Discover Hawaii Tours Blog

Throughout time many great and wonderful people have graced the shores of Hawaii, but only one has ascended to sainthood. Father Damien de Veuster, born Jozef de Veuster and also know as Blessed Damien of Molokai was a Belgium priest who won acknowledgment for his ministry to people with leprosy (also known as Hansen’s Disease) on the tiny island of Molokai in the late 1800’s. The patients had been placed on the island under a government authorized quarantine of the disease in 1866. The heroic priest loved and served his colony of outcasts before finally succumbing to the disease in 1889 at the age of 49.

On June 4, 1995, Pope John Paul II beatified Father Damien and gave him his official spiritual title of Blessed. In April 2008 Damien was recognized as being responsible for two miracles attributed to him and later that year the Congregation of the Causes of Saints at the Vatican voted to raise the Blessed Father Damien of Molokai to sainthood. The canonization process will be completed at the Vatican on October 11, 2009 before Pope Benedict XVI.

Today Father Damien’s region of Molokai has been established as Kalaupapa National Historical Park and its dour and distressed history has given way to a superb natural beauty of the Island. The village of Kalaupapa, the site of the original leper colony, is located at the base of the world’s tallest sea cliffs towering over 3,300 feet high. The sea cliffs form a natural barrier between the Kalaupapa peninsula and the topside of Molokai. The isolation of the peninsula is palpable with only 3 ways to reach it; which are, by plane, boat or lengthy ascension by foot or mule.

We are very happy to announce the inauguration, on July 1, 2009, of the first ever scheduled inter-island tours of Kalaupapa and Father Damien’s Molokai. Our tour 44 will take guests from either Honolulu airport on Oahu or Kapalua airport on Maui, via private aircraft to the Island of Molokai and specifically the Kalaupapa Peninsula. The land expedition will retrace the life of Blessed Father Damien and the air tour will provide passengers with spectacular views of Molokai’s sea cliffs and the world’s highest waterfalls.

Our photographer captured a few choice moments of the celebration.

Difficult economic phases do not necessarily mean you can’t plan a wonderful vacation to Hawaii. It just means it may be more of a challenge. We have compiled a few tips to make your planning on a budget easier. But let’s start by reminding you what General George S. Patton said about challenges. “Accept the challenges, so you may feel the exhilaration of victory”.

Don't be confused.

Strategic Planning

Sit down and list what vacation elements are most important to you. By discovering what is essential or not, you will be able to save money by process of elimination. For instance, maybe you wanted an ocean front room but determined staying 2 blocks from the sea is just fine. This decision alone will save funds that can be spent elsewhere.

Help is just a click away.

Haggle, Bargain and Barter

Now more than ever it is becoming apparent that travelers have the upper hand when it comes to vacation components. Don’t be timid about asking for a discount. If you see a hotel rate online, consider calling the property directly and asking the manager for a discount. You’ll be surprised how magical this can be. Most hotels in Hawaii are always sitting on what is known as “distressed inventory” – rooms that will probably go unsold. Most managers will be happy to take a few dollars off of a room that would most likely have been empty. The same can be said for tours and activities. Always book your tours directly with the vendor. Since they own and operate the tours, they are able to offer discounts that booking agent cannot.

Get creative and think about the old barter system. Possibly you have a skill a vendor can use. You could ask for a free tour in exchange for high quality photos and an online review on Trip Advisor. (We actually had a customer make this offer and guess what – we took them up on it).

Good deal!

Research – Ga Ga For Google

Spend a few hours online looking for discounts and you may be amazed at what you can save. Add the words free, discount, discounted or coupon to a search on Google and see what happens. Remember the ball is in your court. Hawaii businesses really want your support and may be willing to go out of their way to show it.

Condo Stay

You might consider booking a condo instead of a hotel room. There are plenty of vacation condos in Hawaii all of which include a kitchen. Having a kitchen will allow you to buy a few grocery items and  cook some of your meals. Ok so you want to get out of the kitchen on your vacation, that’s fine, but a few nights in a kitchen in Hawaii is well worth it if it helps you save money.

We hope these tips have helped and we wish you victory in the challenge!

Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii -

Big Island Lava exploding

Reports coming from our tour guides on the Big Island of Hawaii are that the summit of the Kilauea volcano crater has been glowing every night for the past few days. This provides a great opportunity for anyone interested in viewing an active volcano while visiting Hawaii since this is the brightest glow since October 2008.

