The Kahala Hotel & Resort

Are you looking for that perfect destination for your family vacation that doesn’t put a strain on your budget? The Kahala Hotel & Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii, is offering a Family Affair vacation program for 2013. Plan your vacation around this spring special offered March 1 through June 30. Book a minimum four night stay which includes a “kids eat free” bonus.

This favorite destination is Hawaii’s No. 1 luxury resort. Set on a secluded white sandy beach, and bordered by the ocean and a private country club golf course, this hotel features spacious oversized rooms with the option of adjoining rooms and connecting doors, perfect for families. Upon arrival, parents are greeted with a traditional seed lie, while the children each receive a stuffed toy sea creature or a giant cookie.

From casual poolside dining to a catered family beach cook-out to the 24-hour in-room dining service, it will be a truly exceptional experience. Enjoy a daily breakfast buffet at Plumeria Beach House restaurant overlooking Kahala Bay and the spectacular sandy beaches. The outdoor open-air Café has an adjacent lawn, where once done eating, kids can run and play as you watch while finishing your meal or sipping a cocktail under a magnificent sunset.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort

The secluded beach offers family friendly fun with its calm and peaceful ocean. Perfect for snorkeling, canoe riding, stand up paddle boarding lessons, or just walks along the shore, there is something for the whole family.

Parents, enroll your kids in The Kahala’s Keiki Club’s half and full day programs where they will enjoy hands-on cultural activities, beach excursions, and other adventures while you take a complimentary shuttle for some shopping or a day of golf. Pamper yourself at the Kahala Spa or enjoy a “mommy and me” manicure and pedicure.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort’s 26,000 square foot natural lagoon is home to a family of six Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. Watch the trainers as they offer daily hands-on programs for kids of all ages (with and without parental attendance). Swim with the Dolphins and experience a face-to-face encounter with these intelligent creatures in a setting that will be an event to remember.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort

The activities are endless – day trips to the Sea Life Park, Bishop Museum, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, and the Polynesian Culture Center are also available. Make this time with your family an experience of a lifetime.

Please use the Contact Form below to submit your travel request to The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Oahu, Hawaii. We will promptly get back to you.

Waimea Valley Audubon Center’s mission is to preserve the botanical, cultural and ecological resources of the prosperous Waimea Valley.

It offers visitors to Oahu, Hawaii various opportunities to discover the valley through elaborate guided tours, educational programs and mountain trails.

Back in 2006,  several public and private groups worked together to purchase Waimea Valley Park from a private developer. This move protected this valuable heritage property for future generations to come.

The acquisition of the 1,875-acre North Shore property, home to a world class botanical garden and a popular waterfall and pool, was made possible by a partnership of donors, consisting of the City & County of Honolulu, US Army, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the National Audubon Society.

Under the terms of the agreement, OHA will assume ownership of the land and will manage it in partnership with the Audubon Society. The Hawaii park will henceforth be known as Waimea Valley Audubon Center.

Many residents and tourists are familiar with the beautiful front 300 acres of the park, where the garden and waterfall are located. But the land included in the ahupua’a of Waimea consists of more than 1,500 additional acres of “back country,” that regular visitors to the park never see.

Lovers who desire to catch a glimpse of rare birds, flowers and butterflies are up for a treat in this Hawaiian paradise.

Spa Luana – Turtle Bay Resort

Close your eyes and listen … the pounding of waves is probably the first thing you’ll notice. Now, open your eyes and look out at the ocean. That’s easy to do, as the resort faces Turtle Bay on one side and Kulilima Cove on the other, which has a protected beach with a swimming and snorkel area.

If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, take the drive to the other side of heaven. 5 1/2 miles of pristine beaches and 12 miles of ocean trails for strolls along the ocean, await you on 880 acres. If you take a stroll along the bay, you will probably have the opportunity to see the many turtles that make their home here. There are seven color-coded trails to follow.

There is something for everyone here. Tennis (10 courts), two championship golf courses (36 holes of Arnold Palmer and George Fazio Courses), horse-back riding stables (a wide variety of choices for beginners to advanced riders, including evening and horse-drawn carriage rides). They also have helicopter tours right on site, and much more!

The property can accommodate groups of up to 1,000 for meetings and has hosted concerts of up to 5,000. There was a wedding gong on during my stay and besides seeing guests all dressed up in their “Hawaii best”, one wouldn’t even know it was going on.

While I was working out in the fitness center, I was speaking with a nice gal. She was working out while her husband was taking advantage of the surfing school that they have on property. That makes sense as this is where the surfers live. Turtle Bay Resort is surrounded by little surfing towns, which lends to the very casual atmosphere at the resort. My new friend then left her work-out to join the yoga class, which was starting just outside on the patio. Another lady that I spoke with said that she and her family have been coming back to the resort every year since her two boys were young. One had just graduated from Cordon Bleu School and had even chosen to do his internship here.

