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Introduction
Eastern and Western traditions meet on O'ahu, where savvy shoppers find luxury goods at high-end malls and scout tiny boutiques and galleries filled with pottery, blown glass, woodwork, and Hawaiian print clothing by local artists. Exploring downtown Honolulu, Kailua on the Windward side, and the North Shore often yields the most original merchandise. Some of these small stores also carry imported clothes and gifts from around the world -- a reminder that, on this island half-way between Asia and the United States, shopping is a multicultural experience. This blend of cultures is pervasive in the wide selection of spas as well. Hawaiian lomi lomi and hot stone massages are as omnipresent as the orchid and plumeria flowers decorating every treatment room. There is a spiritual element to the lomi lomi that calms the soul while muscles release tension. During a hot stone massage, smooth rocks, taken from the earth with permission from Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, are heated and placed at focal points on the body. Others are covered in oil and rubbed over tired limbs, feeling like powerful fingers. For an alternative, refresh skin with mango scrubs so fragrant they seem edible. Savor the unusual sensation of bamboo tapped against the arches of the feet. Indulge in a scalp massage that makes the entire body tingle. Day spas provide additional options to the self-indulgent services offered in almost every major hotel on the island.Content provided by
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