When you leave the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you will be turning to the left to continue your circle the island drive.  Just a few miles down the road, if you turn right at the sign that directs you to the golf course, you will find the Volcano Winery.

I doubt that this little winery will ever make the top 20 of wineries to visit, but its a nice break and the wines are pretty good and better yet, affordable.  If nothing else, you may want to consider a bottle or two as gifts, rather than the anticipated pineapple you might have been considering!

About 30 minutes further along Hwy 19 (aka Mamalahoa Hwy), you will come to Punaluu Beach Park, black sand beach.  Its just a short mile off the highway and odds are excellent that you will also be able to view some Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles sunning themselves on the black sand or feeding in the shallows.

Punaluu Beach State Park, Big Island

Endangered Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle

Its a nice place for a picnic, but make sure you bring lunch with you because you won’t find any food vendors in the area.  If a picnic fits in your timeline, you may want to plan on stopping at Pahala, a small town about 6 miles back towards the Volcanoes National Park, to pick up some sandwiches or something.

Further along Hwy 19, you will come to the town of Naalehu, “The Southernmost Community in the USA, is their claim to fame.  You will also find the Punaluu Bakery…it got its start at Punaluu, but moved to Naalehu years ago.  You may have even seen some of their baked goods, particularly their sweetbreads, in stores around the island.  My favorites are the regular and guava flavored sweetbreads.

About 15 minutes further along and you will come to the turn off that will take you down to the coast at Ka Lae (aka South Point).   Its about 8 miles down and most of it through some pretty barren, windswept grasslands.

You have now reached THE southernmost point of the US!  Next stop…Antarctica!  I have an article located elsewhere on this blog on South Point, so I’ll leave this description brief.  I will mention that Papakolea, the green sand beach is located nearby, requiring a 4.5 mile rd-trp hike to get there, so you want to make sure you’ve planned ahead and brought water, sunscreen, and a hat, if you plan on going.

South Point looking towards the northwest, Big Island

Papakolea (Green Sand) Beach, Big Island, Hawaii

Once back on Hwy 19 and headed back northward, you have about an hour’s drive until you reach Kailua-Kona.  This drive includes some of the twistiest and narrowest roads you have been on so far.  Locals will try to blow-by you as you maintain the 35 mph speed limit, but its much safer to go slow, especially when you’re not familiar with the roads.

There are places to stop and visit along the way as you get closer to Kailua-Kona; coffee outlets, Puuhonua o Honaunau (Place of Refuge), and I’ll be posting another article with more things to see and do in the Kona area in the near future.

As you can see, its a huge mistake to try and make this trip in one-day!  I would encourage you to plan on spending at least a full-day exploring the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park!  There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world!

As a matter of fact, if you only visited ONE PLACE on your entire visit to Hawaii…this should probably be it.  Think about it.  Where else can you see an active volcano/lava flow, lush tropical rainforests, innumerable birds found nowhere else on earth, Hawaiian petroglyphs, and find hiking trails ranging from easy to challenging, all in one locale?

I also strongly suggest you visit my website at www.myhawaiionline.com to learn more about the activities and places to go, as well as find links to several of the more popular ones.

Night Diving or Snorkeling With The Manta Rays in Kona

With almost two dozen different outfits offering night diving/snorkeling outings in Kailua-Kona, you can see just how popular this experience has become.  The Manta ray encounters along the Kona coast began back in the early 70’s; a hotel called the “Kona Surf” had bright lights that shined into the ocean and mantas were attracted almost nightly. Scuba operators taking advantage of this, began doing night dives.  While the location gave a reliable chance to see them, the spot was not as reliable because of its vulnerability to large waves and weather.

In 1999, the Kona Surf Hotel closed and the lights were turned off.  The Manta rays found a new spot to congregate in a bay near the Kona airport where plankton concentrated in the late afternoon sun.  This is the spot where most Manta rays appear to be going on a regular basis and this bay offers a much more protected location from ocean swells.

And, in a somewhat symbiotic relationship, divers and snorkelers use strong lights to attract plankton, which in turn attract the Manta rays, which feed primarily on plankton, thus providing the divers/snorkelers the show they desire.  In the video above, the water is not murky, those are millions of plankton that appear as specks in the light.  Since the Manta rays know that this occurs nightly, they tend to show up regularly with over 90% of outings successful.  It may be just a single Manta ray or it maybe a gathering of over 40.

