Hawaii Children's Discovery Center Museum

If you have children ages 2-10, this Children's Museum is an excellent place to spend a morning. and is well worth the trip as a change of pace from another day at the beach. This museum is clean, well-organized, and very kid-friendly. When you walk into the center, there is a small gift shop carrying a nice selection of educational toys and some snacks. There is a short orientation video that you can watch or just skip ahead to the exhibits where you will find such fun themes as:

Fantastic You: Climb inside a stomach and learn about digestion; Explore your sense of smell; Visit a health clinic; Learn about how the heart works; Crawl into a giant mouth; See a skeleton in action; Experience the challenges that people in wheelchairs face maneuvering around a home; and more.

Your Town: Become a weatherperson on TV; Become part of a theater production by selling tickets, working the lighting, or dressing up and performing a play; Become a judge in a courtroom; Become a police officer; Work at a bank; Dress up as a firefighter and hang out in the firehouse until the alarm sounds and climb onboard the firetruck to fight the fire; Become an auto mechanic; Go shopping in a grocery store and scan the items at the register; Construct towers with foam bricks; and more.

Hawaiian Rainbows: Pick pineapples on a plantation; Ride a jet to a neighbor island; Climb aboard the boat and load cargo or ring the bell; blow an enormous bubble; Go on an underwater adventure; Visit an old-time Hawaii store; and more.

Your Rainbow World: Learn about food and homes in other countries; Visit a Japanese home; Cook lunch in a Chinese kitchen; Travel to the Phillippeans; Throw a net in a fishing boat; Experience the change of seasons at the Mainland house; and more.

The Children's Museum is open Tuesday - Friday from 9AM to 1PM and on the weekends from 10AM to 3PM. It's closed on Mondays and major holidays.

Official Website: http://www.discoverycenterhawaii.org

Tips:
* Weekdays seem to be less crowded than weekends. Give yourself a couple of hours to see everything.

* Pack a picnic lunch and eat at the beautiful Kakaako Waterfront Park that is right outside the center. There is plenty of shade and some picnic tables plus wonderful view of the ocean. Local keiki often bring cardboard boxes and slide down the hills at the park.

* Remember that the Children's Museum closes at 1PM on weekdays so don't arrive too late...

Getting There:
The Hawaii Children's Discovery center is located across from the Kakaako Waterfront Park in downtown Honolulu. It's about a 10 or 15 minute drive from Waikiki. Take Ala Moana Blvd past the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Turn left on Cooke Street and drive straight until you reach a large parking lot at the end. Park there (it's free) and walk to the museum.

Good Bye International Market Place???

Last month, the original plans to renovate Waikiki’s International Market Place had been put on hold and it was thought that the property would be staying the same, for now.

That was true as far as it went. However, we have since learned that the landowner, Queen Emma Land Co., has requested new proposals from developers—not just for the Market Place, but for a 6.48 acre parcel which also includes the Waikiki Town Center (the three stories of shops on the Kuhio Avenue end of the Market Place), plus Perry’s Smorgy and the Food Pantry on Kuhio.

Developers can, at their option, also include the adjacent 352-room Miramar Hotel.

Five developers have submitted proposals for redeveloping this major property, located in the heart of Waikiki. None of them were required to preserve either the name or the current look of the International Market Place.

“We have a long way to go before we have a final plan,” says Les Goya, vice president of Queen Emma Land. "We're reviewing proposals now."

Goya notes that community feeling is divided. “Some people think we shouldn’t change the Market Place at all, there isn't anything else like it. Many other people think that it's about time we did something.” He takes the latter view. “Those wood frame buildings have seen better days.”

Goya hopes to have a decision on a development plan by the end of this summer. After that, the necessary community meetings and permitting process may take a year or two.

Many people have commented on greedy developers taking over, it’s worth noting that the landowner, Queen Emma Land Co., is a non-profit. Its mission is to take care of the land bequeathed to the Queen’s Health Systems by King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. All income goes to providing health care, education and charitable services, principally at Queen’s Medical Center in downtown Honolulu.

Duke's Waikiki

It's what you came for - authentic Waikiki.

You are invited to experience old Waikiki at Duke's, the world-famous restaurant named for our favorite son, Duke Kahanamoku. Right between two of our most spectacular grand hotels on Waikiki beach, the Moana Surfrider and the Royal Hawaiian, Duke's has been a driving force in reinvigorating Waikiki with Hawaiian culture and lore.

Their staff invites you into their ohana (Hawaiian for family) as they offer delicious original Hawaiian-influenced cuisine, a generous helping of Aloha spirit, and one of the most famous views found anywhere. With the sun-setting, dinner at Duke's is less like a meal and more like a dream. With the surf crashing before you, and the palms rustling together, the Lilikoi sisters stroll from table to table singing and playing the gentle rhythms of old Hawaiian songs.

The food is great, the service is great, the view, spectacular!!!

US Airways Adding Non Stop Flight From Charlotte, NC to Honolulu

It’ll be one long flight from the heart of the South, but at the end of it? A winter vacation in Hawaii.

US Airways is launching daily non-stop service from its Charlotte, N.C., hub to Honolulu beginning Dec. 17.

Reservations are being taken now for the nearly 8.5 hour Boeing 767 flight, US Airways’ first to Hawaii from North Carolina’s Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

The daily flight will leave Charlotte at 9:45 a.m. (East Coast time) daily, arriving in Honolulu at 2:59 p.m. (Hawaii time). The return flight will depart Honolulu at 5:45 p.m. (Hawaii time) daily, arriving in Charlotte at 7:42 a.m. (East coast time).

The flight’s Charlotte departure time was scheduled to time well with morning connections from US Airways network of East Coast, Midwestern and Southern cities.

The 204-seat flight will be offered year-round.

No introductory fares or fare deals were immediately announced for the flight. Fares vary, but we were able to find a round-trip as low as $878. We’ll keep you posted if any deals for the Charlotte-Honolulu route are announced.

US Airways currently operates flights to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island out of Phoenix, AZ.

Photo: US Airways

White House To Hold First Ever Hawaiian Style Luau

Save those Chicago-style hot dogs for the next South Lawn picnic. The leader of the free world wants his Hawaii grinds.

In a nod to his first home state, President Barack Obama will host the first-ever Hawaii-style luau on the White House lawn, complete with real Island cuisine, hula and music. The Thursday luau is pretty much all the Hawaii-born-and-raised president's idea—his revamping, of sorts, of the annual White House Congressional picnic for members of Congress and their families.

Award-winning Hawaii-based chef Alan Wong is crafting the luau’s menu of contemporary Hawaiian cuisine, making use of as much Island-grown produce as he can get to D.C. The chef’s Honolulu eatery, Alan Wong’s Restaurant, has been a favorite dinner choice of the Obama’s on recent visits to Oahu.

The South Lawn luau will also feature hula and music from Hawaii and the South Pacific by Honolulu-based entertainment company Tihati Productions. Daily newspaper The Honolulu Advertiser reported this morning that White House planners specifically requested Tihati add Samoan fire-knife dancers to the entertainment lineup. They’ll get six of ‘em—doing a fire-knife dance pyramid.

