Twain’s Waikiki still Waikiki

Ali’iolani Hale, constructed in 1874, is home to Hawaii’s Supreme Court and State Law Library. In front is a statue of King Kamehameha I. The building was originally used as the headquarters for the Hawaiian government.

The USS Missouri, left, and the USS Arizona Memorial.

Waikiki Beach.

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

   Mark Twain, under the guise of Samuel Clemens, visited Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach in 1866. He came on an assignment for the Sacramento Union to explore the Sandwich Islands and write his impressions for an American audience.

   “On a certain bright morning the Islands hove in sight, lying low on the lonely sea, and everybody climbed to the upper deck to look,” he wrote of his first sighting of Oahu aboard the steamer Ajax. “After two thousand miles of watery solitude the vision was a welcome one.

   “As we approached, the imposing promontory of Diamond Head rose up out of the ocean, its rugged front softened by the hazy distance, and presently the details of the land began to make themselves manifest: first the line of beach; then the plumed cocoanut trees of the tropics; then cabins of the natives; then the white town of Honolulu.”

   Twain’s Honolulu has changed dramatically in 147 years. The Waikiki Beach of 2013 is a maze of hotels, mirrored office buildings and a high-end shopping district.

   “A good part of Honolulu turned out to welcome the steamer,” Twain further wrote. “It was Sunday morning, and about church time, and we steamed through the narrow channel to the music of six different church bells, which sent their mellow tones far and wide, over hills and valleys, which were peopled by naked, savage, thundering barbarians only 50 years ago!”

   Despite Twain’s culture-bound ethnic insensitivity, he showed a love of Hawaiians that is quite insightful for a white guy from 19th-century Missouri.

   Waikiki, perhaps the world’s most famous island beach, has more than 100 hotels along a two-mile shore and more going up every day. It may not be Twain’s Waikiki but it is still Waikiki. You say to yourself, “I’m not going there; it’s too touristy,” but once there, you are caught up in its mystique.

   You can while away the hours on the white-sand beach, paddle an outrigger to the open sea; join other surfers in search of the perfect wave, shop until you drop or explore the history of Honolulu, including a tour of Pearl Harbor.

   It’s going to take some exploring on foot to get acclimated to Waikiki. A block in any direction from the beach can be disorienting. In Southern California, I use the mountains as a directional guide.

   The beach would be that landmark in Waikiki if you could remove all the high rises. I got lost my first couple of days staying at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa until I started following surfboarders to the beach.

   Waikiki Beach Walk, a new, high-end tourist district that once attracted kamaaina (Hawaiian residents), is a $535 million project by Outrigger Enterprises Group. The largest development project ever to be undertaken in Waikiki, the facelift transformed a once tired 7.9-acre area. The Ala Moana Center’s expansion, with Nordstrom as its major tenant, opened to shoppers in March, 2008. The Ala Moana Center expansion gives shoppers a selection of nearly 300 merchants in 2.1 million square feet of total retail space. Existing shops include Hermes, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, St. John and more. Another renovation project is expected to be completed in advance of the 2013 holiday season.

   I was in Honolulu for the history, but I enjoyed the beach and the tourist benefits of Waikiki.

Iolani Palace

   Located in Honolulu’s business district, next to the state Capitol. It is the only true royal palace in the United States (not counting Hearst Castle) and the last residence of the kings and queens who ruled Hawaii. King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani completed the palace in 1882. The design of the palace was influenced by King Kalakaua’s world travels and was the first to be equipped with telephones and electric lights. It served as the monarch residence until the dethronement of Queen Lili’uokalani in 1893 by American businessmen. The Queen surrendered to the United States to prevent the bloodshed of her people and hence, Hawaii became a territory of the U.S. The building then served as the Capitol, first for the territory and then the state. The new State Capitol was built in 1969 and the palace was restored to its royal grandeur. Tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

King Kamehameha Statue

   The most beloved and illustrious of Hawaii’s heroes, Kamehameha unified the Hawaiian Islands. His government maintained peace and traditional values even under intense Western influence. This statue is one of three cast in Paris from a model made by American artist T.R. Gould. The statue, in front of Ali’Iolani Hale, was dedicated in 1893 as part of King Kalakaua’s coronation ceremony. It is one of three statues of King Kamehameha I. One statue is in Kohala on the Big Island and one is in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.

Diamond Head

   Diamond Head is the most famous volcanic crater in the world. It sits on the southeast coast of Oahu at the end of Waikiki. The ancient Hawaiians originally named it Laeahi. The name meant “brow of the tuna” (charming). The name Diamond Head was given to the crater by British sailors in the 1800s. When they first saw the crater at a great distance, the calcite crystals in the lava rock appeared to glimmer in the sunlight. The sailors mistakenly thought there must be diamonds in the soil. Diamond Head is a crater that has been extinct for 150,000 years.  The crater is 3,520 feet in diameter with a 760-foot summit. When the United States annexed Hawaii in 1898, harbor defense became a main responsibility. One of the major defense forts, Fort Ruger, occupied the Diamond Head Crater. A battery of canons was located within the crater providing complete concealment and protection from invading enemies. An observation deck was constructed at the summit in 1910 to provide target sighting and a four level underground complex was built within the walls of the crater as a command post. A 580-foot tunnel was dug through the crater wall to provide easier access to the Fort.

