Lama pa'ipa'i on the Lanai – an Aulani TR -Aloha and Mahalo Aulani! Link to PTR 11/5

[eandesmom]

Did it have anything to do with rum?

Well we probably did make a drink to take to the pool and loungers... Just didn't have more than a sip before hitting the river. Not positive but it is a fair guess.

Ok, that was my second guess.


And there it is. I just had the order slightly off.

Probably not

Sounds like an interesting backstory. I'm sure it is interesting to just take in the details in the restaurant and see how it all ties together.

It's an interesting concept and each section is kind of neat in it's own right

WCC to AMA AMA. Isn't that pretty much one extreme to the other???

I'm glad you had such a great server there.

The funny part is that the Character Breakfast at Makahiki reminded us in parts of WCC. Not so much the character part but a few of the things Auntie did. We discussed that with her and she had kind of thought they'd put her at Makahiki and was thrilled ot get AMA AMA.

Sorry??? No reason to be sorry. It looks like it was a great evening!

It was...it just seemed so....I don't know, peaceful, relaxing and potentially boring reading as a result.

Wow, what can possibly be said about your latest updates except.......what a beautiful end to your day!!! So many wonderful pictures of the views from your Lanai!!!

Yeah, I went overboard again on the pictures but it's hard not to!

It's not fair that the ladies can comment on your bikini pics, but if I did that I might get tabbed as a stalker! I can't even reverse that and talk about how good Jeff looks rocking his shades and his beer...............so I guess I will just leave all of that alone.

that's pretty funny. Um you could say "cool can" in reference to his beer?

Dinner looked really good, and I still need to get that skyview app on my phone.............so cool!!!

it is a very cool app, we've used it a few times since the trip and it's fun.
Dinner was outstanding

Chiming in to agree with everyone .....


Love the sunset- so pretty to be able to sit on the lanai with a drink and just watch the day fade away.

It was perfect, I really can't imagine a nicer close to the day...every day!

I think you both look so wonderful and relaxed :

We were!!!

You dinner looks amazing and the surroundings could not be beat.

Dinner was incredible, absolutely loved it

That view and that sunset, really it doesn't get much better! I'll never get tired of those pictures!
I'm so glad your dinner was so enjoyable. A great server makes all the difference, but the whole story behind the restaurant and the open air concept really sound amazing too.

It doesn't get much better, or gosh if it does I really don't know how! Dinner was so lovely, every little thing was perfect. Service, ambiance, food...sigh.

I'd love to go for a family trip. With the kids getting older, it's so fun to be together and fun to split up a little while on vacation.not that they ever go too far as we've got the moola.

Exactly. You could have a lovely dinner "out" and they could eat a pizza in the villa, or hit the teen spa, or the pool and river or....

I am sure when we do our family trip there we will ditch them a little bit. Not too much and not too far but...nice that they are older and we can!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I thought I had posted in the wee hours this morning, but I guess not Your sunset to night photos are stunning! I don't think there is a time when it's not over the top beautiful there.

What was Jeff reading, Hawaii or War and Peace?

I'm glad you had such a nice dinner.

 

[eandesmom]

Ooo, I love the cloud and night pictures from your last chapter Cynthia.

I was just enthralled with the clouds that night. I'm not sure I've ever taken a picture of "just" clouds before. They were magnificent.

Can't go wrong with that choice!

Nope. Never. To the point that I have a work trip in a few weeks and REALLY trying to figure out a way that a night there makes sense...and it doesn't on any level but oh to be so close and yet so far... WAH

Still not tired of it.

Me either. I may die waiting for 2015 to go back.

Holy cow, is that a book or a concrete block?

That book was RIDICULOUS! Large print (which is probably an ok thing at this point) but the largest margins I've ever seen. Actual print per page was crazy small. Me, I'd have waited and gone paperback or e-reader. It was very difficult for him to even hold it to read it.

