10 – Nature, culture, food and shopping

August 26, 2005, 16:44

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Nature, Culture, Food and Shopping

The Islands and their People

The Hawaiian Islands and their people are blessed with a rich spirit that touches all who experience them.

Uniquely diverse, Hawaii enables every visitor to experience the natural beauty of water, earth, fire and air:

Kahiwa Falls (Molokai) – the tallest waterfall in the state
Earthy Waimea Canyon (Kauai) – the Grand Canyon of the Pacific
Kilauea Volcano (Big Island) – the world’s most active volcano which has been erupting constantly since 1983
Napali coast (Kauai) where the sea meets the cliff with breathtaking views
Mount Haleakala ( Maui) – the world’s largest dormant volcano
The beaches of Lanikai and Kailua (Oahu) – hailed over and over as the best in the US

Lei Greeting – One of the things that makes Hawaii so special is the cultural tradition of “hookipa” – or hospitality – whereby guests and visitors are often welcomed with a traditional lei, a floral garland worn around the neck. Lei are beautiful symbols of the Aloha Spirit and epitomise the sharing nature of the local people. Each island boasts its own distinctly coloured lei, and visitors can learn about the numerous varieties by visiting the lei shops on Maunakea Street in the heart of Oahu’s Chinatown.

Another island icon is the hula. This too is steeped in tradition and is a world away from the trivialised Hollywood view of dancers in grass skirts and coconut bras. Hula’s origins date back to ancient times and once were shrouded in sacred myth. The dance that we refer to today as the hula derives from the ancient Hawaiian martial art of “Lua” and was danced only by the men as a means of preparing for war and for the telling of stories.

For culture vultures, Hawaii’s vibrant culture is bursting with colour. Take part in a traditional lei greeting, dance the hula, learn the language and most of all enjoy everything Hawaii has to offer! The traditional Luau gathering, (where a pig is baked in an underground oven called an imu and is served with sweet potatoes) is a firm favourite with both locals and visitors alike.

Hawaii’s melting pot of cultures has influenced its cuisine. Known as Pacific Rim Cuisine, the flavours of the Hawaiian Islands blend with those of the Orient. Here you will taste the delights of mouth-watering fresh seafood and locally-grown exotic fruit and vegetables.

No trip to Hawaii would be complete without bringing back something to remember the islands by and visitors to Hawaii can shop till you drop at one of Hawaii’s many shopping outlets.

Whether you’re seeking to play in the sun, sand and surf, enjoy the natural beauty, shop till you drop, visit the many historic spots or learn more about Hawaiian culture, there truly is something for everyone in this Pacific Paradise!

Nature at Its Best

Hawaii’s nature truly is the best in the world. Whether it is bird watching, swimming with dolphins or exploring the marine life, Hawaii has it all!

Bird Watching
Many of Hawaii’s tropical birds cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Hawaii is home to rare or endangered birds such as the curved-bill honeycreepers, black-winged red birds, and the rare oo, whose yellow feathers were once plucked by the Hawaiians to make royal capes. As all of the above are very rare you will more likely encounter species such as the red footed booby or the golden plover.

Kauai and Molokai, in particular, are great places to go bird watching. On Kauai large colonies of seabirds nest at Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge and along the Napali Coast. The lush rainforest of Molokai’s Kamakou Preserve is home to the Molokai thrush and Molokai creeper, which live only on this 30-mile-long island.

Whale Watching
From December to May, the Hawaiian waters play home to thousands of humpback whales. The whales, which come to their favourite winter haven to breed and give birth, are most frequently seen between the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Oahu and Kauai also offer great whale watching.

Polynesians have always been some of the world’s best seafarers and the Hawaiians have embraced their forefathers’ seafaring skills to become great navigators and skilled canoe builders. A replica of the original voyaging outrigger canoe, the “Hokulea”, can be seen at Honolulu’s Hawaii Maritime Centre which showcases 2,000 years of maritime heritage. Oahu’s Bishop Museum also offers an excellent overview of the Polynesian migration while the Polynesian Cultural Centre provides an insight into 7 Polynesian cultures. It is Hawaii’s top paid attraction.

With major whale preservation organisations having their headquarters on Maui and working in close harmony with a vigorous whale-watching industry, Maui is recognised as the very model of environmentally sensitive self-regulation when it comes to its precious whales and sea life.