   The observation deck and underground complex is now abandoned with the advent of radar but evidence of the command post is still present along Diamond Head Trail. The trail is unevenly paved almost the entire way and it is steep in spots.

   There are two sets of stairs, one with 99 steps and one with 76. There is also a 225-foot unlit tunnel. The hike is classified as easy to moderate in exertion (obviously classified by Superman) but is certainly worth the breathtaking, unparalleled view of the entire west side of the island, from Waikiki to Koki Head. The day I climbed the crater it was hot and dry. When I reached the first set of stairs, someone coming down said, “You’re halfway to the top.” Not true, but you are at the toughest part of the climb. I rate it as moderate to difficult.

   The Diamond Head Lighthouse is built on the steep coast cliff of the extinct Diamond Head Volcano. The original lighthouse was built in 1899 and the original fresnel lens is still in use today. You get a great view of the lighthouse from the Crater’s observation decks. You look straight down at it. The current structure was erected in 1917. Built of reinforced concrete, the 55-foot lighthouse stands 147 feet above sea level and projects its light 18 miles out into the Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse is completely automated with a back-up battery in case of a power outage. The light keeper quarters were renovated and now serve as the residence of the 14th Coast Guard district commander.

Hanauma Bay

   This “Curved” bay was declared a protected marine life conservation area and underwater park in 1967. This is the best beach area if you are new to scuba diving or snorkeling with a diversified population of fish and a rich coral reef. The bay floor is the crater of a volcano that opened up to the ocean when the exterior wall collapsed. There is a large sandy beach perfect for sunbathing and there are several hiking trails leading to breathtaking lookouts.

USS Arizona Memorial

   No trip is complete without a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. The battleship has rested in its watery grave at Pearl Harbor since Dec. 7, 1941. The overturned hull of this battleship entombed some 1,100 sailors caught unaware by the Japanese bombs that sank this mighty ship and brought the United States into World War II.

   The memorial was built in 1961 as a tribute to all the men and women who lost their lives on that historic day. The memorial is 184 feet long and carefully crosses over the Arizona’s midsection. Openings along the both sides of the memorial afford a dramatic and solemn view of the ship resting on the floor of the harbor. Even teenagers and young children spoke quietly while at the memorial in honor of those who lost their lives on that day “that will live in infamy.”

   Of the 834 survivors, 34 are still living. Many of the survivors who have died since 1941 requested they be cremated and their remains placed inside the Arizona. “It is an incredibly moving ceremony,” said Doug Lentz, a National Park Service ranger. “Divers go down and place the remains in the Arizona. Above there is a 21 gun salute and taps are played.”

   The memorial is attended by the National Park Service. The visitor center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last program begins at 3 p.m. No reservations are taken; all tours are free and on a first-come, first-served basis. The lines are incredible. Only 4,500 people are taken each day and the quota is generally filled by 11:45 a.m. The tour starts at the visitor center with a haunting 22-minute film that is beautifully narrated by actress Stocker Channing, followed by a shuttle out to the Arizona.    As you head out to the memorial, you get a glimpse of the beginning and ending of World War II in the Pacific. To the left is the USS Missouri whose deck was the site of the Japanese surrender and to the right is the USS Arizona, which sunk when Pearl Harbor was bombed, bringing the U.S. into WWII.

   I suggest you get in line for the memorial tour about 6:30 a.m. For $26.17 adults and $20.93 children, the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel has a tour that leaves the hotel at 6:10, gets you near the head of the line and has you back at by 10:45 a.m.

   You might want to make a day of it and visit the Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island.

   I finished up every day with a walk on the beach at Waikiki and a swim in the ocean. Tough life.

Where to Stay

   If you want to stay on the beach at Waikiki, there are a plethora of excellent hotels including the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Resort Quest Waikiki Beach Hotel, Royal Hawaiian Waikiki (The Pink Palace), Embassy Suites, Pacific Beach Hotel, Sheraton Waikiki, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Ohana Waikiki West, Hyatt Regency Waikiki, Ala Moana, Hawaii Prince, Halekulani, Moana Surfrider Western Resort and the Outrigger Reef Hotel. Check their Web sites.

How to get there

   There are only two ways — by air or by boat. A number of airlines have daily flights from LAX — American, Continental, Hawaiian, United, Delta and US Air.

   All information is accurate at the time of publication but prices, dates and other details are all subject to change. Confirm all information before making any travel arrangements.