Who's been to Hawaii?

[Davo3960]

I'm off to Hawaii shortly for three weeks and was wondering if anyone had an places they'd recommend to visit (astronomy related or otherwise). I'll be visiting Oahu and Maui.

[Ric]

Never been there, but I'll carry your bags for you if you want
From what I've heard the volcano is very spectacular and even more so at night.

Have a great trip

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Been there 4 times. Pity you aren't going to Hawaii, you could take a trip to Mauna Kea to see the scopes!

I love the place, that's why I have been there so many times. Maui, you got to go to the top of Haleakela (ha-lay-uk-a-lah) to see the sun rise. It looks like the moon with all the craters. You can trek down into the crater from the summit to, or horse ride. Can take the bike ride down the outside too, I can't ride a bike so never done it myself. Take an around the island tour, all day on the windiest road you have ever seen (about 300 turns?).

Oahu? Of course Waikiki...full of toursists though. If you have a car, drive to the other side of the island and get away from the people. The cultural centre is worth a visit. If you like snorkelling, go to Hanauma Bay. Should also try out the Atlantis submarine, the one in Oahu doesn't have much to see, but they have one on Maui.

I could go on....I think you will enjoy it! Oh, and see if you can see Polaris and Crux at the same time!

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

I would also highly recommend (if you are going to be on the "big island") that you check out Pearl Harbor and go out to the Arizona Memorial...It is an extremely moving experience...

Also for a bit of fun go to Hilo Hattie's (maybe spelled wrong) and see the worlds largest Hawaiin Shirt!

[leon]

Lucky Bugger

Leon

[Davo3960]

I've already booked the sun rise and bike ride on Haleakala. A friend has been there and highly recommended it (all though his wife and kids all got altitude sickness and had to head back down). Not going to the big island so will miss Mauna Kea. I've never seen the Northern Hemisphere stars so that will be an experience. I'm staying in Waikiki and will have a car for some of the time. Not sure about driving on the right hand side though, could be fun or dangerous! Thanks for the tips.

[acropolite (Phil)]

You lucky bugger, Maui is a bit of a windsurfing mecca, Hookipa beach is world famous as a wavesailing spot, if you're at all interested and the wind is up you may see some spectacular sailing there.

[jase (Jason)]

If you're interested in astronomy, you can't visit Hawaii without going to Mauna Kea to see the big scopes. I went a few years ago. Was going to hire a car to drive to the summit, but hire car companies don't like you travelling along Saddle Rd as its so remote. Saddle Rd is the only road in and out. Instead I went on a tour with two professors. The summit is awesome. We arrived as the Sun was setting and the observatory domes began to open vents to commence cooling procedures. Standing beside these observatories make you feel insignificant, especially Gemini North with its 8 meter mirror cell. If anyone tells you it doesn't snow in Hawaii, they're lying. I took some pictures of snow slowly melting against some of the observatories. People have been known to snow board down some slopes. There's no astronomers to be seen, only engineers getting things ready for the night sessions. All the astronomers are at sea level. We returned to the visitors center and set up some scopes to check out some northern sky delights. Incredible seeing conditions. Highly recommended.

[gary]

Originally Posted by Davo3960

I've already booked the sun rise and bike ride on Haleakala. A friend has been there and highly recommended it (all though his wife and kids all got altitude sickness and had to head back down).

Hi Davo,

Great to hear you are making it to Haleakala for sun rise. Make sure you
have some really warm clothes or borrow the blankets from the hotel
room as it can get very cold up there at that time.

The bike ride down will be fun. Watch for vehicles.

There is a solar observatory up there and it was a training location for the
Apollo missions. It was an important site for satellite tracking during the
Cold War.

The difference between the windward and leeward sides of the island
is dramatic, with Haleakala stopping the moisture from the Pacific.

Devote a good part of a day to the scenic drive around the windy ocean
road to Hana.

They tend to eat dinner earlier in these parts compared to some other places
in the world, so for the widest choice, hit the restaurants earlier.

Like all travel to the United States, travel insurance with unlimited medical
coverage is highly recommended.

You'll have a ball!

Best Regards

Gary

[mostschaedel (Gerald)]

Hi,
Infos what todo in Hawaii from my point of view.
On Maui:
the Road to Hana and the Haleakala sunrise are the most
spectacular nature events and if you are a windsurfer Hookipa Beach is also the
Mekka of Windsurfers and a must.
For the Road to Hana you should rent a convertible and go early in the morning it will be a lifetime experience.
Halekala sunrise and biking down to the beach is also an unforgetable experience after
the sunrise over the clouds.

On Oahu it does only need a few minutes by car to get out of the
crowded japanese city.
Drive up to Punchbowl crater in the morning it gets you out already from the cities noise.
From there further on the
"Tantalus Drive" gets you through the jungle and on the top
there is a nice outlook out where its beautiful to have breakfest picnic in the grass.

Swiming and bathing is perfect on the other side in Kailua. Either
Kailua Beach Park ore a mile further the Lanikai beach are beaches
which are usually uncrowded and much more beautiful than Waikiki.

North shore with Waimea Beach is perfect for swimming and watching the surfers. Check out in
the newspaper the daily surf advice, 5 feet and more
is already very impressive.
One of my favourite places is Sandy Beach (South East of Oahu)
Where body surfing in 3-5 feet waves is a must to try. Be careful!

Haleiwa village at the north west coast of Oahu is still looking very
rural. The best and biggest breakfest i got there always at
Haleiwa Cafe. It looks dangerous but all local surfers can be found there
and its perfect and nice.

There are many places which are very crowded an to much commercialized.
Hanauma bay is nice but already to commercialized. Arizona memorial is interesting if you are an american citizen. After 12 visits i still found more
interesting places for an Austrian.

In case you have a pilot license for a small airplane you can hire very cheap in Honolulu a Cessna and fly along the cost to Molokai which gives also breathtaking views.

In any case whatever you will do it will be a lifetime experience.
Only relaxing at on open cafe at the harbour in Ilikai in Oahu
is also a way to enjoy life there.

Wouldlike to be there too...

Gerald
(beeing more than a year there and always more than happy)

[glenc (Glen)]

I suggest you do some observing with the Hawaiian Astronomical Society at Dillingham Airfield. http://www.hawastsoc.org/
The bus fares for a trip around Oahu are very cheap. A 4 day pass is $20.
http://www.thebus.org/default.asp

If you can get to the Big Island you can see the Keck Telescope with two 10m mirrors and you can also see hot lava flowing into the sea.
http://astro.nineplanets.org/bigeyes.html
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/
http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/hvostatus.php