21 days on oahu !!!!!
Apr 17th, 2002, 12:53 AM
#41
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Posts: n/a
O.K,
I have loads of suggestions for day time ,how about the night time ?
we want a good mix of nice upperend mai tai at sunset bars and a few everyday bars too, Dukes sounds good but can you just go there for a drink ?
is the local beer good?
do bars sell red bull?
what else is there to do at night
also are there any scuba divers who can give advice?
thank you all
linda
I have loads of suggestions for day time ,how about the night time ?
we want a good mix of nice upperend mai tai at sunset bars and a few everyday bars too, Dukes sounds good but can you just go there for a drink ?
is the local beer good?
do bars sell red bull?
what else is there to do at night
also are there any scuba divers who can give advice?
thank you all
linda
Apr 17th, 2002, 01:22 AM
#42
Guest
Posts: n/a
hi linda,
you've got a lot of great suggestions on this post.
i'm from hawaii, live near london, and my husband is english. we're in our early 30s.
on his first trip, we took him to the arizona memorial, byodo-in temple, polynesian cultural center. hge loved the 1st 2 places but PCC wasn't that great when we went. the evening show was much better.
hiking up manoa falls is a wonderful idea, if you like hiking and movie locations you can e-mail me at [email protected], i can contact a friend back in hawaii who works for the dept of land and natural resources for hikes and her boyfriend used to work on movie/TV sets so maybe they can suggest a few places for you.
dh also liked the sheraton moana beach bar, since it's the closest bar to the beach (i think they had to get a special license to have the bar practically on the sand). we went to a couple of shows there at night, but he enjoyed hanging out more with the locals, like at ward centre or kahala. ward now has a new cinema plus a lot of trendy restaurants, and then we go to borders bookstore for some thai coffee. he wasn't too keen on chinatown, although wandering around the historic part of downtown interested him. you should read up on the history, tho, to make it more interesting.
if you're there for 3 weeks you should be there for thanksgiving weekend. book up early for this at a nice restaurant. i've only been to hotel ones, the buffets are GREAT, maybe some locals can advise you more on that.
the day after thanksgiving (the holiday is always on thursday) is the massive sale day at the stores. get to ala moana early for some bargains. if you like to stock up on the name brand stuff, that's the time to go. be warned that kids have a 4-day weekend so it will be packed most places that weekend.
the christmas lights should also go up around that time, keep your fingers crossed. dh really loved walking/driving around to see the lights. the city hall does lots of displays of trees, it is mostly for kids but everyone should go at least once if they have the chance.
taking a daytrip to another island might also be a good idea if you'd like to visit volcanoes park on the big island. you'd leave the hotel around 530am and not return until 7pm but can be worth it. have a look at www.robertshawaii.com or when you get to honolulu pick up the local sunday newspapers, most companies place ads on sundays.
what other kinds of things do you like to do? maybe we can suggest specifics.
you'll have a great time! i've seen those 3 weeks-for-2 and they really are deals from the UK.
you've got a lot of great suggestions on this post.
i'm from hawaii, live near london, and my husband is english. we're in our early 30s.
on his first trip, we took him to the arizona memorial, byodo-in temple, polynesian cultural center. hge loved the 1st 2 places but PCC wasn't that great when we went. the evening show was much better.
hiking up manoa falls is a wonderful idea, if you like hiking and movie locations you can e-mail me at [email protected], i can contact a friend back in hawaii who works for the dept of land and natural resources for hikes and her boyfriend used to work on movie/TV sets so maybe they can suggest a few places for you.
dh also liked the sheraton moana beach bar, since it's the closest bar to the beach (i think they had to get a special license to have the bar practically on the sand). we went to a couple of shows there at night, but he enjoyed hanging out more with the locals, like at ward centre or kahala. ward now has a new cinema plus a lot of trendy restaurants, and then we go to borders bookstore for some thai coffee. he wasn't too keen on chinatown, although wandering around the historic part of downtown interested him. you should read up on the history, tho, to make it more interesting.