The fire-knife dancers will join a troupe of about 20 musicians and dancers, picked from Tihati luau shows throughout Hawaii.

No word was immediately available on luau dinner menu specifics or any Oval Office requests for specific Hawaii grinds. But we did get our hands on Alan Wong's partial shopping list, which seemed well-stocked for feeding 2,200 hungry politicos and their kin.


Among the items on the shopping list:

• 160 lbs. of green onion, 240 lbs. of tomatoes, 170 lbs. round onion (we're guessing lomi salmon here)

• 650 lbs. of pork butt (kalua pig, anyone?)

• 20 gallons of shoyu

• 20 gallons of sake

• 4,400 Manila clams

• 21 lbs. of Chinese black beans

• 200 lbs. of tilapia

• 100 lbs. of sugar snap peas


And flying up to D.C. with Wong, from Hawaii:

• 70 lbs. of hearts of palm, from Wailea Agricultural Group, Big Island of Hawaii

• 35 lbs. of chevre (goat cheese) from Hawaii Island Goat Dairy, Honokaa, Big Island of Hawaii

• 216 lbs. of mushrooms (50% eryngi, 50% hon-shimeji), from Hamakua Mushrooms, Big Island of Hawaii

• 44 lbs. of chocolate, from Waialua Estate Chocolate, Oahu

• 3 gallons of ko choo jang sauce, from Park's Brand, Oahu

• 35 lbs. of white miso, from Maru-Hi, Oahu

• 84 lbs. of macadamia nuts

• 130 lbs. of salted salmon (now we're all but confirming lomi salmon)

• 60 lbs. of pipi kaula

• 4 lbs. of Hawaii-grown chili peppers


Goat cheese? Manila clams? Tilapia? Sounds like one serious luau, and then some.

New Cell Phone Law Begins July 1st

Planning to drive on your next Oahu visit?

You should know you that as of July 1, 2009, it will be illegal to use mobile electronic devices such as iPhones, BlackBerrys, digital cameras, cellular phones, and iPods while behind the wheel of an automobile on Oahu.

The ban intends to reduce the number of traffic accidents linked to use of mobile devices. According to the Honolulu Police Department’s Web site, the act of “using” a mobile device under the new law simply means “holding it while operating a motor vehicle.” Hands-free devices are acceptable. You can still use an iPod or other portable music device in your car as long as you do not handle its interface while driving.

Unlike California and New York, which implemented statewide cell phone driving bans, the law here applies only to the island of Oahu. Once in effect, police officers won’t let anyone—residents and visitors alike—off the hook with a warning, said HPD officials.

The fine is $67 for a first offense. Subsequent infractions could cost as much as $500.

Click here for all the details you'll need to know about the upcoming ban.

There are some exceptions to the new rules. Drivers can legally make emergency phone calls to 911 and use walkie-talkie-like systems for work-related calls.

Police officers, however, won't know the difference between these calls and an illegal one. So ticketed drivers will have to show proof to a judge in court—either in the form of a cell phone bill or letter from an employer—confirming the call was legit.

Our best advice? Get yourself a Bluetooth headset before your Oahu vacation.

Ohana Hotels Offering Great Deals!!!

Here's a deal for traveler’s seeking an affordable vacation on Oahu this summer, or a reasonably priced Waikiki escape right now.

Ohana Hotels & Resorts is offering seriously low room rates at four of its Waikiki properties all summer, and through the fall. Nightly rates start at $79 at Ohana’s Waikiki West, $89 at the Waikiki Malia, $97 at the Waikiki East and $119 at the Waikiki Beachcomber.

We’re not talking Waikiki beachfront properties here. But each Ohana property is conveniently enough located in Waikiki to offer a good home base for Oahu exploring. A number of free amenities are also included in the deal, such as wireless Internet, long-distance phone service, and transportation around Waikiki and to Ala Moana Center aboard the Waikiki Trolley.

Ohana’s offer is good for reservations made through December 21, 2009. For more information on the deal at each property, click here or call (866) 968-8744.

Diamond Head: Symbol of Oahu

Diamond Head is the name of a volcanic tuff cone on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu and known to Hawaiians as Lēʻahi, most likely from lae 'browridge, promontory' plus ʻahi 'tuna' because the shape of the ridgeline resembles the shape of a tuna's dorsal fin. Its English name was given by British sailors in the 19th century, who mistook calcite crystals embedded in the rock for diamonds.

Diamond Head is part of the complex of cones, vents, and their associated eruption flows that are collectively known to geologists as the Honolulu Volcanic Series, eruptions from the Koʻolau Volcano that took place long after the volcano formed and had gone dormant. The Honolulu Volcanic Series is a series of volcanic eruption events that created many of Oʻahu's well-known landmarks, including Punchbowl Crater, Hanauma Bay, Koko Head, and Manana Island in addition to Diamond Head.

Diamond Head, like the rest of the Honolulu Volcanics, is much younger than the main mass of the Koʻolau Mountain Range. While the Koʻolau Range is about 2.6 million years old, Diamond Head is estimated to be about 200,000 years old and extinct for 150,000 years.

The eruption that built up Diamond Head was probably very brief, lasting no more than a few days. It was probably explosive, since when the cone was originally formed, the sea level is thought to have been higher and the vent burst erupted over a coral reef. Another factor probably contributing to the eruption's explosive nature was that rising magma would have come into contact with the water table. The eruption's relatively brief length is thought to explain why the cone today is so symmetrical.

A nearby eruption that took place at about the same time as the Diamond Head eruption was the eruption that built the Black Point lava shield. Since the type of eruptions that built Diamond Head tend to be monogenetic, geologists don't believe Diamond Head will erupt again.

Diamond Head is a defining feature of the view known to residents and tourists of Waikīkī alike. The volcanic cone is a United States State Monument. While part of it serves as a platform for antennas used by the U.S. government and is closed to the public, the crater's proximity to Honolulu's resort hotels and beaches makes the rest of it a popular destination. A 3/4 mile hike leads to the edge of the crater's rim. Although not difficult, the trail winds over uneven rock, ascends 74 steps, then through a tunnel and up another steep 99 steps. Next is a small tunnel to a narrow spiral staircase (about 30 steps) inside a coastal artillery observation platform built in 1908. From the summit above the observation platform both Waikīkī and the Pacific Ocean can be seen in detail.

As a symbol of worldwide recognition for the Hawaiian Islands, it is not surprising that the name Diamond Head is widely used for commercial purposes, such as band names, films, etc. Many souvenirs from Hawaii and surf shop logos across the globe bear the volcano's distinctive silhouette. There was even a 1975 televised game show, The Diamond Head Game, set at Diamond Head. The host was the game show main-stay, Bob Eubanks. Final contestants could step into a "Money Volcano" and catch flying bills of real money.

The interior was the home to Fort Ruger, the first United States military reservation on Hawaii. Also contained in the interior is a FAA operations facility.

Areas of Diamond Head are also used while filming the television series Lost which is filmed entirely on location on the island of Oʻahu. Seen from the Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head looks just like the "black mountain" featured in Lost.

