One of the most spectacular viewpoints in the world lies just a few miles from Honolulu and Waikiki. The word ‘pali’ in Hawaiian language means cliff – and the Pali Lookout won’t disappoint you as you get an amazing view up the Windward Side of Oahu and down into the beautiful towns of Kailua and…
Category: Hawaii
Robert Louis Stevenson in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands
Robert Louis Stevenson was an explorer, writer, poet, essayist and speaker. Stevenson was one of the great literary geniuses the world has produced, and everyone knows him because of his most famous works Kidnapped and Treasure Island. Of course, who can forget two of the strangest characters ever, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, who were…
Slideshow Saturday: The Natural Beauty of Oahu
Oahu continually blows my mind with its beauty and awesomeness. Whether it is the North Shore, the West Side, the Windward Side or the South Shore this island’s beaches are among the most beautiful in the world. When you go into the mountains or into the center (the piko) of the island, you find stunning…
Flashback Friday: Hawaii Hikers – Oahu Hiking Videos from the Early 2000s
These are a real flashback to the past. One of the best things about these videos is the ever changing shape of my facial hair. The other thing that might be confusing is that when these were made, I was in college and just about everyone called me Chris. I was the President of the…
The Honolulu Coffee Experience Center in Waikiki
I love a good cup of coffee. One of the great things about Hawaii is that we have a rich coffee history and we grow a wide variety of different coffees here. Our climate, our soil, our location – they are all perfect for coffee. I’ll talk more about that in a coming post… For…
King David Kalakaua – The Merrie Monarch – Last King of Hawai’i
King David Kalakaua was a champion of Hawaiian culture, the last King of Hawaii, and is celebrated as the Merrie Monarch – but he also had dreams of a Hawaiian-Japanese empire and was the first monarch to circumnavigate the globe. He was both a celebrated musician and composer and a dedicated archivist and writer. It…
Kailua on Oahu – The Hawaii Town I Dream of Living In
From the moment I first saw it, way back in 2001, I knew that I wanted to live in Kailua. Who wouldn’t want to live there? Gentle trade winds, sandy beaches, lush picturesque mountains behind, and a laid back beach town atmosphere that seemed to have come right out of the movies. The first time…
Ancient Hawaiian Death and Burial Practices
When a person died in pre-contact Hawai’i – a kapu was imposed (kapu is taboo) during the time between death and burial. A couple of days for a regular person and ten days or more for a chief or chiefess. So the house and family of the dead became taboo for this period and were…
Private Oahu, Hawaii Tour Guide – One of the World’s Best Jobs
I love being a top Oahu tour guide. I always have…so despite landing a job as an archaeologist in Hawai’i (which sounds like the coolest job in the world) – when the opportunity came up to be a tour guide again – I jumped at it. There is something magical about being able to pick…
Tour ‘Iolani Palace – Hawaii’s Royal Residence in Honolulu’s Historic District
King David Kalakaua was the last king of the Hawaiian Kingdom. His sister, Queen Liliuokalani was the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, overthrown by American sugar planters and American military interests. King Kalakaua built the palace as a symbol to the people of Hawai’i and a message to all the nations of the world…