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INTERVAL WORLD
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Fall 2015 IntervalWorld.com
DAY THREE
It’s out of Waikiki today. You’ll take the long
way to Laie and the Polynesian Cultural
Center. Drive along Kalanianaole Highway
to suburban Hawaii Kai. Stop at Zippy’s
in Koko Marina and pick up Breakfast
Bento #3 to go. You’ll get corned beef
hash, Portuguese sausage, egg, and
rice. Have them tuck in a couple of
coconut napples — like apple turnovers,
but coconut.
Continue east along the dramatic lava
coastline, round the curve at Makapuu,
peel off the road at the beach park
beneath the towering mountains, and
grab a picnic table. Enjoy breakfast sur-
rounded by one of the most spectacular views in the world.
Next stop: Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, just off Kahekili
Highway at Haiku Road. Take several deep breaths as you gaze upon
the serene Byodo-In Temple, a faithful replica of an ancient Buddhist
temple in Uji, Japan. Bong the
bon-sho
, the sacred bell, and feel
blessings as the deep sound resonates against the Koolau Mountains.
Strolling peacocks share the gardens, and more than 10,000 prize
golden koi (carp) swim in the reflecting pond. A nine-foot golden
Buddha presides over it all.
Heading toward Laie, you’ll pass ancient Hawaiian fish-
ponds, marvels of early aquaculture; banana and papaya
plantations; farm stands selling ice-cold coconut juice; post-
card beaches right beside the road; and the green fields of the
sprawling Kualoa Ranch, which you may recognize from the
films
Jurassic Park
,
Mighty Joe Young
,
and dozens of others.
Lunch is a pit stop at Giovanni’s
Shrimp Truck. Get messy and tear into a
heap of scampi, or, if you dare, the “no-
refunds hot-and-spicy shrimp.”
You’ll know you’ve reached Laie when
huge
tiki
(deity images) rise beside the road
announcing the entrance to the Polynesian
Cultural Center (PCC). Explore numerous
islands of Oceania: Tahiti, Hawaii, Tonga,
Samoa, Fiji, Aotearoa, the Marquesas, and
Rapa Nui. Authentically recreated villages
are set along waterways and amid the
tropical gardens. Villages are staffed by
natives of those islands who will share
their music, skills, and food. Shake your hips in Tahiti, and taste
their coconut bread. Twirl
poi
balls and get a temporary Maori
tattoo in Aotearoa. Pound the giant drums of Tonga. Build a fire
without matches, throw some spears, glimpse the secrets of
celestial navigation.
Tour Polynesia by foot or canoe. There’s also an Imax theater and
a wonderful marketplace featuring the weavings, shell art, bags, hats,
games, and tapa cloth of the islands.
Stay for the luau, the most authentic on Oahu. Above all, don’t
miss the evening show,
Ha: Breath of Life
. A passionate story of love
and family unfolds through drama, dance, and music of the islands in
the shadow of an “erupting volcano.” The 100-strong cast has the
timing, costuming, and professionalism of a Broadway production.
The only problem with the PCC is you won’t want to leave.
Huber/Sime/eStock Photo; Robert Harding Picture Library/SuperStock; Liane Cary/age fotostock
Constructed entirely without nails, Byodo-In Temple was
established in 1968 to honor the centennial of Hawaii's
first Japanese immigrants. It also garnered fame as a
filming location for the television series
Lost
.
Experience the diverse cultures of the
Pacific at the Polynesian Cultural Center,
including the Maori of Aotearoa.