Timeshare Information

Planning a vacation to Hawaii is planning a vacation in Paradise. Timeshare rental has made vacations in this tropical Paradise very accessible for those on a budget. Because of affordable timeshares, more and more people are enjoying Hawaiian vacations and once you've experienced the awesome natural beauty and wonderful Polynesian culture of Hawaii, you'll find yourself wanting to know more about this very special place. We've compiled a bit of Hawaii Trivia for you to contemplate, as you dream of relaxing on your timeshare lanai.

1. What is shaved ice?
   Unlike a snow cone, which is re-frozen crushed ice, Hawaii's delicious shaved ice treat is made by ice that is shaved off a block of ice right in front of you, almost to a consistency of powder. Flavored with fruit syrups (tropical flavors such as mango, guava and passion fruit are popular with tourists) shaved ice is often served over ice cream. Try it with added Red Bean sauce for a delightfully exotic twist.


2. What do the names of the islands mean?
   As with anything that goes back to antiquity, there is some conflict to this answer, but most scholars agree that Oahu means "gathering place," Maui is the name of a demi-god, Lanai means "day of conquest," and Kauai is "food season," a good name for the "Garden Island."


3. Why is it called Diamond Head?
   This extinct volcano crater was originally named Le'ahi in the Hawaiian language because the summit ridge resembles the head (lae) of the yellowfin tuna (ahi). In the 1700s western traders thought they had discovered diamonds in the crater and began referring to it as Diamond Head (the "diamonds" turned out to be worthless calcite crystals).


4. Can you really ski in Hawaii?
   Visitors to Hawaii are often amused to see t-shirts sporting the slogan "Ski Hawaii." It is true that on the Big Island, Moana Kea (Hawaiian for "white mountain") does sometimes get enough snow for skiing. However, the ski-able area is over 13,000 feet high, is only accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicles (no ski lifts), and attempts to ski here have raised grave ecological concerns.


5. What is that thumb and little finger hand signal?
   Extending just the thumb and little finger and giving the hand a quick shake is called doing the "shaka." This cultural hand greeting has been popularized world-wide by intrigued Hawaiian visitors. Variably it can mean "hello," "goodbye," "cool," "okay," "see you later," and "take care."