Swimming with Dolphins
Dolphins are also frequently seen swimming wild, but you can also swim with them at Dolphin Quest at the Big Island’s Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort and on Oahu at the Sea Life Park or at Kahala Mandarin Oriental, just minutes from Waikiki. A particular favourite with children and adults alike, it also offers an educational programme for children from five years old.

Exploring the Depths of the Ocean
Hawaii’s crystal-clear waters are home to hundreds of species of fish, many of which are found only around these islands. Divers frequently encounter eagle and manta rays, turtles, moray eels and other colourful tropical reef-dwelling fish in the waters surrounding the islands. And if you’re lucky enough, you may also sight some of the 40 species of sharks which inhabit the waters, from the Galapagos or Sandbar sharks to the gentle giant and largest fish of the sea, the mighty whale shark.

Hawaii Shark Encounters operate twice daily shark-viewing tours from Oahu’s Haleiwa Harbour and guarantee sightings through the quarter-inch-thick plexiglass panels of a cage lowered from a boat. Most divers head to Oahu and Maui but the other islands also offer excellent alternatives. Molokini, a partly-submerged crater off Maui’s south-west coast, is a paradise for snorkellers and divers, with manta rays sometimes swimming inside the craters. You can also explore underwater lava tubes and caverns off both Lanai and the Big Island, where you can even enjoy a night time dive with Manta Rays.

Alternatively explore Molokai’s steep underwater walls and virgin corals or the reefs off Kauai where the northern tip is considered to be the ultimate in Hawaiian diving. May to September is considered to be the best time to explore this underwater paradise.

Hawaii – A society Rich in Cultural Colour…

Hawaiian culture has left an indelible mark in history. From the skilful, innovative ways of Polynesian sea voyaging to the ancient traditions of the Hawaiian ohana (family), we continuously learn from our ancestors. The Hawaiian language is now being taught in many of Hawaii’s schools and the legacy of the Hawaiian monarchy is still very much revered today.

During the last two centuries, Hawaii’s rich cultural tapestry has been woven from the customs of various migrants who have made the islands their home. From the Polynesians to the Chinese, Japanese to Filipino and Europeans to Americans, they provide a rich and colourful experience for visitors from the moment they first arrive.

There are several exciting new activities taking place in the heart of Waikiki. Every evening at sunset you can witness the magic of the conch blowing and torch lighting ceremony on the famed Kuhio Beach. The performance, which includes hula performances on the beach’s new hula mound, is a sight not to be missed. Visitors can also see hula performed at many of the hotels or as part of a traditional luau feast in which a pig is roasted in an underground oven (imu).

Ancient Hawaiian sites are preserved throughout the islands. On the Big Island of Hawaii, Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park in South Kona, is one of the last remaining examples of a sacred place of refuge and includes a replica of a royal compound. The remains of large temples exist at Mookini, near the birthplace of King Kamehameha the Great, at Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, and at Ahuena Heiau in downtown Kailua-Kona. All these sites are open to the public.

Food Glorious Food!

Hawaii’s cultural melting pot of cultures is reflected in its cuisine. The flavours of the Pacific Islands are blended with those of the Orient. Fresh ingredients including seafood and locally grown vegetables and fruits play a large part in Hawaiian cuisine. Snapper, mahimahi and yellowfin tuna are popular, lightly spiced and served with rice.

No holiday to Hawaii is truly complete without a real Hawaiian luau, not just for the marvellous food — the kalua pig, the grilled mahimahi and the lomilomi salmon — but also for the music and dance that usually accompanies a luau. And when you’re out and about exploring, don’t forget to stop in at a lunch counter or out-of-the-way eatery to try some tasty local fare, like savory plate lunches, delicious saimin, rainbow shave ice and, of course manju — flaky pastries filled with sweet apple, coconut and pineapple.

Shop Till You Drop

Maybe you wouldn’t expect it, but Hawaii is one of the most fascinating shopping paradises in the world. The selection of goods on offer ranges from sophisticated designer labels and high quality department store items to locally produced regional handicrafts. Here you can buy anything and everything the heart desires, all at very reasonable prices.

Shopping Centres
In Hawaii, and particularly in Waikiki, there is a host of excellent shopping centres to be explored. The renowned Ala Moana Center is home to more than 240 shops and restaurants. Its delightful décor – from tropical plants to fish pools – and open-plan design lends itself perfectly to some serious spending. Here you can find everything from casual beachwear, sophisticated designer suits and perfumeries to Hawaiian jewellery workshops.

