Lookout over Honolulu

Aloha!  At the end of one of the Tours, we drove up to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which provided an opportunity to lookout over Honolulu.

Aloha!

Sue.

Macadamia Nut Farm

Aloha!  The Macadamia Farm Outlet is the place to try freshly brewed Kona Macadamia Nut Coffee and fresh Coconut.  The grounds have lots of lovely flowers and the pond had lots of frogs, which was pretty cool to see. 

 

Aloha!

Sue.

Byodo-In Temple

Aloha!  The Byodo-In Temple is located at the foot of the Ko'olau Mountains in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.  It was established on June 7, 1968, to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii.  The temple is built entirely without nails.  It is a scale replica of a temple in Uji, Japan, that was constructed over 950 years ago.  The Byodo-In Temple is a non-denominational Buddhist temple which welcomes people of all faiths to worship, meditate or simply appreciate its beauty.

Aloha!

Sue.

Helicopter Tour of Oahu

Aloha!  The Hidden Oahu Tour was a 45 minute Helicopter flight we took by Makani Kai Helicopters. This is the write up of the Tour:

This spectacular tour shows you all the 'must see' attractions and scenic vistas of Oahu, from serent Keehi Lagoon and historic Honolulu Harbour, to Aloha Tower, Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island and world famous Waikiki Beach.

On the eastern end of the island is Hanauma Bay, the remnants of a volcanic crater that is now a marine sanctuary and popular snorkel spot.  Up next comes the Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, Makapuu Point and lightpoint, and colorful Sea Life Park.

After cruising above the powdery white sands of Waimanalo Beach, the tour continues over the gorgeous coral formations of Kaneohe Bay, distinctive Chinaman's Hat, and then up into the 'Jurassic Park' valley, where a dozen major motion pictures have been filmed.  The highlight of the tour is Sacred Falls, a shear and splendid 1,000-foot cascade.

On your way over Oahu's Central Plain, you'll see the world's largest agricultural maze at the Dole Pineapple Plantation and the 'birthing stones' of Hawaiian royalty.  Your tour concludes with a panoramic visa of Pearl Harbour.

 

 

Aloha!

Sue

Sunset Beach

Aloha!  Hawaii's Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu has golden sand, swaying palm trees and warm waters.  On the day we passed by Sunset Beach on a Tour, the waters were fairly choppy, which was perfect for the surfers.  No swimming was permitted, however, the few dogs on the beach were certainly enjoying the waters.

Aloha!

Sue.

Dole Plantation

Aloha!  The Dole Plantation is one of Hawaii's top tourist attractions.  The gift shop houses a range of pineapple, macadamia and coffee products to name just a few.  The cafe allows visitors to buy pineapple icecream in a cone and an array of hot food.  Out the back, there are plantings of pineapples, a pond with fish you can feed, the Pineapple Express, which is a train providing a tour of the pineapple fields and the world's largest hedge maze.  
I had a bit of a giggle when I came across Spam.  I remember eating spam out of the can in my younger years.  Did you know that the residents of the state of Hawaii consume the most Spam per capita in the United States?  Yum yum!

Aloha!

Sue.