if you're there for 3 weeks you should be there for thanksgiving weekend. book up early for this at a nice restaurant. i've only been to hotel ones, the buffets are GREAT, maybe some locals can advise you more on that.
the day after thanksgiving (the holiday is always on thursday) is the massive sale day at the stores. get to ala moana early for some bargains. if you like to stock up on the name brand stuff, that's the time to go. be warned that kids have a 4-day weekend so it will be packed most places that weekend.
the christmas lights should also go up around that time, keep your fingers crossed. dh really loved walking/driving around to see the lights. the city hall does lots of displays of trees, it is mostly for kids but everyone should go at least once if they have the chance.
taking a daytrip to another island might also be a good idea if you'd like to visit volcanoes park on the big island. you'd leave the hotel around 530am and not return until 7pm but can be worth it. have a look at www.robertshawaii.com or when you get to honolulu pick up the local sunday newspapers, most companies place ads on sundays.
what other kinds of things do you like to do? maybe we can suggest specifics.
you'll have a great time! i've seen those 3 weeks-for-2 and they really are deals from the UK.
Apr 17th, 2002, 02:39 AM
#43
Guest
Posts: n/a
thank-you Lani,
my husband has always wanted to go to hawaii(since seeing hawaii 5 0as a child) i was not too keen but when this good deal came along we thought it was too good to miss.
since i started researching into hawaii i think i now want to go more than dh does!
what do we like to do? thats a big question ,we have very diverse interests.
hubby is into water sports and wants to have a go at surfing.also seeing some real surfers in action is a must see(think there is a comp on when we go but having a problem finding the exact dates, too early yet)
we are both scuba divers sowe want to get in some diving and plenty of snorkeling.
hubbie loves to hike and climb to beautiful places,i have a problem with my feet at the mo wich prevents me hiking for too long ,but hopefully this will be sorted before we go.
we both love to eat out ,we are at a hotel with a kitchenette but thats just so we can have an icebox to put our ben and jerrys in.
we are great fans of Wylands art so are hoping to see some of the places he gained inspiration from.
any water based activity is a must for us (we cant just lie on a beach and bake too boring we like to be active during the day and relax at night ,good food and a few drinks.
we will do a bit of shopping (we tend to buy all our christmas presents in the U.S)but not too much.
What about wild live on Oahu out of the water,are there any trails or walks to see lots of amimals in their natural enviroment(we do not do zoo's)
also the BIG question which cinema is the best overall? good seats good screens and good popcorn?
is there a drive in cinema on oahu that would be cool .
sorry blabing on a bit too much so many questions.
thanks linda
my husband has always wanted to go to hawaii(since seeing hawaii 5 0as a child) i was not too keen but when this good deal came along we thought it was too good to miss.
since i started researching into hawaii i think i now want to go more than dh does!
what do we like to do? thats a big question ,we have very diverse interests.
hubby is into water sports and wants to have a go at surfing.also seeing some real surfers in action is a must see(think there is a comp on when we go but having a problem finding the exact dates, too early yet)
we are both scuba divers sowe want to get in some diving and plenty of snorkeling.
hubbie loves to hike and climb to beautiful places,i have a problem with my feet at the mo wich prevents me hiking for too long ,but hopefully this will be sorted before we go.
we both love to eat out ,we are at a hotel with a kitchenette but thats just so we can have an icebox to put our ben and jerrys in.
we are great fans of Wylands art so are hoping to see some of the places he gained inspiration from.
any water based activity is a must for us (we cant just lie on a beach and bake too boring we like to be active during the day and relax at night ,good food and a few drinks.
we will do a bit of shopping (we tend to buy all our christmas presents in the U.S)but not too much.
