," "Honeymoon in Vegas," "Jurassic Park" and "Six Days/Seven Nights," have been filmed there. The original "Gilligan's Island" beach where the lost pilot was filmed. This beach is soooo stunning, it was also used in "Castaway Cowboy" with James Garner, "Lt. Robinson Crusoe, U.S.N.", a Disney feature and that huge hit, "Seven Women From Hell" with Cesar Romero and John Kerr !! As a result, one of the more popular tours on Kauai is a Hollywood movie tour, complete with the feature films rolling in the air-conditioned coach as it visits famous landmark movie sites. Visit Kauai Vacation Helpers for information on the tours.

Outrigger Lae nani, on the island of Kauai, is nestled on a lush beachfront on Kauai's eastern shore. Tall coconut palms and well tended gardens surround the low-rise apartments in an intimate setting. A calm ocean pool created from natural stones invite you to relax in rejuvinating sea water, and a sacred Hawaiian site adds a special blessing to this unique locale.

Hawaii's Big Island has all but two of the Earth's 13 climate zones. There are high mountains, huge valleys, grassy plains, lava fields, jungles, deserts, waterfalls and, yes beaches with black, white, red and green sands. In addition, the Hawaiian plants walking tour at the King's Shops and resorts lead you past 60 important plants. A free, self-guided tour explains the history of each plant and its role in Hawaiian culture.

For superior accommodations while on the Big Island, try the Waikoloa Beach Resort. Its strategic location on the coast of Waikoloa beach, makes it a favorite among visitors. Historic stone temples, fish ponds and sandy beaches pepper the grounds of Waikoloa's surroundings. An action pool features waterways, a slide, a separate children's pool and an adult whirlpool. Clients have access to the on-property spa, fitness center, children's program, beach activities center, volleyball, guided tours, hikes and six plexi-paved tennis courts. More than half of the guest rooms offer ocean views and accommodations have wicker furnishings and island touches such as lamps with bamboo bases and shell-shape wall sconces.

The essence of Hawaii would not be the same, if it weren't for stunning sunsets, beautiful beaches, perfect palm trees and outstanding accommodations. So visit the spirited Isles of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Big Hawaii Island - Honeymooning in the land of Aloha could quite possibly be the best vacation you'll ever experience! Aloha.