The Turtle Bay Resort went through a $60 million renovation of the property. The rooms are spacious (ranging from 478 to 2000 square feet in size) and they also have cottages set away from the main hotel. They have Kallista (deep-soak) tubs, and you can enjoy your own exclusive butler (ho’okipa) service. Rub elbows with the locals as they make their way to the restaurants and partake in the yoga classes, golf and other activities at the resort. It lends itself to a very friendly atmosphere. If you like spinach and bacon, go to Lei Lei’s, their casual golf club dining restaurant and get their spinach salad with warm bacon dressing (it’s great, and loaded with bacon pieces!) and poke (marinated raw ahi tuna). Their poke is very popular, so get there early to get yours.

THE SPA LUANA
Spa Luana takes its meaning from the spirit of relaxation. ancient practices of healing and relaxation that incorporate mind, body and spirit. The Na Ho’ola’s (many healers) used Hawaiian plants, fruits, flowers, and the natural healing properties from the Honua (earth) and the Moana (ocean) to care for the islanders. Experience the collection of Hawaiian indigenous spa treatments that reflect the spirit of Malama (to care, serve and honor).

I arrived at the hotel after a long day in airports and airplanes, and then the 45-minute drive to the hotel. The drive is easy and easy on the eyes, as there are pineapple plantations (Dole) and many other farms and greenery. I checked in, opened the lanai (balcony) and heard beautiful island music playing. There was a function being held outside of my room, but if I hadn’t looked over, I would never have known they were all there, enjoying their early dinner. I just got to enjoy the relaxing music that was filling the air. I then headed down to the spa to get the last treatment of the day.

Signature Treatements:

Hawaiian Ti-Leave Body Wrap
I was greeted by my therapist, Sonia and led to the wet therapy room. I laid down on the treatment bed and she spread an application of fresh coconut pulp all over my body and then followed it by patting my body with a warm pure kukui nut oil. She then wrapped me in a cocoon of ti-leaves on my underside and mylar wrap over my body. During the relaxation period, she placed soothing ti-leafs, held on with small cooled stones eye pillows, and an aromatic essential oil of your choice. During the wrap, Sonia rubbed my head and neck with her great, strong hands, and then massaged my feet. Once complete, she then rinsed my body down with a long overhead Vichy Rain Shower bar. After the rinse, she rolled the sheets and towels out from under me, to provide a clean surface to work from so that she could then apply a natural body moisturizer made with pure, hydrating Aloe Vera gel and coconut juice. She recommended that I let it soak into my body overnight. This treatment alternated from cool to warm and then cool again. They say that this treatment is meant to cool burned skin, prevents peeling and is the ideal spa treatment for those who spent a little too much time in the sun.

Spa massage treatments range from hot stone therapy to Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massages. The Lomi-Lomi originally known as lomi ka’ ala hoku, “massage journey to the stars”, is an ancient Hawaiian Massage system. It has been passed down from one generation to the next. Native Hawaiians believed that all nature is replete with the same energy or spirit which they called aloha ‘aina. This system of massage was kept secret from the West until the 1970’s.

It is meant to revive the body, to move blood and lymph, release muscle spasms, and facilitate waste product removal from muscle and connective tissue. The concepts of unconditional love, grace, beauty and spirituality are inherent in Lomi.

The most distinctive movement of Lomi is a kneading motion done toward the heart. However, a full range of massage strokes are also used. Special attention is paid to the na ‘au, the lower abdomen, which ancient Hawaiian philosophy considers the center of all emotion and power.

The practitioner will predominantly use the soft part of the forearm coupled with a dancing motion to create the long, gliding strokes intrinsic to Lomi. Finger tips, hands, knuckles and elbow may also be used.

I spoke with two different women who had this massage and both were extremely relaxed and pleased with their treatments.

Pineapple Pedicure
For lack of time, I was not able to experience this luxurious treatment, but I was able to speak with a lady having it done.

First, this treatment is performed out on the patio, facing the pounding waves. This was also just before sunset so the atmosphere was enhanced by the sun setting. She said that she was loving the total experience and her pedicurist was a delightful young lady, also.

A truly pampering tropical foot treatment that began with a warmed coconut milk footbath soak, filled with fresh orchids, followed by a Hawaiian Sea Salt exfoliation and lava rock buff. Next her feet were wrapped with a mask of crushed pineapple and island honey for deep conditioning. During that period, she enjoyed a soothing kukui nut oil hand massage. Then she had an invigorating foot massage, and ended with a moisturizing application of kukui oil.

