APEC coming to Honolulu, Hawaii, in a week
If you plan to vacation in Waikiki around the middle of November this year, be aware that during this time an important convention of world leaders is taking place. President Obama will be here and host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote economic cooperation and free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This is a big event and the local media as well as local businesses... [Read more]
5000+ Hawaii vacation rentals to select from with To-Hawaii.com
To-Hawaii.com has partnered with HomeAway, the world’s leading online marketplace of vacation rentals. One of the best parts of the Hawaii vacation experience is planning the vacation itself. If you plan to stay at a vacation rental, To-Hawaii.com can help you find the best vacation home that will fit your budget. We provide links to one of the largest collections of Hawaii vacation rentals by the owners online. Staying at a vacation... [Read more]
The best deals for Hawaii hotels are now available on To-Hawaii.com
To-Hawaii.com now helps you search the best travel sites at once to find the lowest hotel rates. We are proud to announce to our site visitors that we now offer an easy and convenient way to search among all leading hotel reservation sites, such as Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, Travelocity, etc. With just one click you can now compare hotel rates on all the major booking sites at once and find the best hotel deals in Hawaii. What’s... [Read more]
Annual Maui Onion Festival
Next Saturday, on May 7, 2011, it’s time again for this year’s Maui Onion Festival, which takes place at Whalers Village in Ka’anapali on Maui’s west shore. This popular festival has been a signature event at the Whalers Village since 1990 and is dedicated to the cultivation and promotion of the world-famous Maui Kula onion. There will be recipe contests, live entertainment, food booths (including a beer garden), chef demonstrations,... [Read more]
Flying over the Hawaiian Islands
Flying over the Hawaiian Islands is very unique experience, especially if you fly from Oahu to the Big Island. Then you can see three or four islands within the span of 30 minutes. First you will see the beautiful coastline of south and east Oahu, the famous beaches Ala Moana, Waikiki Beach, Hanauma Bay, Sandy Beach and others. Then you will get the chance to fly over Molokai and see the long white sand beach Papohaku Beach, Molokai sea... [Read more]
New wind farm on Oahu
The famous winds of Hawaii have yet again been harnessed to provide electricity to the residents of Oahu. A 30-megawatt facility, the island’s first large-scale wind farm, was inaugurated and put into action recently at Kahuku. The wind farm has been developed by a Boston-based company, First Wind, and has 12 wind turbines of 2.5-megawatt each, expected to generate electricity to power up about 7,700 homes. Spread over 575 acres, the steel... [Read more]
Oldest known U.S. wild bird hatches chick on Midway Atoll
The oldest known wild bird in the United States, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom, recently became a new mother. A biologist from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spotted the bird in a remote wildlife refuge on Midway Atoll, which is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, located about 1,300 miles northwest of Honolulu. The albatross is at least 60 years old. Scientists are able to tell the age of the seabird because they first banded... [Read more]
New humpback breeding ground discovered in Hawaii
The humpback whales, once on the brink of extinction due to unrestricted commercial whaling practices, have slowly grown back in numbers thanks to the untiring efforts of conservationists and international protection. The main breeding ground of the whales in the North Pacific region has been the main Hawaiian Islands. But research conducted by scientists at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric... [Read more]
Pu’o O’o crater floor collapses, opening up new vent and starting spectacular eruption
A new vent opened Saturday at Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, in a remote location at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Pu’o O’o crater floor collapsed by at least 377 feet, generating a huge ash cloud and a lava fountain that shot lava up to 100 feet into the air. The fissure is located about a mile southwest of Pu’o O’o crater and grew to 1.4 miles on Sunday. This latest eruption resembles one in 1997... [Read more]
World’s biggest telescope to be built in Hawaii
Hawaii moved a step closer to becoming the home of the world’s largest telescope when the state Board of Land and Natural Resources unanimously approved the plan this weekend. The thirty-meter telescope, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018, will have a single primary mirror that measures 30 meters across and is made up of 492 segments. This will give the telescope nine times more collecting surface than the biggest telescopes on... [Read more]
