Blogs from Hawaii, United States, North America - page 172

In August of 2004 I visited Kauai and I wanted to do the Kalalau Trail after hearing about it from friends and reading that it was one of the best coastal hikes in the world. Well, in short it is amazing! Most guidebooks typically recommend 3-5 days to do the trail. Well, I don't listen well--I had it in my mind that I would do it all in one day--11 miles out and 11 miles back. But, it is not really the distance that is so daunting but the fact that the trail narrows so much in places and is exposed on the cliffs. And after a number of good rains and washouts it can present some nerve-racking sections. So, I stayed in the beautiful little town of Hanalei and drove over to the trail head ... read more

We only have limited access to a computer, but wanted to get some pics up on the web for folks to see what we have been up to! We arrived on February 2 and have been staying at a vacation rental in Kailua (on the windward side of Oahu). The first 5 or so days in Kailua were pretty rainy. Since then Oahu has given us some beautiful weather! We spent Feb 10 - 14 in Hilo on the Big Island (Hawaii). Bill was working and the girls did their best to see the sights. We're back on Oahu now, searching for a permanent address. Prices are outrageous!!! We've had some nice hikes and beautiful beach days. I'll get more specifics up as soon as I can! Oh, and Gabbi lost her first tooth today!!! (Pics ... read more

We had two more days with us to visit places we hadn’t been to in Oahu. We were somewhat tired from previous two really hectic days. So, we decided to take the day little bit lightly. We walked around the area in the morning and had a nice breakfast. We signed up for a guided half-day tour ”Natural Highlights of Oahu Adventure” with Oahu Nature Tours. We thought it would be nice to sit back and relax while the guide will take us and talk about some of the attractions of Oahu. The guided tour was really nice. The guide was really informative and interesting. Good thing it was a small group, which gave us plenty of flexibility and personal attention. We drove through the Diamond Head state park and reached the Hanauma Bay lookout. Hanauma ... read more

We spent the fourth day at the Polynesian Cultural Center near the north shore of Oahu. They provided us transportation from our hotel. It is a living museum of the culture of Polynesian islands. This cultural center represents seven islands of the Polynesia: Hawaii, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, Aotearoa, and Marquesas. Polynesian cultural center is divided into above mentioned villages. All the villages exhibits and conducts activities of respective cultures. They also participate in some common activities like Canoe Pageant “Rainbows of Paradise” and a multicultural show "Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky". There is also an IMAX theater, a lagoon for canoe ride, and an open-air auditorium. There are several options for food and beverages also. In a way, this is like a theme park without rides! But, more entertaining in its own way! ... read more

Hawaii is a part of the United States since 1959; making it the newest and the 50th state of the country. State of Hawaii consists of hundreds of volcanic islands spread over the area of 1500 miles. However, there are only eight main islands. Honolulu is the capital of the State of Hawaii, located on Oahu Island. We had considered visiting Oahu, Lanai, or Kauai islands. However, we finalized Oahu, as it had the combination of a city life and quiet secluded beaches. We had reserved our beach front room at Marriott’s Waikiki Beach Resort at the Waikiki Beach through Expedia. Air tickets with Hawaiian Air. We reached Honolulu Airport around 1 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. We could feel Hawaii as soon as we got off the flight! It was so warm and cozy ... read more