Hawaii ...a memorable experience

Aloha..!!!!

Hawaii, one of the beautiful places in US. The state of Hawaii has eight populous islands : namely O'ahu, Hawaiian Island, Maui, Kaua'i, Moloka'i, Lanaʻi, Ni'ihau and Kaho'olawe . Hawaii is a festival lovers paradise and the best time to enjoy the festivals in Hawaii is fall.


Here I share my experiences along with some useful information that I gathered from magazines about the places in Hawaii. 
The island we visited was O'ahu in the month of December. we enjoyed the breathtaking views of waikiki  beach in Honolulu, the state capital. The panoramic ocean views, swaying palm trees and the hush of dense mountain forests makes the Island very beautiful. Don't forget to book for a ocean view hotel room :)

 If you want to enjoy the flavor and feel of the city , then you should not miss the bus ride. TheBus, is a public transport to Hawaii's attractions and its a safe travel away from Waikiki easy and affordable. You can find the details onto TheBus.org 

To get a different picture of what goes on once the sun goes down, one must walk along the Waikiki's main thoroughfare at kalakaua Avenue after 9:00 Pm. The place transforms into a lively world of sparkling lights and brightly lit store windows. Artists of all sorts, musicians and painters line the sidewalk offer visitors a taste of local flavor and create fun filled friendly ambiance, great for a family and good restaurant area.


Take a hike at Diamond Head Crater - worth it!!!
One cannot miss the panoramic views of  Waikiki and the coastline from the top of  "Diamond Head" state monument. The view from the top is worth  every drop of sweat off your brow :). Its about 0.7 mile hike that takes about an hour to climb and half the time to get back down. The best time to visit is early in the morning or late afternoon. The park will be generally open from 6.00 am to 6.00 Pm.

The story behind the name Diamond Head: 
Diamond head, the most photographed volcanic crater in the world, was originally named Le'ahi by the ancient Hawaiians. the name meant "brow of the tuna" because it resembled  the yellow fin ahi common to area waters. British sailors dubbed it " Diamond Head" in the 1880s because the calcite crystals common to lava rocks, appeared to glimmer in the sunshine. The sailors mistakenly thought there were diamonds in the soil.

Arizona Memorial
For the United states, the Pearl harbor historic sites represent the beginning and ending of world war II between the U.S. and Japan.
Make the best use of your time making the theater your first stop at Arizona memorial to view video footage of the attack, then board the free shuttle boat ride to th memorial and enter the heart of the memorial.

      Byodo -In Temple:  
This temple is located at the foot of beautiful Ko'olau mountains in the valley of the temples. Best time to visit is early in the morning. You will not only enjoy the ride but will have the pleasant feeling in between the valley of mountains and the greenery around you.... A refreshing day to start and then you can visit the Polynesian Cultural Center and spend the day there :)

Polynesian Cultural Center...Some journeys never leave you!!!!


A must visit place while in Hawaii's Oahu island to experience the mesmerizing show performed by Polynesian villagers. Dedicate one complete day at PCC and enjoy the villagers culture and traditions, sing and dance with them. learn their  music with bamboo....its fun and easy. 


I was laughing when people were surprised to see a few villagers in a show climbing the coconut trees and the coconut milk extraction, as for people living in India and that too in Kerala, its a very common thing :P.


Anyways, you can enjoy the narration and act of the villagers :)
The only problem I had was with the food. If  you are a vegetarian then you should seriously pack some food and go.I somehow survived drinking juices :P


Other places to visit are 

Hanauma Bay - peaceful view, basically a good snorkel spot.


Be sure to check out Kualoa Beach Park and Chinaman's Hat and few scenic points while driving. You can stop and take a break enjoying the views.


Bishop museum ( I found this bit boring..probably not for me :P )

Nu'uanu Pali lookout - Scenic point , one of the best views of the windward side.  A drive to the windward side is refreshing and pleasure to your eyes. 


Finally, don't forget the water games.
We enjoyed para-sailing and it was awesome..!!!












Aloha..!!! :)
-Dipika