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KAUA’I – What’s Blooming on Kaua’i

Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and the Daniel K Inouye Kīlauea Point Lighthouse is now open Wednesday-Saturday. An entry ticket must be purchased in advance at www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300018. The cost is $10 per adult plus $1 reservation fee.
Kaua’i Surfrider implements the Ocean Friendly Visitor Program designed to encourage and provide visitors with ways they can be an ocean friendly visitor while on Kaua’i. The website also provides a list of Ocean Friendly Restaurants on Kaua’i. https://kauai.surfrider.org/ocean-friendly-visitors-program/
Anaina Hou Community Park starts new Culture to Canvas, Paint Pā’ina class every Thursday from 6pm-8pm. Hosted in collaboration with native Hawaiian artist and kumu hula, Kehaulani Kekua, Culture to Canvas is a paint and sip journey inspired by the pulse of Kaua’i’s wahi pana, or special, celebrated places. Price includes instruction, materials, supplies, one glass of wine or non-alcoholic drink of choice, and light snacks. www.anainahou.org
1Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kaua’i’s newest sustainable luxury resort opened. It is the new flagship hotel for the mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand, 1 Hotels. “If you can’t find it in nature, you won’t find it here” is the biophilic design principle that inspired the resort’s $300 million transformation. The resort features 252 guestrooms including 51 suites, seven food and beverage venues, an 18,000-square-foot wellness center, 7,900-square-foot fitness facility, 34,000 square feet of meeting and event space, three pools, children’s activity center, rooftop organic garden with native canoe crops and dedicated apiaries.
When shopping on Kaua’i, be sure to look for the Kaua’i Made Logo. These products are identified by the ho’okupu, an offering of an “honored gift” in traditional Hawaiian custom. In the Kauai Made logo image, the gift is wrapped in ti leaf. Often the ho’okupu was a lei or an item of exceptional hand crafting and value. To carry the Kaua’i Made logo, a product maker must demonstrate that the product is made on Kaua’i, by Kaua’i people, and where possible, using Kaua’i materials. www.Kauaimade.net
O’AHU – News, Updates and Aloha from O’ahu

ʻIolani Palace offers new tours: 1) Hear Hawaiʻi Workshops bring Hawaiian voices and stories to life every second Saturday; 2) He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi program offers live performances by Kuʻuipo Kumukahi each second and fourth Wednesday; 3) Fashion Fit for Royalty specialty tour highlights wardrobe and jewelry of Hawaiian royalty in the 19th century. www.iolanipalace.org/event-category/
Visitors enjoy authentic live hula performances on Waikīkī Beach at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Performances showcase both ancient and modern hula traditions and offer audiences an entertaining immersion in Hawaiian culture. KBHulaShow.com
Wai Kai, O’ahu’s new surf-centric entertainment destination, opened in April within the Hoakalei resort area in ‘Ewa. Wai Kai’s amenities include Hawai’i’s first deep-water standing surf wave, Wai Kai Wave; a 52-acre Wai Kai Lagoon for water sports; three restaurants, and more. Powered by citywave® technology, the Wai Kai Wave creates authentic surfing conditions with perfect endless and adjustable waves ranging from 2- to 6-feet for all skill levels. The Wai Kai development is the first of its kind in Hawaiʻi and opens as an active year-round destination. https://waikai.com/
One of Hawai’i’s newest and most advanced virtual reality centers is located just inside the main entrance at Pearl Harbor National Memorial and seat up to 25 visitors simultaneously. Once inside the new center, visitors can experience one of four virtual-reality tours, including “Air Raid Pearl Harbor,” “Skies Over Pearl,” “Walk the Deck” and “Explore the USS Arizona Memorial Today.” PacificHistoricParks.org.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum: The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum opened the Ford Island Control Tower to the public for the first time. The World War II icon is part of the new Top of the Tower tour that includes access to the historic Operations Building, the Firehouse Exhibit, historic pictures and videos of the upper cab, and an elevator ride to the upper cab of the control tower – the pinnacle of the tour with 360-degree views of the Pearl Harbor. https://www.pearlharboraviationmuseum.org/
MAUI NUI – Message from Maui Nui