The locker room and spa itself is small, with a steam room, a couple of showers and limited amenities, but the trip to your room is short. They even have a spa floor, on the second floor above the spa. The elevator misses the ground floor traffic, so you won’t be running into lobby guests. For larger groups, they convert suites into treatment rooms. Guests can enjoy the sound of the waves from these private suites. The Jacuzzi is located just outside the spa doors

Needs improvement:
The sitting area was very well lit, with only one large comfy chair and another two-person backless bench.

All in all, everyone that I spoke with truly enjoyed the property and the spa. If you’re looking to get away from it all and relax, on Oahu, this is the place.

Review by: Sherrie Strausfogel “Hawaii’s Spa Experience”

Bernini Honolulu

I heard about this cute little restaurant from a friend, so four of us gave it a try one evening. We finally located it, and I must say, the exterior lighting and appearance of the Bernini Honolulu eatery was very classy and attractive, (reminiscent of Taormina Sicilian Restaurant in Waikiki).

The interior is tastefully decorated as well, very upscale, and attractive. My only criticism of the Bernini Honolulu interior decor and lighting would be to either get rid of the refrigerated display case and its bright fluorescent lighting immediately inside the entrance.

Or, if this display case is necessary, install some cool temp. incandescent lighting inside to highlight whatever you want to emphasize. The fluorescent lighting in the case wages a battle with the rest of the very classy lighting throughout the restaurant.

Now for the important topic — the food:

We first tried a sampling from their Antipasti selection and chose the Chef’s Selection of the Day $28.00 — A trio including Tuna Carpaccio w/ Sicilian Lemon Sauce, Porchetta – Homemade Slow-cooked Pork Ham, and Venetian Style Marinated Octopus and Potato Lightly flavored with Anchovy.

We also ordered Grilled Scallops with Eggplant in a Balsamic Reduction Sauce $14.00 All antipasti selections were quite tasty, however a little sparse with respect to volume. We ordered a bottle of Prosecco, (Flor Prosecco), to accompany our antipasti ($39.00) , which was quite good.

The main dishes we ordered were all under the “Pasta” heading and were all spaghetti offerings including Ricci de Mare – Fresh Sea Urchin – Peperoncino Style $26.00; Vongole Bianco – Fresh Clams in a White Wine Sauce $22.00; Chicken Carbonara – Creamy Spicy Chicken Sauce $18.00; and King Crab – in a Tomato Cream Sauce w/ Broccoli $24.00.

We enjoyed an excellent meal at Bernini Honolulu.

The Halona Blowhole is just a short drive from the center of Honolulu, on the east coast of Oahu. Every day, visitors gather here to see this amazing Hawaiian natural wonder.

Molten lava tubes from volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago formed the natural occurrence known as the blowhole. The lava tubes extend to the ocean, and when the surf is just right, the mighty blowhole can shoot water up to 30 feet in the air. It’s an incredible site.

You cannot actually get to the Halona  Blowhole itself, at least not easily. People can make it down there, but they worked their way across various lava ledges from nearby beaches.  Anyone wanting to try this must be extremely careful.  There have been numerous accidents because people get caught off guard by the very powerful waves near the blowhole.

The lookout off the Kalanianole Highway at Halona presents an exceptional vista of the coastline and outer islands. The location is also a wonderful spot to watch whales at play in the winter season.

Just to the right of the Halona Blowhole is Halona Beach Cove. This scenic location is best known for the renowned love scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the classic 1953 movie, From Here to Eternity.

Anyone who visits the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine museum at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, will likely be surprised at the profound effect it can have on you. Whether you’re a history buff, enjoy large naval vessels, or just want to pay respect to the brave men and women who serve in the military, this exhibit has something for everybody.

During a visit to Pearl Harbor, one can’t miss the first sight of the Bowfin submarine, sitting just off the dock in the harbor.

Once you arrive at Pearl Harbor, upon first glance the area was unremarkable. It has a large parking lot with two buildings in the immediate vicinity. After you park, if you are facing the water, the submarine museum will be on your right.

The first thing you see as you walk up is torpedoes. Yep, actual torpedoes, with the good stuff taken out line the entrance to the museum. One of the big ones, standing up on its end has the impressive stats of: 32 feet long, 30,000 pounds heavy, 4.5 feet in diameter, and a 2,880 mile range!

As you walk through the torpedoes, the museum will be the building on the right and there will be a gift shop on your left. You can walk through to the submarine or go to the museum.  Neither was anywhere near as crowded as the Arizona Memorial, making it a viable alternative during peak hours.