LOST: One More Season of Oahu Filming

Lost is filmed on Panavision 35 mm cameras almost entirely on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The original island scenes for the pilot were filmed at Mokulē'ia Beach, near the northwest tip of the island. Later beach scenes take place in secluded spots of the famous North Shore. Cave scenes in the first season were filmed on a sound stage built at a Xerox parts warehouse, which had been empty since an employee mass shooting took place there in 1999.

The sound-stage and production offices have since moved to the Hawaii Film Office-operated as the Hawaii Film Studio, where the sets depicting Season 2's "Swan Station" and Season 3's "Hydra Station" interiors were built. Various urban areas in and around Honolulu are used as stand-ins for locations around the world, including California, New York, Iowa, Miami, South Korea, Iraq, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Paris, Thailand, Berlin and Australia.

For example, scenes set in a Sydney Airport were filmed at the Hawaii Convention Center, while a World War II-era bunker was used as an Iraqi Republican Guard installation. Also, scenes set in Germany during the winter were also filmed in a relatively regular Hawaiian neighborhood, with just crushed ice scattered everywhere to create snow and German automobile signs on the street were used.

For an extensive archive of filming locations, check out this great site, the Lost Virtual Tour

Mauna 'Ala: The Royal Mausoleum

The Royal Mausoleum, known as Mauna ʻAla (Fragrant Hills) in the Hawaiian language, is the final resting place of Hawaiʻi's two prominent royal families: the Kamehameha Dynasty and the Kalākaua Dynasty. The site is located at 2261 Nuuanu Avenue in Honolulu, Hawai'i on the island of Oahu. The Royal Mausoleum is one of the most important, interesting historical , and sacred burial sites in the islands. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The grounds of the mausoleum are surrounded by a black fence, bearing the royal seal at the gate. A small chapel is located near the center, immediately behind the tomb of Kalākaua and his family, and to the right of the Kamehameha tomb, Bishop Monument, and Wyllie tomb.

The 2.7 acre mausoleum was built by architect Theodore Heuck, who was hired by Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma. The mausoleum was to be a burial site for their deceased four-year old son, Prince Albert. The mausoleum was completed in 1865. It was decided that the mausoleum was a more fitting place to bury past monarchs of the Kingdom of Hawaii and their families. The bodies were transferred in a solemn ceremony leading from Iolani Palace to the Nuuanu Valley.

"King Kamehameha IV takes ill soon afterwards, and passes away November 30, 1863, 15 months after his son. His brother Lot Kamehameha comes to the throne of Hawaiʻi as King Kamehameha V. Immediately he starts construction of the mausoleum building. And they build the West Wing of the building, or the ʻEwa Wing, which is completed at the end of January 1864.

"On February 3, 1864, they have a large national funeral for the King -- takes place from ‘Iolani Palace and Kawaiaha‘o Church. The King is brought here in procession, and his casket is placed on a casket stand in that wing of the building. Later in the evening, ceremonially, they bring Ka Haku o Hawai‘i up and lay him to rest alongside his father. Queen Emma is so overcome with grief at the loss of her family that she camps here, on the grounds of Mauna Ala, and sleeps in that wing of the building with her husband and son, just grieving.

Today, all of Hawaii's monarchs, excepting Kamehameha I and Lunalilo, and their most famed consort and various princes and princesses rest at the Royal Mausoleum. Kamehameha the Great and William Charles Lunalilo are the only two kings not resting at the mausoleum. Kamehameha the Great's remains were hidden (a traditional practice to preserve the mana of the ali‘i) while William Charles Lunalilo, who preferred to be buried in a church cemetery, rests in the courtyard of Kawaiahao Church near Iolani Palace. Also, Princess Nahienaena and Queen Keopuolani aren't buried here but are instead buried on Maui.

Mauna ‘Ala was removed from the public lands of the United States by a joint resolution of Congress in 1900. It is the only place in Hawaii where the flag of Hawaii flies alone without the American flag.

Honeymoon On Oahu

Whether you planned a small intimate wedding or a colossal celebration with all the trimmings, you likely spent months planning, worrying and planning even more of the hundreds of exhausting details necessary to enjoy a successful wedding. Though weddings are the happiest times in many people’s lives, they can also be the most stressful. With a honeymoon to relish in after the happy day, many opt to head to the exotic Hawaiian islands to let loose, unwind and enjoy the first truly blissful weeks of marriage.

A Hawaii honeymoon is on top of the list for many. Best known for their incredible natural beauty, the islands of Hawaii can be the most idyllic place to enjoy a wealth of romance. When planning your Hawaii honeymoon vacation, the first thing to do is determine whether you’ll visit one, two or more islands. With that established it’s time to start thinking about accommodations for your Hawaii honeymoon. Romance abounds in Hawaii and there are no shortages of romantic accommodations.

One of the excellent choices for private accommodations during a Hawaii honeymoon are Hawaii vacation rentals. Oahu has a number of great rentals close to Waikiki Beach where dining, shopping and nightlife reign if you want to step out for the evening. More secluded locations include the stunning North Shore, one of the best honeymoon places in Hawaii full of pristine, natural beauty. Turtle Bay is the perfect resort to enjoy luxury at its finest with all-inclusive Hawaii honeymoon packages that can also include your Oahu wedding.

Planning Your Trip: Internatonal Traveler Information

Passport to Paradise

As an international visitor, your first stop on Oahu will be the Honolulu International Airport. Please check with your official government agency to ensure you have the most current travel requirement information but here are some general guidelines for visiting Oahu.

Be prepared! Unprepared persons cannot be processed and admitted into the United States. For information on U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules and regulations visit the Department of Homeland Security website at: http://www.dhs.gov

For more complete information on travel requirements to Hawaii please visit www.travelsmarhawaii.com

BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR OAHU

1. Ensure that your passport is valid for six months beyond your intended period of stay.
2. Citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program should be aware of the new passport requirements by the United States.
3. Citizens of countries not participating in the Visa Waiver Program must have a valid visa to enter the United States.

WHILE ON THE AIRCRAFT ENROUTE TO THE UNITED STATES

1. Obtain proper arrival forms from flight crew and complete all sections on both sides in English using black or blue ink.
2. A Customs Declaration form is required from all arriving passengers and crew even if you have nothing to declare.
3. An Immigration form is required from all non-United States citizens except permanent U.S. residents and Canadian citizens.

ONCE YOU ARRIVE ON OAHU
ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

1. All persons arriving on international flights must first clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection and will walk and/or be transported via shuttle directly to the International Arrival Building (IAB) for CBP processing.
2. Have your passport, Immigration and Customs forms, and return tickets prepared and ready for the CBP officer.
3. Immediate family members in the same household are processed together and use one Customs Declaration form.
4. Upon successful completion of Primary inspection, you then will go to the CBP Baggage inspection.
5. Claim your checked baggage and then have your passport and Customs Declaration available for screening.
6. Customs Declaration forms are collected at exit.
7. All connecting passengers must check their bags with TSA representatives in the CBP Baggage area before exiting.

Visitor Safety Information

In the interest of making sure all visitors remain safe in the islands, no matter what they plan to do, here is a list of tips that visitors are sure not to find anywhere else.

