Hawaii Travel News 08/18/2011

The annual Cycle to the Sun bicycle race, described as one of the world’s steepest, most challenging bike races, will take place on Maui on Saturday, Aug. 20. About 200 bicyclists are expected to test their endurance as they travel along the course route from sea level to the 10,000-foot summit of Maui’s dormant volcano.

Honolulu Magazine asked some of the best chefs from around the state what dish they'd recommend at their own restaurant and what they'd recommend at another. It's so interesting to see their choices!

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands exhibit opening at the Waikiki Aquarium on Thursday is 4,400 gallons of exquisite, rare marine life and currently home to 22 species of coral, two of which were discovered by scientists collecting for the display.

Shocking and sad, yet true, this article tells the story of just one of the "lost children of Kalaupapa", orphaned by Hansen's disease and the stigma surrounding its history in Hawaii.

If you're a fan of the Travel Channel's "Man vs. Food" show, you have got to see this! Just the fact that this 30-year old school teacher can finish 3/4 of the Mac 24/7 pancake stack is quite an impressive mark on her resume. And she's tiny! Wow.

Beautiful shots of some colorful summer sunsets in Waikiki by photographer Dallas Nagata White.

Bon dance season in Hawaii is now under way. You'll find o-bon festivals slated for just about every weekend at Hawaii hongwanji missions and temples, from June through August. According to tradition, it is believed the summer months are when ancestral spirits return to visit family and friends.

A rare octopus was found in shallow water off Kaneohe Bay. the Waikiki Aquarium helped to identify the "octo-squid".

I love this frequently updated roundup of Honolulu eateries by Nonstop Honolulu.

Could this kid be the next golf phenom? Cute.