Hawaii Travel Podcast - Trek To Goat Island And The Kukaniloko Birthstones Site: Show 29

Trek To Goat Island And The Kukaniloko Birthstones Site: Show 29

07/16/13 • 24 min

The Hawaii Travel Podcast Show 29 for Tuesday July 16th 2013. This week’s show we’ll talk about an utterly fun trek to Goat Island. All that and more on this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

GOAT ISLAND HIKE

Goat Island is about 700 feet off the shore of Malaekahana Beach.

It is a protected seabird sanctuary, a very fun time.

This might be a fun diversion on your way to or from the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Must wear some water shoes, the bottom is a little rough, you are walking across the reef. You can buy them at any of the local stores, ABC, grocery stores etc, they are about $9. Worth the investment. Remember, you will be getting wet, because you have to walk through the ocean, sometimes it is deep, so any valuables you have will get wet, so a good idea is to buy a waterproof bag, a zip lock bag would work, in fact, maybe your toiletry bag you used on your flight will work. A little double duty work.

Your reward for making this hike – a beautiful, somewhat isolated beach. The swimming here is great because the beach is protected, so the waters are pretty calm.

Like we said, the beach is a protected seabird sanctuary. The birds lay their eggs and nest in the middle of the island, so don’t go into the middle of the island, instead, follow the perimeters of the island, and that is where here you want to be anyway, because that is where the awesome beaches are.

Animals you may see, of course birds, sea turtles and if you are lucky, Monks Seals enjoy sunning on the beaches of Goat Island.

WARNING:

Look at the surf, if the waves are big, don’t go. And, beware of going in during the winter months. Because the surf does this crazy thing where it kind of wraps around either side of the island and they meet right in the path of where you will be wading to the island, so it is easy to get knocked off your feet. In fact, we wouldn’t recommend going unless you are a somewhat experienced swimmer.

KUKANILOKO BIRTHSTONES

Kukaniloko Birthstones
At the intersection of Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 99) and Whitmore Avenue on the north side of Wahiawa.

The Kukaniloko Birthstones is a very important culture stop on Oahu. It is where Oahu’s high chiefs were said to be born.

“HUAKA’I O KAMANANUI”

THE 36TH ANNUAL PRINCE LOT HULA FESTIVAL

Moanalua Gardens Foundation

Cultural and Environmental Education in Hawaii
1352 Pineapple Place, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819-1754
MGF Office Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Moanalua Gardens Park Hours: Daily 7:30 am to Sunset
Phone: (808) 839-5334; Fax (808) 839-3658

If you will be on Oahu the weekend of July 20, 2013 Jennifer recommends you check out The 36th Annual Prince Lot Hula Festival at Moanalua Gardens. Dancers from many hula schools will be performing and there will be food and more things to check out.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

CREDITS:

Kukaniloko Birthstones photo by Loren Javier
Goat Island Photo courtesy www.vrbo.com
THE 36TH ANNUAL PRINCE LOT HULA FESTIVAL

GOAT ISLAND HIKE

Goat Island is about 700 feet off the shore of Malaekahana Beach.

It is a protected seabird sanctuary, a very fun time.

This might be a fun diversion on your way to or from the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Your reward for making this hike – a beautiful, somewhat isolated beach. The swimming here is great because the beach is protected, so the waters are pretty calm.

Animals you may see, of course birds, sea turtles and if you are lucky, Monks Seals enjoy sunning on the beaches of Goat Island.

WARNING:

KUKANILOKO BIRTHSTONES

Kukaniloko Birthstones
At the intersection of Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 99) and Whitmore Avenue on the north side of Wahiawa.

The Kukaniloko Birthstones is a very important culture stop on Oahu. It is where Oahu’s high chiefs were said to be born.

“HUAKA’I O KAMANANUI”

THE 36TH ANNUAL PRINCE LOT HULA FESTIVAL

Moanalua Gardens Foundation

IF YOU LIKED THIS, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

CREDITS:

Kukaniloko Birthstones photo by Loren Javier
Goat Island Photo courtesy www.vrbo.com
THE 36TH ANNUAL PRINCE LOT HULA FESTIVAL

Previous Episode

Hawaii Honeymoon And Family Fun, Educational Activities : Show 28

This week’s show features a listener question bonanza as we share a few ideas for Hawaii honeymoons and educational family fun activities. All that and more on this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast. Show 28

OAHU AND MAUI HONEYMOON

Sandra from Portland sent us a message through our Facebook page. She wrote...

Hi Dan and Jennifer! Love the podcast, keep em coming. I still have 2.5 months to learn before I go to Maui and Oahu!

I wanted to know if you guys could recommend anywhere in Laie. We will be staying there for 4 days and would love to know where to go — got anything? I also wanted to see if you knew anything about the Maui Kai condos? We will be staying for our honeymoon and would like to know your guys’ must see spots on both Oahu and Maui. This out first time to Hawaii and any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! –

Sandra, Portland, Oregon

First, let’s talk about a few things for you guys on Oahu...

Polynesian Cultural Center
55-370 Kamehameha Hwy Laie, HI 96762
(808) 293-3333
Hukilau Beach
55-699 Kamehameha Hwy
Laie, HI 96762
Laie Point State Wayside Park
Off Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 83) at La’ie town via Anemoku Street to end of Naupaka Street.
Hukilau Cafe
55-662 Wahinepee St Laie, HI 96762
(808) 293-8616

Jennifer recommends the 12th annual Duke’s OceanFest which will be held in various places throughout Waikiki, from Saturday, August 17, through Sunday, August 25, 2013. This is a 9-day event that features a variety all of Duke Kahanamoku’s favorite activities including Longboard Surfing – Paddleboard Racing – Swimming – Tandem Surfing and more.

