The minute you step off the plane, the incredible dramatic beauty of Hawaii -- the deep sapphire ocean, the vivid blue sky, the verdant green valley and the rainbow tropical vegetation -- would be enough for anyone to make the journey to these floating isles of paradise. But the 50th state is constantly improving on what Mother Nature (or as we say in Hawaii, Pele, the volcano goddess) originally built.
Don't let money stop you from your dream vacation. Hawaii is a lot easier to get to these days with more direct flights from the mainland than ever. We'll tell you how to stretch your dollar and get the very best deal on your airfare. Lots of new attractions have blossomed in the past year, everything from improved old favorites to brand new excursions under the sea, over the sea, and even on dry land. New eateries opened, new night life jaunts now beckon, and a new hotel is coming to the Big Island in 2004.
If you have ever dreamed of coming to Hawaii, now is the time.
Planning your trip
With Aloha Airlines (tel. 800/367-5250 or 808/484-1111; www.alohaairlines.com), now having direct service from Oakland and Burbank to Honolulu, Maui, and Kona; Vancouver to Honolulu and Kona; and Las Vegas to Honolulu, getting to Hawaii has never been easier. An alternate to Aloha, is the aptly named Hawaiian Airlines (tel. 800/367-5320; www.hawaiianair.com), which was featuring base-prices of just $299 out of Los Angeles and Ontario, California to Honolulu as this update went to press.
A new website to help you plan your island vacation is www.hawaii.com. The step-by-step planner includes information about travel deals, lodging, transportation, booking activities, tours, attractions, maps, and exchange rates. Also included are local events, cultural activities, and news; plus the latest on the weather, surf conditions, and Hawaii's history.
Oahu
The Moana Terrace recently opened in the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, 2552 Kalakaua Ave., in Waikiki (tel. 808/922-6611; www.marriottwaikiki.com), on the third floor overlooking the beach with Diamond Head in the background. This casual, open-air dinner restaurant features everything from fresh fish to creative pizza, to mango barbecued ribs. It's also the place to go for live Hawaiian music every night, including one of Hawaii's best female vocalist, "Auntie" Genoa Keawe, who belts out the traditional falsetto tunes to a crowd on Thursdays, 5:30 to 9pm.The Waikiki Aquarium (tel. 808/923-9741; www.waquarium.org), has spent $500,0000 and 9 months to create the South Pacific Marine Life Communities gallery, which features more than 145 species from the south and western Pacific. The 5,000-gallon saltwater aquarium (15-ft. long and 6-ft. high) has such wonderful attractions like a 25-year-old, 167-pound clam, an archerfish that spits water to catch bugs, a yard-wide sea anemone and jellyfish so clear you can see what they've eaten for lunch.Another marine attraction is the new $13 million Marine Education Center, in Hanauma Bay,(tel. 808/256-8956; www.hanaumabay-hawaii.com), which recently opened with informational exhibits and a 7-minute video orientating visitors to this Marine Life Sanctuary. The 10,000-square-foot center includes a training room, gift shop, public restrooms, snack bar, and entry free area.
Hanauma Bay is Oahu's most popular snorkeling spot, consisting of a volcanic crater with a broken sea wall; its small, curved, 2,000-foot gold-sand beach is packed elbow-to-elbow with people year-round. The bay's shallow shoreline water and abundant marine life are the main attractions, but this good-looking beach is also popular for sunbathing and people-watching.
For those who would rather stay on dry land, the Hawaii State Art Museum at 250 S. Hotel St. at Richards Street (tel. 808/586-0900; www.state.hi.us/sfca), just opened in downtown Honolulu, housed in the original Royal Hawaiian Hotel built in 1872, during the reign of King Kamehameha V. All of the 360 works currently displayed were created by artists who live or have lived in Hawaii. The pieces were all purchased by the state thanks to a 1967 law which said that 1% of the cost of state buildings will be used to acquire works of art. Nearly 4 decades later, that state has amassed some 5,000 pieces. The current exhibit depicts Hawaii, its history, culture, and ideals through a variety of mediums.
A new museum at the King's Village, 131 Kaiulani Ave., in Waikiki (tel. 808/944-6855; www.kings-village.com), features exhibits and memorabilia on the Royal Household Guards, an elite corps of 50 men hand-picked to protect the royal family. They served from the late 1880 to 1893, when Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown. In 1972, the King's Village shopping center created a modern-day King's Drill Team which performs every night at 6:15pm. The new museum, open daily from 5:30 to 10pm (free admission) features original uniforms, rifles, swords, flags, banners, and historic photos.
Big Island
Recently, Starwood Hotels and Resorts announced a $40 million renovation of the old Kona Surf Hotel in Keauhou, to be renamed the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort, opening in 2004. The vision for the new resort, which previously closed in 1999, is to "bring back the Hawaii from yesteryear" by showcasing the historical characteristics of the area. Also in the plans are a multilevel fantasy pool, a network of bike/jogging paths throughout the resort area, the only rock-climbing wall on the Big Island, and unique historical activities such as traditional Hawaiian sports and classes in Hawaiian martial arts.
