Travel back in time on a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe

Outrigger canoes play a significant role in Hawaiian history and culture, and now visitors are encouraged to test them out for themselves! A knowledgeable guide will take you out on an outrigger canoe while you learn about the rich Polynesian traditions. This is a terrific day to learn as well as watch the marine life moving gracefully around you in the waters.

Outrigger canoeing is not only the state team sport of the lovely Aloha State but also a rich historical reminder that to live in Hawaii is to know and respect the ocean. While an outrigger canoe may not represent much to most people, in Hawaii it is. No other society in history has had such a close relationship with the ocean. Around 200 AD, the first outrigger canoes made their way to Hawaii.

Some of these canoes were huge enough to hold up to 80 people, and they were loaded with supplies like water, food plants, and animals to make the journey a little safer for the daring explorers who set out in quest of new lands. Explorers quickly found the Hawaiian Islands by observing the bird migration patterns seen flying overhead.

• Location: Hawaii