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July 17, 2011

Attractions Near Diamond Head

Although Diamond Head is famous for being an inactive volcano, there are many other attractions that are within walking distance. If you are planning on moving to this area just remember that there are many other attractions to visit in addition to Diamond Head. One such attraction is the big Kapiolani Park that is located just across the street from the condominiums and hotels at the end of Waikiki. This park is the home of an outdoor theater and many festivals. At this park you will find the Honolulu Zoo, softball and baseball diamonds, tennis courts, beaches with lifeguards, and much more. It is a park designed for families.

A great family attraction is the Waikiki Aquarium which was founded in 1904. In the aquarium you will find more than four hundred and fifty different species of aquatic plants and animals. You can also see a live monk seal exhibit plus a big collection of living coral.

Of course there are all the fantastic beaches such as the San Souci Beach, the Colony Surf Beach, and the Waikiki Beach. After seeing all the aquatic animals and live coral, you can visit the Honolulu Zoo.

At the Honolulu Zoo they have a wonderful children's zoo complete with a cow, donkey, hedgehog, llama, pot bellied pig, sheep, turkey and a red-footed tortoise. The zoo also has many educational programs including a week-long day camp where the children can learn how to take care of zoo animals and get behind the scenes encounters. You can even schedule your child's birthday party there. For a new experience you can spend the night in the zoo sleeping under the stars or pitch a tent on one of the lawns. You will have dinner and a guided tour of the zoo after it is dark.

You can also visit the lighthouse that was built in 1899 at Diamond Head, which is fifty five feet high and is approximately one hundred fifty feet above the level of the sea. You can see the lighthouse for up to eighteen miles. It was first lit in 1918 and the light is still operational.

The restaurants that are found in the Diamond Head area are expensive and high quality so if you want to have a family meal out then you can take a fifteen minute walk to Waikiki. As you can see there are many attractions for you to visit that offer lots for families to do. Living in Diamond Head you can walk to many of these attractions.

Posted in Hawaii Travel
July 17, 2011

Diamond Head Information

On the island of Oahu, Diamond Head is a famous landmark and was once a volcano that was active, but it has been over one hundred fifty thousand years since it erupted and spewed ashes. Hiking to the lookout point and extinct crater is a destination that is popular for hikers and tourists alike. It is the most painted and photographed spot on the island of Oahu. There have been many postcards and calendars created with Diamond Head on them.

Diamond Head is right on the ocean and is located in Waikiki on the eastern end. In the early years Diamond Head has impressed sailors. British sailors saw the small calcite crystals sparkling in the sun on the sand near the crater so they called it Diamond Hill, but later it was called Diamond Head.

The Hawaiian's called it Le'ahi which means land point (lae) and yellow fin tuna ('ahi). The reason that the Hawaiian's called it this is that from a distance the mountain resembles the ahi fish dorsal fin.

The government bought Diamond Head for three thousand three hundred dollars in 1904. Gun emplacements used by the artillery defenses on the coast were built in the 1930s. In 1941, the government built more pill boxes, foxholes, and gun emplacements so they could defend the island of Oahu better after the attack on Pearl Harbor. There are many remaining on the rim of the crater today. There is also one facility underground called the Birkheimer Tunnel.

Today the crater and mountain is a state park that is known as Diamond Head State Monument. There is a trail that leads to a lookout point from the crater.

If you cannot climb stairs all that well, then this hiking trail may not be for you because even though there are only three sets of stairs they have lots of steps. The first stair has seventy four steps, the second stair has ninety nine steps and the third set is a three story spiral stairwell . There is also a dimly lit tunnel that is two hundred twenty five feet long that you have to walk through so make sure that you bring a flashlight. Hiking the trail will take you approximately thirty minutes to an hour, depending on how in shape you are.

Make sure that you bring lots of sunscreen and water because it will be hot, but the spectacular view at the end is worth the hike. You need to make sure that you stay well hydrated and that you do get sunburned. You will be hiking up to its seven hundred sixty foot high peak to the lookout.

