Ala Moana Beach Park

I had such a productive day.  Instead of sitting in traffic to get home, I decided to go to the mall after class to have some milk tea and study. 

Traffic can last quite long, so afterward I went running at Ala Moana Beach Park.  From now on, I will start making better use of my time by studying and running.  I felt so productive and I had such an incredible time.

It is very calming running past the beach with Diamond Head in view.  The most beautiful part of the run, however, was being able to watch the sunset. 

I want to enjoy all the beauty Hawaii has to offer before I move and explore new territory.

Laniakea Beach - Hawaii

Last weekend, I went on a fun photo walk to the North Shore. One of the places we stopped at is Laniakea Beach, known for its turtles.

Imagine snorkeling here and having an opportunity to be up-close with turtles.  Of course, you do have to keep your distance, but it is an incredible experience. 

Although most people respect marine life, there are some people who may not always understand the concept.  I saw a lady "accidentally" run into a turtle because she got far too close. From what I could see, it looked like she had been chasing it.  Although turtles are friendly creatures, they can bite if threatened.  It's also illegal to harrass turtles.  They are beautiful creatures, but one's you don't want to mess with.  If you visit Laniakea Beach, just remember to enjoy yourself, but be safe and treat the turtles with respect.

If you see a crowd, most likely there's a turtle around.  Many of the turtles enjoy relaxing on the sand, while you can also spot several swimming in the ocean, if you are fortunate enough to be wearing your polarized sunglasses.

If you see a turtle resting, you'll notice a sign with the turtles name on it and a rope around the area to keep people from getting too close.  Everyone seems to light up once a turtle hits the sand.  It's pretty interesting to observe, especially because of how happy and excited people become once they see one. 

As far as I remember, this turtle's name is "Whoolie Bully."  We waited for quite sometime before W.B. landed on the shore to rest.   I'm glad I was able to capture this memorable photo.  It's one of my favorite. 

I would love to spend more time here, just to snorkel or relax on the beach.  It's a beautiful beach and a place you will not want to miss.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Hawaii - II

For all of you who read my previous post on Hanauma Bay, here's an update.  It will cost $7.00 to now enter the nature preserve unless you are a Hawaii resident or are a member of the US Armed Forces stationed in Hawaii.  It's a small price to pay for one of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii.

You'll still have to watch the safety video prior to entering and can come and go into the bay as you please, as long as you receive a stamp on your hand before exiting.  Sign your name to the list if you plan on returning within the year.  If you need assistance, there' an information booth on the beach  Also, if you don't want to buy snorkeling gear, you can rent out equipment for a low cost.  Other than that, just remember to be safe and have fun.

I went to Hanauma Bay about a week or two ago to snorkel.  I didn't see as many fish as usual, but I had a chance to spot a green sea turtle.  I really love visiting Hanauma Bay because it's beautiful and relaxing to snorkel there.  Although there can be enormous amounts of people at times, to the point where you are almost colliding with others as you snorkel, it is a breathtaking location you should not miss. 

I would really love to try night snorkeling sometime too since I heard it's available during certain times of the month.  It will be a bit scary, but also memorable and fun.

If you visit Hanuama Bay, you may want to bring an underwater camera.  Also, as a reminder, don't step on the coral or mess with any of the marine life, especially the turtles.  It's illegal to harrass turtles, which are protected by law. 

Have a good time!

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

The Surf at Waikiki

Wow, as I was driving, I noticed some huge waves at Waikiki today! My friends and I walked alongside the beach and eventually went to the wall to capture photos of surfers.  No wonder I saw so many surfers walking around with their boards this afternoon. 

I had to be careful taking photos on the wall because of the splashing water.  It was incredible to see because normally, the waves are tiny in Waikiki.

Today, I saw people catching waves, including kids!  It's always amazing when little kids can surf.

There were more people than this ... This is just a small snapshot!

A little girl swimming towards the waves

Tourists watching the surfers

Father and son? They were waiting to jump in ... The man on the right, I observed him helping the young boy.  There was also an older couple trying to take photos of the surfers, but the man asked "Would you like a photo of the two of you?"  He offered to take a photo of the older couple who otherwise may not have had a photo together on the wall with diamond head in the background.  It was really sweet.

No diving, jumping, or climbing? yeah right ...

I love being in Waikiki with all the different people from the locals to the international tourists.  Everyday is a new and unique day full of events in Waikiki.

Waikiki Beach - A Top 10 World Beach

What would Waikiki be without the beach?  I had to go for a swim!

I went early in the morning to get a head start.  Suprisingly, there were other morning birds, enjoying the water and sand too.

Waikiki Beach with a View of Diamond Head

You can learn to surf at Waikiki Beach

The view below looks even more incredible when you are in the water, looking towards the sand

Surfers, paddlers, and swimmers having a good time

I thought it was interesting to see this man in the water with a metal detector!

There are statues scattered throughout Waikiki ... 

The waters are very calm, although there are waves

Waikiki is considered one of the top beaches in the world.  The waters are calm, making it perfect for families.  Although the water is calm, there are waves too.  It all depends on where you swim at!  Waikiki beach is a great for those first learning to surf too, although it gets crowded!

During the weekend, there's "Sunset on the Beach," where a movie is featured on a HUMONGOUS screen on the beach.  Anyone can watch, for free! You might be lucky enough to catch a hula show at Waikiki Beach too or maybe even see a parade, depending on the season.

Waikiki Beach is a resort area with a ton of stores, restaurants, and attractions - all in walking distance.  It's where most tourists stay in Hawaii and it's not hard to see why. 

Surfing at Ala Moana Beach Park, Hawaii

My lesson for the photo walk at Ala Moana Beach Park was an "action shot." I can definitely see how tough it can be to follow a subject and then capture the right moment.

At the photowalk at Ala Moana Beach Park, I was shocked to see so many photographers! They were watching the surf, waiting for the right moment to capture a great shot. I also saw a photographer taking wedding photos for a couple. Very nice!

The highlight of the photowalk was running into someone we knew and being able to have that person model for the camera. It's a lot of fun to interact with others.




He totally could be a Jet Set model!



Here were some of the photos captured during the photo walk while following a subject. It took quite sometime, but it was cool to see the results.





I love this photo because it's so imperfect.

Ala Moana Beach Park - Solar Eclipse

At Ala Moana Beach Park yesterday, I had the chance to witness a partial solar eclipse! It was so awesome!

My friend and I went to the beach to go on a photo walk, which turned into much more! From a distance, I noticed a group of people setting up cameras and telescopes. It finally hit me when I realized that there would be a solar eclipse somewhere between 5-6 p.m. I couldn't wait!

Several UH Astronomy students set up telescopes and provided filtered glass to view the solar eclipse safely. One of the graduate students had a simulation of the eclipse on the computer too. It was pretty cool!





The sun sure was bright!



The UH Astronomy department provided filtered glass for on-lookers to use to keep one's eyes protected.



When looking through the filtered glass, I could see a green dot. I tried to capture the image on my camera, but it sure wasn't easy! The lower left is where we had to look to see the partial eclipse.