Top 10 List of Things to Do in Big Island

Big Island is a amazing place for lava lovers and really impressive.

1. Drive the Crater Rim Drive and watch a volcanic eruption by darkness
2. Take a walk in the Hawai'i National Park and visit the sulphur bank and steam vents
3. Visit the former village of Kalapana
4. Watch turtles at Whittington Beach Park
5. Walk the loop trail in the Akaka Falls State Park
6. Visit a coffee farm and enjoy fresh coffee
7. Go snorkling with manta rays
8. Enjoy Hapuna Beach
9. Visit the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park
10. Stay in one of the romantic B&Bs

Top 10 List of Things to Do in Maui

There is so much to do on Maui. Here my Top 10 Things to Do:

1. Watch the sunrise or sunset at the Haleakala National Park
2. Drive the Hana Highway
3. Enjoy the views along the Kahekili Highway (which is not exactly a highway but at least as spectacular the road to Hana)
   
4. Enjoy Maui's best black sand beach Pa'iloa Beach
5. Make a stop in Paia and pick up some picnic goodies in Mana Foods or have lunch in one of the cafes
6. Spend some days in Lahaina
7. Enjoy a Lomi Lomi message in the Ala Moana Spa of the Hyatt Regency
   
8. Have dinner at the waterfront restaurant I'O in Lahaina
9. Watch surfers at Ho'okipa Beach
10. Go swimming the cave pools of the Wai'anapanapa State Park

Top 10 List of Things to Do in Oahu

Oahu is beautiful! Here is my Top 10 list of To Do Things:

1. Enjoy Waikiki beach
2. Take a surf lesson or watch a surf competition
3. Drive on the Pali Highway to the Windward Coast
   
4. Visit the North Shore
   
5. Have Shaved ice in Haleiwa
6. Have a cocktail at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki
7. Visit Diamond Head
8. Go shopping in the Ala Moana Center
9. Watch a free Hula Performance at the Kuhio Beach Park
10. Try some Honolulu Cookie Company cookies
    

Hotel in a Drain

I didn't get a chance to stay there myself but I find this a great idea! Andreas Strauss re-purposed drain pipes into guest rooms which you can book and called it dasparkhotel.




At the moment there are two of these hotels - one at the Emscher bicycle route at Emscherinsel in Bottrop-Ebel close to Essen in Germany and the other one in Ottensheim at the River Danube in Austria. You can make a reservation online under http://www.dasparkhotel.net and pay-as-you-wish that means as much as you want! Sleeping in a pipe might feel like camping only in a cozy bed and if you on a cycle tour go for it!

Go Budget in Munich!

I love Munich and I am there at least once a year there!

If I do not stay with friends I stay in Motel One at the Sendlinger Tor. That's right hotel for young professionals with rooms from 69 Euro. The hotel is stylish, has free WLAN and breakfast included and is located in a quiet street in the center of the city with shops, restaurants and bars in front of the door.

From there you can walk to all the tourist attractions such as the Marienplatz, the Hofbrauhaus and the Viktualienmarkt as well as to the Central Station (800m) with a Ubahn and tram stations in front of the door. Visit the Glockenbachviertel with lots of bars, restaurants and boutiques while you are staying there! If you don't get a room there (as it is quite often booked out) try one of the other Motel One hotels in Munich. They are cheaper but not as central as this one.

Another good value compromise is the Hotel Royal with its delicious breakfast, free WLAN and friendly staff. It is close to the Central Station, Deutsches Theater, Stachus, Kaufinger Strasse and the Beer Fest but the area is not as nice.

Best Fish Restaurants in West Cork

Here is my top 5 list of the best fish restaurants in West Cork, Ireland:

All of these restaurants provide freshly caught local seafood and each of them is in its way special!

• Mary Ann's Bar & Seafood Restaurant in Casteltownshend serves pub & restaurant food and has a large outside area. The dinner menu includes a wide selection of fish, their speciality are lobster thermidor or lobster mayonnaise. The food usually comes with veggies, chips & gratin potatoes (love it!). Check also out their gallery in the first floor!

• Deasy's Harbour Bar & Seafood Restaurant in Ring just 5 mins from Clonakilty has a lovely view over the Clonakilty Bay and a nice and relaxing atmosphere. The menu changes regularly and offers creative fish and meat dishes. Dishes come with veggies and potatoes. Don't miss out on the dessert!

• Fishy Fishy Cafe in Kinsale is a bright and stylish restaurant influenced by the European mainland cousin with an own cook book and a open area. Dishes come usually with veg or salad. 

• Fastnet Catch across the church in Clonakilty is a special fish & chips shop with a great selection of burgers & fresh fish depending on the catch of the day. All is freshly prepared with your order and you can sit in or take away.

• Dunes Pub in the Inchydoney Lodge & Spa serves a fair big but delicious portion of fish & chips in a great setting! Besides the fish & chips, my favourites on the menu are the cheese sandwich and the side salad. Oh, and the hot chocolate is also not to be forgotten. In nice weather there are cozy outside places available.

