HOTEL TRAVAASA HANA-MAUI—A cluster of hillside cottages on 66 secluded acres sloping down to a rugged seacoast, Hotel Travaasa Hana-Maui epitomizes the culture of old Hawaii. Built in 1946 and recently updated, it exudes low-key good taste. With no TVs or clocks in their rooms, guests quickly learn to slow down and relish their surroundings. Experiencing Hawaii’s heritage is key here, from cooking to surfing lessons—maybe even learning the hula. WHERE: Hana.Tel 800-321-4262 or 808-248-8211; www.travaasa.com. Cost: from $325.
EATING & DRINKING
KŌ AT THE FAIRMONT—Inspired by Maui’s rich past, Kō (which means “sugarcane”) draws on the hearty culinary traditions of the Hawaiians, Chinese, Filipinos, Portuguese, Koreans, and Japanese who worked on the sugar plantations. Locals say they find Kō’s food—Portuguese bean soup and lobster tempura, for instance—deeply familiar but greatly finessed. The restaurant is located at the all-suite Fairmont Kea Lani, Hawaii, footsteps from Wailea’s Polo Beach. WHERE: Wailea. Tel 866-540-4456 or 808-875-4100; www.fairmont.com/kealani. Cost: dinner $55, rooms from $500.
LAHAINA GRILL—In the heart of historic Lahaina Town, Lahaina Grill has been winning “best restaurant in Maui” awards almost since it opened in 1990. You can always count on a crowd at this stylish bistro who come for the Kona-coffee-roasted rack of lamb and triple berry pie—raspberries, blueberries, and black currants in a cloud of whipped cream. WHERE: Lahaina. Tel 808-667-5117; www.lahainagrill.com. Cost: dinner $70.
MAMA’S FISH HOUSE—Tucked in a coconut grove on a secluded white sand beach, the eternally packed Mama’s Fish House is the best (and one of the priciest) fresh-catch restaurants on Maui. With its Polynesian fantasy touches, the dining room recalls the set of Gilligan’s Island, and the daily changing menu always features “Island Fish” that credits the name of the fisherman. The best place to spend the night is right next door, at the Inn at Mama’s, in one of 12 plantation-style cottages on the beach, complete with hammocks. WHERE: Paia. Tel 808-579-8488 (restaurant), 800-886-4852 or 808-579-9764 (inn); www.mamasfishhouse.com. Cost: dinner $80, cottages from $175.
SANSEI SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & SUSHI BAR—Known for its imaginative sushi, fusion seafood, and lively atmosphere (there’s late-night karaoke on Thursdays and Fridays), Sansei opened at the Kapalua Resort in 1996 and has been expanding ever since. Serious sushi lovers swoon over chef-owner D. K. Kodama’s signature panko-crusted Ahi Roll. Prices are lower before 6 P.M. WHERE: Lahaina. Tel 808-669-6286; www.sanseihawaii.com. Cost: dinner $50.
Timeless Hawaii
MOLOKAI
Hawaii, U.S.A.
Blessed with lush vegetation and carved by eons of pounding waves that produced the world’s tallest sea cliffs and some of Hawaii’s longest waterfalls, Molokai is Mother Nature’s wild and uninhibited work of art and one of Hawaii’s least developed places. Fewer than 7,500 people live on the 10-by-38-mile island, the majority of them native Hawaiians who carry on traditional ways of fishing and hunting. Come to relax and recharge by hiking, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, or walking on pristine white sand beaches.
The sleepy main town of Kaunakakai holds the island’s only place to stay, the Hotel Molokai, a Polynesian classic circa 1968. Local singers croon here nightly, and on Fridays aunties and grandmas bring their ukeleles to the beachfront bar for a couple of hours of Molokai-style singing.
On the north side of the island is the dramatically beautiful Kalaupapa Peninsula, a former colony for people suffering from Hansen’s disease, then known as leprosy. The colony was started by a Belgian priest named Father Damien, who ministered to the sufferers from 1873 until his death from the disease 16 years later. Today much of the peninsula is a National Historical Park. The Molokai Mule Ride, the most popular way to explore the park, follows a 3-mile trail with 26 switchbacks.
Though other islands take issue, Molokai considers itself the birthplace of the hula and each May stages a grand Ho‘olaule‘a (celebration) that features music, food, crafts, and graceful hula dancers undulating beneath the shade of the keawe trees.
