Customer Reviews

Globe Trekker: Hawaii

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I got this video I expected to see some points of interest, some history, some advice for a traveler. Well, there are some of these things in the video but they serve only as a background. This video is poorly put together political statements of a 20 something year old which has a quality of a high school project. She spends way too much time discussing politically sensitive issues such as gay marriage and the right of natives for their land, but with very little content useful for tourists or people interested in Hawaii's sites. This is definitely not a travel guide. Probably if you are a hippie you will appreciate that the only hotel reviewed in the video is a hostel with bunk beds and the featured rental car company is a junk car loaning place. Do not be misguided.

This show does not tell you where good hotels can be found, what tours to take, where to eat, etc. This 60 minute show is really geared for the young, hip, counter-cultured (very left-leaning) Euro-American who likes to travel around Europe with only a back-pack on their shoulders. Don't get me wrong: I enjoy the spontaneity and the adventure of the idea, but it just doesn't translate very well to Hawaii.

I question staying at a hostel in Oahu for $17 a night considering that you will pay in excess of $500+ per flight to Oahu from the continental U.S. in the first place. I was also very unimpressed by the hostess's willingness to hitchhike to places: Kauai seemed to be the only place where hitchhiking is the only way to get around. Other islands offer car rentals, which is the normal way people get around (call me old-fashioned).

The show did highlight some different aspects of the Hawaii... from Kauai as being the non-tourist destination, to Oahu as the site of Pearl Harbor, to the crater of Haleakala in Mauai, to the lava flows from the Kilauea volcano in the Big Island.

Overall, I would not use my own money to buy this show... in the spirit of everything globetrekker, I would try to pawn some worthless stuff for it instead.

I bought 2 dvds and 1 book just before we left for Hawaii. (Nov. 17-26, 2007). This video is VERY slow and does not show anything you can't see on-line. It shows still photos with a narrative. And...the photos are from the early 80s. There is no action here. You are better off buying something else. There are other dvds for less!

This DVD from Lonely Planet is interesting but look like VHS version, realy low quality of recording

Some Globe Trekker videos are very interesting and full of helpful information. This one, not so much. It is a nice looking video, but then again, most footage of Hawaii is beautiful. It also covers several islands and some places that fewer people visit, like the Parker Ranch. And the focus on leaving the beaten path and meeting ordinary people instead of just doing touristy things is great.

There are several really questionable parts, though. The worst, from my point of view, was the host's trek near active lava flows at Kilauea. After giving a half-hearted disclaimer about the National Park Service's warning not to go hiking there, and naming a couple of potentially fatal dangers (and failing to mention many others, like corrosive gases, scalding hot steam, and knife-sharp rocks), off she goes, getting up close to red hot lava and cooing over the sight. The only precaution she mentioned was that she had a guide. The guide's credentials were left somewhat unclear. If a lot of people follow her example, it's likely some of them will be injured or killed, or at least need to be rescued.

The video says Hawaii has very little dangerous fauna, which may be true on land but is definitely not true in the water. If you're going to be surfing, swimming, kayaking, etc. as shown in the video, you definitely need to be aware of this.

The video also gives the impression that a large number of Hawaiians don't recognize Hawaii as part of the US and want to secede. While this is one point of view to be aware of, it's not the only one, nor is it the most common. It also presents a glib and politically-sanitized view of Hawaiian traditions and history, the kind you might get from popular movies. Save for a brief mention of human sacrifice, the video gives the impression that native Hawaiians were all gentle pacifists living like hippies in a largely unstructured society until the missionaries came along, abolished the kapu, tore down all the heiaus, made everyone start living by strict rules, etc. If the writers had done a little research, they'd have known the real history is more interesting and nuanced.

Parts of the video are very dated. Obviously, some facts have changed - for example, it's no longer true that nearly all flights into Hawaii land at Honolulu. But also, the video was written at a time before the same-sex marriage debate had heated up. Apparently in an effort to support gay rights, the host attends the civil union ceremony of a gay couple who apparently are total strangers to her. No matter what you think of the marriage debate, dropping in on someone else's wedding is kind of an odd thing to do. And now that several states recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions, I doubt anyone wants to spend their time in Hawaii attending strangers' weddings, no matter what kind of couple it is.

