Things to do in Hawaii
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Big Island Day Trip: Volcanoes National Park from Oahu
15 hours (Departs Oahu, Hawaii)
by Viator
Take a Big Island volcano tour from Oahu on a day trip to Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park. The recent eruptions of Kilauea Volcano have captured the world's…Not LP reviewed
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Hilo Farmers Market
Nearly 20 years old, Hilo's Farmers Market is an island-wide event, as locals gather from all over to shop for fresh produce and catch up with friends. Covered stalls sell top-quality island produce: papayas, liliko'i, breadfruit, apple bananas, mangoes and star fruit. You'll find lots of Asian greens, organic vegetables and local produce. There's prepared food, too: bento boxes (with Spam musubi) and machete-cut coconuts for drinking.
A huge number of craft and clothing stalls also lay out their wares: browse for sarongs and T-shirts, rubbah slippahs and wood carvings, shell jewelry and coconut-leaf baskets. There's some wonderful stuff, but not all the crafts are…
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Malu'aka Beach
Forget about calling it Malu'aka Beach - everyone just calls this 'Turtle Beach.' Snorkelers and kayakers flock here to see the sea turtles that frequent this golden-sand beach fronting the Maui Prince Hotel. You'll find fantastic coral about 100yd out. Sea turtles feed along the coral and often swim within just feet of the snorkelers. It's best at the south end of the beach, and that's where everyone else will be.
There are beach parking lots, rest rooms and showers at both ends of the beach. At the north side, there's the lot opposite Keawala'i Congregational Church. Or, after driving south past the Maui Prince Hotel, take the first sharp right, where there's additional…
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Little Beach
Little Beach, also known as Pu'u Ola'i Beach, is south Maui's au naturel beach (though nudity is officially illegal). Hidden by a rocky outcrop that juts out from Pu'u Ola'i, the cinder hill that marks the north end of Big Beach, most visitors don't even know Little Beach is there. But take the short trail up the rock that links the two beaches and bam, there it is, spread out in front of you. The crowd is mixed, about half gay and half straight.
Little Beach fronts a sandy cove that usually has a gentle shorebreak ideal for bodysurfing and bodyboarding. When the surf's up, you'll find plenty of local surfers here as well. When the water's calm, snorkeling is good along…
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Nounou Mountain
On clear days you can see the outline of the Nounou Mountain (commonly called the Sleeping Giant) atop Nounou Ridge from a marked viewpoint just north of the Waipouli Complex.
According to legend, the amicable giant fell asleep on the hillside after gorging on poi at a luau. When his menehune friends needed his help, they tried to rouse him by throwing stones. But the stones bounced from the giant's full belly into his open mouth and lodged in his throat. He died in his sleep and turned into rock.
Now he rests, stretched out on the ridge with his head in Wailua and his feet in Kapa'a. At an elevation of almost 1250ft, the giant's forehead is the highest point on the ridge.
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Ke'e Beach
Picturesque Ke'e Beach can't be beat for colorful snorkeling and easy access. A reef protects the right side of the cove and, except on high surf days, waters are calm and pleasantly swimmable. The left side is open and can have a powerful current, particularly in winter.
On the downside, Ke'e Beach is insanely popular due to both the outstanding snorkeling and the adjacent Kalalau trailhead. From the beach, you can behold the Na Pali Coast by walking the first 30 minutes of the Kalalau Trail . Parking can be a problem (go early and avoid summers and weekends) and break-ins are rampant.
Find showers, drinking water, rest rooms and a pay phone in the woods behind the…
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Kuan Yin Temple
Near the entrance of Foster Botanical Garden, the Kuan Yin Temple is a bright-red Buddhist temple with a green ceramic-tile roof. The ornate interior is richly carved and filled with the sweet, pervasive smell of burning incense.The temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, Goddess of Mercy, whose statue is the largest in the prayer hall.
Devotees burn paper 'money' for prosperity and good luck. Offerings of fresh flowers and fruit are placed at the altar. The large citrus fruit that is stacked pyramid-style is the pomelo, considered a symbol of fertility because of its many seeds.Honolulu's multiethnic Buddhist community worships at the temple, and respectful visitors…
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Sans Souci Beach
Sans Souci Beach, also known as Kaimana Beach because of its proximity to the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, Sans Souci attracts sunbathers and swimmers keen to avoid the main tourist scene. Despite being by itself, it also has a lifeguard station and outdoor showers. Many residents come to Sans Souci to swim their daily laps out to a wind sock marker and back.
A shallow coral reef close to the shore makes for calm, protected waters and provides reasonably good snorkeling. More coral can be found by following the Kapua Channel as it cuts through the reef, although if you swim here beware of currents that can pick up. Check conditions with the lifeguard before venturing…
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Po'ipu Beach
The Sheraton Kaua'i Resort scored big-time with its location at Po'ipu Beach, which runs east to Po'ipu Beach Park . An offshore reef tames the waves enough for swimming, snorkeling and moderate windsurfing, bodyboarding and surfing.