VISITOR INFO: www.molokai-hawaii.com. HOTEL MOLOKAI: Tel 877-553-5347 or 808-553-5347; www.hotelmolokai.com. Cost: from $139. KALAUPAPA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK: Tel 808-567-6802; www.nps.gov/kala. MOLOKAI MULE RIDE: Tel 800-567-7550 or 808-567-6088; www.muleride.com. Cost: $175, includes lunch. BEST TIME: 3rd weekend in May for Ka Hula Piko Festival, celebrating the birth of the hula.
“When I first moved to Oahu, I was thrilled by the softness and fragrance of the air, the steepness of the surrounding mountains, the profusion of flowers, the sense that I was suspended between air and water.”—PAUL THEROUX
OAHU
Hawaii, U.S.A.
Oahu has been a magnet for tourists almost since the days of Hawaii’s last kings, and it’s easy to understand why when you consider the daily rainbows that arch over its more than 125 beaches, the thundering waterfalls that cascade into crystal blue lagoons, and the perfect waves that roll steadily to shore. Home to Hawaii’s most iconic destinations—Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, and the North Shore’s surfing waves—Oahu is the third-largest island in the chain but by far the most populated. More than just a tropical paradise, Oahu is Hawaii’s urban center, state capital, nightlife and shopping mecca, commercial and culinary hub, and cultural hot spot.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
PEARL HARBOR—At dawn on December 7, 1941, Japanese planes began bombing U.S. military installations in Oahu, including the Navy’s Pacific fleet docked in Pearl Harbor. Ninety minutes later, 2,390 Americans had been killed, catapulting the U.S. into World War II.
Nearly half died on the 608-foot battleship USS Arizona, which sank in 9 minutes after its ammunition magazine exploded. Now part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument on Ford Island, the USS Arizona Memorial is a bone-white rectangular structure spanning the middle portion of the sunken ship, which lies untouched just a few feet below the surface. Each December 7, a commemorative ceremony takes place here that includes a 21-gun salute, a navy flyover, and the soon-to-disappear opportunity to shake the hands of Pearl Harbor survivors. Right next door, you can go below deck on the World War II submarine USS Bowfin, nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” for its successful attacks on the Japanese. At the opposite end of Battleship Row sits the 58,000-ton battleship USS Missouri, where the war finally came to an end with the signing of the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945. The Pacific Aviation Museum brings the war vividly to life with bombers, flight simulators, and an authentic Japanese Zero.
The USS Arizona Memorial commemorates the lives lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
WHERE: 11 miles west of Waikiki in Honolulu. USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL: Tel 808-422-3300; www.nps.gov/usar. USS BOWFIN: Tel 808-423-1341; www.bowfin.org. USS MISSOURI: Tel 808-423-2263; www.ussmissouri.com. PACIFIC AVIATION MUSEUM: Tel 808-441-1000; www.pacificaviationmuseum.org.
BISHOP MUSEUM—For a peek at the world’s greatest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts, spend a few hours at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum, founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop in honor of his late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop. The core of the museum’s holdings is Princess Pauahi’s own collection, including royal family heirlooms, but it has been greatly expanded over the years to include more than 24 million cataloged items. A recent renovation of the historic Hawaiian Hall allows more access to the museum’s treasures: ceremonial spears, calabash bowls, and King Kamehameha’s magnificent feather cloak, to name but a few. In summer, the Bishop offers the Moonlight Mele (song), a series of concerts with some of Hawaii’s top musicians. The multibuilding facility also includes a planetarium, and the Science Adventure Center specializing in oceanography, biodiversity, and volcanology (complete with a man-made volcano). WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-847-3511; www.bishopmuseum.org.
CHINATOWN—Chinese were first brought to Hawaii as indentured laborers for the sugarcane and pineapple plantations in 1789, and when their contracts were up, many stayed on and opened small shops and restaurants here ar
ound River Street, which by 1870 had become known as Chinatown.
Today, people from all over Asia call this well-preserved five-by-three-block area home, and visitors come to bargain for jade and antiques, worship in incense-filled temples, pick up high-quality leis for low prices, and eat authentic pho, pad thai, dim sum, and myriad other Asian delights. A tranquil spot adjacent to Chinatown is Foster Botanical Garden, which preserves a collection of rare and beautiful tropical plants on lush landscaped acres. WHERE: 4 miles from Waikiki. VISITOR INFO: www.chinesechamber.com. FOSTER BOTANICAL GARDEN: Tel 808-522-7066; www.honolulu.gov.
