Guide to Nanakuli Beach Park

August 6, 2011 by  
Filed under Things to do

Nanakuli Beach Park is situated on the leeward coast of Nanakuli on Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, Nanakuli means to look at the knee. The park name is derived from the name of the Nanakuli town. The south end of the 40-acre park is called Zabian Beach. This is because Benjamin Zabian was the first family that moved to the Zabian Beach. Zabian stayed at a house located behind the beach, which is within the proximity to Nanakuli Stream. Zabian was appointed as a magistrate for the Waianae district. Zabian worked as the magistrate for 4 years. He used to ride on a horse when traveling to different courthouses.

Nanakuli beach is designed primarily for people who want to swim at the beach. It is also for surfers. The sloping coral reef causes the beach to be a perfect swimming spot. You can explore the offshore islands by renting boat or kayak. Surfers should go to the west side of the shore. The wave can reach 1 – 2 feet high during Sunday. Nanakuli beach is approximately 500 feet long and 125 feet wide. The beach is located in the middle of two limestone points. Nanakuli Beach can be found on the right side of Farrington Highway. There are not many shades at Nanakuli Beach because of the lack of trees. Because of the hot sand, you should drink plenty of water before coming. You can also bring your sunscreen to the Nanakuli Beach. Just like most oceans at Hawaii, the ocean gets high surfing wave and strong currents in the winter season. It is not recommended that you swim at Nanakuli Beach. The best time to swim at the Nanakuli Beach is in the summer months. In the winter, the water can be very dangerous.

You are advised to swim only in lifeguarded areas. It is not safe to swim alone. If you don’t know the condition of the ocean, you should not dive into it. You can ask the lifeguard about the surfing conditions before going to swim in it. If you want to swim at the ocean, be sure that you are capable of swimming. You should not swim if you don’t have good swimming skills. It is not good to rely on a flotation device when swimming at the beach. Nanakuli Beach is equipped with a number of facilities including restrooms, showers, and public phones. There is a large picnic area with many trees.

Top Landmark in Oahu – King Kamehameha Statue

July 3, 2011 by  
Filed under Things to do

King Kamehameha Statue is a widely known tourist attraction in Hawaii. The statue is located right in front of the Iolani Palace. King David Kalakaua originally commissions the statue. A man named Thomas Gould in Florence originally created the statue. King David Kalakaua paid about $10,000 for Thomas Guild to cast the statue.

When the statue is transported to Hawaii, it was lost. As a result, a replica of the King Kamehameha I statue is being made. Thomas Guild claims the insurance for the statue and begins to make a replica. The replica is shipped to Honolulu later. About 2 years later, a sea captain from America came across the original King Kamehameha statue. The American sea captain found the statue at the Port Stanley junkyard. When the sea captain found it, he decided to have it shipped it to the Big Island. A kahuna suggested that the statue be erected at the place where King Kamehameha was born. Every year on the 11th of June, the local people will decorate the King Kamehameha statue with flowers to commemorate his birthday.

King Kamehameha is a great king who brought peace to the Hawaiian island. The actual name of King Kamehameha is long. The full name for King Kamehameha is Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Keali`ikui Kamehameha o `Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kunuiakea. According to history, he was born somewhere in 1738 – 1758. No one knows the exact year that King Kamehameha was born. The year of his death is 1819. After King Kamehameha1 conquered the enemy soldiers in the Hawaiian Islands, he unites them together so that he can establish the Hawaii kingdom. The Kingdom of Hawaii was successfully united in 1810. At that time, the king receives a lot of influences from the western world. Despite the western influences, King Kamehameha did not eliminate the traditional values in his kingdom. He has allied with several kingdoms in the pacific region to protect the independence of Hawaii.

Up to date, many people still remember King Kamehameha for his deeds. King Kamehameha I is remembered as a king who protect the right of the citizens by bring peace. Many local Hawaiians remembered King Kamehameha for the Mamalahoe Kanawai. The main statue is in front of Iolani Palace. There are four statues that depict King Kamehameha I in Hawaii. The second status is situated at the Big Island. The third statue is situated in the Statuary Hall.

Kaimana Beach in Waikiki, Oahu Hawaii

July 10, 2010 by  
Filed under Things to do

Located just on the eastern end of Kalakaua and right under the Diamond Head, the Kaimana Beach is well-known as the safest beach in Waikiki.  The place fits in between the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel and the WWI Memorial Natatorium.  The name of the beach is actually taken from the hotel itself.  Back in the year 1884, the beach was originally known as Sans Souci Beach, which literally translates as “without care” in French.  Kaimana is also a popular dating place for many single individuals, and thus it has been labelled as “Dig-Me” Beach.

Many local families and gay adventurers love the serene ambiance that the beach has to offer, owing to the surf and sand beach that is unique to every Waikiki beach.  The soft white sand and pristine blue waters of the Pacific are the distinguishing characteristics of Kaimana Beach.  The beach owes its safety features to the offshore reef and the historic Natatorium, making it free from strong currents, including drop offs and rip currents – the perfect swimming environment even for kids of all ages.

A lot of locals come to the beach to enjoy boogie boarding and body surfing.  One of the most frequently visited areas is a premier surfing site known as Old Man’s, which can be reached by crossing the channel which leads from the beach and to the open waters of the reef.  Swimmers and kayakers are also regular visitors of this area.

If snorkelling is your kind of thing, it is highly recommended to schedule it early in the morning as this gives you less crowd to contend with.  Traversing the reefs on the left and right part of the sandy area will provide you magnificent scenery of colorful and exotic fishes such as Picasso fish, yellow tangs and butterfly fish.  The Kapua Channel also has some nice offshore reefs, although you must be careful with the occasional undercurrents.  There are also times when the channel picks them up.

Services and amenities here include shower and parking.