Top Ten Things You Should Know About Wai’anae
1. This is not Waikiki. You will not find any Japanese tourists out here – unless they are playing golf. This is not a tourist destination. It is “country”.
2. This is not Waialae either. It’s not even close. The cost of a home in Wai’anae is about $300,000 less. While we have the most affordable housing on the island, we have the largest homeless population.
3. We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
4. The gunshots in the valley are normal. They are just hunters shooting goats and/or hunting a pig for a luau. A real luau.
5. There is no fabulous shopping or even a decent place to eat. That is about 10 miles away.
6. We love football.
7. There are a ridiculous amount of traffic lights along the coast and there seems to be continual road work of some kind. There is only one road in and one road out. You need to leave the way you came in.
8. Wai’anae offers all sorts of great recreational activities (hiking, paddling, fishing, etc.) if you know where to look.
9. The public school system is atrocious.
10. Wai’anae is home for many of the last ”true” Hawaiians. They are a genuine, loving and proud people. But do not mistake their kindness for weakness. Treat the people with respect and you will be like family forever. Isn’t that really the most important thing?
