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Published: July 15th 2010
"In many respects, the best way to visit Honolulu is to leave it - not simply to understand it from this new vantage point, but to enjoy the sort of life that up to now has mainly been a local secret." - Paul Theroux It’s been over seven months since Craig and I moved to Hawaii. Pictures and stories have piled up while we were busy with work and classes, so I have decided to divide our Oahu blogs, with the first (this one) dedicated to the beautiful island of O'ahu, and the second to the city of Honolulu itself.
One of many advantages to living on a small Pacific island is that it doesn’t take very long to get places, even on the bus which bumbles along Oahu’s highways at a very leisurely pace. It is mostly thanks to the public transit system that we have been able to take so many trips outside of the city.
One of our first excursions was to the
Lyon Arboretum and
Manoa Falls Trail , located in the foothills of the Ko’olau Mountains just outside of the city. The arboretum, managed by the University of
Honolulu
as seen from the Wa'ahila Ridge TrailHawaii, is over two hundred acres and includes plant species from around the world. In addition to the lush trails within the botanical garden, the nearby Manoa Falls Trail is a slippery, mile and a half hike snaking through a fantastic bamboo grove and ending at the base of a waterfall. The day we hiked it was pouring rain, which made the path extra slick but also ensured we were completely alone; the rain drumming peacefully on the thick bamboo stalks. Since it was winter, the waterfall was a meager trickle…but still a beautiful spot. It’s a hike easily accessible from the city, and it’s also possible to connect with other trails which climb further into the mountains.
On another daytrip we visited the
Byodo-In Temple in the Valley of the Temples near Kanoehe. Set on gorgeous grounds beneath cliffs, the temple is a replica of a structure in Kyoto, Japan, including a large carving of the Lotus Buddha. Another highlight were the giant, colorful koi in the surrounding ponds - no doubt engorged by visitors flinging fish food into their midst. The curious starlings also took advantage of the bounty, and would nimbly accept food from
your outstretched hand. Unfortunately, the temple also seemed to be a marked destination on the tour bus route, and every half hour or so a new one would arrive, unloading its cargo of pink, sunburned tourists to snap a few photos. Yet in between these disruptions the temple remained quiet and serene, an excellent place to sit and sip a cup of green tea.
Perhaps my favorite escape from the city is the
Koko Crater Botanical Garden , which conjures up images of primordial Madagascar rather than Hawaii. True to its name, the garden is located inside the cone of an extinct volcano, and hosts a variety of plant life from around the globe. There are giant cactus and blue agave from Mexico, bright hibiscus and bougainvillea from the tropics, and bulging baobabs from Madagascar. Some of the strange, spiky plants look like something straight out of Doctor Seuss. There is a two mile loop trail around the garden, with plenty of benches to shake off the red dirt and picnic. The best part is the forgotten quality of Koko Crater, and generally we have the whole area to ourselves…quite a rarity in Hawaii.
Another hiking adventure
led us up the
Wa'ahila Ridge Trail , beginning at a nondescript park in the Saint Luis Heights neighborhood. The trail cut along the crest of a ridge, climbing higher and higher into the foothills and offering spectacular views of downtown Honolulu. The first leg of the trek was mercilessly hot, but as we gained elevation the air became cooler and we were showered in a pleasant mist. On either side we could peer down into the densely forested valleys, and the city noise had long ago been replaced by the peaceful chatter of birds.
We reached the marked end of the trail after about and hour and a half - a sign informed us that the continuing path was unkempt and off-limits to hikers - and may have turned around if we hadn’t bumped into another couple who had just descended from the forbidden trail. They cheerfully told us the views were even better from higher up the ridge, and the path, while challenging, was still navigable. So we accepted the challenge and continued our ascent. The path was extremely steep and muddy, and at several points we found ourselves scrambling up on our hands and knees,
Moku Nui
Kailua Bay groping at roots and branches for support. It really was the best part of the hike, just for the sheer adventure of being along in what seemed to be an impenetrable layer of jungle. The sinking sun finally forced us to turn around, and we made it back to civilization just before dark set in.