‘IOLANI PALACE—Hawaii is an isolated archipelago, but it is also a crossroads of civilization, with a fittingly rich history. A voyaging canoe in Honolulu Harbor pays tribute to the oceangoing Polynesians who discovered the islands 1,500 years ago, and the extraordinary ‘Iolani Palace is a reminder of how their descendants triumphed, then saw their long reign end. The only official state residence of royalty in the United States, the four-story palace was built by King David Kalakaua between 1878 and 1882 at a cost of $360,000. It was the first electrified building in Honolulu—wired even earlier than the White House and Buckingham Palace. The last member of Hawaiian royalty to occupy the palace was Queen Lili‘uokalani, who was overthrown by European-Hawaiian and American-Hawaiian residents backed by U.S. forces in 1893, ending the Hawaiian monarchy. Today, the magnificent palace galleries include exhibits of the crown jewels and ancient feathered cloaks, among other items. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-522-0832; www.iolanipalace.org.
DIAMOND HEAD STATE MONUMENT—Of all the state’s volcanoes, the one that symbolizes Hawaii most famously is Diamond Head, an ancient cone rising at the end of Waikiki Beach. The name “Diamond Head” dates to the 1800s, when British sailors digging around in the crater found what they thought were diamonds—in fact, worthless calcite crystals, but the name stuck.
Visitors can reach the 760-foot summit, with its stunning 360-degree views of Oahu, via a steep, 1.5-mile path. Expect to see legions of other hikers—this is one of the most popular walks in all Hawaii. Less crowded is the unpaved trail to Diamond Head Beach, a small strip of sand at the volcano’s base, with breathtaking views of the ocean. INFO: Tel 808-587-0300; www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/oahu.
POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER—Polynesia encompasses 16 million miles of ocean and thousands of islands, but you can get at least a glimpse of its people and culture in a single visit to the Polynesian Cultural Center. A kind of living museum in Laie, it illustrates the lifestyles, songs, dances, costumes, and architecture of a number of Pacific islands—Fiji, New Zealand, the Marquesas, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), and Hawaii—in re-created villages scattered throughout a 42-acre park. Operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the park also features stage shows celebrating the culture of Polynesia, and a luau every evening. Each May, competitors vie for the title of world’s best fire knife dancer, spinning and tossing their flaming nifo oti as they dazzle sold-out crowds. WHERE: 35 miles north of Waikiki. Tel 800-367-7060 or 808-293-3333; www.polynesia.com.
BEST BEACHES
WAIKIKI BEACH—When Honolulu became the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1845, Hawaiian royalty built their homes on this 2-mile slice of sand. Moana Hotel (now the vastly expanded Moana Surfrider) dates to 1901, a white-columned “First Lady of Waikiki.” Just after Hawaii was granted statehood in 1959, developers snapped up the rest of Waikiki Beach, leading to today’s cheek-by-jowl profusion of high-rise hotels. Waikiki grew a bit tacky, but today it is dominated by handsomely renovated resorts, while the lavishly relandscaped outdoor shopping area on Kalakaua Avenue is lined with designer boutiques. The popular Waikiki Beachwalk is filled with shops and restaurants as well as live music and cultural performances daily.
NORTH SHORE—Ever since Hawaiians revived the ancient practice of surfing a century ago, riding the waves has been the quintessential Hawaiian sport, and the 6-mile stretch of Oahu’s north shore, from the historic town of Haleiwa to Sunset Beach, is both its spiritual home and greatest testing ground. In winter, when monster swells from Pacific storms rush unimpeded toward reef breaks, cars line up bumper-to-bumper along the road to Waimea Bay, Sunset, and the fabled Banzai Pipeline off Ehukai Beach Park, the three beaches where the world’s best surfers compete for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. When 20-foot breakers collapse here, the ground shakes. Yet from April to October these same tumultuous waters settle to a flat, glassy calm, inviting swimmers, kayakers, snorkelers, divers, and fishermen to play in the water. Stop at one of the many shrimp trucks in funky old Haleiwa, for local shrimp served plain or doused with seasonings. WHERE: Haleiwa is 28 miles northwest of Honolulu.
Oahu’s North Shore is legendary for its waves.
LANIKAI BEACH & KAILUA BEACH—Hawaii takes its beaches seriously, so even though gorgeous Lanikai Beach fronts a row of private homes, by state law there’s public access every 400 yards. Set on Oahu’s windward side, Lanikai is picture-perfect, with powdery white sand, jade green waters, and glimpses of offshore islands. All Lanikai lacks is facilities. For that, make the 2-minute drive to Kailua Beach, a local family favorite lined with palms and ironwoods and the perfect place to try kite boarding or kayaking.
