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ABOUT HAWAII >> WHAT LOCALS LIKE

Here's a list of things that AWWA Hawaii Section members recommend for visitors to Hawaii. You can click here to download this "What Locals Like" list in Adobe pdf format.

• Click here to see what locals like on Hawaii
• Click here to see what locals like on Kauai
• Click here to see what locals like on Maui
• Click here to see what locals like on Oahu  
  

ISLAND OF HAWAII
Riley Smith, Section Member:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Visit the Volcano
• Take a helicopter ride
• Fluming the ditch in Kohala
• Horseback riding at Parker Ranch where I work (http://www.parkerranch.com) or at Kahua Ranch
• Hawaii Forest/Trails Summit Star Gazing

• Merriman's in Waimea
• Seaside Inn on the Hilo side
• Café Pesto in Kawaihae
• Mauna Kea Hotel Sunday Brunch
• Nihon Restaurant in Hilo

• Big Island Candies in Hilo
• Any macadamia nut candy
• Punaluu Sweet Bread

Donna Kiyosaki, Past-Chair:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Stay at the Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai (only if you have a LOT of money)
• Shop at Hilo's Farmers Market on the corner of Front Street and Ponahawai St. on Wednesday and Saturday mornings
• Akaka Falls
• Eat malasadas at Tex Drive Inn in Honokaa

• ??

• Anything made from Koa or monkeypod wood from the store along Volcano Highway in Mountain View
• Hawaiian wear from the Sig Zane store in Hilo

* Editor's note - Donna moved back to Oahu in 1998 so only shops at Neiman Marcus at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Larry Beck, Government Trustee:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Volcano National Park Crater Rim and Chain of Craters Road
• Visit City of Refuge
• Snorkel/paddle Hilo Bay
• Tour to top of Mauna Kea - sunset, star gazing and the Mauna Kea Visitor Center at the 9,000 foot elevation
• Waipio lookout and/or Polulu Lookout
• Rent a kayak and paddle to the Captain Cook Monument and snorkel

• Merriman’s in Waimea
• Seaside Inn on the Hilo side
• Café Pesto in Kawaihae
• Mauna Kea Hotel Sunday Brunch
• Nihon Restaurant in Hilo

• Big Island Candies in Hilo
• Any macadamia nut candy
• Punaluu Sweet Bread

ISLAND OF KAUAI
Eddie Doi, Membership Chair:

• Waimea Canyon - Kokee - Grab one bento and drinks from Ishihara's in Waimea, drive into the mountain, enjoy the lookouts, hiking trails, museum, cool air and on your trip back, stop and have shave ice (snow cones to you non-Hawaiians) at Jo-Jo's in Waimea
• Poipu Beach - sun bathing with or without the kinds - a nice safe place
• Kauai Sea Tours - 826-7254 or 335-5309
• Will Squyres Helicopter Tour
• Smith's Luau in Wailua

• Kintaro's in Wailua
• Hamura's Saimin in Lihue
• Bull Shed in Kapaa
• Garden Island BBQ in Lihue
• Keoki's in Poipu
• McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell

• Kauai made products
• Books about Kauai
• The gift of Aloha!
• Red Dirt
• Black Sand
• Sugar Cane

ISLAND OF MAUI
Jeff Pearson, Operators Training Chair:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Go to Makena Beach and watch the sunset with a bottle of wine (or many beers)
• Golf, many good golf courses
• Go holo holo up country. Stop in Makawao at Pali's for lunch or dinner
• Have a cocktail at Lelanis in Kaanapali
• Snorkel, Black rock is safe and simple

• Mama's Fish House
• Roy's, In Kihei
• Sansei, Kapalua or Kihei
• Rasta Pasta and Pizza, in Kihei, good cheese steak sandwiches
• Lunch at Da Kitchen, huge helpings, good food, fast. In Kahului on Hana Hwy by Dairy road

• Golf balls for Jeff, Pro V1
• Coffee and Mac nuts, Malasadas
• Send Protea back to the mainland, go to swap meet or craft fairs and look for local made stuffs.

Paul Seitz, Past-Chair:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Haleakala Crater - drive or take a bike tour, be sure to visit the winery in Ulupalakua on the way down if you drive
• Drive the road to Hana and go to the beach at Hamoa
• Maui Aquarium in Maalaea
• Take a walking tour of Old Lahaina town
• Take a snorkeling trip to Molokini

• Da Kitchen in Kahului (Local and Hawaiian Food)
• Asian Star in the Mill Yard (Vietnamese)
• Mama's Fish House in Paia (Seafood, pricey)
• Roy's in Kihei (Hawaiian Fusion)
• Pacific Café in Kihei

• A gift of black or pink coral from the Black Coral Factory at 804
• Keolani Place by the Kahului Airport
  
• Scrimshaw from Whalers Locker on Front Street in Lahaina
  
• Blown Glass from Hot Island Glass Shop in Makawao

• Drive up Haleakala to see the sun rise
• Drive to Hana
• Dinner at Plantation Restaurant in Kapalua at sunset
• Relax on the South Shore Sand Beach to watch the sunset
• Ulalena show or the dinner show in Lahaina

• Tokyo Tei (Japanese food)
• Asian Starr (Vietnamese food)
• Koho's (American food)
• Maui Taco (Mexican food)
• Mama's Fish House (seafood)

• Case of pineapple
• Chocolate covered Macadamia Nuts
• "I Survived the Road to Hana" T-Shirt

Roy Silva, At-Large Trustee:

1. What are the top 5 "must-do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Haleakala Crater
• Bike down a volcano
• Old Lahaina Luau
• Jet ski off Lahaina
• Visit Hana town

• Tokyo Tei (Japanese Food)
• Roy's in Lahaina
• Roby's in Kahului
• Old Lahaina Luau

• Case of pineapple
• Guri Guri from Maui Mall
  

• Hike Diamond Head Crater
• Shop at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
• Drive around the island, especially if there is big surf on the north shore
• Pali Lookout
• Arizona Memorial

• Alan Wong's (pricey)
• 3660 on the Rise (pricey)
• Zippy's or Spot's Drive-inn for local food i.e. plate lunches
• Kincaid's at Ward Warehouse Ono's Authentic Hawaiian Food

• Hawaiian Host Macadamia Nut Candy
• Wholesale Unlimited for local snacks
• AWWA Hawaii Section Aloha Shirts - so cheap at $30

Elson Gushiken, Vice-Chair

1. What are the top 6 "must do" things you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Visit Punchbowl National Memorial of the Pacific
• Iolani Palace tour
• Visit Bishop Museum
• Take Island Seaplane Service's one-hour narrated seaplane aerial tour of Oahu (located at 85 Lagoon Drive, ph. 836-6273)
• Gliding at Dillingham Airfield on the North Shore
• Dole Plantation Visitor Center and Maze

2. What are the top 5 "must eat at" restaurants you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• Cafe Haleiwa (breakfast and lunch)
• Kua Aina Sandwich Shop (Haleiwa) - Great Burgers and Fries!!
• Haleiwa Joes (lunch and dinner)
• Matsumoto Shave Ice (it's an experience - not a restaurant)
• Cholos Homestyle Mexican Restaurant (Haleiwa)

3. What are the top 4 "gifts to buy" you would recommend to a visitor to your island?

• T&C T-Shirts
• Bags of Kona Coffee Blends
• Fresh Pre-packaged Pineapple
• Rubbah Slippas

• Swim at Hanauma Bay or Sandy's on the east side of the island
  
• Swim at Waimea Bay on the north side
  
• Don't swim on the west side unless you're staying at the Ko Olina resort
• Hike into Manoa Falls if it's open
  
• Don't drive on the H-1 Freeway during rush hour which is Monday through Friday 6:30 am to 9:00 am or from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm
  

• Akasaka near Ala Moana Shopping Center (Japanese food, sushi)
  
• Legends Restaurant at the Chinese Cultural Plaza (Chinese, dim sum)
  
• Pineapple Room operated by Alan Wong at Macy's at Ala Moana Shopping Center (Pacific Cuisine)
  

• Hawaiian gifts from the Island's Best at Ala Moana Shopping Center
• Hawaiian gifts from The Ukulele House at Ala Moana Shopping Center
• Koa wood gifts from Martin & MacArthur at Ala Moana Shopping Center

• Hike Diamond Head
• Eat Matsumoto shave ice in North Shore
• Visit Waimea Bay
• Take surfing lessons at Waikiki
• Attend a luau

• Rainbows Drive-In
• Yama's Fishmarket
• W&M Burger
• Longhi's
• Alan Wong's

• Macadamia Nuts
• Koa bowl
• hawaiian jewelry

• Honolulu Academy of Arts
• Doris Duke’s Shangri-La
• Hike Diamond Head to the Top!
• Circle Island Tour – do it by car, not by bus
• Giovanni’s Shrimp Wagon in Kahuku
• Bonus tip – visit Chinatown in downtown Honolulu

• Spices in Moiliili
• Kit ‘n Kitchen in Moiliili across from Puck’s Alley
• Yamagen – next to Long’s Drugs near King Street and McCully Street
• Mariana’s Yacht Club – Sand Island Access Road
• Ono’s Authentic Hawaiian Food on Kapahulu Avenue
• Bonus tip – Big City Diner for breakfast – have Ani’s Cinammon Bread French Toast

• Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts
• Mail a coconut home
• Take a nice lei to your best friend(s) but make sure to ask the lei seller which lei can go out of state or they will confiscate it at the airport.

• Arizona Memorial
• Hanauma Bay
• Manoa Falls
• Waimea Bay on the North Shore
• I don’t get out much so that’s all I have

• Roy’s
• Sansei
• Waiola Shave Ice (snow cones to you mainland people)
• Sam Choy’s on Kapahulu
• I don’t get out much so that’s all I have

• I don’t shop so I have nothing here

• Visit Pearl harbor
• Snorkel at Hanauma Bay
• Hike up Diamond Head Crater
• See Susan Uyesugi’s Office
• Waikiki Aquarium and Honolulu Zoo which are very close to each other in Waikiki
• And because number 4 doesn’t really count, I did 6 things - Sea Life Park

• L’Uraku on Kapiolani
• Murphy’s in downtown Honolulu
• Indigo in downtown Honolulu
• Big City Diner
• E & O Trading Co. in the Ward Center

• Macadamia Nuts
• Macadamia Nuts
• Macadamia Nuts

• Visit Volcano National Park (Big Island)
• Visit Haleakala National Park (Maui)
• Visit Arizona Memorial (Oahu)
• Go on a sail boat ride, submarine ride, fishing trip, or whale watching tour
• See the north shore of Oahu, go shrimp fishing

• Maui Ozukya Deli in Honokawai
• Ken’s Pancake House in Hilo on the Big Island
• Brick Oven Pizza on Kauai
• Soon’s in Salt Lake on Oahu
• Molokai Bakery on Molokai

• Li Hing Mui or Dri Mango
• Sugar in the Raw
• Coffee – pick an island