Yet another noteworthy hike is the
Kapa’ele’ele Trail at
Ahupua’a o Kahana State Park . This short hike offered stunning views of Kahana Bay and some interesting scenery, but is perhaps more noteworthy for its Hawaiian history and current political strife. Before Westerners arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, the fertile valley was used for agriculture, and was also home to fisherman who sought their catch in the nearby cove. The valley is considered deeply sacred, and is home to many archeological sites, including fishing shrines.
The park is home to a number of Hawaiian families, who have been camping in the valley for generations. The state government purchased the park thirty years ago, and permitted the residents to stay on the land. Many of these people still reside there, though their situation is tenuous. We saw a few tents while
hiking, and while we were careful to stay on the marked trail, I did feel like an intruder.
My experiences at the legendary
Hanauma Bay have been far from positive. On our first trip we found the beach closed due to the monthly influx of box jellyfish; I’d forgotten to check the arrival calendar and thus mistimed our visit. On the second occasion, a severe storm was brewing; the winds churning up waves and prohibiting us from swimming farther out into the deeper part of the bay. The park was absolutely packed…full of small children splashing in the shallows and sun bunnies sprawled out in bikinis on the beach. In spite of the mandatory video warning visitors not to step on the coral or harass the animals, I saw countless people clambering over the reef; smashing the coral with their ridiculous rental flippers while they tried to figure out how to put on their masks.
As a result the reef has been completely destroyed…it’s dead and colorless. First, the area was nearly depleted by over-fishing, and now the marine life is in danger from the opposite problem: clueless tourists. Perhaps I sound harsh, but it is
unlikely the fragile ecosystem of Hanauma Bay can survive the strain of the reported three thousand daily visitors. And as a side note, I have seen many more animal species at my regular snorkeling spot on the South Shore.
Spring break found us bombing around the
North Shore . We rented a car and camped for several nights at
Malaekahana State Park . It was an utterly fantastic experience, beginning with our rental vehicle. We’d ordered the cheapest economy car we could find, but when we showed up to collect it the agency had run out of everything but convertibles and mini vans. You can guess which one we chose! For just a few more dollars per day, we were able to enjoy the island with the top down in our brand new Mini Cooper.
Since moving to Hawaii this was really the first time I had experienced it like thousands of other Americans: on vacation. With a vehicle at our disposal and a bit of free time to explore, Oahu felt like a completely different place. Our campground was located just north of
La’ie , home of BYU Hawaii and the egregious monstrosity
Plumeria
Koko Crater Botanical Garden that is the Polynesian Cultural Center. From Honolulu we crossed the mountains, and meandered along the Kamehameha Highway with stunning views of the ocean and pali. The campsite was exceptionally quiet - a wonderful respite from the constant clanging, shouting, sirens, honking, and hacking of Waikiki-with only the steady sound of the surf and the crowing of resident roosters at dawn.
The next morning we began at the infamous
Ted’s Bakery for unbelievably delicious coconut Danishes, and then drove on to
Waimea . We took full advantage of having our own set of wheels by exploring the surrounding area, including the neighborhood of novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux, who splits his time between Oahu and Massachusetts. We cruised back along the Windward side of the island, stopping at
Mokoli’i , which is also referred to as Chinaman’s Hat, and then pulling off on the side of the road to snorkel at what appeared to be a promising location. There wasn’t a lot of marine life, but the water was beautifully clear.
We drove back to Malaekahana and swam/waded out to
Goat Island . The small, volcanic atoll is an avian sanctuary, with
Marvelous Ms. Mini
The best rental ever...] Mokoli’i Beach Park the interior being reserved for nesting seabirds. We walked the perimeter, winding between jagged windswept rock and windswept shrubbery. It felt very isolated in spite of being within range of the shore, and seemed the perfect spot for castaways. On the far side, the waves were gigantic; crashing mercilessly over the rocks. This did not, however, stop a couple of intrepid surfers, who had somehow managed to paddle out into the midst of the fray.
