It’s 8:30 p.m., and I’m lying in bed under a mosquito net staring outside the large screen windows that cover the four walls of the one-room cabin. I’m in the middle of the Kapoho jungle, deep in Lower Puna on Hawaii Island. I can’t see anything past the dark shadows cast by the forest’s large […]
Everyone has a different definition of what makes a great escape. It can mean biking the open roads on the quiet island of Lanai, mountain tubing down a relaxing waterway in Lihue, or maybe just getting away for a time to drink a couple of mai tais, ideally near a beach with a cool breeze, away from
Actors Rita Moreno and Howard Keel during the filming of “Pagan Love Song.” Photo: Kauai Historical Society In 1950s Kauai, the tourism industry was just beginning to take off. There were no direct flights to the island, but visitors could now travel eight hours from Los Angeles to Honolulu by plane—a lot faster than the
If you’ve ever caught sight of a pueo, the Hawaiian short-eared owl, perched and looking at you with its wide, intense stare, or seen one flying in the air with its elongated wings, swooping over a large, grassy field, you know immediately that you’ve just witnessed something special. “I can’t think of any other animal
It’s almost as if it wanted to be kept a secret. I’d traveled from the urban confines of Honolulu to Kauai, the western island in our chain, to visit a new restaurant hiding in plain sight within a resort shopping center on the south side of the Garden Island. Past the canopy of trees on
The island of Niihau has long been shrouded in mystery, isolated in space and almost in time. As a result, the residents there have been able to practice their unique traditions much longer than any other Hawaiian community in the archipelago. But with the population in steady decline, there are fewer people left to pass
*This story was updated on Apr. 22, 2025. Lei (garland or wreath) making, whether it be with flowers, shells or feathers, is a traditional Hawaiian custom and art form passed down through generations. Many floral lei were created for a particular person in mind, intended to be gifts, and great care was given in
China Walls On your way to or from Hanauma Bay, turn makai (toward the ocean) on Lunalilo Home Road near the Koko Marina Shopping Center. This will take you to China Walls, a hidden lookout that’s an adventurer’s dream. The “wall” is actually a rocky cliff where people can sit, sun and snap photos. Come
ʻMy four-wheel-drive Jeep is rattling hard as I drive the rental on the dry, dusty and very bumpy road that makes up the roughly 5-mile trek to Polihale Beach State Park off Route 50. I’m headed to the end of the road on the westernmost point of Kauai to camp at the foot of where
This is the week my friends and I had originally decided to backpack to Kalalau Beach, but, to make a long story short, we changed the date to May. Winter in Hawaii (November to April) is rainy season, so we made a decision a month ago to move our hike to summer (May to October)
The migration of whales to and around the Hawaiian Islands is a seasonal event that peaks in January and February, and has always been an occurrence familiar to Native Hawaiians. In the Kumulipo, the 2,000-line Hawaiian creation chant, palaoa (whales) are introduced in the 16th verse in the time of po (darkness) and help to
Between Kaanapali and Kapalua on the island of Maui, the town of Napili lies hidden from the main road. It’s a residential neighborhood intertwined with boutique hotels and vacation condos, offering less crowds in comparison to its neighboring resort towns. Visitors, who are looking for a leisurely experience without the haste, love this place, and
