The Hawaii Traveler

Traveling with children to any destination can be tricky business. However, thousands of families successfully make their way to the islands–Oahu and Maui in particular–and leave with a lifetime of treasured memories. In fact, I began visiting the islands at the age of two with my parents, and carried on the tradition by taking our little keiki (child) with us to Maui at the same age. A good time was had by all.
Oahu isn’t the most visited island for nothing. With Honolulu’s big-city amenities, big historical exhibits, and big beaches, it’s the island that’s got it …read more

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There’s nothing particularly “international” about this famous open-air marketplace in Waikiki, (maybe it has something to do with the variety of things that can be found here) but there is something very special about it that not to stop by would be like not visiting Waikiki at all. 
 
Aside from the Swap Meet, held on weekends at Aloha Stadium, the International Marketplace is the only place in Honolulu where you can purchase aloha attire, Hawaiian mementos, and general cheapies for real bargain prices.  In addition to the hundreds of stalls filled to the brim with knick-knacks, there is a food court, …read more

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Telescopes on Mauna Kea
Flickr Creative Commons by
MGShelton

We were at Hapuna Beach at dusk, and stayed until well after the sun dipped down past the earth’s curve. I could see the moon’s reflection in the wet sand and looked upward and inland, and pointed to a blue star. I said, “I wonder if that’s Venus.”
As it turns out, it’s the observatories at the top of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano, and also the highest peak in the world, when measured from its base at the sea floor. From the edge of the island, and way down at sea level, …read more

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Is it a sunset or a sunrise?
by © jrslow

OK, it’s not a secret, but it’s a helpful little tip from me to you. The sunset at Haleakala looks a lot like the famed sunrise at Haleakala; it’s just in a different place. They’re both breathtaking, and the mountain may be a little warmer in the afternoon than the morning. (Even Maui is cold at 10,000 feet.)
But…
On the upside, the tourists who ride their bikes down the mountain are gone by sunset, making for a slightly less crowded road. On the downside, the trucks with coffee and …read more

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At the corner of Hoohu and Pee
Photo by Flickr–Joe Schlabotnik

Either it has happened to you, or it will: You’re driving somewhere in Hawai’i, and are either holding a map or your companion in the passenger seat is. “Where am I supposed to turn?” you want to know. The next words uttered by your navigator are unintelligible, and sound like he/she has a mouthful of macadamia nuts, and a few stuck in her throat.
Why?
Because your friend or loved one with the map just took his or her first stab at pronouncing a Hawaiian word. And by the time she …read more

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With its palm trees, tropical valleys, and rugged Ko’olau mountains, it’s not difficult to see why Honolulu continues to be ranked as one of the top ten “green” cities in the United States.  In keeping with this, Kristine and Todd Brown opened a hidden little kitchen that prepares creative and delicious “bento” plates for a reasonable price.  
What’s a bento?A bento, a popular lunch food in Hawaii, is a Japanese-style packed lunch consisting of rice, vegetables, and (usually) sashimi — or raw fish.  Bentos are healthy, complete meals in a box.  So, in keeping with this idea, the Brown’s prepare …read more

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No Parking, No Duh
Photo by Flickr (Creative Commons), Fred Hsu

If you’ve just been to the islands, you most likely noticed the vog. Vog is what happens when the gases from an erupting volcano make friends with the sunlight, water vapor, dust particles and oxygen in the air. Let’s call it tropical smog, which is usually confined to the Big Island, and which doesn’t usually cause a ruckus; however, big time winds began blowing the sulfur gas and volcanic ash off Kiluea on April 8th, 2008, causing closures in and around Volcanoes National Park. Even nearby Maui …read more

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I once wrote an acrostic poem about my love of spam that went something like this:
    Salty slab of not quite bacon —     Pig flesh so curiously pink,    Are you ever not on my mind,    Mocking my every taste bud?
I take comfort in the fact that I can buy a spam musubi from any 7-Eleven in Honolulu for just $1.09.  If I need a pick-me-up or just something to fill my tummy, I head to the local convenience store and purchase this Hawaiian staple.
Spam is prepared in other foods too, like next to scrambled eggs for breakfast or in …read more

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A hula dedication to the goddess Pele
photo credit: flickr, taken by eye of einstein

The Nightmarchers are the ghosts of ancient Hawaiian high ranking warriors. When night descends, they march from their burial grounds to their ancient battlegrounds or other sacred spots. Those who live in or near their paths report seeing torches and hearing chanting and drums, and place ti plants or leaves around their homes to keep away the mischievous ones. The Pali on Oahu, where Kamehameha fought his last battle is the most famous of these nightmarcher’s paths.
The Menehune are Hawaii’s mythical “little people.” Similar to …read more

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In about an hour, I saw two crabs battling it out, a million green-lipped mussels, and tens of black echinoid-like creatures that looked like black urchins wearing a coat of smooth armor called shingle sea urchins. A wave brought me tiny little fish that glimmered in the sun, and then the next wave took them all away.
I saw all these little gems in one Big Island tide pool the size of a cereal bowl; it was carved into a huge slab of lava near Pu’uhonua o Honaunau. (Or, if you get tongue tied with all those syllables, just call …read more

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