Over the past two days we looked at ways that you can save money in choosing where to stay when you plan your Hawaii vacation. Today we shift gears to an area which can really "eat" a hole in your pocket - food.

It's not unusual for a couple visiting Hawaii to spend $150-200 per day on food alone. Over the course of a ten day trip that's $1500-2000. That's simply crazy.

I'm certainly not saying that you shouldn't try some of the excellent fine dining opportunities available throughout the islands and, certainly, plan to attend a luau. Pacific Rim Cuisine is unique in it's application of fresh island fish and produce with the influence of the many people from Asia and the Americas who have made Hawaii their home.

That being said; there are ways that you can save lots of money eating. You don't need to go to a fancy restaurant to eat well in Hawaii. In fact, some of the best food is found at some of the more hole-in-the-wall places.

I'll tell you about some of my favorites in Part 3 of our series Money Saving Tips for Visitors to Hawaii. Today's feature is Cheap Eats in Hawaii: Saving Money But Eating Well in Hawaii.

Yesterday we looked at how you can save money on your Hawaii vacation this fall and winter by taking advantage of the many packages and specials available at hotels and resorts throughout the islands.

Today we look at another option, the condo hotel. It's a new concept to many travelers but one which definitely needs to be considered especially when visiting Hawaii since there are actually more condo hotels than standard hotel and resorts. The key thing to keep in mind is that most condo hotels offer several great amenities not found in standard hotels and resorts, specifically kitchens, laundry facilities and living rooms. Those create great opportunities to save money.

So what exactly is a condo hotel? What are the advantages and drawbacks? Which are some of my favorites in the islands. Find out in today's feature Condo Hotels Offer Hawaii Visitors Affordable Alternatives.

Hawaii tourism is down. For the month of July 2008, almost 100,000 fewer visitors arrived in the islands than last July. That's a 14% drop, and things don't look good for the rest of 2008. Surprisingly visitor arrivals from the western part of the USA were off more than visitors from the east - 20% to 14%.

While this is bad news for the economy of the islands where so many people work or benefit from the visitor industry, it is not necessarily bad news for you, the visitor. Desperate to increase visitor numbers for the rest of 2008 into 2009, there are many great opportunities available for you to visit the islands this fall and winter.

Everyone cringes when they take that first step in planning a visit to Hawaii and look at airfare prices. Those prices are up and in many cases way up. Flights from the east part of the USA which were once easily available for under $800 are now often charging well over $1000. Flights from the west are also up by significant numbers.

Fall and winter are great times for couples to visit Hawaii. The children are back in school and many hotels and resorts are less crowded than in the peak summer months. It's also much easier to book activities with lesser demand. The fall is my favorite time to visit the islands since the weather is near perfect. (In fact I'm making two trips to Hawaii this fall.)

Were you planning a trip to Hawaii this fall or winter, but put off when you found that airfare for two was up by as much as $1000? What can you do to make up that money with the rest of your trip expenses and still get to visit paradise?

Over the next week I'll give you some tips to help you save money this fall and winter for your Hawaii vacation. Each day I'll look at another way that will help you make your Hawaii vacation more affordable.

Today, let's look at ways you can save money on hotels and resorts in our feature Free Nights and More at Hawaii Hotels and Resorts.

At the end of Highway 270 in the Big Island's North Kohala region, past the quaint towns of Hawi and Kapa'au, you'll find the Pololu Valley.

The best way to see all that this area of the Big Island has to offer is to hike down the four mile trail to the valley floor 1000 feet below. The path takes you through groves of hau and ironwood trees, marshland and across the valley stream which, depending on recent rainfall, may be easy to cross or even set off from the shoreline by a sandbar. You'll then arrive at the valley's black sand beach, a favorite spot for family outings.

Join me for a Hike down the Pololu Valley Trail on the Big Island of Hawaii

_{Pololu Valley photo by John Fischer}.