NEW EXPERIENCES AROUND THE ISLANDS.
Whether you’re staying at a five-star resort or a modest plantation-era inn, it’s easy to explore Hawaii’s diverse landscape, food and cultures — and almost a crime not to. Here are highlights of some newer excursions and experiences around the islands, from south to north:
The Big Island
On the island of Hawaii, lava flowing into the ocean remains a powerful magnet for visitors, who can view it from land, air or (for the very adventurous) sea. While you’re near Hilo, take advantage of KapohoKine Adventures’ new kayak and stand-up paddle rentals to traverse Hilo Bay, starting at the Grand Naniloa Hotel. Take a guided kayak tour ($59 for two hours, or $200 for private three-hour tour for two) that may include a secret beach or rope swing into the Wailuku River, below the Boiling Pots waterfalls. Call (808) 964-1000 to reserve.
At the recently renovated Waikoloa Beach Marriott, a partnership with its new timeshare villas means guests can take part in free daily yoga on the crescent beach of Anaehoomalu Bay ($20 for nonguests), while anyone can make a reservation for yoga on a stand-up paddle board ($30), offered four times a week by Ocean Sports; www.hawaiioceansports.com.
Camp Manitou, a 70-yearold summer camp in Maine, now offers a satellite program at the Four Seasons Hualalai that includes trips to rugged Kiholo and Kua bays, stargazing at Mauna Kea and other offsite excursions, for ages 9 to 12. Offered in peak periods, the next session runs Dec. 18-Jan. 1, with meals and snacks included in the fees of $150 half-day, $185 full; www. fourseasons.com/hualalai.
Maui
Discover Native Hawaiians’ traditional connections among marine life, plants and humans during the new Culture and Native Plant Guided Walk at Maui Ocean Center in Maalaea. Held Wednesdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., the walk with a cultural practitioner is free with regular admission ($30 adults, $20 ages 3 to 12, $27 ages 65 and older), but should be reserved online to guarantee space; www.maui oceancenter.com.
International Coastal Cleanup Day, Sept. 16, offers an opportunity to learn about the island’s delicate ecosystem while helping it. Join Hawaiian Paddle Sports and Malama Maui Nui in removing marine debris from Poolenalena Beach in south Maui, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The first 50 to sign up receive free lunch afterward; www.hawaiianpad dlesports.com/beach-cleanup.
At the Kaanapali Beach Hotel, already known for its focus on Hawaiian culture, a new, more unusual set of free cultural activities for guests began July 1. They include learning how to play the traditional bamboo nose flute and trumpet, making cordage, throw-net fishing and printing designs with bamboo stamps. www.kbhmaui.com.
Molokai
Hotel Molokai (still the island’s only hotel) has a new restaurant, Hiro’s Ohana Grill. It’s run by three brothers from the island, and is open for lunch and dinner daily, with nightly entertainment; www.hotelmolokai.com.
Lanai
There’s still no word on when Lanai owner and tech mogul Larry Ellison’s team will reopen the Lodge at Koele. In the meantime, Four Seasons Lanai guests can explore the island on their own in Polaris Ranger 900 off-road vehicles, after a short driving lesson, for $150 ($100 per additional passenger); www.fourseasons.com/lanai.
Oahu
Waikiki recently commemorated two legends of Hawaiian music with new bronze statues of slack key guitar master and singer Gabby Pahinui and pop icon Don Ho. The statue of “Pops” Pahinui now stands at Waikiki Beach Walk, where free concerts take place every Sunday at 5 p.m. and free hula performances at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday; www.waikikibeachwalk.com.
At International Market Place, the statue of Ho stands under the massive banyan tree near Kalakaua Avenue, close to the former club where he performed for many years and the modern Queen’s Court Stage, which hosts frequent live entertainment. The shopping center also saw the opening in late spring of Michael Mina’s the Street, a gourmet food court that includes Ayesha Curry’s International Smoke and Michelle KarrUeoka’s Aloha Ice; www.shop internationalmarketplace.com.
Honolulu’s Chinatown continues to be a hotbed of hot new restaurants. Senia showcases locally sourced, regional American cuisine from Chris Kajioka, formerly of Vintage Cave Honolulu, and Anthony Rush; www.restaurantsenia. com. Rain, a gourmet comfort food restaurant from “Great Food Truck Race” champion Lanai Tabura, pairs well with neighboring Scarlet, a whimsical, LGBT-friendly nightclub under the same management; www.rainhonolulu.com.
For family-friendly activities, day or night, check out the new Coral Crater Adventure Park, 25 miles west of Waikiki. A former Navy coral quarry, now covered with lush foliage and home to a friendly wild pig, the 35-acre park offers ziplining (choice of three or six lines), a climbing wall, off-road ATV and electric mountain bike riding, an aerial “adventure tower” and giant swing; www.coralcrater. com.
The Bishop Museum’s new “Holo Moana: Generations of Voyaging” exhibition, open Nov. 4 through June 24, will celebrate the adventures and legacy of long-distance ocean voyagers, including the crew of Hokulea, which recently returned to Hawaii from a globe-spanning journey. To make the journey from Waikiki easier, the museum now runs a shuttle from five locations, for $7 round trip; www.bishopmuseum.org/ shuttle.
Kauai
On the North Shore, the twice-monthly He Aina Ola Farm Dinner Tour combines a tour of the orchard and gardens of the Waipa Foundation, a Native Hawaiian community-focused nonprofit, with a three-course dinner and wine pairings at the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas, using Waipa produce and other locally sourced ingredients. The $135 fee for the three-hour experience includes tax and tips; www.westinprinceville.com/ princeville-kauai-dining.
On the South Shore, celebrity chef Sam Choy has revamped and expanded the dining offerings at the extensively renovated Koloa Landing, now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. Among them is the new weekly Royal Luau, a beautifully presented buffet dinner with entertainment by Rohotu Polynesian Dance Company in a garden setting. The regular rate is $110 adults, $75 children, with deluxe or show-only options available; www.koloalanding resort.com.
Also on the South Shore, in Kalaheo, the funky former glass factory known as Warehouse 3540 hosts a variety of boutiques by local artists and artisans. Food trucks include the Fresh Shave, selling allnatural shave ice with whimsical mustache straws; fresh local comfort food from Roots in Nature, and island-sourced gourmet fare from Kickshaws. Hours vary widely, so check online schedule before visiting; https://warehouse3540. com.