Hamoa Beach Park Listed on Dr. Beach's 2015 Top 10 Beach List

Hamoa Beach Park  is located on the east side of Maui in Hana and is rimmed by cliffs, palm trees, and flowering greenery. This crescent shaped beach is a mixture of coral and lava sand and is the most famous of Maui's Hana beaches. 

Getting to this remote beach takes you a little over two hours to drive on a long windy road on some high cliffs and few guardrails, not to mention 50 one-way bridges along with waterfalls. Thus the saying "I survived the road to Hana." 

Hamoa Beach Park, Maui, HI
Photo Creditor: Aloha-hawaii.org

For us locals, it's a one day family adventure that would start early in the day. We all look forward to the Hana Trip. Packing our favorite snacks and drinks, along with Lunch. Yes, the ride is windy, but the ride for us is like driving through country. Tall green trees, mountains, waterfalls, and blue ocean water, not to mention the stops to each of the ponds along the way for a swim.

Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as "Dr. Beach", a professor at Florida International University has been selecting Top 10 Beaches in the United States annually for the past 25 years since 1991. This year two of our Hawaii beaches have made its place on the Top 10 List.  Waimanalo Bay Beach Park was listed as the number one beach for this year along with our very own, Hamoa Beach Park, which was listed number four. Last year it listed number five.

Top 10 Beaches 2015

1. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, HI
2. Barefoot Beach, Bonita Springs, FL
3. St. George Island State Park, FL
4. Hamoa Beach Park, Maui, HI
5. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks of NC
6. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, FL
7. Coast Guard Beach , Cape Cod MA
8. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Is., SC
9. Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, Naples, FL
10. East Beach, Santa Barbara, CA

Waimanalo Bay Beach Park is located in the northeastern corner of Oahu and is often missed as tourist drive through the small village. Waimanalo Bay is Oahu's longest beach which extends for more than five miles; This white sand beach is great for walking and the wind always blows onshore due to Trade Winds.  It's also a good place for body boarding due to the shallow sandbar.

Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, HI
Photo Creditor: TripAdvisor

National beaches that make it to the Top are then retired and listed on the website to giving other beaches a chance for first place. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate these beaches, which includes views, water, sand quality, as well as safety management.

Some of Hawaii's past winners that have been archived are:

Fleming Park Beach, Maui, HI

Hanalei Bay Beach, Kauai, HI

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, HI

Hapuna Beach State Recreational Area, Big Island, HI

Hulopoe Beach, Lanai, HI

Kaanapali, Maui, HI

Kailua Beach Park, Oahu, HI

Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui, HI

Kaunaoa Beach, Big Island, HI

Lanikai Beach, Oahu, HI

Poipu Beach, Kauai, HI

Wailea Beach, Maui, HI

Out of 25 years worth of lists I think not only Maui but Hawaii as a State is doing very well on the list. 

More emphasis is being placed on environmental management as well as safety. Bonus points are awarded for prohibition of smoking on beaches. Maui has recently made its first anniversary leading the way banning smoking as it is prohibited in all county parks, beaches, and recreational facilities. 

For more information on the 50 criteria used and also past beaches archived may be seen on Dr. Beach's website at:  www.drbeach.org. 

MayDay Is Lei Day In Hawaii

 May 1st,  is May Day.  In the state of Hawaii it is known as Lei Day in Hawaii.  It's a day that celebrates Hawaiian culture and focuses on the of a lei (flower wreath) as a symbol of aloha. It is a remembrance of the old spirit of Hawaii, the love for color, flowers, fragrance, and hospitality.

In Hawaii, we know May Day to be an all month event.  The reason for this is that each school celebrates their May Day or Ho'olaule'a on a different day so that all the families and friends get to witness the  event.  Kids spend months learning their song/dance to present it to everyone in a festive moment. Personally from a parent's point of view it is a time where you become the proudest to see their kids accomplishments.

Lei Day was created in 1928  by a writer and poet, Don Blanding, who wrote an article to the local paper suggesting that a holiday be created focusing on the Hawaiian custom of making and wearing of the lei. It was Grace Tower Warren who gave the idea of the holiday being set on May 1.  She was also the one who came up with the saying "May Day is Lei Day."  On this day, everyone is encouraged to wear a lei. Festivities are held with hula, music, lei making demonstrations and contests.

 May 1, 1929 was the first official holiday for the territory. In Oahu, this celebration is held at the Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. As a tradition, dozens of entries are placed in the Royal Mausoleum the next morning.

This year, it is the 88th annual celebration. The celebration is held at Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. Each year the festival takes place with  music, hula, lei making exhibits. Each island has a different way of celebrating this special day.

On Maui, celebrations are at the Bailey House Museum. There are free museum tours, arts and craft workshops, cultural demonstrations, food, and a lei contest. 

On the Big Island, the Hilo Lei Day Festival is held at the Kalakaua Park. There is music, the Lei Day Queen, hula, food, and lei making demonstrations.

Kauai Museum celebrates with music, hula, cultural demonstrations, food, crafts, and a silent auction.

Lanai celebrates this occasion with entertainment from Lanai High School & Elementary school.

Molokai celebrates also with music, entertainment, lei making and exchanging, not to mention food.

I think that the best part of Lei Day is to see the kids across the state celebrating May Day with their presentations, along with the Hawaiian court, hula, entertainment, music, food, and the traditional lei making contest.  It's a time for our keiki to learn a part of their culture thru hula, music, lei making, and food. 

                                

No matter which island you are on, Mayday is one of the first festive holidays that was celebrated. It is filled with ancient spirituality, and culture.  It's also one of the only places where old Hawaii is combined with modern day Hawaii.  Enjoy the festivities. "Happy May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii."