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 …read more

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Off the west side of Maui are three visible islands (and the crater). One is Moloka’i, one of Hawaii’s lesser-visited, more sparsely-populated islands–also called the Friendly Isle. Another is Lana’i, the most private of the main islands. The third is totally uninhabited, unlike the other forbidden island in the chain, Ni’ihau. It’s Kaho’olawe, an island that will likely be long vacant due to its interesting, and later very unfortunate history.
During the 1800s, during the rule of King Kamehameha I, Kaho’olawe was the site of the Hawaiian kingdom’s penal colony. Men were banished there, for such crimes as stealing, breaking …read more

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Best beach for keeping up with the Joneses (whoever they are) and maintaining your hip, in-the-know image: (That’s a no-brainer) Waikiki Beach on Oahu.
Best hike across what looks like a moonscape before finding yourself on a deserted black and white beach with a terrific array of tidepools:   Kiholo Bay  on the Northwest side of the Big Island.
Best beach for swimming with turtles and the occasional school of spinner dolphins: Tunnels Beach on Kauai.
Best giant-sized bathtub: Queen’s Bath on Kauai. (Pictured)
Best beach that requires four-wheeling first:  Mo’omomi Beach on Molokai. (Visit during the summer months for best results.)
Best beach that’s totally …read more

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For decades, the only way to travel among the islands was by air. But with the closure of Aloha Airlines, and the skyrocketing costs of jet travel due to the oil crisis, having to take a flight left an estimated 1.3 million residents and tens of thousands of tourists with interisland designs high and dry.
And then in 2007, Hawaii Superferry Inc. began running the first passenger-vehicle ferry service between the Hawaiian Islands; however, protesters in Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua’i suspended operations last August.
Today, however, Hawaii Superferry offers daily inter-island ferry service between Honolulu, Oahu and Kahului, Maui, with plans …read more

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From the environmental files: did you know that Hawai’i is the Endangered Species Capital of the World?According to the Hawaii Biological Survey, there are more endangered species per square mile on these islands than any other place on the planet. On the list of endangered living things are:

Nearly 300 taxa of plants
The O’ahu tree snail
The Monk Seal
The Green Sea Turtle (honu)
30 species of bird including the Hawaiian ‘Akepa, the Hawaiian Duck, and Hawaiin Goose (nene)
And many more.

There are heavy, heavy fines for tangling with endangered species of any kind, which begs the question, “What can I tangle with?” …read more

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