What about wild live on Oahu out of the water,are there any trails or walks to see lots of amimals in their natural enviroment(we do not do zoo's)
also the BIG question which cinema is the best overall? good seats good screens and good popcorn?
is there a drive in cinema on oahu that would be cool .
sorry blabing on a bit too much so many questions.
thanks linda
Apr 17th, 2002, 04:47 AM
#44
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi Linda
National Geographics did a video on environmental problems on Hawaii. This will explain the lack of wildlife. Still I think you will find the sounds of the native birds left unusual.
I would strongly urge you to go online and buy some videos explaining Hawaii's history, culture and landscape. I did this for a couple of nephews who had a school project. Lived on Oahu go back every year still learned so much that will further enhance this years trip. Mele.com was where I found a number of films although I just went back to get the titles and see the webmaster has scaled back collection. Still I know PANIOLO O HAWAI`I is good, was a PBS broadcast in Hawaii. Same filmmakers (if memory serves) were responsible for "Waikiki in the wake of Dreams", a perfect video for you! If you don't find it at Mele.com don't give up they have their own website. This is the history of Waikiki, YOU CAN'T not get this video before your trip.
Can also tell you PBS nationwide (Public Broadcasting System) did a video on the over throw of Hawaii. Sent this but have not viewed it yet. You can get this directly from PBS.org or Amazon. We had a two tape video called The Hawaiians which I really enjoyed explains the Ancient Hawaiian history and the problems of maintaining knowledge of this today. One last suggestion James Mitchner's "Hawaii" is a good read and the movie is also engaging once they get off that darn boat from New England!
This kind of preparation I think brings you close to the culture in Hawaii.
If you want to read to compliment this, A Concise version of Hawaiian History is a good start. Only 86 pages long and it gives you a good general overview of Hawaiian history. The Shoal of time is more in depth and a classic on Hawaiian history. My favorite Hawaiian history book is "The Hawaii Story" by Queen Liloukilani. The writing is not great but you are reading the hand of Hawaii's last sovereign. Any further inquiries don’t waste your time with well known commercial websites like Amazon seek out book sellers based in Hawaii. Go to bishop museum online store, http://www.nativebookshawaii.com/ if you are lucky you can also find reviews at Amazon or Borders (their Hawaiian History/Lit is limited ) if not look elsewhere.
National Geographics did a video on environmental problems on Hawaii. This will explain the lack of wildlife. Still I think you will find the sounds of the native birds left unusual.
I would strongly urge you to go online and buy some videos explaining Hawaii's history, culture and landscape. I did this for a couple of nephews who had a school project. Lived on Oahu go back every year still learned so much that will further enhance this years trip. Mele.com was where I found a number of films although I just went back to get the titles and see the webmaster has scaled back collection. Still I know PANIOLO O HAWAI`I is good, was a PBS broadcast in Hawaii. Same filmmakers (if memory serves) were responsible for "Waikiki in the wake of Dreams", a perfect video for you! If you don't find it at Mele.com don't give up they have their own website. This is the history of Waikiki, YOU CAN'T not get this video before your trip.
Can also tell you PBS nationwide (Public Broadcasting System) did a video on the over throw of Hawaii. Sent this but have not viewed it yet. You can get this directly from PBS.org or Amazon. We had a two tape video called The Hawaiians which I really enjoyed explains the Ancient Hawaiian history and the problems of maintaining knowledge of this today. One last suggestion James Mitchner's "Hawaii" is a good read and the movie is also engaging once they get off that darn boat from New England!
This kind of preparation I think brings you close to the culture in Hawaii.
If you want to read to compliment this, A Concise version of Hawaiian History is a good start. Only 86 pages long and it gives you a good general overview of Hawaiian history. The Shoal of time is more in depth and a classic on Hawaiian history. My favorite Hawaiian history book is "The Hawaii Story" by Queen Liloukilani. The writing is not great but you are reading the hand of Hawaii's last sovereign. Any further inquiries don’t waste your time with well known commercial websites like Amazon seek out book sellers based in Hawaii. Go to bishop museum online store, http://www.nativebookshawaii.com/ if you are lucky you can also find reviews at Amazon or Borders (their Hawaiian History/Lit is limited ) if not look elsewhere.
