The Hawaii State Flower

The Hibiscus is the Hawaii state flower. You may have been given one when arriving to the islands. You may have seen women wearing them in their hair or on their lei’s. You may have even seen them in paintings or on clothing or swimwear.

There are a variety of different colors of the Hibiscus but the most common are red and yellow. It was adopted as the flower of Hawaii in 1923 when Hawaii was only a territory of the United States. When Hawaii was accepted into Statehood in 1959, many of its symbols were adopted as well as the territorial flower. Later in 1988, the yellow Hibiscus was elected as the State flower of Hawaii.

The Hibiscus, native to the Hawaiian islands, is a tropical flowering plant that grows as a shrub and can be as tall as 30 feet. The name means “delicate beauty” and is a symbol of old royalty communicating power and respect. Though somewhat rare, the plant can be found growing on most of the Hawaiian islands. It has become popular among gardeners and landscapers and is also a very popular gift throughout the world.

Sunsets on Oahu

By Joe Flanagan

If you’re on the island of Oahu, or anywhere in Hawaii for that matter, you have to make a point to see our beautiful sunsets. The colors are amazing as they light up the sky with the different hues of red, orange, pink, and blue. The times of the setting sun vary depending on the time of the year, anywhere between 5:45pm and 7:30pm. But if you see the sun getting close to the horizon, be sure to quickly find your spot to watch it set as it usually disappears within about 30 minutes.

Following are some spots you can check out for watching the sun set on Oahu.

Waikiki Beach
Waikiki of course would be the closest place. You can have a seat on the beach facing the ocean and have a memorable moment watching the sun set beyond the waters.

Ala Moana Beach Park
Not too far from Waikiki, go to Ala Moana Beach Park and walk out to the end of Magic Island. You can have a seat on the many benches facing the sunset.

Kakaako Waterfront Park
Just down the street from Ala Moana is a waterfront park with large rolling grass hills and a great wall along the shoreline where the waves break. Listen to the ocean waters while watching the setting sun.

Tantalus Drive
If you have a car and want to take a drive, head up Tantalus Drive. This will take you to some elevated points up in the mountains where you can pull off along side the road and watch the sun set into the ocean. But plan your drive early in the day so you can make sure you get the perfect scenic spot.

West Coast Side
Since the sun sets in the west, anywhere along the west coast of the island will make great spots to catch the setting sun. A few places would be Makaha, Waianae, and Nanakuli Beaches. Make a day of it. Take food with you, enjoy the beaches, and have a picnic while enjoying the sunset.

Sunset Beach
This one is on North Shore, a little further away. But the name says it all. Sunsets on the North Shore are the most spectacular on the island.

Whale Season Is Here

By Joe Flanagan

The first whale this season was spotted off the west coast of Kauai on September 16, 2014.

Whales have begun migrating all the way from their homes in Alaska down to the warm coastal waters of Hawaii.  The official start of the whale season begins in late December and lasts till about May, with the peak season being from January to March.  Around 7,000 humpback whales come to the Hawaiian islands every year to mate and give birth to their newborns.

Many tour companies will be offering trips out into the open waters to see these massive creatures in their natural habitat.  Maui is the island known to have the most whale activities with the Maui Whale Festival sponsored by the Pacific Whale Foundation.  They’ll have a marathon run for the whales in January, the Parade of Whales in February, along with many other activities.

Back on our own island of Oahu, there’s many places from the shore you’ll be able to spot the humpback whales:

• Ka’ena Point
• Halona Blowhole Lookout
• Hanauma Bay
• Shark’s Cove
• Makapu’u Lighthouse
• Turtle Bay Resort
• Lanikai

If you see any, feel free to reply back here.  It would be great to get some feedback on potential places to see whales this season.

 

World’s Largest Maze

By Joe Flanagan

Did you know that the World’s Largest Maze is located right here on Oahu?

The Dole Plantation, located in Wahiawa near central Oahu, first opened as a fruit stand in 1950.  The maze, constructed in the shape of a huge pineapple, was built in 1998 and later expanded in 2007.  It’s featured in the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records.  It covers more than two acres of land and has close to 2.5 miles of paths.

Once you enter the maze, you’re given a game card and a map.  Be sure and take the map because it can get quite confusing from the inside of the maze on which path you should take.  There’s eight secret stations scattered throughout the maze.  The object of the game is to find these eight stations and stencil the item on the back of your game card.  If you’re going with a group, this can be quite fun to find out who can make it back to the entrance with their game card filled out in the least amount of time.

After spending about an hour or so inside the maze, check out the rest of the plantation, browse around the store, and have some fresh squeezed pineapple juice.