Just about all of the operators offer a guarantee that if you do not encounter any Manta rays during your night dive, you can try again at no charge.  A point to keep in mind is that anyone who goes out on a boat, will be charged the full amount…regardless of whether or not they plan on getting in the water.  Likewise, everyone is charged, regardless of age.  While most operators do not have a minimum age, leaving it to parental discretion, a minimum age of 12 years old is suggested.

Swim With The Manta Rays, a most memorable experience!

The nightly dives with resident Manta rays in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, has been rated one of the top 10 experiences in the world!  Even the most seasoned traveler find it to be a memorable experience.   One of the great appeals is that this experience is not limited to certified scuba divers, although certification is required if you do wish to scuba dive.  Even those with minimal swimming abilities can enjoy this experience utilizing floating devices and snorkels.  Check with the individual vendors.

As a matter of fact, even those who can’t swim or simply don’t want to be in the water with these gentle giants, can still partake in this by going out on the Spirit of Kona, a glass-bottom boat that offers Manta ray cruises on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  You can observe these graceful giants of the sea without getting wet.  You can take pictures, videos, and watch as they often approach within inches of the observation glass.  (Make your reservations online thru the link above and get a $10 discount.)

Manta Ray Facts

The word ‘Manta’ is Spanish for cloak, referring to their large, blanket-shaped bodies. In Hawaiian, they are called hāhalua.

Resident Manta rays grow up to 16′ across, wingtip to wingtip.  The Manta rays in Kona average 8-14′, with the largest recorded at 16′.

They are considered “near threatened”, which means that they are in danger of becoming an extinct species in the near future.  There are two small resident populations of Manta rays in Hawaii under observation.  One of the populations, 176 individual Manta’s have been identified, is in Kona.  The other is located near Maui and contains about 300.

Individual Manta rays can be identified by their unique marking patterns on their undersides.  Similar to fingerprints, no two Manta rays have the same markings.

Manta rays are often called “the butterflies of the sea” … they are shy, harmless, and, as the video captured, quite graceful.  They do not have any stinging spines on their tail.  They don’t bite or chew.  Their mouths are designed like a giant funnel to filter plankton; swimming with them is completely safe for both humans and for the Manta rays.  They truly are gentle giants.

For a more detailed write up on Manta rays, check out the Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, Inc. website.

Protecting the Manta Rays

Manta rays are particularly vulnerable to extinction as they take a long time to reach maturity and they reproduce a single offspring every two or three years.  Hawaii has taken the precaution of banning the capture and/or killing of Manta Rays within Hawaiian waters.

Although Manta rays may approach within inches of divers and snorkelers, it is best not to reach out and touch them.  It has been observed that where touched, they develop sores which take a long time to heal.  The belief is that touching them removes their mucus protective covering and allows infections to develop.  So, please keep this in mind when you make your night dive among the Manta rays in Kona.

THE VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING

For the next 6-weeks, the world of surfing will be focused on the north shore of Oahu and hoping that the winter waves will cooperate and send those monster winter waves that have made Hawaii so famous.  Last year was a tough one in that regard, as the number of days with no waves far outnumbered the days that were surf-able.

Starting tomorrow, all eyes will be on Haleiwa, site of the first leg of the Triple Crown commences.  Over the following 11-days, surfers hope that they will encounter at least 4-days of decent sets that will allow them to score points.  You can get a sense for the fickleness of these winter waves by the very fact that they allow 11-days, hoping to get 4 with waves big enough to compete on.

After a break for Thanksgiving, the second leg is held at Sunset Beach.  Once again, surfers have 12-days to anticipate 4-days with waves large enough to qualify as surf-able.  After all, you can’t very well have a world class surfing competition on waves that only reach 3-5′ in height.

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown of Surfing is held from December 8th thru the 20th at the famous Banzai Pipeline.  Another 12-days of waiting out the best 3-days of surfing.  With a total cash payout of over $800,000, there is some serious money at stake.

If you happen to be fortunate enough to be on Oahu during this 6-week period, make it a point to catch some of this action, especially if you happen to be there when the surf’s up!  Even if you’re not a surfer, it will still put you in awe to see the world’s best surfers put on a show!