Cowshead, the rocky outcropping at the west end of the beach near the Sheraton, offers Po'ipu Beach's best bodyboarding breaks. For experts only, challenging offshore surfing spots include First Break, in front of the Sheraton; beginners should always remain inshore. Waiohai, at the east end of the beach in front of the sprawling Marriott Waiohai Beach Club time-share, also sees major swells.
To get here, drive to the end of Ho'onani Rd.
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Oahu Grand Circle Island Day Tour with Dole Plantation
8 hours 30 minutes (Departs Waikiki, Oahu)
by Viator
Choose the Grand Circle Oahu Island Tour for a day trip filled with fabulous activities and sightseeing. The popular, fully narrated Oahu Grand Circle Island…Not LP reviewed
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Keauhou Bay
Keauhou Bay has a launch ramp and a small boat harbor, and is one of the most protected on the west coast. It has a small grassy area, a couple of palm-shaded picnic tables, showers and rest rooms. Two sand volleyball courts stand between the headquarters of the local outrigger canoe club and the lapping bay. Against the hillside, just south of the dive shacks, a plaque marks the site where Kamehameha III was born in 1814.
The young prince was said to have been stillborn and brought back to life by a visiting kahuna (priest). To get to the bay, turn makai (seaward) off Ali'i Dr onto Kamehameha III Rd. See for information about excursions out of this harbor.
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Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau State Monument
Attributed to the legendary menehune, Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau State Monument is a long, low-walled platform temple perched on a bluff above Waimea; and it's the largest heiau on O'ahu. The terraced stone walls are a couple of feet high, although most of the heiau is now overgrown. It's an excellent site for a temple, with a commanding view of both Waimea Valley and Waimea Bay. West, the view extends along the coast to Ka'ena Point.
To get to the heiau, turn up Pupukea Rd at Foodland supermarket. The marked turnoff is about half a mile up the road; from there it's three-quarters of a mile in. There's a good view of Pupukea Beach Park on the drive up.
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Lava Tree State Monument
Entering this park beneath its tight-knit canopy of monkeypod trees is an otherworldly experience. A short, easy loop trail passes through a tropical vision of Middle Earth, full of ferns, orchids and bamboo, and highlighting unusual 'lava trees', which were created in 1790 when a rain forest was engulfed in pahoehoe (lava) from Kilauea's East Rift Zone.
The lava enveloped the moisture-laden ohia trees and then receded, leaving lava molds where the destroyed trees once stood. These mossy lava shells now lie scattered like dinosaur bones, adding to the park's ghostly aura. Then, in late afternoon, the love songs of coqui reverberate among the trees.
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Hale Pa'ahao
Hale Pa'ahao (Stuck-in-Irons House), Lahaina's old prison, was built in 1852 by convicts who dismantled the old harborside fort and carted the stones here to construct the 8ft-high prison walls. Inside one of the whitewashed cells you'll find an 'old seadog' mannequin spouting a recorded description of 'life in this here calaboose.'
Another cell displays a list of arrests for the year 1855. The top three offenses were drunkenness (330 arrests), adultery and fornication (111), and 'furious riding' (89). Other wayward transgressions of the day included profanity, lascivious conduct, aiding deserting sailors and drinking 'awa (kava moonshine).
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Lahaina Public Library
At first glance you might not see much but a closer look reveals a treasure trove of obscure sights. The grounds of the Lahaina Public Library were once the site of a royal taro field; Kamehameha III occasionally toiled in the mud here to instill in his subjects the dignity of labor.
Here, too, sat the first Western-style building in Hawaii, the Brick Palace, erected by Kamehameha I around 1800 so he could keep watch on arriving ships. Despite the grand name, this 'palace' was a simple two-story structure built by two ex-convicts from Botany Bay. All that remains today is the excavated foundation, on the makai (seaward) side of the library.
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'Ulupalakua Ranch
A holdout from an earlier era, 'Ulupalakua Ranch was established in the mid-19th century by James Makee, a whaling captain who jumped ship and befriended Hawaiian royalty. King David Kalakaua, the 'Merrie Monarch,' was a frequent visitor who loved to indulge in late-night rounds of poker and champagne.
Hwy 37 winds south through ranch country offering good views of Kaho'olawe and the little island of Molokini. The 20,000-acre ranch is still worked by paniolo (note the sign on the ranch store warning cowboys to wipe the shit off their boots before entering!) and has some 6000 head of cattle, as well as a small herd of Rocky Mountain elk.
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Kalihiwai Beach
With a wide, deep bay, Kalihiwai Beach is popular for many activities, such as swimming and, when the winter northwest swells roll in, daredevil bodyboarding and surfing along the cliff at the east end of the bay.
