The Phenomenon Called Lahaina Noon
Only two days out of every year does the sun reach its zenith. This phenomenon happens in all the Hawaiian Islands, but is best known for happening in Lahaina, the much fabled and historic whaling village on the beloved island of Maui. This occurrence is referred to as "Lahaina Noon." At that moment the sun is hotter than it is anywhere else on the earth, and it is closer to the islands than at any other time of the year. During this "Lahaina Noon" the sun casts no shadow, fueling the ancient magical beliefs surrounding this event.
Did You Know?
The favorite flower of the beloved Princess Kaiulani had always been Chinese jasmine. It was found in her father’s legendary Ainahau Gardens, where many exotic plants and flowers grew and where peacocks roamed freely. The blossoms came to be so related with her life at Ainahau that they became known in Hawaii as pikake, a native phonetic rendition of the word peacock.
Hawaii’s State Flower is the Pua Aloalo (Hibiscus).
The Hawaiian language has the shortest alphabet in the world. It has only 12 letters A, E, I , O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W.
Hawaii has no snakes, seagulls, rabies, billboards or daylight savings time.
The entire island of Manhattan in New York can fit into the main crater of Maui’s Haleakala volcano. Haleakala Crater is over 21 miles in circumference, and over 3,000 feet deep.
The only Royal Palace on American soil is located in Honolulu. The Iolani Palace was built by King David Kalakaua in 1882 at a cost of just under $360,000.
The only reported Kangaroos in the United States are found in Hawaii. Descendants of an escaped pair of wallabies continue to flourish in the mountains behind Honolulu.
Maui, the second largest island, is shaped like Tahiti with two volcanoes and a valley between. Many believe it is name after the shaman hero of legend Maui Kupua. Its largest volcano, Haleakala, last erupted in 1790. Maui is famous for pineapples, Lahaina (an old whaling port and modern tourist mecca), superb sweet onions and condominiums. Maui also produces some very good pineapple and grape wines.
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