• 1. Never leave anything valuable in your car, no matter what. Hawaii has the highest property crime rate in the nation, and car thieves prey on tourists. They can break in a car and steal video camera, wallets, sunglasses and luggage within 10 seconds. And that is a high estimate. Some thieves have been clocked at 6 seconds to complete their break in and escape. While police have stepped up their patrol of hot visitor spots to try and combat the problem, theft at Hawaii’s beaches, parks, shopping malls and visitors spots is still out of control. In addition, do not leave your car running -- especially with children inside -- while you run into the store. While kidnappings are very rare, car thefts are common and thieves may unknowingly steal your car and your children if you give them the opportunity.

• 2. Never leave anything valuable on the beach without supervision. Again, Hawaii’s high property crime rate and homeless population will help ensure your wallet and car keys won’t be there when you return. (Usually it is ok to leave towels and slippers, but even those can get taken.) Take your valuables with you or rent a locker if you are in Waikiki.

• 3. Want to take a dip in the high seas? Ask a lifeguard first. No matter how good of a swimmer you think you are in a pool or a river, that is nothing like swimming in the ocean. Hawaii’s oceans can have strong currents, big waves and incredible undertows. Before going swimming, always ask a lifeguard about the ocean conditions and watch the ocean for a while before entering. Surfing is fun, but if you are new at it, go to Waikiki where you can take a lesson with an instructor. Don't try to surf the waves at Waimea or on the North Shore unless you are a professional -- those waves can get up to 50 or more feet high. Don't bodysurf at Sandy's Beach on the East side of Oahu or at Makapuu unless you are experienced. The waves are strong and can be deadly to those who aren't experienced. Do not surf at any other location other than Waikiki unless you are fit enough to swim a mile in the rough ocean, because you might have to. Don’t swim in areas that are murky or where you see several green turtles because sharks prey in those areas, and although shark attacks are extremely rare, why be a statistic? Don’t step on coral -- the coral is a living creature, so if you step on it you will kill it and hurt your feet. If you get caught in a fast moving ocean current, ride it out until you reach land or signal a lifeguard or nearby swimmer for help, rather than swim against it, because otherwise you will get tired and may become too weak to swim.

• 4. If you are standing by the ocean and the sand is wet where you are standing -- or close to where you are standing -- know a wave will be coming your way and some of them can be big and powerful. Never stand on wet rocks by the ocean because those are slippery and the next wave can pull you into rough seas.

• 5. If you rent a kayak, make sure the waves are not too big or the currents and wind too strong before you paddle out. Best to go on a day that is calm, always wear a lifevest and go with a guide if possible. If you land your kayak on a beach, remember a wave can come in suddenly and pull it and your paddle back into the ocean, so pull the kayak far out of the reach of the waves onto dry sand before leaving its side.

• 6. Those cute little blue bubbles in the ocean -- don’t touch them. They will sting you. They are called man-o-wars (not the scientific name of course) and they have a bubble, which does not sting, and a separate tail that attaches itself to the bubble that trail several feet in the water and wrap around you and sting you. These man-o-wars are usually only found on the windward beaches. On the leeward, town bound and east side beaches of Oahu, there are occasional jellyfish parties (where the box jelly fish come in great numbers toward shore). Stay out of the water when this happens. Lifeguards post warning signs when these box jellyfish appear (usually 10 days after the full moon for two days). If you do get stung, go to the lifeguard and if there is none around, you can apply meat tenderizer, papaya, vitamin E, or ammonia to the sting to help it go away -- it should within an hour if you don’t rub or agitate the sting.

• 7. Unless you want to look like a tomato at the end of the day, wear at least a number 30 suntan lotion at all times, even if it is cloudy or rainy. A hat and sunglasses are key on sunny days. And don’t forget to coat the tops of your feet (and bottoms of your feet if you plan to layout in the sun) with suntan lotion because otherwise you won’t be able to wear your shoes by the end of the day. If you swim, you will have to reapply the suntan lotion, even if it says it is waterproof. If you do get burned, the best remedies are applying aloe or vitamin E to the burn and drink a great deal of water to ensure you are not dehydrated.

• 8. Don’t go hiking in Hawaii without a guide and enough drinking water and food to last the night and a cell phone that has a fully charged battery. It also is a good idea to bring bug repellant, suntan lotion, and a light rain jacket. It is easy to get lost on even the simplest hiking trails -- or take a fall and get hurt -- and it is important to have the proper equipment to get out of these kinds of tough spots. If you do get injured or lost, call 9-1-1 and give the best description you can of where you are, including the name of the trail you are on, nearby landmarks, and how long you hiked.

• 9. Don’t open the hotel room door without first checking through the peephole to see who might be there, and if you were not expecting anything, call the hotel operator to see what is being delivered. Don’t leave the lanai door unlocked when you leave and chain the hotel room front door while inside. In the hotel elevator, watch who gets on and off and if they get off on your floor, make sure they are a good distance away before you enter your hotel room so that they cannot follow in behind you.

• 10. Realize that Hawaii street signs are notoriously poor, and people here give strange directions, rarely using North, South, East or West, but rather using Hawaiian words to describe where to go. Get a good map, talk to the concierge before leaving the hotel for good directions and for any tips on where you plan to travel. On Oahu, the most visited island, most people give directions this way: go Mauka (toward the mountains); go Makai (toward the ocean); go toward Diamond Head (toward Diamond Head); and go Ewa (the West side of Oahu).

• 11. If you are a guy and a gorgeous girl in a short skirt and high heels solicits a date with you, she probably expects you to pay for it. Prostitution is illegal in Hawaii, but prostitutes do patrol the streets of Waikiki, downtown Honolulu and Chinatown. All prostitutes in Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu are transvestites -- no matter how convincing they might be otherwise. Prostitutes in Waikiki are likely the gender they appear, but they are notorious for luring customers to their hotel rooms, where they mug them or have their pimps do the mugging. Naturally the customers are afraid to report the crimes.

• 12. Want to get "high" -- do it legally by having fun outdoors or exercising. Hawaii is the "Ice" or "Meth" capitol of the United States and those selling a variety of illegal drugs often use false substances that are even more harmful than the actual drug and they market these to visitors.

• 13. High rollers, place your money on a sailing cruise, horseback riding, or dinner on the beach. There is no legal gambling in Hawaii, and any gambling operations you encounter are illegal and likely run by the local or Japanese, Korean or Samoan mob. Don’t go there.

• 14. Don’t get into a fight with a big local guy or big local girl -- they is sure to have many relatives nearby and the end result won’t be good for you.

• 15. Want to fit in so you are not a target? Don’t wear a suit unless you are in court, don’t wear black dress socks (or any socks for that matter) to the beach or with your slippers, and don’t wear matching alohawear. Aloha shirts or muumuus or tee shirts and shorts are the way most local people dress and there are very, very few places in Hawaii where you will ever need a tie.

• 16. Don’t touch mango skin or the sap from the tree unless you know you are not allergic. Mangoes, in season in the summer, can cause a severe reaction in those who are allergic to them, including shortness of breath, blisters, hives, rashes, and other unpleasant side effects. Most people can eat mango, but a small percentage of people who come into contact with the tropical fruit get a strong reaction from the sap and skin.