On the positive side...for a guy who reads 95% non fiction....to be as into a book as he was with that one...was fun to see (new Tom Clancy lol)

Gorgeous colors in the sky that evening.

I was grooving on those clouds!

PLEASE tell me you asked for ketchup!

You know...it's really not the same without kids present so...

No.

Wow, I've never seen such a lifelike constellation!

Hilarious

I thought I had posted in the wee hours this morning, but I guess not Your sunset to night photos are stunning! I don't think there is a time when it's not over the top beautiful there.

Over the top is right!

What was Jeff reading, Hawaii or War and Peace?

I'm glad you had such a nice dinner.

It was so huge it made me think of Winds of War/War and Rememberance. Granted the setting did too. And now just thinking of it I want to re-read them!

But no, it was a new Tom Clancy though honestly I don't recall the name...though the brick is here somewhere and I could look. It was the worst print job I've ever seen. Huge font and huge margins. Actual print on the page at best 70% I swear. Super uncomfortable to hold not to mention what it did to our weight limit.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I was just enthralled with the clouds that night. I'm not sure I've ever taken a picture of "just" clouds before. They were magnificent.



Nope. Never. To the point that I have a work trip in a few weeks and REALLY trying to figure out a way that a night there makes sense...and it doesn't on any level but oh to be so close and yet so far... WAH


Me either. I may die waiting for 2015 to go back.



That book was RIDICULOUS! Large print (which is probably an ok thing at this point) but the largest margins I've ever seen. Actual print per page was crazy small. Me, I'd have waited and gone paperback or e-reader. It was very difficult for him to even hold it to read it.

On the positive side...for a guy who reads 95% non fiction....to be as into a book as he was with that one...was fun to see (new Tom Clancy lol)



I was grooving on those clouds!



You know...it's really not the same without kids present so...

No.










Over the top is right!



It was so huge it made me think of Winds of War/War and Rememberance. Granted the setting did too. And now just thinking of it I want to re-read them!

But no, it was a new Tom Clancy though honestly I don't recall the name...though the brick is here somewhere and I could look. It was the worst print job I've ever seen. Huge font and huge margins. Actual print on the page at best 70% I swear. Super uncomfortable to hold not to mention what it did to our weight limit.

That's funny! Nothing like a good old fashioned book, I guess.

 

[eandesmom]

That's funny! Nothing like a good old fashioned book, I guess.

I guess! He complained about the size of it the entire week...but didn't put it down either. I was pretty reluctant to move to an e-reader, I love the feel of a real book but sometimes, especially for travel, it's rather wonderful to have!

 

[elphie101]

Hey, any Hawaii trip requires an embarrassment of sunset pictures! Aulani or no!

I seem to have a similar problem re construction photos and TRs (aka New Fantasyland) where I get SO excited at the time of taking the photo about bringing this new construction update back to the boards.......and then it takes me 6 months to get to that part of the trip. Oy.

Dinner looks delicious! Hooray food porn!

 

[Charleston Princess]

Came over this morning for some Hawaiian adventuring!

The hui sounds fun -- I like the idea of the show without the food and drink.

Gorgeous beach hike and garden pics.

You look so relaxed and happy in all the pictures -- what a great getaway!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

No need to apologize for "just another sunset." Wow. Wow. WOW. So gorgeous. Every inch of that resort looks amazing and that view! You lucked out in the lanai department, which is so perfect since that's such a big part of how you guys vacation (me too).

I had heard some iffy at best reviews of the food in the resort when it first opened so very glad to hear it is much improved. How cool for that CM to transfer from WCC to Aulani! That is quite a job perk. Wonder if Disney paid to relocate her? Already thinking ahead to when I retire and work in Disney and calculating how long til they move me to Hawaii.

Kudos to you for working hard on the nutrition and fitness and being able to rock that suit!

