Adventure Guide to Hawaii (Hunter Travel Guides)

415 Pages·1999·6.64 MB·English

by  John Penisten

Hawai`i
John Penisten
HUNTER
HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.
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ISBN 1-55650-841-7
©1999 John Penisten
Maps by Kim André, © 1999 Hunter Publishing, Inc.
All photos by John Penisten, Pacific Pictures,
unless otherwise indicated.
Cartoons by Joe Kohl
Cover: Winter Surf, Oahu (Ron Dahlquist, SuperStock)
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Contents
INTRODUCTION 1
The Hawaiian Language 5
Geography & Geology 6
Hawaiian Folklore 9
History 11
How to Use This Book 21
Adventure Island-Style 22
Lodging, Camping & Dining 28
Traveling to Hawai`i & Inter-Island 32
Hawai`i’s Visitor Seasons 33
Climate & Weather 33
Clothing & Gear 34
Driving & Road Conditions 35
Tropical Photography 36
Information Sources 37
References 38
KAUA`I 41
Geography 41
Climate 41
History 42
Information Sources 43
References 44
Getting There 45
Inter-Island Airlines 45
US Mainland & Kaua`i 45
Cruise Ships 46
Getting Around 46
Bus/Taxi Service 47
Limousine Service 48
Car & Truck Rentals 48
Motorcycle & Scooter Rentals 49
Bicycle Rentals 49
Touring Kaua`i 50
Lihue, the County Seat 50
The Coconut Coast 52
The North Shore 57
Koloa & Poipu Beach 57
Waimea & the West Coast 57
Land Tours 58
Adventures 59
Kaua`i’s Best Adventures 59
Contents
iv n Contents
On Foot 60
On Wheels 65
On Water 70
In the Air 75
On Horseback 76
Eco/Cultural Activities 77
Lodging 82
Camping 88
State Parks 88
County Parks 88
Dining 89
Luaus 91
Restaurants 91
O`AHU 97
Geography 97
Climate 97
History 97
Information Sources 99
References 100
Getting There 101
Inter-Island Air Service 101
US Mainland & Honolulu 101
Cruise Ships 102
Getting Around 103
Airport Transportation 104
Bus & Trolley Service 104
Limousine Service 105
Car & Truck Rentals 106
Motorcycle & Moped Rentals 108
Bicycle Rentals 109
Touring O`ahu 110
Metro Honolulu 110
Waikiki Beach 110
Downtown Honolulu 113
Central O`ahu 113
The South & the Windward Coast 115
The Leeward Coast 119
Land Tours/Operators 119
Adventures 123
O`ahu’s Best Adventures 123
On Foot 124
On Wheels 140
On Water 144
In the Air 150
On Horseback 152
Eco/Cultural Activities 152
Contents n v
Lodging 155
Camping 159
Dining 163
Luaus 164
Dinner Cruises 164
Restaurants 165
LANA`I 171
Geography 171
Climate 171
History 172
Information Sources 173
References 173
Getting There 174
Airline Service 174
Ferry Service 174
Getting Around 175
Car Rentals & Car Service 176
Bicycle-Moped Rentals & Tours 180
Touring Lana`i 180
Adventures 181
Lana`i’s Best Adventures 181
On Foot 181
On Wheels 185
On Water 186
In the Air 189
On Horseback 189
Eco/Cultural Activities 189
Lodging 192
Camping 194
Dining 194
MAUI 197
Geography 197
Climate 197
History 199
Information Sources 199
References 200
Getting There 201
Inter-Island Air Service 201
US Mainland & Maui 202
Cruise Ships 202
Getting Around 203
Bus/Taxi Airport Transportation 204
Limousine Service 205
Car & Truck Rentals 206
Motorcycle & Moped Rentals 208
Contents
vi n Contents
Bicycle Rentals 208
Touring Maui 209
Central Maui 209
Upcountry Maui 211
West Maui 214
East Maui 214
South Maui 217
Land Tours/Operators 218
Adventures 218
Maui’s Best Adventures 218
On Foot 219
On Wheels 229
On Water 233
In the Air 239
On Horseback 240
Eco/Cultural Activities 241
Lodging 244
Camping 252
County Camp Sites 252
State Camp Sites 252
National Park Camp Sites 252
Dining 253
Luaus 253
Dinner Cruises 254
Restaurants 254
MOLOKA`I 261
Geography 261
Climate 261
History 261
Information Sources 262
References 263
Getting There 264
