My trip to Hawaii last fall was motivated by a desire for some rest and relaxation, some warm weather, and an overall escape from my gray Seattle life.  I was longing for time spent on a balcony, watching the sunset or sunrise, listening to the waves, and having a slow-paced week ahead of me.

In fact, that type of vacation is one of the reasons people love Hawaii – sun, sand, surf, and stepping on the treadmill of ordinary life.

But at some point, you’re going to want to do something else.  I had a handful of ideas of those “other things” and one of the top of my list was whale watching.  Only problem — I was there on the very early end of the season, and the whales weren’t in town.

It didn’t take but a heartbeat to come up with another idea – if I couldn’t see whale, how about some dolphins?!  I remember watching these graceful and playful creatures as they’d swim alongside a cruise ship.  They’d play in the water, jumping about, almost like they were mocking us.

But I’m also sensitive to not disturbing marine habitat.  They were there first, after all, and I was just interested in viewing, not disrupting them.  Find a tour that appreciated the delicate and important balance between man and nature was important.

The Hoku Nai’a Wild Dolphin Watch Cruise offered by Star of Honolulu seemed to offer a good choice.

The day started off with an early morning pick up (a little after 7 am) at my Waikiki hotel.  "Pick up" meant transportation to west Oahu (our cruise departure location), and was in a comfortable air-conditioned motor coach.  There were a couple of guests from my hotel booked on the cruise, and we picked up a additional guests at stops at other Waikiki hotels.  If you have a car and want to drive, you can meet directly at the harbor, but it was easy and comfortable to just leave the driving and timing to someone else.

The morning ride occurred during morning commute traffic — yes, such a thing exists even in the islands!  The time passed easily as people napped. chatted, or watched an island video played on the motor coach player.   I appreciated that our hosts were available to point out a few sights along the way, answer questions, but did not barrage us with silly puns and inane patter.  Silence is golden at that time of morning.

We were all awake and ready to board by the time we reached Wai’anae Boat Harbor in west Oahu. 

The Hoku Nai’a is a new two-deck catamaran (in photo above), and was custom built to allow for viewing marine life without disturbing them.  On the day of my cruise, there were only about 25-30 passengers (it was off-season), but the boat will hold 149 passengers.  I’d expect it to be much busier during peak season.

As we all wandered around checking out the boat, and locating a spot to sit for departure, we were briefed in some safety information, told a little bit about where we would be going and what to expect, and served some beverages.  Once our crew had everything in order, we were on our way.

But did we see dolphins?  Keep reading. . . .

Riding out to the spot where dolphins had been sighted allowed us a great chance to relax, enjoy the weather, and look for all sorts of other wildlife.  We were given a handout showing a variety of marine life that we might encounter.  We saw a variety of seabirds and fish, but the schools of flying fish were a favorite of all of the guests.

The boat skipper had a general idea of where we were going, and as he was in radio contact with scouts who could point him to the right area with a little more precision.  The crew continued to interact with all the guests, answering questions, pointing out things, and generally making us feel like welcome guests rather than annoying tourists.

When we approached the sighting area, the boat slowed and everyone gathered at the railing to watch.  It wasn’t long before we saw Spinner dolphins swimming, jumping, and playing.  We could see them in the distance, watching as they swam closer, seemingly as curious about us as we were about them.  The crew was great about continuing to point out where we could see them, but it didn’t take must looking at all — they were all over the place.

We did not encroach upon the dolphins’ area, stopping far short.  The crew was very clear that we would only go so close, and that was a matter of protecting them.  Some companies give a sly wink and a nod to environmental rules about man meeting marine life, but this cruise makes clear its commitment to an eco-friendly encounter.

Although we had quite awhile to watch the dolphins, if you love these guys, it could never be long enough.

On the sail back to the harbor, we had lunch (included in the price of the cruise).  The crew fired up the barbecue, grilling burgers for guests.  You picked up your burger and then continued to a table with all the fixings you could want.  I opted for the Hawaiian approach, choosing a Taro bun, and adding grilled pineapple, along with the more standard choices.  Add some chips (there were a variety) and a brownie for dessert, and it was a perfect shipboard lunch.  A refreshing punch was always available, and additional beverages are available for purchased.  (NOTE:  vegetarian option available with 24-hour notice.)

We had no young children on the cruise, but when there are, a keiki program is offered for the young ones.  I took a brief look at some of the activities, and it was almost enough to make me wish I was six years old again.  The Hawaiian culture honors family and children, and that carries over into many of these activities.

Honolulu Star offers a "Dolphin Check."  If you don’t have a dolphin sighting, you receive a free return sailing. (lunch and transportation optional).