 

[krisbars]

We just got back from Aulani on September 2nd, and ten minutes away in the shopping center across from Costco is an Organic shop that sells kale smoothies, organic fruit juices, and the like. It is called Down to Earth. Also, right across the street is a place called Island coffee that has a lot of organic options. Their breakfast sandwiches cost the same as on the Disney property, but they are delectable. They include avocado, tomato....the coffee is so good. Just a thought in terms of food options.

 

[eandesmom]

Hey, any Hawaii trip requires an embarrassment of sunset pictures! Aulani or no!

That's true!

I seem to have a similar problem re construction photos and TRs (aka New Fantasyland) where I get SO excited at the time of taking the photo about bringing this new construction update back to the boards.......and then it takes me 6 months to get to that part of the trip. Oy.

Well by the time I finish this, the new area may well be open Oh well.

Dinner looks delicious! Hooray food porn!

It was delicious!

Came over this morning for some Hawaiian adventuring!

Aloha!!

The hui sounds fun -- I like the idea of the show without the food and drink.

Loved the hui, so much more than a traditional luau!

Gorgeous beach hike and garden pics.

Thank you, we really enjoyed both of those!

You look so relaxed and happy in all the pictures -- what a great getaway!

It was incredibly relaxing, a wonderful wonderful trip! Just kept getting better.

No need to apologize for "just another sunset." Wow. Wow. WOW. So gorgeous. Every inch of that resort looks amazing and that view! You lucked out in the lanai department, which is so perfect since that's such a big part of how you guys vacation (me too).

We are definitely lanai junkies and it was worth every point for that one for sure! The resort is incredible, I can't say enough about it.

I had heard some iffy at best reviews of the food in the resort when it first opened so very glad to hear it is much improved. How cool for that CM to transfer from WCC to Aulani! That is quite a job perk. Wonder if Disney paid to relocate her? Already thinking ahead to when I retire and work in Disney and calculating how long til they move me to Hawaii.

If memory serves, her parents lived in Hawaii so she had a connection, I don't think they'd pay to transfer. It was nice though as generally it was a lot of Hawaiian CM's and it was cute to see one from WDW who was able to transition.

Kudos to you for working hard on the nutrition and fitness and being able to rock that suit!

Thank you

 

[KatMark]

I'm admitting upfront...I skimmed a little, skipped all chatter, etc., or I'd never catch up.

I'm not a fish taco person, but that Margarita sure looks good.

Sorry about the wind messing up all of your plans.

I can never grow tired of your view...absolutely beautiful.

 

[eandesmom]

We just got back from Aulani on September 2nd, and ten minutes away in the shopping center across from Costco is an Organic shop that sells kale smoothies, organic fruit juices, and the like. It is called Down to Earth. Also, right across the street is a place called Island coffee that has a lot of organic options. Their breakfast sandwiches cost the same as on the Disney property, but they are delectable. They include avocado, tomato....the coffee is so good. Just a thought in terms of food options.

Good to know! I hope our next visit is in a 1 bedroom, I will be making breakfast in that case. We did see the down to earth site but didn't go in. What I need to find is a good fish market

I'm admitting upfront...I skimmed a little, skipped all chatter, etc., or I'd never catch up.

Welcome back! I hear you...chatter can make it impossible to catch up!

I'm not a fish taco person, but that Margarita sure looks good.

The drink was fabulous and Jeff loved his burrito so it wasn't just the fish tacos for sure. It was nice actually to have a margarita in the middle of a week of rum drinks. I rarely drink anything but wine anymore so the "break" was refreshing.

Sorry about the wind messing up all of your plans.

Our plans were SO loose it really didn't mess with anything, we certainly weren't upset! Or at least I wasn't.

I can never grow tired of your view...absolutely beautiful.

Me either. Someday I'll be back looking at it again!

 

[eandesmom]

Unbelievably it was already day 6. Apparently this had me so distraught I woke up at 6:30 am and could not go back to sleep! Guess I didn't want to miss out on a moment in Paradise. At 7:30 we gave up and got up. Of course we had to take a quick peek outside!



