Hawaii 101

Bring on the floral lanyards, start playing the Ukulele, serve me my fruity cocktail and entertain me with the hula dancing. I don’t care how I get there, but Hawaii, here I come.

These lines seem to become the mantra of those who want to get away from the hassle and bustle of work and melt all the toxic away by having a vacation in tropical places like Hawaii. Most tourists, being aware that the trip down to the land of Aloha could be once in a lifetime chance tries to make their travels perfect by researching what is great about Hawaii early on.

But the key to enjoy Hawaii is to be spontaneous and let yourself lose. When you get lost, you’re in one of the smallest state in America anyway. One boat ride and you’re sure to find your way back.

Nonetheless, tourist guides are all over the islands to give haole (Hawaiian word for foreigners) information on where they can go to maximize their visit to the islands. Most locals or kama’ainas as they call them, find it difficult to give directions in the English language so the haole usually finds it important to know the different words that pertain to different directions before exploring the beaches, clubs, and other hangout places around the state.

When the haole tells you that the location you’re looking for is makai, that means it is going towards the sea. Mauka means towards the mountains.

When the direction-giving is too wikiwiki or very fast, make sure you ask the local to repeat the direction by saying hana hou and say mahalo or thank you afterwards.

One of the running jokes between hoale and the locals of Hawaii is the phrase that goes Humuhumunukunukuapua’a. Say this seemingly tongue twister and you can find yourself the center of humour because it means “triggerfish with a snout like a fish.

On the serious side, the state of Hawaii follows the motto that Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono or “the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness,” which indeed is visible with the different tourist destinations that leave everyone in awe and asking for more. Most say that the paradise of Eden does not exist, but well, visitors in Hawaii can see that this is not true.

Oahu alone, being the Gathering Place houses the State Capitol which is surrounded with the different cultural showcases of Honolulu that can amaze any tourist, along with the beaches and rich forests in Waikiki where serenity is not too fair.

And if its paradise you are searching for, the natural beauty of Kauai should be enough to leave you at awe with all the small island filled with exotic flower species and trees that surround the sandy beaches filled with snorkelling and diving spots. The Valley Isle of Maui on the other hand can satisfy the thirst of beaches with diverse marine life. Humpback whales can be the highlight of the tour especially when these friendly giants travel along the shores during winter.

There are still more islands that are worth visiting. But when its Hawaii, touring would definitely be a high.