Airline Service 264
Getting Around 265
Car Rentals & Car Service 267
Bicycle Rentals 267
Touring Moloka`i 268
Adventures 269
Moloka`i’s Best Adventures 269
On Foot 271
On Wheels 277
On Water 280
In the Air 282
On Horseback 282
Eco/Cultural Activities 283
Lodging 285
Contents n vii
Camping 288
Dining 288
HAWAI`I 291
Geography 291
Climate 292
History 292
Information Sources 293
References 294
Getting There 295
Inter-Island Air Service 295
US Mainland & the Big Island 295
Cruise Ships 296
Getting Around 297
Bus/Taxi Service 299
Limousine Service 300
Car & Truck Rentals 300
Motorcycle & Moped Rentals 302
Bicycle Rentals 302
Touring the Big Island 303
The Kona Coast 303
The Kohala Coast 306
Waimea & Parker Ranch Country 307
North Kohala 309
Hilo & the Hamakua Coast 309
Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park 311
Puna 311
Ka`u & South Point 315
Land Tours/Operators 315
Adventures 317
The Big Island’s Best Adventures 317
On Foot 317
On Wheels 340
On Water 347
In the Air 358
On Horseback 359
Eco/Cultural Activities 360
Lodging 368
Camping 379
County Camping Sites 379
State Camping Sites 380
National Park Camping Sites 380
Dining 381
Luaus 381
Dinner Cruises 382
Restaurants 382
Contents
viii n Contents
Maps
The Hawaiian Islands 2
Kaua`i 42
Lihue 51
The Coconut Coast 53
The North Shore 54
The South Shore 55
The West Coast 56
Waimea Canyon & Koke`e State Park 58
O`ahu 98
Waikiki 111
Honolulu 112
Airport to Waikiki 114
Waikiki to Makapu`u 116
The Windward Coast 117
The North Shore 118
The South Shore, Pearl Harbor 119
Lana`i 176
Lana`i City 178
Maui 198
Kahului & Vicinity 205
Upcountry Maui 210
West Maui 212
Lahaina 213
East Maui 215
South Maui 216
Moloka`i 266
Kaunakakai 269
Hawai`i 298
Kailua - Kona 304
The Kona Coast 305
Waimea 306
The Kohala Coast 308
North Kohala 310
Hilo to Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park 312
The Hamakua Coast 313
Hilo 314
Acknowledgements
This book couldn’t have been completed without the help of many good
folks throughout theHawaiian Islands. I’d like to thank themall for the
many ways in which they individually assisted me with this project,
their insights into experiencing all the adventures of the islands and
their expertise in providing information to aidmy research as I traveled
around these beautiful islands of Aloha.
A special Mahalo to:
Sonja Swenson, Lori Michimoto, Reece Olayvar, Sandi Yara, Nancy
Daniels, Lynette Lo Tom, Aaron Placourakis, EricaMacGuyer, Annette
Kaohelaulii, Sancie De Mattos, Connie Wright, Caroline Witherspoon,
LinnNishikawa, Brett Huske, Lawrence Aki, Barbara Sheehan, Bernie
Caalim-Polanzi, Joyce Matsumoto, Dave Sayre, Shari Chang, Claire
Akau, Buzzy Sproat, Glen Grant, Ruth Tamura, B.J. Whitman.
And a special thanks and “shaka” to Grace and Gilbert Fujiyoshi for
their insights into dining out in Hawai`i and to Milton Fujiuchi whose
wide knowledge of island culture and the outdoors and generous help
and assistance allowedme to experience the real outdoors of Lana`i and
Kaua`i.
About the Author
JohnPenisten is an independent photojournalist andwriter and lives in
Hilo, Hawai`i, with his wife, Susan, and two daughters, Janelle and
Joelle. He manages his own photo agency, Pacific Pictures, which spe-
cializes in images of Hawai`i and the Pacific Rim region. He is the
author of two other books onHawai`i travel, culture and history. He has
traveled throughout the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand and
parts of Asia. His self-illustrated articles appear regularly in national
and international publications. He has lived inHawai`i for 25 years and
wouldn’t think of living anywhere else.