TRAVEL Sunday, December 15, 1991 - North Shore News - 49 aa? Tourists will return to delightful islands HONOLULU — There are few sights more welcome to the rain-sodden Canadian tourist, uose pressed to an airplane window at 30,000 feet, than ihe Hawaiian islands creeping out of the nothingness of the vast Pacific, tiny speckles of land with volcanic peaks, lush fvurests, glorious beaches, and yes, sunshine and palm trees. Unlike Vancouver’s vacillating public, the people here value tourism, offering a rich selection of runways to pilots, one of them extra-long and a_ standby for space shuttles, As Dec. 7 was the 50th anniver- sary of the raid on Pearl Harbor the newspapers are full of it, special editions and all, which is ironical as the Honolulu Advertis- er’s presses had broken down the very day the attack came, and the souvenir editions with banner headlines ‘‘Japanese attack Pearl Harbor’’ are fakes. When the Advertiser did manage to come out the next day its headline ‘‘Saboteurs land here’’ was wildly inaccurate. At least one Japanese pilot who took part in the raid has been in town recently, but no Japanese Officials were invited to the anni- versary ceremonies. However, Americans have mellowed to the ‘‘day of infamy” complaint with one old soldier pointing out that Nelson, among others, didn't tell the mayor of Copenhagen to duck before he levelled the city. Not that Tokyo investors could care less, because they have since bought the Hawaiian islands, more or less. Japanese own 61% of the hotel rooms including all the big Waikiki hotels other than the Hikon. Most are money-spinners, the 2,000-room Sheraton Waikiki reportedly making $50 million an- nua! profit. It’s a different story on the outer islaads, where one big new hotel on Maui was 92% empty in October. There’s no doubt, however, that after the recession and in the long run the tourisis will return, prr- ticularly to delightful resorts such as the Princeville Hotel on Kauai. The Princeville, a five-minute tide from the local airport served by Aloha Island Air, has just reopened after a $100 million in- vestment by Suntory whisky and other golf-minded companies. Cuban trips a ‘real bargain WiTH RUSSIA’S cutbacks, tourism has become even mure important to Cuba. The island is a bargain, with jotels in the US$50-$80 range, and meals for US $6-$15. Tour operator Fiesta West has ‘packages from Vancouver, but if you can tag Cuba onto a Toronto trip it’s a reat deai, with return fares from Cdn.3449, some in- cluding accommodation. You won’t find better beaches, and Havana is a city of pleasing, if dilapidated, architecture. Currency is the peso, but everything is transacted in Ameri- can doliars. Seasoned visitors take a flashlight, toilet paper, and light bulbs, Tipping is noi expected, but clothing, shoes, and aylons are appreciated, as are Chiclets for the children. For more information: Cuba founst Board, £5 Queen St. E., Suite 705, Toranto, Ont. M5C IRS. Tel.: (416) 362-0700. - Judy Lees, The Astute Traveller David Wishart {n addition to the three hand- some nines of the Makai course there is now a breathtaking Prince course, yet another Robert Trent Jones Jr. effort, which is getting rave reviews and has already been touted as the best golf course on the Hawaiian islands. Hotel general manager Fred Matti, Hong Kong-bdorn and mar- ried to a Canadian, can be equally proud of his cliff-top palace on Hanalei Bay, where the movie South Pacific was filmed. The stunning lobby affords panoramic views of the bay and Eaki Hai, while in the rooms guests can sit in spacious jacuzzis and watch the sun set. By touching a button a liquid crystal makes the window opaque. Wake-up calls come with a butler bearing coffee or orange juice. And unlike miost hotels, every room at the Princevilie has butler service. Daily diversions include the beach, a huge pool with swim-up bar and free scuba lessons, plus boat rides around the rugged Na Pali coast and helicopter trips all over incredibly scenic Kauai. Back in Waikiki it’s possible to find an oasis along by Diamond Head at the Colony Surf, a hideaway of 100 suites right on the beach, Photo submitted COLONY SURF, on the beach at the foat of Diamond Head, is an oasis near the Waikiki crush. At the back door are the great banyans of Kapiolani Park and the public tennis courts of the Diamond Head tennis centre, taaking this a great area to hang out for a week or the winter. Fifteen minutes away is the bus- tle of Waikiki, but also a host cf restaurants, including the Ciao en at the Hyatt Regency. This combination of Italian and Chinese sounds hokey, but your taste buds wiil love ‘t. Don’t miss the Hawaii Maritirne Museum and Coasters restaurant, where you can watch the harbor and catch a cool breeze. You might go for a dinner cruise, or even take a day trip to another island. Ten people did that recently on a sightseeing plane, which lost an engine and had to ditch near the shore near Hilo on the Big Island. Everybody made it to shore, were fitted out with new clothes, and even though the shop had no shoes for them they stoutly carried on with the tour. But the determined tourists had not reckoned with the manager of Singapore Bali Australia, stops at Darwin Cairns Gt. Barrier Reef Brisbane Sydney INCLUDE Hong Kong (precruise) Hawaii (posi cruise) & other options JOIN Tom & irene Rose on the new ‘“‘Ruyal Odyssey'’, Feb. 20 PHONE NOW 926-4344 the restaurant where they went for lunch. He took one look at the 1939933395393339335333333) LOVE BOA Caribbean Cruise in May for only $4,199 us per person including Round-Tip Air Fare LAST WEEK TO BOOK! Cail Gruise Hotline 984-6122 CRUISES HOLIDAYS. barefoot group and refused them admission. Aloha! uring the winter months our North Shore News carriers deliver the paper after dark on Wednesdays and Fridays. You can assist our carriers by leaving your out- side light on for therm. DISTRIBUTION 986-1337 | ~~,” <<":