VENUE

Reef Hawaiian Pro

November 12-23 (on the 4 best days of surf in the period)
Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park
$145,000 prize purse
Defending Champion: Joel Parkinson, Australia

Vans World Cup of Surfing

November 25-December 6 (on the 4 best days of surf in the period)
Sunset Beach
$250,000 prize purse
Defending Champion: Raoni Monteiro, Brazil

Billabong Pipe Masters

December 8-20 (on the 3 best days of surf in the period)
Banzai Pipeline
$425,000 prize purse + Nixon watch
Defending Champion: Jeremy Flores, France
Also decides Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champion – $10,000 bonus

Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing Competition Mapped

I will add that this fall has seen a large number of days that the National Weather Service and NOAA have issued high surf warnings, so all-in-all, I anticipate a great 2011 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing competition!

Oops!  I apologize for my oversight and it may be too late for you to acquire tickets to this highly anticipated event.  This year’s tickets went on sale on December 27th and prices range from $5 to $30 per person, depending on the dates and seat location.

For those unfamiliar, the Merrie Monarch Festival is held in honor of King David Kalakaua, aka the Merrie Monarch.  It was during his reign (1874-1891) as the last King of Hawaii, that he made a concerted effort to revive native Hawaiian song and dance, which had been banned by the missionaries.

This world renown competition draws competitors from several countries annually and is recognized for its contribution to culture and arts.  It includes art exhibits, craft fairs, demonstrations, performances, and a parade that emphasizes the cultures of Hawaii.

The festival itself usually begins on Easter Sunday and this year will run from April 24th through the 30th.  The actual hula competitions are held the last three days of the festival.

One last point, whether or not you intend on attending the demonstrations and exhibits or the actual competition, if you plan on being on the Big Island during that time frame, you’ll want to make sure to reserve your room and car well in advance.  Rental cars in particular are very hard to come by during the festival…even if you’re staying in Kona, on the other side of the island.   Consider yourself warned.

Pay toilets didn’t fly…so, remove them

Well, it seems Europe’s Ryanair is at it again.  If you remember this low-cost carrier, just about a year ago, announced plans to charge $1.50 to use the bathrooms.  See my previous post regarding added fees the airlines were implementing late last year.

Since the public revolted at the proposed bathroom fee, they dropped it.  However, here’s the latest plan announced by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, (since people won’t pay to use the bathroom…they’re going to remove them!  Yep, you read that right…) they plan on leaving just 1 bathroom per plane.

By removing two bathrooms, Ryanair can add up to 6 more seats per plane.  Of course, that also means that up to 189 passengers on some of their Boeing 737’s will all have to share that 1 remaining bathroom!   While I jokingly anticipated the “fee toilets” as an added airline fee when they started charging for blankets and pillows, I must admit I did not foresee this.

Can you imagine the line of people trying to get into that one available toilet?  What if someone was sick?  What if that toilet went out of order?   The offset to this move according to Mr. O’Leary,  is that fares should come down 5%.   Do you think this is a back-door way of re-selling the pay-toilet scheme?  I can see his next move as announcing that in response to the public uproar, they will leave the plane configurations as is, but will re-institue the idea of charging $1.50 to use the available restrooms, calling it the lesser of two evils.

Care to share your thoughts?

Kona coffee growers wait all year in anticipation of this annual event.  Bragging rights and the prestige of winning the cupping contest is a big deal.  While years ago, there was a handful of Kona coffee brands, notably Lion and  Royal, today there are dozens of private label brands being offered and the competition is thick.

Kona coffee has a world-wide reputation for being rich and smooth, without the bitter aftertaste often associated with other brands.  Hawaii’s first coffee plantation was started on Kauai, but like other plantings, it suffered from a bug infestation.  Meanwhile, the coffee trees took hold in Kona and it has been grown successfully there for over 100 years.

The average coffee farm is family owned and approximately 5 acres in size.  And, just as Vidalia onions must be grown within the small geographic area in Georgia to be labeled such and Maui onions must be grown in a very small geographic area on the slopes of Haleakala,  Kona coffee must be grown within a narrow band on the hills of Kailua-Kona to be labeled as Kona coffee.

The 41st Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is being held from Friday, November 4th thru the Sunday, the 13th.  The activities range from the Sugai Kona Coffee Talent Night kicking things off with this karaoke-style entertainment Friday evening to the coffee cupping competition held on Wednesday and Thursday mornings (9:00 am – 2:00 pm, both days), at the Keauhou Beach Resort.

