HAWAII

Oahu, the gathering place: I've heard many clients say they don't want to visit Oahu or Waikiki because they think it is too "touristy". I heartily disagree. For those who haven't visited Honolulu or Waikiki lately, they're really missing a lot! I think one of the first places you need to visit is the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Did you know that it is sinking and will have to be replaced?

The #1 attraction in the state is the Polynesian Cultural Center. It now includes Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand (Aotearoa Maori), Samoa,Tahiti, Tonga, and the Marquesas.

, take a circle island trip, sunbathe or people watch at Waikiki, watch the surfers on the Banzai Pipeline, learn about Hawaiian culture at the Bishop Museum, tour the only royal palace in the US. There's so much to do or do nothing at all!

Maui: Drive up a volcano, bike down it, take a whale watching cruise, snorkel Molokini, drive to Hana and count the waterfalls, attend a luau, visit the fabulous new Maui Ocean Center, taste pineapple wine, go upcountry and sample sweet Maui onions or go to the rode.

Hawai'i: Fly over an active volcano, see where macadamia nuts and orchids are grown, drive all the way around the island and see why it's called "the Big Island" (actually, all five of the other major islands would fit inside it), visit Rainbow Falls or Akaka Falls, sample Kona coffees, watch paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) ride the Parker Ranch.

Kaua'i: Take the most magnificent helicopter flight of your life, play golf at Tiger Wood's favorite course, drive up to Waimea Canyon (Mark Twain called it "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific", but from this one, you can see the ocean!), kayak the only navigable rivers in the state, take the Hawaii Movie Tour, scuba Tunnels, lie on the longest stretch of beach in the islands, watch the blue-footed boobies and seriously endangered monk seals at Kilauea Wildlife Preserve.

Lana'i: Just luxuriate in the most sumptuous surroundings you can imagine. Bill Gates chose this island as his dream retreat. And so can you! Choose the oceanfront Manele Bay Hotel or go upcountry to the Lodge at Koele. Or spend a few days at each. Both are Conde-Nast Gold!

Moloka'i: This is the most Hawaiian island. We saw more locals than tourists! Go see Mr. Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm. His trees are in his yard and he grows the only pesticide-free mac nuts in the the islands. Drive up to the Kalaupapa Overlook to see where the victims of Hansen's Disease (formerly called leprosy) were treated with courtesy and respect by Father Damien. Enjoy tasting samples of local coffees. Drive out to the Molokai Ranch and watch locals fish. Stop by the kite shop at Molokai Ranch.

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CST #204747-40
This page last updated December 01, 2008