APR 28
2016
The Waikiki Artfest, about 75 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, features over 100 of Hawaii’s fine artists and handcraft artisans who display their own artwork for sale. You will find all types of jewelry, clothing, wood products, stained glass, ceramics, soaps and candles, quilts, and lauhala products.
Artfest is located in Kapiolani Park at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki, across from the entrance to the Honolulu Zoo. The event runs both Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free. There will be live entertainment and great food available for all to enjoy.
For more information, visit http://icb-web.net/haa/index.html.
APR 15
2016
The We Are Samoa Festival at the Polynesian Cultural Center, about 75 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, features the 24th Annual World Fireknife Championship and High School Samoan Cultural Arts Festival. Dancers of all ages showcase their mastery of Samoan fireknives in which acrobatic moves and death-defying tricks combine with ancient Samoan culture. Held in conjunction with the World Fireknife Championship, the High School Samoan Cultural Arts Festival is an event in which Hawaii high school students demonstrate their own cultural knowledge of Samoan traditions with exhibitions in basket weaving, coconut husking, fire making and more.
The event runs from May 12 to May 14, 2016. Tickets are $10 for adults, ages 12 and up, and $6 for keiki ages five to 11. To join in on the final night of competition, May 14th, guests must purchase a reserved seating ticket, starting at $49.95, to the Hā: Breath of Life evening show each night. Advanced reservations are highly recommended as the event sells out every year.
For more information or to make reservations, call the PCC ticket office at (800) 367-7060.
MAR 27
2016
For the first time in over 237 years, a feathered cloak and helmet that Kalani‘ōpu‘u gave to Capt. James Cook in 1779 will return to Hawaii and be on display at the Bishop Museum, about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas.
After Capt. Cook’s death, the cloak and helmet returned to England with Cook’s ship and crew and passed through the hands of various museum owners and collectors. Both historical pieces have resided at The National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa for the last 100 years.
The red feathers are from the ‘i‘iwi bird and yellow feathers from the mamo bird as well as two ‘ō‘ō birds from Maui and Hawai‘i Island. The cloak (‘ahu ‘ula) is estimated to include about half a million feathers from about 20,000 birds.
The museum is also debuting an interactive companion exhibit, Lele O Nā Manu: Hawaiian Forest Birds, which explores the rich and diverse natural history of native Hawaiian forest birds, their importance in traditional Hawaiian culture, their direct connection to the health of native forests, and the critical need for conservation.
For directions, museum hours, and more information about all of the current exhibits, visit http://www.bishopmuseum.org.
MAR 5
2016
Koko Head Cafe, about 35 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, is an island style brunch house with Top Chef Lee Anne Wong serving eclectic dishes seven days a week.
After graduating from The French Culinary Institute, Chef Wong jumped into the restaurant world. She immersed herself in New York’s fusion cuisine – working for several years at Marcus Samuelsson’s Aquavit, later serving as an integral part the opening staff at Jean Georges Vongrichten’s Chinese venture, Restaurant 66. She has also cooked and staged in kitchens all over the world, including The French Laundry, Charlie Trotter’s of Chicago, Nobu, The Four Seasons, Trio, Casa Oaxaca in Mexico and Cap Jaluca in the British Virgin Islands – picking up global flavors and techniques along the way.
Chef Wong brought her culinary skills to an even wider audience when she appeared as a cheftestant on Season One of Bravo’s Flagship Series “Top Chef.” A fan favorite, Wong’s fusion of flavors took her to number four in the competition. The show’s producers saw her innate talent and media experience, and brought her on as the crucially important Supervising Culinary Producer on Top Chef, and its spin-off Top Chef Masters.
Koko Head Cafe serves up comfortable brunch fare with an Asian flare at reasonable prices. Ever tried bibimbap? It’s a signature Korean dish that literally means “mixed rice.” Here Wong creates a breakfast version of the dish that includes bacon, Portuguese sausage, heritage ham, kimchi, soy-mirin shiitake mushrooms, ong choy, sesame carrots and bean sprouts over crispy garlic rice. Top that off with an egg sunny side up, and you’ve got Breakfast Bibimbap.
Ricotta in the pancakes gives them a slight tang and keeps them extra moist. You can choose between Hawaiian-style or applewood smoked bacon and creamy black pepper maple.
This is a popular spot, so come early or be prepared to wait – they do not accept reservations. For more information, visit http://kokoheadcafe.com/.
