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The Hale Koa Hotel was opened when I was stationed in Hawaii. Opening Day had Kahunas (Hawaiian Priests) , Hulas, Local Musicians, Senators, Governors, and grunts like me. It was (and still is) incredible. The best beach on that side of the island (Waikiki is almost eroded right up to the Hotels on it, Kuhio Beach is what most folks think is Waikiki nowadays). The most open land down there was Ft. DeRussey, or was.
And right at the end of the Military Property was Lewers Street, and the home of Don Ho, and others with their Shows. Hotel street was almost always off limits. The Locals and the Military were having a tough time getting along...as the Hawaiian Movement was in full swing. But that's a different story.
If you were Military, you could use that beach, and eat at the Ice Cream shop the Hale Koa had. And I got to stay there for a week once. Brand spanking new.
A far cry from the little shacks my brother and his wife stayed in back in 1968...but same beach.
The inner part of the island was still pineapple fields and Ewa Beach was way out in the sticks. Now there are more than a million people on the island, and two freeways! Times change. But Hawaii is still pretty.
The Hale Koa Hotel was opened when I was stationed in Hawaii. Opening Day had Kahunas (Hawaiian Priests) , Hulas, Local Musicians, Senators, Governors, and grunts like me. It was (and still is) incredible. The best beach on that side of the island (Waikiki is almost eroded right up to the Hotels on it, Kuhio Beach is what most folks think is Waikiki nowadays). The most open land down there was Ft. DeRussey, or was.
And right at the end of the Military Property was Lewers Street, and the home of Don Ho, and others with their Shows. Hotel street was almost always off limits. The Locals and the Military were having a tough time getting along...as the Hawaiian Movement was in full swing. But that's a different story.
If you were Military, you could use that beach, and eat at the Ice Cream shop the Hale Koa had. And I got to stay there for a week once. Brand spanking new.
A far cry from the little shacks my brother and his wife stayed in back in 1968...but same beach.
The inner part of the island was still pineapple fields and Ewa Beach was way out in the sticks. Now there are more than a million people on the island, and two freeways! Times change. But Hawaii is still pretty.
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Pearl Harbor
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Edited 21 h ago
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Three freeways. There's an H-3 now, going over the mountain to K-bay.
My second favorite snorkeling spot was Kuilima Cove, on the northern tip of the island. It normally takes almost an hour and a half to get there from Pearl Harbor, in bumper to bumper traffic heading to all points on the North Shore. COVID was a blessing. It only took 40 minutes because the tourist industry was completely shut down.
The Hale Koa is okay. The facilities and accommodations are typical of a government enterprise, which is to say more Howard Johnson than Hilton. Not really up to par for the awesome location. Military families who lived on island only staycationed there for access to the pool. I would say that most of their guests are active duty and veterans from off island who didn't really do any research, they just knew the Hale Koa was a thing and reflexively made a reservation on the unfounded assumption that it would be an awesome deal.
We spent our last week in Hawaii at the Outrigger instead of the Hale Koa. If we ever go back to Oahu on vacation, it won't be to the Hale Koa. It'll be the Kahala, or, if we win the lottery, Turtle Bay.
Oh, and pro tip: don't rent a car at the airport. Use Luck Owl. They'll set you up with something probably 6-7 years old, vs 0-3 years old like a regular car rental place, for 1/3 the price. The only catch is no refund for an early return. I got a car for them for a month when I arrived, based on when my car was due to arrive. It arrived in 12 days. Oh, well. If you're there on vacation, there won't be an early return.
My second favorite snorkeling spot was Kuilima Cove, on the northern tip of the island. It normally takes almost an hour and a half to get there from Pearl Harbor, in bumper to bumper traffic heading to all points on the North Shore. COVID was a blessing. It only took 40 minutes because the tourist industry was completely shut down.
The Hale Koa is okay. The facilities and accommodations are typical of a government enterprise, which is to say more Howard Johnson than Hilton. Not really up to par for the awesome location. Military families who lived on island only staycationed there for access to the pool. I would say that most of their guests are active duty and veterans from off island who didn't really do any research, they just knew the Hale Koa was a thing and reflexively made a reservation on the unfounded assumption that it would be an awesome deal.
We spent our last week in Hawaii at the Outrigger instead of the Hale Koa. If we ever go back to Oahu on vacation, it won't be to the Hale Koa. It'll be the Kahala, or, if we win the lottery, Turtle Bay.
Oh, and pro tip: don't rent a car at the airport. Use Luck Owl. They'll set you up with something probably 6-7 years old, vs 0-3 years old like a regular car rental place, for 1/3 the price. The only catch is no refund for an early return. I got a car for them for a month when I arrived, based on when my car was due to arrive. It arrived in 12 days. Oh, well. If you're there on vacation, there won't be an early return.
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Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
LTC Matthew Schlosser Don't forget Hanauma Bay (it is now a nature preserve).
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LTC Matthew Schlosser
Maj William W. 'Bill' Price - That would be my favorite snorkeling spot. They shut it down during COVID, giving the ecosystem time to recover from being over-touristed. Now they require reservations for a specific arrival time. You can stay as long as you like, but you can't show up early, and you can't go on a whim, the limited number of slots is booked solid a week in advance. I think it's better, the fish and coral did look a lot better after they opened back up.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
LTC Matthew Schlosser - Yep. my favorite snorkeling was Molikini Island ...and they might have adopted those standards too .
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LTC Matthew Schlosser
SGT Kevin Hughes - Molokini was AWESOME!!! Better than the Great Barrier Reef, honestly. Going to Australia was a bit of a letdown because Hawaii had spoiled me. I should have said that Hanauma Bay was my favorite spot on Oahu.
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