Sleeping in the Volcano on Maui: the Holua Cabin

The Holua Cabin in Haleakala Crater is set at around 7,000 feet, so better throw hiking boots and outerwear in with the flip flops and aloha shirt if you plan on taking this adventure. Nene, the endangered Hawaiian goose, will join you at this chilly oasis set amid a jumble of lava—including a few tubes that attract cave explorers. You can also visit Holua on a day hike: Some people start at 10,000 feet near the summit and take the Sliding Sands Trail across the crater (okay, it's technically a valley dotted with volcanic cones) and emerge at the Halemau'u Trailhead, which is farther down the road to Haleakala. This option is 11.5 miles. You can also start at Halemau'u, which makes for an 8-mile round-trip hike.

Holua is one of three cabins (the other two are the Paliku and Kapalaoa) that are administered by the National Park Service. Call up to 90 days ahead to make reservations—or try at the last minute (808-572-4400; or Google "Haleakala cabins," to reach the park service site). Cancelations create openings quite frequently. The cabins are sparsely appointed, so you will need a sleeping bag along with warm clothing (though in the daytime it can be hot). At night, the stars are like spotlights. The park's website has quite a list of dos and don'ts. Cost is $75 (per cabin), or $60 if you call three weeks ahead of your visit.

Maui Trailblazer has details on these hikes, as well as many others in the Haleakala National Park.

Baldwin Beach: spend the day, end the day

When on Maui, find a way to pull in at Baldwin Beach Park, a few miles south of the windsurfing town on Paia on the windward (east) coast. Locals do. A grove of swaying palms presides over a loooooong curve of soft sand that was in the early days the backyard of Henry P. Badwin, one of Maui's "Big Five" sugar kings descended from missionary families. Though most of the mills have shut down, descendents of the cane workers still gather at the picnic pavilion to talk story (the Hawaiin way to chew the fat and reminisce). They are joined by others in the sundown crowd who enjoy a favorite libation as body-boarding surfers try an on-shore break. Clouds often hang over West Maui, which appears as another island. But kicking back is only one option.

Beachcombers can head about a mile along undeveloped coast to Lower Paia Beach Park, passing wild Montana (a.k.a. State of Mind) Beach along the way, frequented only by fishermen on a rocky bulwark and the occasional European-style sundbather tucked away on the sand. Going the other way on the sand is a shorter stroll to Baby Baldwin Beach, which can be reached directly via another access point. A near-shore curving reef there creates a long, shallow swimming oval that is perfectly safe, 24/7. Mommies with kids and everyone elese looking to swim with the fishes can drop their towels on the uplsope of sand. Ironwood trees provide an option in the shade. Trekkers can continue all the way from Baby Beach to Kahaha Beach Park, which is a haven for windsurfers and kite-boarders. Maui Trailblazer (a new fourth edition came out in May) has more details on this sweet spot.

Five Best Beach Parks in Hawaii

Hawaii has hundreds of beaches, so to name the five "best" is sort of dumb. But let's not let that be a hindrance. Let's say you want to park the family for the day at a beach that has: lifeguards, good swimming, picnic tables, restrooms, and other options, like good walking and historical sites. And realiably good weather.

On Kauai, head to LYDGATE PARK, at the mouth of the Wailea River on the islands Coconut Coast (east shore). A huge man-made swimming oval is protected from the breakers, and even has enough fish to make for good snorkeling. The lawn, playsets, and picnic pavilions of Kamalani Playground are next to the beach, as is the Hauola Refuge, a cultural site. A short walk away is the enormous Play Bridge, with several stories of stairs, ropes and ladders. Miles of open sand invites beachcombers. Also on Kauai: Poipu Beach Park and Salt Pond Beach Park, both with the goods for a family day.

