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SOUTH OAHU: Honolulu and Envorions l Ala Moana to Hawaii Kai l Waikiki: The Worlds's Greatest Beach
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| Whale skeleton at Bishop Museum |
HONOLULU AND ENVIRONS Driving northeast from downtown Honolulu, up Nuuanu Avenue toward the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, with its spectacular panoramic views of Windward Oahu, there are several worthwhile attractions. Lovers of greenery can learn more about Hawaii’s unique tropical splendor at the 14-acre Foster Botanical Garden (on Map 1, C-10), located at 50 N. Vineyard Blvd., between Liliha and Maunakea Streets. Opened to the public in 1931, the garden contains tropical plants collected from around the world over a 150- year period. Of special interest are 26 specimens designated exceptional trees, a large palm collection, a primitive cycad garden and a hybrid orchid collection. Guided tours are available. Admission is $5 adults, $1 children 6 to 12.
Just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl Crater (on Map 1, B-12) was known by early Hawaiians as Puowaina or “Hill of Sacrifice.” As the burial ground for 35,000 victims of three wars—World War II, Korea and Vietnam— in the Asia Pacific region, this ash-and-lava tuff cone, known as the National Cemetery of the Pacific, or Punchbowl, certainly deserves its historic name. Many of the unmarked graves are dated Dec. 7, 1941. As a unique place to reflect on the meaning of war and pay homage to those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country, the old crater has become the No. 1 visitor attraction in Hawaii. Arrive early (it opens at 8 a.m.) to see this extraordinary burial place and admire sweeping views from its summit.
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| Queen Emma Summer Palace |
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| Flightseeing over Diamond Head |
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The most important respository of Polynesian artifacts in the world is the historic Bishop Museum (on Map 1, B-6), also a short drive from downtown or Punchbowl. Founded by a Hawaiian princess, Bernice Pauahi, who, in her will, i n s t ructed her husband, Charles Reed Bishop, to establish a Hawaiian museum “to enrich and delight” the people of Hawaii, the museum’s world-renowned collection of cultural objects and natural science specimens has grown enormously to include rare artifacts from Hawaiian and Pacific cultures—ceremonial and domestic objects, poi pounders, adzes, preindustrial Polynesian art, makaloa mats, lapita pottery, koawood bowls, nose flutes, Queen Liliuokalani’s secret diaries, King Kalakaua’s personal scrapbook and Kamehameha the Great’s famed feather cloak. Visit the museum’s planetarium, and perhaps catch one of the hula performances, offered daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Take a Behind-the-Scenes Tour weekdays at 1:30 p.m. for an additional fee of $15. Admission is $15 adults, children 4 to 12, seniors $15.
Just a few more miles up Nuuanu (Hawaiian for “cool heights”) is the Queen Emma Summer Palace (on Map 1, A-10). Once the summer retreat in Nuuanu Valley of Hawaii’s Queen Emma (wife of Kamehameha IV), the restored Victorian charm is preserved by the Daughters of Hawaii. Named Hanaiakamalama after the ancestral home of John Young II, son of the Englishman who was an advisor to Kamehameha I, it was willed to his favorite niece, Queen Emma, in 1857. Be sure to take a stroll in the beautiful gardens and check out the gift shop. Admission is charged.
The pinnacle of the Nuuanu drive is the historic Nuuanu Pali Lookout (Island Map, South Oahu, on Map 1, A-10), which sits atop the 985-foot cliffs of the Koolau Mountain Range. Trade winds blow through the valley between the high mountains on either side, forming a wind tunnel, so on extremely windy days, hold on to your children as well as to your hat. In addition to spectacular views and windy terrain, Nuuanu Pali is famous as the setting for the fierce and bloody battle won by Kamehameha I’s warriors, leading to the unification of the Hawaiian Islands under one ruler. Open daily (weather permitting) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; ample free parking. No admission charged. |
DRIVE GUIDES are provided free of charge by every rental car company in Hawaii.
