Hawai'i Walks

13/02/2021

It's that time of year again--Laysan albatross have migrated to Hawai‘i from the open ocean to lay eggs up at Ka‘ena Point. 🐣 Last week, this albatross parent shifted to give me a peek at their egg underneath.

This bird could be the mother of the egg, the father of the egg, or it could be the female partner of the mom of the egg! Albatross share parenting duties as lifelong partners, so male and female birds participate in nesting. Meanwhile, some female albatross partner with other female albatross and just "visit" with male albatross to become pregnant, and then return to their same-sex partner. These birds are simply amazing creatures.

Whenever people ask when the best time of year is to visit Hawai‘i, I always say February. Migrating whales and birds like the albatross are giving birth around the islands, the weather is cool, and the craziness of the holiday season has passed. It's a calm month, full of animals. 😎

If you want to read more about Ka'ena Point and the nesting area of the albatross, check out our blog at hawaiiwalks.org/hawaii-walks-walking-tours-blog
You can also sign up on our site for our to learn more about the indigenous animals of this island!
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18/01/2021

Today marks a solemn day in Hawaiian history. On January 17th, 1893, the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was illegally overthrown by a group of American businessmen. This ultimately led to the American annexation of the islands in 1898, followed by the Hawaii Admission act in 1959, which declared Hawaiʻi as the 50th state in the union.

This overthrow was the result of over 100 years of political maneuvering by foreign entities, driven by aggressive pursuit of profit, and emboldened by a lack of respect for Hawaiian sovereignty and culture. Much more is explained in this document created by the Ho‘okahua Cultural Vibrancy Group from Kamehameha schools. You can find it linked within the attached post.

To look towards the future, we must understand the past!

https://www.ksbe.edu/article/the-truth-behind-the-illegal-overthrow-of-the-hawaiian-kingdom/

January 17 marks the 124th anniversary of the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Learn the truth about the events leading up to the overthrow and read Queen Lili‘uokalani’s words of protest against the injustice.

12/01/2021

Our mission as a company is to inspire wonder about the world around us. History is everywhere--from the waves of Kalehuawehe to the warning chirps from visiting kōlea telling us we have gotten too close. Walking through Waikīkī can be a transformative experience. Behind the high-rises and the crowds, there are stories in the soil and in the trees. It's always a pleasure to see people from all over the world, of all ages, learning about this sacred place and leaving the walk with a greater appreciation for Hawai‘i. We are open for limited tours as cases continue to disrupt life on the islands. Follow us (link in bio) for more updates.

02/01/2021

We love to help you learn about the nature of with a little help from our bird ID cards! Every guest on the tour receives this little swag pack--a sticker, pen, and a bird ID card to keep track of sightings. Just a little extra touch to make your learning experience with us as helpful and memorable as possible!

11/11/2020

We spotted this awesome person ripping it at Sunset last weekend and had to share!⁣⁣
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Stay safe and healthy, folks! If you want to be outside, make sure it's solo activities like this🤙🏄‍♀️

We hope to see you soon!

11/10/2020

looks and feels otherworldly as we enter nearly 7 months of lockdown due to . These pictures were taken at 5pm on a Friday, which is usually one of the busiest times for this neighborhood! This time last year, we had 800,448 visitors according to the . This year in August saw just 22,344 visitors with most of those individuals being people seeing friends and family versus regular tourists. The 2 week quarantine for most just wasn't worth it. Astonishing what just one year can bring.
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So many businesses have not and will not make it through this, even with tourism slowly re-opening next week. Unfortunately, Waikiki priced out many locals, so many restaurants here haven't even reopened for takeout like those outside of Waikiki has. ⁣Countless hotels are also hanging in the balance. It really is hard at this point to know what tomorrow will bring.
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As for us, we are still here, still waiting to see how to best adapt to these new circumstances. We are tentatively re-opening in November, but we are prioritizing health and safety before all! Message us for details. We want to be as flexible, but as safe, as possible! ⁣
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Looking forward to walking down these roads with you all soon ♥️⁣
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08/09/2020

Meet the endangered kukuluaeʻo , or "aeʻo" for short! (English: Hawaiian black-necked stilt). ⁣
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If you're from North, Central, or South America, these birds may look familiar. Their cousins the are common from the southern US all the way to southern Argentina. However, the kukuluaeʻo is a specific sub-species that is found only in the Hawaiian islands. There are likely only 2,000 or so of these birds in existence today.⁣
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This particular "aeʻo" is enjoying a people-free golf course up at . Without balls flying through the air and people zooming around on golf carts, the birds can forage the greens with ease. One small benefit of ! The is next to this golf course, so it is not uncommon to see some birds wander onto the course.
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If this bird looks familiar, it is because it is also the logo for . As this bird used to be plentiful in the wetlands of Waikīkī prior to the development of the region, their image as our logo serves as a reminder of the nature that once was.⁣
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15/08/2020

