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Upon our arrival at Germaine’s, my family and I were greeted by a friendly employee who took our picture (which would later be available for purchase) and presented us with shell leis. The luau takes place right on the beach, and picnic tables are arranged in the sand for comfortable seating. Each picnic table is adorned with a freshly sliced pineapple.

The luau begins at 6:00. First, everyone present gathers around and watches the pig being dug up from the sand. Shortly thereafter, everyone eats in a buffet-style line. Parents with small children are allowed to go to the head of the line, which is convenient and considerate since it can be difficult to keep little keiki comfortable for too long when they’re hungry!

During dinner, music is played by a live band. Shortly after, the real fun begins.

The luau itself consists of much history and song. The dancers are amazingly talented. My aunt was most excited about the fire dancers and their amazing skill. My favorite part of the luau was that there is a lot of crowd interaction. My cousin and I both got up on stage to participate in a hula dance and had a lot of fun.

Overall, Germaine’s was a very enjoyable experience that I look forward to repeating as soon as possible.

Toys For Tots Ride

On Dec. 7, 2008 my wife and I were on our way to the beach when we realized we wouldn’t be able to make it. As we approached the intersection of Kalakaua Ave. and Lewers Street, we could see that police had barricaded the street and weren’t letting people cross. What is this, we wondered? And then we saw–and heard–the first motorcycles.

Toys For Tots Ride on Kalaukaua

Kalakaua was filled with bikes. At first we thought it was just one formation of them, Hell’s Angels or something, but we soon realized that there were two-wheeled machines coming down the street as far as the eye could see! What’s more, there were some odd passengers on many of the bikes. A giant stuffed bear riding on the back of a Harley? A burley motorcycle dude carrying a doll under one arm? A guy riding a chopper while carrying a Big Wheel? It didn’t take us long to figure out that we had wandered straight into the Honolulu Toys for Tots Motorcycle Ride!

Toys For Tots Ride 2008

Hundreds of other spectators lined the streets alongside us as the motorcycles paraded past, their riders waving, honking and shouting “Merry Christmas!” A few of the riders tossed candy canes for the kids. We were amazed at just how many bikes there were on Oahu. It took almost a half an hour for all the bikes to pass!

Oahu Toys For Tots Ride 2008

When at last there was a break in the action, we crossed the street on the way to the beach, happy for the exciting and unexpected detour! We look forward to this annual event next year. So the next time you’re going to be in Waikiki in December, consider checking out the Toys for Tots drive–it’s unusual, interesting, and it’s for a great cause!

Recently my wife and sister and I went for a catamaran sail and snorkeling trip from Waikiki Beach. We left right from the beach in front of the Outrigger Hotel where the Shorebird restaurant is. After boarding the boat right on the beach, we headed for a short ride to the snorkel spot–a place called “Turtle Canyon” because of all the green sea turtles that are known to hang out there.

There were about twenty people on the boat, plus the captain and one crew. After anchoring at the snorkel site, those of us who had brought our own snorkel gear were ready to hit the water. Everyone else who need to was able to use the boat’s gear, which is included in the price. Fins are not provided, however.

Sea turtle

In the water, we were treated to crystal clear waters and coral formations teeming with colorful reef fishes. Best of all, however, were the spot’s namesake: the turtles! About a dozen turtles cruised around the reef as we swam among them. The crew warned the passengers against touching or chasing the turtles, however, because we are visiting their home. We were able to get close enough for some nice pictures, though.

Snorkeling Turtle Canyon

After snorkeling for about an hour, we got back on the boat and then started sailing toward Diamond Head. There was a strong, steady wind that day, and the sailboat clipped along at a good twenty knots. The people who chose to sit in the bow nets were soaked! After reaching Diamond Head, we tacked and headed back toward the other side of Mamala Bay. For those interested, tropical drinks in plastic tumblers were available for $3.00. After reaching Magic Island, we again turned around and this time headed back for our beach landing spot.

Sailing Diamond Head

Two-and-a-half hours after we set out, we were back. All in all, it was an excellent day sail!

Tips and info:

-Book in advance with the Outrigger Catamaran (blue-and-white sailboat) with the people under the beach umbrellas
-Bring sunscreen, underwater camera, fins if you want them
-Beverages are cash only
-A light windbreaker might come in handy

Every Friday the Hilton Hawaiian Village puts on an “Aloha-Style” show, sort of like a luau show without the dinner. My wife and I checked it out on December 5, 2008, and I must say it was quite entertaining. The show started at 6:30 pm.The evening began with the King’s Procession and then continued with the music, attire, performances and dance from Hawaii and other Polynesian Islands. The night ended with music to a spectacular fireworks display.

