O'ahu & Kaua'i locations that fill us with aloha

Just about everywhere we turned on the islands, we were in awe of natural beauty. That said, there were a few destinations and vistas that we found particularly stunning, inspiring, etc. It only took a few moments of this pleasure to understand the true meaning of "aloha". It is more than just "love" or "well wishes". It is a oneness and respect for all that surrounds you - a soul nourishing connection. The first time we stopped on the side of the road, we were amazed and couldn't imagine it getting better. Lo and behold, it does get better around each and every bend, through each tunnel, over every hill and beyond.

Diamond Head (Le'ahi):O'ahu

One of the most recognized landmarks on Oahu is Diamond Head crater, which overlooks Waikiki. Formed during a series of brief eruptions some 300,000 years ago, it's eroded ridges open to a 350 acre saucer-shaped crater. It is known as a "tuff cone", constructed from fine particles of ash cemented together. The native name for this crater, Le'ahi, originates from the belief that Hi'laka, sister to Pele (the fire goddess) gave it its name because it resembled the forehead of the ahi fish. However, in the 1700's, western explorers mistook the crystals found in the crater for diamonds, which gives it its haole name. In 1904 it was purchased by the federal government and fitted with 5 gun batteries, which were never used and have now been moved to nearby Fort Ruger Historic District.

The first thing we noticed when arriving at the crater was that the air became arid in comparison to Waikiki. The trail leading to the peak of the western ridge is just under a mile with about 560 ft. of elevation gain, but there are plenty of stops along the numerous switchbacks with great views of the ocean and crater. The final ascent to the peak comprises of a couple of fun tunnels and a very steep and narrow set of stairs, followed by a shimmie through the gunner portal to get to the lookout. It is a very accessible hike for just about anyone, with a full spectrum view of Wikiki, the ocean and Ko'olau & Wai'anae mountain ranges as a payoff. My only cautions are that you should wear shoes (no rubbah slippah) and bring water. If you are claustrophobic or acrophobic, the final ascent might freak you as the corridors are very narrow and steep, but this is a small bit of the trail.

Koko Head Botanical Gardens:O'ahu

This is one of the places that many probably never see. Located on the way from Hanauma Bay to Kailua Bay, it is an expansive garden holding a large variety of tropical and arid plants, plus it is FREE! Their Plumeria grove has just about every variety in abundance and the sweet perfume will intoxicate you. A short hike into the crater brought us to a variety of exotic trees, including a group of Baobabs. If you've never seen a Baobab tree, it has a unique shape that is difficult to describe and looks rather barren. However, hanging from its branches are giant seed pods the size of footballs. Another notable tree was the African Fig, one of the biggest trees I've ever seen beside the Sequoia.

Byodo-in Temple:O'ahu

On the way from Kailua to the North Shore, we stopped in Kaneohe to visit the Byodo-in Temple, which means "temple of equality". It is a scale replica of a 900 year old temple in Uji, Japan, built in 1968 to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants to Hawai'i. Completely built without the use of nails, it houses one of the largest modern sculptures of Buddha (18 ft.) - created by famous Japanese sculptor, Masuzo Inui.

Adjacent to the Temple is a bell house (kanetsu-ki-do), containing a 5 foot, 3 ton brass bell from Osaka, Japan. It is traditional to use the wooden log (shu-moku) to strike the bell before you enter the temple. Its resonant sound clears your mind and creates an atmosphere of calm and tranquility for meditation. A pond surrounding the temple is filled with Koi and turtles.

Ke'e beach:Kaua'i

Searching for Puff the Magic Dragon in the land of Hanalei, Kaua'i, we were told to go to Ke'e beach. You can't miss it because you would need a boat to go any farther up the coastline. This beach is surrounded by a coral reef that makes the waters within extremely calm and excellent for snorklers of any level. There at the beach, you can see the start of the Na Pali coastline - sheer mountain walls that hang over into the Pacific Ocean which are only accessible by boat or by hiking and climbing.

At Ke'e beach is the trail head that leads into Waimea Canyon from the North and also to "The Blue Room", a hollowed out lava tube that fills up naturally with water. Sunlight is reflected back underneath, into the cavern through the water opening and creates a luminous effect, giving a sense of euphoria. It is designated as a "no swimming zone" because of leptospirosis bacteria, which can make you very ill. Also nearby are other caverns and tunnels which you will note on the way to Ke'e.

Waimea Canyon:Kaua'i

Known as "the Grand Canyon of the Pacific", Waimea Canyon is 10 miles long, a mile wide and 3500 feet deep. It was carved over time from the runoff water from Mount Waialeale, the wettest place on earth. Most of the canyon is protected as part of Koke'e State Park. From many of the lookout spots on the rim you will be able to spot waterfalls. On clear days you will see Ni'ihau ("the forbidden island") off in the distance, where those who visit must be invited by the native people.

The canyon offers over 40 miles of hiking trails, however some trail heads are not near the main road. You will need 4WD to get to them or add an extra 2-4 mile hike to your trip. Remember that there is a low gear when going down hill - constant breaking will overheat the break pads and you will be S.O.L. The extremes of arid, dry land on one side and humid jungle on the other added to the wonderment of our trip as we move from one area to the next.

Spouting Horn:Kaua'i

Between Poipu and old Koloa town we found "Spouting Horn". This natural wonder is nothing more than a lava tube that, when filled with seawater from the waves, builds up enough pressure to send a geyser-like spray of mist about 10-15 feet into the air. A deep billowing sound eminates from it with each spray, akin to that of a whale exhaling. There is one big one and a smaller one next to it that I dubbed
Junior Horn" (as if I were the first to come up with that name). Adjacent to the horns is a large hole in the lava field that does the same thing, but it is completely blown out so it simply fills up and drains without all the hullabaloo. It is still very interesting to watch as the creamy seafoam swirls around in it like a root beer float about to spill over the top of the glass.

Salt Ponds:Kaua'i

We intended to see one final sunset from the western shore before we left and originally we were going to do that at Polihale. However, a local recommended that we check out Salt Ponds since we were going to be in Waimea anyway. It is smart to listen to locals when they give you this kind of info. The Salt Ponds beach extends out beyond a point, near the end of an airstrip. It is surrounded by a rocky reef where the waves crash and glisten with the setting sun. This was definitely a locals spot, where you drive right up onto the narrow beach with a cooler full of beer and iced tea, crank the reggae/slack-key and just bask in the final descent of the sun over Ni'ihau. This was big aloha for us.

Other notes

They don't call Hawai'i the land of rainbows for nothin'. The heavy rains come and go quickly and often. We saw no fewer than 30 rainbows on our trip, the best one being inside Waimea Canyon. We were litereally looking down on the rainbow from the ridge - that was a first for me. Having a beautiful beach no matter where we were was wonderful. We just kept our swimming gear in the car at all times and took a dip whenever the mood came.