Under the Hawaiian Sun

Hawaii has been a popular sun destination for ages. Now that I have been there, I understand why. It is hot, sunny, beautiful, there is plenty to do, and it suits a variety of lifestyles. However, it is also very expensive. Fortunately for me, my friend decided to move there to attend med school (tough life, eh?) and invited me to visit her. So, for most of the trip, I had a place to stay and we did not have to rent a car, which made the trip significantly cheaper than it could have been.

First I'll rave about the SUN. There is a lot of it, and it is HOT. If you want a natural tan, you can certainly get one here. Don't forget the sunscreen though! Unfortunately for me, before one snorkeling adventure, I put sunscreen everywhere besides on my behind, assuming I'd remember to finish the job when I stood up. I assumed wrong. After a couple hours of swimming with my back side facing the sun, I was not very happy to discover the tomato red burn covering my bottom.


On the upside, the sunsets are absolutely beautiful! If you are facing west, you are almost guaranteed a sky full of color, whether you are lounging on the beach, filling your face at a luau, above the clouds on top of Haleakala Volcano (Maui) or simply enjoying a drink on a patio. I am sure sunrises are just as nice, but I never got up early enough to find out for sure.



If you are looking for underwater life, you can find it in Hawaii. Fortunately, this can be one of the cheaper activities. On Oahu Island, check out the coral reefs in Hanauma Bay. This is a national park, so there is a small entrance fee, but it is well worth it. In Maui, we swam out to Turtle Town. We did spot a couple of sea turtles (sorry, forgot my camera), but if you go at the right time of the day, you can see many more. It is a relatively long swim, but well worth it. Alternately, you can go on a tour, which is expensive, but eliminates the need to swim all the way there.

If you are willing to spend a wad of cash, there are plenty of great tours. In Maui there is Molokini, a crescent-shaped volcanic crater that is home to a beautiful reef and a resting place for seabirds. You are not allowed to step onto the land because it is a conservation area, but on a tour you can check out the amazing reef. I recommend taking the earliest tour you can find. We went on the second or third tour of the day, which was still before 8am. Although we saw many fish, we heard that the ones earlier in the day have even more. Another great tour is a shark dive. The guides drive a boat out to a cage in the middle of the water. You climb into the cage and watch sharks swim around you. Keep your arms and legs inside the bars!

For good eats and great entertainment, go to a Luau! You can experience some of the Hawaiian culture, including traditional food, music, hula dancing, tahitian dancing, fire dancing... it is an evening full of entertainment. Also, there is plenty of... eye candy... for both sexes ;)

There are some nice short hikes on both Oahu and Maui. Try the Lanikai Pillbox hike. It takes you up high to a great view of the beaches below. Along the way, you will encounter "pillboxes", which are bunkers used during World War II. You can climb into the graffiti-filled cement structures, but watch out for broken liquor bottles. A great hike in Maui is the Iao needle. A guide from our hostel took us off the marked trail and to some great views.

And last, but certainly not least, if you are into the arts, Maui is the place for you. Paintings, sculptures, blown glass.... you can find it all, and much much more. And what's more, everyone in Maui dresses down. So, even if you are not rich, gallery owners can't tell the difference and so will take the time to show their pieces to you. Yes, they will try to sell them to you, but the free information can be quite interesting.

Well, there you have it: a condensed account of my trip to Hawaii in June 2009. I only saw two of the many islands. I'd love to see the rest. Even just between Oahu and Maui, there is something for everyone... so if you can afford it, go to Hawaii!