A beach day here is not complete without a detour to Keneke’s Plate Lunch in nearby Waimanalo Town, where folks line up for Asian-style barbecue, Filipino pork stew, and shave ice with ice cream. WHERE: 18 miles northeast of Waikiki, Honolulu. KENEKE’S: Tel 808-259-9811. Cost: lunch $13.
SANDY BEACH—One of the most popular places to bodysurf on Oahu, Sandy Beach is right next to the Halona Blowhole, an unusual shore break that spits out water and causes waves to crash magnificently on the shore. While those who ride the waves (including traditional surfers) love it, it has earned the nickname “Break-Neck Beach” for all the injuries sustained here every year. Most folks come just for the view or to fly a kite, another of the big draws here. WHERE: 13 miles east of Waikiki.
HANAUMA BAY—Oahu’s most popular spot to don a mask and fins and ogle clouds of parrot fish is Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, with its Hollywood-perfect palm-bordered beach. Most snorkelers explore reefs close to shore, in the safe 10-foot-deep inner bay. Serious scuba divers go farther out, shooting “the slot” through the reef’s edge to get to turbulent Witch’s Brew cove and see coral gardens, turtles, and sharks.
Before you put a toe in the water, though, visit the modern 10,000-square-foot Marine Education Center, which features a variety of informative marine exhibits. WHERE: 10 miles east of Waikiki. Tel 808-396-4229; www.co.honolulu.hi.
FESTIVALS
ALOHA FESTIVALS—Since the 1970s, Hawaii has experienced a renaissance of its native culture. Hawaiian language is taught in public schools, and there has been a revival of traditional Hawaiian arts, including dancing the hula, weaving the strawlike leaf of the hala tree, making bark cloth known as tapa, building canoes, and navigating by the stars. All this and more is grandly celebrated during the Aloha Festivals, the state’s largest cultural celebrations. Started in 1946 as Aloha Week, Oahu’s Floral Parade makes for grand theater when extravagant floats covered with local blooms move in stately procession down Honolulu’s Kalakaua Avenue from Ala Moana Park to Kapi‘olani Park. WHERE: Honolulu and statewide. VISITOR INFO: Tel 800-852-7690 or 808-545-1771; www.alohafestivals.com.
PRINCE LOT HULA FESTIVAL—Of all the native traditions, hula has had the greatest resurgence, with a proliferation of new halau (schools) teaching the ancient dance. To experience it, visit Honolulu’s Moanalua Gardens in July, when dancers gather for the Prince Lot Hula Festival. Celebrating Native Hawaiian culture in all its forms, the all-day festival helps you understand the power nature holds in Hawaiian traditions. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-839-5334; www.mgf-hawaii.com or www.moanaluagardensfoundation.org.
LANTERN FLOATING HAWAII—Lantern floating is a Buddhist tradition originating in Japan, but people of all backgrounds and beliefs gather on Ala Moana Beach
in Honolulu every Memorial Day to send out their good wishes to the world. Participants write prayers, eulogies, and other messages on 2,000 lanterns, which, at dusk, after the hula dancing, the playing of the taiko drums, and the recitation of prayers, are gently released in the water, a spectacle that keeps everyone rapt. WHERE: Honolulu. www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com.
SPAM JAM—Foodies may scoff, but Hawaii, along with Guam and Saipan, accounts for the greatest per-capita consumption of Hormel’s “spiced ham” (its popularity goes back to World War II days when fresh food was scarce). Spam is still so beloved that every April busy Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki shuts down for a night to make room for a street festival where restaurants serve up their favorite canned ham dishes, the music goes nonstop, and the most ardent Spam fan on the island is crowned Mr. or Mrs. Spam. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-255-5927; www.spamjamhawaii.com.
HONOLULU FESTIVAL—This three-day festival in March celebrates the cultures of the Pacific Rim. Aboriginal dancers from Australia painted with mud share the stage with silk-sheathed traditional Korean dancers, while artists, musicians, and craftsmen from Japan, the Philippines, China, mainland U.S., and Taiwan converge on Oahu to display and demonstrate their skills. The festivities culminate in an extravagant Grand Parade through Waikiki, along Kalakaua Avenue. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-926-2424; www.honolulufestival.com.
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