Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [73]
A mile north of downtown Honolulu surrounded by freeways and residential neighborhoods is a bowl-shaped crater poetically named Punchbowl, formed by a long-extinct volcano. Sitting at an elevation of 500ft, this geologic souvenir offers impressive views of the city, out to Diamond Head and the Pacific beyond. The early Hawaiians called the crater Puowaina, the ‘hill of human sacrifices.’ It’s believed there was once an ancient heiau here and that the slain bodies of kapu (taboo) breakers were ceremonially cremated upon an altar.
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TOP PICKS – PLACES TO LEARN ABOUT HAWAIIAN CULTURE
Bishop Museum (opposite)
Native Books/Nā Mea Hawai′i (Click here)
Kumu Kahua Theatre (Click here)
Kuhio Beach Torch Lighting & Hula Show (Click here)
Na Lima Mili Hulu No′eau (Click here)
Ono Hawaiian Food (Click here)
Kea′iwa Heiau (Click here)
Kane′aki Heiau (Click here)
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Today at this cemetery (Map; 532-3720; 2177 Puowaina Dr; admission free; 8am-5:30pm Oct-Feb, to 6:30pm Mar-Sep; ), ancient Hawaiians sacrificed to appease the gods share the crater floor with almost 50,000 US soldiers, many of whom were killed in the Pacific during WWII. The remains of Ernie Pyle, the distinguished war correspondent who covered both world wars and was hit by machine-gun fire on Ie-shima during the final days of WWII, lie in section D, grave 109. Five stones to the left, at grave D-1, is the marker for Ellison Onizuka, the Big Island astronaut who perished in the 1986 Challenger space-shuttle disaster. For plum views of the city and Diamond Head, head up to the lookout by bearing left after passing through the main cemetery gates.
If you’re driving to Punchbowl, there’s a marked exit as you start up the Pali Hwy – watch closely, because it comes up quickly! Then just follow the signs through a series of narrow residential streets. Parking is free. From Waikiki, take TheBus 2 toward downtown Honolulu and get off at Beretania and Alapa′i Sts, walk one block makai along Alapa′i St and transfer to TheBus 15, then the bus driver where to get off. From the bus stop, it’s about a 15-minute uphill walk to the cemetery entrance.
QUEEN EMMA SUMMER PALACE
In the heat and humidity of summer, Queen Emma, the royal consort of Kamehameha IV, used to slip away to this genteel hillside retreat, now a historical museum (Map; 595-6291; www.daughtersofhawaii.org; 2931 Pali Hwy; adult/child $6/1; 9am-4pm; ). The exterior somewhat resembles an old Southern plantation house, with its columned porch, high ceilings and louvered windows catching the breezes.
Forgotten after Queen Emma’s death in 1885, this stately home was slated to be razed and the estate turned into a public park. The Daughters of Hawai′i, whose members are all descendants of early missionary families, rescued it. The interior now looks much as it did in Queen Emma’s day, decorated with period furniture, including a koa-wood cabinet displaying a set of china from England’s Queen Victoria and feather cloaks and capes once worn by Hawaiian royalty.
To get here, take TheBus 4 from Waikiki, or bus 56 or 57A from the Ala Moana Center. Be sure to let the bus driver know where you’re going, so you don’t miss the stop. If you’re driving, look for the entrance near the 2-mile marker on the Pali Hwy (Hwy 61); free parking is limited.
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ACTIVITIES
UH’s Campus Center Leisure Programs (Click here) runs a variety of public classes and trips, from snorkeling excursions ($25) and half-day introductory bodyboarding classes ($20) to intensive one-week PADI certification courses ($210).
Swimming & Surfing
Hands down, Honolulu’s best ocean swimming is at Ala Moana Beach Park (Click here). There are intermediate-level surf breaks just off Ala Moana Beach Park, while those off Kaka′ako Waterfront Park (Map) are for advanced surfers only. Rent surfboards near UH Manoa from Aloha Board Shop (Map; 955-6030; www.alohaboardshop.com; 2600 S King St; 3-day/weekly rental $60/100; 10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun).
Hiking
You could spend days enjoying the solitude of the