Maui Tea Farm – Situated in Upcountry Maui’s Kula district, Maui Tea Farm welcomes visitors to stop by as they head to Haleakalā National Park. Just off Haleakalā Highway on the way to the Haleakalā volcano summit, the farm’s tea plants grow alongside native Hawaiian koa, ‘ōhi’a and māmane trees, as well as coffee, citrus, olive and other fruit trees, flowers and exotic botanicals. With the farm’s spring tea-harvest season around the corner, now is one of the best times of the year to visit or take a guided tour and tea tasting. www.mauiteafarm.com.
Adventure Park Maui – Whether you’re looking for a fun family activity while visiting Maui, an outing for the kids or a date night for two, make sure to visit The Adventure Park Maui Hawai’i! Comprised of both low-ropes courses and high-ropes courses plus exciting ziplines, the park is ideal for all ages. Guests ages 7+ can enjoy six elevated trails with more than 60 elements. At this adventure park in Lāhainā, there’s truly something for everyone at every fitness level. https://myadventurepark.com/location/maui-hi/
Wailea Beach Resort’s New Olakino Wellness Pool Experience is now open to guests. It is an experience and “oasis for the health and vitality of the body.” An adults-only wellness sanctuary, Olakino offers curated sensory experiences designed to relax and rejuvenate mind, body and soul. With limited spaces available, guests are encouraged to book full-day access in advance to take in Olakino’s culinary programming, bespoke spa treatments and wellness workshops. www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hnmmc-wailea-beach-resort-marriott-maui/experiences/.
The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua introduces its Fire Lānai Collection, a new luxury room category, which completed the resort’s $100 million transformation. With additional new room, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua is one of the only resorts in the Hawaiian Islands offering rooms with private fire pits. The Fire Lānai Collection comprises 33 guestrooms and suites designed with island-inspired décor, an extended lānai with private fire pit, and custom outdoor lounge furniture, inviting guests to experience Maui indoor-outdoor living. www.ritzcarlton.com/maui.

ISLAND OF HAWAI’I – What’s Sizzlin’ on the Island of Hawai’i

Hawaiʻi Ocean Science & Technology Park (HOST) offers several commercial tours. It is located at Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi Authority (NELHA) where deep ocean water is pumped onshore for innovative business tenants. Tours include: Big Island Abalone with the latest offering for friends and families – Kona Barbeque; Oceanrider Seahorse Farm; and Kona Sea Salts/Sea Salts of Hawaiʻi Farm. For more information, visit https://nelha.hawaii.gov.
Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds is back! Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds (HIFB) is a celebration of native birds, presented by the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center and Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi. The 2023 theme is Hawai’i’s Amazing Biodiversity. It will be held on October 21, 2023 in Hilo. For more information or to register, visit: https://birdfesthawaii.org.
**NEW** International Terminal/FIS at the Ellison Onizuka International Airport at Keāhole officially opened its doors on August 2, 2022, welcoming back Japan Airlines’ non-stop flight from Narita. The main terminal area has a new, centralized check-in location with new TSA stations, and a mural highlighting the many Kona ʻohana (families). For more information on international travel to Kona Airport, visit: http://airports.hawaii.gov/koa.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park continues to offer more programs and improvements/upgrades to park facilities and services. Virtual programs include: The Language of the Land, Cultural Resource Preservation, ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, ʻIke Hana Noʻeau (Experience the Skillful Work), and Moʻolelo. In-person, enjoy Hawaiian games, After Dark in the Park programs, and ranger talks. Park entry fees are now cashless (credit/debit cards only).
Resort Report
The much anticipated return of Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, opens its doors this July. One of the oldest properties on Hawai’i Island (1965), Kona Village was shuttered by the 2011 tsunami. The new property retains the old charm of the original.
Formerly the Sheraton Keauhou, the oceanfront resort which will soon refresh all guest rooms, is now being managed as Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa.
Pacific 19 is a boutique hotel located in the heart of Historic Kailua Village in Kona. It is newly renovated and re-envisioned for independant travelers seeking accommodations and authentic Hawaiʻi Island experiences.