FEB 10
2016
Koko Crater Railway Trail, about 90 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas, is a 1.4 mile round-trip trail located near Honolulu that offers scenic views and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round.
Access to the trail starts at Koko Head Park in Hawaii Kai. The first part of the hike is over a newly landscaped hill behind Goeas Baseball Field to the bottom of the old rail track. Your next mission is a trek up the 1,000-plus steps to the top of Koko crater. The reward? A panoramic view of the east Honolulu shoreline not to mention one heck of a workout.
A few common sense tips before starting the hike: don’t push yourself too hard, go early in the day to beat the heat, go in dry weather, wear appropriate footwear and clothing, go to the bathroom before starting the hike, and be sure to bring water, sunscreen, cell phone, and snacks.
For more information, visit http://honolulu.about.com/od/Activities/fr/KokoHead.htm.
JAN 20
2016
Just as our idyllic weather beckons to tourists around the world, the warm shallow waters surrounding the main Hawaiian Islands are a favorite destination for humpback whales. Scientists estimate two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population returns to Hawaii to breed, calve, and nurse their young. They race over 3,000 miles from the Gulf of Alaska to Hawaii in less than two months and stay for a lengthy vacation, frolicking off our shores and entertaining spectators from December through March.
Seeing a humpback whale leap out of the ocean and then slap his tail is an unforgettable sight. Whale watching tours may be the best option to view whales up close. All watercraft must stay a minimum of 100 yards from the whales, but you’ll be surprised how close you feel when a 45-ton behemoth lunges out of the sea.
If a boat tour is not for you, their impressive acrobatic displays are often visible from miles away. If you’re on land, keep a pair of binoculars handy because you never know when you’ll see a humpback’s spout (which can be 10-20 feet tall).
For more information about whale watching tours departing from the Ko Olina marina, visit http://www.koolina.com/experience/activities/snorkel-whale-watching.
DEC 27
2015
The annual Waikīkī Beach fireworks show is a delight for the entire family, about 40 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas. The fireworks will start at 11:55 p.m. with one announcement salute fired every minute until one minute before midnight. Be sure to tune into Hawaiian 105 KINE for synchronized music that will enhance the show.
Exactly at midnight a barrage of colorful salutes will signal the start of the New Year. The 10 – 12 minute spectacular will include designs of palm trees, rings, strobes, sparkling fans, colorful falling leaves, brocades, and willows falling to the ocean.
For more information, visit http://www.waikikiimprovement.com/waikiki-calendar-of-events/waikiki-new-year-s-fireworks.
DEC 5
2015
In 2008, Dole Plantation’s giant Pineapple Garden Maze was declared the world’s largest maze, about 30 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas. The maze includes over two miles of paths crafted from thousands of colorful Hawaiian plants.
You are challenged to find eight secret stations hidden throughout the maze in the fastest time. The fastest finishers win a prize and enter into the history of Dole Plantation, with their names recorded on a sign at the maze’s entrance.
Be mindful of the weather. If it is rainy or hot (or both), bring appropriate footwear, water, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen. For more information, visit http://www.dole-plantation.com/worlds-largest-maze.
NOV 21
2015
12th Ave Grill is an award-winning restaurant featuring fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients, about 35 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas. Their daily dinner specials offer the ripeness of the season and the best of Hawaii’s local farms and ranches. Their tasteful wine list, unique micro brewed beers, and scratch bar cocktails are the perfect pairings for any palate.
For more information or to consult a menu, visit http://12thavegrill.com/
OCT 24
2015
In 1878, Portuguese laborers from Madeira and the Azores came to Hawaii to work in the plantations. These immigrants brought their traditional foods with them, including a fried dough pastry called the “malasada.” Today there are numerous bakeries in the Hawaiian islands specializing in malasadas.
Two popular malasada bakeries, Leonard’s Bakery and Champion’s Malasadas, are about 35 minutes from the Ko Olina Beach Villas. A malasada is a Portuguese confection, made of egg-sized balls of yeast dough that are deep-fried in oil, coated with granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar, and served hot. Traditional malasadas contain neither holes nor fillings, but some varieties of malasadas are filled with flavored cream (custard, chocolate, or coconut/haupia) or other fillings.
Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is Malasada day in Hawaii. Being predominantly Catholic, Portuguese immigrants would need to use up all their butter and sugar prior to Lent. They did so by making large batches of malasadas, which they would subsequently share with friends from all the other ethnic groups in the plantation camps. This led to the popularity of the malasada in Hawaii.
