Follow up:
30 Dec 2012, 08:13
Take at look at Odyssey Magazine of Hawaii
http://odysseyhawaii.com/
In addition, there are some more spots:
Max's Gym (gay gym and also gay sauna)
Queen's Beach (a section of Waikiki Beach just before the Aquarium. It's frequented by gay and gay couples)
Diamond Beach (below the Light House) can be cruisy, and sometimes guys go nude sunbathing there (or in the bushes above it), but the police do cruise for public lewdness violations so be discreet.
Ask at Hula's Bar (or see gay events/activities in Odyssey Magazine) - such as gay volleyball, and a gay catamaran cruise, etc. http://www.hulas.com/
A little known fact is that you can go camping all around The Big Island of Hawaii, using a combination of County parks, State Parks and private commercial campgrounds.
Start by using the Hawaii County site:
https://hawaiicounty.ehawaii.gov/camping/welcome.html
You can also write to the State office to get a camping permit for state parks.
Also check out http://www.kalani.com It's a 100 acre resort which has camping and lodge and villa accommodation, too. Kalani is quite gay friendly, and also has some organized gay activities as well as new age / spiritual retreats, and dance and yoga workshops.
NOTE: Camping is no longer offered as a accommodation option at Kalani. There is a public (county) campground not too far away. The cheapest rooms (low season) run about
$60.00 per person, so while it is more expensive than the county campground sites, it's also not too expensive.
Hostels make another accommodation optional for those looking to stay on the Big Island (and Oahu) for a
fairly cheap price. BIG ISLAND BACKPACKING HOUSE 69 Waianuenue Ave, Hilo, USA, and
there is another hostel nearby, Hilo Bay Hostel, 1101 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo Hawaii,
Hilo, USA
There are also a couple of hostels on the Kona side:
Koa Wood Hale and Pineapple Park Koa
Other things to do besides gay stuff:
On Oahu
Climb Diamond Head crater for lookout views at the top (walkable from Waikiki or take a taxi and walk back down afterward)
Pearl Harbor visits to War Memorial
Hanauma Bay for snorkeling
Drive up to Kailua - Kaneohe (views from Pali Point) Hyw 3
North Shore (Polo Beach was mentioned), but there are lots of fun things to do and see on the North Shore, (stop at Dole Plantation for a taste of pineapple ice cream)
Deserted beaches out at Leeward Coast (I've been nude many times out passed Makaha but discretion advised).
Ala Moana Shopping Center (also has a nice food court with Thai, Hawaiian, )
Try Maui Tacos in Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center (food court on 2nd floor)
Eat a Maui-style taco (the wettest taco in the world with Kona Longboard beer - on tap in the bar on the same floor. You can bring in food from the Food Court and eat in the bar).
Some of the great Waikiki landmark hotels have beachside grills and bars -- You can have an authentic Mai Tai, served at the place where it was invented.
Hilton Hawaiian Village has set of attractions inside its grounds. Even if you're not staying there, it's worth a walk through the Village to see the sites, shopping, food and attractions (the penguin and tropical bird zoo is interesting). From HHV you can walk along Waikiki Beach all the way to Kapiolani Park (Zoo and Aquarium, etc), and vice-versa.
On Hawaii (Big Island):
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Kilauea Crater
Visit the lava flows
Hilo (Old Town)
Akaka Falls
Laupahoehoe Park (memorial to tsunami victims of the 1964 disaster, get camping permit on the Hawaii County site).
Parker Ranch (Waimea) once was the world's largest ranch
Waipio Canyon (hiking down and back up)
Hawi / Kapa'a in the far North of Kohala
Kailua-Kona Town
Scuba/ Snorkeling with Giant Manta (near Kona)
Lava Tree State Monument (near Pahoa)
Pohoiki (Kapoho-Kalapana Road Hwy 137 'Red Road') - interesting tropical forest drive
Kehena Black Sands Beach - located at milemaker 19 on Hwy 137
Kalani Honau Resort - Great organic breakfast, lunch, and dinner (best deal is breakfast 7:00-8:30 ($10), Lunch 12:00-1:00 ($12), Dinner 6:30-8:00 ($22)
On Maui
Little Beach on Maui is nudist, but has no amenities (so take plenty of water and sunscreen, etc). A toilet is nearby on the larger textile beach. Maui Sunseeker Hotel is the (only) gay hotel on the island.
Caution:
One or two words of caution
1) Don't leave valuables (or anything - for that matter) in a parked car). Break-ins are very frequent. Robbers will smash a passenger window and steal everything. Locals just leave the windows open to show that there is nothing of value in the vehicle.
2) It's hard to park in many areas of Waikiki. So leave your car in Ala Moana and jump on a city bus (correct change needed) or sightseeing trolley (a couple of latter are free if you have a certain credit card).
3) Don't be stupid about the ocean and nature (such as the volcanic lava) and the dangers therein. Many people drown and some die because they are simply stupid about volcanoes. Walking into a pool of hot lava can kill you, or breathing sulfuric acid and liquid silicon will NOT be good for your lungs.
Be aware of tides and the dangers of waves and drifts.
Every year some unlucky and unwise tourists die or undergo major injuries because of not being aware of and taking simple precautions.
|
Posts
