Hawaii
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Haleakala, Hawaii – the house of the rising sun
Haleakala is one of the best places which I visited in Hawaii. This was the most sublime spectacle I’ve ever seen…- that’s how Mark Twain describes Haleakala in his book Roughing it. I think that it doesn’t need a better recommendation. This is an exceptional place, which must be visited especially at sunrise and sunset while in Hawaii. Dormant vocano The Haleakala National Park includes two volcanoes that form the Hawaiian island of Maui. The beginnings of Haleakala volcano are about a million years back. At that time the volcano began to raise above the Pacific Ocean creating Maui island. Actually, Haleakala isn’t a crater, what you can see from…
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Na Pali from the air – a story of two flights
How did it happen that I landed on board of a helicopter to watch the wonderful Na Pali cliffs, actually on board of two helicopters? The larger part of the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i is not available from land due to inaccessible mountains. That’s why a helicopter trip is the best option to see the whole island. When you look at photos from Hawaii, you can get the impression that there’s always a great sunny weather. However, the location of the archipelago in the middle of the ocean and the mountainous terrain make a specific climate that is characterised by high rainfall and moderate temperatures. A large amount of precipitation…
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Na Pali part I – Hawaiian cliffs, doplhins and barking sands
In the area of the green Hawaiian island of Kaua’i you can find a hidden treasure – Nā Pali Coast State Park. The name Nā Pali in Hawaiian means in cliffs, so you can figure out what is the main its attraction. The 17-mile cliff coast stretches from Ke’e Beach to Polihale Beach. Nā Pali cliffs are reportedly among the highest in the world and reach more than 1000 meters above the turquoise waters of the Pacific. They have been shaped over the centuries through erosion activities, like many caves along the coast. Nā Pali cliffs can be seen in three ways: from the air, land and water, and each…
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Pearl Harbor – “AIR RAID PEARL HARBOR THIS IS NO DRILL.”
When I booked a flight for a month’s stay in Hawaii I didn’t have even an American Visa, let alone a travel plan, but I had one pleace on my must-see list, it was Pearl Harbor. As I wrote before, Hawaii islands aren’t cheap, so also the tickets to this famous base are expensive. Passport to Pearl Harbor – a ticket to explore all places costs $72, but in my opinion, this place is really worth every given buck. Pearl Harbor is located on the Hawaiian Islands, in Pearl City which is close to the famous Honolulu. The name Pearl Harbor itself derives from the original Hawaiian name – Wai…
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Hawaii – Big Island is getting bigger and bigger…
When I landed at the Kailua Kona airport, located in Hawaiian Big Island, I felt like being a part of Apollo mission. I was surprised that after only 40-minute flight I saw totally different reality. Sandy beaches from O’ahu Island were replaced by rocks and black sand. Lushy, verdant Hawaiian vegetation gave place to the apocalyptic, volcanic landscape which seemed to have no end. The culprit of this is Kilauea – one of the most active volcanoes on earth. At first sight it looks inconspicuously because on the contrary to other volcanoes it has a flat, wide cone and its eruption isn’t vertical. Kilauea’s eruption goes through two rift valleys.…
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Hawaii – paradise lost?
Everyone can agree that Hawaii is perfect direction for holiday. Crystal- clear water, beautiful beaches, waterfalls, cliffs, canyons, lush vegetation, outgoing people, all of these capture the imagination. The prospect of living in paradise Islands seems like a dream come true, but is it really a good idea? Cottage with the views of … What is the average cost of renting a studio, well… in O’ahu you must be prepared for average expenses reaching from 700 $ to $ 1200 $ a month or more depending on the location and standard. The cost of renting a two-bedroom apartment starts at $ 1000 and unfortunately, it’s not the end of…
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Hanauma Bay – the curved bay with a view of…
Koko Head is a popular tourist spot on the O’ahu Island. The proper name of this crater in Hawaiian language is actually – Kohelele, which can be translated as… flying vagina. You must wonder who could have given this crater such a name. In a fact it’s connected with a very dramatic story, which for sure could be used as a scenario of the XXX movies. Acording to the Hawaiian legend, Kapo the goddess of fertility, used her magical flying vagina to distract the pig god Kamapuaa who, to put it mildly, imposed himself on her sister – Pele (the goddess of volcano). Finally, the flying organ landed on the…
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Road to Hana – road for the road’s sake, part II
Road to Hana ends in a town of the same name. But it’s not the end of attractions of the east Maui island. Around 12 km farther, at the 45 mile maker, there’s an amazing waterfall called Wailua, which rises 80 feet above the ground. Although it doesn’t seem to be easy to reach you only have to cross the street to see it! Heading farther to the south, on the way 330, it’s worth to stop off at Haleakala National Park. Entrance is located at Kipahulu Visitor Center and admission fee costs 10$ per car (I recommend to keep this ticket because it’s valid in the whole park area…
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Road to Hana – road for the road’s sake, part I
Why am I writing about the road? You can think that it’s nothing special. But there’s one road, in the east part of Hawaiian island – Maui, which is not only a road but also a destination itself. It is called Hana Higway but in fact its name is a bit misleading because it has nothing to do with a highway. Travelling all this 100 km route can take even 1 or 2 days! Is sounds weird, especially for the USA road conditions. But this highway is not a simple road. It’s typical switchback with 600 turns and around 60 bridges. The most part of this road is too narrow…