The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, meanwhile, encompasses three blocks of the Kalakaua Avenue with its myriad of treasures, including 150 shops and boutiques. And in the Victoria Ward Centre, near to the Ala Moana Center, those seeking more entertaining pursuits after making the most of the 120 shops simply need to decide whether to take in a movie in the 16-screen multiplex cinema or linger over a delicious meal in one of the dozens of restaurants.

DFS Galleria offers an unparalleled shopping experience in the heart of Waikiki. It is the only shopping centre where international guests can enjoy tax free shopping (providing Hawaii is your point of exit from the United States and you do not stop over on the mainland when flying home).

Similarly, the possibilities for shopping on Maui are seemingly endless. In addition to the many shops at Whaler’s Village, there are also restaurants, cafés and art workshops which offer courses in traditional handicrafts such as ‘Lei making’ (the creation of Hawaiian garlands) and quilt embroidery. Alternatively, the exclusive Wailea Resort boasts the shopping heaven of ‘The Shops at Wailea’ whose numerous designer boutiques, jewellers and cafés are sure to delight.

Hawaiian Stores & Markets
It would be hard to imagine Hawaii without its ABC Stores, which have been around since 1949 and now number 50 shops across the islands. Here you can find a vast range of classic souvenirs, from Hawaiian shirts with traditional eye-catching Aloha designs to the typical local foodstuffs.

Hilo Hattie calls itself “The Store of Hawaii” – and not without good reason. Indeed, it is difficult to find a bigger selection of typical Hawaiian keepsakes, Hawaiian shirts, Kona Coffee and other local gifts anywhere else in the islands.

Markets are another great place to find typical Hawaiian goods and one of the biggest, the International Market Place in Waikiki, is open daily from 10am to 10.30pm.

Made in Hawaii

No trip to Hawaii would be complete without bringing back something to remember the islands by. More than most destinations, Hawaii has souvenirs which their lucky recipients will cherish – if you can bear to give them away, that is.

The traditional gift for the men in your life is the Hawaiian shirt. Known as “Aloha shirts” in Hawaii and symbolising the warm weather and casual lifestyle of the islands, they are now firmly established as an everyday part of Hawaii‘s culture. To ensure its authenticity, simply make sure your tropical purchase says “Made in Hawaii” as not every colourful shirt is necessarily an Aloha shirt!

There’s no need for women to feel left out either as they will be truly spoilt by the sheer choice available. A muumuu dress is a great souvenir and bathrooms turn into a place of pampering thanks to the wonderful Hawaiian body care and spa treatment products. With so many locally grown plants and herbs to choose from, these creams and potions certainly smell good enough to eat and contain everything from lavender, passion fruit, coconut, mango and vanilla to Hawaiian sea salts and even seaweed!

With almost 180 years of coffee heritage, a packet of gourmet coffee is another favourite to bring home. Hawaii boasts the only coffee-growing industry in the US and the Big Island is famed for its award-winning Kona Coffee. Grown in the volcanic soil along the cool slopes of the mighty Mauna Loa mountain, Kona coffee’s distinct flavour is certainly something worth savouring long after your holiday is over.

Another Hawaiian delicacy, which are often bought as gifts, are macadamia nuts, the majority of which are farmed on the same Big Island slopes. Indeed, Hawaii is in fact the world’s macadamia nut capital, so you’d be nuts not to take some home with you! Gift packs come in a variety of styles, both sweet and savoury, from dry or even garlic roasted to chocolate covered and macadamia nut brittle.

The islands are famous for their delicious pineapples which must be tasted to be believed and make a wonderfully healthy gift. Although no one is certain when pineapples were first grown in Hawaii, historians believe that sailors introduced the pineapple several hundred years ago and the fruit, now mainly grown on Oahu and Maui, is now one of the state’s principal exports.

A holiday to Hawaii wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Dole Pineapple Plantation, named after the “Pineapple King” Jim Dole, the plantation boasts a 2 acre Pineapple Garden Maze which is officially recognised as the World’s Largest Maze. When buying your pineapple gift be sure to buy one at the airport as it can then be officially exported and is labelled as such or, alternatively, try the Pineapple wine and the tasty jams that make equally tasty souvenirs of your visit.