Archive for January, 2008
Waipio Valley
The Waipi’o Valley (sometimes also written Waipio Valley) is one of the many valleys which is on the Big Island’s windward side. It’s situated in the Hamakua Coast area and is known as the “Valley of Kings.” This nickname comes from the valley’s history as one-time home to many of the rulers of Hawaii, but Waipio Valley was home to more than just Hawaii’s ruling class. At most, historians think up to 10,000 people lived in this valley at one time, and it also once housed several important temples. Today, only about 50 people live in Waipio Valley.
With a mile-wide opening at the coast, the Waipi’o Valley boasts a stunning black sand beach that is popular with surfers and has also been used for more than one movie set (including the final scene from Waterworld). The valley itself is not quite six miles deep, and there are lots of waterfalls on both sides of the valley. One of the most famous is Hi’ilawe, which has the distinction of being the highest single waterfall in the Hawaiian islands with a whopping 1,300 foot drop.
Date: January 31st, 2008 |
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Kauai Hindu Monastery
If you think that after sunning yourself on Hawaii’s fantastic beaches, learning to surf and hiking through the famous volcanoes that you’ll be bored in Hawaii, you’re wrong. But if you think you’ve just got to start over with the beaches and do it all over again to keep yourself busy, you’re also wrong - there are hidden gems in Hawaii, you just have to be willing to step outside the usual itinerary to find them. One of those hidden gems is the Hindu monastery on Kauai, called Kauai Aadheenam.
The Hindu monastery and temple complex on Kauai covers nearly 460 acres and includes a theological seminary, publishing center, a sacred forest, and two temples. The Iraivan Siva temple is currently under construction, which it has been essentially since 2001. The first Siva temple built on Kauai is the Kadavul Hindu Temple, which was constructed in 1973, and it serves as the primary temple for the monks who live in the monastery. When the Iraivan Siva temple is complete, the current round-the-clock vigils which have been held at Kadavul since it was first built will likely be moved to the Iraivan temple. Kadavul contains some of the most important pieces of religious artwork in the Kauai monastery.
Date: January 24th, 2008 |
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Pacific Tsunami Museum
While you might not think of a tsunami museum as being a real tourist attraction, the Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hilo on the Big Island is an interesting museum which showcases the two tsunamis that so heavily damaged the Big Island in 1946 and 1960. The museum’s mission is also to educate people about tsunamis all over the world - the website includes information about the most recent recorded tsunami, regardless of where it happened.
There are both regular exhibits and special exhibits on display. For information about what is available at the Pacific Tsunami Museum when you’re visiting, see the exhibits page. For stories told by tsunami survivors, see this page, and this basic tsunami terminology is helpful. Many of the features of the museum are geared toward educating children, although everyone can benefit from the knowledge gained here. Certainly, if you live in an area that has the potential to be affected by tsunamis, the information provided at the museum could very well save your life.
Date: January 18th, 2008 |
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Hiking Na Pali's Kalalau Trail
The Na Pali coast’s rugged and inspiring beauty is some of the most dramatic in the world. Na Pali is Hawaiian for “the cliffs,” the distinguishing and most impressive feature of this portion of coastline. The sheer cliffs dropping into the ocean below, hanging valleys and green slopping mountains make for some of the most spectacular scenery in Hawaii. Protected from intruders by the daunting cliffs in protected valleys, Na Pali was the first area of Kauai to be settled by early Hawaiians who chose the spot specifically for its remoteness and difficulty of access. The 18 miles of protected coastline remains one of the most remote areas in the islands. With no roads, the stretch of coastline is only accessible on foot or by boat. Na Pali is also home to pods of dolphins swimming off shore, humpback whales and sea turtles. Protected reefs provide some of the best snorkeling in the islands.
Date: January 14th, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Kauai
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Kauai
Kauai used to have a couple great nude beaches, but these days one of them is under new ownership and they’re not fond of the clothing-optional thing. The other one is becoming less friendly toward nude sunbathing, too, so proceed with caution.
