Travelworm

Part 3: Wrapping Up

Last day in Paradise. This was going to be painful.

I woke up to the wonderful smell of the ocean wafting through my open lanai door. I had foregone the air-conditioning last night, as I really wanted to immerse myself in the total island experience. I breathed in, looked out into the world under me, and smiled. It was a startlingly beautiful day.

Then I took a check list of the top three places I was supposed to visit for this assignment from TravelWorm, all of which, strangely enough, I had not yet been to. (What the hell have I been doing all this time, you ask? Ermm… well, the margaritas have been so lovely...) So let's get to work. It's time to start earning my keep.

First up, Haunama Bay.

Lounging happily on the southeastern coast of Oahu Island is a pretty little bay formed within a volcanic crater. It's very scenic, with many spots for a photo-op, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that this also happens to be one of Oahu Island's top tourist attractions. Word to the wise: it can get very crowded, especially around 10 to 3pm and park management has been known to turn people away as soon as the lot fills up with cars. Oh, and parking on a weekend is practically non-existent.

Once inside the park, you wait in line to watch an informational video, which details the rules you have to observe, the history of Hanauma Bay Park itself, and the efforts to re-establish the park's pristine beauty. We learn that due to over-use, the Park has seen a bit of decline in the last few years, which is why a lot of these new protective measures have been put in effect. Foremost among them being that you must be careful not to damage anything (corals, reefs, etc) and that you can no longer feed or touch the marine life. But don't worry, there's still a lot to keep you occupied. Grab a mask and snorkel, glide through the water, and you'll still find a world of surprises just waiting for you beneath the surface.

On our day there, we see some nice angels, wrasses, parrotfish, a few moray eels, and a couple of sea turtles. A couple of fishes tried to bite me, but I just tossed them off with my superior underwater kung fu skills.

Entrance to Hanauma Bay Park is $5. Parking costs $1. A little tip: the reefs nearer the shore seem a bit more faded, so if you can, you should definitely try exploring away from the beach

After that energizing little dip, we headed off to Diamond Head.

Basically, Diamond Head is the cone of a volcano. It's an extinct volcano, though, and it's not likely to erupt ever again, so put all those thoughts of lava spewing forth out of your head.

Surfer Dave and I parked our car, headed off to the little booth in front, paid up, and took a long look at the trail before us. It's quite a hike. We could see the trail snake up into the cone and along the crater. I wasn't sure I was up to it. But a job's a job, right?

Once you get to the peak though, you'll realize that it was all worth it. The views from the top are emblematic of the whole Oahu Island, and probably Hawaii in general. You can watch white foam crash on jagged rocks in the distance, cobalt oceans turn into emerald seas, cloudless skies fade into the deep blue waters of the earth… yeah, all that. You'll see enough beauty to have you churning out poetry.

Tip: I strongly advise taking a nice bottle of water along the way, as there are no shops or stalls on the trail.

And finally, after what has already been a long day, we arrive, fittingly enough, at The Valley of The Temples.

The Valley of The Temples is not usually in any tourist's list of must-sees in the island of Oahu. And there may be a good reason for that, as the Valley of the Temples is really a multi-religious graveyard. Characteristic of the inclusive and diverse population of Hawaii, people of various races, creeds, and belief systems are all buried side by side in this beautiful cemetery.

The main attraction in this verdant memorial park is a replica of a 12th century Japanese Buddhist Temple, called the Byodo-In Temple (Phoenix Temple). It is a painstaking recreation, complete with a larger than life statue of Buddha sitting on a gold leaf lotus.

There aren't a lot of visitors as we explore the silence. And it's actually a pretty beautiful place. Grass on rolling hills, away from the tourist noise…

And really, this little strip of land epitomizes one of the greatest allures of Hawaii – that although parts of it have been greatly commercialized, parts of it are still pretty deserted. Sure a throng of tourist invaders have settled in Waikiki Beach, and sometimes the prices are jacked up like you wouldn't believe, but just get in your rented car and drive to wherever your whims may take you, and you'll come across a lot of empty coves with the prettiest views of the ocean. Bring some snorkeling gear and you're good to go – and you don't even have to pay any kind of entrance/usage/maintenance fee.

And to close this adventure, let me leave you with a thought. If there's one thing I tell people, it's this: Be a Traveler, Not a Tourist. Don't just get in the tour bus and point out the things that you see. You can do that at home in front of your couch! Get out there and really feel the stuff between your fingers and toes. Don't just look, but observe, watch, taste, hear, smell. You're in a different world, in a different culture, meeting different people. It's time to get out of your comfort zone and maybe try a bit of a walk in theirs.

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