You’re traveling to Hawaii and looking for fun family friendly activities that are as friendly to your wallet as they are to your kids. Well, you’ve come to the right blog. In a previous blog I provided ideas on where to go after you’ve completed the obligatory trips to Waikiki beach, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Punchbowl and the North Shore. Today, we’re focusing on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.
You’ve seen their beautiful blossoms and have swooned over their intoxicating aromas, but how well do you know the floral and fauna of the Hawaiian Islands? Can you tell the difference between a geranium and a ginger? What about a plumeria and a purple orchid? If you answered, no, then you may consider signing up for the Kauai Marriott’s hour-long Cultural Garden Tour.
Each week guides lead visitors on a tour of the hotel’s magnificent 1-acre garden, which features nearly 60 species of tropical plants and a pond teeming with 1,000 koi (a type of colorful fish). The tour offers a crash course in Hawaiian horticulture and the best part… it’s free.
Not only will you learn the names and origins of each plant, but you will also receive hand-on lessons about each plant’s versatility. For example, did you know the ulu (breadfruit) was a dietary staple back in ancient Hawaii? Its bark was woven into rope, and surfboards were made from its light, strong wood. Another lesson taught during the tour: the multiple uses of Ti leaves. In ancient Hawaii they were considered a symbol of good luck, and were tied to canoes to protect fishermen. They were also woven into sandals, hula skirts and rain capes. Sweet ti roots were eaten like candy, and when boiled in water, they created a deadly liquor called okolehao.
The tour provides an opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian culture in a unique environment. Kauai Marriott’s 23 groundskeepers tend to the garden and constantly introduce new plants so even if you have taken the tour once, your next one may be different than your first. The tours are offered every Tuesday at 1 p.m. at no charge. For more information click here.
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