Donkey Beach - This is the beach that used to be the best nude beach in Kauai, …
Date: January 10th, 2008 |
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Helicopter Tours in Hawaii
One of the fastest and most popular ways to see Hawaii - especially the parts that are more remote and inaccessible - is by taking a helicopter tour. There are countless companies offering helicopter tours in Hawaii, so your dilemma won’t be in finding one to take you for a ride, it’ll be finding one that will fit your budget and schedule.
In addition to the prices of the Hawaii helicopter tours you are considering, other things to think about include the company’s safety record, how many passengers are on each trip, whether you’ll have the ability to talk to the pilot during the tour, and whether you’ll be in a position to take photographs (if that’s your intent). Travel light on the day of your tour, because there are strict limits on weight for these trips, so you probably won’t be able to bring a big backpack with you. Speaking of weight limits, you’ll need to get to the heliport early in order to check in and be weighed. It’s a good idea to wear dark clothing so that it doesn’t show up as a reflection on the helicopter windows (which would ruin your pictures), and don’t forget to tip your pilot!
Date: January 28th, 2008 |
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Nude Beaches on Molokai
Nude sunbathing in Hawaii might be illegal in a technical sense, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen all the time. Here’s where to go to find the prime spots to shed your suit.
Nude Beaches on Molokai
Papohaku Beach - While not even “unofficially” a nude beach, this one is extremely long and so you’re bound to find a secluded spot or twelve where you can sunbathe in peace, with or without clothing.
Really, most of the beaches on Molokai are quiet and secluded enough that you’ll probably be able to go nude at just about …
Date: January 21st, 2008 |
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Southernmost Point in USA - Ka Lae
Visitors to Hawaii are already probably going to feel worlds away from the United States mainland, but just to emphasize that feeling, why not make a stop at the southernmost point in the country? Take a trip out to Ka Lae on the Big Island and be further south than any other place in the USA.
In Hawaiian, Ka Lae translates into simply “the point,” but it is also commonly known as “South Point,” for obvious reasons. There is not a town on this site, as it is made up of rocky cliffs and very difficult to access, but it is a very popular fishing spot! Swimming here isn’t recommended, however, because of the powerful currents. Though people don’t live on Ka Lae now, it is the site of some of the earliest settlements on modern-day Hawaii dating back to 200 A.D. Today, the “residents” are mainly restricted to the wildlife that comes here to feed and give birth.
Date: January 16th, 2008 |
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USS Arizona Memorial
Easily one of the most popular tourist attractions in Oahu is the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The monument to those who died in the attacks sits just above the sunken ship itself and is a sobering reminder that even this tropical paradise can be interrupted by war.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, more than 1,170 people lost their lives - and the vast majority of them remain in the vicinity of the USS Arizona, right where they died. The USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated in 1962, and the section which visitors can access floats over the sunken USS Arizona although it doesn’t touch the ship. Those wishing to visit the site must take a boat out to the memorial from the mainland.
Date: January 14th, 2008 |
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Kona Brewing Company Rides the Microbrewery Wave on the Big Island
When most people think of Kona, they think of scenic shorelines, the bubbling lava flows of the active Mt. Hualalai just miles away, beautiful sunsets and the rich, aromatic and very expensive coffee beans grown in the area. Few people think of beer, however. That is until recently. Brewing amidst the tourists, beautiful sunsets and the Ironman Triathletes, father and son Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa have established a uniquely Hawaiian microbrewery. Healy and Khalsa are originally from Oregon, where they watched a microbrewery movement spring into existence and grow at a break-neck pace. So, in 1994 in an effort to bring the passion for fresh, locally made beer present in the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii, the father and son crossed the ocean and decided to combine two of their loves—good beer and the Big Island—into one dream. They established the Kona Brewing Company nestled along the very shoreline Captain Cook first spotted the Hawaiian Islands and where King Kamehameha the Great once united and ruled the archipelago.
Date: January 9th, 2008 |
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