Friday, April 29, 2011
Hawaii is so many vacations.
It's the all-inclusive resort vacation. It's the romantic vacation, the wedding destination, and the honeymoon. It's a family vacation. It's a foodie's vacation no matter what your palate. It's a spa retreat, the luxury resort vacation. It's a beach and surf vacation.
And, for those who need it, it's the Get-Away-From-It-All vacation.
Hawaii's remote corners offer the perfect respite from the minute-mile pace of life. A love of the outdoors is crucial, an antipathy for modern trappings is helpful. Spirit of adventure? Definitely. Click on any of the links to fly to these locations in 3D. Here's our list:
You've heard about the Road to Hana, but most will take the storied journey, have a look around and head back to Maui's south shore. And it's true: resort activities here are thin. Sound appealing to you?
Hana is the place to be disconnected from the modern world, and connected to the aina (land). Lush lands caressed by rain, rugged coastline and a small town of 2,300 add to its bucolic perfection. B&Bs are plentiful, but if you need some pampering, the luxury Hotel Hana-Maui is there.
Ride horseback across Hana Ranch, explore the vibrant color contrast between land and ocean at the red sand beach, dine on grass-fed beef at the Hana Ranch Restaurant, traverse the dynamic Hana-Waianapanapa Trail, or just crack open your favorite book while sitting on Hamoa Beach. You can take the two-lane highway south to Kipahulu to visit Oheo Gulch and, for you history buffs, Charles Lindbergh's grave. Once you see his final resting place, you'll have no doubt why the famed aviator made it his last home.
In the Puna District along the Big Island's southeastern flank is this charmer, a former mill town with a main street of eclectic, colorful shops and restaurants. Hit the Makuu Farmers Market Sundays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. for fresh fruits and nuts and local crafts (at the Keaau-Pahoa bypass road). Explore the skeletal remains of forest, and its rebirth, at the Lava Tree State Monument. Bed & Breakfasts are plentiful here, but Puna also offers some of the Island's best camping — check out MacKenzie State Park, Isaac Hale Beach Park, and Ahalanui Park.
Another plus: Pahoa's proximity to Mauna Loa. Nothing will make you feel more "away from it all" than the rainforests, moonscapes and fiery terrain of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — you'll be well positioned for daytripping.
Pastel sunrise over ancient Hawaiian fishponds on Molokai's southeastern coast, Maui in the distance. Below: Kumu Farms. Photos: David Croxford/Hawaii Magazine.
The whole island is an exercise in getting away — sparsely populated and lightly traveled. The main industries — ranching and pineapples — have ceded to economic forces; vast stretches of open fields are snapshots of that history. It feels like traveling back in time.
Molokai is rebounding as a new agricultural nexus. Kumu Farms produces some of the fresh produce Honoluluans find at their farmers markets. The Coffees of Hawaii plantation offers mule-drawn espresso tours (not to mention strong coffee). You can crack a nut or several at Purdy's Macadamia Nut Farm.
You'll feel apart from the modern grind just walking through the one-street main town of Kaunakakai, but other opportunities to "get lost" abound. Take the southeastern route to Halawa Valley and try to pick out Moaula and Hipuapua Falls in the back — or hike in. (Be sure to get a guide, the trail traverses private land.) Walk the Pepeopae Trail through the ancient bog and rainforest of Kamakou Preserve. Take a mule tour down the world's tallest sea cliffs to the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula.
The 45-room Hotel Molokai is the mainstay for accommodations, but you can also rent a condo at Kaluakoi Villas, find a B&B or stay at the Puu O Hoku retreat on the island's eastern side.
Although Kauai is small, it is well traveled, making a truly remote vacation experience more challenging. A cabin near Kokee State Park above Waimea Canyon would more than do the trick, but instead let's fly to Kauai's north shore.
This "suburb" of sleepy Hanalei is nestled against Haena State Park, where the highway ends. You'll find snorkeling perfection at Kee Beach and explorable sea caves — best enjoyed during the low-surf summer season.
Haena is the last stop before the Kalalau trailhead, the world-famous 11-mile trail that hugs the dramatic Na Pali Coast, a stretch of mountain-laden coastline that plunges into the sea. You can hike in for a day trip to Hanakapiai Beach (two miles, one way) or Hanakapiai Falls (four miles, one way), or camp at Hanakoa (about halfway in) or at the trail end. (Camping permits are $15 residents, $20 non-residents.) You can also kayak from Kee Beach during the calmer summer months to the Kalalau and Milolii Valleys.
Whatever you choose to do, it's a nature-lover's feast.
We know, you were thinking, "The island that has roughly 950,000 people on it doesn't have any getaway spots." But Oahu can surprise you.
Take Makaha. At the topmost point of Oahu's Leeward coast, visit its iconic beach to watch surfers in the swell-filled winter and splash around during the calm summer while dolphins play offshore. 
The golf course at Makaha Valley offers stunning views of the ocean and the towering Waianae Mountains as you drive past eucalyptus trees and families of ducks. (That noise you hear is peacock song.) You can stay at the resort to stretch out by the pool, play tennis or dine.
Drive out to nearby Kaena Point (pictured, Eric Guinther/Creative Commons). When the road ends, continue on foot and take in the naked coastline along this rugged, unpaved trail that connects Oahu's north and west shores. It's isolated, quiet, a world apart from the world you know.
LINKS
Oahu Must-See Sights | Makaha Beach
Kauai Must-See Sights | Kauai Attractions | Haena State Park
Kauai Must-See Sights | Kauai Hiking | Kalalau Trail
Kauai Must-See Sights | Kauai Beaches | Kee Beach
Molokai Must-See Sights | Molokai Farms | Kumu Farms
Molokai Must-See Sights | Molokai Farms | Coffees of Hawaii
Hawaii Must-See Sights | Hawaii Popular Towns | Pahoa
Hawaii Must-See Sights | Hawaii Parks | Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Maui Must-See Sights | Maui Popular Towns | Hana, Maui
Maui Must-See Sights | Maui Parks | Oheo Gulch | Seven Sacred Pools