Looked like they were feeding the fish at the lagoon



A gorgeous day, and bright!




In short order we were out the door, filling up our mugs with coffee from Oleo and grabbing towels the minute it opened at 8am. While Jeff filled the mugs, I took a few pictures of the continental breakfast offering









I am not a first thing in the morning eater so we brought a couple of bananas with us. The rush? Well, our plan was to head to Haunama Bay

According to Wikipedia

Hanauma (/ÌhQÐnYÈuÐmY/; Hawaiian: [hYÈnTumY]) is a marine embayment formed within a tuff ring and located along the southeast coast of the Island of O'ahu (just east of Honolulu) in the Hawaiian Islands.Hanauma is both a Nature Preserve and a Marine Life Conservation District (the first of several established in the State of Hawai'i). Reflecting changes in attitude, its name has changed over time from Hanauma Bay Beach Park to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Visitors are required by law to refrain from mistreating marine animals or from touching, walking, or otherwise having contact with coral heads, which appear much like large rocks on the ocean floor (here, mostly seaward of the shallow fringing reef off the beach). It is always recommended to avoid contacting coral or marine rocks as cuts to the skin can result and neglecting such wounds may bring medical problems.
About 400 species of fish are known to inhabit the bay.Hanauma Bay is known for its abundance of Green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, known as Honu. Hanauma is a nursery ground for the immature turtles, which have their nesting grounds at French Frigate Shoals.It is also known for its abundance of parrotfish.

By the late 1980s the bay had become a major attraction on Oahu. Tourists were brought in by the busload and sometimes as many as 13,000 visitors descended on the beach in one day. Most were uneducated about the fragile marine ecosystem and, unwittingly, "these crowds stirred up sediment, disturbed and trampled the coral and algae, dropped trash, fed the fish and left a slick of suntan lotion on the bay's surface."Consequently, the beautiful multicolored coral reef closest to the beach died; only its blackened skeleton is visible today.

By 1990 overuse of the beach and surrounding area was a real problem, with visitors walking on the reef, swarming the surrounding areas, parking on the grass and on the sides of the road. Commercial filming was banned during that year. Measures were taken to limit use and so visitor access was limited to the parking lot, and when it was full everyone after was turned away. In 1997, the city of Honolulu levied an entrance fee on non-residents of the state, leading to a class action lawsuit by a visitor, which was settled in favor of the city during 2004.Then in August 2002 the Marine Education Center was opened at the entrance to the bay, where still today new visitors must watch a short film and receive instruction about conservation of the Bay's resources. Upon watching the film, visitors are allowed to sign a form and skip any subsequent film if they should return within the following 365 days.

Today Hanauma Bay sees an average of 3000 visitors a day, or around a million visitors a year. The majority are tourists.The bay is closed to tourists on Tuesdays in order to allow the fish a day of feeding without interruption by swimmers.

I had been to Haunama Bay before, back in 1987. Honestly it was not on my top 10 list. Not because the snorkeling wasn't good but because, well, it felt a bit too touristy and that we could probably find as good snorkeling elsewhere without the crowds. But Jeff really wanted to go, it was a must do for him. They recommend getting to the bay early. The parking lot often fills early and you will be turned away if it is full. In theory, by getting an extra early start you will avoid long lines at the ticket booth and snorkel concession. Lurkyloo had followed this advice and had gotten there so early, they were the only folks there and the sun was barely up. We weren't looking to do that, plus we had towels to pick up. It opened at 6am. We figured leaving Aulani at 8am we would still be ok. It is $1 to park and then $7.50 per person, plus any gear you rent and locker fees if you lock your stuff up. In the car with our towels and coffee we headed straight to the ABC store. Our plan was to buy a bottle of water and get some cash back so we had cash for parking and fees.

