Waikiki Daily (2024)

03/05/2023

History of the Hawaiian Lei

One of the most iconic images visitors have about visiting the Hawaiian Islands is to receive a beautiful floral Lei upon their arrival at the airport…

We’ve all seen the movies…a couple arrives at an airport in Hawaii and a beautiful Hawaiian lady greets them with a smile, an ‘Aloha, welcome to Hawaii,’ and places a colorful Lei around their neck. This is the image many first time visitors to Hawaii have in their minds and while you can hire a ‘Lei Greeting’ service at some Hawaii airports, it is not a free gesture given to all visitors.

In this latest Waikiki Daily article, History of the Hawaiian Lei, we’ll share the facts and history about the Hawaiian Lei.

History of the Hawaiian Lei
If you’ve visited Hawaii, you have seen the beautiful, fragrant Lei’s being sold and worn by visitors and locals alike. But where did the Lei come from and what is the significance of the Lei? The Lei originated with Polynesian visitors who arrived from Tahiti in the early years.

Contrary to popular belief, a Lei is not always made with beautiful, colorful flowers. Some Leis are made with Feathers, Nuts, Seashells, Leaves, and of course fragrant Flowers. The Leis were worn in the early times to distinguish themselves from others in day-to-day life and at gatherings.

In some cases, the Lei’s, in particular the Maile Leis were used by Chief’s to symbolize an understanding of peace between groups simply by intertwining the Lei’s.

Wedding Lei’s
If you plan to have a Hawaiian Wedding, the Lei also has a significance in the ceremony. A husband and wife can exchange a colorful Lei to signify their union. Also, the two families can exchange a flower or plant style Lei to represent the joining of the two families. In addition to the traditional Hawaiian Lei, some brides choose to wear a Haku Lei on their neck or on top of their heads. The groom often would wear a Maile Lei often in a color and style to match his new bride.

Rules of the Lei
There really are no steadfast rules for Lei’s but there are a few traditions that many Hawaiians like to see respected. Leis are a big part of most celebrations in Hawaii, including Birthdays, Weddings, and special occasions. As for ‘following the rules of the Lei’ there aren’t many. For example, once you have received a Lei placed around your next, it is custom to keep wearing it in the presence of the presenter.

In the early days of the arrivals of tourists to the Hawaiian Islands and for a short period of time, it was tradition to give a beautiful Lei to the arriving tourists. It was also tradition that the visitors who departed via Cruise Ship would toss their Leis into the ocean as a ‘wish’ to return to Hawaii again one day.

Now, in present day visitors who arrive at the various airports in Hawaii can order a Lei Greeting service to greet them at the airport with a beautiful Lei and an ‘Aloha.’ As an alternative, visitors can also simply stop by one of the many Lei kiosks or shops located at the airport and choose their own Lei color and style.

During your visit
Leis are not only meant to be worn upon your arrival or departure from Hawaii. Many visitors choose to buy and wear a beautiful, floral Lei during their trip to wear on an excursion, to a dinner, on a dinner cruise or to a Lua. The best time to wear a Lei is anytime you want to!

In this latest Waikiki Daily article: History of the Hawaiian Lei you have learned to brief history of the Hawaiian Lei but the best way to appreciate a Hawaiian Lei is to wear one for yourself…

03/05/2023

Best Road Trips on Oahu - Updated!

If you want to enjoy the most of Oahu during your time on the island, see this Waikiki Daily article, ‘Best Road Trips on Oahu.’ Learn more about fun day trips from Waikiki that will show you the best of our island including waterfalls, beaches, food trucks and lush valleys.

Are you ready to experience your dream vacation on Oahu? We’ve put together a list of road trips on Oahu that will let you take in the best of what our island has to offer.

If you're only on the island for a weekend or a few days, take your pick because any of these road trips are sure to provide you with marvelous memories.