There are also some a few really offbeat choices about places to stay, transportation, and activities that aren't necessarily any cheaper or more fun. If you find it entertaining to see someone else go through discomfort for no apparent reason, you'll like this. If you are looking for something really unusual to do and don't care about enjoyment or comfort, you might also like it. If you're trying to get the most out your trip to Hawaii, you might be happy that it steers foolish adventurers away from the good places you have scouted out. But if you follow the host's example, you might be in for a miserable time and miss out on a lot Hawaii has to offer.

To create diversity it seems some clips were done in an older fashion, like older home movies must have been to give a mom and dad tourist feeling. The interaction with the locals is priceless, regardless of what they do for a living. It was refreshing to see how caro is grown, and poi made (if I'm saying it correctly). It was interesting so see how involved with the true life of the Islands the author became. From the choosing the right fish in the peer market, to riding with the ranchers in the mountains, it was a side of Hawaii I hadn't seen before, less metropolitan, less commercial. If you've been to Hawaii, it does have a more laid back atmosphere, hitching a ride is dangerous though. How to surf was interesting. I think we all know we could get a nice hotel room, I think this is just taking you from the least expensive and you can build on it however you choose. All in all a good film to rent. I gave it a 4 because I didn't appreciate the gay marriage, I had to leave the room till that part was past. If you can walk away for those 3 minutes, the rest is alright, not over kill on history, just a touch, not overkill on the city experience, just a touch. Also I don't think anything is wrong with the native Hawaiians desire to preserve their heritage, let's face it, all cultures strive to preserve their heritage. Well I hope this helped give you some ideas about the video, it's different!

This is a very amatourish film, reflecting very subjective, one-sided, politically motivated, ultra liberal views of its authors. Don't get me wrong, I respect and subscribe to some liberal views, but hey, don't try to present this as a travel guide, offering true information on Hawaii. or a balanced and objective impression of Hawaii.

First, it looks like it's been shot using a cheap non-professional video camera. second, it presents a badly distorted picture of this wonderful 50th state of the USA.

If this were your only guide to Hawaii, you would get an impression that it's a very poor, undeveloped place, reminiscent of the poorest third world countries. That there are only a few modern hotels, only in Waikiki Beach on Oahu, none on any other islands. That most local Hawaiians are poor farmers, practicing ancient farming ways like their ancestors, with no modern farming equipment of any kind. That Hawaiians consider themselves as non-Americans and claim that their land does not belong to America or Americans. That those few modern hotels in Hawaii are "very expensive, starting at $75 per night", as the guide stated, but thankfully you could get a part of a bunk bed for only $14 per night in a hostel. And that you could rent a junk car on Maui, which can also double as your lodging shelter at night. And the only fun you can get on your Hawaiian vacation is by hiking, surfing or kayaking. No mention of plentiful boat rides, sightseeing tours, helicopter and plane flights, parks, shows, restaurants or anything like that.

And they spend probably more time on showing gay marriage ceremonies on Oahu, than on the somberly beautiful Pearl Harbor Memorial.

Everybody has right to express his or her views and so do the liberals. but please, don't present it as an honest guide to Hawaii. Title it appropriately, like A Poor Man's Guide to Hawaii, or Hawaii Minus the Civilization, or something like that. But it's not Hawaii I know and love.

My husband and I are both members of AARP - meaning we are senior citizens. We enjoyed this DVD and found it interesting about gay marriages being allowed there and that some Hawaiians didn't see themselves as Americans. Megan McCormick covers all 4 islands in a limited amount of time educating us along the way. We saw plenty of landmark sites, horseback riding which included castrating a bull, a mule trip, volcanoes up close, beaches including surfing tips, and how to find less expensive accomodations, etc. The bonus trek was so worth it - kayaking along the Na Poli coast on the northern most island. We thought this DVD was a good value. We also recommend "Hawaii to the Max" with Rudy Maxa from Questar.

Very helpful in planning our honeymoon! It was great to watch and see what is possible. the cost cutting tips are essential.

Good source of Hawaiian history, culture, and heritage. An all around look at and understanding of the islands and the people native to them.