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ALA MOANA TO HAWAII KAI
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| Ala Moana Beach Park sunset |
Oahu’s South Shore is synonymous with summertime surf and leisure centered around the Ala Moana area and the world-famous resorts of Waikiki. It is also a shopper’s heaven, a magnet for visitors and residents alike, who flock to the newly expanded Victoria Ward Centers (on Map 1, D-12), the world-class Ala Moana Shopping Center (on Map 1, D-14), residential Kahala Mall (on Map 2, C-4) and Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai. (on Map 2, D-10)
Ala Moana Beach Park (on Map 1, E-14) is the gathering place for thousands of athletes and beachgoers who come here weekdays and weekends to play ball games, jog, surf, swim and exercise. Weekends are particularly packed with families and company gatherings, the air redolent with the smells of grills barbecuing Thai chicken, teriyaki steak, burgers and hot dogs. Even on a busy day, there is usually adequate parking at Magic Island, which offers a pleasant strolling walkway with great views that stretch all the way from Diamond Head to the Waianae Mountains.
Beachgoers and shoppers often cross Ala Moana Boulevard, packing up their beach belongings for a tasty lunch and shopping at one of the centers, while shoppers take up empty spots on the beach, where they can stretch out for a snooze, walk off lunch or cool off with a dip in the reef-protected waters.
Within a short driving distance, there are all sorts of spots to shop, dine and pick up all the gear you need to enjoy the beautiful beaches and sights in this area.
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| Surfing, sailing and canoe rides, Waikiki |
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| Waikiki, a jewel at night |
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| Rainbow-blessed Diamond Head and Waikiki |
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WAIKIKI: THE WORLDS GREATEST BEACH
Waikiki, the playground of the Pacific, is compact enough to explore by foot (preferably along the magnificent sand beach that stretches along this historic coast, years ago nicknamed the Miracle Mile), from the base of world-famous Diamond Head to the world-class Ala Wai Yacht Harbor (on Waikiki Map, D-1). Since the days when Hawaiian royalty made this their favorite oceanside getaway, the beach has always been the main attraction, offering the opportunity to cool off in the calm, shallow waters or to venture out farther into the picturesque surf (which is usually fairly tame, except during the occasional summer swell, when even experienced surfers need to decide whether they are up to the challenge). For the sporting at heart, surfboards and surfing lessons are available, as well as catamaran, sailing and outrigger canoe rides for folks who prefer their sports sitting down.
In and out of the water, the action almost never lets up in Waikiki. Most visitors congregate on the central crescent of sand at Kuhio Beach (on Waikiki Map, D-12), the historic Moana Hotel (on Waikiki Map, C-8), built in 1901, the luxurious Royal Hawaiian Hotel (on Waikiki Map, C-7), built in 1927, the classy Halekulani Hotel (on Waikiki Map, D-6), which dates back to 1907, the newly refurbished Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach (on Waikiki Map, C-8), Fort DeRussy (on Waikiki Map, B-3), with its fascinating U.S. Army Museum (on Waikiki Map, D-5), and the recently expanded Hilton Hawaiian Village (on Waikiki Map, D-2). Visitors who pride themselves on taking long walks and easy hikes can get a bird’s-eye view of this Pacific jewel on a relatively easy hike up Diamond Head (easy, except perhaps for the last 100 steps to the lookout, which includes a slightly spooky walk through a tunnel that akamai—smart—hikers negotiate with flashlights). The view from atop Diamond Head is spectacular, but, if you’re not up for the hike, a seaside panorama of Waikiki from Sans Souci Beach is a convenient alternative. Nearby are historic Kapiolani Park (on Waikiki Map, C-13), the Waikiki Natatorium (the memorial arch still stands, but the pool has been closed for decades), the Waikiki Aquarium and the Honolulu Zoo (on Waikiki Map, C-11).
Days in the sun are complemented by afternoons and nights along Kalakaua Avenue, where the lineup of shops, restaurants and entertaining venues seems endless. In the heart of Waikiki is the venerable International Market Place (on Waikiki Map, B-8), whose fascinating story dates back to the formative days when Donn Beach opened his famous Beachcomber restaurant, which influenced down Kalakaua is a modern counterpart, the multilevel Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center (on Waikiki Map, C-7), a village unto itself, with every sort of dining, shopping and entertaining experience under the Hawaiian sun.
Parallel to Kalakaua, Kuhio Avenue offers a low-rise version of just about everything you’ll see on the main drag, including open-air nightclubs, great restaurants and small shops that just might have the special treasures you’re looking to take home. Need a breath of fresh air? The next major thoroughfare is Ala Wai Boulevard, which follows the length of the Ala Wai Canal (on Waikiki Map, A- 6), with open vistas of the Koolau Mountains. The walkway and adjacent canal are favorite spots at sunset for joggers and outrigger canoe paddlers practicing for upcoming regattas. |
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