Hawaiian History And Natural Beauty

When a person visits Oahu, Hawaii (Honolulu), it is important to make time to visit an area on the windward side of the island called Kualoa, Hawaii. Why- you ask? It holds many treasures and experiences of the past culture of the Hawaiian Islands and it exemplifies many outdoor recreational activities that showcases Hawaii’s natural beauty. Known in ancient times as a wahi kapu, one of the most sacred places on Oahu, Kualoa was also known as a place of refuge for young chiefs. King Kamehameha III owned the land until 1850, at which time he sold it to Dr. Gerritt Judd, a trusted advisor of the King’s. Today, Kualoa is owned and operated by the Morgan Family, sixth generation descendants of Dr. Judd, that comprises of a working ranch involved in cattle ranching since the late 1870's with approximately 600 head of cattle and 120 horses which has 100% grass-fed beef which can purchased by the public online or in person at the ranch. There is more than 4,000 acres of land spreading from the steep mountain cliffs to the sparkling sea that features a diversity of terrains, from dense tropical rain forests to wide open valleys to beautiful white sandy beaches. Its rich history includes Oahu’s first sugar mill, a WWII airstrip for the U.S Army, and a beautiful backdrop for many major motion picture and television shows such as Jurassic Park, Godzilla, 50 First Dates, Windtalkers, Hawaii Five-O, Magnum PI, LOST, Jurassic World and Hunger Games. Kualoa means “long back” in Hawaiian and it is made up of long gorgeous valleys and huge mountain peaks. Upon your first visit to Kualoa’s ranch office, you climb a series of steps up to the information desk where you come in contact with an informative, easy-going, and knowledgeable concierge named Michael Duncan. Michael has been a resident of Oahu, Hawaii for over 40 years and has an incredible background in the Hospitality field. He brings his customer service forte to the forefront when he talks with each of the visitors to Kualoa through his thorough overview of the different entertainment venues available to each visitor. After talking and asking several questions about the many activities to be seen or to be experienced personally, Michael gives valuable reassurance on any package you choose. Once you leave his area, you reserve your time to visit any or all of the different areas of the Kualoa ranch you want to observe. One event that provides a good overview of what the ranch can provide in entertainment is the Ocean Voyage Tour which was hosted by Topher (who remarkably looks like Sayid on LOST); the Voyage Tour takes place aboard a 49-passenger catamaran in the Kaneohe Bay, which sails past the famous Mokoli’ Island (Chinaman’s Hat) and Hokule’s Beach. During the tour, Topher explained, “The past tribal chiefs created a special ceremonial home and pond near the Bay by placing lava rock walls and gates between the ocean and the pond to allow fish and crabs to enter for the chiefs’ pleasure. The lava walls remain today and the pond not only has small fish in it but also has barracuda swimming throughout.” Topher stated he came to the Kualoa Ranch five years ago to work because of its “beauty, elaborate eco-system and waterfalls”; it’s a place of eternal beauty.