Paradise Revisited
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Paradise Revisited he Aloha State has not played host to the AAO Tsince 2003, but its most wondrous attractions are timeless. As a preview of the annual meeting, to be held May 4-8, our yearly guide to attractions in the convention city focuses on activities that can be enjoyed by the entire family and staff. Weather and Transportation Early May falls within the Hawaiian “lull” season, between spring break and the summer tourist boom. AAO attendees are likely to enjoy fairly dry weather with temperatures in the 72-85°F range. When hiking or driving to any altitude, however, a few layers of clothing are rec- ommended, and a light raincoat will be sure to keep the squalls away. Honolulu International Airport is located between Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach. Shared shuttle rides to the Waikiki hotels run about $10- 15 one way, with some companies charging extra for large items such as golf clubs and surfboards. The airport taxi system is managed by dispatchers in green-and-yellow shirts on the medians outside Swimmers enjoy a beautiful day on Waikiki Beach. the baggage-claim areas. The fare to Waikiki is Photo © Chee-Onn Leong, www.123rf.com. about $40 each way, during non-rush hours, for as many as four passengers. Orthodontists traveling to the follow-up sem- many companies offer transportation to destina- inars on other islands will be flying from the tions on the other Hawaiian islands. TourTalk Interisland Terminal to Kahului Airport (Maui) or Oahu’s award-winning audio-tour CD is a 78-min- Lihue Airport (Kauai). Both offer direct flights to ute narrative of historical and modern-day sites on the West Coast. Ground transportation is available a circuit of the island, accompanied by driving at each airport; if you’re not renting a car, it’s a instructions, photos, maps, and a glossary. good idea to prearrange a pickup from your hotel. E Noa Tours, specializing in Oahu sites and The Go Oahu card (www.smartdestinations. culture, offers deluxe minibus sightseeing tours of com) provides access to some 30 attractions around the island’s most popular attractions. Discover the island and discounts at other businesses. Cards Hawaii Tours’ and Hawaii Active’s extensive good for one to seven days can be used over two- menus include cross-island and inter-island activi- week periods. ties and tours of all the major islands. Boldface names in this article are listed in the Tours Directory on pp. 82-84 with their telephone Oahu offers a full complement of tour ser- numbers and street addresses. The online ver- vices on land, on sea, and in the air for both first- sion of this article (freely accessible) includes time visitors and seasoned adventurers. Most live web site links; see the JCO Online Archive operators will pick up at Waikiki-area hotels, and at www.jco-online.com. VOLUME XLVI NUMBER 2 © 2012 JCO, Inc. 77 Paradise Revisited KOS Tours specializes in exclusive, off-road Attractions and Performances visits to filming locations for Lost, Hawaii Five-0, Near the convention center, the U.S. Army Godzilla, and Jurassic Park (ages 13 and older). Museum of Hawaii is housed in a massive, rein- For those who prefer self-propelled transportation, forced-concrete battery built in 1911. At Pearl bicycle rentals and guided hiking trips are avail- Harbor, admission is free to the USS Arizona able from several companies. Bike Hawaii offers Memorial and the recently designated World War an easy, five-mile, all-downhill bike ride through II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Other the lush Pu‘u‘ohia Rainforest and a “100% dirt” Pearl Harbor Historic Sites charge an admission mountain-biking tour of the Ka‘a‘awa Valley in the fee; online ticket reservations are recommended Koolau Range. If you’d prefer to invent your own for all (www.recreation.gov). A special two-day pass Oahu tour, get your moped, bicycle, or Harley- offers discounted access to the Battleship Davidson from Hawaiian Style Rentals. Missouri, the Pacific Aviation Museum, and the Custom-tailored guided birding tours and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park. Be vacations can be arranged on many of the islands prepared for tight security at the Pearl Harbor by Annette’s Adventures, a member of the Hawaii Visitor Center venues, where all bags and purses Ecotourism Association. Oahu Nature Tours must be checked in lockers, and be sure to wear ap - specializes in guided, small-group hikes to see propriate clothing (bathing suits are discouraged). spectacular waterfalls, archaeological sites, or trop- On Oahu’s North Shore, Kahuku Farms ical birds and flowers; a climb up to Diamond Head offers wagon tours of its orchards of taro, plume- crater involves a spiral staircase and a 