On Oahu, let's go with KAILUA BEACH PARK, on the windward side. Kayaking to Flat Island, just offshore, adds a splash of adventure to this popular park, which also has acres of gardescaped picnic areas and white-powder sand. Snorkeling is good, but a little better at sexy Lanakai Beach, adjacent to Kailua. Also on Oahu: Many acres of lawn and huge trees draw the locals to Ala Moana Beach Park, just across the yacht harbor on the north end of Waikiki. Magic Island, a man-made lagoon, provides safe swimming, and many people like to lap swim along the protected shoreline of the park. A deluxe mega mall is just across the palmy boulevard. It's also hard to beat Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park on the north shore, which has all the amenitites, plus a world-class surf scene.

On Maui, families flock to the KAMAOLE BEACH PARKS, three of them side-by-side in the family resort town of Kihei. Each park has very nice shaded picnic areas. The beaches are scoops of sand, punctuated by lava points that provide fish habitat for excellent snorkeling. Lots of take-out eat options are nearby, as is a coastal trail that continues south to the five beaches of the Wailea resorts. Also on Maui: Pu'unoa Beach (Baby Beach) in Lahaina is short on facilities, but the swimming is fabulous and offshore islands provide a hypnotic view. On the windward coast, near hippy-dippy Paia, is Baldwin Beach Park, which could very well be in the "top five." A sweet baby beach, long beach walks either way, and good boogie boarding attact a wide range of visitors.

The Big Island has a ton of very different parks, but a popularity contest would be won by HAPUNA BEACH STATE PARK, on the north end of the South Kohala Coast. Picnic pavilions line a path that drops through trees and gardesn to the island's largest sand beach. The best snorkeling is a walk (or short drive) at Wailea Bay (a.k.a. Beach 69) also a state beach. A coastal trail also reaches the lovely sands of Mauna Kea Beach, at one of Hawaii's premier resorts. Also on the Big Island: You can't beach Kahalu'u Bay in Kona for family snorkeling. On the Hilo side are three beach parks that would top the list, IF sunshine were more frequent there. Not far from town on the shores of Hilo Bay, are Carlsmith, Onekahakaha, and Richardson Ocean Park. All have protected swimming, beautiful backshores, and a great family beach scene.

Alright. We fudged and only name four as "best," along with lots of honorable mentions. You get to decide the fifth, and it may not even be mentioned above. Pick up a Trailblazer Travelbook and give it a read before visiting Hawaii. There is a lot of beach exploring waiting to be had.

Breaking into "Jail" on Hawaii's Big Island

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Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park is where vanquished warriors and violators of the kapu system (the king's rules) could voluntarily go to escape other punishment. When justice is a swift club, people run to break into jail.

Many of the historic structures (including a 1,000-foot-long wall from the 1500s) remain at the park, which is south of Kona on Kealakekua Bay. On many days, native Hawaiians are on hand demonstrating ancient crafts, such as canoe building and weaving of mats.

Right next to the site on the north is Two Step, one of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii. The name derives from the natural stairs in the lava reef that lead swimmers into gin-clear waters. On the south side of the national park is Pu'uhonua Beach Park and the Ki'ilae Village site, an excellent choice for a picnic followed by a coastal trek. And all of this is just a few miles via a connector road to Kealakekua Bay, with its own snorkeling, historic sites, and the surfing village of Ke'ei.

For more on this family getaway zone, check out Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer, beginning on page 96.

Oahu's North Shore: Surf City

Every island has a north shore, but there is only one North Shore, on Oahu, known to surfers around the world. Within a few miles along the surprisingly rural Kamehameha Highway are four breaks that hold competitions on the world pro surfing tour: Haleiwa, Waimea Bay, Pipeline, and Sunset Beach. Waves with 10-foot faces are common, especially in the winter, and frequently the walls of foaming water reach 30-feet and higher.

Spectators are free to pull in and watch the world's best surfers for free. When the waves are right, they will come. Haleiwa town has plenty of parking at Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park, but the break is a little far offshore for optimum viewing. Just down the road at Waimea Bay (yes, the one named in the Beach Boys' "Surfin' USA,") has a big parking lot, but it fills up fast when the big waves arrive. Spectators head for the mouth of the bay (you can park at a nearby church) to watch the show from a bluff.

