GoLowDrew

Volcano National Park



No, you'll never get that close. Before going to the park, make sure you had a meal and bottle water to carry with you. It's a long way back, and you don't want to waste any time. It can easily be a whole day event if you want it to be. Also bring a jacket, and long pants no matter what the weather is like. It will get colder as you reach higher elevation.

The park does give you a feeling that is hard to describe. You feel so small and insignificant compare to Mother Earth, or should we say Madam Pele. The landscape looks like the moon, and at anytime, you feel like human life could end. That's the power of the volcano. You can drive down to see where the lava meets the sea. At least see the glow at night. Again, it could be as simple as a 2 hr visit, or you can make it a whole day.

What bothers me to see is trash. No, the park is very clean. But every little tiny bit of it shows up like a sore spot in nature. Maybe it flew out of the trash cans. May be not.

Also, if you have breathing problems don't go. It is a live volcano, and air quality can be a medical issue for some, and young children. Not knowing this, our 2 year old son came with us. He stayed in the car the entire time, and we took turns stepping out to sight see. Not much fun when you can't share it with someone.

Official Website.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/havo/home.htm

dayne808

i live like 5 minutes away, sometimes when the winds shift to the northwest you can smell/taste the sulfur air AKA vog...amazingly i haven't been to the volcano in years

lsveeee

gotta go northshore ride some waves

GoLowDrew

My favirote beach in the world (ok, I've not traveled that much) is Poipu Beach on Kauai. When you set foot on the sand, you can just feel how fine, powder like, and pure that it just falls off your feet. You would want to take your shoes off, just so your toes could dig into the warm sand. I've never felt a better quality of beach sand. Poipu is located on the souther coast of Kauai. It's worth spending a day there.






I've never seen a Hawaiian Monk Seal come up for a nap. But they do.


They are an endangered specie. So give them their space.

mikeymcm

omg i just spent a month on the big island. so much to do. i'll post some pics soon.

GoLowDrew

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeymcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">omg i just spent a month on the big island. so much to do. i'll post some pics soon. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I aways like the Big Island just because it feels more like how Hawaii used to be. My last visit was May 06 after about a 10 year absence. How much Hilo has changed. I almost could not recognize the area around KTA. As much as I "don't like" development, I sort of welcome it. It made Hilo more livable, modern, more mainstream. Then again, if I was to live there today, my choice is Waimea. That mall with L&L is all I need.

RoyBoy808

big island is simply da best, i think the number one thing.....no traffic haha, its quiet, easy to go to sleep, nice and steady pace of life, not hustle and bustle like here on oahu haha

dayne808

big island is cherry. i grew up on the north shore, oahu. i miss that place, but big island is more mellow...

RoyBoy808

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dayne808 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">big island is cherry. i grew up on the north shore, oahu. i miss that place, but big island is more mellow...</TD></TR></TABLE>

yup, yup, i born and raised wahiawa on oahu, its kinda like hilo, but still like all the other places on the way to north shore gets busy as hell during winter cuz all da tourists come to watch waves....and where do they get the idea to park in the middle of the road and take pictures? lol

GoLowDrew

Manoa Falls

Sometimes being in the modern day concrete jungle of Honolulu, one just need to get away. Sure, I could drive to the windward side. But I still have to get into a car. Deal with traffic, then parking, etc, etc. One of my favirote spots to go is Manoa Falls. Tucked away in Manoa Valley, it's a place that just takes you back. Not back to old Honolulu, way back into nature. The hike and trail is not for beginners IMO, and can be a bit dangerous depending on (wet) weather. However, some preparation and training (to be in better hiking shape) would allow anyone a chance to really enjoy it. As youngsters we used to go off the main path and face some physical challenging trails. It was fun, and kind of gives you the "Marines training." Thinking back, those were not wise choices.










This was not there before. Don't let this sign scare you. The State put up this sign for a reason. Imagine what would happen to Manoa stream if 7 million tourist who visits Hawaii each year all took a swin in it? It's true that fresh stream water may contain bacteria, etc, etc. But understand the real purpose of the sign. Respect nature, and keep it clean. P.S. Yes, I drank the water. Bottle water was not a "Hawaii thing" back then on our hikes.

GoLowDrew

Turtle Bay - Kuilima

Another place I like to go to get away is Kuilima. A "long" drive from Honolulu almost takes you back to a different place. A different time. I find it to be quiet, secluded, sunny most of the time with a nice cool trade wind. You could sit under a tree all day to unwind while the waves come crashing in. I can personally tell you not much has changed in 30+ years. That's hard to say on the Island of Oahu with so much development.




Most of the easy access is from Turtle Bay Hilton hotel. If you are respectful, you won't have any problems on the hotel grounds, even if you are not a guest. IMO, it's the best kept secret hotel on Oahu. That's because every room has an "in your face" ocean view. Just imagine waking up to that.


Look at the shape of the hotel. Every room has an ocean view. The only down side is, when you want a late snack, there is nothing around. No McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc. So plan your meals. Yes, I'm sure there is room service, but you don't want to go there on a budget. And the restaurants in the Hotel are expensive.


The original name of the hotel was Hyatt Kuilima. They call it "Turtle Bay" for a reason. You can see Hawaiian sea turtles swiming by. They are an endangered species, so give them their space.



With many lava rocks and reefs, you'll see pockets of sea life up close. Make sure you wear good shoes. The lava rocks can be sharp.

Current Update: Like everything else, good things may come to an end. There are plans to develop the rest of the hotel property. Being quiet and secluded is not good for the hotel business. Development will mean the hotel can probably charge a higher dollar. There is a movement currently by the State to buy the property to keep it the way it is.
http://starbulletin.com/2008/0....html

dayne808

my parents used to work there. i lived about 10 minutes away, so naturally we had some raging parties in the cabanas

GoLowDrew

I attended a convention there once back in 1996, and the afterparty was kind of wild. The security was all over as the heart of the party shift from room to room trying to run from security.

Yes, out in the cabanas, no one bothers you. And the cabanas are right off the beach, so if you want some "quiet time" just step out.