ATV, Horseback Riding Kualoa Ranch Oahu

September 1, 2016

Happy Aloha Friday to all of you! It's another bright and beautiful day here in Hawai'i nei today. It's looking a lot more sunny than yesterday. However, even though it was a bit rainy on and off yesterday, we had a blaaasssst out on the Kualoa Ranch on the island of O'ahu.

Our day started off with some smooth sailing to "secret island" on a canoe like boat where we then transferred to a bigger catamaran to head out to sea. On the catamaran we experienced a bumpy roller-coaster like ride, near the island nicknamed China Man's Hat. From here we were able to see the beautiful views of the mountains. Legend has it that this mountain is a mo'o (lizard) that was slayed by the Goddess Pele's sister named Hi'iaka on her journey to seek Pele's lover. 

On our way back to shore, were spotted several turtles at their favorite reef spot, and enjoyed a good amount of splashes and ocean sprays. If you ever to do this tour, be prepared to get wet and salty! :-) On our way back we also got to see the location where one of the scenes from the movie 50 First Dates was filmed. How awesome is that?!

Our second tour took us through the "jungle" on a safari-like jeep. We visited a replica of an ancient Hawaiian heiau (temple), as well as areas where malama 'aina (taking care of the land) are practiced. These areas are full of native plants such as mai'a (banana), Kalo, lauhala trees and such. We also viewed areas where the movie Jurassic World was filmed, such as the enclosed area where the T-Rex was kept. You can see the claws marks on the wall if you look closely. 

 

 

After the delicious buffet style lunch, we saddled up to take a 1 hour stroll through the "jungle" on these magnificent horses. My horse had one blue eye and one brown, and his name was Sal. He was such a beauty, and we made the perfect pair! If you're ever able to visit, make sure to give them lots of love! You really do create a bond with your horse during that short amount of time if you let loose and enjoy the experience. Remember, animals can sense your emotions/vibes so don't be afraid. (:

 

 Hang on tight, because this next tour is an exhilarating one! We were more than pumped to hop on one of these bad boys and race through Kualoa. The ATV tour had to be one of my top favorites of the day! Although we weren't allowed to venture off on our own, or ride too fast (for safety reasons of course) like us rebels would like to do, this group tour allowed us to view the valleys and experience it together at a pace that truly allowed us to take in the beautiful views. 

The tour guides on all of these tours were absolutely AMAZING. They are very helpful and provided the utmost safety to their guests. If you have time, I'd recommend chatting with your guides because many of them (local & non-local) have lots of knowledge and experience to share. Strike up a conversation with them and I'll guarantee you'll get a few laughs in, make new friends, and gain knowledge about Hawai'i and the area that you're staying in. Again, yesterday was such an awesome experience. I've lived on Oahu all my life, and still, Kualoa had so much to offer and share. I'd highly recommend these tours to everyone, especially visitors. Rain or shine, these tours are being held. Don't miss a chance to discover Hawai'i and it's lands and culture in such a fun way!

Until next time ~ A hui hou