The towers of Waikiki Beach make a long shadow in Oahu that it seems difficult, at least mentally, to escape them when considering a visit to the largest island in Hawaii.
But it was possible, we did it. Like Ulysses, I strapped my hands to the mast of a Kia Optima for a week this spring, sailing around the island with my family crew, ignoring the sirens of Waikiki. away. We planned a route from the ever-changing town of Ko Olina to the north coast and to the very beautiful east (wind) side, to the tip of the Diamond Monument. Head of State. Less than a tank of gas later, we had seen and seen the side of Oahu that we had overlooked - or didn't know - on our previous trip.
Aloha, partner: go to the Hawaiian mountains
Looking back, as I search for words to describe the almost deserted golden brown beach, the gentle waves created by our boat or the beautiful underwater life of the green sea turtle, I would like to offer a guest visit to Oahu. Author Samuel L. Clemens adopted the pen name Mark Twain shortly before he left for Hawaii in 1866, and years later, he wrote of "her crowning rock, her leaping waters, her soaring wings." 'shore... . . “
Where the crowds are breaking, we can enjoy the beautiful beauty of Oahu in, and around the water. "The Fulfillment of Joy"
In about a half hour drive from the airport to Ko Olina, we made a quick stop at Pearl Harbor to visit the memorial to the USS Missouri, which was docked nearby. Together they served as the starting point for World War II. It's always a moving experience to visit the wreck of the USS Arizona to commemorate the 2,403 American lives lost on December 7, 1941, and it's even more impressive to stand there where Japan signed its surrender. him about four years later on the USS Missouri. Then the direction of Ko Olina. Its name, which means "fulfilment of joy," originated when the Hawaiian royal family fished there. The park is grouped around four man-made pools surrounded by white sand. This place surprised us during a visit five years ago, thanks to the wonderful Aulani, Disney Resort & Spa. Opened in 2011, it has one of the largest collections of Hawaiian art in the world.
"Everything here tells the story of Hawaii," said Manako Tanaka, now an "Aulani Ambassador," an employee who serves as a cultural ambassador for visitors. Disney characters hang around, but, like the Mickey Mouse logo cleverly hidden in the wallpaper, it takes a little effort to find them. In the Hawaiian story the resort does not revolve around Goofy's adventures. Instead, as Tanaka explains, he finds himself in events such as a luau night that explores how sugar cravings wiped out the land and how Portuguese farmers introduced a funny little string of four tools that the Hawaiians play the ukulele. Geography of Hawaii for Senior Citizens
And astronomer Greg McCartney takes us on a journey through the night sky through two ocean-side telescopes, from bright Canopus to bright Sirius to Hoku-lei (Capella), which shines in a circle of five stars with the Hawaiian name hoku (star) and lei (crown). Aulani's neighbor, and the newest addition to the development, is Oahu's beautiful four-story park on Ko Olina. It opened in June 2016 after an 18-month renovation of the former J.W. My wife, Mica, and I rose before dawn on our first morning to begin the 45-minute drive north on Highway 93 through the rugged areas of Waianae and Makaha. The road becomes a muddy, bumpy and impassable road. From there, we started a 2.5-mile journey to reach our goal for the day:
Kaena Point State Park, on the west side of the island, where, according to Hawaiian culture, means "place" soul leap", a. a sacred place where people can join their ancestors in the afterlife. We were stuck on dry land, but the coastal landscape - black craters, white coral reefs, green hills - gave the place a spiritual quality. Abundant wildlife: Red cardinals, butterflies, Laysan albatross let themselves be carried by the wind. The sea doesn't seem far away, even at dinner time, where the seafood steals the show. One evening we enjoyed pink snapper, shrimp and noodle dishes at Mina's Fish House, then the next evening we enjoyed mahi mahi, curried fish stew and lobster deviled eggs at Monkeypod Kitchen. Our last morning was spent on Ko Olina aboard the Office, a 32-foot submersible boat operated by Nani Kai Dive Adventures & Academy. Matthew Lipscomb, a plumbing instructor, warned us about two leaking pipes sending hot water through an electric generator.It can move us a quarter of a kilometer along the river. »
With this warning in mind, we stay away from the pipes and stay close to many warm fish. Green sea turtles, friendly or fearless, or both, kept us company, racing across the water. Set the waves
Some come to mind in relation to the North Shore of Oahu. Sailing, for starters. Shrimp truck. The ice sculptures in Haleiwa town are beautiful. We stopped by for these last two essentials and to get an overview of the local surf conditions before planning a stand-up paddleboard trip. Vince Wells, CEO of T&C Surf Designs warns, “Watch out for rain.
Similarly, Heidi Burgoyne, whose equipment rental company will supply my board, warned me about strong winds. Now, before we get to the part where I ignore all this convenient advice, in my defense, I have never seen a North Shore road sign where experienced surfers met their last wave. And I've never seen a surfer come back to the rest area of Kapaeloa Beach, a part of his discarded surfboard tucked under each arm. He told me: “I break one almost every year.
That being said, let's just say I'd rather not have to carry my board with a six-foot wave taunting me from our rented beach house northeast of Haleiwa. . They won the first round, but I was determined to get my revenge the next morning, this time on a surfboard, with the help of some new friends. Center, balance, patience: these are the tips from surf instructors Noah Manning and Nate Fletcher from Hans Hedemann Surf School. They took us to Kawela Lake, where the waves were about half of the ones I had seen the previous day. My son and daughter Sophia, 12, quickly climbed on their boards and headed for shore. I managed to stay upright for about two seconds in one pass - which was a victory - and when I finally tried, Fletcher promised me that the incoming wave had my name on it. I paddled hard, stayed centered and balanced, did the count of three and...
. I decided that my Hawaiian name must translate to "Clear". Air and beyond
The day's cruise from the northern coast around the windward side of the island completes the show when it comes to the unspoiled natural beauty of the sea. From the small island of Kahuku in the south to the bustling town of Kaneohe, Route 83 (Kamehameha Highway, named after the king that connects the islands) runs along the long-deserted coast. . Then, from the beautiful Kailua on the southeast coast to the inner city of Honolulu, Route 72 winds past the breathtaking views of Makapuu Beach and a series of twists and turns around the Halona Blowhole. Just after the turn in Hanauma Bay (a good place for snorkeling), civilization explodes again. We packed up our cars and stopped for a morning bike ride at Kualoa Ranch Private Nature Reserve, lunch, and kayaking and a relaxing surf at Kailua Beach Park.
We spent our last night at Hawaii's most famous setting, the vast green lawns of Diamond Head State Monument. Most visitors look at it from the northwest, in Waikiki, but we are on the east side, at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, a beautiful place with a large amount of dolphin pool. This brought us face to face with a 10-year-old dolphin named Hua one morning. Later, we started the hour-long switchback on the Summit Head Trail. The giant flaming cone was a barrier between us and Waikiki, but when we got to the top, the long beach and accompanying towers swallowed up the scene.
Twain, who was standing in such a place, described how "the distant lights of Honolulu glowed like a camp of fireflies."
The city's population was about 15,000, a far cry from today's population of about 400,000. I don't know what obstacles he'll throw up in the busy Waikiki area, but I'd like to think that if he were to walk around the rest of Oahu with us, he'd still hold true to these words today:
"They lie there, holy islands, always shining in the sun, always smiling on the bright sea... . and anyone who looks at them once will not be able to erase this image from his memory until he dies.