Apr 17th, 2002, 04:54 AM
#45
Guest
Posts: n/a
Video mentioned but not named above on overthrow
"American Experince Hawaii's Last Queen"
http://www.shop.pbs.org/cust/cdeploy
"American Experince Hawaii's Last Queen"
http://www.shop.pbs.org/cust/cdeploy
Apr 17th, 2002, 05:07 AM
#46
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sss,
i am having problems with video tapes as we are in the UK and we work on a different system,we do have a player with american tape playback but some tapes just don't work i brought back several national geographic tapes on our last visit and only three out of five work.add to that the p+p charges and we are taking a very expensive mistake.
i am still waiting for a book on hawaiian history and culture from amazon UK but it can be very difficult buying the amarican print books.
will keep on trying thought.
linda
i am having problems with video tapes as we are in the UK and we work on a different system,we do have a player with american tape playback but some tapes just don't work i brought back several national geographic tapes on our last visit and only three out of five work.add to that the p+p charges and we are taking a very expensive mistake.
i am still waiting for a book on hawaiian history and culture from amazon UK but it can be very difficult buying the amarican print books.
will keep on trying thought.
linda
Apr 17th, 2002, 06:12 AM
#47
Guest
Posts: n/a
What I do when I want to order books from England is I email/call publisher for American distributor. That way if something is only finding it's way to some special interest bookstore you can still order it over the phone/online and domestically, cutting out that exorbitant shipping fee. I am guessing this is the problem you are having with American print books, shipping costs? You have amazing bookstores in Britain so I am guessing the chances are high that somewhere in the UK, Hawaii is shipping these books.
TOOOO BAD on the video problem
TOOOO BAD on the video problem
Apr 17th, 2002, 07:45 AM
#48
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linda, maybe you can find some info on the internet regarding history. sss, good idea re: the books. tell me about the video problem, i had to give away my collection when i moved here (luckily, dvds a bit easier to keep).
if your hubby is a hawaii 5-0 fan, iolani palace is a 'must.' that was used as steve mcgarrett's office exterior shot.
like sss says, not much wildlife to be viewed, unfortunately. my dh liked looking at the different birds, like the cardinals and the gray doves that he said seemed laid-back too, since most don't fly off right away, and walk slow, looking for food.
i don't scuba dive but i have seen divers out at magic island (ala moana beach park) and hanauma bay. snorkeling at h-bay is great but look out for theose huge fish with big teeth. you can also see a lot of surfers out at magic island, waikiki beach or 'bowls,' behind the ilikai. but in november, you should head out to the north shore (pipeline and sunset)since the waves they are bigger in the winter.
you might also want to try windsurfing or canoe paddling. haven't tried the former but i LOVE canoe paddling. there's a place called kualoa ranch about an hour from waikiki that does a lot of outdoor activities. my cousin tried parasailing, he thought it was great.
as for crime, cars like pontiacs are normally looked at as 'tourist' cars. most people i know drive japanese cars or cadillacs (except me, i had a saturn that i miss!) DO NOT go to nanakuli/waianae, cars get broken into all the time out there. just use common sense and you should be ok.
as for dress, just wear your normal clothes. dh wore a nike t-shirt, shorts, NY yankees baseball cap and almost passed as 'local' until he opened his mouth. he tried to wear rubber slippers (flipflops) but his feet were too blindingly white, so he stuck to his trainers. DO NOT wear straw hats or 'aloha print' shirts. you'll know what i mean when you get there. most places people dress casual, like shorts or blue jeans, and a bit nicer for evening.
if your feet are ok, you can take the short hike up to the top of diamond head for a great view of honolulu. take a bottle of water and a flashlight, and be prepared for the 300 steps.
like others suggested, the tantalus/roundtop drive is also great, but if you go driving up there at dusk you can see the city lights. manoa falls is pretty short as well, and easy to get to.