In this Waikiki Daily article, ‘Best Road Trips on Oahu,’ we’ll share fun day trips from Waikiki that you can take to see beautiful scenery including roaring waterfalls, volcanic craters, pristine beaches and lush valleys.

Famous North Shore

Oahu’s North Shore is known for its gigantic waves and for the professional surfing championships that are held there during winter. For your first road trip, we suggest you hit the North Shore to experience this beautiful stretch of coastline that features amazing surf and so much more.

If you’re looking for a definitive starting point to your North Shore road trip, head to the main town of Haleiwa, which is consistently rated as one of the best small settlements in Hawaii. Refresh with an acai bowl or shave ice, then head to the beach for sun, surf and snorkeling.

Oahu's Polynesian Cultural Center

The Polynesian Cultural Center sits in the region of the North Shore of Oahu, so you might be wondering whether or not you can include it in our first recommended road trip. We suggest you make the Polynesian Cultural Center the center of its own excursion, unless of course you are completely pressed for time.
With 8 simulated tropical villages, restaurants, tours and hula lessons, the Polynesian Cultural Center is a living attraction that is best enjoyed over an entire day. Brigham Young University owns the Polynesian Cultural Center and 70 percent of the Center’s staff are students of the organization’s school.

It is impossible to experience all there is to do and see on Oahu in 1 or even 2 visits...it may take a lifetime of visits to take in all that makes up this beautiful island, but plan to enjoy a few great road trips around Oahu on your next visit and you'll have memories to last a lifetime!

The Leeward Coast

The beautiful Leeward (west) Coast of Oahu features amazing hiking opportunities and lush jungles that are perfect for touring. Often overlooked in favor of the North Shore or Waikiki, this region of Oahu is a slice of heaven with stunning beaches and countless other gems to discover.

For your road trip to Oahu’s Leeward Coast, we suggest visiting Makaha Beach, Kahumana Organic Farm & Cafe, Kaena Point State Park and Yokohama Bay. Also, consider spending time at Kanaena Cave, which is believed to be roughly 150,000 years old.

Windward Coast Beaches

Oahu’s Windward Coast is designated as the 10-mile stretch of coastline that runs from Kaneohe’s Marine Corps Base to Makapuu Beach Park. In this section of Oahu, you will find beautiful blue waters and soft sand to relax on after your day of swimming or snorkeling.

While road-tripping to Oahu’s Windward Coast beaches, stop at the Makai Research Pier to take a postcard-perfect photograph or to catch that Instagram-worthy shot.

One thing is certain with any Oahu Road Trip, you are only minutes away from stopping along the roadside to enjoy some of the world's most beautiful beaches. Like Hanauma Bay.

Manoa Valley

Road trips don’t have to mean hours upon hours spent in the car. Within 15 minutes, you can escape the bustle of the city and touch down into fields of sugarcane and coffee.

For an easy road trip from Waikiki, head to Manoa Valley. This residential area on Oahu is where you will find the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a lush jungle that leads to Manoa Falls and the Mu Ryang Sa Buddhist Temple. In Manoa Valley, it rains often, which means the region is always green and paradise-like.

Kopolei

Kapolei is Oahu’s ‘second city’ and it is home to outstanding shopping. Situated on the Leeward side of our island, it is where you will find Ko’Olina, a picturesque area with family friendly activities as well as great bars for adults.

Visit Wet’n’Wild in Ko’Olina, or plant to road trip when fun events take place in the area like the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival or the Ko’Olina West Side Summer Fest.

Kualoa Ranch

Ride ATVs, go on a boat expedition and feel the thrill of a zip line at Kualoa Ranch, the perfect place for everyone. Kualoa Ranch is an area of immense natural beauty, so much so that countless movies have been filmed there including Jurassic Park and Godzilla. Television shows like The Hunger Games have used the picturesque scenery of Kuala Ranch as a backdrop too.

If you want to take a road trip that features quintessential Hawaiian landscapes, head to Kualoa Ranch. Bring your camera to capture pictures of stunning flora and fauna as well as wildlife that call this region home.