While Hawaii is paradise and relatively safe in terms of violent crime, following these safety tips from the experts will help you make sure all visitors return to home safe, happy, tanned, relaxed, and intoxicated with the Aloha spirit.

Queen Emma

Queen Emma was the wife of Kamehameha IV and one of the most influential figures in Hawaiian history. Once a candidate for the royal throne, Emma became known and loved for her humanitarian efforts throughout the Islands.

Emma was born on January 2, 1836. She was the great-granddaughter of Keliimaikai, a half-brother of Kamehameha the Great, and her parents were themselves high-ranking alii (members of royalty). In accordance with Hawaiian custom, Emma was adopted at birth by her childless aunt, chiefess Grace Kamaukui Young, and her husband, Doctor Thomas C.C. Rooke.

Emma was educated in Honolulu at the Royal School, which was established by American missionaries. In 1856, she married Alexander Liholiho, who a year earlier had assumed the throne as Kamehameha IV. Two years later, in 1858, Emma gave birth to a son, Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Leiopapa a Kamehameha.

The queen kept herself busy tending to royal palace affairs, including the expansion of the scholarly library. Inspired by watching her father’s work, Emma encouraged her husband to help establish a public hospital. As a result, Queen’s Hospital opened in 1860. The queen formed an organization to promote the hospital’s services to native Hawaiians.

Tragically, Prince Albert died in August 1862 of "brain fever." He was only four years old. A year later, a grief-stricken Kamehameha IV, who blamed himself for the boy’s death, also died.

In 1865, Emma sailed to England to solicit funds for an Anglican cathedral and a school for girls in Hawaii. During her trip, she managed to raised $16,000 for both projects. England’s Queen Victoria remarked of Emma, "Nothing could be nicer or more dignified than her manner."

When King Lunalilo died in 1874, Emma was a candidate to replace him. In fact, it’s said that Lunalilo wanted her to succeed him, but he failed to make the necessary legal pronouncement before he died. Instead, an election was held, and Emma was soundly defeated by David Kalakaua.

Queen Emma died on April 25, 1885 at the age of 49. She was given a royal funeral and was laid to rest in Mauna Ala, next to her husband and son.

Grand Waikikian Hotel Specials

The Grand Waikikian has a pair of promotions going on now; giving potential guests the chance to experience the Waikiki resort’s upscale digs at seriously reduced rates.

The 331-suite Grand Waikikian opened December 20, 2008—the most recent addition to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Those who book now are eligible for the “Grand Suite Getaway” package, offering a nightly rate of $250 for a one-bedroom suite, with a five-night minimum stay, saving guests as much as $290 per night.

Suites are equipped with private outdoor lanai, full kitchen, flat-screen televisions, wireless Internet and deep-soaking tub. If that’s not convincing enough, guests also receive a $100 resort credit valid for activities including spa treatment, surfing or standup paddle boarding lessons and dining at the Hilton’s Starlight Luau. Shoppers take note the credit is also good at the 90+ stores and restaurants within the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The package is offered based upon availability, now through May 31, 2009, for travel dates through December 31, 2009. For more information, or to make a reservation, call (877) 631-4482 and ask for the “Grand Suite Getaway” package.

The Grand Waikikian and other Hilton properties are also offering a Mahalo Package for guests staying four or more consecutive nights. The deal includes 10,000 Hilton HHonors bonus points, double miles with one of more than 20 airlines and a complimentary bathrobe.

The offer is valid for travel dates through June 15, 2009 for room rates starting at $269 per night and is based on availability.

For reservations and a list of all participating Hilton properties and airlines, click here, or call (800) HHONORS (800) 446-6677 and ask for Plan Code H9.

Mixed Martial Arts Take Over Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park April 25th

Martial arts enthusiasts get ready for some action! Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Madness is set to take over Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park this Saturday, April 25th. The event, presented by MMA Hawaii, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park and Hawaii Pacific Entertainment, is for the entire family. The inaugural MMA Madness event will include a live 15-man fight card and fighting demonstrations. Admission is $23.99 per person and includes the use of all water park rides.

Spectators will learn and experience the respect and discipline it takes to become an MMA fighter, plus they’ll get to see some of the most exciting bouts from local and international MMA fighters including, former ICON Championship UFC Veteran Niko Vitale, current elite XC Champion Sidney Silva, UFC Veteran Brandon Wolff, UFC Veteran Sugar Shane Nelson, UFC Veteran Troy Mandoliz, UFC Veteran Ronald Jhun, IFL Strikerforce Fighter Harris Sarmiento and Kala Kolohe Hose.

Exhibitors will also be on hand from the Army National Guard, Heald College, Off The Mat, GNC, Xyience - Energy Drink, Vandal Eyeware and others.

Plus, MMAHawaii.com is searching to crown the 2010 Miss MMA Hawaii. It’s Hawaii’s mixed martial arts industry’s most coveted title. Register in person at the MMA MADNESS event on April 25 at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. The contest will incorporate all aspects of beauty and physical fitness. Qualified models will be featured on the MMA Hawaii website, MMA Hawaii Magazine and MMA Hawaii Insider Television show.

Tickets for the 2008 MMA Madness are available for purchase for $23.99 at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park located at 400 Farrington Highway in Kapolei. For more information please visit http://www.mmahawaii.com

Download Online Coupons For Top Attractions on Oahu

Thanks to CouponsForFun.com, you can easily download coupons for many attractions on Oahu including museums, shows, helicopter rides, history tours, water parks, and more with some items absolutely FREE! Checkout this great site and save money today!!!

Queen Kaahumanu

Queen Kaahumanu was more than Kamehameha’s favorite wife. She was, at one time, the most powerful figure in the Hawaiian Islands, helping usher in a new era for the Hawaiian kingdom. Many historians believe Kaahumanu was born in a cave on March 17, 1768. Her father was Keeaumoku, a Big Island alii (royalty) who became a fugitive and fled to Maui. Her mother, Namahana, had been the wife of Kamehameha Nui, the king of Maui.


Kaahumanu spent much of her childhood in the Kau district on the Big Island of Hawaii. When she was seven, she met a young warrior by the name of Kamehameha, who was destined to become Hawaii’s greatest king and unifier of the Hawaiian islands. Ten years later, the two were married. It’s said that Kamehameha and Kaahumanu had a tempestuous marriage. Both were fiercely possessive and strong-willed.


The king was hardly faithful to Kaahumanu—he would acquire 21 additional wives—but he constantly assured her that she alone was his "favorite wife." One story has a jealous Kaahumanu making an 18-mile journey between Kailua-Kona and Honaunau in an attempt to catch her husband in an act of infidelity. Indeed, some storytellers say she swam the entire distance!


When Kamehameha died on May 8, 1819, the crown was passed to his son, Liholiho, who would rule as Kamehameha II. Kaahumanu, however, revealed that her husband believed that Liholiho lacked the leadership abilities required to lead the kingdom.


Therefore, Kaahumanu said, the king had created an important position for her: kuhina nui, or prime minister. She would rule as an equal with Liholiho.


