("Some" Roadster content at end)
dhbain@uswest.net wrote:
> The question is about the Hawaiian Islands. I remember somone on this
> List living out there.
>
> Which island would be better to visit for scenic and history tours?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jim
Jim:
My apologies for not responding sooner--I've had it in my "Action Folder"
since it appeared. Hope you haven't been awaiting an answer before
making travel plans ;-).
Problem is, it's almost too hard a question to answer succinctly. My
wife and I have visited all (of the "visitable") islands numerous times
(except for Lanai, only once) Enjoyed all of them very much, lived six
years on Oahu, now on the Big Island for the last ten.
All are great from a scenic standpoint except, perhaps Lanai, which does
have some neat places, e.g. Manele Bay, Shipwreck Beach,...(Hey, Bill
Gates got married there!)
Almost everyone has their own favorites, all the islands are different,
and have their own unique appeals, depending upon what you're looking
for:
Kauai: Extremely scenic and beautiful. Great hiking trails, waterfalls,
rivers!, Poipu Beach spectacular Waimea Canyon (if you can see it),
Kalalau Valley overlook. Great snorkel tours and scuba, North Shore,
Hanalei Bay, Haena, Ke'e Beach, Na Pali Cliffs, hike the 13 mile Kalalau
Trail (It gets pretty "naked" past Hanakapiai Beach)--summertime best on
North Shore.
Oahu: Probably best from a history standpoint. Bishop Museum (great)
Pearl Harbor (Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri), Polynesian Cultural
Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Waimea Falls Park, ...
Scenically, it has some spectacular areas: Nuuanu Pali, Punch Bowl,
Tantalus Round-Top Drive, Diamond Head hike, and view from top, Hanauma
Bay (great snorkeling and scuba), Makapu'u, Sacred Falls (hike),...
Many great beaches (aside from Waikiki, which is *another* experience!)
Molokai: Really a neat Island, less visited. Spectacular scenic beauty
on North Coast. Most has to be seen either by air, boat, or loooong
hiking. I went around the island by Zodiak, camping in North shore
valleys. Some of it can be appreciated from the Kalapapa Overlook
(Kalapapa was the Hansen's Disease "Leper Colony", also a very
interesting place to visit. This can still be done, I think, by pack
mule from the overlook area. Great trip (according to my wife) who did
it while I was busy doing something else ;-). After she described it to
me, I'm glad I was doing "something else".
Maui: This island has a bit of everything. History--you've got your
Lahaina, the whaling (village) capitol of the 1800s. Very interesting
and "quaint". Beautiful scenery, West Maui mountains and Iao Needle. We
drove around the small end of the island in a Jeep (a real experience).
Beautiful beaches at Kaanapali and Keihi (plus many other places). Not
to be missed: The top of Haleakela at sunrise. Tried that twice at
sunrise, 50% success at at finding it clear. Up there a number of other
times--50% success of finding it clear, sorta typical. Camped several
days in the crater with my son. A great experience. Another, not to be
missed experience, is driving to road to Hana and past, at least to the
Seven Sacred Pools. Depending upon the rainfall, a waterfall around
every curve. I would estimate well over a hundred.
Hawaii (Big Island): Some of everything that all the other islands have
to offer, and more. Since it's the youngest (not counting Loihi--yet to
breach the surface), it is not as well endowed with white sand beaches as
the older islands, but makes up for it by having more volcanos. The one
we're on the side of is dormant, hasn't erupted since 1806. Felt pretty
comfortable about that until Pinatupo erupted in the Philippines and took
out the U.S. Air Force Base (Clark?). I believe it hadn't erupted in 400
years. It has two sides: Hilo side (wet) and Kona side (dry). From the
history standpoint, the Lyman Museum in Hilo, and Pu'uhonua o Honauanau,
south of Kealakekua are very interesting, and contain a lot in terms of
Hawaiian history. (OBTW, Gates being married on Lanai--Steve Young just
got married here in Kona!) Anyhow, we've got our own waterfalls and rain
forests to rival those on Maui and Kauai on our Hamakua Coast. The
Waimea high country, with the largest privately owned ranch in the U.S.
We've got South Point, the southernmost location in the U.S. That's a
real trip in a roadster!
Mauna Kea, of course, is the tallest mountain in the world--measured from
its base, well over 30,000'. Made it nearly to the top with the Datsun,
above 13K' over sea level. Did make it to the top later in a friends
rented jeep. An awesome view. Thirteen observatories perched at the
top. Cold!! in July. Then, of course, there's Volcanos National Park
with Kiluea.
But, I'm going on way too long...(Don't know if I answered your question,
Jim.)
Roadster content:
(1) There were lots(!) of Roadsters on Oahu in 1967 when I bought my
67-1/2 from Von Hamm Young Mercantile Co. for $2795. Wonder where they
all went, and I wonder why no one from Oahu is on this list?
(2) I can't remember the last time I put my soft top up :-).
Dave
'68 '1600
Kailua-Kona
|