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Shopping,
snorkeling, sunbathing abound in Hawaii
By
Jamie Rowe
Online Forty-Niner
Managing Editor
After a long, hard semester, the students
of Cal State Long Beach deserve a little
time at the beach sipping Mai Tai cocktails.
What better place than the islands of Hawaii?
Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own
feel and personality. Oahu, which has the
largest population of all the islands, has
more hustle and bustle, while sleepy Kauai
is perfect for a relaxed getaway in the
tropics. For young people, Oahu is perfect,
with its nightlife and adventurous day activities.
Planning a trip to paradise is as easy as
calling a travel agent or booking a trip
online through services such as Orbitz and
Expedia.
Ronna, a travel agent of The Automobile
Club of Southern California (AAA) in Costa
Mesa, recommends visiting Hawaii in the
fall. “September and October are beautiful,
but the spring is good too,” she explained.
Each island has a sunny and a rainy side,
but the temperature doesn’t change
much throughout the year. “In the
summer you get some humidity,” Ronna
added.
“The peak times are whenever children
are out of school. The prices are also higher
at this time,” the AAA agent suggested.
The fastest way to get to the Hawaiian Islands
is to fly. Many airlines offer flights,
ranging in price from $300 to $900 a person.
“Travel packages usually have the
cheapest airfare,” Ronna said. Flight
times vary from five and a half hours on
a non-stop flight to eight hours with a
layover. For more information check out:
http://www.expedia.com or http://www.orbitz.com.
Oahu has an excellent transportation system,
including the DFS Galleria Waikiki Trolley
that drops off and picks up passengers throughout
the Honolulu and Waikiki areas. An all day
pass with access to each trolley line can
be purchased for $25.
The trolley offers four different lines,
each with its own theme. The City Line (red)
takes patrons to various cultural and historic
sites, according to the DFS Galleria Waikiki
Trolley website (http://www.waikikitrolley.com//dfstrolley.asp).
The Ocean Coast Line (blue) goes to places
seen in magazines and TV, while the Dining
and Shopping Line (yellow) is self-explanatory.
The Ala Moana Shopping Shuttle (pink) is
an express shopping route to the Ala Moana
Shopping Center and hotels in the area.
For more public transportation options visit:
http://www.apta.com/links/state_local/hi.cfm.
“Get a rental car for just a day,”
Ronna advised. “The whole island can
be driven in a day.” Destinations
include the surfing mecca of the world,
North Shore.
For Oahu, AAA suggests staying at the Waikiki
Beach Hotel, located a block away from the
beach. “For a moderate price you get
a partial ocean view,” Ronna said.
The hotel offers breakfast daily, and two
luaus for the price of one, as well as the
fifth night free. For more hotel listings
try AAA’s Web site at http://www.aaa-calif.com/travel/index.asp?club_code=.
The Ala Moana shopping center in Honolulu
is the largest outdoor mall in the nation.
With over 240 stores, this mall is a real
treat for shopaholics. Customers can purchase
anything from a Harley Davidson hat for
their dog to a 60 inch plasma television.
Downtown Waikiki has the International Trade
Center with little carts filled with all
types of souvenirs for bargain prices. This
is definitely the place to buy a puka shell
necklace for a little brother, a sarong
outfit for a sister, a hanging planter made
of shells for mom and a Hawaiian shirt for
dad.
Also unique to Hawaiian shopping are the
ABC stores. With one on just about every
corner, it’s hard to miss these convenience
stores. This is another place to buy cheap
souvenirs like shot glasses and key rings.
The stores provide a wide array of snacks
and alcohol, along with tourist necessities
like $3 rafts, coffee mugs and sunscreen.
Snorkeling is another popular tourist attraction.
Many surf shops offer rentals and guided
tours often provide equipment. Try Shark’s
Cove in North Shore on Oahu, but skip Hanauma
Bay Nature Park. Hanauma charges a fee to
enter the park and gets more and more crowded
as the day goes on.
But Michelle Spalter, a third-year broadcast
journalism major warned, “Be careful
not to get scratched on the rocks in Shark’s
Cove.”
The food in Oahu is as wonderful and distinctive
as the island itself. Jillian Shundo, a
third-year business and art major, recommends
L & L, a fast food style plate lunch
restaurant.
“A plate lunch consists of two scoops
of rice, potato and macaroni salad mixed
together, sometimes cabbage salad and a
main dish, which can be anything from kobe
ribs to kaluah pork or teriyaki chicken,”
she explained.
Shundo has been to Oahu three times to visit
family living there. “They put on
a luau for me once,” she said. “It’s
not just about roasting the pig. That’s
called an emu.”
The process of the roast, or emu, is complicated.
“After they dig a pit, they light
a fire in it,” she said. “They
place wet banana leaves on the embers and
then the food on top of that, followed by
another layer of leaves.” To top it
all off the pit is covered with sand and
left to cook for a day. “It’s
so good,” Shundo exclaimed.
Shave Ice is also popular on the island.
“It’s not shaved ice,”
Shundo said. “I guess it’s just
their slang.” She suggests Matsumoto
Shave Ice in North Shore.
To make this delicacy, finely shaved ice
is covered with flavored syrups and sometimes
a snowcap, which is a cream-type topping.
Shundo said, “The ice is soft and
fluffy like snow.”
A vacation in paradise is a wonderful way
to spend time with a special someone. Planning
a get away is as easy as surfing the Internet
and talking to people who have traveled
to Hawaii and experienced the tranquility.
Food
• The lunch plate special, consisting
of two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and
a main dish, usually roast pig; this meal
is fantastic and can be found just about
anywhere on the islands.
Fact • Hawaii is
the exclusive home of the ABC stores, a
combination of a souvenir shop and a convenience
store.
Hot spot • Pick a
beach, any beach, seriously. The beaches
are the best with warm sand and warm water.
Just make sure to wear sunscreen.
Activity • Snorkeling,
which is easy to learn, is an activity best
done in Hawaii. For the least crowded snorkeling
spot, visit Shark’s Cove on Oahu’s
North Shore.
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