Insider Guide: Best of Honolulu

We won't promise seclusion in Waikiki, but romance in the shadow of Diamond Head is still one of Honoulu's great thrills. 
 
Four of the most glorious words in the travel lexicon?

“We’re going to Hawaii!”

For many travelers to America’s 50th state, that means at least a stop in the capital of Honolulu, a city of nearly a million residents on the lush island of Oahu.Despite its epic popularity, the best of Honolulu still fulfills the Pacific promise of easy breezes, slow days, perfect beaches and lots of flowery drinks and shirts.

What may come as a surprise are the twists recently added to some familiar island icons.Recent years have seen major refurbishments at many hotels along the famed beach of Waikiki.

New decor.
New bathrooms.
New spas.
Some beachfront hotels have even built new pools.

And the visitors?

While the usual travelers from North America and Asia still crowd the beaches, a recent influx of Aussies means you just might hear the guy on the next beach towel say, “Mate, can you chuck us me thongs?” (In Australia, flip-flops are called “thongs.”)The world’s busiest holiday playground is offering an updated approach to sand and surf, and the best of Honolulu is the gateway to it all.

Churaumi Aquarium: Okinawa's riveting sea show

Scores of silhouettes stand in the blue glow of the Kuroshio Sea Tank, only 60 centimeters of acrylic separating them from a mini-ocean filled with creatures great and small.Smartphones gleam like beacons in the dark, cavernous room, on standby to capture photos once the show starts.A woman appears on a screen that hangs next to the tank.

“Mina-san, hi, hi,” she says in Japanese, welcoming everyone. She’s behind the scenes, perched above the water and gearing up for feeding time.

Three whale sharks glide back and forth in the 7,500-square-meter tank as manta rays, nurse sharks and all manner of fish -- giant grouper, yellowfin tuna, yellow and blueback fusilier -- weave around them. The announcer provides more commentary (in Japanese) before staff start dumping plankton and shrimp into the tank by the bucketful.The whale sharks open their mammoth mouths and keep on swimming.

“It's eating, look it's eating,” I hear one man say to the little girl who’s sitting on his shoulders. “That's a big fish.”

Whale sharks are, in fact, the biggest fish in the world. But they’re filter feeders, so watching them chow down is about as exciting as watching a plant suck in carbon dioxide. Still, seeing them do anything in this kind of setting is considered a rare treat.

The experts at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium say captive reproduction “has been fraught with difficulties” and that they're the only ones on the planet to house multiple whale sharks in a tank.The oldest, which is about 17, came to the aquarium years ago after fishermen caught it in a net. It now measures 8.5 meters long and weighs 5.5 tons.

“I’ve been to quite a few aquariums in different cities, but never seen a whale shark in an aquarium,” says Tracy Ruggiero, a tourist from Hawaii. “It’s beautiful.”

Best new mountain resorts

(CNN) -- About three-thousand feet above sea level, fleece-clad guests sit fireside sipping glasses of Burgundy from the chalet owner's private vineyard. But this isn't St. Moritz. Down the hall is a stone-and-oak onsen for après-ski muscle soaking. Welcome to the Kimamaya Boutique Hotel on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, an increasingly chic ski destination.

Kimamaya is one example of how the latest ski resorts are trending toward high design and popping up in some unexpected places. Such new resorts in Norway, Japan and Austria's Tyrol region have begun to attract an off-the-beaten-trail set. They have enough varied amenities to appeal to all, especially non-skiers who were previously dragged into the cold by their ski-enthusiast friends and family.

Travelers can expect mountain retreats with designer furniture, original art on the walls and top chefs brought in from cities to give the cheese-and-potato ski cuisine a makeover. And, naturally, some ski-specific perks: better ski-in, ski-out access, ultra-groomed and longer trails and state-of-the-art lifts.

Whether you ski or not, there's never been a better time to change your altitude with a stay at one of these chic mountain resorts.

Which U.S. city has the best airport?

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the best U.S. airport for travelers with a connecting flight, according to a recent Travel Leaders Group survey of its agents. Atlanta also came out on top for dining, amenities and business traveler services.