when you get there be sure to have a look at the free brochures that are placed all over waikiki street corners, they will have a listing of events for the upcoming week. i have been to a japanese tea ceremony demonstration in waikiki and it was great.
maybe someone can tell you if there is a 10k run in town? they're usually great fun, like the great aloha run in feb. good exercise and good to walk along and see the sights as well as mingle with the locals. do they still do that kolekole pass walk?
haven't been to the new ward cinema but it's supposed to be really good, and you can eat somewhere like beppo di buca (did i get that right? i keep thinking 'beppe' from eastenders) which is a chain but new to honolulu and is trendy fun, compare to some of the mexican places in london.
postal, i think you've mentioned a lot of great places. after reading this post, i feel almost homesick, and i was just there not 8 weeks ago!
linda, is your poor printer is still chugging away?
if your hubby is a hawaii 5-0 fan, iolani palace is a 'must.' that was used as steve mcgarrett's office exterior shot.
like sss says, not much wildlife to be viewed, unfortunately. my dh liked looking at the different birds, like the cardinals and the gray doves that he said seemed laid-back too, since most don't fly off right away, and walk slow, looking for food.
i don't scuba dive but i have seen divers out at magic island (ala moana beach park) and hanauma bay. snorkeling at h-bay is great but look out for theose huge fish with big teeth. you can also see a lot of surfers out at magic island, waikiki beach or 'bowls,' behind the ilikai. but in november, you should head out to the north shore (pipeline and sunset)since the waves they are bigger in the winter.
you might also want to try windsurfing or canoe paddling. haven't tried the former but i LOVE canoe paddling. there's a place called kualoa ranch about an hour from waikiki that does a lot of outdoor activities. my cousin tried parasailing, he thought it was great.
as for crime, cars like pontiacs are normally looked at as 'tourist' cars. most people i know drive japanese cars or cadillacs (except me, i had a saturn that i miss!) DO NOT go to nanakuli/waianae, cars get broken into all the time out there. just use common sense and you should be ok.
as for dress, just wear your normal clothes. dh wore a nike t-shirt, shorts, NY yankees baseball cap and almost passed as 'local' until he opened his mouth. he tried to wear rubber slippers (flipflops) but his feet were too blindingly white, so he stuck to his trainers. DO NOT wear straw hats or 'aloha print' shirts. you'll know what i mean when you get there. most places people dress casual, like shorts or blue jeans, and a bit nicer for evening.
if your feet are ok, you can take the short hike up to the top of diamond head for a great view of honolulu. take a bottle of water and a flashlight, and be prepared for the 300 steps.
like others suggested, the tantalus/roundtop drive is also great, but if you go driving up there at dusk you can see the city lights. manoa falls is pretty short as well, and easy to get to.
when you get there be sure to have a look at the free brochures that are placed all over waikiki street corners, they will have a listing of events for the upcoming week. i have been to a japanese tea ceremony demonstration in waikiki and it was great.
maybe someone can tell you if there is a 10k run in town? they're usually great fun, like the great aloha run in feb. good exercise and good to walk along and see the sights as well as mingle with the locals. do they still do that kolekole pass walk?
haven't been to the new ward cinema but it's supposed to be really good, and you can eat somewhere like beppo di buca (did i get that right? i keep thinking 'beppe' from eastenders) which is a chain but new to honolulu and is trendy fun, compare to some of the mexican places in london.
postal, i think you've mentioned a lot of great places. after reading this post, i feel almost homesick, and i was just there not 8 weeks ago!
linda, is your poor printer is still chugging away?
