Hawaii 99 The Complete Guide w

Pleasures and Pastimes

Beaches  
All beaches, even those fronting hotels, are open to the public. Just follow the blue beach-access signs posted along the highways. O'ahu's Waikiki Beach means Hawai'i to most visitors. This hotel-studded strip of sand at the foot of Diamond Head sees its share of sun worshipers along what is actually a collection of smaller sections known as Ft. De Russy, Gray's, and Queen's Surf beaches. It's tough to beat for convenience to hotels, restaurants, and shopping. Also on O'ahu and synonymous with surfing the big waves are the North Shore's Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay; Kailua Beach Park is the site of international windsurfing competitions; its neighbor, Lanikai Beach, is often referred to as the most beautiful beach in the world; and Makapu'u Beach, near Sea Life Park, has some of the best bodysurfing in the state. The sun arcs slowly over Maui's beaches, according to legend, because the demigod Maui caught the swift culprit in his lasso and demanded longer daylight hours. Catching old Sol's rays on the Valley Isle can mean seclusion on the sands of Makena, admiring windsurfing skills at Ho'okipa, or people-watching extraordinaire at luxury resort-lined Ka'anapali Beach. Kaua'i's ideal beaches and dramatic cliffs have found fame as movie sets. And white-, black-, and green-sand beaches are attractions in their own right on the Big Island, where Kilauea Volcano is actively adding to the island's future sandy shores by sending rivers of hot lava steaming into the ocean. Even diminutive Moloka'i and Lana'i can claim their share of exceptional sandy retreats, such as Moloka'i's 3-mi-long Papohaku Beach, the largest white-sand beach in the state; and Lana'i's Hulopo'e Beach, where snorkeling in a marine preserve is, well, pretty fishy. Facilities vary at each location; many beaches have at least outside showers and restrooms. Picnic tables, however, are few and far between. Visitors are asked to do their part in keeping beaches clean and litter-free.

Dining
Hawai'i's melting-pot population accounts for its great variety of epicurean delights. In addition to American and Continental cuisines, you can choose from Hawaiian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Philippine, Vietnamese, and other kinds of cooking. Hawaiian food, of course, has a loyal following among visitors. Many rate their experience of a lu'au among the highlights of their stay. Delicacies you're likely to find at one of these outdoor feasts include the traditional kalua pig -- roasted underground in an imu (oven); poi, the starchy, bland paste made from the taro root; and laulau -- fish, meat, and other ingredients wrapped and steamed in ti leaves. Many hotels and visitor attractions around the state offer a lu'au, or you can ask most any local for directions to a favorite Hawaiian-style feast.

Fishing
A big lure for visiting fishing enthusiasts is deep-sea trolling for marlin, especially off the shores of the Big Island. Each morning an entire fleet of sportfishing boats leaves Kona in search of the elusive game fish. If the marlin aren't biting, reels are often whining with catches of local 'ahi or 'opakapaka.

Golf
Without a doubt, Hawai'i is a golfer's paradise. It seems like every square foot of available land has a golf course on it, and many of these challenging and beautiful links have been designed by such golfing legends as Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. Maui can claim Wailea's stunning trio of 18-holers clinging to the slopes of Haleakala. Wailea's Gold Course features prehistoric lava rock walls and gardens of indigenous grasses along with stunning ocean vistas guaranteed to take your mind off the game. Not to be outdone when it comes to scenery, many of the Big Island's courses are emerald oases in the midst of black, barren lava fields. Towering over this picture is snow-capped, 13,796-ft Mauna Kea, home of Poli'ahu, the Hawaiian snow goddess. On Kaua'i and O'ahu, golf enthusiasts have the enviable task of choosing between fairways that tumble down the sides of mountains, leapfrog across rocky crevices beside the ocean, glide over gently rolling terrain, or serve as nesting areas and playgrounds for black swans.

Hiking
The ancient Hawaiians blazed a wide variety of trails across their archipelago domains, and many of these paths can still be hiked today. Part of the King's Trail at 'Anaeho'omalu on the Big Island winds through a field of lava rocks covered with prehistoric carvings meant to communicate stories of births, deaths, marriages, and similar family events. Another option on the Big Island is hiking atop an active volcano at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Kaua'i offers rain forests and the Kalalau Trail, which traverses rugged, oceanside cliffs. Maui's Haleakala Crater hike leads through a surreal moonscape. On O'ahu, Ka'ena Point Natural Area Reserve is a storehouse of fossilized shells, a nesting area for such seabirds as wedgetail shearwaters, and, according to Hawaiian lore, a jumping off point for souls leaping into the afterlife. At the island's opposite end, the trek up the slopes of Diamond Head rewards hikers with a breathtaking view of the brilliant blue Pacific, Honolulu's skyline, and the populous island beyond.