The glow is created by molten lava pooling 300 feet below the the crater floor and flowing along the vents. The lava eventually makes its way to the Pacific Ocean, over 4,000 feet below the crater, and can be seen steaming as molten lava meets cool water:

Lava flowing into Pacific Ocean

The spectacular shows over the past few nights confirm geologists suspicions that the lava is close to the Earth’s surface, which means that there could be a fountaining event at Kilauea crater in the near future. But there is no definitive way to tell. The recent changes in the glow and increased lava flow do not increase the risks to any visitors to Kilauea, but the national park staff is keeping the overlook areas open later so guests can take in the scenery later into the evening. And snap some awesome pictures:

Kilauea lava glow

Kilauea History

The current Kilauea eruption began on January 1983, and continues to produce lava flows that travel down the mountain side through a network of tubes, which eventually empty into the ocean. This eruption has covered over 117 km² of land and has built out over 2 km² of new land into the ocean, destroying about 200 homes and structures in the process.

In 1990 lava flow from Kilauea destroyed the towns of Kalapana, Kaimu, Kaimu Bay, Kalapana Black Sand Beach, and a large section of Hawaii State Route 130, which now abruptly dead-ends at the dried up lava flow. During our Big Island Volcano tour you can actually see old roads covered in lava rock. The 1983-to-present eruption is the largest historically known for Kīlauea.

Hawaiian Legend of Kilauea

Kilauea is considered to be the home of Madame Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of ancient volcano legend. Several lava formations are named after Pele such as, Madame Pele’s Tears (small droplets of lava that cool in the air and retain their teardrop shapes) and Madame Pele’s Hair (thin strands of volcanic glass that form during the explosions) In Hawaiian mythology, Kilauea is where most of the conflict between Madame Pele and the rain god Kamapua’a took place.

Aloha,

Alex

Aloha from Hawaii

When visiting Hawaii it is helpful to know a few words you may hear, or want to use, during your vacation. Here is a list of Hawaiian words and Pidgin words that you can easily learn and use. Please feel free to add your own in the comments section below.

What is the difference between Hawaiian, English, and Pidgin?

Hawaiian and English are the official languages of the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian is a Polynesian based language that originally developed from the South Pacific, most likely Marquesan or Tahitian, as these were the first peoples to inhabit the Hawaiian islands. Pidgin is based partly in English and partly in Hawaiian. Pidgin is used by most “local” residents of Hawaii in everyday conversation. Here is a list of Hawaiian/Pidgin words that you may hear while in Hawaii:

1. Aloha – Love, affection, peace, or used as a greeting

Use “Aloha” to say ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’. Hawaii is also nicknamed the “Aloha State” and it is common for people to refer to the “Aloha spirit” or to do something “with Aloha” – this basically means to be nice to all other people and treat them the way you would want to be treated. Some other variations of “Aloha”: “Aloha kakahiaka” = “good morning” “Aloha auinalā” = “good afternoon” “Aloha ahiahi” = “good evening” “Aloha kākou” = “welcome to all” Feel free to say Aloha to Discover Hawaii Tours

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Aloha Tower in Honolulu, Hawaii

2. Mahalo – Thanks, gratitude, praise

It is very common to use “mahalo” in place of “thank you” with just about anyone.

3. Makai – Ocean

If you look at a map of Hawaii you will see that the islands are shaped in many different ways, so it is difficult to give directions using “North” and “South”. Often times you will hear people using the word “Makai” instead, which means ‘Ocean’.

Makai means Ocean

4. Mauka – Mountain

The opposite of “Makai” is “Mauka”, which means “mountain”, or more generally it means towards the interior of the island.

Mauka means mountain

5. Ohana – Family

The word “Ohana” refers to your actual family or blood relatives. Hawaiians will use the word “Hui” to refer to a tight knit group that is not related.

Discover Hawaii Ohana

Join the Discover Hawaii Tours Hui on Facebook!

6. Pupu – Appetizer

If you are at a restaurant and would like to see an appetizer or bar menu simply ask for a “Pupu Menu”

7. Da kine – Everything, anything, or used as a placeholder

My favorite Pidgin word is “Da Kine” because you can use it to mean anything and everything, or nothing at all, or a placeholder, or just da kine. It is similar to the English slang words “whatchamacallit”, “widget”, “so and so”, but it can mean all of those.

“Da Kine” can be used to refer to anything from a place, to a person, or even a word you just can’t remember. If you are struggling with remembering any word, just throw in “Da Kine” . Da Kine is also commonly used to mean “the best”.