Posted in Oahu Guide
July 17, 2011

Diamond Head Real Estate

Relocating to Hawaii is a dream for some. Hawaii has great subtropical weather, sandy beaches, luscious gardens and majestic volcanoes. In addition to moving to Honolulu as most people seem to want to do, there is another place that is more popular and that would be Diamond Head. At seven hundred sixty feet above sea level at its highest point, Diamond Head covers three hundred fifty acres. The most expensive area on the island of Oahu, where Diamond Head is located, are Kahala, Waikiki, and Kaimuki. On this island, Diamond Head is the volcanic crater with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Diamond Head got its name from all the calcite crystals that glimmer against the sunlight in the lava rocks.

When it comes to moving to Diamond Head, they have many condominiums and family homes and the real estate there is just one of the best offerings Hawaii has to offer. The luxury homes there are priced at millions of dollars due to the constant sunshine and trade wind breezes.

With the real estate prices at a premium you have to be patient if you are looking for a great deal. Although price reductions do not happen that frequently, it may happen when owners suddenly need to relocate. In order to get a great deal you need to be knowledgeable about the property market.

Even though Honolulu is a cultural center, Diamond Head is in the center of industrial activity. When you live in Diamond Head you have beautiful mountain ranges that are filled along the valleys and peaks with suburban residential areas. With all the diverse blends of ethnicity groups you will find many different cultures, music, entertainment, activities, and cuisine there.

Diamond Head is also known as the Gold Coast and was a place for royalty to live. If you want a condominium on the beach the starting price is one million dollars and up. Still within walking distance of the beach and the Pacific Ocean is a quiet neighborhood where one bedroom units start out in the three hundred thousand dollar price range. Diamond Head is located just a few miles from downtown Honolulu.

If you are looking to purchase a home in Diamond Head, it is a good idea to employ a Hawaii real estate agent, especially if you do not live on the islands. A real estate agent will know what you want and if a home comes on the market matching what you want they can assist you in obtaining that home.

Posted in Real Estate
July 17, 2011

What to Do before Moving to Honolulu

Lots of things need to be taken care before you move to Honolulu. Before moving, you should start searching for housing options. You can pay for a Honolulu air ticket and stay there for a couple of months before moving. However, if you cannot afford the trip, you can ask your sponsor to help you. About 3 months before moving, you should get your pets checked at a veterinary clinic. The pet should get the latest vaccinations. You should compile a list of valuable possessions that you are going to bring to Honolulu. You can take photo of your valuable possessions. You must bring all your important health documents such as medical, optical and dental documents. In case you lost your medical documents, you can create copies of them by photocopying. You can start sorting out the items you want to give away or sell. You can either get rid of the items by selling or giving them away to charity organizations. If you give your household items to charity, you will be able to get reduction from the Federal Income Tax.

If you are planning to relocate your car, you must get it inspected and make sure that it is in good condition. If your car has damages, you can send it to the auto repair shop. It is important that you cover the possessions with insurance coverage. You can check with your insurance company whether it offers insurance for possessions that are in transit such as household goods, valuable items and etc. If you have local charge account, you should close it. You should temporarily stop ordering items online until you relocate to Honolulu. If you are involved in a private lease, you should get advice from the landlord regarding your relocation and check out date. You can call the Transportation Office to get advices on shipping entitlement, packing and etc. About 4 weeks before the relocation date, you should finalize all the arrangements you have made with the Transportation Office. In this way, you can ensure that the pickup and packing dates are confirmed. You don’t have to bring all your personal belongings. You can store them in a permanent storage. 

If you have children, you should inform the schools that you are moving to Honolulu. You will have to collect the children report cards and send them to the new schools. If you are relocating with your family members, you should make sure that their names are listed on the Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS).