Unfortunately we quickly learned that the ABC store doesn't allow for cash back on debit card transactions, like every drug and grocery store here does. While Jeff was finding that out, I took some pictures of the ABC deli menu











Lots of options here!

Ok fine, we headed for Haunama using the trusty directions from the front desk (just ask, they have them for lots of locations)



I felt inspired to take a picture of the bracelet of the day (obtained when picking up our towels)
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URL=http://s91.photobucket.com/user/eandesmom/media/Travel/13/MickeyMaiTais/5-26_Koko/IMG_2092.jpg.html]

[/URL]

And then I got busy online checking to see if it had to be cash. The site said it took credit/debit. Cool, we are good!

Leaving ABC we were on the road at 8:47 and traffic was light. It picked up just past the airport and it hit me that really, packing lunch would have been very smart. The last 6 miles were semi heavy traffic but as we turned into the upper lot it was 9:28 and the parking lot was still open. Whew!
It didn't "feel" very open, check out the line of cars we were in



Pulling up to the entry booth we were hit with some horrible news. Yes, they take credit/debit for the entry fee. However, parking was cash only. Of course that was not mentioned anywhere on the website!

We did not have a dollar.

Not even a penny.

Jeff was NOT happy. Somehow this was my fault. With that news we turned around and hightailed it back to the closest ATM. Which actually was pretty darn close. Got cash and headed back.

Lot FULL.

Crap.

Jeff was NOT happy.

Okaaayyyy&Plan B.

Plan B was well, one of those ideas you have as kind of a back up plan. Something youd like to do if it works out but you might not plan around it. Plan B, which Jeff hadn't paid that much attention to before, was now quite interesting. And it was possible we could do plan B and then see if the lot had opened back up as people left. Upon learning I had a plan B...Jeff calmed down. What was Plan B?

This



Interestingly enough, as we were driving to Haunama, we had noticed it. From afar it really looked like a funicular. But no, in fact, it was my Plan B.
Otherwise known as the Koko Head Crater Trail, or the Koko Crater Railway Trail

Often referred to as

The Koko Head Steps of Doom or Natures Stairmaster

Alltrails says this about it

1100 demanding steps up a railway - great workout for great views of the area east of Waikiki.

Koko Head/Crater area; Hwy 72 to Koko Crater hike 1106 steps on wooden ties under the railroad tracks to the summit 585 steps from TH to bridge, 69 across bridge, 452 bridge to top) turn left on Lunalilo Home Rd, then right on Anapalau St, which ends on Koko Head State Park Rd (this road can be accessed from Hwy 72, but is sometimes closed). Park in the lot and walk along the road to the trail, which is a 200 feet from the parking lot. The trail goes straight up the stairs midway up must cross trestle, which is dangerous if you misstep. This will get the heart pumping and is not for those with bad knees. Take WATER! and a camera! Great for training, lots of athletes use this for workouts, but the views of Koko Crater and surrounding area are spectacular. Several Youtube videos are available. Crowded on weekends.
Note there is another way up to the top via the ocean side ridge trail... past Hanauma Bay.

From Chris Bailey, Hawaiimagazine.com: The step-like walking track are the ties of an abandoned railway that runs along the crater's west side. This is one of the best trails leading to Puu Mai, the craters highest peak. The ties were for an incline tram used by the military during World War II, to transport personnel and supplies to a lookout post on the summit. Access to this 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. Its an exhausting trip. But the real fun is still to come.
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 shorelinenot to mention one heck of a workout. A note of caution: Parts of the decades-old railway trail are in disrepair, possibly unsafe and recommended for experienced hikers only. If you do go, prepare accordingly and proceed with caution


I also enjoyed this blog review

• Round Trip Distance: 2100 stairs.
• Elevation: 1100 ft above sea level
• Location: Koko Head Park Rd off of Kalanianaole Hwy
• Hours of Operation: Any Time
• Fees: None (many places to park near the baseball diamonds)
• What to bring: cell phone, good walking shoes, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water, a snack, a camera.
• Bus Route: Bus #1L and Bus #23 (Still a long walk from bus stop!)