Kaahumanu wasn’t shy in wielding her power. Within six months, she recruited Liholiho’s mother, Keopuolani, to join her in convincing Liholiho to break the sacred kapu system which had been the rigid code of Hawaiians for centuries.


The young king accomplished this simply by eating a meal with women. When the Hawaiians saw that Liholiho was not struck down by angry gods, the entire kapu system was discarded. For his part, Liholiho preferred to indulge in gaming, drinking, and being entertained.


He had little use for the drudgeries of government. Kaahumanu, therefore, was the true power of the monarchy. Soon after the first Protestant missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1820, Kaahumanu embraced Christianity. Under her rule, stringent laws were passed against murder, theft, smoking and Sabbath breaking.


In May 1832, Kaahumanu fell ill. Recognizing that the end was near, she requested to be taken to her mountain home in Manoa Valley on Oahu. On June 5, with the Reverend Hiram Bingham at her side, she breathed her final words: "I’m going now…where the mansions are ready." Kaahumanu was 64.

Liliuokalani: Hawaii's Last Queen

Hawaii’s last sovereign queen was born on September 2, 1838 in Honolulu. According to Hawaiian tradition, she was adopted at birth by Abner Paki and his wife, Konia (a granddaughter of King Kamehameha I). Liliuokalani’s childhood years were spent studying and playing with Bernice Pauahi, the Pakis’ natural daughter.

Liliuokalani received her education at the Royal School and became fluent in English. She was also a member of Kawaiahao Church, which was built under the direction of Hiram Bingham, the leader of the first group of missionaries to Hawaii in 1820. In 1862, she married John Owen Dominis, the son of an American sea captain.

In 1874, Liliuokalani’s brother, David Kalakaua, was elected as Hawaii’s new king. One of his first acts was to name William Pitt Leleiohoku as his heir; just three years later, however, the crown prince died at the age of 23. Liliuokalani was now directly in line for the throne.

Kalakaua himself died in January 1891 in San Francisco. On January 29, the USS Charleston was sighted off Diamond Head, its hull draped in black and the Hawaiian flag at half-staff. Suddenly, the Hawaiians knew: Their king was dead. Government ministers insisted that Liliuokalani immediately sign an oath to uphold the constitution that had been forced upon her brother.

Under the constitution, Liliuokalani wielded little power. She formed a Cabinet three times, and each time it was rejected by the Legislature. She drafted a strongly royalist constitution, but no one supported it.

Finally, on January 17, 1893, pro-American forces overthrew the government and proclaimed a provisionist government with Sanford B. Dole as president. Liliuokalani had no choice but to surrender her throne. She made a plea to the U.S. government for reinstatement, and a representative of President Grover Cleveland found the overthrow to be illegal. Dole, however, refused to accept the decision.

The queen withdrew to her residence, Washington Place, and urged her supporters to be patient and avoid bloodshed. A fierce uprising was firmly squelched in January 1895, and although she denied playing a role in the attempted takeover, Liliuokalani was arrested and taken to a second-floor room at Iolani Palace. It would serve as her jail cell for nearly a year. During her confinement, the queen wrote one of Hawaii’s most beloved songs, "Aloha Oe" ("Farewell to Thee").

Liliuokalani was pardoned in October 1896. In her remaining years, the deposed queen fought for the restoration of the Hawaiian kingdom. She died in 1917 at age 79.

King Kalakaua

In his 54 years of life, King David Kalakaua certainly lived up to his nickname, "The Merrie Monarch." He had a passion for music, dancing, parties, and the finest food and drinks. The king’s reign, however, was also marked by tragedy, pain and dark clouds hovering over the Hawaiian kingdom.

Kalakaua was born on November 16, 1836 in Honolulu. His parents were the high chief Kahana Kapaakea and the high chiefess Analea Keohokalole. Per Hawaiian custom, the infant was adopted by the chiefess Haaheo Kaniu, who took him to the court of King Kamehameha III on the island of Maui. When Kalakaua was four, he returned to Oahu to begin his education at the Royal School.

Fluent in English and Hawaiian, Kalakaua took to studying law at the age of 16. His various government positions, however, prevented him from fully completing his legal training. Instead, by 1856, the young Hawaiian was a major on the staff of King Kamehameha IV. He had also been a leader of a political organization known as the Young Hawaiians; the group’s motto was "Hawaii for the Hawaiians." In addition to his military duties, Kalakaua served in the Department of the Interior and, in 1863, was appointed postmaster general.

When Kamehameha V died in December 1872 without having designated an heir, an election was held to determine his successor. Prince William Charles Lunalilo emerged victorious over Kalakaua by a wide margin. On February 3, 1874, however, Lunalilo also died without naming a successor. Another election was held, and Kalakaua won handily over Queen Emma, widow of Kamehameha IV.

Supporters of the queen rioted. Kalakaua requested help from American and British warships in the harbor, and the uprising was quelled. Because of the ill feelings, however, the new king’s plans for a lavish celebration were put on hold and his reign began on a modest note.

In late 1874, Kalakaua sailed to the United States amid much fanfare. In Washington, he negotiated the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875, which eliminated the tariff on sugar and other Hawaiian products. As a result, Hawaii’s sugar industry boomed and the kingdom enjoyed a period of economic prosperity.

Upon his return, Kalakaua moved into his palace with his wife, Queen Kapiolani, the granddaughter of King Kaumualii of Kauai. He decided he needed a more luxurious home, however, and had Iolani Palace built at a cost of $350,000—an unheard of sum at the time.

The Hawaiian culture enjoyed a revival of sorts under Kalakaua, including hula and chants. In July 1887, however, an organization called the Hawaiian League forcibly took control of the government and presented the king with a new constitution. Called the "Bayonet Constitution" (for obvious reasons), Kalakaua had little choice but to sign it. The new constitution severely restricted his powers and signaled the end of the monarchy.

In November 1890, an ill Kalakaua sailed to California for medical treatment. He died at a hotel in San Francisco on January 20, 1891. His final words were, "Tell my people I tried."

Don Ho

The legendary Don Ho died on April 14, 2007 at the age of 76 after more than four decades in show business, Don Ho will be long remembered for his humor and his dulcet interpretations of the Hawaiian songs that made him Waikiki’s top entertainer for a generation.


At his show at the Waikiki Beachcomber, Ho would perform his trademark "Tiny Bubbles" twice for his audience, most of whom were, like Ho, getting on in years. "I sing it at the beginning," he told them, "in case some of you don’t make it to the end of the show." Everyone laughed, as Ho paused for effect. "And then I sing it at the end," he teased, "because the rest of you might forget I already sang it."

That was Don Ho, the consummate entertainer. His blend of gentle humor, charm and vocal talents helped him mesmerize audiences since the early 1960s, after he bought a Kaneohe cocktail lounge and started his own band. "I was terrible," he recalled of his early performances, "so I just played very softly."

Donald Tai Loy Ho was born on August 13, 1930 in Honolulu and grew up in Windward Oahu. He spent a year at Springfield College in Massachusetts before returning home and earning a bachelor’s of science degree at the University of Hawaii.