Posted in Hawaii Relocation
July 17, 2011

Honolulu Real Estate Relocation Tips

Every year, thousands of people move from the Continental U.S. to Honolulu in Hawaii. The first step is to find a house in Honolulu. There are many real estate communities in Honolulu. You should get help from a Honolulu real estate agent if you want to buy a house in Honolulu. To show that you are serious in buying the house, you should sign a buyer contract. Hiring a good Honolulu real estate agent is important because he will be capable of finding a property that meets your criteria. After you have selected a house, you need to get a loan. You have the option of using collateral to secure a loan.

If you are planning to move to Honolulu, it is recommended that you hire a moving company. You will spend a large amount of money on hiring the moving company so you have to choose carefully. Before hiring a moving company, you can ask people for suggestions on a Honolulu mover. You can talk with people who have hired Honolulu moving company in the past. You can use the Internet to do research on the Honolulu moving company.

After you have created a list of Honolulu movers, you can conduct a telephone interview with them to learn about their customer service quality. To find out how much it costs to hire a Honolulu moving company, you can get an estimate quote from them. The Honolulu moving company that you hire must have a professional license. It should also be a member of an accredited moving association. You can do research on the consumer complaint on the moving company if you want to check its reliability.

Before moving, you should contact the United States Postal Service to change your address. In this way, all the letters and parcels that are shipped to your current address will be forward to the new address in Honolulu. In addition, you should contact other companies such as banks, credit card companies and etc about the change of your address. Finally, you should contact the Hawaii DOT about the change of your address. In this way, your driving license and registration of your vehicle will stay up to date. You also need to inform the IRS agency. To inform the IRS agency, you must submit the IRS change of address form 8822. You may deduct some of the moving expenses from your income tax. If you want to deduct the moving expenses, you should use the IRS Form 3903.

Posted in Hawaii Relocation
July 16, 2011

Tourist Attraction in Oahu - Dole Pineapple Plantation

Dole Pineapple Plantation is a very popular tourist attraction in Oahu. It is situated within proximity to Haleiwa town. It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Honolulu if you are from Honolulu. If you are from Waikiki, it will take a few minutes to reach the plantation. If you are visiting Oahu, you should pay a visit to the Dole Pineapple Plantation because it is place worth visiting.

At the plantation, you will be able to ride in the Pineapple Express train. The Pineapple Express train will take you around the Dole Plantation. During the train ride, the guide will explain to you about the history of the pineapple plantation. The train ride is a two-mile journey, which allows you to view the scenery of the north shore in Oahu. He will tell you how the pineapple plantation was developed in Hawaii. The guide will also explain how the pineapple fruit flourishes there. The guide will talk about how the fertility of the soil helps the growth of the pineapple plantation in Hawaii. You will hear the story of James Dole, the founder of the pineapple plantation.

Tourists can participate in the Plantation Garden Tour to explore the native plants. During the garden tour, you will get to look at the native plants upfront. You can also observe the crops such as coffee, bananas and mango at the north shore. Lei flowers can also be found at the plantation garden.

The Pineapple Garden Maze is another feature of the Dole Pineapple Plantation. It is the largest maze in the world. As the largest maze in the world, it has an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. You can enter into the maze and try to find your way out. The maze is about 1.5 miles long. It covers an area of about 2 acres. Various types of native plants can be observed at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. The hibiscus flower, which is the national flower of Hawaii, can be seen at the Pineapple Plantation. You will be able to see a variety of hibiscus flowers at the plantation.

If you want to buy a souvenir, you can visit the    gift shop at the Dole Pineapple Plantation Hawaii Visitors Center. The gift shop offers a large range of pineapple related gifts. There are plenty of snacks and refreshing drinks at the visitor center so you should be able to enjoy yourself.

Posted in Oahu Guide
July 16, 2011

Tourist Attraction in Oahu - Honolulu Botanical Gardens

Honolulu botanical garden features a variety of native plants in Oahu. The flowers used to make the lei are exhibited in many botanical gardens at Honolulu. Most of the gardens in Honolulu don’t charge admission fees. There are a few botanical gardens in Honolulu including Foster Botanical Garden, Liliuokalani Botanical Garden, and Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden.

