101 things I love about Hawaii (Part I)

Hawaii usually evokes images of a tropical paradise, incredible surf and waves, spectacular sunsets, romantic getaways, leis and hula dances, but nothing could prepare any first time visitor for everything that the Aloha State has to offer.

And it’s true what they say: Those who haven’t stepped foot on Hawaii wouldn’t be able to comprehend its allure—whether it’s the enchanting landscapes or the fine weather and the warm welcome of its people.

There are more than 101 things to love about Hawaii, but here’s a roundup of what I love, what I did, and should have done in July on the island of Oahu, “the gathering place.”

1. Having the best of both worlds. Hawaii’s Oahu boasts of high-rise hotels, world-class shopping centers, international restaurants, and other five-star amenities in the sprawling city of Honolulu (which means “sheltered harbor.”) Oahu, the most developed Hawaiian island, is the center of government, commerce, tourism, and the arts. But the frenetic “city” vibe easily gives way to rainforests, mountains, beautiful beaches, desolate roads, and miles of pineapple fields. With a size of 607 square miles, Oahu is where urban and rural communities exist side by side. It has a great appeal to someone who was born and had lived in a city before moving to the island of Saipan more than a decade go.

2. Getting lei’d. What else would give a first-time visitor a big smile and that Hawaiian vibe but a lei of fresh flowers at the airport from a friend? Lei is a Hawaiian word for a wreath of flowers or other objects such as sea shells and coconut shells strung together and draped around the neck to welcome somebody or as a show of affection.

3. Free Hawaiian music and hula. Six days a week, there are free authentic Hawaiian music and hula shows at the Kuhio Beach hula mound near the Duke Kahanamoku statue in Waikiki. The show, which runs from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, starts with a torch lighting and blowing of a conch shell. A big crowd gathers long before the start of the show.

4. Elephants, at last! I don’t remember seeing real elephants until I visited the Honolulu Zoo. Simple joys! I took my time inside the 42-acre urban jungle, especially in the African Savanna, until the zoo was about to close that day.

5. Waikiki Aquarium. I passed by this place several times and always told myself I will visit it before leaving Oahu. That didn’t happen.

6. A visit to Pearl Harbor. I could never leave Hawaii without visiting Pearl Harbor for its historical significance. Every year, more than 1.5 million people visit Pearl Harbor to pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the Japanese’ surprise air raids on the U.S. Pacific fleet on Dec. 7, 1941.

The surprise attacks, which cost some 2,500 American lives, catapulted the United States into World War II. One of Pearl Harbor’s landmarks is the USS Arizona Memorial, a white platform sitting directly over the sunken USS Arizona that became the tomb for 1,177 sailors and Marines whose average age was 19. The 608-foot battleship sank in nine minutes after being hit and without firing a shot, taking the sailors and Marines to their death.

Today, the structure is part of a $52 million visitor center that has a museum, bookstore, and shoreline exhibits. The center also has a film documentary of the attack and a free boat ride out to the USS Arizona Memorial every 15 minutes, from 8am to 3pm.

7. Other attractions at Pearl Harbor. Many of those who visit the USS Arizona Memorial also visit the USS Missouri, whose deck hosted the Japanese surrender that ended World War II, and the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park.

The USS Bowfin, one of only 15 World War II submarines still in existence today, is nicknamed “the Pearl Harbor Avenger” for it successful attacks on the Japanese.

Also at the center of the Pearl Harbor Historic Site is the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island. It features vintage warplanes and displays dedicated to air combat and its vital role in the Pacific during World War II.

8. Lost and found. Embarrassing as it may sound, I got separated from my tour group while visiting Pearl Harbor. Luckily, I found three others from the same tour bus I was in who were similarly lost. The four of us formed an alliance and succeeded in getting a boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial. My newfound friends included one from Alaska, who was traveling with his friends, a couple from Chile. We talked about how disappointing it would be if after a 26-hour travel from Chile to Alaska and some six hours more from Alaska to Honolulu, the Chileans would miss a boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial. We were reunited with the rest of the tour group on our way back to downtown Honolulu.

