Kailua, the once-sleepy community on Oahu’s Windward Side, is most often associated with its beaches. And we get it. Kailua and Lanikai beaches are world-renowned, luring thousands of visitors every year with their golden sands and aquamarine waters. But the appeal of this beachy town, flanked by the dramatic cliffs of the Koolau Mountains and […]
The one thing I miss about living on the Mainland is the fall season: the leaves turning shades of red and gold, the crisp air, the reasons to wear cozy sweaters and head outdoors. The closest thing to that fall feeling in the Islands is a pumpkin patches complete with hayrides, sunflower fields and rows of the
Owner Guy Banal started skydiving more than four decades ago at the age of 16 and launched his company, Pacific Skydiving, over two decades ago. Originally from France, Banal moved to Hawaii in 1975. Banal’s background is as a professional hotel restaurant chef. He attended the prestigious Ecole Hoteliere De Toulouse in Toulouse, France, and
I like to think that I’m in pretty good physical shape. I surf daily, go to yoga a few times a week and watch what I eat. But as I’m about 20 minutes into my kayaking journey to Na Mokulua, the two picturesque islands off the coast of Lanikai, I’ve come to realize that paddling a
In May 2018, Kilauea, the youngest volcano in Hawaii, experienced an unprecendented eruption that forced the longest shutdown in the history of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The summit area of the park was severely impacted by thousands of earthquakes and 62 massive collapse explosions, which caused damage to buildings, rockfalls and cracks in roads and trails.
Beyond Hawaii’s swaying palm trees, the majestic, lush mountains, the tropical sunsets and the serene, sandy beaches, an exotic, exhilarating world exists. We’re talking about traversing below the surface of Oahu, Maui and Kona’s famous, sapphire-blue waters to discover the vibrant undersea environment that’s just hidden from these tropical streets. Here roam a cast of
Last week, I had the opportunity to swim with sharks, sans cage, with research and conservation group One Ocean Diving. And although the activity is truly magical, it’s also, as you would probably guess, a nerve-racking experience. To further illustrate my personal emotional rollercoaster, here are some notes I’d taken of my internal monologue and feelings
After over a year of being closed to visitors, the USS Arizona Memorial will finally be reopening for walk-on access this Sunday, Sep. 1, in time for the Labor Day weekend. The site has been closed since May 27, 2018, after a transportation operator reported cracks on the exterior of the memorial, near the dock and visitor
Always wanted to fly your own plane but not sure if you have what it takes for flight school? Well, no worries—you can still take to the skies on the new Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. The two simulators at the World War II history museum can each fit two
A good massage will resonate deep within one’s body, relaxing or stimulating the muscles on a soothing, therapeutic level. At Spa Pure Waikiki, owner Dennis Miller takes care to make sure his massages go above and beyond for clients, as standout experiences that keep guests coming back again and again. And his attention to detail,
I’m far away from the urban stretches of Waikiki, surrounded by green fields as far as the eye can see in Kunia Camp, the last intact pineapple plantation housing community under one ownership on Oahu. With each passing breeze, tall stalks of sugar cane rustle, the only noise save for the rush of the occasional
We’re half a mile off Maui’s northern coastline when Nick Moran says the magic words: “My hands aren’t on the controls. You’re flying all by yourself.” I glance to my left, where Moran is seated in the pilot’s chair of the helicopter, and his hands are completely removed from the cyclic, which helps to control
