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

“Hawaiian Eye” was a television series that ran from 1959 – 1963, and starred Robert Conrad and Anthony Eisley as crime fighting detectives in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The detectives hung out at the Shell Bar, where at least once an episode that ran into “Cricket,” a singer and photographer at the bar played by Connie Stevens. The bar was located at the Hawaiian Village Hotel, where the guys were house detectives and also had an office. Some viewers would swear that the guys spent more time with the sassy Cricket than they did with any crooks.

While most of the television show was shot on the Warner Brothers lot in Los Angeles, the Shell Bar was a real place — then, and now.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village, on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, is home to the real Shell Bar, and provided the basis for the show’s bar. You can still have a drink or two and listen to some music, but Cricket is nowhere to be seen.

Photo credit: personal collection

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Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Honolulu’s Bishop Museum offers the natural and cultural history of Hawaii’s indigenous people.   Founded in 1889 by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last heir to Kamehameha I, you’ll find artifacts and exhibits representative of all the Pacific Islands.

A couple of my favorite highlights are the Science on a Sphere exhibit and the Science Adventure Center.

• Science on a Sphere is a 68 inch, 200 pound fiberglass sphere suspended from the ceiling.  It serves as a sort of 3-D movie, displaying full color, satellite and animated images.  You can watch a hurricane forming, a dust storm, violent solar storms, or any number of phenomenon occurring on our planet or in space.
• The Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center is focused on helping visitors understand the environment of the islands.  You’ll find exhibits and research on such diverse topics as volcanology, oceanography, ecology and biodiversity.  The Hawaiian Origins Tunnel was fun, but nothing tops the walk-through volcano!  And for another view of the volcano, climb up to the tree house and get a birds-eye view of it erupting.

The Bishop Museum is also home to Hawaii’s Sports Hall of Fame, honoring athletic excellence of islanders.

The museum is located at 1525 Bernice Street in Honolulu, and is open daily (except for Christmas) 9 am – 5 pm.  Admission if $15.95 for adults, $12.95 for seniors (65 and older) and youth (ages 4-12), children under 4 are free.  Special rates for local residents and military personnel, and their guests.  On-site parking is available.

I’d recommend allowing around two hours for a visit.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

One of the higlights of a trip to Honolulu is a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.

Located at Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial honors the site where World War II began for the United States. The memorial was dedicated in 1962, and is the water gravesite for 1,102 crew members who were killed in the December 7th, 1941 bombing.

The memorial was designed to span the hull of the battleship, without ever touching it. The structure is 184 feet long, with two peaks at each end, with a sag in the middle of the structure. The sag is deliberate, and Alfred Preis, the memorial designer, sums it up like this:

“Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory… The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses… his innermost feelings.”

The ship’s HUGE anchor is displayed at the entrance to the visitor center, and it is here that you begin your journey through the exhibits and memorial. At the visitor center are a variety of historical exhibits and artifacts, and a documentary film about the Pearl Harbor attack is shown. As I looked around the theater area, I saw visitors representative of countries around the world, including many elderly Japanese tourists. I couldn’t help but wonder how they felt after viewing the documentary. What stories had they been told, or experiences that they lived through, about the attack. I wondered how their view of history compared and contrasted with mine.

Following the film, visitors are transported by boat to the memorial. At the entry to the memorial, you pass by two bells that were on the USS Arizona, and the enter the central assembly room. This area features seven open windows on walls and ceiling to commemorate the date of the attack. An opening in the floor overlooks the sunken decks of the Arizona, and it is from this location that visitors can pay their respects by tossing flowers and leis into the water. The oil that still seeps from the wreckage is sometimes referred to as “black tears” or “the tears of the Arizona.”

At the far end of the memorial is a marble wall shrine, behind velvet ropes, that lists the names of all those killed on the Arizona. It stands as a reminder to the very human cost of the attack, and that the beauty of the memorial is overshadowed by the solemnity and respect due to those buried in the water below.

The USS Arizona Memorial is open daily, from 7:30 am – 5 pm. Tickets are free, and issued on a first come, first served basis. During peak tourist times it can get quite crowded, as it is a stop on many organized tours. My recommendation is to visit during off-peak travel periods, or first thing in the morning before the tour buses arrive. Allow about an hour and a half to see everything.

Post 9/11 security regulations are in effect, and no purses, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, etc., are allowed in the visitor center or on the Memorial tour. Personal cameras are allowed. There is no baggage storage available, so leave them at home, in your hotel room, or in your car trunk.

The memorial is about a 45-minute drive outside of Waikiki, and is also accessible by Honolulu bus system. The #20 and #42 bus will take you to the Visitor Center.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Sometimes a quiet morning on the beach, shortly after sunrise, it the perfect way to start a vacation day.

Photo credit: personal collection

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Gas isn’t always sky-high in the islands. Last year, California consumers were paying more than Hawaiians for regular gas.  Here’s hoping the trend in lower prices will continue.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Home prices in Honolulu, although falling, have farther to go, according to the study, and therefore are going to leave owners with negative equity were they to sell in four years.

In a related story at MSNBC, you can also explore real estate on the mainland, and Sixty Six Cities where Buying Makes Sense .

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

Taking place on October 24th, Podcamp Hawai’i is the aloha version of what’s happening in other cities, including Barcelona, Brazil, and Boston.  The two-day event takes place at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu.

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

If you’re wondering if Hawaiians hand out pineapple instead of candy on Halloween, there’s only one way to find out: Come on out, wearing your best Elvis costume, of course.And while you’re here, don’t miss Hallowbaloo, Oahu’s most totally awesome art and music festival that takes place on October 31. (Coincidence? I think not.)

Other Halloween celebrations around the islands:

• Halloween in Lahaina, Maui is always fun, and draws a big crowd. Sounds like this year, there’s going to be an effort to curb the “Mardi Gras” atmosphere and make things a little more  family-friendly. Find other kid-friendly Halloween activities at About.com
• The Big Island’s Outrigger Hotel does a lot of things right, including hosting “Spooky Tales” each year. Ask about this year’s schedule.
• Kaimuki Halloween Costume Contest is scheduled for October 24th in Honolulu. See the special events calendar for more information.
• Check with the Hawaiian Human Society to see if they’re sponsoring another doggie costume contest this year.

Photo by –Creative Commons, by nayrb7

Post from: The Hawaii Traveler

In an attempt to alleviate some of the pain associated with the lack of rail-based public transportation on Oahu, the city and county of Honolulu launched TheBus in the ’70s. It has since become the 20^th most utilized transit system in the country and the 13^th most utilized bus fleet.

A ferry linked to TheBus began service in September 2007 known as TheBoat. Fare for TheBoat is $2.00, and it runs from Barber’s Point to Aloha Tower Marketplace daily. (Check often for cancellations.)  It is hoped that linking to TheBus and delivering commuters from Leeward to Honolulu will change some of the dynamics between commuters, tourists, and part-time residents.

A light rail system in Honolulu is currently in its design phase.

Photo by –Creative Commons, by Skyseeker

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