The Hawaii Traveler

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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If you’ve read or heard anything about the culinary customs of old Hawai’i, you’ve no doubt heard about poi.
What it is:
Poi is a starch made from taro root, breadfruit, or sweet potato that has been cooked, pounded into a paste, and fermented.  It’s usually eaten with the fingers, and should accompany some other serving, such as meat.
Poi was used in the old days as a way to make more palatable meats cured and preserved with salt in the absence of refrigeration.  Today it’s used as a thickener for Hawaiian foods, such as soups, stews, and sauces.
The food poi is sometimes …read more

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If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Maui anytime from December to May, you know that the Au’au channel between Maui and Lana’i is a prime spot for whale watching. It’s the North Pacific herd of humpbacks that migrate there to breed and enjoy the warmer waters after spending the summer and fall eating and living in Alaskan waters.Whale watching is a hit with visitors on every level. It’s an extraordinary scene to watch the whales roll and breech, their babies close by. It’s by far Maui’s best-loved offshore activity, and now Wailea Beach Villas has …read more

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BIG ISLAND
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE PACIFIC
Hilo’s annual celebration of all things Hawaiian. For more information call the Japanese Chamber of Commerce at (808) 934-0177.
KAUA’I
GARDEN ISLAND ORCHID SHOW
An orchid show of hundreds of varieties for those who want to buy, or those who want to learn about orchid culture or cultivating them. In Lihue at Vidinha Stadium. For more information call (808) 742-0333.
MAUI
WHALERS VILLAGE MAUI ONION FESTIVAL
Enjoy the fun and the food based on this world-famous vegetable. Activities include cooking demos and an onion eating contest. Includes farmer’s market and music. At Whalers Village in the Kaanapali Resort. For more …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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It’s Independence Day, and nothing says freedom like strapping on a snorkel and taking off for the day.  If you’re up for a sea faring adventure on Maui, the Molokini Crater is a rite of passage that’s been tourist-tested and resident approved.
The facts:

Molokini Crater is an extinct volcano located 2 1/2 miles off Maui’s south shore. Only part of the top ring is visible above the water; from the air it appears as a crescent.
The snorkeling is generally great, although if you’re out on a particularly rough day, it’s not so much…if you’re allowed to go out at all.
If you’re …read more

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Mary Jo over at Flyaway Cafe and The Seattle Traveler posted recently a bit about “nakations,” or, vacations one can enjoy in the nude.
Although Hawai’i isn’t known for its nude beaches, the thing that is most likely to designate one beach or another as such is its inaccessibility.
Red Sand Beach in Hana, or Kaihalulu Beach, is most definitely clothing optional–if it isn’t, all the naked people I’ve seen there never got the memo.  It’s a stunning beach, with red sand and sparkling blue waters. The contrast is more of a draw than the other bodies there, in my opinion. It’s …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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Yesterday’s Tuesday Test: Maui Edition quizzed you on your knowledge of Maui, the Valley Isle. Today we’ll cover the answers, and then some.Q: What are the two sides, or main sections of Maui called?
A: That depends. Most call the two lobes of the island West Maui and South Maui, others refer to them as West Maui Mountain and the other side, more to the east than the south, Haleakala. Both mountains are actually two large shield volcanoes that formed an isthmus between them, forming the valley fron which Maui takes its moniker, the Valley Isle.
Q: …read more

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