Breathe Aloha

Rob came to us through the CIEE Work & Travel Program.  In this post, he shares his top 10 things to do in Hawaii.  We hope you enjoy as he shares his experiences to those wanting to explore this small island in a short amount of time.

By Rob Kavanagh
2014 Summer Intern

(1) Diamond Head:

I’ve never heard of Diamond Head before arriving.  However I have spent a sizable portion of my time here around the crater. On my second day I hiked Diamond Head.  Good footwear, water, sun lotion and a camera are a must for this hike. I forgot sun block, went up in the mid day heat, sun stroke for 2 weeks. Lesson learned. I have been up diamond head five or six times since on tours the hostel offers. I would recommend taking the tour the hostel offers.

Finally, Hawaii’s best kept secret is Diamond Head beach. A 20 min walk from the hostel and a popular spot for surfers, the beach is beautiful. A perfect place to grab some sun and read a book.  When I thought of what a beach would look like in paradise/Hawaii, this is what I had in mind.

(2) Manoa Falls:

No entrance fee. Bring Bug Spray and apply regularly on the walk, you will get bitten! The only place I have been to twice as I loved this place so much. By bus get the number 8,19,20 & 42 to Ala Moana, cross through the center to catch the number 5 bus. Check this timetable as I was waiting quite a while. The bus drives exactly to the bottom of the road that leads up to Manoa Falls. The bus driver will tell you when to get off for Manoa Falls. Continue up the road towards Manoa Falls and follow the signs. From there you will see the path. You walk through beautiful plants and trees and along a river. The hike itself will take between 30­40 mins including taking time to take photos. The falls itself is magnificent. You can walk up on the stones and get great photos. There is also the Lyon Arboretum in the area which is worth a visit.

(3) SkyDive:

Skydiving from 12000ft at 120mph in freefall over the north shore of hawaii – it is as good as it sounds. Skydive Hawaii was the company I chose and they did pick­up, skydive and photos for just over $200, a bargain if you ask me. Health & Safety are all taken care of and you are re-assured before your jump. Nervous will be soon replaced with excitement. The most nervous part was actually walking over to the plane to get in: at that point your thinking “oh this is it” to put it mildly. Take off and ascend.  Take your mind off things as you overlook the mountains, sea and landscape of the northshore of Hawaii. Once you reach 12000 ft the door goes up and you go out. Those 20 seconds of freefall are incredible. On a rollercoster you have time to think, on a skydive you have no time to think. Forty seconds of gliding over the northshore once the parachute goes up for me was the best part. Your heart is racing, you are trying to catch your breath and get your head together, whilst gliding over sea and land and beside a mountain. The photos show half the story. If you want to do a skydive, no better place than Hawaii.

(4) Shark Dive:

North Shore Shark Adventures was the company I went with, located in the harbour in the north shore.  Note: you will have to organize your own transportation to the site or pay for them to pick you up. A brief introduction and you are soon on the boat heading out to sea. Located around 3 miles off the coast you will pull up beside the cage. The group is split into two groups of six. You will spend 20 minutes in the cage. I would advise going as early as possible. I did the 11am tour and the waves were quite choppy. You’re guaranteed to see sharks.  However, there is nothing to be afraid of.  They’re are no great whites and none of them pose any great threat. A great experience, one off the bucket list.

(5) Pearl Harbour:

An early start is required for this one. I was up at 5:30am and out the door by 6:00am. I got the bus at around 6:15am and arrived in Pearl Harbor at 07:30am. (You can also take a shuttle; check with the hostel office to make a shuttle reservation.)

Entrance is free, however no bags are allowed. Any kind of a bag/satchel/handbag/etc will need to go to storage at a cost of $3.

Upon entrance you will meet the reception desk where you can purchase tours. This is also the location where you claim the free USS Arizonal Memorial Tickets. Tickets are usally gone by 11:00am, so get there early. Before departing via boat out to the memorial, a brief 10 minute clip is shown on the history of Pearl Harbour. Once finshed, a boat will bring you out to the memorial. You are on the memorial for roughly 10 minutes before heading back.

I also went on the USS Bowfin submarine. $10 entry covers both a full tour of the submarine and entry into the war museum.

At Pearl Harbour, I did not see any restaurants.  But there is a Hot Dog stall, convenience store and soda drink fridge. On the site there is also a war museum which is open to the public. Pearl Harbour is a great half day trip but make sure you are there early.

(6) Makapu’u Lighthouse & Hike:

The number 22 bus will bring you to Sea Life park. From here you have to walk back along the main road to the entrance of the hike. The hike will take roughly 30 minutes. It is a paved road from the bottom to the top and consists of a gradual incline. There are amazing views along the hike and you will be surprised at just how high the peak brings you. At the peak there is a look out point and you can climb even further up to the war bunkers. After the walk back down you will see a trail to your left hand side which appears to lead out to the sea. Go on this trail. It will lead you to the coastline where there is a beautiful little beach where the waves crash right up against the shoreline.  Mackapu’u is one of Hawaii’s little secrets, go.

