What's New?
Hawaii has a new website:
The Waikiki Aquarium features a South Pacific Marine Life Communities gallery housed in a 5,000 gallon salt-water facilty, which contains such new delights as an elderly gigantic clam, archer fish that can out-spit the best snuff chewer in the world, a yard-wide sea anemone as well as jellyfish that are so clear that you will be able to see what they had for lunch.
http://waquarium.otted.hawaii.edu/"Aquarium
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The Marine Education Centre in Hanauma Bay is now up to speed with a thirteen million dollar facility that serves to raise awareness of the marine life sanctuary at Hanauma Bay. The Center was created to ensure the sustainability of one of Hawaii's most spectacular natural resources - the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Opened in August of 2002, it was designed by Group 70 International to blend into rather than intrude upon the volcanic crater that encircles the world-renowned bay. Early Hawaiians used hillside caves and rock shelves as places of habitation and rest. The Marine Education Center now occupies one of these existing rock cavities on the crater's rim, and has become an integral part of this unique and natural landscape.
Group 70 International's understanding of and respect for Hawaiian history and culture helped make this happen in keeping with their theme of creating relationships by design. Group 70
The Hawaii State Art Museum is rather unusual due to foresighted legislators in 1967, who passed a state law. One percent of the cost of new government buildings must be allocated to the purchase of works of art by local artists. To date, the Government of Hawaii has amassed 5,000 pieces. The museum, which incidentally is free, has 360 works of art on display and is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Big Island Starwood Hotels and Resorts announced a $40 million renovation of the old Kona Surf Hotel in Keauhou, which closed in 1999. The opening of the renamed Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort is scheduled for October 1, 2004.
Poised on an ancient lava flow at the southern entrance to Keauhou Bay, the Resort and Spa offers the leisure traveler the ultimate vacation.
Guests can golf at either of two championship courses, experience famous Kona town, shop at adjacent Keauhou Shopping Center, or experience any of the countless activities from lava hunting to swimming with the Keauhou Manta Rays.
This family friendly resort boasts 530 rooms and suites, a full service spa and fitness center, restaurants, lounges, luau grounds, room service, fantasy pool with beach and lava tube waterslides, and local cultural activities.
