SEPTEMBER 2019 businesstravelerusa.com48
It’s not just
all resorts
and hula
here. For
business
travelers
there is
much to
entice just
a few miles
from HNLWORDS RAMSEY QUBEIN
Honolulu
(^1) Waimea Valley
If you’ve been to Honolulu
before, chances are you’ve
already been to the royal ‘Iolani
Palace and Pearl Harbor. So for
something different, take the
45-minute drive up to the North
Shore and explore another side
of the island. Here’s where you’ll
find the Waimea Valley with its
unique ecosystems. The changes
in the landscape and weather
patterns here create a lush
environment with world class
botanical gardens and historical
sites, waterfalls and one of the
richest farming communities in
all of Polynesia. It’s an entirely
different side to Oahu – both
figuratively and geographically
- where its natural beauty and
waterfront landscape seem a
world away from the capital city.
waimeavalley.net
(^2) North Shore EcoTours
For a deeper dive into Hawaiian
culture, stop by North Shore
EcoTours. Time doesn’t permit
taking one of the hiking
adventures through untouched
tropical trails or off-roading
to discover ancient rivers and
World War II outposts. But
there’s always time to absorb
the ancestral wisdom of the
nā Kānaka Maoli (Native
Hawaiians). These unique
perspectives are based in
traditional Hawaiian ‘ike
(knowledge) and are passed
along in such forms as mo’olelo
(stories), kāʻao (legends) and
oli (chant). One of the most
familiar, and intriguing, is hula
(dance). The hula workshop
teaches the rich history of this
important cultural dance.
northshoreecotours.com
(^3) Chinatown
Motor back south toward
the city and along the way,
keep an eye out for the Aloha
Tower. Completed in 1926, the
lighthouse was for many years
the tallest building in Hawaii.
It’s open to the public for
panoramic views of the harbor
and overlooks Honolulu’s
Chinatown. Here you’ll find
plenty of open markets, dim
sum eateries, traditional
herb shops, and trendy cafes
and bistros. Historic sites in
Chinatown include the Sun Yat-
sen Statue next to the Chinese
Cultural Plaza, and the Kuan
Yin Temple dedicated to the
Chinese deity of compassion at
the entrance to Foster Gardens.
The First Friday of the month is
when you’ll find Chinatown in
full party mode.
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