"For years people would send us rocks they took from the island," said Noelani Whittington, director of Public Relations at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, an Outrigger Resort. "We didn't know what to do with the rocks." The Waikoloa Beach has developed a spiritual ceremony to return the rocks and pieces of lava taken from Hawaii (which some officials have estimated around 2,000 lb. a year) and to remove any stigma attached. "We used to get letters saying that bad luck fell on them after they took the rocks as souvenir of their Hawaii vacation," Whittington added.
On the first Wednesday of each month, at high noon, when the sun is at its zenith and the spiritual power at its peak, a chant is performed, asking the mountains to shelter and protect these returned rocks as they are placed in their new resting place and to bring closure to the visitors who have unintentionally disturbed the land. Visitors are welcome to observe the ceremony. For more information, contact the Waikoloa Beach Marriott (tel. 808/886-6789; www.outrigger.com).
Torpedo Tours (tel. 808/938-0405; www.torpedotours.com) offers snorkelers and divers an easier, faster way to explore Kona's underwater world. The battery-operated, lightweight, maneuverable submersible propels the diver or snorkeler through the water at 2 knots (the pace of a free style sprint) and can be stopped abruptly to hover over anything interesting you may spot in the water. Operating out of Honokohau Harbor on a 32-foot custom dive boat, the tours are $59 for snorkel tours and $129 for scuba diving tours.
Tour the Big Island by yourself with a local resident as your guide. Steve Slater, long time Big Island resident, has produced the Big Island Audio Tour (tel. 808/934-7817; www.bigislandaudiotour.com). His CD has 36 tracks of information essential for any newcomer to the Big Island (from driving laws to safety considerations to Hawaiian word pronunciation) plus excellent directions to the well-known (as well as some "not so well-known") sites, including off-the-beaten-path beaches, where to collect fruit, and various side trips. Several tracks talk about the geography, geology, culture and history of the Big Island, as well as identifying Hawaii's flowers, trees and "wild animals." The CD comes with a full color map, with keyed numbers corresponding to the tracks. The CD also has a special feature, which allows it to be plugged into a computer to view the 36 color photos of the island, so visitors will have a memento of their time spent in Hawaii.
Maui
If the local cuisine is a little too attractive and the local brew a bit too tempting, you now can work off any extra pounds at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort's "Beach Boot Camp" (tel. 808/661-1234; www.maui.hyatt.com). Every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 8am, you get to go through a regime of a high-impact workout on the beach, with stretching and cardio exercises (sprints in the sand, lunges through the water, and abdominal crunches along a hill). Classes are $5 for hotel guests and $7 for non-hotel guests.
Kaanapali's Whalers Village museum (tel. 808/661-5992; www.whalersvillage.com) has refurbished their theater. Free movies are shown daily, 9:30am to 10pm, in the newly renovated theater (padded chairs, new surround sound, and a 50-in. screen). Popular films shown included: Onboard the Morgan (depicting the life of 19th century whalers), Red Turtle Rising (Hawaiian folklore on turtles), and Hawaiian Humpback: Pacific Voyager (which follows the whales from Alaska to Hawaii).
If you are wondering what to do with the kids, take them to Maui Menehune Golf, 32-A Lono Ave., Kahului (tel. 808/877-5599), which recently opened a miniature golf course in the heart of central Maui, across the street from Sears and the Kaahumanu Shopping Center. Open Monday through Friday, 3 to 7pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 11pm. Admission ranges from $5 to $7 for clubs and balls and a flat $3 rate on Wednesday and Friday.
Go to a wedding next time you are on Maui, no gift necessary. The Hyatt Regency Maui (tel. 808/667-4727; www.maui.hyatt.com), is the site of the off-Broadway play, Tony n' Tina's Wedding. The 2-plus hour musical comedy allows the audience to attend the wedding, then follow the cast to the reception and dinner (you really get to eat). After dinner there's the traditional toast and dancing. All the while you are watching the play which involves two Italian families coming together for their children's (Tony and Tina) wedding, along with the pregnant maid of honor, a drunken priest, and a host of other characters. Tickets are $75.
Kauai
This is every parent's dream: A place to take kids on rainy days (hey, it's so much fun, the kids will be begging to come back even on sunny days). The Kauai Children's Discovery Museum, located in Kapaa (tel. 808/823-8222; www.kcdm.org), arose out of a grass roots community effort to have a fun place where kids could learn about science, culture, arts, technology, and nature. In addition to the exhibits -- ranging from playing with Hawaiian musical instruments to participating in virtual reality television to hiding out in a "magic tree house" and reading a book (there's even a baby area for kids four and under) -- there are also Keiki Camps (Children Camps), where you can leave the kids all day.
Do not miss Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens, (tel. 808/828-0525; www.naainakai.com), an incredible magical garden on some 240 acres, sprinkled with some 70 life sized (some larger than life size) whimsical bronze statues, hidden off the beaten path of the North Shore. Recently opened, this is the place for both avid gardeners as well as people who think they don't like botanical gardens. The imaginary, fairy-tale creativity which has gone into these grounds will be one of your fondest memories of Kauai.
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