(7) Koko Head Hike:

Once again, the number 22 bus will bring you. Get off at the stop just before Hanauma Bay, but the bus driver will inform you that this is the entrance for Koko Head. Cross the main road and walk past the gate and down a private road to get to the entrance. Koko Head is quite simply 1000+ steps straight to the top. The most difficult part is the bridge over which I crawled. The top gives a 360 degree view of the most southern part of the island. The pain and sweat is worth it. Warning: Koko Head is a challenging hike and should be treated as such. Prepare to sweat.

(8) Hanauma Bay:

Number 22 bus will bring you direct. This bus leaves every hour, make sure you get it that hour or else it is a long wait. It drops you straight into Hanauma Bay. $7.50 entry fee to the bay. You’ll have to watch a short video on preserving the reef. This is the best place in Hawaii to go snorkeling.  The beach is also quite nice and a great place to spend the day. Note that the last bus leaves just after 5pm. Also, the bay is closed on Tuesdays.

(9) Aloha Market:

This is the best place to get your souvenirs. Half the price it would cost you in any shop or market in Waikiki. The Market stretches all around the Aloha Stadium, consisting of souvenirs, local produce, coconut, pineapple and shaved ice. If you arrive on a Wednesday, tours of the Aloha Stadium operate at 11am.  This is the only time during the week that tours operate. $1 Entry.

(10) Valley Of The Temples:

Graveyard and memorial site to lost soldiers in the war. Located 1 hour via bus outside of Waikiki.  $3 entry fee. A walk through the graveyard will bring you to the temple based at the foot of the mountains. The temple is magical with black swans swimming in a lake amongst fish, the temple in the backdrop and complete silence. Tranquility at its finest. You can walk into the temple and light a candle but do not forget to remove your shoes as a sign of respect. Remember to also do this if you ring the bell.

 

You can follow Rob on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robkavanagh7

 

The FREE Things in Waikiki

By Joe Flanagan

Hawaii can be an expensive place, especially when it comes to doing all the major activities and seeing all the attractions throughout the islands.  But if you want to have a relaxing day or two and try not to spend any money at all, try these few activities.

The Beach
The beach is the most obvious.  Waikiki Beach is only a block away.  Get your Hawaiian tan on.  Go have fun in the water.  Use our free beach gear located just outside the hostel office.  There’s boogie boards, snorkel gear, beach mats, beach chairs, soccer balls, etc.

Kapiolani Park
Kapiolani park is just right in front of the beach.  If you’ve had enough sun, or maybe you got burned too much, hang out at Kapiolani Park under the 100 year old trees.  Have a picnic.  Better yet, get some of your new travel buddies from the hostel and have a barbeque.

Fireworks
But if you do a barbeque, try and do it Friday evening.  Every Friday, the Hilton Hawaiian Village puts on a free fireworks show.  The show stars at 7:45pm and can easily be seen from Kapiolani Park.

Hula
Three times a week Hawaiian performers put on a free hula show featuring authentic Hawaiian music.  Learn more about the Hawaiian culture and traditions.  The shows are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 6:30pm-7:30pm, and are located on the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound which is near the Kahanamoku Statue.

U.S. Army Museum
If you are into history, visit the U.s. Army Museum located within the grounds of the Fort DeRussy Recreation Center.  Admission is free.  The museum features displays of the Gulf War and the War in Iraq.  Learn the military story and background of Hawaii.

Pearl Harbor
Though not in Waikiki, you can take a 45-minute shuttle ride or a 1.5 hour bus ride to Pearl Harbor.  Admission to the museum is free.  Get there early and you can score free tickets to the Arizona Memorial.  A short film is shown to give you the history and background of Pearl Harbor.

July 4th Fireworks Events near Waikiki

Guest Post by Sheila Beal at Go Visit Hawaii

Oahu really knows how to celebrate Independence Day with a bang!

July 4th Fireworks at Ala Moana Beach Park (near  and possibly visible from Waikiki)

Ala Moana Center has traditionally hosted Oahu’s biggest fireworks show and this year’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular will be no different. The fireworks show is set to start at 8:30 pm at Ala Moana Beach Park. This show is free and open to the public. As the biggest fireworks show on the island, organizers estimate that up to 50,000 people may attend this event at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Prior to the big fireworks show, Ala Moana Center will offer free entertainment starting at 4pm.

Ala Moana Center is located at 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard in Honolulu. To get there from Waikiki, you can drive, take the bus or trolley or walk. See this link for transportation options. We do not recommend that you drive as there will be some road closures in the immediate vicinity before and after the event.