The museum is in a large air conditioned building with cool lighting and static electricity inducing carpet. You will walk down a circular path through the room between exhibits on both sides. Initially there are lots of pictures of the submarines in World War II and their crews. As you walk, the glass covered displays get more and more fascinating.

There’s a quaint, surf-town on the North Shore of Oahu called Haleiwa. After some sun bathing on the white sandy beaches, surfing in the warm Pacific Ocean or shopping and taking in the sites …. it’s time to eat. The mouth watering smell is Huli Huli Chicken being barbecued.

A huge rotisserie is covered with chicken halves and slowly grilled over a bed of mesquite charcoal. Huli Huli barbecued chicken is a Hawaiian specialty and must be tried.

It gets its name from the Huli Huli sauce, which is made from a recipe of Asian chili paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil, ketchup, honey, lime juice, minced garlic and ginger root, salt and pepper.  Full article

Diamond Head – Oahu Hawaii

Diamond Head is one of the primary icons that Hawaii is known for. This majestic giant volcano towers above the Waikiki beach area and can be seen for miles.

Diamond Head’s visual prominence also benefits from Hawaii’s weather. The clear air and low clouds set off the shape the way a frame promotes a picture. “In Hawaii you see sharp, dense shadows and sparkling highlights on the landscape, and that helps define it as well.”

Government-owned, Diamond Head served over the years as a training ground and revetment for the military, rarely open to the public except during occasional music festivals. That has changed, and the two-hour hike to the 760-foot summit has become one of the most popular outings in the islands.

On the rim, visitors can also inspect the tunnels and sighting apertures dug out by the Army, when the peak was an important part of Fort DeRussy’s artillery system.

Diamond Head is a kind of logo for Hawaii, said artist Pegge Hopper. “The sheer shape of it is so iconic. A great crutch for beginning artists; if you had to ship out a label for anyone. Diamond Head, a hula girl, plumeria lei, a coconut tree — mix them together in any combination, and you have a logo that’s distinctly Hawaii.”

Diamond Head is also the name of a British heavy metal band and of a Charlton Heston movie, of a comic-book villain and of a tiny Southern hamlet. But the Hawaiian locals feel that Diamond Head is simply the best-known volcanic crater in the universe. Amen.

Chinaman’s Hat – Oahu, Hawaii

Chinaman’s Hat, also referred to as Mokolii (“little lizard”), is a small island located off Kaneohe Bay in Ohau, Hawaii. It’s a 12.5 acre, 206 foot tall basalt island, about one-third of a mile offshore of Kualoa Point.

Chinaman’s Hat is a cone shaped outcropping of lava off Kualoa Point. Chinaman’s Hat got its name because it resembles the peasant’s chapeau (straw hat) worn by rural Chinese immigrants.

The reef surrounding the island supports an abundance of marine life and is one of the O’ahu’s best offshore islands.

The island’s eponymous profile is well-known from numerous vantage points on Oahu’s windward coast.

You can see Chinaman’s Hat from numerous vantage points along the coast but the best view is to actually go out to the island. You can walk there during low tide but the best way to get there is via kayak.

On the island is a small beach nestled in a secluded cove. There is also a small cave carved out of lava and a steep volcanic cone perfect for exploring. The view of the Koolau Mountains, Mokapun peninsula, Kahaluu, Kaneohe, and Kailua is unmatched.

Directions:
Off the Kamehameha Highway offshore from the Kualoa Point State Recreation Area, approximately 45 minute drive from Honolulu.

Diamond Head is Hawaii’s most famous landmark. Known in Hawaiian as Le’ahi, so named by Hi’laka, the sister of the fire god Pele, because the summit supposedly resembles the forehead (lae) of the yellowfin tuna fish (‘ahi). It wasn’t until the late 1700′s, when western traders thought they had found diamonds on the slope of the crater, that they began to call it Diamond Head.

But before you head to the Diamond Head State Monument to dig for diamonds, you should know that (to the disappointment of the western explorers and traders) the so-called diamonds were merely calcite crystals, worthless to mine.

The must-do at the Diamond Head State Monument is the short hike through old military bunkers. (Bring water and a flashlight.) The historical trail to the summit is an easy 1.4 mile hike that climbs an elevation of 560 feet and ends with sweeping views of the Honolulu area.

There are handrails, plenty of places to rest, and places of interest, so allow 1.5 to 2 hours for a leisurely round-trip hike. Also, bring a flashlight because portions of this trail go through long, dark tunnels. Amazingly, some locals and visitors jog up and down Diamond Head for exercise.

To get to the access road to the trail, follow Kalakaua Avenue to Kapiolani Park. Go north on Diamond Head Avenue to 18th Avenue.