A bike lane connects near by Pupukea (town) to Pipeline (at Ehukai Beach Park) and then Sunset Beach, which is only a couple miles. Beach cruiser bicycles are available for rent, cheap, making for a lazy way to check out the scene. Pipeline has sand that slopes down to a near-shore reef break, a natural grandstand for spectators. Tour buses pull off at Sunset Beach, since there is a big turnout. Sunset gets a lot of looky-loos, but it's not among the best places to watch.

For details on the best places to surf, and to watch the big boys and girls challenge the waves, check out Oahu Trailblazer. (All the Trailblazer guides list the best surfing in the Islands, as well as the best place to have a seat and behold.)

The Maui Beachfinder

Maui has some of the most scenic and snorkel-friendly beaches in Hawaii.  After the long plane ride, check into your room and head for the beach.  The Maui Trailblazer guide lists and rates them all.

A guide for families and outdoor adventurers alike, Maui Trailblazer 2012 covers all of the island, and includes day trips to the neighboring islands of Molokai, Lanai, and Molokini.

Clear directions and concise descriptions lead to all of Maui's well-known attractions, as well as to hidden discoveries that Trailblazer readers have come to expect.

137 different hikes and strolls to tropical rain forests and remote valleys, coastal bluffs and lava caves, Haleakala crater and the Hana Highway, cascading waterfalls, beaches, ridgetops, towns, whale-watching perches, historic sites, and archeological ruins.

Among the 44 snorkeling spots are hike-to coves and the secret places that tour boats go.

Kayakers can pick from about 20 put-ins. Surfers can select from 38 beaches and decide whether to boogie, board, or body surf. 

The text is complimented by 10 maps and 240 photographs, including a four-page color insert.

Nine driving tours take readers to all the attractions, natural wonders, and historic sites.

A Resource Links section provides numbers for free visitor information and recreational outfitters, as well as hand-picked accommodations and local restaurants to suit every budget and taste bud.

A Best Of section lets you pick the right activity to suit your mood and the day. Appendices include free hula shows, farmer's markets, what to pack, climate, history, fauna, and a Hawaiian glossary.

This new and completely revised fourth edition for 2012 includes a Trailblazer Kids section for adventuring families.  Available at amazon.com, barnes and noble, and trailblazertravelbooks.com.

Hawaii: Getting Soaked

Forget the Eskimos and their dozen names for kinds of snow. The seaborne island nation of Hawaii has more than 150 names for rain. These people lived for nearly 20 centuries isolated by a 2,500-mile wide moat of saltwater called the Pacific Ocean. Rain meant life.

Fortunately, Hawaii's volcanic peaks attract plenty of moisture--up to forty feet of rain yearly at Kauai's Mount Waialeale, the rainiest place on the planet. Straying from the boardwalk through the Alakai Swamp (pictured), which is next to Waialeale, is a risky, often fatal proposition. Even Kauai's most experienced outdoorsmen know better than to be caught in a swamp rainstorm, usually accompanied by dense fog.

But most of the 149 other kinds of rain are not nearly as foreboding. Walking in a tropical garden in the rain is one of the best experiences to be had. Bring a waterproof shell and get into it. Here are a few of the rains you may encounter:
 
ua lanipili: downpour lasting several days
ua awa: cold bitter rain
he ua lanipali: heavy shower pakapaka: large, spattering drops
awa awa: fine rain that's cold
koiawe: light, moving shower
hookili: fine gentle rain, a form much loved
noe kolo: small, fine mountain rain that mixes with the thicker rain of the forests

You'll find directions to the Alakai Swamp trail in the Kauai Trailblazer guidebook.

