This week, Kyle Brown updated us on the budget-friendly scene in the islands. Catch up with his adventures in our Hawaii on the Cheap guide.
We quickly got hooked on snorkeling on Oahu, and soon it was the only thing on our minds when we were searching for a place to spend our time. Thankfully, the Big Island didn't disappoint. The snorkeling spots here were just as great as those on Oahu, if not even more impressive. Here's a look at three of our top picks:]]>
Hikes are pretty much free, so we did a bunch. However, we didn't want to spend too much of our, uh, time budget, so we chose some that were pretty short and sweet. Our primary mission was to see one cool thing and then get back to exploring elsewhere. Here are a few of our favorites:]]>
Long ago in Hawaii, the kapu system of laws was pretty strict when it came to what was and wasn't allowed, and many things were punishable by death. Guilty parties were wise to try their best to make it to a Pu'uhonua, a place of refuge, to avoid nasty consequences while paying their debt to the community.
One such place is the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau, located south of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island's western coast. Here the National Park Service has preserved the area, offering a chance to see a massive ancient wall that separated the royal grounds from the areas open to commoners and many ki'i, or wooden icons, that would hold the bones of the ancient chiefs to provide spiritual strength to the area.]]>
We've already let you know where we found the best beach action on Oahu, but the Big Island also has some great strands. Don’t tell Oahu, but overall we liked the beaches on the Big Island better. Here are three of our favorites:]]>
With our adventures on Oahu coming to an end, we set our sights on Hawaii’s Big Island. By the time we got there, we were a little tired of swimming and snorkeling--poor us!--so we went on a little road trip up to the North Kohala area of the Big Island in search of Hawi.
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Paddle surfer CJ Kanuha isn't content to ride the waves just anywhere. So he tied himself to a jet ski and rode right up next to Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii.
The board rider got within 20 feet of the shore, but the molten rock sliding into the ocean didn't exactly make the ride pleasant:
I was tentative to get too close at first, and for good reason, the boiling water there is well over 200 hundred degrees in some spots, super hot, and it quickly melted the wax on the surfboard.
And that's not all: The water badly burned Kanuha's legs before he could paddle off. Maybe we'll stick to some other surfing spots for now.
Related Stories:
· Volcano Surfing: Lava Waves in Hawaii [Telegraph]
· Kilauea Lava Eruption Continues in Hawaii [UPI]
· Surfing coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Telegraph]]]>
If you love the Big Island of Hawaii and rubber duckies, then have we got a Fourth of July celebration for you: the 17th Annual Great Waikoloa Rubber Duckie Race. The whole day is filled with family fun including face painting, duck waddling contests and free-style quacking. There's even free popcorn and cotton candy.
The main draw of the event comes during the afternoon when the plastic ducks are released. The top 50 finishers are eligible for prizes, including a week-long stay at an Outrigger Villa or the Hilton Waikoloa Village. If your duck doesn't come in first, hope it comes in 17th, as that will get you 17 $100 bills.
Best of all, the proceeds from the event go to the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii. Last year the group was able to raise almost $40,000 for charity. Ducks start at $5 per bird, or get a $20 "quack pack" which includes three ducks and a shirt. If you didn't get up at the, uh, quack of dawn (sorry!), then you'll be able to stay up and enjoy the fireworks display around 9 pm.
Related Stories: [Photo: bitmap78]
· Fourth of July Revelers Can Find Family Fun at Waikoloa Resort [Star Bulletin]
· Waikoloa Beach Resort [Official Site]
· Fourth of July coverage [Jaunted]