Foster Botanical Garden offers an exhibition of tropical plants from different parts of the world. There are many endangered plants at the botanical garden. You cannot use your hand to pick the growing plant when exploring the Foster Botanical Garden. Foster Botanical Garden has several sections including economic garden, prehistoric glens, and Lyon orchid garden; butterfly garden, main terrace, and middle terrace. In economic garden, you will find herbs, spices and dye plants. In the prehistoric glen, you will find plants from other parts of the world that exist thousands of years ago. In the Lyon Orchid Garden, you can observe a large variety of old world orchid species as well as new world orchid species. The butterfly garden is a habitat to the butterflies in Hawaii. The main terrace is the earliest section built in the garden. The main terrace was built in 1853. The middle terrace features all kinds of plants such as ginger plants, palm trees, and heliconia. In the exceptional trees section, there are 24 trees, which are deemed as exceptional compare to other trees in the garden.

Liliuokalani Botanical Garden is situated to the north of Foster Botanical Garden. Queen Liliuokalani owned a part of the botanical garden in the past. It used to be a favorite picnicking spot of Queen Liliuokalani. She gave her land to the public so that they can enjoy it. Liliuokalani Botanical Garden only exhibits local Hawaiian plants. Visitors can picnic at the garden and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Nuuanu Stream. The Wiaikahalulu Waterfall can also be found in the garden. 

Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden was originally built to protect Kaneohe from flood. There are various types of facilities such as Visitor Center, day use area and campground at the garden. The botanical garden is open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Most of the plants exhibited at Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden are from Philippines, Hawaii and Sri Lanka. You can participate in many programs such as walking tour, hiking, camping and etc. If you want to camp at Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, be sure to bring your own equipments including cooler, hibachi, fuel, sleeping gear, and flashlights.

Posted in Oahu Guide
July 16, 2011

Guide to the Honolulu Zoo

Honolulu Zoo is the official zoo of Honolulu in Hawaii. Nearby Honolulu Zoo, you will find many hotels. During peak times, the zoo will be crowded with people. The zoo has a modern design. It exhibits all kinds of animals from various places around the world including African Savannah, Tropical Forest, and Pacific Islands. There is also a children’s zoo designed for children. The zoo is open from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. It is closed on two-holiday season, which are Christmas and New Year. If you are coming as a family, you can get family pass from the zoo at affordable price. You can get the moonlight pass if you want to explore the nocturnal animals. Nearby the Honolulu Zoo, you will find many tourist attractions such as Diamond Head, Waikiki Aquarium and etc.

 

The history of the zoo can be traced back to King Kalakaua. King Kalakaua was a king in Hawaii from 1874 – 1891. King Kalakaua leased the land to the public for 30 years so that it can be used as a park. The park called Kapiolani Park covers an area of 300 acre. It was originated managed by the Kapiolani Park Association. The park covers part of an island, marsh and lagoon. In 1877, the park was converted into a zoo. The zoo was opened as a result of the funding from Queen Kapiolani. Several types of plants and animals were imported into the park from San Francisco. The growth of the transportation system around Honolulu Zoo makes it accessible to the tourists. In 1914, Honolulu Zoo came under the administration of the city of Honolulu. A large number of animals were brought into the zoo from 1914 – 1916. Today, you can observe many types of animals at the zoo including lion cubs, camel, chimpanzee, ostriches, giraffe, sea lions, honey bear, African elephant, and etc.

 

Every year, jazz concerts and dinner parties will be organized at the Honolulu Zoo. The events are organized so that the funds can be raised for the zoo. If you plan to visit the Honolulu Zoo, you should allow at least half a day. Families can participate in the family programs. The nocturnal tour at the zoo is inclusive of pizza and campfire activities for the kids. Children can gaze at the stars with the local astronomers. If you are not staying at the nearby hotel, you can take the Honolulu trolley to reach the zoo.

