During our trip to Hawaii, there was a glitch in our airport transfers. When we arrived, no one was there to pick us up but fortunately, the airport information desk was able to contact our tour operator and trace the driver.
When the van arrived, the driver, Michael (originally from Hongkong but his parents migrated to Hawaii when he was just a kid), profusely apologized to us. He explained that the reason for his no-show was that no one told him he had a schedule. In fact, he was off that day. Fortunately, he lived near the airport so he was able to pick us up within half an hour after he got notified.
When he dropped us off in our hotel, he gave us instructions on what time he’ll pick us up on our day of departure.
On the day of our departure, we went down early in the hotel lobby to wait. Shortly after, a limousine arrived and parked on the driveway. We heard the driver call out “Korea” so we thought maybe he was there to pick up a group of Koreans.
While waiting, my friend muttered in wishful thinking – “I wonder when can I ride a limousine like that?” looking at the limo in front of us.
About 15 minutes have passed and the hotel front desk personnel approached me and told me that there was a phone call for me. On the line was Michael, the driver who was supposed to pick us up. He goes, “Hello, Maria (my passport name). This is Michael. I‘m so sorry but I am so busy today so I couldn’t pick you up but I sent a limousine and it’s there waiting for you at the driveway!”.
The limo was for us and what we thought we heard the driver say “Korea” was actually “Maria”! Haha… What do you know - my friend’s wish just came true!
Here’s a photo inside the limousine.
If you see a limousine with plate number PTW 076 roaming in Waikiki, once in my life, that limo brought us to the airport. Haha…
There’s an outlet store complex in Hawaii called Waikele Premium Outlets which has about 50 stores like Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Levi’s, Crocs, etc.
When we were inquiring at our hotel’s front desk, everyone said that it was far. The commuter’s map also indicates it was about 2 hours from Waikiki. But we still took our chance since we had one free afternoon.
By public bus, it did take more than 2 hours! 2.5 hrs to be exact. We reached the Waikele Premium Outlets by 4pm.
Every time I go to an outlet store, my first destination is the information center so I can get a coupon book because on top of the big discounts given in the stores, you can still get additional discounts if you have a coupon book. :)
Fortunately, while at the information center we just randomly inquired if they have transfers going back to Waikiki and the attendant said she’ll check with the bus driver. And they did have 2 seats! Yay! At least we didn’t have to commute on the way back (if you miss the public bus transfer, sometimes you have to wait another 30 minutes for the next one). But the catch was - we only had 2 hours to shop because the shuttle leaves at 6pm!
That means 2 hours for 50 stores! Of course, we weren’t able to see all of them. We just selected about 5 stores we wanted to check. Two hours of shopping was enough – at least it won’t break the bank. Haha…
Anyway, on our way back to Waikiki, guess how long the travel time was? Only 30 minutes!!! 1/5 time saved from public commute! In terms of cost, it wasn’t that much difference – USD5 for the public bus vs USD10 for the private shuttle - the difference is immaterial if you consider that you could save more than 4 hours of travel time (2-way) if you take the private shuttle.
So the biggest lesson for the day was - it’s still best to research online. When I checked online, the website of Waikele’s Premium Outlets did list down several service options including the shuttle service . For more info, here's the link to Waikele's Premium Outlets' official website - http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=29.
But anyway, we didn’t regret taking the public transportation because during the ride, we have witnessed how the bus driver (a lady driver at that!) gladly helped disabled people get on the bus, secured their wheelchairs and assist them out of the bus. The task wasn’t easy and it took time but there was not a bit of trace in her face that showed she was hassled by it.
For sure, assisting the disabled is a big part of a driver’s job but there’s something about the way she treated them that was so admirable. She did it with sincerity and even went an extra mile by happily chatting with them. That lady driver inspired me that day and in retrospect, I don’t regret losing 2 hours of shopping opportunity for witnessing that. :)
There are a lot of places where you can snorkel in Hawaii and you can do it on your own. But we were advised by our hotel’s tour desk that if we want to have the best snorkeling experience, it’s best to join an organized tour because they know where to find the best spots.
So we decided to sign up for an organized tour with Ocean Joy Cruises. From Waikiki, they brought us to the west coast of Oahu which is about an hour away. Our destination was the Ko Olina Resort & Marina (the same area where Aulani, Disney’s Resort in Hawaii is located).
We boarded the Koi ‘Oli ‘Oli at the Ko Olina Resort.
The day was gloomy – this was at around 730am. It even started drizzling but thanks to my Olympus OMD EM5, I could still shoot since it’s weather-proof. Yay!
On our way out to the sea, the captain pointed to a ship in the vicinity. It’s Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship in Pirates of the Carribean!
After cruising for some time, we spotted a rainbow. Beautiful!
