Local Expert
Brenda Yun
I'm a surfer girl and freelance writer who can't seem to get enough out of life abroad. Despite my frequent travels, my life in Hawaii (namely, my six-year old pug Iris) keeps me grounded. Here…
I'm a surfer girl and freelance writer who can't seem to get enough out of life abroad. Despite my frequent travels, my life in Hawaii (namely, my six-year old pug Iris) keeps me grounded. Here in Honolulu, buildings pop up like tourists wearing tacky aloha shirts, shops come and go like the trade winds (but ABC stores never close), traffic is part of keeping Hawaiian time--there's no wonder the speed limit is 50, but the feeling of stepping off the plane and walking in the open air to the baggage claim is unmistakable.
I heart Hawaii. I heart spam musubi and plate lunch. I heart crowded line ups at Diamond Head and Straight Outs. I heart Bruddah Iz. I heart the feeling of shedding skin as I drive through pineapple fields in to Haleiwa. The pot of gold is found in the Rainbow State. Hop on over to the "Rock" and see.
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The Boat
In an effort to curb traffic concerns between Kapolei and downtown, Honolulu's bus system decided about one year ago to institute $2.00 public water transportation
between Kalaeloa at Barber's Point and Aloha Tower across from downtown. This has become a humongous hit among tourists on a tight budget. For just two dollars (the same price for a ride on "The Bus"), locals and tourists alike can enjoy a one hour journey along Oahu's south shore on the aptly named "The Boat."
News has it that "The Boat" has received five million dollars for this coming fiscal year to draw more tourists and kama'aina (locals) aboard. With the skyrocketing price of fuel and energy, Honolulu will need as many reasons for tourists to make it across the Pacific for a visit, and "The Boat" is becoming one of those. During whale season it is also likely you will see whales, and the price surely beats the $50 tourists would normally pay to enjoy a dinner cruise.
Refreshments and snacks are sold on "The Boat," and there is outdoor seating as well as indoor, air-conditioned seating. It's a great way to spend a day "stay-cationing" if you're a local or full-on vacationing for real as a tourist.
"The Boat" makes six round trips a day: three in the morning between 6-9 p.m. and three in the afternoon between 3-6 p.m.
Visit "The Boat" online for more information: http://www.trytheboat.com/