Example: “I went on a really fun Oahu Tour with that da kine tour company – Discover Hawaii Tours!”

8. Brah – Brother, friend, close associate

“Brah” is a very common word, especially when you are on the North Shore, used a lot by surfers.

9. Shaka – Recognition of something good, cool, or a sign of approval

Obama Shaka

The “shaka” is used by local Hawaiians as a sign of appreciation for a favor, or when appreciating something they approve of. If you allow someone to pass in front of you while driving you will receive a shaka, be sure to recipricate.

10. Nalu – Wave

11. Honu – Sea turtle

The “Honu” are considered sacred by Hawaiian locals, and are endangered species protected by the State of Hawaii. If you see a Honu on the beach or in the Ocean you can enjoy them from a distance, but do not attempt to feed or touch them.

Honu means turtle

12. Kama’aina – State resident

The word “Kama’aina” means “state resident” such as a local Hawaiian or a person who has lived in Hawaii for a long time. On occasion, you can ask certain stores and restuarants if they have a “Kama’aina rate” which can mean a discount.

13. Ma Li Hini – Visitor

Any visitor or tourist is called a “Ma li hini” by the kama’aina In between giving great Hawaii Tours we will be adding to this list, so check back each week to learn a new Hawaiian word.

If you have some words that you think we should add to the list please put them in the comment section or send us a message on the Discover Hawaii Tours Twitter account.

Mahalo,

Alex

Oahu Events – Culture, Fairs, Music, Dance – June 2009

King Kamehameha Day June 11

If you are visiting Oahu in the month of June, below is a list of events for you and your family to attend:

Artists of Hawaii (Now through August 16, 2009) – This is the 58th Anniversary of the Artists of Hawaii, the largest and longest running all-media juried exhibition in the state of Hawaii. For more information about viewing the work go to the Artists of Hawaii website.

First Friday Hawaii (June 5 – 5 to 9 p.m.) – Downtown Honolulu – Chinatown Gallery Walk is the hip place to be if you want to enjoy galleries, boutiques, bars, cafes and restaurants that feature exciting art exhibits, events, activities and free entertainment. For more information visit the First Friday Hawaii website.

30th Annual Pan-Pacific Festival – Matsuri in Hawaii (June 5 – 7) – This festival celebrates the cultural exchange between Japan and Hawaii. This event and parade features Japanese and Hawaiian inspired music, dance, traditions, and food. For more information visit the Pan-Pacific Festival website.

King Kamehameha Day (June 11 – 13) – Every year on June 11th is designated a public holiday in Hawaii in honor of King Kamehameha, who is credited for brining all the Hawaiian islands together. Celebrations on King Kamehameha Day include a parade, arts and crafts shows, and a lei draping ceremony of the King Kamehameha statue in downtown Honolulu. According to Hawaii.gov the celebrations will start on Friday the 12th, with the parade through Honolulu on Saturday the 13th.

Kamehameha Statue

King Kamehameha Day Parade – 2008

Moonlight Mele concert series (June 25) – The Bishop Museum starts its three-part summer concert series with a performance by local Hawaiian musician Sean Na‘auao. The concert series is a staple of Honolulu’s summertime fun and includes a variety of food and beverages from Gordon Biersch. All the concerts are held outside on the lawn at the Bishop Museum on the last Thursday of each month in the Summer – June, July, August. Check out the Bishop Museum for more information and how to book tickets for the concert.

King Kamehameha Hula Competition (June 26 – 27) – Enjoy watching over 20 dance groups from the U.S. and Japan compete in the Hula dance competition at the Blaisdell Arena in downtown Honolulu. There is more information on the Hula Competition website.

Hawaii Dragon Boat Festival (June 26 – 28) – The annual Dragon Boat Festival is part of Chinese tradition and held to drive off evil spirits and pestilence, and for finding peace in one’s life. The event is highlighted by the colorful dragon boat races, in which competing teams drive their canoes forward to the rhythm of pounding drums.

Dates: Movie Night: June 26, 2009 – Friday Ala Moana Beach Park @ 7:00 PM Division Race Day: June 27, 2009 – Saturday Ala Moana Beach Park @ 8:00 AM Open Race Day: June 28, 2009 – Sunday Ala Moana Beach Park @ 9:00 AM Go to the Hawaii Dragon Boat Festival website for more information and see how to enter the event. If you know of any other events happening on Oahu please leave us a comment or email Discover Hawaii Tours. Check back later for events going on in Maui and The Big Island… Mahalo, Alex