I joined a group of 50+ people on a Hawaii trip. Lots to see and do in Hawaii. As my flight was landing, I was greeted with views of the Maui coast and Waikiki.
Hotel on Oahu
I stayed at Coconut Waikiki, which is 12 minute walk from Waikiki beach. My room faced the canal and mountains. I woke up to a beautiful sunrise each day.
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| The sunrise among the clouds looked like an erupting volcano. |
Ocean Activities
Sunset at Waikiki beach. Planet Venus was visible.
Snorkel and sunset cruises. Great views of the Waikiki skyline and Diamond Head.
Saw lots of fish and a sea turtle while snorkeling.
During the sunset cruise, the captain pulled out the sails and the winds pushed our catamaran as we watched Waikiki light up.
Diamond Head Hike
Diamond Head formed from eruptions in Ko'olau volcanoes. It served as a military reservation, with bunkers and a fire station. The main trail goes up to the summit and is 1.6 mile roundtrip (from the trailhead) and gains 560 feet in elevation. Great views of the coast and mountains from the summit.
Island Tour
Tour around Oahu. Visited several spots along the coast including Hanauma Bay, Halona Blowhole, and Sandy Beach. The northern coast of Oahu is a good spot for surfing.
Nuuanu Pali Lookout, 1186 feet above the coastline.
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| Byodo-in Temple |
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| We hiked through the gardens in Waimea Valley to the waterfall. |
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| Dole Plantation. I love Pineapple whip, which taste like sorbet. Perfect Hawaiian treat after hiking Diamond Head and Waimea Valley. |
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| Saw a bright rainbow on the way back to Honolulu |
Polynesian Cultural Center
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| Our group in front of the entrance |
The Polynesian Cultural Center has six Polynesian villages representing their culture: Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga. There were arts and crafts, songs, and dances. I enjoyed learning the play ukulele, coconut bread and coconut oil presentations, throwing a spear, and wood carving. We also had dinner at "Gateway Buffet" with live music, then enjoyed "Breath of Life" show that featured fire, song, and dances.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) owns the Polynesian Cultural Center and the center was built on land owned by Brigham Young University - Hawaii. There is a tram tour to the BYU-Hawaii campus and LDS Church temple.
Onward to Big Island
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| Diamond Head and Waikiki from the airplane. Flying Honolulu to Hilo. |
Wailuku River Falls and Rainbow Falls. When the sun hits Rainbow Falls at the right angle, a rainbow becomes visible - hence the name.
Kaumana Caves, formed in 1881 by lava from Mauna Loa. I shined a red light on the lava rocks - they look like lava.
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Hawaii Tropical Bioreserve and Garden. Lots of tropical plants in a rainforest along the coast. Walking through the garden felt like walking in Jurassic Park.
Helicopter tour of east Big Island, starting from Hilo and flying over Volcano National Park. Saw remote waterfalls (cannot access from the ground) and the erupting Kilauea.
Kilauea Eruption
On September 29, 2021 Kilauea Volcano started erupting. The best viewpoint to see the euroption is the Keanakakoi Overlook. This overlook is a 1 mile hike from the Devastation Trail parking lot and you can see the entire lava lake from there. Volcano National Park has several viewpoints to see lava glow at night - Jagger Museum parking lot, Kilauea Overlook, near the steam vents, and Volcano House.