Sunken whaling ship from the 1800s found in Hawaiian waters
188 years ago, in the night on February 11, 1823, the whaling ship Two Brothers was cruising in the waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands when it suddenly slammed into a shallow reef. The boat’s hull split open and the vessel sank quickly. Today, on February 11, 2011, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the discovery of the Two Brothers shipwreck in waters surrounding the French Frigate Shoals, which... [Read more]
Hawaiian hoary bat could become Hawaii’s official land mammal
The Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) is considered to be Hawaii’s only native (endemic) land mammal, meaning that it can’t be found anywhere else in the world. The Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee passed a bill 7-0 on February 8, 2011, that recognizes the endangered bat. It could become the official land mammal for the state of Hawaii. While the Hawaiian monk seal is Hawaii’s state mammal and looks a lot cuter to many... [Read more]
It’s snowing in 49 states, including Hawaii
This has been a cold winter so far across the United States. According to national news sources today, it is currently snowing in 49 states, including Hawaii! Snow has fallen on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea. The volcano’s summit is at an altitude of 13,796 feet (4,205 m). The temperature up there currently hovers around 26 F (-3 C). Florida is the only state without any recent snowfall. Read More →
Hawaii whale season is here!
Whale season is here! Beginning this month, Hawaii will see its faithful winter visitors once again, the Pacific humpback whales. More than 10,000 of these majestic mammals migrate here each year all the way from the waters off southeastern Alaska, a two-month journey of more than 3,000 miles. The whales swim to the Hawaiian Islands to breed, birth and raise their young. There are a few lookout points on all the islands from where one can... [Read more]
So it is your first Hawaii vacation? And you are trying to decide which Hawaiian island to visit?
Which Hawaiian island should I visit? This is a question I get asked very frequently from friends, acquaintances and people visiting my website. And my answer always begins with “depends what you want to do and see.” The activities and things to do and see, the scenery and even the climate is different on each island. In other words, each island is quite unique. Visiting Oahu The majority of Hawaii travelers visit Oahu and particularly... [Read more]
Hawaii tsunami warning issued on February 27, 2010
This morning at 6 a.m., the sirens went on because of a Pacific-wide tsunami warning. The warning is in effect for all Hawaiian Islands. There was an 8.8 earthquake in Chile yesterday which triggered the tsunami. Currently it is not known yet how big the waves will be, but all people who live in an evacuation zone or near the shoreline are asked to evacuate. The tsunami is expected to arrive on the Big Island of Hawaii at 11:19 and Oahu... [Read more]
What is the best time to visit Hawaii
Hawaii is sunny and warm year round, so whenever you decide to visit the islands, it is considered to be a good time. However, even warm year round, the weather here varies a bit during the seasons. Hawaii is generally very humid and humidity could be feel most during the month of October, right before the winter starts, so if you don’t like humidity, that’s not the time to plan a Hawaii vacation. The summer months May to August... [Read more]
Searching for the Spirit of Blessed Father Damien
By David Lichtenstein The pali (cliff) trail on Molokai’s north shore descends almost 2,000 feet over three miles and 26 switchbacks. While the trail and its cinder block steps are carefully maintained by the National Park Service, it still takes its toll on aging knees and ankles. The trail’s steepness and the lack of accommodations once you reach the bottom, account for the popularity of the mule ride, one of the few alternatives for... [Read more]
Honolulu Power Outage
I noticed about an hour ago that there’s a power outage in Honolulu, in the Ala Moana area. My neighborhood still has power, but other parts in Ala Moana don’t have power. Police are out right now directing traffic. I tried to find information about this power outage online, but there’s no news about it on any news site. Read More →
Hawaii’s Street Names
Hawaii’s rich culture and history can be felt not only at specific locations, but also in the names of those locations. For example, many streets in Hawaii are named after a famous warrior or significant person in Hawaii’s history. Other streets carry just a simple Hawaiian word in their name, and some street names even have surprising translations. Here is a small sample of Hawaii’s variety of street names: ‘A‘ahu (Miilani) –... [Read more]