Before we went out to snorkel, the crew gave us safety instructions and taught us how to signal if we needed help. I don’t have photos to share though of what we saw underwater because my Olympus camera is just weather-proof and not water-proof. Haha…
Anyway, we saw a lot of colorful fishes – schools and schools of various kinds of fishes, big and small, plus several sea turtles! It was my first time to see sea turtles on a snorkel trip. We even saw them rise from the floor to the surface. Yay!
After about 30-45 minutes of snorkeling, we want back to the boat to to catch some dolphin sightings. After a few minutes of cruising, the captain announced to look below the water and we saw a lot of dolphins underwater as if leading our boat!
I remember the Captain mentioning that these were spinner or long-nosed dolphins.
They were a lot! To the left and right (not captured in the frame below) are more dolphins! This is the most number of dolphins I’ve ever seen on a dolphin watching tour.
We went to another place to see a different kind of dolphins – the smallest species if I remember right - but they were hard to shoot. We didn’t stay long because by the way they moved, the captain could tell that they were a bit agitated because I think their sleep was disrupted so we just left them in peace.
I did capture one scenic shot near the dolphin watching area.
On our way back to the Ko Olina resort, they served Kalua Pork and other Hawaiian food on the boat. Yum!
And just before we returned to the Ko Olina resort, we passed by Captain Jack Sparrow’s ship again and here’s a better photo. :)
Ocean Joy Cruises has various packages and schedules – morning, lunch and sunset cruises. We took the earliest one (pick up time at 625am) and the tour costs about USD129 (pls note though that the actual onboard experience plus snorkeling is just around 1.5 hours). At the end of the tour, you can also buy a DVD documentary of the snorkeling tour you just had.
There are so many things to do in Waikiki and it was hard to pick which ones to prioritize and which ones to forego. We decided to try the Atlantis Submarine Tour over a trip to Kualoa Ranch (the location set for Jurassic Park and some other movies) since it’s a different experience. You’ll board a boat first at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel which will take you to the Atlantis Submarine. The beach at the Hilton is so beautiful! Too bad we didn’t bring out swimsuits. :(
Here’s the top portion of the Atlantis Submarine. Got the photo from gohawaii.about.com.
And here’s how the vehicle looks like underwater. Photo taken from Alohatopten.com.
And here’s a photo when we were settled in inside the Atlantis Submarine.
Here’s the submarine’s helmsman with all the control panels and switches. Look at the upper left corner of the photo which says 82 ft. That indicates how deep we are under water. We went up to 100 ft under water.
And here’s the captain giving us pointers. He also served as our tour guide.
The Waikiki Dive site we explored is actually an artificial reef. The site has 2 sunken ships – a US Navy vessel and a Korean fishing vessel, a plane wreckage and 4 Japanese-designed reefs. Here are some photos I took during the submarine tour.
The plane wreckage.
We spotted not just fishes but a sea turtle too! Also a shark but it was too fast so I wasn’t able to take a photo.
More fishes.
And here was the closest fish which passed by my viewport – a unicorn fish – based on the Dive Log they gave us.
More schools of fishes. The colors of the fishes aren’t too obvious though because as you get deeper into the water, “the sea water filters each color of the sunlight” (as indicated in our Dive Log).
According to the Dive Log, red is the first color to break down. At about 30 ft, Orange is the next one to break down and begins to look yellow. At 60 ft, yellow begins to break down and appears green. And at 90 ft, green begins to break down and appear blue. At one point in time, the Captain asked us to smile at each other and look at each other’s teeth. They were all yellow! Haha… Also, my seatmate’s hot pink tank top became violet! The captain also showed us how thick the glass windows of the submarine are (the piece he is holding).
He passed it around for us to see. Here’s a close up on how thick the submarine window glass is!
The Atlantis Submarine Tour costs either USD109 (for the standard submarine) and USD119 (for the premium). The only difference between the standard and premium is that the premium is bigger and has more viewports. For USD10 price difference, we opted for premium. Just to warn you though, the actual submarine ride is just about 30 minutes! Really expensive. So if you're wondering if it's worth to ride the Atlantis Submarine, here's my honest assessment - it’s a good experience but if you want value for money, I suggest that instead of doing the submarine tour, join a snorkeling tour. It’s slightly expensive than the submarine tour but at least you’ll be able to see the fishes in their natural color plus the duration is definitely more than half an hour. More about our snorkeling adventure next time. :)
One of the most famous landmarks of Hawaii is a volcano crater called Diamond Head. Originally called LÄ“Ê»ahi(ahi means tuna) because the crater’s ridgeline resembles the dorsal fin of a tuna. But it was also called Diamond Head in the 19th century because British sailors thought that the sparkling calcite crystals embedded in rocks were diamonds.
The volcano is believed to be 300,000 years old according to the brochure they hand out at the entrance.