Check out our latest blog post about the COVID-19 situation in Hawaii. We discuss how we went from one of the nation's success stories to the highest infection rate in the country. We also discuss what lies ahead for future bookings and tours (spoiler alert: We are waiting out the storm!) Read more below: https://hawaiiwalks.org/2020/08/15/whats-the-covid-19-situation-in-hawaii-right-now/

Read our latest blog about the COVID-19 situation in Hawaii for August, 2020

09/05/2020

Interesting information about the endemic from the formidable
https://www.facebook.com/1755308048086936/posts/2643572319260500/?substory_index=0

The Nene is only surviving endemic goose species of six described from the Hawaiian Islands. Using genetic information, scientists theorize that nēnē and the Canada goose diverged from a common North American ancestor less than three million years ago.

AWEsome information and photo by

07/05/2020

Home in quarantine, we had a lovely visit from a baby in our backyard. This chick likely fell out of its nest after strong winds in . But the mother was nearby and continued to feed the bird. Eventually the baby bird followed the mom slowly back into the forest.

The White Rumped Shama is a forest bird brought from Indonesia in the early 20th century. They are known for their beautiful singing and the flash of white at the base of their tail. They are invasive, but more research needs to be done to understand their impact on the native ecosystem.

We almost always see or hear these birds on our with ! We can't wait to walk and talk with you all again. We are aiming for a July reopen, but of course, there are many unknowns still. The birds, however, are certainly flourishing and I can't wait to look up and see them all again!

03/05/2020

We are back! We spent some time writing our reflections from the past couple months, thinking about where we've been and where we are going. Check it out here: https://hawaiiwalks.org/2020/05/02/covid-19-in-hawai%ca%bbi-what-lies-ahead/

What lies ahead for Hawai'i Walks after COVID-19 in Hawai'i? Read our blog reflecting on the past few months and looking ahead to the future.

17/03/2020

Aloha. Out of abundance of caution and respect for you and your loved ones' health, we are suspending all tours indefinitely. Airbnb Experiences have all been halted from AirBnb, TripAdvisor is sure to follow in the coming days. It only makes sense that we respect these larger-scale business decisions and halt our tours until this crisis has passed.

These are truly trying times, and this event is unprecedented in scale. Right now, what matters most is your health. Staying home is simply the only method we have at the moment for protecting ourselves and our loved ones. We care about our community and would never want to make a bad situation worse.

Hoping you all find some peace and solace in the coming days, and we will update again soon.

-The Hawai'i Walks Team

14/03/2020

Hoping everyone is staying safe and taking necessary precautions to protect themselves against the . We are monitoring the situation continuously and are still open for business until we hear things change further. For now, encouraging everyone to find some moments of peace in the unknown.

13/03/2020

We are monitoring the situation regarding Coronavirus. As our tours are open air with lots of distance in-between walkers, we are not cancelling the tours at this time. We are considering offering a "guide-less" audio tour should things continue to get worse. The health and safety of our guests is always our top priority! It seems the situation is changing by the hour so please feel free to email us [email protected] if you have questions or concerns.

10/03/2020

Learn about the Ka'ena Point Hike on our newest blog! Birds, seals, whales and history--this is truly one of the most fascinating places on O'ahu. Have you hiked this historic trail before? Let us know about it in the comments!
https://hawaiiwalks.org/2020/03/09/kaena-point-hike-north-shore-spotlight/

Explore O'ahu with Hawaii Walks Walking Tours. Learn about local plants, animals, and history with an expert guide!

09/03/2020

Happy Monday everyone! Wishing everyone a great week. We know there is a lot of concern about and we want to assure all our guests that our tours are currently continuing as normal. We only have two confirmed cases of the virus in the state as of now, both of which contracted the virus elsewhere. During our tours we always provide hand sanitizer and we walk in open-air conditions with plenty of space between persons. Please contact us (link in bio) if you have any other questions or concerns about this issue. We will keep you all posted via social media about any updates!

26/02/2020

We're walking and talking daily, teaching visitors and locals alike about the amazing history and nature of East Waikiki on our informative, 1.5 hour walking tour. Book today!
https://local.google.com/place?id=15214678078076282621&use=posts&lpsid=3434808645033935113

Learn about Waikiki on our East Waikiki Walking Tour! Free ice cream, bird and history ID card, and tons of knowledge from an expert guide. Book today!