Posted in Oahu Guide
July 16, 2011

Information on Iolani Palace in Honolulu

Iolani Palace is located in the Honolulu downtown. It used to be the home of kings and queens of the monarchs in Hawaii. It is about four storeys high. The palace has 10 rooms. It took 4 years to finish building the palace. King Kalakaua commissioned the building of Iolani Palace because he wanted to make Hawaiian a modern nation. Three architects worked on the palace and it was finished constructed on the August of 1882. The palace was originally called Hale Ali’i. Later, the name of the palace was changed to Iolani Palace. It was named after the Hawaiian hawk Io, which means that the Hawaiian royalty is exalted as the soaring hawk.

The palace features American Florentine style. The construction of the palace nearly causes the Hawaiian kingdom to become bankrupt. After the Hawaiian monarchs were overthrown, the palace is used as legal office. The Hawaiian royalty lived in the palace for 11 years. Many of the original items have been restored to the palace.

Many of the palace objects have been auctioned to foreign countries. However, efforts to retrieve the missing objects have been taken. Some of the items that are retrieved include palace furnishings, ornaments and etc. As you explore the palace, you can check out the historic photos and learn about the monarchy era.

You can participate in the guided tour if you want to explore the Iolani Palace. In the guided tour, you will learn about the royal residents in the palace. You will begin touring the rooms on the first floor. After that, you will tour the rooms on the second floor. The tour will finally end in the basement. You will be free to explore the gallery when in the basement. The guided tour often gets fully booked so it is recommended that you make an early reservation. Every 15 minutes, a new tour will enter into the palace. The tour is available in foreign languages such as Japanese, and Chinese. 

Self-led tour is available at the Iolani Palace. In the self-led tour, you will hear a pre-recorded audio when exploring the Iolani Palace. The self-led tour will last for 45 minutes. It is available in English as well as other languages such as Japanese and Hawaiian. New self-led tour will begin at every 10 minutes. In the basement, you can view a large collection of royalty treasures. The Hawaiian crown jewel is one of the exhibits in the basement gallery.

Posted in Oahu Guide
July 14, 2011

Guide to Makapuu Beach Past Hawaii Kai

Makapuu Beach is a beach situated on the southeastern region of Oahu Island. The Makapuu Point and Makapuu Lighthouse is located north to the Makapuu Beach. The shoreline has a length of about 1000 feet and a width of about 200 feet. Normally, the beach has a rough wave so it is not suitable for swimming. During the winter months, the waves can become very violent so it is advised that you stay away from the beach. Many people call Makapuu Beach as a paradise for carrying out recreational activities such as body surfing, body boarding and etc. Since 1933, Makapuu Beach has become a famous bodysurfing spot. Before 1933, there was no road that leads to the beach so it is difficult for people to go there. After 1933, a road to the eastern region of Oahu was constructed.

 

From the Makapuu Beach, you can get a view of the Sea Life Park and Waimanalo Bay. Makapuu Beach has 2 offshore islands including Kaohikaipu and Manana islands. Kaohikaipu Island is also known as Black Rock Island. Manana Island has another name called Rabbit Island. It was called Rabbit Island because of the huge rabbit colony. Nowadays, you won’t find any rabbit on Rabbit Island as their population has been eliminated. Both islands are home to the Hawaiian seabirds. If you visit these two offshore islands, you will be able to view all kinds of sea birds. During the summer, the ocean will have a gentle slope and the water will be calmer. In the winter, the beach will be eroded so that half of its width is disappeared. The high surf at the Makapuu Beach during winter season is often accompanied with powerful rip current. Everyday, lifeguards will be on duty at the Makapuu Beach. If you want to swim at the Makapuu Beach, be sure to ask advice from the lifeguards who are on duty.

 

The northeast trade wind will blow against the Makapuu Beach every year. The tradewinds will bring Portuguese man of war jellyfishes to the beach. You must be careful and stay away from the water for up to 12 weeks after the full moon. This is the time when the water will be infested with the Portuguese man of war jellyfish. The Portuguese man of war jellyfish is also known as blue jellyfish. The lifeguards will post signs if the jellyfishes are swarming in the water. You should lookout for these signs so that the jellyfish won’t sting you.

Posted in Oahu Guide