Second, let’s talk about a few things to explore on Maui...

First, it looks like they have picked the Maui Kai condos to stay in. These look nice with a nifty HD Webcam you can control.

The first thing to do is checkout http://www.hawaiitravelpodcast.com/show4 where we did an extensive show about how to plan a Maui honeymoon.

Of course you will be close to Lahaina, the cute little whaling town.

Whalers Village Shopping Center
2435 Kaanapali Parkway
Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 96761
808-661-4567

Whalers Village Shopping Center is a favorite shopping mall to check out.

For sure checkout a Luau. You have two choices, a fun touristy type of Luau we like the Old Lahaina Luau at $99 and for a more romantic date/food luau, the Feast at Lele at $115.

FUN AND EDUCATIONAL IDEAS ON OAHU

Harris and Melanie are planning a family trip to Oahu and are looking for some activities that are both fun and educational. They write...

Dear Dan and Jennifer-

We are just three months away from our trip to Oahu. My wife and I are suckers for places and activities like the Polynesian Cultural Center. There is something special about experiencing things in a “hands-on” manner that is different than a regular museum. Here in New York for example we have many famous museums, but our favorite place is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where they actually have an old tenement building setup just like how it was in the late 1800s. We have heard you both talk about the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu, and the Kamokila Hawaiian Village on Kauai (That sounds wonderful, but alas we are saving Kauai for a future trip). Can you recommend any activities similar to these in Honolulu or the surrounding area? A little more information about us if needed, we will be traveling with our 10 year old twins (a boy and girl) and wanted to mix some fun educational activities along with something fun we can all enjoy. Our daughter loves to swim but is afraid of the o...

Next Episode

Cooling Off On The Big Island, Kauai With Kids And Shipping From Hawaii: Show 30

The Hawaii Travel Podcast Show 30 for Tuesday July 23rd 2013. On this week’s show we’ll talk about where to cool off on the Big Island, we’ll explore your shipping and shopping options while visiting Hawaii, and we’ll talk about things to do with kids on Kauai. All that and more on this episode of The Hawaii Travel Podcast.

SHIPPING FROM HAWAII

Agnes emailed us and asked the following:

My husband and and 2 girl friends are visiting Hawaii. As we are arriving on Thanksgiving eve, we are prepared for some serious Black Friday shopping. The thing is, we do not want to lug our shopping through subsequent jaunts to Maui and Big Island. Appreciate your advice! Thanks.

When shopping on Oahu, make sure to visit the swap meets. This is where many of the stores in Waikiki shop. Visit the swap meet and get great deals direct from the suppliers.

One place we recommend is the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace.

We feel the best option for shipping packages is via the United States Postal Service. They are everywhere and surprisingly reasonable. The only potential downside is the length of time it takes to get mail from Hawaii to the main land.

KAUAI WITH KIDS

Our second email came from the absolute best grandma in the world, Lori, she wrote...

Hi guys!
I am really enjoying your podcasts....especially the tidbits of Hawaiian history. I haven’t been to Kauai for 40 years, and in July I will be traveling there with my 5 year old granddaughter. Are there any “must-see’s” that I don’t want her to miss? I would really appreciate your input and look forward to future editions of your podcast.
Thanks so much...
Lori from Grants Pass, Oregon
Apart from listening to both our Kauai Bucket List Epsiode (http://www.hawaiitravelpodcast.com/show25 and our Kauai Travel Tips episode (http://www.hawaiitravelpdcast.com/show14) we recommended Waimea Canyon.

Jennifer also mentioned Steelgrass Farm, a chocolate farm and recording studio.

And another place that would be perfect for people of any age, (but especially great for kids) is the Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens.

The Na ‘Aina Kai Botanical Gardens is located in Kilauea and their phone number is 808.828.0525.

HILO ICE POND

Very near to downtown Hilo there is a unique place to cool off, especially during hot summer days. It’s called the Hilo Ice Pond. This is a fun spot where the locals and those in the know go to cool off. Although its called Ice Pond, there is no ice in the water.

It is a big brackish pond whose cold fresh water mixes with the warmer water from Hilo Bay. There isn’t a beach here, just a fun watering hole.

It’s part of Reeds Bay Beach Park, located at the edge of Banyan Drive.

Ponds Hilo is a nice restaurant that looks over the pond with a fantastic bar, perfect for tropical drinks.
135 Kalanianaole Ave Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 934-7663

And finally, Jennifer recommended everyone who will be on the Big Island this weekend (July 26), to check out the Sunset Hula featuring Halau Kahula O Nawahine Noho Pu`ukapu at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This special hula performance is not to be missed overlooking Kilauea Volcano. For more info, visit them online http://volcanoartcenter.org/component/content/article/79-supplemental/269-hula-kahiko-series

IF YOU LIKED THIS, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

CREDITS:

Fishing Report music courtesy of the great Don Arndt – Slow Country Waltz subscribe to his you tube channel.
Hilo Ice Pond photo by Aloha Jan
Waimea Canyon photo by bjhaddad