Most of us know the story behind the name Diamond Head, the iconic volcanic crater on Oʻahu that was so named by British sailors, who, while exploring the beach below in 1825, found calcite crystals sparkling in the sand. They thought they were diamond fragments and called the mountain Diamond Hill. (It was later changed to Diamond […]
“Hi Meleana. This is Auntie Luana [Kawelu]. I’m calling to let you know that this is your formal invitation to participate in Merrie Monarch 2020.” This was the call that changed kumu hula Meleana Manuel’s life. A native of Volcano on Hawaiʻi Island, Manuel had competed in the prestigious Merrie Monarch Festival, known as the Olympics
If any one thing defines Hawai‘i to travelers, it would be our beaches. The Islands boast some of the most diverse stretches of oceanfront, from the jet-black sands of Punalu‘u on Hawai‘i Island to the otherworldly red landscape of Kaihalulu Beach in Hāna on Maui. And there’s so much to do on these beaches, from
If you’re not looking for Waipiʻo Wayside Bed and Breakfast, you’ll probably miss it. That’s the kind of place this reclusive accommodation is. Tucked away amid the neverending flora of Hawaiʻi Island’s northern coast, this quaint five-bedroom house opened in 1988 and, at the time, was the second legal bed and breakfast on the island. Over 30
Most of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island is open, after an unprecedented and destructive Kīlauea eruption in 2018 that forced the longest shutdown in the park’s history (134 days). Last month the popular Nāhuku, more commonly known as Thurston Lava Tube, reopened. SEE ALSO: Hawaiʻi’s Famous Lava Tube Reopens Today And today, the national park opened
Using chef’s plating tweezers, Brian Hirata leans over a row of black plates that look like discs of basalt, meticulously adds tiny leaves from the Rumex acetosella plant, commonly known as sheep’s sorrel, to the top of a black tuile cookie made from ti ash. He harvested the sheep’s sorrel himself, off the side of
His name is Romeo and I’m in love. This gorgeous umbrella cockatoo locks eyes with me, then saunters over for a closer look. He squawks, I blush. Smitten. “You know he skateboards, too,” says another admirer, clearly a regular to this zoo. I’ve always been a sucker for skateboarders, so this all makes sense. The
For the first time in nearly two years, Nāhuku, more commonly known as Thurston Lava Tube, is open today at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The lava tube was closed due to the unprecedented and destructive Kīlauea eruption in 2018 that forced the longest shutdown in the park’s history (134 days). Nāhuku was closed for even
For more than three decades, the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows on the Kona-Kohala coast of the Big Island has been a mainstay and oasis in the middle of the lava landscape that makes this island such a draw. It’s secluded and tranquil, with a gorgeous stretch of coastline that faces the sunset. Management
On a short stretch of Māmalahoa Highway, just before the town of Kealakekua, you can spend your entire day perusing the various wares, relics and vintage clothing of thrift and antique shops of Captain Cook. Make sure your eyes aren’t bigger than your savings, however, or you’ll lose your afternoon and whatever you’ve got in
Every time I visit Hilo, I’m amazed by how much the sleepy town on Hawaiʻi Island has changed—and how much is hasn’t changed at all. The little town on the northeastern side of the Big Island has seen a lot of changes. It was first settled around A.D. 1100 by Polynesians, who established agricultural and
Standing on the rocky cliffs at Ka Lae, I find joy in the fact that I, along with a handful of other visitors and local fishermen, am at the southernmost point in the United States. The scenery is stunning: The dazzling blue ocean glistens below and the colossal Hawaiʻi Island landscape rises in the distance.
