In person: Hawaii
It may seem a far-off option, but Hawaii makes for an adventurous and idyllic getaway, with a growing foodie scene, fine hotels and a different experience to be discovered on each of its eight islands author: Claire Dodd
Island hopping T
he people-watching in Waikiki Beach is second to none – as I sat nursing my first Mai Tai at a shore-side bar, I had
already seen a man with a parrot on each shoulder casually stride the street, a man so muscled up he had trouble walking, and a car with large silver cheetahs stuck to its bonnet cruising as passers-by glanced admiringly. The eccentric crowd attracted to Honolulu’s
famous beach was just one early highlight of many during my visit to the Hawaiian state capital, found on the island of Oahu. After flying from Heathrow with United via LA, and a further six-hour, 2,400-mile flight to this isolated island chain, this lively city was the welcome jolt of life I needed. Hawaii Tourism is determined to emphasise the unique characters of each of the islands in this eight-piece archipelago in the middle of the Pacific, and after stopping by four of them – Kauai, Oahu, Maui and “big island” Hawaii – I can now see what they mean. The tranquillity of Kauai appeals to families and an older crowd, in contrast to Oahu, which is
a 30-minute island hop away with Hawaiian Airlines (costing about £70) and the island most visited by us Brits. You’ll hear Hawaiians bemoan Honolulu for its mayhem, but it’s not exactly the “hectic” I know from living in London – “colourful” would be more apt, in much the same way as Miami’s South Beach. On Honolulu’s Kalakaua Avenue, high-end
retailers including Gucci, Chanel and Saint Laurent sit side by side with Hawaii’s ubiquitous ABC stores – glorious institutions that pedal every Hawaiian-themed souvenir you could ever think of, and many you couldn’t. And even if it does seem a little hectic, you
can suggest staying out of the city, at Turtle Bay Resort, made famous as the location for Forgetting Sarah Marshalland offering up a beachside base in Kuilima Cove. Oahu’s first Four Seasons (the former JW Marriott Ihilani) will also open this spring, set in 642 acres, 17 miles outside of Honolulu. But my hotel, the beachfront Hyatt Regency
Waikiki, was right in the thick of it. Opposite, amid the palm trees, rental surfboards waited
to be adopted by brave souls. Surfing is a way of life here as Hawaii was one of the birthplaces of the sport. Thanks to jetlag, I awoke at first light to see bronzed gods and goddesses already catching the first waves of the day and immediately felt bad about my plans to demolish an eggs benedict at the Hyatt’s Shore restaurant. But not bad enough to stop myself.
On the menu If you want attractions on dry land, Honolulu is emerging as a credible gourmet destination, where food trucks, farmers’ markets and pop-ups abound. But it’s Chef Chai on Kapiolani Boulevard that is the focus of much local excitement, with its elegant style, expansive windows and leather chairs. Chef Chai Chaowasaree flies the flag for Hawaiian cuisine, fusing local ingredients with delicate Asian flavours in a style reflective of the ethnic diversity of the islands. I sampled the Ahi (a local white fish) tartar and black tiger prawns encrusted with the ubiquitous macadamia nut – grown everywhere in Hawaii. The island of Maui – where UK visitors stay longest, spending an average of eight nights –
How to book it Western & Oriental offers seven nights at Hotel Wailea in a garden-view suite from £2,500pp (room only) including flights to Kahului, Maui with American Airlines and private airport transfers (based on travel in November). Tel: 020 3588 6130,
westernoriental.com.
Other airlines flying to Hawaii via LA or San Francisco include British Airways, and as of last November, Virgin, which means Hawaii can be a strong twin-centre suggestion,
gohawaii.com/uk
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