Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Chinaman's Hat - Hawaii

There are times when you want to take a drive and relax.  Yesterday, I had one of those days, where I wanted to get out of the house and have a fresh breathe of air.  One of the places I stopped at was Chinaman's Hat at the Kualoa Regional Park. 


It was raining outside, as clouds hovered over the Koolau mountains, while gray clouds added to the gloomy weather.  But regardless of the weather, it was still a beautiful drive. I'm glad I stopped to take in the breathtaking view.







Although it's name is Mokolii, locals refer to it as "Chinaman's Hat," because of the way it looks. Don't you think it looks like a peasant's hat from rural China?

If you call it Mokolii, I am sure most people here would have no clue what you were talking about it, so it's safer to ask "Where's Chinaman's Hat?" if you plan to visit and are unsure of where to go. 



You can take beautiful pictures of the area and enjoy the scenery.  People also camp and picnic here.  Also, if you are more on the adventerous side, you can actually reach Chinaman's Hat by paddling or kayaking, although  I wouldn't recommend swimming around the island!  From what I here, there are hammerhead sharks in the area that may scare you, even if they are considered harmless. 

Once you reach Chinaman's Hat, you might discover a lot of interesting things, including an incredible view if decide to hike the island. I have yet to reach Chinaman's Hat, but maybe one day I will with a group of friends who would like to also go there, although it seems a bit scary. There's so much legend and mystery behind Chinaman's Hat, it seems. I don't know anyone who has hiked Chinaman's Hat yet, but I know there are people out there who probably already have. I just haven't found them!
If you decide to hike Chinaman's Hat, just be sure to keep track of the tide and don't mess with any of the nesting animals!

If you decide not to venture to Chinaman's Hat, you can swim at the beach in year-round calm waters instead and enjoy the view of the island from a far. 



For now, I think I will just stick to the view and enjoy the scenery at the park.  It's beautiful and relaxing.  If I was to plan a wedding for myself, I would consider this spot because of the incredible scenic view.  Imagine the view during the summertime?

I added a link below for those who may be interested in knowing more about Chinaman's Hat from to-Hawaii.com

Chinaman's Hat

10 comments:

  1. I've never stopped at that beach, but it looks beautiful!

    So my cousin and her friend are visiting from the mainland, and you've obviously been more places here than I have. What are your top recommendations for food, particularly any Asian cuisine? And any spots other than the typical tourist places that are fun to take guests?

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  2. Hello Eleni! I really like Shokudo. There's modern Japanese food there and it's a good place for young people. The buffet at Oceanarium is awesome if they like seafood. Go on a friday since it' not as expensive. I know Hawaiian food isn't Asian, but you might want to take them to Helena's in Kalihi! It was on Man. Vs. Food too. Let me know what kind of Asian food they are interested in and i'll try to come up with some ideas. I have some posts on the restaurants I mentioned too, if you want a better idea of each place. =)

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  3. Thanks for sharing the nice pictures! This reminds me so much of my trip to Honolulu one year ago! One of my local friends pointed the "Chinaman' hat" to me and ask me if I wanted to wear it because I am Chinese. :)

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  4. That's so funny John. hehehe I hope one day you get a chance to visit Hawaii again! =)

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  5. Hi Mary! Amazing pictures! I visited Oahu once before, and I cant wait to go back! I love your blog and I am now a follower!

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  6. You should definitely come back and visit! And if you have time, check out some of the other islands too. Thanks so much for following my blog! =)

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  7. Wow! Surprisingly I have always passed Chinaman's Hat on the way to Kahuku or North Shore, but never stopped to look at it. I want to go out there one day and hike to the top of it and do a blog about that. I think that would be nice. Haha you inspire me to go see it. I think I'll take my sister.

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  8. Let me know how it is when you hike it! I would like to hike it one day, although I am a little freaked out. hehehehe Just be careful when you go. =) I'll be doing more posts on hiking down the road. Do you have any favorite trails?

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  9. Hi Mary,

    I was actually doing a research on Chinaman's Hat and I ran across your blog. I love what you have to say about this place because I live around that area! I was wondering, if I can have you as one of my interviewers on my essay? If so, please please please email me at: jchengw@yahoo.com

    Mahalo!

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  10. Aloha Mary,

    Fun blog! It says on your profile that you are practicing your writing. If you are interested, I would like to invite you to write an article for YAHglobal.Com to help with your publishing credentials. We are always looking for something exploratory in nature that takes readers away from "touristy" Oahu and into the "real" Honolulu. Feel free to send me an email to editor@yahglobal.com. Eitherway, I look forward to following your blog in the future.

    Mahalo

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Thank you for your comments!

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