If you haven’t traveled to any of the beautiful, lush islands of Hawaii by now, you might want to consider booking a flight at your earliest convenience. Many people believe Hawaii to be a destination hot spot, and there’s no secret as to why that is. With a year-round climate that rarely budges below 70 degrees, more and more travelers truly believe Hawaii makes for the perfect getaway from their typical city life.

So what is there to do in Hawaii? Everyone has heard of the bountiful beaches and forestry on all of the different islands, but besides lounging on the beach and hiking, there are still plenty of activities for visitors to partake in. However, one of the most notable parts of Hawaiian culture is the delicious cuisine. Despite its distance from the mainland, Hawaii still offers food from many different cultures and delectable local meals that are special to the islands. Hawaiian residents highly recommend dishes such as poke, loco moco, pork hash, and saimin for many newcomers.

As for unique sight-seeing, the adventurous folks may find themselves wanting to explore the many caves and volcanoes that reside on the different islands. The Big Island has many volcanoes that are considered close to the natural wonders this world has to offer. Many native Hawaiians celebrate these volcanoes as they are tied to creation of new landscapes on the island. Visitors are recommended to explore the Crater Rim Drive in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; there, they can come across many scenic lookout points and go hiking.

While you’re in the Big Island, consider stopping by Mauna Kea Observatory at night to marvel at the Milky Way. Because many of the islands of Hawaii aren’t as densely populated as many major cities, natives and tourists alike have the luxury of seeing the night sky with much more clarity.

Waterfalls are also abundant across the different islands of Hawaii, but Wailua Falls in Kauai takes the cake for one of the most breathtaking sights of the entire state. Travelers can enjoy a hike to the twin falls and possibly see a rainbow once they reach the cascades.

The major activity to put on your list is ATV riding through Jurassic Valley Kualoa Ranch in Oahu. Thrillseekers may enjoy off-roading through the filming locations of big blockbusters such as Jurassic Park and The Hunger Games. It truly is a great way to see what Hawaii has to offer in terms of greenery and seaside views.

With COVID cases across the globe seeing a positive downward trend, most of us have that itch to travel again.  Whether you want a vacation filled with rest and relaxation or in search of a good adventure, Hawaii is the place for all.

South Korea has recently started to loosen restrictions as a whole within its own borders, allowing its once-bustling nightlife to return back to normalcy and putting an end to business curfews. With this, many Korean residents feel more secure going abroad again and international travel has seen a surge beginning early April. One of the destinations on top of everyone’s list has been none other than Hawaii.

Asiana Airlines, a major South Korean international airline, resumed its routes to Hawaii starting April 3rd. According to KHON2, one of the first flights from Incheon to Hawaii made available since the start of the pandemic had an 80% occupancy rate. COVID-19 put a halt to many family vacations and honeymoons, and with the country beginning to return to normalcy, couples and families alike did not hesitate to start booking trips. In fact, as soon as South Korea lifted restrictions of self-isolating after returning from international travels, reservation rates tripled.

It is believed that many prospective travelers want to make up for lost time as they were unable to travel during the pandemic due to strict restraints put in place. With neighboring countries such as Japan and China still implementing stern travel laws, one of the more convenient options for Korean residents was to travel to Hawaii.

A representative from Hawaii Tourism Korea reported, ​​“We are seeing a rapid growth in the number of bookings for Hawai‘i . . . Following this change, Hawai‘i Tourism Korea will be carrying out active PR/Marketing activities this year putting Mālama Hawai‘i Campaign in the center to educate travelers on sustainable ways to experience Hawai‘i on a deeper level.”

The islands of Hawaii have always been top of mind when it comes to destination vacations for many South Koreans. With the climate of Korea being quite chilly for half the year, many residents prefer to flock to places where the weather remains relatively mild all year round. Save for the rain, Hawaii has always been known to have exceptional weather, with the average temperature rarely dropping below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Besides the weather, the atmosphere of Hawaii is also a major selling point. Many travelers have described the people of Hawaii as inviting and hospitable. Plus there are many different activities for all types of tourists to indulge in – shopping centers, unique restaurants, beaches, and scenic hikes, just to name a few.

While Hawaii has opened its doors to many eager travelers, it is also important to keep in mind that the islands are still home to its locals who only want their place of residence to be well-maintained by visitors. Organizations like Hawaii Tourism Korea have helped educate South Korean travelers about the island life as well as ensuring that they explore Hawaii safely.

JULIE KIM

Asia Journal 

The notification was sent out just after 8:00 am (1800 GMT) on Saturday, lighting up phones with a disturbing alert urging people to “seek immediate shelter.”

Emergency management officials later admitted “the wrong button was pushed” during a shift change.

But it took nearly 40 minutes for a corrected message to be issued — with Hawaii’s governor saying there was no automatic way to cancel the false alarm, meaning it had to be done manually.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is responsible for standards, procedures and testing protocols for the Emergency Alert System that delivered the false alert, promised a “full investigation”.

The alert, which read “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL”, sparked panic, with people rushing for safety whether in a bathtub, a basement, a manhole or cowering under mattresses.

And after it was declared a false alarm and the panic had subsided, there was anger, with many asking how such an error could have happened.

- ‘Terrified and angry’ -

“Everyone in America needs to understand that if you had to go through this, you would be as angry as I am,” Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii wrote on social media.

“We’re terrified and angry. Called my parents. Called my sister. Husband and I were shaking, verge of tears. Waited 40 minutes for a correction. No confidence in this emergency alert system,” photographer Aislinn Victoria said on Twitter.

Adventurer Alison Teal called it “the worst moment of my life.”

The erroneous message came after months of soaring tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, with North Korea claiming it had successfully tested ballistic missiles that could deliver atomic warheads to the United States, including Hawaii’s chain of volcanic islands.

Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency (Yonhap)

- ‘We made a mistake’ -

“I deeply apologize for the trouble and heartbreak that we caused today,” said Vern Miyagi, administrator of Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency.

“We made a mistake,” he acknowledged at a press conference.

“We’ve spent the last few months trying to get ahead of this whole threat, so that we could provide as much notification and preparation to the public,” he said, pledging to investigate what happened “so that this doesn’t happen again.”

As screenshots of the cell phone warning went viral on social media, Gabbard quickly tweeted that it was a “FALSE ALARM” with Hawaii’s EMA confirming “there is NO missile threat to Hawaii.”

US military spokesman David Benham later said US Pacific Command “has detected no ballistic missile threat to Hawaii. Earlier message was sent in error.”

When a corrected message was eventually sent out, it read: “There is no missile threat or danger to the state of Hawaii.”

“What happened today was totally unacceptable,” Hawaii Governor David Ige said.

“I’m sorry for that pain and confusion that anyone might have experienced.”

The White House said President Donald Trump was briefed about the incident, calling the alert “purely a state exercise.”

- ‘Terrifying’ -

Teal, the adventurer and Hawaiian native, said “everyone was in a panic.”

“Traveling the world as an extreme adventurer, I’ve been in very scary situations from snowstorms to sharks to hot lava. Nothing as terrifying as a missile coming to kill everyone you know and love,” she told AFP.

Lauren McGowan, who was on holiday in Maui with family and friends, was heading for breakfast when the alert came through.

They returned to their hotel, where staff quickly took them to a basement cafeteria and distributed water and food, with the rush to the shelter causing “confusion,” particularly for the children in the group, she said.

Writing on Twitter, Andy Priest said his parents thought they were going to die.

“My mom started to get up to go, and my Dad told her that if it was their time to go, he wanted to be looking at the ocean and enjoying the view,” he wrote.

Several golfers participating in the US PGA Tour’s Sony Open in Honolulu were also caught up in the false alarm.

“Under mattresses in the bathtub with my wife, baby and inlaws,” American golfer John Peterson tweeted. “Please lord let this bomb threat not be real.”

- Trump ‘posturing’ -

The alert went out just a month after Hawaii tested its nuclear attack siren system for the first time since the Cold War era in a drill which will now be conducted monthly, an emergency management spokesperson told AFP.

Trump — who has used bombastic rhetoric about Pyongyang and its leader Kim Jong-Un — has yet to react to the false warning.

He recently said he would be willing to speak directly with Kim, with whom he has traded sharp words over North Korea’s missile and nuclear tests.

But Gabbard accused Trump of “posturing” and not taking the North Korean nuclear threats seriously, urging him to begin direct talks with Pyongyang without preconditions.

“The people of Hawaii should never have had to go through this. The people of America should not be faced with this threat right now. We need peace — not political bickering,” the Democratic lawmaker tweeted. (AFP)

Hawaii ‘missile alert’ sparks anger, demands for answers

By AFP