In addition, UCC Hawaii Kona Coffee Picking Contest held Sunday (Nov. 5th) morning…and if you’ve never picked coffee, trust me, its back-breaking, neck-aching work.  In the afternoon, head over to the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa for the Kona coffee recipe contest.  The best part is that public tasting of the entrees follows the awards presentation at 2:00 pm.  And the price of admission?   The $3 Festival button, which is required for most of these activities and is available at most locations.

You can view the entire week’s schedule here.

So, if you don’t have plans and are going to be in Kailua-Kona during the 2nd week of November, make sure to check it out.  Besides, the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival probably represents the best bargain $3 can buy these days, especially in Hawaii!

What began as a local challenge has grown into a premiere world competition!  In 1977,  San Diego-based John Collins proposed combining the three toughest endurance races in Hawai’i – the 2.4-mile Waikiki Roughwater Swim, 112 miles of the Around-O’ahu Bike Race and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon – into one event.

Fifteen people came to Waikiki to take on the inaugural Ironman challenge on Feb. 18, 1978.  Prior to the race, each received three sheets of paper with a few rules and a course description.  The last page read: “Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life!”

In 1981, the race was moved to its current location in Kailua-Kona.  On October 8th, there will be 25 women and 40 men who have qualified via the Professional Ironman qualifying series, which  includes 28 events (23 Ironman and five Ironman 70.3) throughout the world.

Or what about John Maclean of New South Wales, Australia?  He entered the Ford Ironman World Championship three times in 1995, 1996, and 1997 before finally completing the course.  This former rugby player was determined to finish the race…no lofty ambition of winning, just finishing the race…and be the first to do so in a wheel-chair.

In 1988, 22-year old John Maclean was hit by a truck while ironically out on a bike ride, and lost the use of both legs.  Not satisfied to rest on his Ironman-laurels, in 2000, John was the first wheelchair athlete to swim the English Channel.   And, in 2004, came back to Hawaii to become the first wheelchair athlete to complete in the Molokai Challenge canoe race.

Beginning last year, professional athletes must qualify to enter the Ford Ironman World Championship…no more wildcard entries.  There is a point system set up that the top qualifiers are offered an invitation and if they should decline, the next in line is extended an invitation till the allotted slots are filled.  In addition, there are three other divisions:

• Age Group,
•  Physically Challenged, and
•  Hand Cycle divisions.

So, who’s competing in this year’s event?  Here’s the complete list of qualified professional entrants:  http://ironmanworldchampionship.com/athletes/qualified-athletes/

October is a time when thoughts go to ghosts (obake) and stories of the unexplained.   Hawaii is recognized as one of the most haunted states in America and the reason for this has been credited to its unique mix of multi-cultural immigrants who all brought their own superstitious beliefs with them.  Over the years, these stories have integrated themselves into the very fabric that makes Hawaii, Hawaii.

One of the most recognized collectors and story tellers in Hawaii was Glen Grant.  He published a number of books that recorded stories and tales that have been told and re-told, sometimes for generations.  Whether you believe the facts related in the stories is a personal choice, but for many people who grew up in Hawaii and for many who have moved to Hawaii as non-believers…the percentage is high of those who believe that there are happenings that cannot be rationally explained.

Among the many books that Glen Grant authored were Obake Tales, Obake Files: Ghostly Encounters in Supernatural Hawaii (Chicken Skin Series), and Chicken Skin Tales.  For those not familiar with the term “obake”, it is a Japanese word, meaning ghost or spirit and is commonly used by all nationalities in Hawaii.  While his “Chicken Skin” series is what he is most known for, Glen Grant also authored or co-authored a number of books about the history and culture of Hawaii.

Carrying on in the footsteps of his close friend and mentor is master storyteller Lopaka Kapanui.  Well known in his own right, Lopaka Kapanui offers ghostly tours of Honolulu.  In the month of October, he has a special tour presented with the Waikiki Trolley called Haunted Hawaiian Nights.   The tour is offered between October 9th and 31st, at a cost of $35.  For more information or to make your reservation, contact the Waikiki Trolley at (808)593-7676 or go to www.waikikitrolley.com.

You can also sign up for one of Lopaka Kapanui’s regular tours.  You may find his Thursday evening tour of particular interest.  The Waialua, The Edge of Night, a 3-hour tour that explores what Glen Grant considered the most haunted area of Oahu.   Described by some guests as their scariest experience ever…there is still no guarantee that you will experience what they may have.  Then again…

The Waialua tour is held on Thursdays and Saturdays at 6:00 and 9:00 pm.  Cost for those 15 years and older, $55.  No one under 15 is allowed.