Apr 17th, 2002, 08:29 AM
#49
Guest
Posts: n/a
my poor printer is at deaths door.
we are going to do the urasenke foundation ceremony for sure.
i know that shorts are not acceptable but what about trousers for women are they frowned upon?when we travel we like to respect local customs and cultures .
same goes for temple visits any possible faux pas we should know about
also question from dh where does the best steak on oahu.(beef is not what it used to be in the UK since the BSE crisis
we are going to do the urasenke foundation ceremony for sure.
i know that shorts are not acceptable but what about trousers for women are they frowned upon?when we travel we like to respect local customs and cultures .
same goes for temple visits any possible faux pas we should know about
also question from dh where does the best steak on oahu.(beef is not what it used to be in the UK since the BSE crisis
Apr 17th, 2002, 08:56 AM
#51
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Posts: n/a
Linda, we are not big meat eaters so we haven't been to a lot of steakhouses. However, we've tried a few in our three years here. The best we have found is Outback Steakhouse, which you probably know. There is one on Ala Moana and one in Waipahu.
I think seafood is a bigger part of the diet here than beef. Find a place that serves fresh grilled ahi (yellowfin tuna).
I think seafood is a bigger part of the diet here than beef. Find a place that serves fresh grilled ahi (yellowfin tuna).
Apr 17th, 2002, 09:09 AM
#52
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Posts: n/a
Fun Runs: try www.mprrc.com or www.hawaiirace.com
If you are going to see regular movies, stick to the cinemas in Waikiki or the Varsity near the university. Do NOT go to the one at Dole Cannery; there has been a problem with break-ins there.
If you are going to see regular movies, stick to the cinemas in Waikiki or the Varsity near the university. Do NOT go to the one at Dole Cannery; there has been a problem with break-ins there.
Apr 17th, 2002, 10:12 AM
#54
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Sam choys is definatly on our top five places we have got to eat.
didn't actually mean a good steak house as we have found the best steaks are usually to be had at places with it on thier menu's as a choice.(when steak houses have to buy steak in bulk they sometimes comprimise on quality not quantity)
big moral dilema going on in our household at the moment,since taking up scuba diving we have become more ecologically aware,esp in regard to the oceans,we no longer eat fish that we consider to be overfished to the point of damaging the natural balance of the oceans.we are both chefs and have stopped serving these fish in our kitchens.its quite difficult to find info on this issue in regard to hawaii(we have nothing against local fishermen making a living and fishing for consumatiion by the local area -we are against blatent commercial over fishing)so at the moment the jury is still out as to weather we will consume fish on Hawaii.
linda
didn't actually mean a good steak house as we have found the best steaks are usually to be had at places with it on thier menu's as a choice.(when steak houses have to buy steak in bulk they sometimes comprimise on quality not quantity)
big moral dilema going on in our household at the moment,since taking up scuba diving we have become more ecologically aware,esp in regard to the oceans,we no longer eat fish that we consider to be overfished to the point of damaging the natural balance of the oceans.we are both chefs and have stopped serving these fish in our kitchens.its quite difficult to find info on this issue in regard to hawaii(we have nothing against local fishermen making a living and fishing for consumatiion by the local area -we are against blatent commercial over fishing)so at the moment the jury is still out as to weather we will consume fish on Hawaii.
linda
Apr 17th, 2002, 12:30 PM
#57
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sss,
by menus i mean i have been on practically every web site that posters or guide books have given me and lamb seems to be a reaccuring theme (rack of lamb with macadamia nut crust seems esp popular)i was just wondering as i have a leg of welsh mountain lamb roasting in my oven this very minute(its 9.28pm here)i wondered if they breed mountain sheep in Hawii same as Wales?
linda
by menus i mean i have been on practically every web site that posters or guide books have given me and lamb seems to be a reaccuring theme (rack of lamb with macadamia nut crust seems esp popular)i was just wondering as i have a leg of welsh mountain lamb roasting in my oven this very minute(its 9.28pm here)i wondered if they breed mountain sheep in Hawii same as Wales?
linda
Apr 17th, 2002, 12:45 PM
#58
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I would guess it has more to do with the "mixed salad" nature of Hawaii. There are people here from all over the world. I work with several people from New Zealand where lamb is a popular dish. Lamb is popular in a few other countries also. I don't know if it is locally raised or imported. I would guess imported.