Koko Head Crater is one of the three craters on O'ahu along with Diamond Head Crater and Ka'au Crater, both of which can be found as a separate blog entry. Koko Head ranks in the middle of the three craters, Diamond Head being the easiest and Ka'au Crater being the hardest. As for straight up physically demanding, Koko Head ranks up with best of them on the island with its 1050 railroad ties stairway. If you complain about having to take the stairs to class because the elevator is taking too long Koko Head will be a challenge. The stairway of railroad ties is easily visible from the road and reasonably intimidating. The steps are just wide enough to where you can't stride them out in just one step. After the first half of the stairway there's a bridge over a little valley, which can be a little bittersweet, the steps on the bridge are smaller but slipping is a possibility. After the bridge, the stairs get a little steeper but the end is near. Once at the top the view of Hawaii Kai and Hanauma Bay are breathtaking not like you have any to spare after the hike. There is a pillbox that allows hikers to stand on top and get a nice 360 degree view of the island. Once ready to head back down you quickly realize how tired your body has become with shaky legs and the loose gravel under your feet. Yes hiking up was tough but the hike down has a challenge of its own.

My Advice: Koko Head is a great and fun hike, especially if you are the type of person who enjoys being sore as if it were a badge of honor. The long Stairway is a leg burner and you will be reminded of that hike for the next couple days whenever you take the stairs. There are many people who do this hike as a weekly workout and some even bring their dogs. I recommend going on an overcast day or early in the morning because there is absolutely no shade. Pack light camel packs are nice, heavy hiking boots not needed, and a camera is nice so you have proof you made it. Overall Koko Head is easily accessible, free, and a good workout with friends. I would recommend it if you are just hanging around with friends and in the mood to accomplish something fun.


We were intrigued.

It is only .7 miles up and back, 1.4 total. Short but intense, sounded perfect to me and if we could reward ourselves with snorkeling after why it might work out much better than Plan A which had been snorkel first and then if we felt like it, do the hike. We had been close to complete bums for 5 days and moving sounded very good to me!

First we had to find it. It is not marked and the entry is behind a baseball field. We found the park itself easily enough and spotted a field. We also spotted a bathroom which we both needed and then got busy sunscreening up. It was now 10am (notice a theme here with our "early" starts?)



The field had a game going on it





After wandering around it was clear we were not in the right place. Googling away I realized there were more fields. We got back in the car, went to the upper lot and sure enough, more fields. Of course it's now already 10:15!
I can see the trail, but not how to get to it





Ah ha!



And off we go



Continued in next post

 

[eandesmom]

Continued from previous

Hmmn. Should we be scared?







Duly warned

Clearly we were not dressed for a hike...Jeff had on his swimsuit! We both did actually but I figured the jeans shorts would have to do even though they wouldn't have been my first choice for hiking, clearly I hadn't thought the whole days options through (again). The good news is we both had worn (or brought, I don't recall) our Keens so from a footwear standpoint we were ok. If wed have brought just flip flops our entire day would have changed but thankfully we had dressed assuming we would be walking on some rocks at the bay, or at least prepared to be able to if needed.

Up we go!







The lower part is pretty mild but it was hot. We weren't in a rush so stopped every so often for Kodak moments and a sip of water. It was CROWDED.

Up a little bit



Did I mention there was a gun range next door?



Yeah, that was fun to listen to!

Looking down at the nearby neighborhoods



Which actually we'd be back at the next day...my relatives live in this part of town





Ah, the middle part&where the tramline is over NOTHING. Call it a bridge, call it whatever you want but its a bit freaky if you ask me and based on what I've since read online..Im not alone!



Yes, he is laughing at me a bit, this was my idea after all.



