Camping on Oahu has its challenges. Unlike the
other islands in Hawaii, many of Oahu's
campgrounds have litter and/or roudiness issues.
However, you can find a few very nice, clean,
quiet, safe and scenic places to camp on Oahu.
The Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe is
one of them.
Ho 'omaluhia Botanical Gardens lives up to
its name, which translated to English means, “to
make a place of peace and tranquility.” This is
a very peaceful environment. And rules are very
strict about noise; for example, even in the
middle of the day, radios and CD players must be
kept low enough to not disturb camping
neighbors.
The gardens meander through 400 acres and are
back dropped by the green, castle like peaks of
the majestic Ko‘olau Mountains. Plants from
tropical regions around the world are grouped
here geographically, and special emphasis is
placed on conserving plants native to Hawaii.
The Hawaiian garden here like many of the others
here has some very nice tent sites, along with
clean indoor restrooms and showers.
You can camp here free of charge from 9 a.m.
Friday to 4 p.m. Sunday, except for Christmas
and New Year’s Day. There is no camping on the
other days of the week, but this is a nice place
to stay for the weekend. While it doesn’t have
24-hour security, everyone I spoke with said it
is very quiet.
The gate to the gardens closes at 4 p.m. and
those camping there will be given car passes so
they can use the later gate that is open from
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Considering all this, and that
it is a mile hike from the gate to the first
campground, this takes it off the list for
“party spots.” Since it doesn’t have beach
access, it’s not a place where big extended
families gather with good Hawaiian music and
food either. People come to the gardens to enjoy
the flora and fauna and the peacefulness.
While there's no beach here, there's a trail
that will take you to a wonderful spot for
watching the sun rise over the ocean.
Tent sites are on the lawns and include fire
pits and picnic tables. You must bring your own
firewood and grills.
The staff members we spoke to in the garden’s
Visitor Center were warm, generous with their
time and very knowledgeable. The center features
an art gallery with cultural exhibits and a
botanical library. You'll also find a network of
trails and a lake (catch and release fishing; no
swimming).
Ho ‘omaluhia Botancial Gardens is located
near several wonderful sightseeing, water play
and other destinations including the Byoda
Temple tucked away in the Valley of the Temples
and featuring a larger than life Buddha statue,
meditation garden and pond with 10,000 koi;
Kaneohe Bay with its white sandbars appearing as
tiny islands in azure waters at low tide; the
cities of Kaneohe and Kailua with several
shopping and dining opportunities; the country
and very Hawaiian town of Waimanalo where horses
still roam free and the beach is one of the best
on the island; and Kailua Bay, the
quintessential water playground of the Windward
side that offers a long stretch of white sand
and protected waters popular with beginning
boogie boards, kayak paddlers and windsurfers.
A variety of programs are offered at the
gardens throughout the week such as orchid
growing, weather making, and botanical drawing
to name a few. Some of these have fees, while
others are free of charge. For a current
schedule, use the contact information above and
request one.
Hawaiian ecology is emphasized in these
programs. Day use and camping programs can
include ethnic, craft, botanical, horticultural
and environmental activities. Free guided nature
hikes, covering topics such as local birds,
cloud watching and medicinal plants, are offered
at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. on Sundays.
The catch to this free and peaceful
campground in a garden? It's in a rainforest. So
remember to bring a waterproof tent and gear. It
will still be warm though, so something
light-weight, like the poncho that fits in your
pocket or a light-weight jacket will work best.
You may also want some mosquito repellant,
although I wasn't bothered by them. You will
find picnic tables here and campfire rings. If
you want to use a tarp, bring poles because they
don’t allow tying anything to the trees. A small
camp stove or hibachi might also be useful.
You can get a detailed map with hiking trails
in the Visitor Center or on the Website. However
the Website’s map doesn’t include a legend, so
if you use it just know that the hiking trails
are shown by dashes, and the H-3 Freeway is
shown by bold printed dashes. Distances aren’t
shown on the map but the Visitors’ Center can
answer you questions.
Excerpt from THE HAWAII ECO BUDGET VACATION
GUIDE TO OAHU. To learn how to vacation on Oahu
for $60 a day (including everything except
airfare) and to learn more about Oahu's budget
priced yet nice and locally run accomodations
from yurts and B&B's to hotels and condos, as
well as budget and eco activities, restaurants
and more, visit
Hawaii Budget Vacation
Located at
Coconut Roads an eco travel guide to Hawaii,
its culture, plants and animals, language,
music, and more.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
San Francisco Beaches
by Jed Clark
When you are planning a vacation to Maui or
Rio de Janeiro you may put beaches on the top of
you list of things to see. However, when
planning a trip to San Francisco, you may have
heard of North Beach, but North Beach doesnt
have any beaches (though the neighborhood was
named after a beach that used to be on its north
shoreline). If fact, San Francisco has several
beaches that provide diversions for residents
and visitors alike.
Make no mistake about it, San Francisco is not
Los Angeles. Unless its an exceptional day, San
Francisco beaches tend to be a little chilly,
windy and foggy. However, this should not deter
you from enjoying a nice afternoon at the beach.
Many San Francisco beaches have beautiful
panoramic views of the Marin Headlands, Point
Bonita Lighthouse and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Just be prepared with a sweatshirt or jacket in
addition to your shorts or swim suit. Because of
the latitude of San Francisco, the waters may be
too cold for swimming (unless you brought your
wet suit). Bring your beach towels, a sand
bucket, a good book, a kite and a Frisbee to
make the best of your afternoon at the beach.
San Franciscos most popular beaches are Ocean
Beach and Baker Beach. Although East Beach at
Crissy Field in the Presidio has become quite
popular since the restoration of Crissy Field.
Ocean Beach is San Franciscos largest and
longest beach running 5 miles up the entire west
side of San Francisco. The northern end of San
Francisco Ocean Beach popular among locals,
surfers and visitors. The Cliff House towers
above Ocean Beach perched on the edge of a
coastal bluff that borders the north end of the
beach. The beach is perfect for building sand
sculptures and hosts a yearly sand sculpture
contest. Ocean Beach has a very slight slope,
making it ideal for wading in the surf. Surfers
wearing wet suits are a common sight along this
section of Ocean Beach.
Baker Beach is located in the Presidio just
south of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge.
With its panoramic views of the Golden Gate
Bridge and the Marin Headlands, Baker Beach is a
popular beach and picnic destination for San
Francisco locals, especially on the weekends.
Several picnic tables with barbecue pits are
located to the east of the north parking lot.
The beach has strong rip-tides, so swimming can
be hazardous. A few fishermen may dot the
shoreline. The north end of the beach is
clothing optional, so families typically stay
toward the middle and south ends of the beach.
Other beaches in San Francisco include Lands End
Beach and China Beach, named for the Chinese
fishermen who used to camp nearby. San Francisco
Castro Beach is not really a beach at all. Its a
park that has garnered the "beach" nickname
because of all the Castro sun bathers that
blanket its lawns.
Adding a beach to your San Francisco agenda may
be a great way to slow down the frenetic pace of
sightseeing and enjoy a more relaxed
appreciation of San Franciscos natural beauties.
Visit
San Francisco Beaches for more information.
Jed Clark is a travel writer, photographer
and long-time San Francisco resident. He
maintains
ZurdoGo.com, which contains travel tips and
information about San Francisco destinations,
attractions and neighborhoods.