21/02/2020

Another visit from Ka'iwi today on our tour, a rare female Hawaiian Monk seal! She is certainly plump, and my guess is she's very likely pregnant. It always makes my day to see these endangered animals looking content and happy.

19/02/2020

Interesting article about the origins of the modern Hawaiian language widely taught in immersion schools!
https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/post/why-niihau-hawaiian-language-so-different /0

February has been declared Hawaiian Language Month here in the islands. Its aim is to encourage the use of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. But which Hawaiian language?

18/02/2020

I recently had the chance to host on my East Waikiki Walking Tour. One of the goals for my tours are to get people to "look up" and see the world around them. This was definitely the first time someone taught me to also "look down."

Vince stopped the tour to take a picture of a manhole on our walk. I had never even noticed those before, but he said he takes pictures of them everywhere he goes in pursuit of the "selfless selfie." Apparently, manholes usually have the name of the town, when it was built, and other cool designs and information on them. Check out his page to see how many he's taken pictures of around the world, including his new Honolulu manhole!

My favorite part of hosting tours is learning about the world through my guests. From now on, I'm going to notice every manhole I pass, and think of Vince 🤪🤙



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11/02/2020

Looking for a fun way to spend Valentine's Day morning? Join us for a special "love" themed walking tour around East Waikiki! We will be walking and talking about the major loves and partnerships (and a few divorces) that radically shaped the history of Waikīkī. The tour starts at 9AM on February 14th. Book by visiting our site and navigating to the "Book Now" page! Link in bio 🤙♥️🤙

07/02/2020

Wow! Mahalo for sharing ! I didn't know that the population of these geckos stems from only 8 lizards released in the 70's at the Manoa campus. Here in Palolo, these lizards are everywhere, easily in the hundreds of thousands. It's crazy to think how one careless act can so radically transform an entire ecosystem.

This gecko is native to Madagascar and small islands off the coast of East Africa.

The gold dust day gecko was illegally smuggled in and released. The entire Hawaiian population stems from only eight lizards a University of Hawaiʻi student released near the Mānoa campus in 1974.
Info

06/02/2020

Local Haole Haze IPA. Served at ! Love this local spot. They serve over 80 beers and have amazing and affordable food right at the edge of . We love it so much we're stopping here on our new History and Drinks walking tour! The tour will begin at Growler, USA and continue through central Waikiki. In between drinks, you'll learn about the history of the region from an expert guide. We're out here, making learning fun again! Drink ID and tasting card included in every tour. Our official announcement is coming soon. If you're interested in coming on this tour for free, please DM us. When launching a new tour we always have a free tour with guests to test out the route and topics covered. Hope to walk, talk, and drink local with you soon!

06/02/2020

https://www.facebook.com/57683067109/posts/10157690299177110/?sfnsn=mo

This documentary is such a moving tribute to a legend wahine surfer who did so much for Makaha. I highly recommend this event!

Remembering the Queen.

World champion Rell Sunn was more than a surfing legend -- she was also a pioneer. She was Hawaiʻi's first female lifeguard and a founding member of the Women’s Professional Surfing Association. She was also a breast cancer advocate, helping others live through the disease she herself was fighting.

Her middle name means, "Heart of the Sea," which is the title of the documentary film we're proudly screening on the beloved "Queen of Makaha." Join us as Traditions of the Pacific Presents "Heart of the Sea," showing Thursday, February 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. in Atherton Hālau. Admission is free for Bishop Museum members with pre-registration, and $10 for others: https://www.bishopmuseum.org/calendar/traditions-of-the-pacific-presents-heart-of-the-sea-documentary-film/.

04/02/2020

Love this gorgeous video of albatross engaging in a mating dance, filmed by Pacific Rim Conservation. These birds can currently be seen at Ka'ena Point and at Turtle Bay Resort!
https://www.facebook.com/prconservation/videos/227943458220987/

03/02/2020

Wondering how to spend a relaxing but interesting Saturday in Waikiki without driving all around town? Looking for a place that isn't drowning in tourists? Read our Waikiki Travel Guide for Kapahulu avenue to learn how to spend a perfect Saturday in East Waikiki.
https://hawaiiwalks.org/2020/02/03/waikiki-travel-blog-kapahulu-honolulu-hawaii/

Read our Waikiki Travel Guide: Kapahulu Avenue to learn more about how to have the perfect Saturday in East Waikiki with Hawaii Walks Walking Tour Company

02/02/2020

Go to Hawaiiwalks.org to see our new visitor map! We've been plugging in all of our walking tour guests' hometowns so we can see how many people we walk and talk with from all over the world! Book with us today to join us on our East Waikiki walk and add your hometown to our map 📍

30/01/2020

at sunset from the fabulous this evening. Always so cool to see from this angle. The weather has been absolutely perfect lately, nice and cool, clear skies and a slight breeze. Love these evenings out on the lanai!

