Five Days in Hawaii: Day 2 – Island Tour and the Polynesian Cultural Center
We had an amazing first day in paradise when we visited Honolulu, Hawaii this past December. There was no room for sleeping in the next morning, however, as we had a very early start to another day full of adventure.
Island Circle Tour
One of the things I loved to do when I was a kid was visit the Polynesian Cultural Center in the northwest part of Oahu. Since this was something I definitely wanted to experience again, this time with Dan, I booked our tickets and added on the optional half-day island tour. We started the morning with macadamia nut lattes from Kai Coffee, which serves delicious Kona coffee.
After we enjoyed our lattes, we headed to the pickup spot to board a small tour coach with about a dozen other people and began our adventure.
Some of the beautiful sites we saw included Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, and the Pali Lookout. Named “Pali” meaning “cliff” in Hawaiian, the Pali Lookout is the site of the Battle of Nuuanu, where in 1795 King Kamehameha I won the struggle that finally united Oahu under his rule. This fierce battle claimed hundreds of soldiers’ lives, many of which were forced off of the Pali’s sheer cliffs. The cliffs are known for their extremely strong, gusting winds. Although I did walk up to the overlook, I soon walked back because, as you can see from the picture above, I was wearing a sleeveless dress, and the wind was icy cold! Dan, however, explored the vista, his icy Cleveland blood impervious to wind and cold.
The Dole Plantation
Having done this tour as a child, one of the highlights for me was the visit to the Dole Plantation. If you’ve ever gone to Disneyland or Disney World and tried Dole Whip, you’ll understand my excitement about the Dole Plantation. The Plantation is the home of the original Dole Whip, where you can get a huge cup or cone for under $5 while you browse through a huge plaza filled with all sorts of pineapple-themed souvenirs.
Pineapple eaten in Hawaii is approximately 100000% tastier than pineapple eaten anywhere else in the world. I have no scientific data to back this up, but trust me, I love pineapple, and it’s just the best when eating it in Hawaii. Our appetite for pineapple sated, we boarded our tour coach once again for the last stretch of our ride to the Polynesian Cultural Center.
The Polynesian Cultural Center
It seems like an odd thing to say that the Mormons are responsible for the preservation of Polynesian culture, but in the case of the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), it’s true. LDS missionaries were in the islands around Tahiti as early as 1844, and in 1955, a young church leader named David O. McKay helped build the Church College of Hawaii, which is now a branch of the Mormon university Brigham Young in Provo, Utah. Almost all of the people who work at the PCC are students at BYU-Hawaii, affording students of the liberal arts college opportunities for work experience and internships for their resumes.
The Canoe Pageant
If you have a few minutes, check out this video I put together that highlights some of the PCC’s canoe pageant, which tells some of the history about the different Polynesian cultures as well as how the PCC was created to preserve and share their cultures. The canoe pageant is one of the most prominent shows in the PCC, and is a favorite of many visitors. I remember the wonder and excitement I felt as a kid seeing this magnificent show for the first time. It was wonderful to see it again, this time sharing that wonder and excitement with Dan.
The Luau
After a day exploring the PCC and learning about the different Polynesian cultures, it was time for dinner. Our tickets for the day included a luau dinner and show. The meal was a buffet, but it was quite tasty and featured a roast pig that two strapping young men pulled out of a pit in front of us before walking it to the carving station.
The show during the luau was fun and featured performances of hula dancing and fire dancing. There was even a young kid around 10 years old who performed the fire dancing, which was pretty impressive! At the end of the performances, they called up to stage everyone with a December birthday (which included Dan!) to sing happy birthday and do a celebratory dance.
The Ha: Breath of Life Show
Our evening at the Polynesian Cultural Center ended with the Ha: Breath of Life Show. Featuring over 100 Polynesian native performers, dance, music, blazing fireknives, special effects, and animation, the show tells the symbolic story of Mana and his beloved Lani. The PCC describes it as a”Pacific isle saga of birth and death, love and family, tragedy and triumph.” Unfortunately, there is no filming or photography allowed during the show, but you can see some highlights from the show in this video from the PCC:
Once the show ended, we headed back to our tour bus and settled in for the long ride back to Waikiki Beach. It was very late by the time we got back to our Airbnb, and after an exciting day of exploring both the island of Oahu and the cultures of the Polynesian islands, we were ready to get some rest and prepare for another beautiful day in paradise.