In 1954, Ho entered the U.S. Air Force and flew fighter jets in both Texas and Hawaii. He left the Air Force in 1960 to tend to his ailing mother. After starting his band, Ho began to improve and hone his musical image. He began playing shows in Waikiki, and his popularity soared. Soon, Ho exploded on the national scene, beginning with a sold-out two-week engagement at Hollywood’s posh Coconut Grove in 1966. His opening-night performance broke all previous attendance records.

Then came the hit records. In 1967, Ho’s "Tiny Bubbles" reached No. 8 on the Billboard charts. Other popular tunes recorded by Ho are "I’ll Remember You," "Pearly Shells," "Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Hanalei Moon" and "Kanaka Wai Wai."

In the mid-1970s, Ho hosted his own variety show on the ABC network. His TV résumé also includes appearances on "The Brady Bunch," "Charlie’s Angels," "Batman" and "I Dream of Jeannie." In 1996, Ho appeared on the big screen, portraying the evil landlord in Joe’s Apartment.

Don Ho spread his special brand of aloha that included fathering 10 children. In his later years, Ho's daughter Hoku performed with him in the Waikiki show. Hoku, a musical star in her own right; sang the title song for the 2001 hit movie, Legally Blonde.

King Lunalilo

The year was 1872. On his deathbed, Lot Kamehameha turned to his cousin, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, and offered her the Hawaiian throne. The princess declined, and Lot—last of Kamehameha the Great’s direct descendants to wear the crown—died without naming his successor.

There were two claimants to the throne: David Kalakaua and William Charles Lunalilo. Although Kalakaua was descended from highborn chiefs, it was clear that Lunalilo had the more impressive bloodlines. His grandfather was Prince Kaleimamahu, half-brother of Kamehameha I. His grandmother was Princess Miriam Kalakua Kaheiheimaile, sister of Kamehameha’s favorite wife, Queen Kaahumanu. Lunalilo, in fact, was considered to be the highest-born alii of his generation.

Lot, however, considered Lunalilo to be incapable of leading the kingdom. Lunalilo was pampered, self indulgent and undisciplined. In 1871, on his father’s advice, he even resorted to have his own wealth monitored by guardians. Still, when the special election was held on January 1, 1873, Lunalilo was nearly a unanimous choice over Kalakaua. The next day, he walked to Kawaiahao Church in Honolulu to take the oath of office.

Two related issues occupied much of Lunalilo’s reign as king. Hawaii’s growing sugar industry required a natural market to absorb its increasing production, and Lunalilo worked to give Hawaiian sugar unhindered and untaxed access to the American market. At the same time, American use of Pearl Harbor on Oahu was openly considered in exchange for the reciprocity treaty. In April 1873, the American businessmen proposed the idea of ceding the harbor to the U.S.

Lunalilo, acting on the advice of his advisers, seemed ready to cede the land for the economical benefits of reciprocity. A rising swell of opposition by Hawaiians, however, forced him to reconsider. The king’s reputation was tarnished in the eyes of his people.

More alarmingly, Lunalilo’s health was in rapid decline. The first signs of illness appeared in August 1873, just eight months after he assumed the throne. His personal physician noted that the king "cannot live very much longer unless he totally abstains from the use of intoxicating drinks."

In November, Lunalilo traveled to the Big Island, hoping that the change of scenery would revitalize his health. By January 1874, however, the frail king returned to Oahu. On his deathbed, he requested a burial at Kawaiahao Church. He wanted, he said, to be "entombed among (my) people, rather than the kings and chiefs" at the Royal Mausoleum in Nuuanu Valley.

Lunalilo died on February 3, 1874. He was 39.

Top 20 Hawaiian Words To Learn Before Your Trip

By learning a few key Hawaiian words and expressions before your next trip to the islands, you can show respect, have some fun, and find the right bathroom for your gender.

Here are the Top 20 Hawaiian words in alphabetical order:

aloha - hello; goodbye; welcome; farewell; love
hale - house
haole - a foreigner, often referring to a Caucasian
heiau - Hawaiian temple; place of worship; sacred ground
hula - native dance of Hawai'i
kama`aina - native born or local resident of Hawai'i
kane - man
keiki - child(ren)
lanai - a porch, balcony or veranda
lua - bathroom
lu`au - a Hawaiian feast
mahalo - thank you
makai - a direction: "towards the sea"
mauka - a direction: "towards the mountains"
ohana - family
ono - delicious
pali - cliff(s)
pau - finished; done (pau hana = done with work)
poi - crushed taro root, made into a sticky paste
wahine - woman

Pronunciation Tips:
1. The Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters - the five regular vowels (a, e, i, o, and u) and eight consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and the okina: ' ).
2. The vowels are pronounced ah, ey, ee, oh and oo, not ay, ee, eye, oh and you, as in English.
3. Usually each vowel in a word is pronounced separately.

King Kamehameha V

Born on December 11, 1830, Lot Kamehameha was the last direct descendant of Kamehameha the Great to rule the Hawaiian kingdom.



Lot’s mother was Kinau, a half-sister of Kamehameha II (Liholiho) and Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli). When Kauikeaouli’s two children died in infancy, he adopted Kinau’s children as his heirs.


Lot was educated at court and at the Chief’s Childrens’ School, which was established for royal children by American missionaries.


In 1848, a missionary took Lot and his brother, Alexander Liholiho (the future Kamehameha IV), on a tour of Europe and the United States. During this time, Lot became educated on matters of politics and diplomacy.


In 1863, following the death of Kamehameha IV, Lot was named king by order of the cabinet, privy council and kuhina nui (prime minister), Princess Victoria Kamamalu. He had previously served as minister of the Interior and headed his brother’s finance department.


When he took the throne, he refused to take an oath to uphold the 1852 constitution, which he regarded as too restrictive of the king’s powers. Instead, he attempted to create a new constitution.


In May of 1864, he called for a constitutional convention of representatives elected by the people for the purpose of revising the existing constitution. When the delegates met, however, most opposed the king’s plan. Still, Lot managed to draft a new constitution that gave him more power. The constitution lasted for 23 years.


Despite heavy criticism, Lot strived to promote a renaissance of Hawaiian traditions and culture; he often hosted hula performances at his residence in Moanalua on Oahu.


Today, the Prince Lot Festival is held at Moanalua Gardens each July to pay homage to Lot. The daylong festival spotlights hula troupes from around the state sharing their love for the Hawaiian dance. Lot never married.


Some speculate that he had been in love with Bernice Pauahi Bishop (who married Charles Reed Bishop) and the widowed Queen Emma, wife of his deceased brother. In 1872, his declining health forced Lot to offer the throne to Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who refused.


Lot died on December 11, 1872 without naming an heir.

King Kamehameha IV

Alexander Liholiho, who ruled the kingdom of Hawaii as Kamehameha IV, lived a short but eventful life marked by great accomplishments and, sadly, an even greater tragedy.

Liholiho was born on February 9, 1834, in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. He was the grandson of Kamehameha the Great and the adopted son and heir of his uncle, King Kamehameha III. The young prince was educated at the Royal School by American missionaries until he was 14, when he and his older brother, Lot (the future Kamehameha V), were taken out of school so they could expand their education through world travel.

