Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [57]
North Shore beaches, while too rough for swimming much of the winter, can be calm during summer. The Wai′anae Coast extends from Ka′ena Point to Barbers Point, with the best year-round swimming at Poka′i Bay Beach Park (Click here), and at the artificial Ko Olina Lagoons (Click here).
WHALE WATCHING
Between late December and mid-April, humpback whales and their newly birthed offspring visit the harbors of northern and western O′ahu. Hawaiian spinner dolphins are year-round residents of the Wai′anae Coast. Well regarded for its environmental stewardship, the North Shore’s Deep Ecology (Click here) offers whale- and dolphin-watching boat tours. For more about wild-dolphin swims and captive-dolphin ‘encounters’, Click here.
On Land
BIRD-WATCHING
Most islets off O′ahu’s Windward Coast are sanctuaries for seabirds including terns, noddies, shearwaters, Laysan albatrosses, boobies and ′iwa (great frigate birds). Moku Manu (Bird Island) off the Mokapu Peninsula near Kane′ohe has the greatest variety of species, including a colony of ′ewa′ewa (sooty terns) that lay their eggs in ground scrapes. Although visitors are not allowed on Moku Manu, birders can visit Moku′auia (Goat Island) offshore from Malaekahana State Recreation Area (Click here), north of La′ie.
Farther north along the Windward Coast, the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge (Click here) encompasses a native wetland habitat protecting some rare and endangered waterbird species. In Kailua, just over the pali (mountains) from Honolulu, the Hamakua Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary (Click here) is another place to see Hawaiian waterbirds in their natural habitat.
Hikers who tackle O′ahu’s many forest-reserve trails, especially around Mt Tantalus (Click here), can expect to see ′elepaio (Hawaiian monarch flycatcher), a brownish bird with a white rump, and ′amakihi, a yellow-green honeycreeper, the most common endemic forest birds on O′ahu. The ′apapane, a bright red honeycreeper, and the ′i′iwi, the scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper, are more rare.
For birding checklists and group field trips, contact the Hawaii Audubon Society (Map; 528-1432; www.hawaiiaudubon.com; 850 Richards St, Honolulu).
CYCLING & MOUNTAIN BIKING
For cycling as a means of transportation around O′ahu, Click here. The Hawaii Bicycling League (Map; 735-5756; www.hbl.org; 3442 Wai′alae Ave, Honolulu) organizes rides around O′ahu on most weekends and some weekdays, ranging from 10-mile jaunts to triathlon trainers. Honolulu’s Bike Shop (Map; 596-0588; 1149 S King St, Honolulu; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat, 10am-5pm Sun) also organizes weekend group rides. Bike Hawaii (734-4214, 877-682-7433; www.bikehawaii.com) offers mountain-biking and multisport tours of the island; the company founder, John Alford, is the author of several mountain-biking guides to the islands.
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O′AHU SURF BEACHES & BREAKS Jake Howard
Nicknamed ‘The Gathering Place,’ O′ahu has become a hub for the islands’ surf economy. Because O′ahu has some of the most diverse surf breaks in the islands, boarders of all skill levels can find what they’re looking for here.
In Waikiki, slow and mellow combers (long curling waves) provide the perfect training ground for beginners. Board rentals abound on Central Waikiki Beach (Click here) and local beachboys are always on hand for lessons at spots like mellow Queens, mushy left- and right-handed Canoes, gentle but often crowded Populars and ever-popular Publics. In Honolulu proper, Ala Moana (Click here) offers a heavy tubing wave. Waves in this area are best during summer, when south swells arrive from New Zealand and Tahiti.
Reckon yourself a serious surfer? A pilgrimage to the famed North Shore is mandatory. In winter, when the waves can reach heights of more than 30ft, spots