Ok, over the bridge and looking back





We are up a bit higher now



So pretty







A little higher...



Kind like the sunset from our lanai, the view kept getting better



Holy crap, we made it!





Yes that is sweat on my shirt and yes, it was windy up there! Wind felt great!

That's pretty far down





Continued in next post

 

[eandesmom]

Continued from previous
As you reach the top you realize that you can stroll around and there are amazing views from so many vantage points it is crazy!







Looking over at Diamond Head







Looking down at our original destination, Haunama Bay



No clue what he is doing here



We explored quite a bit









And sat and enjoyed some trail mix and water







Remnants of the tramline











Trying to see if I could spot my cousins house. LOL!



I really couldn't stop taking pictures (sorry!)









Continued in next post

 

[eandesmom]

Continued from previous

We needed to get going, we did still want to go here



Would have been nice if we could see how full the lot was!





A few more for the road







The first step back down


And down we go





Making progress



Leveling out



Jeff makes it look easy



We survived!



Bye Bye Koko Head!



I will be honest. We are in decent shape. From a cardio standpoint, this was not a big deal. From a feel the burn in your legs? Holy cannoli. We both felt it. We had enough water and snacks, and hats, so the heat was bearable and we stayed hydrated. We did spend a good hour on top just enjoying the view and soaking it up, and having a snack. It was amazing, absolutely amazing. Stunning. Incredible. I am SO glad we did it. The way down? Sucked rocks. I have a bit of a fear of heights and the upper third was a bit freaky for me. Coming down over that trestle/tram bridge...even more so. I admit. I crab walked it on the way down (and it was SO much easier/less scary). Apparently I am not alone. In fact far from alone though I didn't know that at the time and was mortified. I side stepped more than I should have on the way down and did pay for that later (though it did inspire me to beef up some cross training as clearly I had some muscle imbalance). We saw all kinds of folks on the trial. Young, old, fit, not fit. People literally running up and down, people in flip flops, people who really looked like they might not make it. We saw one person with a severely cut foot and learned later that people get airlifted off of it all the time. It was crazy crowded, which made it a bit more dangerous. Still, I don't regret for an instant that we did it. It was absolutely a major trip highlight. Earlier in the day would be very prudent both from a heat standpoint and a crowd standpoint. The visibility was wonderful. Supposedly you can see all 3 islands from the top. It wasn't that clear that we could see that but still, what we did see, was amazing. LOVED it.

Reaching the parking lot, once we made use of the facilities we were VERY tempted to try and walk to Haunama Bay from the lot but just weren't sure exactly how far it is or how direct the trail might be. If the lot was full, you could still walk in. Instead we decided to try our luck again.
Would we be successful? We sure hoped so. We were hot, dusty and oh that water looked good!

 

[Poolrat]

Ah, the middle part&where the tramline is over NOTHING. Call it a bridge, call it whatever you want but its a bit freaky if you ask me and based on what I've since read online..Im not alone!



Yes, he is laughing at me a bit, this was my idea after all.

I seriously don't know if I can cross that...... Freaked out just a bit. For me nothing to hold on to is the problem.

Between that and my lack of grace.... I would be sitting and scooting down.

But what a reward. WOW a great view and so worth it. I hope you got to go snorkeling.

 

[Wicket's Mom]

The view was spectacular, but I do have a major fear of heights. I could go up, but getting back down would be a serious problem for me!

 

[KatMark]

Cynthia, your pictures of your view once you reached the top are breathtaking...simply beautiful. But you'd have to have an escalator or elevator for me to go up and down there.

Can't wait to see if you find the parking lot with less cars so you could get in.

 

[chattadisser]

I saw the title Nature’s Stairmaster and laughed, then I saw 2100 stairs. Ack!

And a gun range next door? Did you feel as though the guns were forcing you to walk the stairs?

Beautiful pictures from the top!

Christine