Hawaii travel: June 2009

Diamond Head is Honolulu's landmark of Hawaii, and probably Hawaii's most recognizable symbol. It dominates southern Oahu and looms over the beaches of Waikiki.

Diamond Head might be just another extinct volcano, but it's also the best place to orient see the breathtaking landscape of Oahu's southern reaches. From the top of Diamond Head all of Honolulu and beyond is laid out for you. The coast, the beaches, the other landmarks, like Pearl Harbor and downtown, the neighborhoods, valleys and ridges. And because it's so close to Waikiki's hotels, it's a very popular hiking activity. The hike up is less than a mile and takes less than two hours.

It's all part of Diamond Head State Park and it's easy to get to. Just take TheBus (#58) from Waikiki or drive down Kalakaua Avenue to Monsarrat, by the Honolulu Zoo. This turns into Diamond Head Road. Tell the bus driver you'd like to get off at Diamond Head's entrance.

Go in through the little tunnel entrance. There's a parking lot, an info center, rest rooms, and a little kiosk. The trail up brown and dusty Diamond Head starts here.

The hike up to the top starts with a walk across the floor of the volcano, and then the trail becomes gradually steeper and rocky, which winds its way up to the first lookout and half-way point. This might take about 20-30 minutes, and from here you can see the Windward Coast of Oahu. But the best is yet to come.

After you climb a concrete stairway you'll come to a 225-foot tunnel that's cut into the mountainside. It's a good place to get out of the sun for a few minutes and get ready for the next flight of stairs.

On the other side of the tunnel is another flight of steps, slightly longer than the first, but after that you're practically there. Actually, the lowest level of the Fire Control Station Diamond Head. Go up the spiral stairs to the top of the station and you can exit to the observation station at the summit of Diamond Head. Straight ahead is the broad blue Pacific, the green slopes of the Koolaus, all of Honolulu and beyond, as well as a bird's eye view of Waikiki.

Stay, take lots of pictures, have a light snack and some water. Re-apply your sunscreen and revel in the moment. After your hour or so hike up, your 30-45 minutes trip down will be much, much easier. But watch the time: The gates close shut at 6pm.

Diamond Head State Park is open from 6-6 all year. There's a $1 admission for walk-ins, or $5 per carload. If you want to try and avoid the tour groups, come early in the morning or after one'ish in the afternoon.

Bring comfortable walking shoes, water, sunscreen, a sunhat, a camera and a friend. A flashlight is handy for the tunnels, and you could use a towel to help block the sun, fan yourself, or wipe down your face with some cool water. And binoculars would come in really handy.

Ali Kendall authors several blogs dealing with airline travel including the very popular "Cheapest Airline Flights" Blog. She is a native Hawaiian, an avid traveler, and a self-proclaimed "very average surfer."

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So you've decided on a Hawaiian wedding theme and now you need to find beach wedding dresses that go with your Hawaiian beach theme. Or maybe you are planning a beach style wedding elsewhere (not actually on the beach in Hawaii), wherever that may be. It's easy to bring Hawaii to any beach or even to your own back yard. And it all starts with the correct choice of Hawaiian wedding attire suitable to wear on the beach not only for yourself and your bridesmaids but the complete bridal party.

While a wedding on the beach may sound like a unique concept, it has been happening on various beaches of the world. A lot of brides are opting for exotic beach locations for their weddings instead of a traditional church wedding. In order to pick the right bridal attire for a particular wedding, you will need to consider many different elements. This can depend on the location, season and local practices or customs as well as the type of beach itself can be a important factor when selecting Hawaiian beach wedding dresses.

Hawaii is well-known for being laid-back and casual, so why not apply the same attitudes toward your wedding? It's not uncommon for couples getting married on the beach to throw tradition to the wind and dress down.

