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

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115 nautical miles (140 miles) northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands, and extending northwest for more than 950 nautical miles (1,200 miles) is a vast, mostly untouched archipelago now called The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (formerly the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument). It’s the largest marine conservation area in the world, and is surrounded by some of the most extensive and healthy coral reefs in U.S. waters. According to some sources, commercial fishing will end there, and the area will be promoted as a tourist destination by 2011.
According to folklore, Papahanaumoku is the goddess who birthed the islands; Good Morning …read more

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Photo by: Bakke-Svensson/Ironman
Every year in Kona, Hawai’i, the Ironman triathlon world championship basically takes over the city.  This year, on October 11, 2008, over a thousand athletes run, bike, and swim the grueling course that has made Ironman–and Kona–famous.While I don’t know many triathletes (they always seem to be training instead of combing the beach for that perfect shell), my favorite Ironman story is about Major Bill Connor, who won a lottery spot in this year’s triathlon, and is training for it in Iraq.   Now THAT’S multi-tasking.  Way to go, Bill, we’re rooting for you.

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When the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson visited the islands, he was at the top of his game. He’d published Treasure Island and Doctor Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde.  It was 1889, about fifty years after Herman Melville visited while making his way back from Tahiti. In 1873, Isabella Bird got off her boat on the way to New Zealand to assist a friend whose son had taken ill. Two years later, her letters about her stay were collected and published as a bestselling book titled Six Months in the Sandwich Islands.
Arguably none of them stayed and savored the islands like …read more

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A beach in Hana
If you’ve heard anything about Maui, you’ve heard of “the road to Hana.” While I wouldn’t say it’s treacherous, it is wind-y, it’s twist-y, and it’s long; at the end of it is, in my opinion, the greatest place in the world. Here’s why: There’s nothing to do there.I realize that, to some, this is the description of Hell.  But I think it’s sometimes good to unplug, decompress, and smell the rainforest. This is what Hana is for.  And Hamoa Beach is one of the best beaches in the state.  But here’s the deal with Hana: You …read more

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When you’re snorkeling, you’re wise to watch out for the wana, or sea urchins with the sharp spikes. Although the wana mind their own business on the bottom of the beach (there’s never been a reported case of them actually chasing anyone), those nasty spikes can poke you, injecting you with a poison that irritates and inflames the skin. Ouch.
But did you know that the the nettle caterpillar (Darna pallivitta) is armed with bristly spines that can sting? People can suffer itching, a persistent rash, welts and blisters lasting a couple of days. What’s more, heavy infestations of the pest …read more

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Although Hawai’i is one of the United States, it comes with its own, native history and language. Hawaiian is a beautiful language, full of syllables and nuances that are easy to miss, if you’re not paying attention.  Here’s how it all works:
The Hawaiian alphabet uses only 12 Roman letters ( a, e, i, o, u, h, k, l, m, n, p, w). And those apostrophes are not really apostrophes; they’re what’s called an ‘okina, a diacritical mark that indicates a shortening, or sudden stopping of sound. (Called a glottal stop.) An ‘okina is a special character that Internet browsers don’t …read more

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The path to the falls

If you grew up near water, you might consider the rope swing de rigeur for summertime frolicking and fun.  And rightly so; nothing says “rite of passage” and “finding your inner Tarzan” like a good rope over a cool, natural body of water. (Hope it’s deep, too.)  That’s why if you’re a traveler who’s rope swing literate, you’ll love Kipu Falls on Kaua’i.  If you’re lucky, some locals will be there to give you the best high diving show on the island.  Disappointment alert:  The swing isn’t always there. Authorities periodically cut it down, only to …read more

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When is the best time to go to Hawaii?  I’d say right now.
But really, summer is actually a great time to visit, and the crowds are not as big.  You may even find yourself with a little extra time there due to summer break school closures.  This does, of course, leave you with a dilemma if part of your plan is to escape the winter weather during your trip. But Hawaii’s remarkably high hotel occupancies trend downward after the January to March rush, and the weather is basically the same year-round.   And one more advantage Hawai’i has over the Caribbean: …read more

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It’s Hawaii’s 49th birthday, and you know what that means, don’t you?  That next year will be Hawaii’s five-oh.   If that’s not a birthday you can get behind, the aloha spirit is in big trouble.
You can read all about the finer points of Hawai’i today at Be Three, and get a little taster of what Hawaiian life, culture, and attitude is all about.   Until next time, happy birthday, Hawaii, you old dog, you.

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