Wahiawa

We all know about beautiful Waikiki Beach , but sometimes you just want to get away to somewhere away from the bustle. If you want to enjoy some downtime in a peaceful place that doesn’t feature crowds, but does offer amazing food and fascinating attractions, take a road trip to Wahiawa.

In Wahiawa, located inland on the island of Oahu, there are plenty of places to linger, stroll and daydream. Surfers Coffee Bar, the famous Dole Plantation and the Wahiawa Botanical Garden are just a few of the highlights of a day trip to Wahiawa.

Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, triggering the United States’ participation in World War II. Did you know that Hawaii was officially under martial law until the war’s end?

Today, you can visit Pearl Harbor to learn all about this historic battle and to see the sunken wreckage of the USS Arizona. Near the Pearl Harbor memorial, visit the USS Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park and the Pacific Aviation Museum.

We hope our latest Waikiki Daily article, ‘Best Road Trips on Oahu,’ has helped you plan a few days of adventure discovering the beautiful island of Oahu during your next visit.

03/05/2023

Oahu Things to do: 5 of the Best Hikes on Oahu - Updated 2023

This Oahu Travel Blog article, ‘5 of the Best Hikes on Oahu’ presents some of the best, easy to difficult Oahu Hikes you are sure to enjoy during your visit to Hawaii.
These are unusual times we find ourselves living in, with restrictions being put in place and lifted with little notice, so please be sure to confirm operating hours before visiting any of the attractions or venue's mentioned in this article.

The beaches on Oahu are such great place to spend some time relaxing and enjoying the salty tropical air, but when you want to get out and enjoy the lush landscape, beautiful waterfalls and spectacular views around Oahu one of the hikes on this list is just what you need.

Three people hiking on Oahu
The following Oahu Travel Blog article, ‘Oahu Things to do: 5 of the Best Hikes on Oahu,’ features tips and information to enjoy some of the great hikes on Oahu, from short and easy hikes to longer, more challenging hikes with rewarding views of the island and the amazing Oahu coastline below.

So, kick off those flip flops, and lace up your hiking boots, grab your sunscreen, bottle of water, snacks and camera and let’s hike Oahu:

Diamond Head Crater - a natural attraction on Oahu
Diamond Head was originally named by early Hawaiian’s as ‘Le’ahi’ which means, ‘Tuna Ridge’, and the term Diamond Head came in 1825 when British sailors saw the Calcite Crystals sparkling in the sunlight on the sides of the crater and named the mountain ‘Diamond Hill’ and then later, ‘Diamond Head.’
1. Diamond Head Crater
Length of Hike: 1.5 Miles
Location: Kapahulu
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This is easily the most popular of all the Oahu hikes, simply because you can see Diamond Head from almost any spot in Waikiki including out the window of most arriving airplanes a to Oahu.

Diamond Head is an easy hike, only 45 – 70 minutes or so to complete depending on your fitness level and depending on how much time you spend taking photos and enjoying the views.

Speaking of the views, they are amazing as you reach about 750 feet above sea level at the highest point. Depending on the weather of a clear day, you can see far past Waikiki and along the coastline.

Diamond Head was originally named by early Hawaiian’s as ‘Le’ahi’ which means, ‘Tuna Ridge’, and the term Diamond Head came in 1825 when British sailors saw the Calcite Crystals sparkling in the sunlight on the sides of the crater and named the mountain ‘Diamond Hill’ which later became Diamond Head.

2. Pink Pillbox Hike
Location: Nanakui
Length of Hike: 1.2 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Located on the west side of Oahu, the Pink Pillbox Hike, or Pu’u O Hulu Hike, gives views of the beautiful stretches of coastline and beaches of Oahu and the surrounding homes below. The Pink Pillbox Hike ridge splits the neighborhoods of Maili and Nanakuli.