While nothing could be more romantic than a traditional Hawaiian wedding dress known as a "Holoku". The Hawaiian Holoku, a formal Hawaiian gown with a train, is also a gorgeous choice as a Hawaiian wedding gown for those who would like authentic Hawaiian wedding wear. The Holoku is an elegant, and conservative, formal tea dress, with its high neck, long sleeves, and lace. Maile, the character in Blue Hawaii who married Elvis at the end of the movie, wore a Holoku as her wedding gown as Elvis and Maile serenaded each other with the Hawaiian wedding song as they floated down a river on a canoe toward wedded bliss.

There are wedding gowns, that are specially designed for brides who wish to have a informal wedding especially for the beach. They are unusually free flowing, with simple lines, sometimes very colorful and definitely a far call from conventional. There are designers who specialize in beach wedding dresses with a Hawaiian theme. And even you do not want to get a designer wedding dress you could just get yourself a comfortable beach dress that you are comfortable wearing and get married.

A wedding on the beach does not permit you to wear those long flowing wedding gowns, with a 15ft trailing veil, they are best left for the more traditional church wedding. Hawaiian themed weddings can be more of a casual setting, allowing you set the mood for a fun relaxed day. While out in the sun with a small tent erected, you would want to wear something that matches this setting. After all a marriage ceremony is not sanctified on what beach wedding dress or gown you wear or where you get married. With a wedding on the beach you can be as formal or as casual as you like, they're really are no golden rules, times are simply changing giving brides the chance to truly personalize her own special day.

It is all about marrying the right person in the setting that suits you most, and what an ideal setting, sand between your toes, the sun shinning upon you both, with the waves of the sea lashing against the shore. And, if you are wearing the right kind of beach wedding dress you could ask the priest to sanctify your marriage out on the shores edge, with gentle waves splashing around your ankles as you exchange rings and say 'i do'. Doesn't that sound picture perfect, so romantic...

Beach themed weddings s are popular at many romantic resorts in Hawaii some other popular wedding locations include (in no particular order) the Caribbean, Tahiti, Fiji, the Bahamas, Florida, California, Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia and South of France.

Top tips to consider when looking at Hawaiian beach wedding dresses.

The exact location of the beach chosen for the wedding may dictate, to some extent, what to wear to a wedding on the beach; for example, is the beach windy? If so, long, floaty dresses, with long veils (or loose hairstyles) may prove troublesome and a shorter, close fitting wedding dress may be more practical.

Take the time to find out what is the true color of the sand, as white sand is the best as this will not stain your wedding dress. Some sand can leave a horrible yellow stain on your wedding dress. It is advisable to wear a 3/4 length wedding dress if this is the case.

Most brides will also want to have their wedding photos taken on the beach, so it is strongly advisable to check out what type of sand is found at the location you have selected before you decide on the length of your Hawaiian wedding dress.

In any wedding that is going to be on the beach, sand is a important factor that you can not escape. When selecting a wedding dress to wear on the beach, you need to take into consideration that sand will find its way into every possible spot it can. Avoid selecting a beach wedding dresses that have lots of folds, pleats, or even lots of lace that sand can get trapped in.

Is there shade on the beach where the wedding is taking place? If not, you might want to consider a wide brimmed hat as part of your Hawaiian wedding attire to protect you and your beach bridal party from the sun.

Will the wedding take place on the sand or in a wedding gazebo? Sandals or flip flops (which can be very stylish) may be more appropriate than high heels or closed shoes if walking through sand is likely. You will notice in many Hawaiian wedding photos that the bride is even barefooted adding that extra casual feel to the day.

Lets not forget the wedding photos. Having you and your husband frolicking in the waves, or standing on the shore edge looking into the sunset, these romantic photos success will depend on what type of dress you are wearing. A bride trying to hold up a hooped wedding dress standing in the surf doesn't make the best photo shot. But I am sure it can be done, but not the best scenario.

Sandra Beech spends as much time as she can on beaches and loves everything and anything to do with weddings. So it is natural for her to write about planning a beach wedding.

For more tips and information on Beach Wedding Dresses, visit http://www.goinbridal.com/index.php/1358/beach-wedding-dresses-tropical-hawaiian-beach-theme/ to find out more.

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