Traditionally, these fireworks set off from Magic Isle at the tip of Ala Moana Beach Park. As such, the fireworks are potentially visible from various locations surrounding Ala Moana Beach Park. Take a look at this Google map link with Magic Isle pinned to help you visualize potential viewing points from the various beaches of Waikiki.

Other Notes

The annual July 3rd fireworks from Aloha Tower Marketplace will not take place this year due to major construction at Aloha Tower.

Hilton Hawaiian Village will not host their weekly Friday night fireworks display on Friday, July 4, 2014 for safety reasons. The display will continue the following week.

Mahalo to all these sponsors and event organizers who make Oahu a special place to celebrate Independence Day!

Events are subject to change without notice.

Have a safe and happy July 4th whether you’re on Oahu or beyond!

 

Rabbit Island

By Joe Flanagan

Take a trip alongside the South Shore of Oahu to Makapu’u Beach.  Look across the ocean and you’ll find two small islands not too far from the main coast of Oahu.  This is called Manana Island.  The larger one, rising about 360 feet, is more commonly referred to as “Rabbit Island.”  The smaller one, adjacent to Rabbit Island, is called “Black Rock.”

These islands are a seabird sanctuary and are protected by the State of Hawaii.  It’s home to many Sooty Terns, Brown Noddys, Bulwer’s Petrels, Red-tailed Tropicbirds, and a number of Hawaiian Monk Seals.  However, it is illegal to land on these islands without authorized permission from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Don’t confuse the name of “rabbit” island.  There are no rabbits on the island.  When looking at it from the Oahu shoreline, the island looks somewhat like a rabbits head.  But rabbits once inhabited the island beginning in the 1880’s.  John Adams Cummins owned a sugar plantation in Waimanalo and decided to raise the rabbits on Manana Island. Once introduced to the island, they began to eat the vegetation and multiply in numbers.  Unfortunately, the rabbits were removed about a hundred years later because they were destroying the native ecosystem.  As of 1994, rabbits no longer live on this island.

 

A Few Random Facts About Hawaii

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee.

Hawaii produces about 320,000 tons of pineapple each year.

The Big Island is getting bigger (by more than 42 acres a year) thanks to Kilauea Volcano. It’s been erupting for over 30 years!

Hawaii is the only U.S. state whose land area is increasing (from volcanic eruptions).

The Hawaiian alphabet consists of only twelve letters. The five vowels are A, E, I, O, U. And the seven consonants are H, K, L, M, N, P, W.

The vowels are pronounced as follows:
A is pronounced “ah”
E is pronounced “eh”
I is pronounced “ee”
O is pronounced “oh”
U is pronounced “oo”

The people of Hawaii consume the most Spam per capita in the U.S.

Residents of Hawaii live longer than those of any other U.S. state, with a life expectancy of 81.5 years.

There are no seagulls in Hawaii. No squirells either. And snakes are outlawed. The only legal serpents are housed in zoos.

Honolulu is the second most expensive city in the United States, after Anchorage, Alaska.

From east to west, Hawaii is the widest state in the United States.

Local residents use “makai” and “mauka” to give directions.  “Makai” means toward the sea. “Mauka” means toward the mountains.

Upcoming St. Patrick’s Day Events

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and there will be lots of activities going on throughout Honolulu, including a parade, block party, and lots of green beer.

The Parade
This will be the 47th Annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.  It begins at noon at Fort DeRussy.  The parade will go down Kalakaua Ave. and will end at Kapiolani Park by the bandstand at around 1:30pm.

The Block Party
This will be the 27th year that Murphy’s Bar and Grill in Chinatown will be sponsoring the St. Patrick’s Day block party.  It’s the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the Pacific.  The party begins in the pub and the parking lot at the corner of Nuuanu Ave. and Nimitz Hwy.  Food will be served outdoors 11am-3pm and they will be featuring their famous Guinness Oyster Bar.

The party moves to the streets at 5:30pm.  Nuuanu Ave., Merchant St., and Marin Ln. will all be closed to traffic.  The streets will be lined with kegs of beer.  Live music will include the Doolin’ Rakes and Elephant.

The Pubs
The following pubs will have their own Irish parties going on, featuring green beer, Irish food, and live Irish music.

Murphy’s Bar and Grill, Chinatown
2 Merchant St.

O’Toole’s Irish Pub, Chinatown
902 Nuuanu Ave

J.J. Dolan’s, Chinatown
1147 Bethel St.

Ferguson’s Irish Pub, Chinatown
729 Bishop St.

Anna O’Brien’s, Moiliili
2440 S Beretania St

Irish Rose Saloon, Waikiki
478 Ena Rd.

Kelley O’Neil’s, Waikiki
311 Lewers St.