Hula High in Hawaii

Hula is not all about bobble-heads and swizzle sticks. To Hawaiians, the dances that tell stories with chants have been the way to memorialize and perpetuate a way of life for centuries. Here, at the edge of the Big Island's Halemaumau Crater, a halau (group) led by Kumu (leader) Emery Aceret, pays tribute to the volcano goddess Pele. (This area has since been blow to bits by an eruption, in the middle of Kilauea Caldera in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.) An ancient hula platform near the park's visitors center remains intact and is an excellent spot to see the authentic Hawaiian dance. So is the Merrie Monarch Festival, held yearly down the volcano in Hilo on the Big Island. (This year's festival just concluded; if you want tickets for next year, get them soon, for real.)

The Merrie Monarch is named for David Kalakaua, Hawaii's last king who did much in the mid-1800s to renew the ancient cultural arts in the Islands, after they had been driven underground for generations during the missionary period. For another not-to-miss chance to see a mesmerizing performance in a stunning natural setting, check out the Queen Emma Polynesian Festival, held on Kauai in October. The event takes place in the meadow at Koke'e State Park, near Waimea Canyon. Many dances and chants tell of historical events, but more are about the Hawaiians' intimate relationship with nature in its myriad forms. Teaching is still done the old way: the keikis (children) learn from older girls, and there is no such thing as a retirement age.

Pololu Valley: A Big Island Family Adventure

At the end of the road on the northwest tip of the Big Island of Hawaii, the Pololu Valley Lookout lures visitors into a stunning seascape. A steep road (more of a wide rocky trail) leads down about 400 feet over .75-mile to a rugged beach with a stream: Enough of a hike to make for a family adventure, without being overly strenuous or hazardous.

From the beach, big boys and girls can strap on hiking boots and continue on a trail along this roadless coast. The first few miles of the trail are strenuous and at times washed out by slides. After that, the route—which continues to Waipo Valley—becomes truly wild-and-wooly, and not recommended for visitors (unless fully equipped and experienced). See Hawaii Trailblazer, beginning on page 35.

For more hikes onto private lands in this area, contact Hawaii Forest & Trail (800-464-8505), a premier hiking company with experienced guides.

Maui's Honolua: World Class Wave Machine

The offshore right-break into Honolua Bay on west Maui is one of Hawaii's best surf venues: good sized wedges and curls break consistently, occasionally reaching double-figures in height. Surfers must carry boards down a goat trail and enter at a rocky shoreline. Spectators have it made. You can drive to the point for a grandstand view,or better yet, walk down a short distance on a steep trail to a cluster of rocks that hang right above the action. Photographers need to check this one out.

Take a break from the surfers to walk a short distance to Lipoa Point, with its weird rock formations and tide pools that work for snorkeling—when surf is low. Most tourists come to this undeveloped coast (a few miles north of Kapalua) to dip fins and a mask into the Honolua Marine Preserve. Colorful schools flit along long ridges of coral. Avoid Honolua after and during rains, when stream runoff muddies the waters. See Maui Trailblazer page 72 for more.

Top of the World: Mauna Kea

While visiting the Big Island, you might want to take a break from sun and surf to climb the tallest mountain on earth: Mauna Kea rises "only" 13,796 feet from sea level, but if measured from its base on the ocean floor the dormant volcano is well over 40,000 feet. Unlike Everest, which requires a major expedition, the Famous Summit of All the Land (as the Hawaiians called it) can be achieved with a round-trip hike of a half-mile. Bring warm clothing, it's very cold up top.

Still, some planning is required. Passenger cars can drive to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, which sits at 9,000 feet, but a four-wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended (sometimes required) for the last 8 miles to the trailhead. A number of tour companies take vans to visit the dozen or so astronomy observatories at the top—but if selecting this option, make sure your company offers the peak hike. If driving up, you should stop at the Onizuka visitors center for about an hour to adjust elevation and drink fluids to avoid altitude sickness--headaches and dizziness that can occur after climbing so high over a short period of time. (The symptoms are alleviated by descending to lower elevations.)

See Hawaii the Big Island Trailblazer, beginning page 180, for more tips and details for taking this spectacular mini-adventure.

