If you love plants and flowers, you definitely want to visit the Lyon Arboretum Botanical Garden on Oahu. It’s a stunning Shangri La of all the most beautiful flowers of Hawaii. And the trail is located close to the popular Manoa Falls Trail. Set on 194 acres, there are more than 5,000 different types of flowers and plants and one of the largest palm tree collections found in any botanical garden. There is also a Hawaiian section which has plants that are native to Hawaii. The Sukhothai Walking Buddha is also at the gardens. There are several trails you can follow at Lyon Arboretum. I hiked the trail to Aihualama Falls…

Pokai Bay, in Waianae, is the very essence of a Hawaiian Beach.  A calm bay, swaying palm trees, people playing their drums on the beach.  Just to the left of the bay is the Ku’ilioloa Heiau which is dedicated to a legendary dog kupua (spirit) who protected travelers.  How wonderful that I saw a dog there when I visited. I also saw quite a few playful spirits in the trees here!  And the stones If you visit, take a few moments to just be present here and experience the sacred energy that is all around Rituals performed at the heiau protected those traveling by land and sea. Let us not…