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oahu (8)

Halona Cove: Romantic Beach on Oahu's East Side

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 15, 2010 at 2:23am
Halona Cove

Halona Cove is where they filmed the 1953 film From Here to Eternity. It's a small cove right next to the Halona Blowhole, where water sprays up through an opening on the lava rock. The Halona beach area is on Kalanianole Highway (72) between Makapu'u Point and Koko Head and features a great lookout point toward the vast Pacific. A small parking lot accommodates visitors. To get to the cove, walk down the boulder stone steps right next to the highway and the southernmost end of the lot.

Although
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Ho'oumaluhia Botanical Garden Offers Easy Access to Nature

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 13, 2010 at 11:06am
Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

Ho'oumaluhia Botanical Garden means "to make a place of peace and tranquility" and it surely lives up to its name. It's hard to believe the garden is located just shy of a residential and urban area.

The garden sprawls for 400-acres at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in Kaneohe, Oahu. With free admission, a scenic lake, picnic areas, walking trails and weekend campsites, Ho'omaluhia garden is not only a boon for locals, but also for tourists. Botany enthusiasts will love the plant collections f
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Oahu's Kahuka Shrimp Shacks: Cheap and Great Eats on the Road

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 13, 2010 at 12:16am

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The Kahuka area in Oahu, approaching the North Shore off the Kamehameha Highway, features food trucks and shacks that serve delicious locally farm-raised shrimp in variety of forms, from garlic and butter sauce to curried or with lemongrass. Don't be dissuaded by the rustic appearance of these eateries -- the freshness and quality is a steal at dishes all under $20 a plate. I promise you'll become instantly addicted to this rich but simple pleasure.

Kahuka's terrain includes marshy areas where fa
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Oahu Wrap-Up

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 27, 2010 at 10:49pm
Coconut Island

I'm back from Oahu and I miss it already! I'm so fortunate I got to stay with family because this way I could see Hawaii more like a local. Below are some tidbits you might enjoy if you're blessed with the opportunity to visit this beautiful island.

  1. Eat shrimp in the Kahuka area.
  2. Visit Chinatown on a busy Sunday morning.
  3. Take in the sweeping views at the Punchbowl Cemetery lookout (and honor the military service men and women, too).
  4. Stop at Buzz's for a wickedly strong Mai Tai and calamari "steak" a
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Best View in Honolulu

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 21, 2010 at 11:54am
Punchbowl Cemetery Memorial Walk Lookout
View of Honolulu with Waikiki and Diamond Head in the background.

Drive to the top of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (also known as Punchbowl Crater), stroll uphill the Memorial Walk and you will be rewarded with not only the opportunity to honor those who gave their lives in battle, but also with an extraordinary panoramic view of Honolulu. The cemetery is beautiful and solemn; the view from atop offers an opportunity for reflection.
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A Cultural Trifecta in Honolulu: Bishop Museum, Mission Houses and 'Iolani Palace

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on August 3, 2014 at 8:02pm

Forget the kitschy song and dance show at the Hilton on Waikiki; it barely scratches the surface of the amazing richness and depth of Hawaiian natural and cultural history. Here are three recommended spots to wet your feet in what will hopefully be a lifelong interest in and admiration of this beautiful chain of islands.

Bishop Museum

Bishop Museum - Hawaiian Hall
Polynesia and Hawaii 101 starts here. Good thing there's not a quiz at the end ... there's much to learn.

Begin your exploration here. The Hawaiian Hall consis

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Byodo-In Temple: Serenity in Oahu

Posted by Maria de los Angeles on September 16, 2010 at 8:13am
Byodo-In Temple

Located inside the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, Kaneohe, the Byodo-In Temple is a scale replica of a 900 year-old Japanese temple and was established in 1968 to honor the first Japanese immigrants to Hawai'i. The temple is home to a unique golden Buddha sculpture, more than 18 feet tall. A three ton brass bell rings occasionally from the bell house and is the only sound, besides a small stream, that pierces through the serenity of this spot at the foot of the Koo'lau Mountains. Come here
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