Summer Deals and Ideas for Hawaii

Luxury Travel column's picks for top deals and activities on the Big Island of Hawaii help make vacation plans easier.

There's no real bad time to visit Hawaii, but some people might not consider a summer South Pacific vacation (since it's warm elsewhere too). Frequent readers know that Hawaii is my favorite island chain - and I'm hardly alone in this - but for the uninitiated, the Big Island is as good a place to start as any.

There are some travel deals, activities and events this summer to help plan out a Big Island vacation. My pick? The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has Vavoom Volcano Tours; through the end of the year, there's a "buy one, get one free" special for crater hiking tours and hikes to the sea near Kalapana.

Luxury travel fans will want to stay somewhere along the Kohala Coast. My favorite of the luxury resorts here is the Fairmont Orchid, but then, I've always been partial to that family of hotels. The Mauna Lani Resort, another 5-star hotel, is offering a 5th night free until December 23rd; an excellent deal for a luxury vacation in Hawaii. While on the Kohala Coast, try to explore the petroglyphs, and make time to check out the Gathering of Kings.

There are eco-camp and budget alternatives on the Big Island, some that start at only 20 dollars a night. Call A Beautiful Day Spa (808)982-7252, for more info on the eco- and volunteering range of lodging.