"Major airports have transformed considerably in the last decade to accommodate the shift in the amount of time travelers spend there," said Barry Liben, CEO of Travel Leaders Group, in a press statement. "More amenities have been added to appeal to travelers -- and in many cases, to occupy their time -- while they wait for their flights."

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport was rated as the worst domestic airport for travelers with connecting flights. At least business travelers can keep busy between transfers: O'Hare came in second in services for business travelers.

Traveling with a child? Given its role transporting families to Disney World and other theme parks, it's no surprise that Orlando International Airport ranked as the best domestic airport for people traveling with kids.

Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport didn't do too badly, either. The biggest airport in the friendly state of Minnesota came in second place for dining, amenities and keeping kids busy. And the Charlotte (North Carolina) Douglas International Airport came in second for ease in connecting flights.

The survey of 930 Travel Leaders Group owners, managers and other travel experts in the United States was conducted in November and December.

Japan's ANA replaced faulty batteries on Dreamliner last year

A Japanese carrier has revealed that it replaced faulty batteries on its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet last year, as aviation authorities worldwide continue to ground the aircraft amid safety concerns over the devices.In an interview with the New York Times, All Nippon Airways (ANA) said the aircraft's main battery failed to start normally on three occasions and had to be replaced along with the charger. In other cases, one battery showed an error reading and another, used to start the auxiliary power unit, failed. All the events occurred from May to December of last year, the report said.

Megumi Tezuka, spokeswoman for ANA, told CNN Wednesday that 10 lithium ion batteries on its 787s were replaced in 2012, with a low charge being reported on some of the devices on board the aircraft.

Jumeirah makes sales push in UK with new appointments

Luxury hospitality company Jumeirah Group has announced several key appointments for its global sales office in London.Anne Jensen has been appointed as director of sales for western Europe, while Kathrin Wildeshaus will be taking on the position of director of global sales, corporate, UK and Ireland, & Scandinavia.Having started her career at the Landmark Hotel in London, Jensen has, for the past ten years, been working for Millennium & Copthorne Hotels.In her most recent role as sales & marketing director for the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels at Chelsea Football Club, she was responsible for sales strategy, team management, and business development.

Wildeshaus will be taking on the position on maternity-leave cover.
A German national, used to applying her skills across a spectrum of business needs, she has a comprehensive understanding of the hotel industry.Kathrin began her career as convention sales coordinator at the InterContinental Cologne, Germany but was promoted, in 2005, to junior sales manager for the InterContinental Cologne, in addition to the Crowne Plaza Cologne and InterContinental Düsseldorf, Germany.

In 2007, Kathrin relocated to London as account manager for conference and events at the Crowne Plaza London.She went on to become assistant director of sales at the Crowne Plaza, before joining the Park Plaza Hotels Group in 2010.

Most recently, Kathrin was corporate account director of the Global Sales Office for Park Plaza Hotels Europe, with full account management of an impressive corporate account portfolio.
Finally, Elodie Lacroix has been announced as the director of global sales for France & Benelux.
Having spent four years within the Accor Group in China and Europe, Elodie has a proven ability to progress in the negotiation and development of key accounts, while working effectively alongside different teams across the globe.

A French National, with command of English, German, and Chinese, Elodie has honed her expertise, working on strategic repositioning and commercial strategies for Sofitel hotels in Luxembourg and London.

In her most recent role, she was head of sales & marketing for the Arora Group (Arora and Sofitel) for Arora London and Manchester, as well as the Sofitel London Heathrow.

Camano Island

Welcome to the USA Camano Island is a large island in the Possession Sound portion of Puget Sound, located in Island County, Washington, between Whidbey Island and the mainland. The body of water separating Whidbey Island and Camano Island is called Saratoga Passage Camano Island is named for the Spanish explorer Jacinto Caamaño. Charles Wilkes, during the Wilkes Expedition of 1838-1842, named it MacDonough Island in honor of Thomas MacDonough for his victory of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812. Following this theme, Wilkes named the body of water between Camano and Whidbey Island after MacDonough's flagship the Saratoga. When Henry Kellett reorganized the official British Admiralty charts in 1847, he removed Wilkes' name MacDonough and bestowed the name Camano, which the Spanish had originally given to Admiralty Inlet in 1790. Wilkes' name Saratoga Passage was retained.