| Hidden Hawaii
11/12/2001
Reported by Josephine Cheng, Evening Magazine
It’s not the Hawaii you know and love, but the hidden Hawaii you’d
love to know. Dive into secret lagoons, explore the veins of a volcano,
uncover Hollywood’s Hawaii secrets, and do it all on the cheap.
Experiencing Kauai
From perfectly sculpted mountaintops to wild pristine shoreline, some
say the best way to savor the hidden beauty of Kauai is on an ultralight.
Gerry Charlesbois was a professional hang-glider who started “Birds
in Paradise” to let non-daredevils experience his kind of thrill. He has
taken 10,000 people so far in his ultralight.
Soaring along the Na Pali cliffs with the wind in your face is as
close as you can get to being a bird.
Dancing in the underwater ballet
When the sun goes down, a feeding frenzy begins undersea. Manta rays
swim with their mouths open to eat the clouds of plankton drawn to the
light.
They glide and they soar, silently somersaulting in an underwater
ballet. They are the gentle giants of the sea, with wing spans that can
reach 20 feet.
Off the Kona Coast, divers can join these manta dances at night.
Diving close to eternity
We spent some time with some young Hawaiians that are doing some extreme
diving. They hike beyond warning signs down to the river named Wailuki
(“destroying waters”).
There, in a single bound, Justin and his friends catch freedom on the
fly.
Up river, Pe’e Pe’e Falls feeds a cool water cove dominated by a
mountain of rock – a diving platform 40 feet high.
The scenery conceals danger. The so-called “boiling pots” hide lava
tubes that have pulled swimmers under for good.
The cove’s deadly reputation should keep this slice of Hidden Hawaii
hidden from tourists.
Hollywood’s Hawaii
Spokane native Bob Jasper says Hollywood has a love affair with
Kauai, having filmed more than 70 major motion pictures, such as
“Jurassic Park,” on the small island.
Jasper, who co-owns “Hawaii Movie Tours,” takes visitors deep into
the tropics to the exact spots made famous on the big screen.
Harrison Ford fans can retrace his steps in the opening action of
“Raiders of the Lost Ark,” where he runs from the natives and escapes on
a rope swing.
Elvis Presley lived parts of the year in Hawaii and made several
movies there. The most successful, “Blue Hawaii,” was shot at The Coco
Palms, a star-studded resort of the 1950s that was shut down by
hurricane Iniki in 1992.
Models and glamorous people
Among the beach babes and surfer dudes is Antone Guiterrez from Yakima.
Antone was discovered not in swim trunks, but in soccer shorts. He’s
the star goalie for minor league soccer champ Yakima Reds.
The owner of a Hawaiian beachwear company loves Antone’s style.
Lava tubes
Beneath this land born of fire lie the veins of volcanoes – called
lava tubes.
Ever since John Ragers discovered one under his home, he ahs spent
thousands of hours checking out Hawaii’s plumbing.
Now John takes tourists down into his oozy, sludge hideaway.
Welcome
To tourist, flower leis say “welcome to Hawaii,” but to some folks
many flowers are anything but welcome in Hawaii.
Hawaiian farms that grow flowers for leis are wilting. Farmers who grow
tuberoses say they’re undercut by less expensive flowers imported from
Thailand.
Lei makers are increasingly stringing purple Thai orchids. Not only
are they several pennies cheaper per blossom, they’re also plumper than
native Hawaiian flowers, so fewer blooms are needed per string.
But Hawaii has one secret weapon: No Thai flower can match native
buds for fragrance.
Lei farmers just hope they exotic aroma of Hawaii will eventually
return the sweet smell of success.
Budget Hawaii
Locals are sharing their secrets on deals and steals in Hawaii.
Secret #1: Look for hotels off the sand. For instance, just one block
from $200 per night Waikiki Beach, you can have a room at Ohana Hotel
for as little as $69 per night. Tack on a few nickels for a great view
and save more by getting a kitchen unit.
Secret #2: Eat the way the locals do. At Oahu Market in Honolulu’s
Chinatown, as well as small markets all over the islands, you can get
the same fixings used in expensive restaurant cuisine – cheap. Even if
you’d rather not cook, $5 plate lunches throughout the islands give you
a taste of Hawaii’s melting potl.
Secret #3: Seek attractions off the beaten path, such as the Hawaii
Plantation Village, showcasing the lives of sugar plantation workers
from eight ethnic groups.
Secret #4: Cozy up to a Hawaiian friends or “Kama’aina.” A Hawaiian
I.D. gets residents big discounts on numerous admissions and rentals.
Secret #5: Hunt for bargains and you shall find. On a recent Web
search, we found package deals from Seattle to Honolulu, including
airfare and 7 nights hotel, for as low as $600 per person. Maui, Kauai
and the Big Island run slightly higher.
For more information, call:
Birds in Paradise ultralight flights: 808-822-5309
Hawaii Movie Tours on Kauai: 800-628-8432
Dole Pineapple Maze on Oahu: 808-621-8408
Outrigger Hotels: 1-800-OUTRIGGER
Hula Motion: 808 722-1943
Lava Tubes: 808 968-8606
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