July 21, 2003 -- Laura Crites, co-author of the outstanding guide The Call to Hawaii, advocates the taking of what she terms "wellness vacations." She defines a wellness vacation as, "A vacation taken with the intention of creating greater balance and harmony emotionally, physically and spiritually." An inspiring way to look at travel, and following in that mindset, the good people of one island in that state are organizing LifeFest Maui, hoping you too will want to rejuvenate your soul right there in "Paradise."
There's even a sweepstakes in which you can win a trip for two to the event, which includes four nights at a Wailea resort, roundtrip air transport from the nearest US gateway, four days' rental car, and two LifeFest Maui "Power Passes." The sweepstakes ends on July 31, 2003, and you can enter by visiting www.lifefestmaui.com.
But, win or not, you might want to consider attending. Keynote speakers include Deepak Chopra, Bob Greene (personal trainer to Oprah, among others), Julian Whitaker, Michio Kushi, Howard Murad and Jacob Liberman. The event takes place on September 12-14, 2003, at Wailea Resort and other venues nearby.
Registration for all 23 lectures and panels costs $165 per person, and that includes participation in the Celebrity Power Walk. Tickets to individual lectures and events are also available during the event. In addition to these talks, there will be fitness events for golfers, tennis players and ocean canoe paddlers, a charity benefit dinner, private counseling sessions with Michio Kushi, the "Fit for Life" Health Expo, continuing education programs, and more.
Among the hotels involved are Diamond Resorts, Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Four Seasons, Grand Wailea Resort & Spa, Renaissance Wailea Beach, and the Marriott.
If you book your condo with Destination Resorts Hawaii, you get a free fifth or seventh night and a Budget Rental Car for an extra $20 per day plus tax. Phone 800/367-5246 or visit www.drhmaui.com for this deal.
At the Diamond Resorts, you get a "Retreat Package" from $675, which includes three nights of suite accommodations, free use of the Hydrotherapy area, and one LifeFest Maui Power Pass (additional passes at $165 each). Rates are per person. Phone 800/800-0720 or 808/874-0500, website www.diamondresort.com.
Higher prices prevail at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, where a Body & Soul Package starts from $589 per night, three-night minimum required. Phone 800/659-4100 or 808/875-4100 or visit www.fairmont.com. Other hotels with prices also in the upper brackets include the Four Seasons resort (800/334-6284 or 808/874-8000; www.fourseasons.com/maui); the Grand Wailea Resort (800/888-6100 or 808/875-1234, website www.grandwailea.com); and the Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort (800/9-WAILEA or 808/879-4900), website www.renaissancehotels.com).
Hawaiian Airlines is offering special airfare rates beginning at approximately $300 from the Mainland to Hawaii for LifeFest Maui at Wailea attendees. To book, surf over to www.hawaiianair.com/groups/zonebooking_login.asp. Enter the Meeting Code LFM062003. Then select either Inter-island (within Hawaii) or Mainland U.S. Flight Reservations. And lastly, enter your preferred itinerary to receive information on flight availability. For more info check out www.hawaiianair.com.
Before you head off, here are the details on that excellent guidebook. The Call to Hawaii, a Wellness Vacation Guidebook, by Betsy Crites and Laura Crites. Published by Aloha Wellness Publishers, Honolulu, phone 808/941-8253, website www.alohawellnesstravel.com. 400 pages, $15. ISBN 0-9727548-0-6.