The Wild Dolphin Watch cruise operates year round, with a daily sailing at 9:30 am, returning at 11:30 am.  Cruise price is $65 for adults and $39 for children, and includes lunch and non-alcoholic beverages.  Hotel pick up can be added for $20 roundtrip from Waikiki hotels.  Hotel pick up starts at 7 am, returning around 1 pm.

Your hotel will be happy to book the cruise, however, I’d recommend making reservations online before your arrival.

I enthusiastically recommend this activity.  The company is reputable and responsible, managing the difficult balance of providing a quality experience for guests and protecting sea life.  Even a somewhat jaded guest, prepared to dislike anything that seemed remotely like a "tour" was overheard to say, "I’d do this again!"  I’m with him!  I’d do it again, too!

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Today’s guest post is from Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor, and travel blogger at Flyaway Cafe. 

If you watched the NFL Pro Bowl over this past weekend, you got a glimpse of Oahu, Honolulu, and the Waikiki area. It’s very tempting to think of the island as one of sun, sand, surf, sunbathing, and adult beverages. All that would be true, of course, but there is another side to Hawaii, a side full of history, culture, and reverence.

On my recent trip to Honolulu, I had the opportunity to enjoy both aspects of island life, and today’s post touches on a more serious side of island life.

Overlooking the city of Honolulu, is the extinct volcano Punchbowl Crater, home to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, frequently referred to as Punchbowl Cemetery, or simply the Punchbowl.

In addition to its tremendous views of the city, Waikiki, Diamond Head, and Pearl Harbor, the Punchbowl is the final resting place for veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During holidays, the individual graves are decorated with small flags, making a sobering view.

Marble slabs called the Courts of the Missing list the names of military personnel who are missing in action or who were lost or buried at sea (in photo above). At the base of the staircase leading up to the Courts of the Missing reads the following inscription:

In these gardens are recorded

the names of Americans

who gave their lives

in the service of their country

and whose earthly resting place

is known only to God

The Punchbowl was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The Punchbowl is located at 2177 Puowaina Drive, Honolulu (map it), and is open daily. Visiting hours are 8 am – 5:30 pm, September 30th – March 1st, and until 6:30 pm, March 2nd – September 29th. On Memorial Day, visiting hours are 7 am – 7 pm. There is no charge to visit.

There is no charge to visit.

The Punchbowl is accessible by car, and a number of tour companies make it a scheduled stop on their itineraries. I much prefer the solitude of a personal visit, rather than visiting with a gaggle of others, who are sometimes unappreciative of the reverence that should be demonstrated while visiting. There is an e-tour available for those unable to visit in person.

Photo credit

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Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

It doesn’t appear at the 10 best list, probably because it’s relatively inaccessible, but if you get a chance to snorkel off the island of Ni’ihau, take it.  Not only is the snorkeling unforgettable, but you’ll be captivated by the story of this tiny, very private island.

Looking to go a little deeper, without all the equipment and technical hoo-ha of SCUBA? Try Snuba, a dive system for adults and children that’s just as easy as snorkeling, but with most of the scenic benefits and opportunities of SCUBA.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Franklin_Dattein

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Although Hawai’i is not a world destination for diving, as are other ocean destinations, such as Cozumel and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, there is still great diving to be had.  Although I’ve only personally experienced a few dive expeditions in Hawai’i, they’ve been  memorable ones.You might be able to spot all kinds of sea life at Mexico’s Palancar Reef, from giant parrot fish to lobsters, but you aren’t as likely to see the number of monk seals and other rare and endangered creatures that you will off the coast of Kaua’i and Ni’ihau.

Bubbles Below is one of Hawaii’s best dive operators, and with them you can see the best of what the Kaua’i seas have to offer, in the safest possible way, and with a consciousness for the coral and environment. The staff is friendly and exceptionally knowledgable, and the owner and operator, Linda Marsh, is a real hoot. “This is a woman’s boat,” she said, offering me a bottle of conditioner for my hair, “I keep women’s stuff on it.”

You can reach Bubbles Below at (808)332-REEF.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by Lazlo-photo

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

If you happened to catch NPR’s piece on heirloom tomatoes,”Heirloom Tomato Farmer Finds Beauty in the Ugly,” you’ll be glad to know that you’ll be able to find a little piece of that kind of wonderful ugliness right there on Oahu.North Shore Farms is the home of homegrown tomatoes and the big wave of flavors that go with them. Drop by, call, or just check out some of their recipes online.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by jackie-dee

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

 If you think Kona’s just about the coffee, consider also its grapes.  For one, The Volcano Winery at the 30 mile marker in Volcanoes makes award winning wines that can’t be had anywhere but in the great state of Hawaii.  (For a list of states to which you can have wine shipped, check out the rates and availability here.)

