Makapu’u Point. One of the most visually striking places on the island of Oahu comes as you head around the south side of Oahu through rocky, volcanic, cactus filled and generally desert island vistas and you turn north onto the Windward side of Oahu. People think of Oahu and generally they think of Honolulu –…
Tag: Oahu
Flat Stanley’s Hawaii Vacation on Oahu
I have a friend in Toronto, Canada named Henry. He’s a second grader (like my daughter) and as a project for his class – he was suppossed to send Flat Stanley – a character from a book his class is reading – on a trip to somewhere. Henry’s family and I became friends when they…
The Dole Plantation on Oahu – A Wonderful Pineapple Tourist Trap in Hawaii
One of the top requests among my guests is to visit the Dole Plantation in the center of the island of Oahu. It’s easy to understand why people want to go there. For most American’s, Dole was the first pineapple they ever experienced. Straight from the can, usually, but sometimes it was an exotic and…
Flashback Friday: Returning to Oahu After a 9-Year Trip Around the World
In 2008, I graduated from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, moved out of my apartment in Manoa, said goodbye to my sweet landlady Mrs. Arizumi and then I stayed in a Waikiki hotel before flying to Portland, Oregon for Christmas. From there I took trains across the USA, flew to Europe, took a ferry…
The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii
There are few places that can inspire awe and contemplation as those where important historical events – and thousands of human deaths – took place. Pearl Harbor, once the jewel of the Hawaiian Islands – a protected harbor with many streams flowing into it and oyster beds that some say produced the most beautiful pearls…
Visiting the Kamaka Ukulele Factory – A Family Business with 101 years of Experience in Hawaii Ukuleles
The Kamaka Ukulele is the gold standard in fine ukulele quality and there is a reason for that. The Kamaka family has been making the best ukes in the world since 1916 when Honolulu resident Sam Kamaka Sr began making the instruments in his Kaimuki basement. Since then the Hawaiian ukulele has made it’s way…
Matsumoto Shave Ice – Matsumoto General Store on Oahu’s North Shore
If you ask any child in Hawai’i what they want for dessert or a treat – chances are you are going to hear most of them say the same thing- shave ice. That’s shave ice, not shaved ice because Hawaiian language doesn’t have a ‘D’ in it and our local language ‘pidgin’ officially known as…
A Beautiful Free Waterfall Hike On Oahu – Manoa Falls Trail
Sure, you will enjoy this hike more if you pay for it – the guides will tell you lots of stories, you will learn about the plants, the history, the geology – and you won’t have to worry about parking your car. But if you want to go for a great free hike on Oahu…
Flashback Friday: 2008 PhotoEssay: Urban Hiking in Hawaii – Chinatown Honolulu
This was a very fun day which I am reposting from a decade ago back on July 3, 2008. The photos were taken with my old Motorola Razor. Total time: About 3.5 hours Total $: About $25 including lunch, groceries, and snacks. Total value: Priceless…check out the pictures if you don’t believe me. It was…
The Hitachi Tree in Honolulu’s Moanalua Gardens
On the west side of Honolulu, just near the big pink building (Tripler Army Hospital) – just on the edge of the Salt Lake Neighborhood but before you reach Aloha Stadium – is one of the most famous trees that you’ve seen but never heard of (unless you are Japanese). The tree is located in…