Maui's Makawao (rhymes with wow!) Forest Reserve

Cowboys, pine trees, and cool temps: not the first things that come to mind when you think of Hawaii. But Makawao, lying on the pastoral lower slopes of Haleakala on Maui's windward coast, has a strong Western heritage and thriving rodeos. And the Makawao Forest Reserve, little farther up from the quaint town, delivers a network of trails through a bird-filled groves of many species of broadleaf trees, as well as tree ferns and Norfolk Pines (okay, which technically are not conifers). But you can find cypress groves as well as some for-real pine trees.

Another huge expanse for hikers is not far away, higher still on Olinda Road, the Waihou Springs Forest Reserve. You will find very few tourists, or anyone else for that matter, at these two excellent choices for exercise hikes and bird watching. Check out page 153 of Maui Trailblazer.

Drive-through coconut stands on Kauai

The east side of Kauai isn't called the Coconut Coast for nothing. The term does have its historical roots: the coco palm was one of the 23 plants the Polynesian voyagers took with them in the "canoe garden," when they faced 2,500 miles of open water to sail here from Tahiti. The ali'i (royalty) planted groves on this coast, many of which remain from the last days of the monarchy.

But fresh coconuts are all about today in Kapa'a, as well as other towns and rural areas in east and north Kauai. For a couple bucks, a machette-wielding gardener will whack the top of the coconut so you can drink the water with a straw. The water is highly nutritious, even used for IV's when medics ran out of plasma in the South Pacific during WWII. The meat of the coconut is soft like a melon at this point, and can be eaten with a spoon.

The brown-nut coconut needs to dry for awhile before getting its nutty texture. Those are available at stands too. These babies are hard to crack. Needless to say this island staple is only one of many, many fruits and veggies available at roadside fruit stands. If you want to eat local, Hawaii is the place to be.

Maui Trailblazer: Hot off the Press

A new fourth edition of Maui Trailblazer is ready to be taken to the Islands for hiking, surfing, strolling, snorkeling, and driving around. Vacation planning information and lots of Maui factoids are also inside the covers, along with a special Trailblazer Kids section and loads of safety tips.

Aloha and have a great time on Maui!

Amazon.com has it available but it's hard to navigate directly to the title page because it's a brand new guide. Click here to get to the order page fast.

John Cruz on Big Island Saturday; then on tour with Jack Johnson!

If you are lucky enough to be on the Big Island this Saturday (March 10) head north to the tiny town of Kapa'au and look for the crowds around the statue of King Kamehameha. John will be performing (free!) at the Taste of Kalo Festival, Kamehameha Park. Kalo is the Hawaiian word for taro, and this culturally and culinarily significant plant has center stage for the day.

Big Island community groups have gotten together to celebrate and educate people about the importance of growing kalo organically and sustainably. Growers will be on hand to teach natural farming methods. The festival also offers local foods like laulau and chili rice, arts and crafts and plenty of music. Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi will stop by. Cyril Pahinui takes the stage about 1pm, followed by John's dad Ernie Cruz Sr at 2pm. John performs at 2:30, until closing an hour or so later. Please donate!

Look for John Cruz out on the road around Hawaii in April. He'll be supporting Jack Johnson, along with Paula Fuga. The three will play venues on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai, in celebration of the release of Jack's latest album "Jack Johnson and Friends - Best of Kokua Festival," due out April 17th." It's a 13-track compilation of live performances from various Kokua Festivals over the years, including 2 tracks with John. Proceeds from the concerts and the album benefit the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, which supports environmental education and consciousness in schools and communities around the world. Get tickets while you can. These shows will sell out fast. Details at jackjohnsonmusic.

Hapuna Beach State Park: Divine

If Hapuna Beach didn't already exist, God would have to create it. The Big Island, though larger than the other Hawaiian islands put together, has the least amount of sandy shoreline, since it is far younger than the other islands. Hapuna's half-mile-plus wide crescent of sand brings locals and tourists alike, driving up from south Kona and from the Hamakua Coast on the east side of the island. From a huge parking lot, garden paths wander down a hillside dotted with shaded picnic pavilions.

