After a heavy thunderstorm caused major flooding on the north shore of Kauai earlier this month, the Hawaii Tourism Authority sent out a message today alleviating concerns for visitors. “Kauai is open for business,” it said, with the exception being the northernmost towns from Wainiha to Haena, and including the Kalalau Trail. Other than those […]
The island of Kauai was hit with a devastating storm in mid-April, with rain reaching record highs on the north shore. The towns of Hanalei received 27 inches of rain and Wainiha received 20 inches of rain within 24 hours, causing landslides, flooding and destroying homes, and putting much of Hanalei under water. A number of
Peering over the edge of Kilauea Caldera, I instantly feel dwarfed by the mammoth landscape in front of me. I’m at the Jaggar Museum Overlook and the sun has just set, turning the puffs of smoke and ash emanating out of the 3-mile-long Halemaumau Crater into pretty hues of pink and orange. Now huddled with
I’m standing in a large cave waiting for my friend to take a photo of my aura. This was once a shelter cave, no doubt used by Native Hawaiians to withstand the burning heat outside. That’s fascinating enough, but the cave’s unique feature—a round natural skylight in its roof—allows the sun’s rays to beam down
Minutes from the airport and popular resorts, Lihue features some of the best food (and drinks) on the island. Follow this multi-stop guide for a fun food tour of the town—and bring a friend with you to share a few of the plates. Photo courtesy: Ha Coffee Bar 7 a.m. Ha Coffee Bar The bright and
The dusty red-dirt road I’m bumping along seems to disappear off the mountain ahead of me. “Where did the road go?” I yell out over the sound of rocks crunching beneath my Jeep, completely aware it’s an optical illusion. My friend in the passenger seat laughs loudly. It never occurred to me that off-roading around
Haleakala National Park recently stated on its Facebook page that it had received “1,275 rocks in 2017—about 100 rocks per month” in the mail. A Hawaii superstition that is shared widely in the Islands, taking a rock from Hawaii will supposedly bring down a curse on the thief from Pele, the volcano goddess, which is why Hawaii’s parks—and Hawaiian Airlines—receive rocks in
Some people wanted him dead. When King Kaumualii, the last ruling chief of Kauai and Niihau, peacefully agreed to become a vassal of King Kamehameha, some warriors preferred bloodshed to diplomacy. Kamehameha couldn’t conquer the Kingdom of Kauai and Niihau through warfare, though he tried. After uniting Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Oahu in notoriously
Every year, certain towns catch our attention—there’s either something new, such as a hotel opening where there normally aren’t hotels, or it’s suddenly trending. Often passed up for its more popular neighbors, these towns should be on your radar for 2018, and are worth a longer stop or even a stay. 1. North Kohala, Big Island
Strong trade winds and big channel swells have made the north shore of Lanai a hazardous area for navigation, evidenced by the ships that have wrecked along its 6-mile coastline known as Shipwreck Beach. There are at least a dozen vessels known to have been accidentally, and sometimes intentionally, grounded here, from barges and steamships
1. Iao Valley reopened Image: Courtesy of Disney It was announced in 2017 that “Moana,” the Disney animated movie starring Aulii Cravalho, will get an olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language) version of the film. A collaboration between The Walt Disney Studios and the University of Hawaii, the film will be re-recorded with a cast of fluent olelo Hawaii
It’s no surprise. Visitors to our website want to get away to Hawaii or are actively daydreaming about Hawaii, according to our top online stories of 2017. This past year, we brought you “Best Of” lists to help you plan your future trips, news on hotel openings, answered your most pressing questions about the Islands, and gave