If you enjoy kayaking, the Kalihiwai Stream, which empties into the bay, offers perhaps the prettiest scenery of the island's rivers. Launch at the bay and paddle up into Kalihiwai Valley, where you can see or hike to Kalihiwai Falls. Note: the falls are on land leased by Princeville Ranch Stables and you might be shooed away). The beach has no facilities.
To get here, take the first Kalihiwai Rd, 0.5 miles west of Kilauea.
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Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center
Past Hali'imaile Rd, just after the 5-mile marker, is Kaluanui, the former plantation estate of sugar magnates Harry and Ethel Baldwin, which now houses the Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center. Famed Honolulu architect CW Dickey designed the two-story plantation home with Spanish-style tile roof in 1917.
The prestigious arts club founded here in the 1930s offers classes in printmaking, pottery, woodcarving and other visual arts. You're welcome to visit the gallery, which exhibits topnotch local artists, and walk around the grounds, which include stables turned into art studios. The gift shop sells quality ceramics, glassware and original prints.
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White Sands Beach Park
White Sands Beach Park is a mini-paradise with crystal turquoise waters and shady palms. Its ability to lose its sand literally overnight during high winter surf has earned it nicknames such as Magic Sands and Disappearing Sands. When its rocks and coral are exposed, the beach becomes too treacherous for most swimmers. Gradually the sand magically returns, transforming the shore back into its former beachy self.
White Sands is always packed and is an ideal bodyboarding and bodysurfing spot. Facilities include rest rooms, showers, picnic tables and a volleyball court; a lifeguard is on duty. The park is about four miles south of the center.
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Banyan Tree Square
You know a tree has stature when throngs of townsfolk gather each year to celebrate its birthday! Banyan Tree Square marks the center of Lahaina, where the awesome banyan tree sprawls across the entire square and ranks as the largest banyan tree in the USA.
Planted as a seedling on April 24, 1873 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of missionaries in Lahaina, the tree has become a virtual forest unto itself, with 16 major trunks and scores of horizontal branches reaching across the better part of an acre. It attracts playful kids who swing Tarzan-style on the aerial roots and meditative types seeking a break from the crowds on Front St.
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Devastation Trail
The paved, wheelchair-accessible Devastation Trail passes through the fallout area of the 1959 eruption of Kilauea Iki Crater, which decimated this portion of the rain forest. Continuing east, you pass Keanakako'i Crater and the intersection with Chain of Craters Rd.
The trail is not half as dramatic as its name, however, nor does it hold a candle to the more involved Kilauea Iki Trail. The overlook does provide a fantastic vantage point into the crater, and it's a quick walk to see Pu'u Pua'i, which formed during the eruption. Parking is available at the intersection of Chain of Craters Rd and at the Pu'u Pua'i Overlook further east.
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Washington Place
The former governor's official residence, Washington Place is now a historic house museum intended to open up cultural legacies to the Hawaiian people. The large colonial-style building, surrounded by stately trees, was erected in 1846 by US sea captain John Dominis. The captain's son, also named John, became the governor of O'ahu and married the Hawaiian princess who later became Queen Lili'uokalani.
After the queen was dethroned and released from house arrest, she lived at Washington Place until her death in 1917. A plaque near the sidewalk on the left side of Washington Place is inscribed with the words to Aloha Oe.
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Kamehameha the Great Statue
The Kamehameha the Great Statue on the front lawn of the North Kohala Civic Center may look familiar. Its lei-draped and much-photographed twin stands opposite Honolulu's 'Iolani Palace. The statue was made in 1880 in Florence by American sculptor Thomas Gould. When the ship delivering it sank off the Falkland Islands, a second statue was cast. The duplicate arrived at the islands in 1883 and took its place in downtown Honolulu.
Later the sunken statue was recovered from the ocean floor and completed its trip to Hawaii. It was then sent here, to Kamehameha's childhood home. A notice board behind the statue tells the full story.
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Oahu Day Trip: Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and Punchbowl from Maui
14 hours (Departs Maui, Hawaii)
by Viator
Journey to Pearl Harbor and take a step back in time to an era of conflict and courage on this unforgettable Maui to Oahu day trip. Great for passengers of all…Not LP reviewed
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Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor and Punchbowl Sightseeing Tour
5 hours (Departs Waikiki, Oahu)
by Viator
Visit Pearl Harbor and re-live the moment in history that propelled America into World War II at the USS Arizona Memorial without waiting in any lines! You'll…Not LP reviewed
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Polynesian Cultural Center Tickets
Flexible (Departs Waikiki, Oahu)
by Viator
Book your discount tickets to one of Oahu's top attractions, the Polynesian Cultural Center. Tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center’s eight island villages…Not LP reviewed