Attend a tasting, or just take a tour. And when your friends ask you how it tastes, tell them, “Like chicken.” Gets ‘em every time.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by jesiehart

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

News from the This Oil Crisis Sucks files: the Moloka’i ferry I’ve mentioned here at The Hawaii Traveler raised its rates today by adding a temporary fuel surcharge.  The regular $40 one-way fare to/from Maui and Moloka’i will now cost you $66.  Work commuters are certainly going to be the most hard-hit from the hike, but Sea Link, the ferry operator is appealing to the PUC for a special concession to avoid shutting down.Unlike other operators like the Superferry, Sea Link  receives no subsidies, loan guarantees or other special considerations from government; gas prices combined with declining tourist turn-out in August has Sea Link operating in emergency mode.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by woodleywonderworks

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Since its founding in 1951 The Nature Conservancy has become, “the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.” It’s an international organization with more than 117 million acres worldwide and 11 private preserves in Hawaii totaling 32,000 acres.Active for 20 years in the state of Hawaii, it’s a membership coalition that works in cooperation with more than 100 businesses. In Maui, the Conservancy manages preserves at Kapunakea and Waikamoi, the sites of a feral animal hunting initiative. On Lanai, it manages Kanepuu, the site of a see-it-before-you-die ecosystem. And on Moloka’i, the preserves Pelekunu, Kamakou, and Moomomi, which drew some controversy with its pro hunter approach to thinning non-native feral animals in an attempt to protect the landscape and vegetation, and prevent erosion.

However you feel about conservation and the environment, you owe it to yourself to see these preserves. Get in touch with The Nature Conservancy to find out how.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Although it’s possible for a rain-out during an island vacation, most of the islands are big enough that tourists can drive to a dry side in a matter of an hour or so. But my cousin said that, with the whole island socked in with clouds and rain, the trip was a bust. There was nowhere to go but back into their condo unit, which wasn’t that interesting, especially with two children under the age of four. Thus the question, what do you do when you’re rained out–or in, as the case may be?

• Museums–The Hawaiian cultural experience is the richest on Oahu, but there are usually small exhibits and “ad hoc” museums on every island, if not in a designated spot, then at hotels and resorts.
• Libraries–Getting something good to read while you wait it out doesn’t have to be expensive. Hang out at a library, not just for the books, but because librarians are a wealth of information about what else there is to do during your stay.
• Botanical gardens–Most public and botanical gardens have at least a few indoor areas, and are beautiful, fragrant places to spend time.
• Indoor tours–Home Tours Hawai’i is a culinary tour of the Big Island, but if you consider homes on wheels, there’s also a motor home tour of Oahu that sounds interesting and totally unique.  Upcountry Maui is also a great place to take self-guided tours of arts studios.
• Make something–with arts and crafts studios cropping up everywhere, it’s easy, even on-island, to find a place to let your inner artist out, even if it doesn’t want to get wet.
• Go up–Getting high in Hawaii, so to speak, is easy, because each island is situated around one or more volcanoes. Drive to the highest place on the island, and you might just find yourself above it all.
• Helicopter rides–Depending on how severe the weather is, a helicopter service may cancel all flights; however, call to get the scoop. The rain may actually free up a charter service’s schedule.
• Water parks–one way to ignore the rain is to get wet, at your own discretion.
• Hotels and resorts–Take a tour of the grand, sprawling resorts in your neck of the rainforest.
• Play centers–take the kids to an indoor playground or learning center, and make new friends to boot.
• Spas–a no-brainer, for anyone, anytime.
• Take a drive–Get out the map and point. Remember the saying, “No rain, no rainbows?” Rainbow hunting in gray conditions ought to be easy.
• Get out of Dodge–Check the weather and visit another island. If you’re on Maui or Oahu, you can take a ferry. If you’re elsewhere, you may have to take an interisland flight.
• Malls–Not only can you shop and grab a shave ice or ice cream, you might catch a free show while you’re there and do some people-watching.
• See a movie–Either by renting one, or going to a theater.
• Take in some live music–It’s everywhere on the islands; walk or drive to the nearest cluster of shops or restaurants, and listen for the slack key guitar.
• Go out anyway–When was the last time you went singing in the rain? Most of us don’t have the gills it takes to weather a week of exposure to the elements, but an hour or two could be fun. Just make sure, if you decide to swim, that conditions are safe.

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by gavdana

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Just a few things to remember when packing up for a day trip tour or cruise:

1. If you drive to a marina or pick-up spot, don’t leave valuables in your car. Burglars know that you’re going to be gone for a long time, and tourists often make the mistake of leaving cameras and wallets in the rental.  Either take your things with you, or leave them back at home base.
2. And bring cash.  If the trip is exceptional and beats your expectations, you’ll want to leave a tip.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler