Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE WELCOMING lei
The tropical beauty of the delicate garland, the deliciously sweet fragrance of the blossoms,
the sensual way the flowers curl softly around your neck—there's no doubt about it: Getting
lei'd in Hawaii is a sensuous experience.
Leis are one of the nicest ways to say hello, goodbye, congratulations, I salute you, my sym-
pathies are with you, or I love you. Giving leis is a historic custom: According to chants, the
first lei was given by Hiiaka, the sister of the volcano goddess, Pele. Hiiaka presented Pele
with a lei of lehua blossoms on a beach in Puna.
During ancient times, leis given to alii (royalty) were accompanied by a bow, as it was kapu
(forbidden) for a commoner to raise his arms higher than the king's head. The presentation
of a kiss with a lei didn't come about until World War II; it's generally attributed to an enter-
tainer who kissed an officer on a dare, then quickly presented him with her lei, saying it was
an old Hawaiian custom. It wasn't then, but it sure caught on fast.
Lei-making is a tropical art form. All leis are fashioned by hand in a variety of traditional pat-
terns; some are sewn of hundreds of tiny blooms or shells, or bits of ferns and leaves. Some
are twisted, some braided, some strung. Every island has its own special flower lei. On
Oahu, the choice is ilima, a small orange flower. Big Islanders prefer the lehua, a large, delic-
ate red puff. Maui likes the lokelani, a small rose. On Kauai, it's the mokihana, a fragrant
green vine and berry. Molokai prefers the kukui, the white blossom of a candlenut tree. And
Lanai's lei is made of kaunaoa, a bright yellow moss, while Niihau uses its abundant sea-
shells to make leis that were once prized by royalty and are now worth a small fortune.
Leis are available at lei stands at Honolulu International Airport. Other places to get creative,
inexpensive leis are the half-dozen lei shops on Maunakea Street in Honolulu's Chinatown,
and Flowers by Jou & T Jr., 2652 S. King St. (near University Ave.), Honolulu ( & 808/
941-2022 ). They're also available from florists, and even at supermarkets.
Leis are the perfect symbol of Hawaii: They're given in the moment, their fragrance and
beauty are enjoyed in the moment, and when they fade, their spirit of aloha lives on. Wel-
come to the islands!
AGRICULTURAL SCREENING
At Honolulu International Airport, baggage and passengers bound for the mainland must be
screened by agricultural officials. Officials will confiscate local produce, such as fresh avoca-
dos, bananas, and mangoes, in the name of fruit-fly control. Pineapples, coconuts, and papay-
as inspected and certified for export, boxed flowers, leis without seeds, and processed foods
(macadamia nuts, coffee, jams, dried fruit, and the like) will pass.
ARRIVAL AT HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
HonoluluInternationalAirport sits on the south shore of Oahu, west of downtown Honolulu
and Waikiki, near Pearl Harbor.
While the airport is large and constantly expanding, the layout is quite simple and easy to
navigate. You can walk or take the Wiki-Wiki Bus, a free airport shuttle, from your arrival
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