We snorkeled in the protected bay, then slogged back to the shore and drove to
Kahuku . The sleepy little town is famous for its shrimp farms and roadside eateries - small shacks serving up plates of buttery prawns to be eaten at the outdoor picnic tables. Back at camp we went bodyboarding on our nearby slice of beach. It was a first for me (I have since become addicted), and though the surf seemed large and somewhat intimidating, we were not alone: a green sea turtle was swimming nearby, cutting gracefully in and out of the waves.
The following day we drove into
Haleiwa for gas and coffee, then out to rocky and remote
Kaena Point . The
drive out took us through the mill town of Waialua and the surrounding fields where sugar cane still grows wild. Out of curiosity we turned down a dirt road to find a settlement of ramshackle houses and rusty cars amidst the thick vegetation. The area seemed to be a throwback to an earlier time, when workers from all over Asia and the Pacific lived in similar communities as they struggled to earn wages working on the sugar plantations.
According to Hawaiian legend, Kaena Point is place the spirits went to leap into the afterlife. It certainly seems fitting, given the stark, end of the world feeling. We didn’t hike all the way to the end, but did spend some time wandering along the rocky shores. We also stumbled upon the YMCA camp used to film parts of “LOST”. Driving back we stopped at
Mokule’ia Beach Park , which was pristine and deserted except for some local fisherman and a couple of kite surfers.
Back in Waimea we ate lunch at Shark’s Cove Grill, a charming roadside trailer serving ahi sandwiches and with a collection of hungry cats and chickens who eyed us while we ate. Next, we
went snorkeling at
Shark’s Cove . Being early spring the waves were still fairly large, and after swimming out into the inlet we realized that returning to shore would likely be challenging due to the immense amount of water crashing onto the rocks. Still, the visibility was great, and there were many large and colorful parrotfish. After a few tense moments we managed to swim safely back to shore; managing to scramble between the boulders in between wave sets.
Relieved, we opted to swim instead in the protected area, a calm, natural pool surrounded entirely by jagged volcanic rock. It was fantastic - sort of like swimming on the moon, with crystal clear water, bright fish, and a lunar feeling created by the mix of white sand and serrated black rock. We finally tore ourselves away, and caught a spectacular sunset at the aptly- named (and world-famous surf spot)
Sunset Beach .
Since this trip, we have been back to Shark’s Cove several times, and I am happy to report the conditions have been much better. During summer on the North Shore the big waves disappear, and the environment becomes ideal for snorkeling.
It was
exceptionally difficult to tear ourselves away and return to city life. I almost cried when I handed over the car keys! Still, it is comforting to know that such a beautiful, relaxed alternative to frantic Honolulu exists just over the mountains…even if I have to take the bus!
Recently, we went kayaking in
Kailua Bay , which was quite the experience. I’d been looking forward to the outing for weeks, as the guidebook promised turquoise water and access to quality snorkeling. Reading eagerly, I pictured an isolated slice of sea…just us, a kayak, and desolate offshore islands. The hustle and bustle of the city -the constant noise and waves of freshly-arrived tourists rolling fresh and eager off the airport shuttle and clogging the sidewalks-had made me desperate for a bit of solitude. But Oahu is a small island, and Hawaii’s record tourist numbers ensure that privacy is extremely hard to come by.
I wasn’t the only one with the idea to kayak in Kailua-and we paddled alongside a small flotilla, comprised of families, college students, grandparents, and women with babies. Not quite the adventure I had pictured, but still, the water was turquoise, and the scenery stunning.
Tea
Byodo-In Temple We stopped at
Moku Nui , one of the rugged offshore isles. Later, we were able to strike out on our own by paddling out into the bay, and periodically leaping of our kayak in order to snorkel around the reef. We eventually ran into a patient green sea turtle, who tolerated us gawking at her for over an hour while she grazed on sea grass.
Hawaii is a fascinating place and I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to explore the island of Oahu in depths. For more on life in the city of Honolulu...stay tuned.
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Deborah Bradbury
non-member comment
Great Blog!
Hannah - wonderful writing and photos! You have great descriptive talent and bring Hawaii to life for the armchair traveler at home. Love, Mom