I would recommend to make a reservation in advance on weekends to avoid disappointment.

And, if you are looking for a nice fish restaurant somewhere else on the island check out the Seafood Circle - you never go wrong with a restaurant which is listed in it!

Dublin Food

Looking for something to eat in Dublin, Ireland?

Here are my favourite places depending on the type of food I feel like:

• Best Breakfast is served in Odessa, 13 Dame Court! The breakfast menu includes huevos rancheros, veggie breakfast, all sorts of eggs and much more. Have a cocktail with your breakfast to celebrate! Check out the chill out area downstairs!
  

• Need a good coffee? Carluccio's Restaurant & Shop, 52 Dawson Street is the place to get it! Depending on your coffee taste pick between the Napoli and the Milano coffee bean! If you are hungry have food in the restaurant or ask for a take away Foccacia - food is as delicious as their coffee!
  

• The best authentic Italian Pizza in town you will get in Bar Italia, Ormond Quay.
  Stay upstairs as downstairs is not as nice and don't miss out on the dessert!

• Feel like Veggie Food? Cornucopia Wholefood & Vegetarian in 19/20 Wicklow Street since 1986 will not disappoint you, the menu changes everyday and the portions are huge.
  

• Queens of Tarts has the best scones and cakes in town and is the sweetest coffee place ever. There are two of them these days in Dame Street and Cows Lane quite close to each other.

• Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street is the best Food Hall with healthy food! They have also great Lunch Deals at the moment. Check out the wine cellar with a great wine selection downstairs!
  

• Best place to get away from the city buzz is the Library Bar in the first floor of the Central Hotel, Exchequer Street. Come here with friends or a book and have a cup of tea or hot whiskey!
  

• For best Fish & Chips go to Leo Burdocks, 2 Werburgh Street. They have been there since 1913!

• Want Japanese Food? I'll recommend Yamamori Noodles in 72 South George's Street or Yamamori Sushi in Lower Ormond Quay (the menues are almost identical) - they serve Sushi, Japanese Grill & noodles. My favourite is the monkfish dish!
  

• My favourite Pub Restaurant is a bit outside city - just after Phoenix Park. Hole in the Wall in Blackhorse Avenue offers a great wine selection, nice bar and restaurant food and a great atmosphere! Even Prince Albert from Monaco paid a visit last year!
  

I hope you will enjoy these places as I do each time!

Go Camping Maui!

The Wai'anapanapa State Park is a great place for camping almost at the end of the road to Hana, Maui. It offers a shady lawn near the beach, cold showers and toilets (that are kept clean by the staff).

The best thing about it is that there is so much to do: you can swim in a cave, sun on a black-sand beach or walk the coastal trail with blow holes and old lava fields.

Don't forget to make a reservation in advance and have your permit with you as rangers are quite strict and ask you to leave if you do not have a permit. Also, take some food with you as there are not too many shopping opportunities in that area!

For more information on camping in this and other Hawaii State Parks see http://www.hawaiistateparks.org.

Go Budget Waikiki!

To stay in Waikiki, Oahu can be pricey but we found good value, good location, friendly staff and more in the Aqua Hotels.

We stayed in three of their hotels in Waikiki:
Best Western Plus Coconut Waikiki Hotel, Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki and Aqua Pearl Waikiki.

All of these hotels are well located and the staff is friendly. While we liked the large room in the Pearl, we loved the nice view over Waikiki in the Surf. But after all, our favourite was the Coconut - we had a good time there and enjoyed their waffles & more for breakfast. The hotel is located at the canal which is not as bad as people say - it is actually perfect for morning runs & free parking!

While saving money on accommodation enjoy a cocktail with view at the beach bar of the Moana Surfrider Resort & Spa! They have the best cocktails in town for sure!

Go Camping Oahu!

The Hawaiian islands are not well known for camping. However, there are a few really nice camping sites on Oahu & Maui!

Since there is not much budget accommodation (we did not like the Plantation village too much!) along the North Shore we decided to camp and it was a decision.

Malaekahana Campgrounds are great, quiet and quite private camping grounds with a nice beach! You can perfectly explore the North Shore and its surf from there with being only a few minutes away from Waimea, Sunset Beach and Haleiwa.

Note that you need a car and there is no way to drive into the grounds after 7pm but you always can walk in!

You can get your groceries shopping in Haleiwa or Foodlands in on the Kamehameha Hwy. Visit Haleiwa's Joe for lunch or dinner and have the best shaved ice on the island in Haleiwa. And, don't forget to stop by at Ted's bakery where all the locals have their breakfast - you won't regret it!

Stay Green in San Francisco!

On my trip to California last year I stayed in the Good Hotel in SOMA, San Francisco. This is an eco-friendly hotel for a smaller budget!

This hotel is not just stylish but also looks after the environment. The hotel's interiors are made of recycled materials and guests are encouraged to recycle and save water. To explore San Fransisco you can rent their bikes for free.

Find more information under on the Good Hotel website & enjoy your stay!