One of the features that makes the Pink Pillbox Hike an interesting option for hikers is that there are several route options to take you to the top of the trail to see the 5 Pillboxes. One of the routes is longer, easier and more ‘kid friendly’ option compared to the shorter, steeper route for more fit hikers.

This is a great short hike that is close to Waikiki and rewards your efforts with great views. If you go early in the day, the morning light is beautiful. Conversely if you choose to go later in the day you can enjoy some amazing sunsets, although you will want to be coming down the trial before you lose daylight.

3. Crouching Lion Hike
Location: Koolaulloa
Length of Hike: .4 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Do not let the short length of this hike fool you, the trail is short but challenging…take care. The reward for this short and steep hike is amazing views of Kahana Bay below and the cliffs of Pu’u Manamana.

As the trail begins there are no ‘warmups’ – the trail is steep from the beginning. The vegetation will be thick and the branches from the trees are low in spots. If the ground is wet or right after a rain, the ground can be quite slippery so be sure to take notice of your footing and wear good hiking shoes.

Crouching Lion Hike is considered by many as one of the top, if not the top hikes on Oahu as far as rewarding views goes. Hikers will enjoy the view of the Kahana Bay below. Depending on the time of day, the light reflecting on the water in the Bay and the ridges on the far side of the Bay make for a great photo opp.

Koko Head Trail on Oahu
You will get in your cardio workout for the day after completing the Koko Head Trail! The trail includes 1,048 stairs made up of old railroad ties/beams that lead up the side of the Koko Head Crater.
4. Koko Head Trail
Location: Honolulu
Length of Hike: 1.8 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Hard

You will get in your cardio workout for the day after completing the Koko Head Trail! The trail includes 1,048 stairs made up of old railroad ties/beams that lead up the side of the Koko Head Crater. The ‘steps’ are uneven and spaced in varying distances, so each step is a bit different from the last.

Hikers often step off the old wooden beams that are too far apart or missing altogether and use the dirt trail to either side of the railroad track.

The steepness of the trail increases as you ascend to the top of the trail. This is a very challenging hike and it will put your quads, glutes and ankles through a workout. As challenging as this hike is there are several local hikers who will do this hike twice and sometimes 3 times in a row.

I mention this only because of how unique it was; on one visit to the top of the Koko Head Trail I saw a very it man in his early 30’s wrestling around with his two young sons who were about 4 and 5 years old. I couldn’t believe that 2 small, young boys could make their way up this trail. But the man called his boys over to him saying it was time to go back down. The boys stood on either side of the man, who reached down, grabbed each boy by the by the top of their jeans like buckets of water and he began trotting down the trail hitting each railroad beam as the two young boys screamed with delight.

I must have had a shocked look on my face because a nice young lady walked past me and smiled, ‘It’s my husband…he’s a S.E.A.L. He’s showing off.’ He sure was!

The views from the top of the trail include Hanauma Bay, a bit of Waikiki and Diamond Head.

5. Seven Falls Hike
Length of Hike: 2.1 Miles
Location: Honolulu
Level of Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

The Seven Falls Hike can be very challenging should you choose to take on the entire trail, but it is an enjoyable hike if you choose to do only the first parts, but know that you will get wet, the trail can also be quite muddy especially if after a rain.

During parts of the hike you will need to swim a bit so be sure to bring a dry bag for your phone, camera, etc. The hike also requires a bit of navigating over rocks, around trees and along a narrow trail at times.

At part of the Seven Falls Hike you will need to climb up waterfalls with secured ropes – a very thrilling waterfall hike to be sure. Past the 3rd or 4th peak you should be a very fit and adventurous hiker…but the effort is worth it.

If you love to hike and if you love the payoff of a beautiful waterfall, then Oahu has many options for you to choose from.

This Oahu Travel Blog article, ‘Oahu Things to do: 5 Top Hikes on Oahu’ details just 5 of the great hikes you can enjoy during your visit to Oahu. Look for a future Oahu Travel Blog article that will feature more Oahu Hikes!

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03/05/2023

03/05/2023

03/05/2023

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