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At the centre, most of the activities and displays take place outdoors and there's not much shade; do not forget to take sun lotion, a hat and a drink in your bag! The PCC was established in the 60s as a means of educating people about the Polynesian culture, the different countries, peoples and traditions Polynesia encompassed. The park is divided in to 7 native villages- Fiji, Hawai'i, Tonga, Samoa, Marquesas, Tahiti and Aotearoa (New Zealand)- each containing historically accurate buildings, museum artifacts and cultural displays. Students from the local university lead and participate in the demonstrations within each village; each is a native of the respective island. The proceeds from the centre go towards the students' housing and education, therefore, you will not only have a fun day, but you'll also be helping too.

I would recommend paying extra for a guided tour as the centre is very big and if you want to see a variety of displays before dinner, you're going to need some help. Some of the activities we got involved in were poi swirling, bamboo drumming, learning to hula, a canoe ride and the Hakka. For $110, you get access to the PCC and all its activities, a tour guide, dinner at the traditional lu'au and entrance to the breath-taking finale, Horizons, a show which demonstrates the accumulation of the hard work and talents of the students. This was an excellent day out that I would highly, HIGHLY recommend for both adults and children.

3) Wild Dolphin Cruise
This cruise takes you to the gorgeous West coast of O'ahu. Again, we were picked up locally and escorted to the harbour where we joined the crew aboard the Hoku Na'ia. This particular trip gives you a 'dolphin check' which means that you are guaranteed to see dolphins on the cruise; if you do not, you will have a dolphin check and can return the following day free of charge to try again. We needn't have worried about not seeing wild dolphins as within ten minutes of leaving shore, spinner dolphins were ready to play, show off and swim alongside our boat. There were four babies in the pod too! It was exhilarating witnessing these creatures in their natural habitat as opposed to a water park. We also had the pleasure of seeing spotted dolphins and flying fish, although we weren't lucky enough to see turtles because the water was too choppy. I would DEFINITELY recommend the Hoku Na'ia Wild Dolphin Cruise not only for the pleasure of seeing these beautiful animals swim so close to you but also for the professionalism and helpfulness of the crew and staff and the lovely lunch too!

Well, I think I've pretty much covered our entire visit to Hawai'i here. I only hope that the details inspire you to visit this beautiful, culturally rich island. Hawai'i is ideal for couples, families, friends, old or young. The friendliness and hospitality of the locals is beyond compare. I have never been to a place where everyone, truly everyone, is as lovely as the Hawaiian people we met- from the hotel staff to the shop assistants, even strangers on the street. I just can't wait to return next year!

Learn more about this author, Michelle Harper Davies.
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