Today, we're heading to the Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, for a special behind-the-scenes look at its invertebrate collection. We’ll learn how specimens are collected and preserved from the museum’s research staff and get the chance to handle some of the treasures they typically keep tucked away in their archives. After a break for lunch, we’ll head off toward the rocky coastline of Oahu’s East Shore for a scenic hike along the Makapuʻu Lighthouse trail where, if we’re lucky, we’ll be able to observe whales calving their young. We’ll enjoy a sunset picnic dinner at the top before heading back to the hotel to put on our headlamps and dive booties for our first night of squidding!

The cephalopod of interest is the Hawaiian bobtail squid, a tiny, nocturnal marine mollusk ranging in size from a blueberry to a lime. With a mantle containing bioluminescent bacteria, it appears to glow in the moonlight. Though the bobtail squid is the main attraction, we’ll likely spot lots of other sea creatures, including shrimp, crabs, sea cucumbers, and brightly colored eels.

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll hit the Kamehameha Highway, heading toward the North Shore of Oahu. Along the way we'll make a stop at the ancient Kukaniloko Birthing Site, where we’ll learn about the preservation of cultural traditions from a local cultural ambassador. From there, we’ll head to one of the many North Shore food trucks, where we’ll meet with a sea turtle expert to learn about the health of local sea turtle populations. This afternoon will be all about relaxing on the beach and observing turtles at Kahana Bay Beach Park. This evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure—feel free to admire the sunset on the beach, explore nearby dinner options, and luxuriate in the calm island breeze while reflecting on all the fascinating creatures we’ve observed.

We’ll start the day with a dinghy boat ride to Coconut Island, where we’ll enjoy a private lab tour of the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology led by their stellar education team. Following our tour, we’ll sit down for lunch with coral biologist Shayle Matsuda, who researches the health of coral reef ecosystems in today’s changing climate. Shayle will show us around his lab and discuss the ways in which HIMB is working to understand and restore coral ecosystems in  Hawaiʻi and around the world. After lunch, we’ll head to a nearby beach for some relaxation before wading into the Hawaiian tides for another night of squid spotting. Over the course of the week, small groups will have the opportunity to accompany our guide back to her research facility. 

We’re kicking off the morning bright and early with a big cup of Kona coffee to fuel our ascent up the Manoa Falls Trail, where both Jurassic Park and Hawaii 5-0 were filmed. Though we don’t expect to spot any dinos, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for 21st-century wildlife as we travel through a variety of ecosystems. After our hike, we’ll head to the bustling Tamashiro Fish Market, a famous family-owned market. We’ll get the chance to chat with the fishermen and merchants who bring in the freshest catch around, and possibly experience a live fish auction. We’ll each grab a bowl of Tamashiro’s fresh, local poké and some spam musubi for a hilltop picnic at Pu’u ‘Ualaka’a State Park, overlooking the city and the sea beyond. After our scenic lunch, we’ll enjoy a long, leisurely afternoon of lounging on Waimanalo Beach, a secluded stretch of stunning coastline that boasts brilliantly blue water and sand as fine as sugar. After rinsing off the sand and the salt, we’ll gather this evening for our final dinner at a favorite local spot.

After five eye-opening days of Hawaiian wildlife, both onshore and off, we’ll say farewell to the flora, fauna, and fellow adventurers we’ve encountered over the course of our trip. If we had eight sucker-speckled arms and a few tentacles, we’d be waving all of them at our new friends from the sea.