9. Rainbows. Oahu doesn’t seem to run out of them.

10. Punchbowl. Tours to Pearl Harbor are usually paired with a visit to the National Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as Punchbowl, which is the resting place of over 25,000 people who served in World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. This cemetery lies in the middle of an extinct volcano called Puowaina Crater; the first word means “consecrated hill.”

11. Hawaii’s Royal Palace. Downtown Honolulu, a hodgepodge of past and present, is where the only royal palace in the United States can be found. Called the ‘Iolani Palace, it was built for King Kalakaua in 1882 to enhance Hawaii’s prestige overseas and to mark Hawaii’s status as a modern nation. The palace is a National Historic Landmark and is open to public tours from Tuesday through Sunday.

12. King Kamehameha the Great. King Kamehameha the Great (1756-1819) is perhaps Hawaii’s greatest historical figure by unifying the Hawaiian islands under one rule. The statue of King Kamehameha in downtown Honolulu fronting the old Judiciary Building is one of the most photographed statues in Hawaii. That said, I had my photo taken in front of the imposing statue.

13. Oldest church. Also in downtown Honolulu is the Kawaiahao Church, Oahu’s oldest church built of coral slabs. Completed in 1842, the church is widely known as the “Westminster Abbey of the Pacific” and is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Today, the Kawaiahao Church remains one of the few remaining churches in Hawaii to offer services in the Hawaiian language.

14. Mission Houses Museum. Nearby is the Mission Houses Museum, which tells the history of the earliest Christian missionaries in Hawaii and the story of cultural change in 19th-century Hawaii. The structures that make up the museum were built between 1821 and 1841, making them the oldest surviving Western-style buildings in Hawaii.

15. Hawaiian sunsets. I will always remember the marvelous images of a sun about to set or right after setting, whether I was strolling on Waikiki’s beaches, or while having happy hour at Koko Marina, or before the main show at Paradise Cove.

16. Staying active. Oahu is one place where there are no reasons for people not to love the outdoors, stay active, and stay fit.

17. Efficient public restrooms. Regardless of where public restrooms are located on Oahu, they are always efficient. They have running water, liquid or foam soaps, tissues and paper toilet seats, among other things.

18. Gentle rains. They don’t bother tourists and residents. But then, there were occasional heavy rains during the time I was there.

19. P.F. Chang’s. I remember my first dinner in Hawaii, about an hour after my arrival. That’s my first time at P.F. Chang, and I wish they have one on Saipan too. Crisp, savory lettuce wraps are among P.F. Change’s signatures.

20. People watching. With approximately 4.5 million people visiting Oahu each year, it’s one island in the Pacific where you can’t help but be amazed by the sheer number of tourists you see.

21. Crowd drawers. They say Oahu’s five most popular attractions and places that consistently draw the most number of visitors each year are the USS Arizona Memorial (1.5 million visitors); the Polynesian Cultural Center, (1 million visitors); Honolulu Zoo (750,000 visitors); Sea Life Park (600,000 visitors); and the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, (500,000 visitors). Now I’m wondering why I missed three of the five.

22. Mongoose. One other kind of animal I think I saw for the first time, but outside the zoo, was a pair of mongoose at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve.

23. “Pearly Shells.” While hanging out at the poolside bar of one of the high-rise hotels in Waikiki one late afternoon, we were treated to a heartwarming classic Hawaiian song, “Pearly Shells,” sung by a veteran who came back to Hawaii for the first time more than 60 years after being stationed at Pearl Harbor. The crowd loved him.

24. Longhi’s. This open-air, Italian-Mediterranean restaurant at the Ala Moana Shopping Center is famous for its award-winning cuisine of fresh island fish, prime steaks and giant lobsters. Besides the hearty meals, Longhi’s boasts of good views of the Ala Moana Beach Park. I remember coming in 45 minutes late for lunch at Longhi’s. I lost track of time, and it took me a while to figure out how to get there.

25. Island hopping. Were it not for a last-minute decision to revisit California, I was thinking of visiting another Hawaiian island—Maui. But maybe next time.