Elite Traveler January-February 2017

EXPLORE HAWAII

Below: Construction of the Diamond Head lighthouse began in 1898

Below: The Diamond Head or Lē’ahi volcanic crater in Honolulu

A weekend in… Honolulu, Oahu

butler book you a private lesson. Or if shopping is more your style, walk to Kalakaua Avenue for top-notch boutiques. If you’re looking for Chanel, Miu Miu or Gucci, head to Luxury Row. For jewelry or watches, Royal Hawaiian Center has Cartier, Harry Winston and Tourneau boutiques. You’d be remiss to skip the North Shore, home to the famous, and deadly, Pipeline, where waves averaging nine-feet tall curl and form a tube, making for exciting surfing. However, it’s best left to the experts as it is extremely dangerous. Drive up for the day to enjoy the view and wander through Haleiwa, a historic surf town with quaint shops and cafés bursting with fresh seafood. Finish your weekend with dinner at Alan Wong’s in Honolulu, which offers exceptional service and an innovative take on Hawaiian cuisine using fresh regional ingredients. Order the tasting menu, which Chef Wong says is Michelle Obama’s go-to when dining at the restaurant.

For a quick Hawaiian getaway with all of the creature comforts of a capital city, you can’t beat Honolulu – where hundreds of surfers wait for the perfect wave just steps away from some of the world’s best shopping. Stay in Waikiki at Halekulani, one of the most iconic hotels in Hawaii. Its namesake suite, the Halekulani Suite, shows how Halekulani earned its name “house befitting heaven.” Your semi-private elevator opens into a small foyer where your personal butler waits for you, ready to help with anything you may need. Heaven, indeed. The 3,320 sq ft two-bedroom suite is decorated in soothing colors with an elegant Asian-influenced design, including a spa-like master bath. To recover from your travels, spend the day at the pool, then indulge in a Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage at the spa before ordering in-room dining on your covered lanai. Enjoy a Mai Tai at sunset and take in the stunning views. On one side, high-rises seem

to explode straight out of the crystal clear turquoise waters of Waikiki Beach. On the other side, you’ll find a mountain that did, in fact, explode from the waters – 300,000 years ago when Lē‘ahi, or Diamond Head, erupted, forming the amazing crater. This contrast of modernity and nature’s raw power is absolutely captivating. The next day, brave the hike to the top of Diamond Head, which, year round, offers picture-perfect views of the coastline and city – and is a great spot for whale watching in the winter. A former US military outpost, the summit has bunkers, a navigational lighthouse and a fire control station that dates to 1910. On your way back to the hotel, wander through Chinatown and pick up a poke [pronounced POH-keh] bowl at Maguro Brothers for a casual island-style lunch of raw ahi tuna with sauce served over rice. In the afternoon, join the crowds in the water for surfing; have your

Halekulani 2199 Kalia Road Halekulani Suite From $8,000 per night Moses Nakao +1 844 873 9424 reservations@halekulani.com halekulani.com Diamond Head State Monument Open from 6am-6pm Hike takes 1.5-2 hours round trip hawaiistateparks.org Maguro Brothers Hawaii

Kekaulike Market #113 1039 Kekaulike Street +1 808 230 3470 Luxury Row 2100 Kalakaua Avenue luxuryrow.com Royal Hawaiian Center 2201 Kalakaua Avenue +1 808 922 2299 royalhawaiiancenter.com AlanWong’s 1857 S. King Street, 208 +1 808 949 2526 contact@alanwongs.com alanwongs.com