Liholiho was nearly 21 on January 11, 1855, the when he succeeded his uncle on the throne. Charles de Varigny, the secretary of the French consulate in Honolulu, described the young king as "tall, but obesity did not disfigure his slender, athletic frame. His features were regular, his forehead high, his smile delightful. Lively, intelligent eyes lent brightness and animation to his very sympathetic facial expression."

A year later, in 1856, Kamehameha IV married Emma Rooke, a chiefess and great-grandniece of Kamehameha I. Queen Emma became a significant influence on her husband. The couple had one son, Albert.

The king abhorred the increasing amount of influence that the Americans were enjoying in his kingdom. He correctly feared that, in time, the United States might take over his nation. As a result, Liholiho sought to cultivate a stronger relationship with Britain as a way to balance the power of the Americans. He also strived to find other ways to lessen Hawaii’s dependence on the U.S.

Kamehameha IV also laid out a plan for public hospitals to care for Hawaii’s sick and elderly. When met with resistance by the legislature, the king and his wife took matters into their own hands and solicited funds for a new hospital in Honolulu. Today, nearly 150 years later, Queen’s Medical Center remains one of the prominent hospitals in the state.

One of the saddest chapters of the Hawaiian monarchy was the death of young Prince Albert. On August 17, 1862, the boy threw a temper tantrum, and his annoyed father decided to cool him off by placing him under a cold water faucet. Shortly after the dousing, the child became sick with a high fever. Ten days, later, the prince was dead.

Overcome with grief and guilt, Kamehameha IV became a recluse and withdrew from public life. A year later, on November 30, 1863, after years of suffering from nerve disorders and asthma, the king died unexpectedly. He was only 29.

Fatty's Chinese Kitchen

Fatty's Chinese Kitchen
Miramar at Waikiki
2345 Kuhio Ave.
(808) 922-9600




This tiny takeout or eat-in Chinese cookery is behind the International Marketplace, an easy-to-reach location for the Waikiki tourist set. Tourists often miss it, but locals don't.

They line up for the Cantonese stir-fry that's cooked as they watch. The restaurant, which has been in the same location below the Miramar Hotel for 27 years, has nine plastic chairs outside and 11 stools at its well-worn counter inside.

Among the popular dishes are chicken and mushroom stir fry, beef curry over rice and a sea bass plate.

King Kamehameha III

Faced with growing foreign influence and a declining native population, Kauikeaouli’s 30-year reign as Kamehameha III was marked with incredible challenges. In the end, however, the Hawaiian kingdom remained intact.



Born on August 11, 1813 on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauikeaouli was the second son of Kamehameha the Great and Queen Keopuolani. Kauikeaouli was 11 years younger than his brother Liholiho, who ruled as Kamehameha II.



It’s said that Kauikeaouli had a troubled childhood. He was torn between the Christian guidelines imposed on the kingdom by the kuhina nui (prime minister) Kaahumanu and the desires to return to the ways of old Hawaii. Under the influence of Oahu governor Boki, Kauikeaouli turned to alcohol in a clear rejection of the Christian standards of morality.



Kauikeaouli was only 11 when he ascended to the throne in June 1825, 11 months after the death of Liholiho. For the next seven years, he was guided by Kaahumanu and the high chief Kalanimoku. When Kaahumanu died in 1832, she was replaced by Kauikeaouli’s half-sister, Kinau. Kinau died when Kauikeaouli was only 25, and the young king found himself consumed by the burdens of kingship.



When Kauikeaouli came to the throne, the native population numbered about 150,000, which was already less than half of the Hawaiian population at the time of Captain Cook’s arrival to Hawaii in 1778. During his reign, that number would be halved again, thanks in part to a smallpox epidemic.



In 1843, a British commander named George Paulet pressured Kauikeaouli into surrendering the Hawaiian kingdom to the British crown. It was during this brief period of uncertainty that the king uttered the phrase that eventually became Hawaii’s motto: "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono"—"The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." Less then five months later, Britain rejected the commander’s actions and the kingdom was restored to Kauikeaouli.



As the years passed, Kauikeaouli found himself resigned to the changing landscape of Hawaii. His rebellious nature softened as his authority was compromised by outside influences. In 1854, he had his foreign minister, Robert Wyllie, "ascertain the views of the United States in relation to the annexation thereto of these Islands."



Kauikeaouli died on December 15 of that same year. He was 41.

North Shore Shrimp Trucks

Cast a wide net for lunch or dinner the next time you drive to Oahu's North Shore. Scattered along Kamehameha Highway, from Haleiwa to Kahuku, are trucks selling barbecued shrimp, chicken and steak plates, most served Hawaiian plate-lunch style, with steamed white rice and salad.

One of the first of the dozen or so trucks you'll encounter is Big Wave Shrimp Co., where a billboard of a surfboard-riding cartoon shrimp welcomes customers. You may run into the crew of the TV show "Lost" here; they film nearby and drop in occasionally for lunch.

Several more shrimp trucks, some of them converted RVs, can be found past Turtle Bay Resort, including Giovanni's Aloha Shrimp, one of the best known. It's at 59-565 Kamehameha Highway.

Nico's Pier 38 Restaurant

Nico's Pier 38
1133 N. Nimitz Highway
Honolulu, Hawaii
(808) 540-1377

www.nicospier38.com




Downtown workers, fishermen, and savvy tourists have a favorite seafood restaurant in Honolulu: Nico's Pier 38. The seafood here is so fresh, you know it just came off the boat. Actually, the Honolulu Fish Auction is next door; each day, owner Nicolas Chaize chooses what he'll serve that day.

Try the pan-seared ahi ($8.80) or amazing Fish & Chips ($8.55); the seafood plates are accompanied by fresh organic baby greens and rice. Order inside and eat on the busy patio or at a picnic table near the fishing boats. They also serve hamburgers, BBQ chicken, Loco Moco, and breakfast.

Pearl Harbor New Visitor Center Begins Construction

One of Hawaii’s most visited military historical sites is getting a facelift.

Preliminary construction has begun on a new 17,750 square-foot USS Arizona Memorial visitor center at Pearl Harbor. The $58 million project includes other additions and landscaping changes to the visitor center grounds. The world famous edifice of the Alfred Preis-designed memorial, constructed above the sunken hull of the battleship in Pearl Harbor, is not part of the renovation.

The current 29-year old visitor center will remain open during construction.

In the coming weeks, octagonal shaped pillars, or piles—each 125 to 200 feet long and 16.5 inches around—will be driven into the ground to serve as the foundation for buildings and other structures. The bulk of this first-phase structural work will take place weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from April 30 to May 27.

Everything at the Pearl Harbor Historic Site will remain business as usual with tours and boats running as scheduled. You should, however, plan accordingly as traffic in the area will likely increase.

When completed in early 2010, the new visitor complex will house interactive exhibits, a renovated concession area and restrooms better accommodating the 1.5 million people visiting the Arizona Memorial annually. Additional site improvements will include more walkways, security walls, and new landscaping and parking.

Phase two of the project begins soon after, with the demolition of the existing visitor center and construction of new pavilions. The estimated completion date for the entire project is September 2010.

A formal opening ceremony for the new visitor center is being planned for December 7, 2010—the 69th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.