Duke Kahanamoku, the ‘Ambassador of Aloha’

The legendary Hawaiian waterman, also known as ‘The Big Kahuna’, is the father of modern surfing, an ambassador of Hawaii who brought the noble (and otherwise obscure) Hawaiian sport of kings to the world. Born in 1890 in the days of old Hawaii before statehood, he became a well-known surfer in the community. He was one of the original ‘Waikiki Beach Boys’, watermen who earned their living teaching visitors how to swim or surf. Kahanamoku’s swimming abilities took him to the Olympics as a champion swimmer who won gold and silver medals in the 1912 Stockholm, 1920 Antwerp, and 1924 Paris summer games. Post-Olympics, he travelled the world with exhibitions and demonstrations highlighting his swimming and surfing skills, which influenced many people to pick up the sport, especially in Australia and Southern California. In June 1924, when he was living in Newport Beach, California, he saved eight men from a fishing vessel that had capsized in the heavy surf of a violent squall. Using his surfboard, he was able to take people back to shore and return to the scene of the accident quickly. Two of his friends saved four more fishermen in this heroic act. Kahanamoku eventually became an officer of the law in Honolulu and was voted sheriff of Oahu thirteen times. He is commemorated in perpetuity with a 9-foot-tall statue with his favourite wooden surfboard, arms outstretched, greeting visitors and locals warmly to the cherished place where it all began—Waikiki.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

A sheltered bay filled with marine life, you will find more than 400 species of fish and coral reefs in the bay, formed from ancient volcanic eruptions that took place about 32,000 years ago. A former crater that is now filled with seawater, you will also find the green sea turtle using these protected waters as a nursery, as well as abundant parrotfish. Many visitors like to snorkel, feed fish and swim here. Originally used as a recreational area and as a navigational lookout by Hawaiian nobility, there has been evidence of human presence here since the 1800s. As tourism on Oahu developed in the 1980s and 1990s, the sheer number of visitors, combined with lack of awareness of marine preservation means that the multi-coloured coral reef along the shore is no longer alive; you will see the skeletons of the reefs as you swim in the shallows of the bay. The bay sees an average of 3,000 visitors per day and about a million visitors each year; it is closed to tourists on Tuesdays to allow the reef inhabitants a day of rest.

Haleiwa

This cute and colourful beach town, the gateway to the North Shore, is filled with surfer shacks, food trucks, and other one-of-a-kind boutiques and galleries. For a taste of local tradition, don’t miss the traditional Hawaiian treat of shave ice (not ‘shaved’ ice), at Matsumoto’s or Aoki’s, both mom-and-pop stands. Finely shaved ice covered in homemade tropical syrups flavoured with pineapple guava, passion fruit or more, this rainbow-coloured treat will bring a smile to your face! You can even add vanilla ice cream or the sweet red azuki beans to your shave ice for a little extra variety.  My favourite food truck treat is the North Shore specialty, garlic scampi shrimp from Giovanni’s food truck (it’s sold everywhere, but this is the absolute best).

The North Shore

This iconic destination for the world’s best big-wave surfers, the North Shore needs no introduction to those in the know. During the winter months (November through February), pro surfers congregate here to ride the biggest waves, towering 9 metres (30 feet) or higher. It’s also prime time to watch the biggest surf competitions in the world, including the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing along Waimea Bay, Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline—the world’s deadliest wave) and Sunset Beach. In the summer months (May to September), when the surf is small and gentle, it’s safe for non-pros to swim or take surfing lessons in protected areas.

Turtle Bay

One of the last undeveloped spots (save for a bunker that remains from the Second World War, and one resort) on the North Shore, this rocky bay is a favoured habitat for the threatened green sea turtle as well as the endangered Hawaiian monk seal. Traditional fishing areas and ancestral Hawaiian burial grounds are also located here. The sea is not appropriate for swimming, as the ocean shoreline is rocky and dangerous. Here, in the tide pools and reef flats, you will find some uncommonly beautiful limu (seaweed), including martensia fragilis, an iridescent blue, pink, or orange algae species.

Waimea Valley

A sacred place that is an area of historical cultural significance to Hawaiians, this spot, also known as the Valley of the Priests, occupied an elite place in society. In the year 1092, the valley was reserved exclusively for the high priests of Hawaiian society, the Kahuna Nui.

A kahuna refers to anyone who is a priest, healer, or expert in any profession—it was not exclusively reserved for members of the Hawaiian religion. Kahuna can be generally divided into two categories: ‘craft’ kahuna, such as an expert canoe maker, or an expert navigator; and ‘sorcerers’, including healers or those who were experts in the metaphysical, the divine, and the supernatural.

When the first Christian missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1820, the kahuna practices eventually became outlawed or illegal over the years. When King Kamehameha V came to power in 1863, he encouraged the revival of traditional Hawaiian practices and gave ownership of the valley to his exclusive kahuna, Hewa Hewa Nui.  

When we look at Waimea Valley today, it contains a nature park, botanical gardens and arboretum. Look around to see stone terraces and walls constructed during the time of Hawaiian royalty. Its fertile and rich volcanic soil meant this was one of the most vibrant farming communities in all of Polynesia, with fish ponds, domesticated animal holdings, farming plots, where staple crops like taro, sweet potato and bananas were grown. Today, its botanical gardens showcase thousands of species, including an excellent collection of rare Hawaiian and Polynesian plants.

Things to do in the park include hiking to its beautiful waterfall, or jumping off the top of Jump Rock at Waimea Bay Beach Park (but only when the surf is small or flat)!

Kualoa Ranch

A private 4,000-acre nature reserve and working cattle ranch, this popular spot for filming (think Jurassic Park, the TV show Lost, Jumanji, Hawaii Five-0 and many more productions) is located on the windward coast of Oahu. Comprised of three valleys, the Ka’awa Valley, the Kualoa Valley and Hakipu’u Valley, the ranch sits on land that was considered sacred to ancient Hawaiians. From the 13thC to the 18thC, a place where chiefs ruled, and a place of kingship and sovereignty of the Kingdom of O’ahu rests. In 1850, the land was purchased from King Kamehameha for $1300 by an American doctor, Gerrit P. Judd, who was the first person to translate medical journals into the Hawaiian language. Further land was purchased in 1860 and 1870, bringing it to its current size. During the Second World War, the land was occupied by the U.S. military, which created the Kualoa Airfield there; the land has since passed back to Judd’s descendants.

Mokoli’i

A tiny little island in Hawaii known as Mokoli’i, is easily seen from Kualoa Regional Park, sitting on Kaneohe Bay. This basalt islet looks like an old-style conical hat, and was commonly referred to as ‘Chinaman’s Hat’. The name of Mokoli’i derives from an ancient Hawaiian creation myth, where Hi’iaka, the sister of Pele the volcano goddess, cut off the tail of a large dragon-like lizard that was confronting her, and it is said that the island is the remains of this monster’s tail: ‘mokoli’i’ means ‘little lizard’ in the Hawaiian language.

Feeling inspired to experience Hawaii’s aloha magic for yourself? Get in touch with a member of our team to see how they can craft your perfect trip.