I have a number of predictions for 2019. They are worth considering in any event. First a fun one – I think that in 2019, celebrity stock and crypto traders will become the new celebrity chefs. In the past most notorious traders have either been criminals or niche market – I think this year they…
The Downtown Honolulu Historic District
Starting in Chinatown and then heading towards Waikiki on King Street from Honolulu Will bring you through our financial district (just a couple of blocks, but we’re still proud of our clean and interesting downtown) and then you will suddenly find yourself with Iolani Palace on the left and the fictional Hawaii 5-0 Headquarters on…
Happy New Year from Vagobond! 2019 is the YEAR OF CHANGE
Aloha My Friends! Happy New Year! 2019 is going to be an amazing year where the only constant is going to be change! I have declared this theme both to prepare you for the unbridled pace of innovation and global change – as well as to prime the pump for all of us to make…
Haleiwa Town and the North Shore Neighborhoods of Pupukea and Waialua
One of the most delightful little villages on Oahu is the surfing town of Hale’iwa. When I say surfing town, I don’t mean the town itself surfs- that would be silly – but the town does revolve around surfing. Once a plantation village where workers lived and bought what they needed to go about their…
Hawaii Kai and Aina Haina Neighborhoods
South East of Honolulu are the neighborhoods of Aina Haina and Hawaii Kai. These are upscale neighborhoods that you reach when you pass by Diamond Head and the ritzy Kahala neighborhood and continue on to Koko Head and Hanauma Bay. As a guide I often pass through here, but rarely stop. There are some houses…
Molokai – The Friendly Isle – Slideshow Saturday
It’s been more than a decade since I’ve been to Molokai. I was suppossed to go back over this Christmas holiday, bring my family, meet up with friends – but the cost of living in Hawaii and a particularly painful dry period in tourism during October, November, and early December brought about the necessity of…
Lanai- The Pineapple Island
Lanai is owned by Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle Corporation. The people who live there are not owned by him. The last time I was there was in 2008. It was a short trip – mainly because I couldn’t afford to stay any longer. Lanai has two expensive resorts and the Lanai City Hotel…
Waipahu – Oahu – Edward Snowden’s Hometown
While it’s probably not what it wants to be known for, the town of Waipahu’s most famous resident is probably Edward Snowden, the NSA contractor who leaked large amounts of classified information from U.S. intelligence agencies. Of course, there is much more to Waipahu than just Edward Snowden. Waipahu is a central Oahu town which…
Oahu Hawaii’s Lighthouses – How many are there?
How many lighthouses exist on Oahu? If you’re just here to find the answer quickly – there are six. If you want to go deeper than that though – read on. Most people can only list one or two of the lighthouses on Oahu. Diamond Head Lighthouse is an obvious one and the one at…
The Polynesian Cultural Center – Visit all the Pacific Island Cultures on Oahu – Hawaii’s #1 Tourist Attraction
The number one tourist attraction in Hawaii is the Polynesian Cultural Center in the town of Laie. Laie is also known as ‘the Mormon town’ and with good reason. The Mormons were early settlers in Hawaii and virtually the entire town of Laie is of the Mormon faith. There is a Mormon temple, a Mormon…