At 04:46 PM 6/4/2003 -0400, Rich D. you wrote:
Actually, Thomas, you will probably find Maui fairly touristy, as well,
although I have never been there. Places on the Big Island and Kauai can
be relatively un-Oahu like. We had friendly kamaainas approach us on both
islands. While camped in the rain for several days on the wrong (wet)
side of Kauai, some church folks having a luau brought us plates of
scrumptious food. Lanai & Molokai would be good bets to get away from the
crowds.
Maui apparently is a favorite with mainland people, especially those who
are returning to the Islands after one or two previous trips. I haven't
been there in 20 years. It has great beaches for swimming and playing and
a lot of variety in the terrain. The traffic was pretty bad 20 years
ago. I understand it's horrible now.
If you plan to visit Lanai, take a lot of money. There's only one place to
stay, and it's about $350 and up per diem.
But please consider visiting Molokai. Hotel Molokai just east of
Kaunakakai is comfortable and reasonable. The dining is good (though not a
huge menu) and the view is nice (the south shore is very peaceful). Good
family place too. If you want to see stuff, the main attractions can be
viewed in a day or two. If you want to relax and enjoy, it goes on and
on. If you want night life, forget it.
The Nature Conservancy owns two very important areas on Molokai. At
Mo'omomi on the northwest corner is an area of beach where the ancient
inhabitants of the northern valleys of Molokai and Kalaupapa would come to
get salt, fish, and bury their dead. There are a number of endemic species
you can see there. (It is hard to imagine what Hawaii must have been like
when it was only foliated with endemic species. No coconuts, no hibiscus,
etc.) The other area is in the rain forest up the mountain. Either spot
is worth the whole expense and effort of your visit to Molokai.
I like the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Honolulu, and we found some beach
parks - two IN Honolulu proper, relatively tourist free, at least
mid-week. I used to go to Ala Moana Beach Park almost daily, and
frequently found myself alone or nearly so. I'm sure those days are long
gone, as well. Another is Sand Island Beach Park, past the Coast Guard
Base on the island in the middle of Honolulu Harbor. If you want a park
to yourself midweek without having to drive to the northshore... (somebody
stole my zorries there during a baseball game).
You can get away from it all, sort of, on Oahu on the windward side, just
across the Pali Highway tunnel. In Waimanalo straight north from the
McDonalds you access the beach that eventually connects with Bellows AF
base further to the NW. You can use the beach at Bellows on weekends, but
the area straight north from Waimanalo is public. The surf is active but
usually more gentle than North Shore. Excellent body surfing. Endless sand.
Waimanalo is perhaps the center of Hawaiian culture in the islands, but not
the version for tourists. Oddly enough, real Hawaiian culture is not the
first thing, or even the last thing, that hits you in Hawaii. You have to
seek it out a little bit. (Notwithstanding place and street names ...)
The one place we usually avoided was Waikiki, except for going to
entertainment events at the Shell in Kapiolani Park, or to hear Herb Ohta
play ukulele at night, etc. During the day, Waikiki is tourist
central. Pretty place (but dangerous) to stroll at night, as is any beach
(soldiers & girlfriends have been attacked on N. Shore beaches at
night). If you go to any beach at night, be in a group of several
folks. Definitely avoid Waikiki on the 4th of July or New Year's
Eve. Lit firecrackers rain down from the sky from the hotels. It's nuts,
like a war zone.
The thing about Waikiki that distinguishes it from the rest of Hawaii is
largely concentrated right there. It's a tourist ghetto. Nevertheless,
take it for what it is, it can be enjoyable for shopping, entertainment,
people watching. Oahu is "the gathering place." Waikiki is the gathering
place in spades.
The sugar cane fields are kept on Oahu only for tourist
photos. Otherwise, they would have been developed by now. Even the
pineapple fields might be gone by now if they didn't draw tourists.
I have just a few not very good pictures of pineapple fields when it was
the dominant economic source of livelihood on Molokai. The current cash
crop is coffee. Molokai coffee is quite good, just marginally less good
than Kona. But I miss the pineapple a lot.
Joel W.
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