Honolulu International Airport is already in the middle of a decade filled with construction equipment, as the airport does its best to spiffy things up for the future. Adding to all the renovation fun is Hawaiian Airlines, as they’re looking to speed up and improve the check-in process for most of their flights that originate in Honolulu. The airline is planning to spend $6 million to add all the new bells and whistles, so we just hope it makes inter-island-hopping smoother.

Say goodbye to long ticket counter lines and aloha to brand new circular check-in kiosks. Ticket counters will be pulled out and replaced with six new circular areas—they’re calling them islands—get it? Two will be found in Lobby 3 and four will be added to Lobby 2, all in the airport’s Terminal 2. Agents will still be on hand to help out those who need it—like us when the stupid computer freezes—but it will mostly be up to passengers to get the necessary paperwork for interisland, mainland, and international flights. ]]> kjb 2011-04-07T08:28:34-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/11/3/23833/8990

If your favorite part of Hawaii was riding the Wiki-Wiki bus at the Honolulu International Airport, you’re going to be pretty upset about what we have to tell you.

Although it still has maintained its island vibe and aloha spirit, the airport where most visitors begin their trip to paradise has definitely been showing its age. One of the first steps in an over $2 billion renovation is opening up next month, as a brand new international arrivals corridor will open to meet jet-lagged guests arriving after long flights from across the globe. That means fewer chances to ride the Wiki-Wiki in and around the airport. ]]> kjb 2010-11-04T10:46:27-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/22/235814/39

Whenever we're stressed and have to go to our happy place, we picture the beaches of Hawaii. But now, probably thanks to how hard the recession has hit tourism to the islands, everyone has a chance to actually go there, thanks to Travelzoo's $499-for-five-Hawaiian-nights package.

The deal includes round-trip airfare to Honolulu, where you'll be greeted with a lovely-smelling lei and thus the right to brag that you got "lei'd" in Hawaii, like tourists do for days after their arrival. Your accommodations will be at the Castle Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki. And if you want to upgrade to an ocean-view pad, the hotel gives you the option for $25 and up per person. ]]> Jennifer Kester 2009-10-23T09:14:32-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/15/101830/77

No matter what donut is your donut—we know many people who can't go without ordering a Boston Creme or strawberry frosted—when you're in Hawaii, you've got to get down with the local flavor. In Honolulu, the donut of choice is Portuguese confection called the Malasada, first cooked up at Leonard's Bakery after it opened in 1952.

While they are very similar to the Polish pączki in that they are sweet, filled donuts traditionally consumed on Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent, a true Malasada however is not supposed to have any filling. It is a solid ball of fried dough, coated in granulated sugar and fed to the drooling patrons who flock to Leonard's. Because of the popularity of the Malasada in Hawaii, Leonard's has also begun serving Pao Doce (Portuguese sweet breads) and Malasada puffs. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-10-15T11:23:38-05:00 21.2849040 -157.81330 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/13/143047/98

A scene from Noriben, playing at this year's Hawaii International Film Festival.

Though the time for Tribeca, Cannes, and Toronto has come and gone, the film festival circuit hasn't screeched to a halt. There's Sundance to look forward to, of course, but a welcome alternative to similar large-scale hype galas are festivals held far away from Los Angeles, New York, and other metropoles.

Hawaii may not be Hollywood, but there's still creativity abound on the big island. And while it may not attract as much attention as, say, Berlin, the Hawaii International Film Festival has earned a well-respected reputation among cinema's inner circle, with people like Roger Ebert praising its East-meets-West sensibility. ]]> Heidi Atwal 2009-10-13T15:38:13-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/1/6506/70532

If you somehow get tired of all the natural beauty that Hawaii has to offer, there’s soon going to be a new fake paradise for visitors to check out. A company called KanDoo is almost finished creating their own artificial island about 200 yards off Waikiki Beach.

KanDoo Island is really just a humongous catamaran that will serve as a water sports entertainment paradise for visitors and locals alike. The 98-ton boat will offer snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing lessons, and even jet ski trips off its “shoreline.” After a long day on and in the water, come back to the catamaran for some evening entertainment. There will be live music, nightclubs, and probably a fair share of Mai Tais. The company’s CEO wants KanDoo to be a 24/7 destination, but we’re a little skeptical that people will be swarming the place throughout the night. ]]> kjb 2009-07-01T09:22:20-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/31/10825/7931

West Coast web media princess, and Jaunted Embed, Shira Lazar rushed off to Hawaii for a couple days at the bequest of So Much More Hawaii. We will be bringing you her travel videos between June 1st and 5th, in hopes of creating a glorious on-the-fly travel guide using as much point oh social webbing as we can. Enjoy.

We were put up in Honolulu for two nights staying at The Royal Hawaiian, the 3rd oldest hotel in the city. How would we describe the area? Lets just say that when you step out of the hotel and feel like you may be in Beverly Hills with Coach and Gucci stores scattering the streets.

What we found amazing though is that the moment you enter any of the hotels or beaches, you immediately remember that you are indeed in Hawaii and feel isolated from it all. Through our on-land search and with the help of our super twitter community, we discovered some more authentic and local spots you should check out: ]]> shiralazar 2009-06-01T13:58:13-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/