We decided to go for a hike to the Diamond Head. From our Waikiki hotel, we took the public bus (fare is USD2.50). Commute time is about 15-20 minutes.
Since we just commuted, we had to get off the highway and start hiking up to the entrance of the park. Along the way, so we don’t get overwhelmed by the hike, we just stopped every now and then to appreciate the overlooking view. Haha…
We also had to walk inside a tunnel (but if you’re on a bus tour, the bus will take you up to the park’s entrance). Here’s inside the tunnel.
And finally, we reached the park entrance. Whew!
Here are some trail notes to keep in mind before formally starting the hike.
The trail starts with a concrete path and just slightly uphill. Later on, it becomes rocky and winding (better to wear rubber shoes) ...
Along the way, don’t forget to take scenic shots on designated lookouts.
Just before you reach the viewing deck, you’ll have to go inside a tunnel.
Then after a few more flights of stairs, you’ll finally reach the end of the Trail. Breathtaking view at the top of the Diamond Head. Overlooking Waikiki and Honolulu. Postcard-perfect.
And here’s the view of Diamond Head from the Lookout.
The hike is 2.6kms(two-way) and the official tour brochure estimates that it’ll take you 1.5 to 2 hrs for the round-trip hike. In our case, it took us 2.5 hours – leisure pace! Haha…
After the hike, you may want to order a refreshing Shave Ice from the Magoo’s Trailer.
Some last tips – if you want to do the hike on your own, it’s easy to commute. Total cost is USD6 – USD2.50 bus fare for each way plus USD1 entrance fee to Diamond Head. The downside is you have to start hiking from the highway. The alternative is to take organized tours and tour prices start from USD25. The tour bus will bring you up to the park entrance.
The last time allowed to start to hike is 4:30pm but if your pace is like ours, don’t even think about hiking anymore because the tunnel gates close at 6pm and they re-open at 6am the next day. To make sure you don’t get locked in, just hike early in the day. :)
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a theme park to get to know more about the Polynesian culture. It is divided in various sections - the villages of Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti and Tonga.
Before we started exploring the villages, we chanced upon the daily Canoe Pageant wherein native Polynesians in colorful costumes danced atop canoes.
The pageant starts with the throwing of petals (just forgot what the significance of this is).
Then one after another, each Polynesian group performs their native dances.
From Hawaii -
From Tonga -
From Tahiti -
From Aotearoa -
From Samoa -
From Fiji -
Each of the groups has its own distinct moves and beat.
After the Canoe Pageant, we visited the villages. There are scheduled presentations and activities per village. For Samoa for instance, we witnessed how Samoans can create fire with wood.
You can also try to do it yourself after. Check out this Japanese who successfully tried it.
We also saw Samoans display their agility in climbing a coconut tree. And it isn’t just any coconut tree – it’s a very tall coconut tree!
Per village, you can also try their native food. For Samoa, they served this dish that had banana, sweet potato and some kind of leaves.
Activities per village differ like they’ll teach you how to dance, demonstrate how to play the drums, teach you how to throw a spear, etc.
While at the Polynesian Cultural Center, just explore the grounds. You might just see surprising things like this turtle-shaped landscape.
Or what seems like a big boulder is actually a Tiki.
This tall structure is the House of God in Fiji during the pre-Christianity period.
And these Tikis are actually burial grounds for high-ranking chiefs and the stone statues represent each one of the chiefs. But of course, these are just replicas.
We also went to the Luau in the evening. Here’s the food at the Luau. Finally tasted Kalua Pork – their version of roasted pig (aka lechon). For dessert, I loved their guava and coconut cakes.
We also went to watch their show called “Ha: The Breath of Life” (pic-taking is not allowed though). On the way to the theatre to watch the show, there’s also a marketplace where you can buy souvenirs.
The Polynesian Cultural Center has various packages for visitors. You can opt to just get Admission, or Admission+Luau, or Admission+Luau+Show. There’s also VIP and regular packages. This can range from USD50 (general admission) to as high as USD200+.
We got the package that has Admission, Luau (just regular, not VIP)+Show which totaled to about USD94 (including taxes).
My reco though if you have limited time and want to save on costs, just get the General Admission (USD50) because for me, the village presentations were the most entertaining, and with the Canoe Pageant, you’ll already be able to experience the various dances and music of Polynesia. (Similar dances are also performed during the luau and the show.)
Plus in terms of timing considerations, if you're going to watch the village presentations, attend the luau and watch the evening show, you'll have to stay there from 230pm to about 9pm. Then factor in your travel time - the Polynesian Cultural Center is about 2 hours away (1-way) from Waikiki if you're commuting. Thus, to maximize your time, you can skip the luau and show, and explore other points of interest.).
For the luau, if really want to go to one, try checking out Germaine's Luau and Paradise Cove's Luau. Heard good reviews about them plus the venues are both at the beachside. :)