Surfers love the many-tiered shore break, and a shallow entry is great for wave-play—although bigger surf sometimes creates hazardous conditions. Beach combers can go nuts. One 2.75-mile round-trip walk goes past the Hapuna Prince Resort, along a coastal trail, and drops down to the lovely beach at the Mauna Kea. Going the other way at Hapuna, walkers can reach Waialea Beach, aka Beach 69 (no! it's nicknamed for the number on a nearby telephone pole back in the days before the state put in rest rooms and a parking lot).

Snorkeling is good-to-excellent at Beach 69. Fish seekers can also take a dip at Hapuna Stairs Beach, a tiny nook in the shoreline that is just off the trail as it leaves Hapuna on the way to Mauna Kea.

Hapuna Beach State Park is the clear choice on the Big Island for families who want to load up the cooler and haul out the sand toys for a day at the beach. Bring sun protection, since this can be a scorcher, unless you retreat to the picnic pavilions for a break. Value added: Rustic A-frame cabins are available for rent by campers—you need bedding. Though a bit funky, the cabins are ideally situated on the island and have restrooms and a large cooking pavilion on the grounds. You'll find driving directions and more photos in your Hawaii Big Island Trailblazer guide.

Surfing the Outernet at Makaha Beach

Kauai's Big Oscar Night

Kauai is ready to celebrate a George Clooney win for his performance in Descendants. All the scene locales for the movie are portrayed in Kauai Trailblazer, a book that goes back 13 generations of printings and with a fifth-edition 2012 edition now available. With strong competition, the Descendants is no sure thing, but win or lose, when the spotlights are turned off the Islands will still glow in warm tropical sunshine (although today Kauai happens to be under a floodwatch).

Some of the Descendants was also shot on Oahu and the Big Island—and those locales are also shown in Trailblazer guides (though you can find Waikiki without assistance). Director Alexander Payne and his team made a movie that stayed tight on its characters, but they also revealed the heart of the islands, with the help of a soundtrack of slack-key music and background scenery that threatened to steal the show.

Adventure Snike to Oahu's Mokoli'i Island

The best snikes in Hawaii (snorkeling to an island and then taking a hike on it) are on Oahu's Windward shore. They are also the only such swim-to hikes in Hawaii, but no matter. These babies are something to write home about for adventure sports nuts. Moloki'i—formerly called the un-PC Chinaman's Hat—is a key feature in a huge regional park in the middle of the east shore. A similar swim-and-hike opportunity is a few miles farther north, at an even-larger recreation area. For a tamer event, try Flat Island, off Kailua Beach Park, several miles south of Moloki'i. Kayaks are in the mix in Kailua.

The water is not deep, but high surf can bring current and marginal or dangerous conditions. A life vest or flotation device won't hurt. Decent swimmers will have no problems—when conditions are safe. For more details, check out Oahu Trailblazer.

Hiking the Green Heart of Kauai

Midway between the lush north shore and the sunny south, Kauai's east side (the Coconut Coast of Kapa'a) doesn't see a crush of tourists. But hikers know better. Head inland a few miles to the Keahua Arboretum and you will find several hikes that are among the best in Hawaii.

One beauty is the half-day scamper up Kuilau Ridge, a perfect outing for a quick picnic and for families (less than five miles round-trip, with about 400 feet of elevation). A picnic pavilion with views of the lush valleys (ultra lush) is worthy of a rest, but make sure to continue past there, as the trail snakes along a narrow ridge through a garden.

The Keahua Arboretum lies in the shadow Mount Waialeale, the rainiest spot on earth with more than 40 feet annually. Several longer hikes are available, including the 13-mile trans-island trek on the Powerline Trail, which has a connecting trailhead at Princeville. You can also hike to very near the Blue Hole of Waialeale, a large pool that lies at the foot of the mountain's rippling green face. Check out Kauai Trailblazer, page 84, for tips on visiting this area.