Hawaii’s most popular state parks

by Jamie Rhein on

If you’re heading to Hawai’i and want to find out the state parks travelers find the most appealing, check out Hawai’i Tourism Authority”s “2007 Hawai’i State Park Survey.” According to the findings, 10.1 million people visited Hawai’i State Parks in 2007, 2/3 of them out of state visitors. The survey helped produce a 98 page PDF file report with loads of information useful to the state park folks, as well as tourists who want to head where people are not–or to where people are.

The survey asked visitors to rate sites as well as mark items they think state parks should have. Top on the list is parking, followed by interpretive signage and then restrooms. Most people head to parks looking for a view, although residents have an added motivation of a family outing and spending time with friends.

One page of the file reports on visitor ratings of the islands according to scenery, cultural spots, hiking experience and flora and fauna. Since 2003, satisfaction with the parks has generally gone up, and across the board, O’ahu, Hawai’i Island, Maui, and Kaua’i are closely rated in their appeal. What this says to me, is that no matter where you head, you’ll feel satisfied–provided you find parking. For the list of the top 10, keep reading. For another Hawai’i natural treasure, check out Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. It might be a World Heritage site one day.

Top 10 State Parks

1. Nu’uanu Pali State Wayside, (O’ahu) the highest volume park with over 900,000 people visiting annually.
2. Wailua River State Park (Kaua’i)
3. Hā’ena State Park (Kaua’i)
4. Diamond Head State Monument (O’ahu)
5. Mākena State Park (Maui)
6. Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area (Hawai’i Island)
7. ‘ Īao Valley State Monument (Maui)
8. Waimea Canyon State Park (Kaua’i)
9. Nā Pali Coast State Park (Kaua’i)
10. Ka’ena Point State Park (O’ahu)

Chaacreek in Belize: Location for love

by Jamie Rhein on

Travel and Leisure’s 2005 issue listed 50 romantic places. The description of Chaacreek in Belize was attention-grabbing. What does the “Screamer Room” sound like to you? The resort Web site doesn’t list a room with this name, but what a gorgeous looking place. Perhaps the reference is to the Honeymoon Sky Room–it’s set off from the rest of the hotel, perched among the trees.

The resort is a romance magnet, even if you stay in one of the cheaper rooms. First of all, it’s located in a nature reserve next to the Macal River and mountains. At the spa, there’s a menu of pampering treatments for those times when you’re not horseback riding, hiking, canoeing– or whatever you do to conjure up amour.

Romance or not, my kids would love this place. There’s a package called Family Adventure that looks terrific. Children up to age 18 stay for free. That lowers the price tag a bit. Head here before the middle of April for the best deals. The naturalist on staff is a bonus and there are a variety of package options. Even for a solo getaway, Chaacreek looks sublime.

The real Great Wall, and how to get there

by Jerry Guo on

The girl in the photo is my girlfriend, in the process of slowly freezing to death on the Great Wall. We were stuck in a snowstorm with the nearest hikers miles away. And that path? Yep, it’s as narrow as it looks, and I’m not exaggerating here, but one slip, and you’ll be falling a few hundred meters down straight cliffs.

Yet that hike at Simatai has been one of the most fun adventures we’ve taken. Why? We got to experience the real wall (which is rapidly crumbling), avoided the masses of tourists (see this ridiculous shot at Badaling, the most over-touristed section of the wall), and the climb was actually strenuous in parts.

We had such a blast that we returned to the wall a few months later, this time to Jiankou (translated as the “arrowhead”), the steepest section of the 3,000 mile Great Wall. Here, we camped in one of the watch-towers for a night, which I’m sure is not exactly legal, and hiked an untouched part of the wall that has been almost covered with dense vegetation. Here’s some info about hiking to Simatai and Jiankou. Backpackers in Beijing and hostels will also have more info for you (it’s a bit strange that Westerners will actually know more about the “wild” Great Wall than the local Chinese).

This gallery has photos from both trips.

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A journey through Inner Mongolia

by Jerry Guo on

Inner Mongolia is Myrtle Beach. What I mean is, if you have the time and budget, you’ll probably go to the real-deal: Mongolia and Tahiti (or somewhere else more exotic than Florida).

That’s not to say Inner Mongolia is not worth your time. I just feel it’s not as authentic as Mongolia since it’s within the borders of China, and hence, there are lots of Han Chinese farmers who aren’t actually nomadic Mongols.

My time in Inner Mongolia was a lot of fun: spent a night in a yurt, horse-backed, visited a couple Tibetan temples (which you wouldn’t find in Mongolia), and sand-surfed on the fringes of the Gobi Desert.

Basically, if you’re taking the grand tour of China and want to get a glimpse of Mongolia, or want something to do that’s close to Beijing (it’s six hours away by bus or car, and a short one hour flight away), Inner Mongolia is a good bet.

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Walking from the UK to India with no money

by Iva Skoch on

You think walking from Bristol to Gandhi’s birthplace in India–through the war-torn Afghanistan–is bad enough? Try doing it with no money in your pocket. A 28-year-old British man, Mark Boyle, started his 9000-mile journey on Wednesday with just a few T-shirts, a bandage, sunscreen, a knife and spare pair of sandals.

Boyle is an ex-dotcom businessman who is planning to walk 15-45 miles a day and not touch any money, credit cards or travelers’ cheques the entire time. Why, you ask? To show his faith in humanity and get back to a more communal way of living.

You can follow his journey here.