The performance was a reenactment of King David Kalakaua’s royal court performances. The King entered wearing a navy blue suit adorned with medals on a red and yellow sash. Surrounded by the Village Guards who marched to the steady, slow beat of the drummers, the King took his place on the main stage and spoke to the crowd in Hawaiian. After he spoke, he claimed his throne and the Village Guards, with their golden horsehair plumed helmets and 1903 rifles, exited the stage and the show began.

The band played behind the King while the performance happened in front of him. The band used percussion instruments that included various gourds, rattlers, and pahus (drums). The stringed instruments included the slack key guitar, electric bass guitar, acoustic 6-string guitar, and a ukulele. They sang to some songs and others were completely instrumental. The band performed the vocals for the hulas with most songs sung in both Hawaiian and English. When they sang, it was in a low tone, not in falsetto. The songs were all medium to fast tempo for the hulas. I could recognized the twang sound of the slack key guitar when it played the melody of “He Aloha No O Honolulu.” The songs played for the hulas all sounded like the traditional Hawaiian style music.

The dancers, both men and women, wore traditional attire according to the dance they performed. For some dances they used instruments or props. The men performed hula both by themselves and with the women. They wore sarongs or lavalavas with pants underneath. Like the women’s costumes, their costumes were different colors and designs for each song. One energetic dance performed was called the “fa’ataupati” or “Samoan Slap Dance.”

There was one part of the show when the men came into the audience from behind and scared some people but otherwise the audience just watched. An excellent show that demonstrated the types of music and dance practiced throughout the Polynesian islands. I would describe the experience as similar to what happens at a luau but without the food. You cannot tell from the pictures, but all of the seating arranged around the pool had good views. It was open seating and the cost was twenty dollars, which included one drink. If one drink is not enough, there is a poolside bar close by.

The hour-long show concluded with a short but energetic fireworks display which can be seen (and heard) throughout Waikiki Beach. Overall, it was an entertaining evening on the beach worth the price of admission.

Tips and info:

Official web site: http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/activities/entertainment.asp
Registered hotel guests can pre-purchase tickets for poolside seating at the Ali’i Tower desk near Tropics Bar & Beach Café. The desk is open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm daily except Fridays, and 8:00 am - 2:00 pm on Fridays. Tickets can also be purchased by hotel guests and the general public at the entrance to the Super Pool from 5:30 pm until show time on Fridays. Poolside seating includes one standard cocktail beverage.*

Show Schedule
Village Guards Precision Rifle Drill Team
6:15 p.m. (October to March)
6:45 p.m. (April to September)
Main Show at the Super Pool
6:30 p.m. (October to March)
7 p.m. (April to September
Fireworks Display
7:30 p.m. (October to March)8 p.m. (April to September)

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It takes a while to get to the Kualoa area from any point in town. You can go on the H-2 freeway and take exit 8 towards Wahiawa and go the North Shore way, or you can take the longer “tracing the outline of the island” way. That route will take you through Kaneohe via Likelike Highway then taking Kahekili Highway which turns into Kamehameha Highway. Keep going until you see that famous Chinaman’s Hat and you’re pretty much there.

I remember going to Kualoa Park as a kid every summer for summer fun and that was always a highlight for me. We went to the beach and swam and had fun, we had relay races on the grass, we played pick up soccer games with whomever; I also learned my first paddling lesson at Kualoa Park. It’s a great place to take a kid in the daytime because it gives them options, such as the beach or picnicking or playing in the grass. You can also bring pets so that’s a plus.

As I got older, my purposes for going to Kualoa Park changed. While I still had fun going to the beach, my friends and I mostly went there to barbeque and do some overnight camping. It’s a great area to camp at because there isn’t any forest, so there aren’t those little pine cones that could disrupt sleep. Also, it’s a very mellow area, so there is hardly any disruption. You can lie on the grass at night and literally count the stars, it’s amazing. It’s definitely my favorite place to camp.

Kualoa Park is a great place for any age. The possibilities there are literally endless. You can have a family party there or you can bring your guitar and find inspiration to write a song there, or you can swim to Chinaman’s Hat (on a good, low tide day). It’s a great alternative to the parks in town or in your neighborhood. Sometimes even the scenic drive makes it worth it.

It’s not difficult to find your way to Haleiwa town. When going on the H-2 freeway, you’re going to take exit 8A towards Wahiawa and you’re pretty much set. Just follow that road and remember to take the Haleiwa fork instead of the Wailua fork. Once you find your way into Haleiwa town, you are greeted with a sign and an instant throwback to the old Plantation days on Oahu.

