Your patronage of our sponsors is appreciated.

Directions, Names, and Pronunciations Directions On the virtual tours we could, if we chose, altogether avoid the local terms used to describe directions. But if you were to actually visit Hawaii, particularly Honolulu, you'd hear these terms very often, and of course our objective is to take you on tours that are about as authentic as they can be, given the online format. Infrequently, but here and there, we'll use the following terms: Diamond Head Meaning: in the direction of Diamond Head, the landmark inactive volcano to the east of Waikiki and downtown Honolulu. From any place to the west of it, "Diamond Head" used to describe a direction therefore means east. Waikiki, for example, is Diamond Head of downtown Honolulu. Ewa Meaning: in the direction of Ewa, a community far west of Honolulu. From any place to the east of Ewa, "Ewa" used to describe a direction therefore means west. Aloha Stadium, for example, is Ewa of Honolulu. Makai Meaning: toward the ocean. Since travel in Honolulu is principally east and west because of the ocean to the south and the mountains to the north, "makai" is often used to refer to a side of a building, a side of an east-west street, or an ocean side or an ocean direction of some other place. Our hotel, the Royal Hawaiian, for example, is on the makai side of Kalakaua Ave. Mauka Meaning: toward the mountain(s). The International Marketplace, for example, is on the mauka side of Kalakaua Ave. Place Names Hale Meaning: house, home, residence, dwelling. The Honolulu City Hall, for example, is named "Honolulu Hale," meaning "the city home." A couple of other examples: The Halekulani, a Waikiki hotel; Hale La'au, a house at the Mission Houses Museum. Kai Meaning: sea. Hawaii Kai, a community in East Oahu, for example, is a community by the sea. Kalakaua This is the name of the last king of Hawaii. King Kalakaua, known as the "Merry Monarch" for his lavish lifestyle, served as king for 17 years, traveled around the world, and built and occupied Iolani Palace. Kalakaua Ave., a school, and a number of businesses are named after the king. Kamehameha This is the assumed name of a long line of kings, the best known being King Kamehameha the Great who brought all of the islands under one rule. Kamehameha Highway that encircles the island of Oahu, Kamehameha Schools, a shopping center, a neighborhood, a state holiday, and a number of businesses are named after Kamehameha the Great. Kapiolani This is the name of the queen during the reign of King Kalakaua. Kapiolani Boulevard, buildings, the Kapiolani Medical Center, Kapiolani Community College, numerous businesses, and a park are named in her honor. Liliuokalani This is the name of the last monarch of Hawaii. Queen Liliuokalani, the sister of King Kalakaua, served two years before being removed in a bloodless coup. Buildings, streets, and public gardens bear her name. Pronunciations Visitors to Hawaii are commonly amazed at the long Hawaiian place names and long strings of vowels in Hawaiian words. Names such as Kalanianaole Highway, a stretch of the Kamehameha Highway, and Aiea, a community west of Honolulu, leave visitors at a loss to pronounce them. The pronunciation of such words, however, is quite easy to figure out, since every vowel is pronounced. Just take your time, pronounce every vowel as you go, and you've got it. Well.... almost. It's not quite as simple as that. A number of the vowels are pronounced differently than in English. But what helps a little is the fact that each vowel is always pronounced the same way. There is no "o," for example, pronounced one way in a word like "come," another way in "comrade," and another way in "moon" as is the case with the "o" in the English language. The prominent differences in pronunciation are roughly these: a Pronounced "ah" and never "ay." "Kamehameha," for example, starts off "kah...," not "Kam..." as in the word "camera." e Pronounced "ay" as in the long "a" in the English language. "Kamehameha," for example, is roughly pronounced "kah may hah may hah." i Pronounced "ee" as in the long "e" in the English language. "Waikiki," for example, is pronounced "wah ee kee kee." "Wah" and "ee" are slurred to sound like "wye." Try it. Likewise, "kai," as in "Hawaii Kai," is pronounced "kah ee." When slurred, it sounds like "kye." o Pronounced "oh," never differently. u Pronounced "oo" as in "goo," never differently. So can you now pronounce the name of that community Aiea? "Aiea" is pronounced "ah ee ay ah." Slur the first two syllables and you've got it -- roughly "eye ay ah." "Kapiolani" is pronounced "kah pee oh lah nee." "Hale" is pronounced "hah lay," not like the English word "hail." So with this in your pocket .... happy touring! Your patronage of our sponsors is appreciated. YOUR 500 x 50 PIXEL AD HERE