Golf Tips 
Travel West Coast/Hawaii 10 Things You Gotta Do In Paradise
Travel West Coast/Hawaii 10 Things You Gotta Do In Paradise
10 Things You Gotta Do In ParadiseHawaii |
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| By Staff | |
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Page 1 of 3  Holes 15-18 At Poipu Bay. Turn the corner between the 14th green and 15th tee, and you’ll understand why you maxed out your Visa to play here. Off to your left is the world’s largest water hazard, the Pacific Ocean. Don’t get distracted by the kite surfers hanging hundreds of feet underneath you. It’s all part of the show. For more info, visit www.poipubaygolf.com.The World’s Largest Water Hazard. The Pacific waters in Hawaii are clear, warm and can produce some killer waves (hardly living up to its Latin name, Mare Pacificum, or “peaceful sea”). Of course, what would a Hawaiian golf course be like without a hole or two that incorporates this giant “drink” into its routing? Some standout holes that feature the Mare include Mauna Kea’s signature 3rd hole and the Prince Course’s 7th hole at Princeville. The Aloha Swing. With its lush, balmy atmosphere, Hawaii enjoys the perfect year-round setting for golf. That’s why, when the rest of the country is hibernating, Hawaii is playing host to the three major tours. The Aloha Swing comes to the Islands during January and February each year. Highlights include the PGA Tour’s Mercedes Championship at Kapalua and the LPGA’s SBS Open at Turtle Bay. For more info, visit www.pgatour.com, www.lpga.com. The Aerial Advantage. Time was, only Magnum P.I. flew around Hawaii in helicopters. Not anymore. With the abundance of spectacular sights inaccessible from terra firma (waterfalls, volcanoes, sea cliffs and fish ponds), the only way to enjoy them is from the air. Do you like bragging to your buddies about your aerial sightseeing? Check out Sunshine Helicopters. They offer pilot-narrated DVDs of your tour.  Get Pampered. Golf and spas are practically inseparable in the Aloha State. Some of the more interesting offerings include ANARA Spa’s (Grand Hyatt, Poipu Bay) 20,000-square foot garden spa and private lava-rock showers, Outrigger Reef on the Beach’s (Honolulu) poolside “Golden Touch” massage and the Luana Spa Retreat’s (Maui) 16-foot yurt that doubles as a spa treatment room. For more info, visit www.spaindex.com.Volcanoes National Park. At 333,000 acres, there’s a lot to see in the country’s westernmost national park. Whether you get your kicks from watching lava ooze into the ocean or navigating a rainforest, the park’s size and significant elevation changes (a 13,677-foot rise to the summit of Mauna Loa) make Volcanoes an ecological and topographical tour de force. For more info, visit www.nps.gov/havo. Underwater Sightseeing. Bathwater-clear oceans and plentiful reefs make spying on tropical fish a breeze. Be your own Cousteau with Holo Holo Charters, a Kauai company that claims to have “the fastest, largest touring vessel to Na Pali and the Forbidden Island of Niihau.” If you prefer to stay closer to shore, consider Waikiki Beach in Oahu. The water is so shallow, you can walk out nearly 150 yards and enjoy your own personal aquarium. For more info, visit www.holoholocharters.com. Sand Traps. The first nonsmoking beach in the U.S. is also one of Hawaii’s finest. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve in Oahu only permits 2,000 visitors per day, which might sound like a lot, but when you consider it’s in the crater of a volcano, it’s easy to understand why so many people flock to it. On Maui, try Palauea Beach for a more isolated experience. It’s a great place to get away from it all. Swim wisely—no lifeguards are on duty. Men And The Sea. Want to get in touch with your inner Hemingway? Marlins might be at the top of the food chain in these parts, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be reeled in. Of course, it won’t hurt to have a seasoned crew to help you with the heavy lifting. The spear-nosed fish routinely tip the scales at over 1,000 pounds. Try Kuuloakai in Oahu or Kaanapali Sportfishing in Maui. For more info, visit www.kuuloakai.com or www.kaanapalisportfishing.com. |