The best things about the town are the true hidden gems that are waiting to be found in the little strip malls. In my opinion, Haleiwa has some of the best food, best shops and best coffee shops on the island. You can find my three favorite stores in one North Shore Marketplace. My favorite restaurant in Haleiwa is Cholo’s Mexican Restaurant and Margarita bar. The food is “winnahz” and the drinks are even better. My favorite thing to get there is the Nachos Posse and the Li hing mui margarita. My favorite surf shop is next door to Cholos at Raging Isle Surf & Cycle shop. They have a lot of clothing, footwear and accessories that I’ve only seen at their store, so I’m always making a purchase there. My favorite coffee shop is right next to Cholo’s as well and that is The Coffee Gallery. They have a nice little café in there, healthy foods, a nice selection of coffee blends and free wi-fi. It’s definitely a great place to have a chat with friends. There is also a glass blowing studio, a sushi bar and a surf museum in the North Shore Marketplace, so if you plan on going to Haleiwa go and check it out.

There are other great places in Haleiwa other than North Shore Marketplace. There are various strip malls that have both tourist-esque stores to buy souvenirs, roadside stands with shell souvenirs, the original Kua’aina Burger, Matsumoto’s Shave Ice, Haleiwa Joe’s, Haleiwa Café and much more. You can also find various surf schools there, where you can rent a surfboard and learn from professionals. I would only recommend it during the non-winter months, as the waves get bigger as the year goes on.

I definitely missed Haleiwa upon returning to Hawaii after living on the mainland for a few years. Everything about that place is so inviting. It is so low-key and calm I wish I could live there all the time. For now, I will just make that not-so-often trek that reminds me of my love for Historic Haleiwa Town.

There are two ways to get to Turtle Bay – the long way and the longer way. Both ways to get there are very scenic, but one is much longer than the other. You can either go on the H-2 freeway, taking Exit 8A towards Wahiawa and going through Haleiwa, Waimea Bay, Pupukea and Sunset Beach. The other way is starting from town and taking Likelike Highway to Kaneohe and basically tracing the outline of the island. During that route, you will hit Chinaman’s Hat, Crouching Lion, Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie and finally Turtle Bay. I would recommend the shorter way, but if you are really bored and have nothing to do, the long way is not a bad way to kill time.

There are many things you can do at the Resort without having to be a guest in the hotel. If you decide to take a look around inside the resort, you can see the little shops they have. You can also see the two macaws they have in the lobby area. They just sit around on their perch and hang out all day. You can also go to the beach, which is the main attraction for me. Anyone is allowed public beach access, so whenever my friends and I make it out there, we usually go to the beach and have fun. There are a lot of things you can do while on the beach. We usually like to go out there and tan or jump in the water, play beach volleyball or just picnic on the grass. You can keep yourself busy for most of the day there. On our particular outing, we decided to check out the bar on the beach.

The restaurant/bar itself is on the beach and it is half barefoot, meaning that some of the restaurant/bar seating is on sand. The bar is opening seating, but the restaurant itself is seated by a hostess. The drinks and food weren’t cheap, but you can’t expect it to be cheap at high end resort such as Turtle Bay. My friends and I were feeling the tropical fever, so we were drinking fruity blended alcoholic drinks such as pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris and later mixing it up with cocktails. All in all, the drinks were pretty good, but not the best considering the price we paid. But, I say “When in Rome…”

My friends and I ended up staying there for almost three hours while catching up on each others’ lives. It was a great way to gab about the old high school days, our jobs and our significant others (who weren’t with us at the time.) It was a great way to justify the fact that we drove all the way from Kahala to Kahuku to spend the day at Turtle Bay.

First we headed down to Long’s Drugs for some everyday items. But they do have some unusual things in here that you won’t see everyday in the mainland stores, such as canned abalone, known as “King Topshell.” Pretty expensive stuff. After Long’s, we headed over to the dry cleaner’s to pick something up. Then, it was into the Sears to pick up an inflator pump for our kayak, and a cordless drill set. You can get pretty much anything at Ala Moana. Other shops which we didn’t go to this time but have other times, include the Gamestop (for video games), the Radio Shack, the Barnes & Noble, the Starbucks, Hilo Hattie, the SBarro Pizza in the Food Court, the Food Pantry, the ukulele store up on the third floor, and the W Hair Salon. Also, it should be noted that although it’s not part of the mall, there is a Wal Mart store within walking distance of the mall, so it is possible to combine your true discount shopping with the mall shopping in one trip.
 

So, the next time you need to buy anything, consider combining your shopping with a little food and drink—all in one place—the Ala Moana Mall!

Getting there from Waikiki:

-Take TheBus routes 8, 19, 20, 23, or 42, (or the F# that says TheBoat)
-Trolley service
-Taxi service: about $10-12
-If driving your own vehicle: mall parking is free