STOPOVER I HONOLULU
LUCKY EIGHT: Hawaii is composed of eight main islands and its capital Honolulu is surrounded by 100 world-renown islands. Photo courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority
Honolulu: IntersectIon of cool Honolulu’s tropical vibe and cosmopolitan flair are a cocktail of fun, sexy, and cool. NEAL WEBSTER TURNAGE gets you to the best hangouts during a brief stopover. erched roughly halfway between Asia and the west coast of mainland United States, Honolulu is a natural when it comes to an en-route stopover. Over the years, a constant ebb and flow of visitors from both East and West has shaped the city. As one Honolulu insider puts it, “From surfing in Waikīkī to hiking up iconic Diamond Head crater, there is so much for visitors to choose from, all within close proximity to each other.” STOPOVER ITINERARIES Shangri La (www.shangrilahawaii.org), home of the late American heiress Doris Duke and now a museum, recently unveiled for the first time the Damascus Room, a collection of exquisite luxury items from the Late Ottoman Period.
Have fun on board West Side Tour’s Deluxe Family Cruise (www.sailhawaii.com), an ocean ecoouting that veers off the usual reef-protected grid. It offers an up-close adventure with wild dolphins and those cuddly sea turtles in their natural habitat for an authentic experience. CATCH UP WITH FILIPINO CULTURE Rose Cruz Churma, president of Honolulu’s Filipino Community Center (FilCom, www.filcom. org), says there’s no shortage of Filipinos on a Honolulu stopover. “Visitors from the Philippines always remark how Hawaii feels like the Philippines but with all the American amenities—and one can actually walk around the urban core.” Often those walks include supermarket detours
WHO KNEW? Honolulu is the second most expensive city in the United States. 42 I Mabuhay Magazine I March 2013
Filipino Food Hotspots Thelma’s (in Waipahu, www. thelmasrestaurant.com) Bautista’s Filipino Kitchen (in Waikiki, +1 808 923 7220) Jesse’s Bakery (in central Honolulu, +1 808 842 1120)