24/01/2020

A gorgeous day gazing at Le'ahi. It doesn't get better than this. Happy everybody!

22/01/2020

We had a visitor today on our tour, Miss Kaiwi the ! She is one of only 45 or so seals on the island of so seeing her is such a treat. She looks huge so is likely pregnant! There are only 1400 of these seals total across the Hawaiian archipelago. They are thought to have been living across the archipelago for up to 10 million years! Love to see them resting on their native shores. 🤙♥️🤙 🌺 @ Honolulu, Hawaii

19/01/2020

A heart of coral found on the shores of kalaeokauna'oa (Kahuku Point). Coral is the heart of our oceans here in Hawai'i, and the oceans bring life to the people of the island. Coral supports the ecosystems of the ocean, providing nutrients and harbor for sea life. We must continue to protect our coral reefs by using reef safe sunscreen, avoiding stepping on reefs, and slowing climate change that warms waters causing major bleaching events that kill off this precious resource. This little heart of coral likely took thousands of years to grow, let's work together to make sure coral is still here for thousands of years from now.

17/01/2020

We are really excited to announce a new tour that will be launching within the month. We can't wait to invite you all on our Hawai'i Walks Beer and History tour! Covering two miles through central Waikiki, guests will learn about the rich history and nature of Waikiki in between two stops at local businesses offering a wide selection of locally made brews. Included in the cost of the tour is two drink tickets that can be exchanged for two local drinks at our partner locations.

Interested in joining? Like this post and keep an eye on this page for a major update in the coming weeks!

We can't wait to:

Explore Waikiki
Learn History
and Drink beer.........with you!

16/01/2020

We love to show guests these cute, adorable and indigenous birds during our Waikiki Nature and History Walk. The Manu-O-Ku has been thriving throughout the island of O'ahu thanks to rigorous conservation efforts from local groups and researchers. In fact, their population is up a whopping 282% since 2002! We love to hear great news about a rebounding species. Read more about their amazing success below! 🐦🐦

09/01/2020

Have you joined us on a walking tour? Don't forget to leave us a review on our Google Business page! Mahalo and have a great new year :)
https://g.page/hawaii-walks/review?gm

Post a review to our profile on Google

08/01/2020

Don’t miss the this weekend, January 11th-12th at Kapi’olani Park from 9AM-4PM! Get local art made by real local artists. Along with fine art, there will be locally made jewelry, photography, ceramics, and woodwork! business and add some beauty to your home or office space 🤙

04/01/2020

Our recommended reading this week is ‘Reclaiming Kalākaua’ from Tiffany Lani Ing. King Kalākaua’s history is often distorted by stories told through colonialist lenses, with misrepresentations of him as a ‘Merrie Monarch’ distracted by drinking and opulent spending repeated throughout many popular texts. This representation of Kalākaua couldn’t be farther from the truth. By combing through thousands of Hawaiian language documents, Ing presents a more accurate picture of the King as a brilliant and determined leader who fought endlessly to protect his kingdom from exploitation. If you’re interested in learning more about this mō’ī’s legacy, pick up this book at , which has the largest collection of Native Hawaiian literature for sale on the island of O’ahu.

We’ll be adding more recommended readings weekly so we can all better understand and the history of the islands.

02/01/2020

Let’s meet the Mejiro, also known as the Japanese White Eye! This small, green bird with distinctive white rings around its eyes is native to East Asia. It found its way to the islands most likely from the Hui Manu (bird club) in the early 20th century.

The Hui Manu introduced many birds at this time from around the world that they believed would add beauty to local forests and gardens. Unfortunately, these birds have been documented out-competing native birds for food in old-growth forests meaning their impact on the local ecosystem is likely negative. The bird has since been found to be in decline on O’ahu over the past 30 years.

However, these little guys seem to have a healthy population in Kapi’olani Park! They certainly are charming, seen here hanging upside down to eat from this Autograph Tree in Waikīkī. Mahalo to our guest for taking this amazing shot!

01/01/2020

How are you spending the first day of 2020? We are out here looking for some surf! Happy New Years everyone, let’s make this the best year ever 🏄‍♀️🤙🔥✨with our eyes on the horizon for whatever comes next. Don’t forget to always check your six 🌊 #2020