200' tunnel. rias, coconut, heliconia, eggplant, papaya, and Although the whale-viewing season gener- bananas amid a breathtaking landscape where the ally tapers off in April, a number of tour operators, Koolau Range meets the sea. Kualoa, a 4,000-acre including Dolphin Excursions and Hoku Nai‘a, working cattle ranch on Oahu’s northeastern shore, advertise year-round encounters with dolphins, is a former residence of kings and place of sanctu- turtles, and other sealife from aboard vessels or as ary; the current owners offer hiking, horseback, part of guided snorkeling tours on the west coast catamaran, and all-terrain-vehicle tours. Also on of Oahu. Wild Side Specialty Tours also conducts the northeast end of Oahu, the Polynesian Cultural overnight cruises during meteor showers, including Center introduces visitors to the diverse and color- the Eta-Aquarids shower on the evening of May 5. ful cultures of the Pacific islands with “village” Submarine excursions display the beauty of presentations and performances, casual and formal coral reefs, tropical sealife, and sunken ships in dining venues, a daily “Rainbows of Paradise” air-conditioned comfort, although ladder climbing canoe pageant, and an evening show called “Ha: is required and there are minimum height restric- Breath of Life”. The annual World Fire knife Com- tions for children. Atlantis Submarines dive petition, to be held there May 9-12, evolved from within view of Diamond Head, with the option of the burning-knife dances performed by Samoan combining a tour and a sunset dinner cruise. warriors before battles to frighten the enemy. Departing from Keehi Lagoon, the high- Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu is wing aircraft of Island Seaplane Service have an outdoor museum that interprets the lives of only window seats for optimum views. Honolulu Hawaii’s ethnically diverse sugarcane-plantation Soaring, on the North Shore, provides thrilling workers; guided tours are conducted hourly Mon- “aerobatic” rides as well as more conventional day through Saturday. Keep the kids motivated by scenic glider flights for one or two passengers; flight instruction and aircraft rental are also avail- able. Skydive Hawaii offers tandem first-jump For subscription service and information on our experiences and an exclusive 20,000-foot tandem Online Archive, visit the JCO booth (No. 1252) jump with a photo/DVD option in what it calls “the at the AAO meeting. For information before the World’s Most Beautiful Drop Zone”. meeting, call us at (303) 443-1720, ext. 11. 78 JCO/FEBRUARY 2012 Paradise Revisited Kaua‘i O‘ahu Moloka‘i 10 Maui Lana‘i¯ Hawai‘i Kahuku 7 9 Lä‘ie Driving Times from Waikïkï * to: 1 Honolulu Int’l Airport (HNL): 30 minutes Hau‘ula 2 Downtown Honolulu: 15 minutes 3 Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout: 30 minutes 4 Pearl Harbor: 30 minutes 5 Hanauma Bay: 30 minutes 6 Hale‘iwa 6 Hale‘iwa Town: 1 hour Mokulë‘ia 7 Waimea Bay: 1 hour, 15 minutes Waialua 8 Kualoa Ranch: 50 minutes 9 Polynesian Cultural Center: 1 hour, 15 minutes 10 Turtle Bay Resort: 1 hour, 15 minutes Ka‘a‘awa 11 Kö ‘Olina Resort: 45 minutes W *Drive times may vary due to traffic conditions A I ‘ A N A 8 E K Wahiawä O ‘ O L A R U Mäkaha A N G Mililani R K Wai‘anae E A N G E Mä‘ili Käne‘ohe Pearl City Kailua Waipahu Nänäkuli ‘Aiea 4 Pearl Harbor 3 Makakilo Waimänalo 11 Waimänalo Beach Kapolei Honolulu Int’l Airport (HNL) 1 ‘Ewa Beach 2 HONOLULU * 5 gohawaii.com/oahu 1-877-525-OAHU (6248) © 2010 Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau 1-800-GOHAWAII (464-2924) Map reprinted by permission of the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, www.gohawaii.com/oahu. promising a visit to the eastern shore’s Bay View convention will be “Manu‘unu‘u ka Welolani: The Mini-Putt and Zipline, featuring 36 holes of min- Chiefly Cultures of Polynesia” and “Tradition and iature golf and Oahu’s only commercial zip line. Transition: Stories of Hawaii Immigrants”. On The 15th Islandwide Spring Crafts & Food Friday, May 4, the museum’s regular presentation Expo takes place May 4-6 in the Neal S. Blaisdell of “The Sky Tonight” will be followed by telescope Center Exhibition Hall. Pay homage to Elvis viewing hosted by the Hawaiian Astronomical Presley’s statue next to the Blaisdell box office. Society; reservations are recommended. The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, under MAMo: Maoli Arts Month 2012 celebrates conductor Junichi Hirokami, accompanies sensa- native Hawaiian art and artists with an awardees’ tional Cuban-American guitarist Manuel Barrueco opening reception at the Kumu Kahua Theatre May 4 and 6 at the Blaisdell Center Concert Hall. on May 4. The Honolulu Museum of Art at First The same venue presents “Shen Yun: A Chinese Hawaiian Center displays Hawaiian artists’ works Dance and Music Spectacular” on May 8 and 9.