A Photo Journal

Honeymoon
2024

August 2024

3 Locations
2 Islands
1 Luau
Dana Point, California

Laguna Cliffs

Perched on the bluffs above Dana Point Harbor, the Laguna Cliffs Marriott is a Southern California dream made tangible — a Four-Diamond retreat where every terrace faces the Pacific and the light that makes this coast feel both timeless and impossibly present. It's the kind of place where you wake to sea air and spend the afternoon half-watching the water, half-watching each other. A fitting first stop before crossing the Pacific.

Eddy and Ako selfie at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott, Dana Point harbor and Pacific Ocean behind them
At the Laguna Cliffs Marriott — Dana Point Harbor visible across the bluffs.

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Maui, Hawaii

Ka'anapali

Ka'anapali stretches like a promise along Maui's west coast — three kilometers of golden sand meeting water so blue it looks adjusted. At the northern end, Black Rock (Pu'u Keka'a) rises from the shore, a lava promontory steeped in ancient tradition where the resort lights torches at dusk and the snorkeling below is electric with life. The beach path connects resort to beach to restaurant without ever leaving paradise.

Evenings here are their own event. The Westin's nightly Wailele Lū'au runs from the imu ceremony at sunset through hula, Polynesian dance, and a fire knife show that earns every one of its sparks. The Ka'anapali sunsets don't need help, but the luau provides it anyway.

Ako and Eddy on Ka'anapali Beach — crystal clear blue-green water behind them, Ako in a colorful bikini, Eddy in a straw hat and blue mirrored sunglasses
First morning on Ka'anapali Beach. The water was exactly as advertised.
A black-crowned night heron standing on mossy rocks beside a resort garden stream, framed by tall reeds
A black-crowned night heron working the resort's koi stream — entirely unbothered by guests.
Ka'anapali sunset — sailboats moored on calm water, sun setting orange on the horizon, low hedge in the foreground
Sunset over Ka'anapali — sailboats on the channel, the sky doing what Maui sunsets do.
The Ka'anapali sun burning gold behind clouds as it sinks into the Pacific
The same sunset, tighter — the sun burning a hole through the clouds on its way out.
Ako in a colorful patterned dress at the Ka'anapali beachfront, sailboats and sunset behind her
Ako at the Leilani's lawn as the sun drops into the Pacific.
Ako's silhouette seen through sheer white hotel room curtains, palm trees and balcony visible through the glass door behind
Afternoon light through the hotel room curtains. Eddy says this is her "Wonder Woman" pose.
A spotted dove perched on tropical foliage with palm trees and blue sky behind it
A spotted dove claimed the resort grounds as its territory. An elegant squatter.
A half-moon in golden amber tones against a black sky, craters clearly visible
The half-moon over Ka'anapali — the telephoto did its job.
Ako smiling while a henna artist applies a design to her ankle at an outdoor market
A henna tattoo at the Ka'anapali market. Ako chose well.
A large weathered driftwood stump on Ka'anapali Beach, turquoise water and Maui mountains in the background
A weathered kiawe stump on Ka'anapali Beach. The West Maui Mountains in the distance.
Dense water lettuce and lily pads covering a still resort pond in dappled shade
The resort's water garden — water lettuce packed edge to edge in the afternoon shade.
Ako standing by the resort koi pond in a colorful paisley maxi dress, tropical garden and resort tower behind her
Ako at the koi pond on the resort grounds, pre-luau.
A hula dancer on the luau stage at golden hour — black top and tropical floral skirt, arms extended
The nightly hula show at the resort — golden hour catching the performance stage.
Close portrait of a hula dancer smiling warmly, wearing a white pearl lei necklace, tropical flowers behind her
A moment between movements.
Hula dancer with arms raised and curved behind her, colorful tropical skirt, palm trees behind
Hula tells stories — every gesture means something.
Two men in traditional Polynesian tapa cloth malo carrying a whole roasted pig on banana leaves and pineapples
The imu ceremony — the kālua pig carried from the underground oven on banana leaves.
Brilliant orange luau sunset — the sun piercing a gap in the clouds, a boat silhouette in the foreground
Sunset at the luau. The sun found a gap in the clouds at the very last moment.
A Polynesian dancer in a white ceremonial costume with a tall natural-fiber headdress, performing at night
A Polynesian dancer in ceremonial regalia — the headdress is made from natural pandanus fiber.
Fire knife dancer holding a blazing torch overhead on the luau stage, red lighting all around
The fire knife show — the torch blazing above the stage.
Fire knife dancer bent low, face illuminated by the flame, tapa cloth skirt visible in the darkness
Close — the flame lights his face from below.
Long exposure of the fire knife dancer spinning and fire-breathing — fire arcing in a blur
Fire knife at full spin — and a lungful of fire, because apparently that's also on the list.
Ako silhouetted under a tree against a blazing orange Ka'anapali sunset, Pacific Ocean behind her
The last Ka'anapali sunset — A bystander watching from under a tree.
Ako's hands holding her phone up to photograph a palm tree sunset — wedding ring clearly visible
Capturing the moment — and an excellent ring shot in the process.
Ako and Eddy together at the final Ka'anapali sunset — palm trees silhouetted against an orange sky
The last night on Maui. Worth watching slowly.
Ako standing in the Ka'anapali shallows, looking back over her shoulder — Molokai and the West Maui Mountains across the channel
Ako in the Ka'anapali shallows — Molokai on the horizon across the Pailolo Channel.
Video

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O'ahu, Hawaii

Waikīkī

Waikīkī is the Hawaii of imagination made real — a crescent of sand anchored by the unmistakable shape of Diamond Head, rising steep and green against open sky. At its heart sits the Royal Hawaiian, a 1927 Spanish-Moorish landmark in that particular shade of coral pink that photographs well and earns its nickname, the Pink Palace of the Pacific. From its beachfront lawn you watch outriggers glide past and Diamond Head standing its eternal watch behind everything.

The waterfront here is alive at every hour — restaurants, music, the surf — but it's the trees that linger: century-old monkeypods spreading wide over the walkways, and the extraordinary banyan near the beach whose aerial roots have been growing so long they've become a forest of their own.

The Royal Hawaiian hotel — the iconic coral-pink Spanish-Moorish facade behind its manicured lawn and palm trees
The Royal Hawaiian — "the Pink Palace of the Pacific," standing since 1927 and entirely sure of itself.
Looking up into the spreading canopy of a monkeypod tree, branches filtering bright blue sky
The monkeypod canopy at Kapiolani Park — these trees are as old as the Royal Hawaiian.
A massive banyan tree on the Waikiki waterfront — aerial roots hanging down from broad spreading branches, ocean behind
A banyan tree on the Waikiki waterfront — the aerial roots have been reaching for the ground for decades.
Waikiki beach at night — hotels and restaurants lit up along the waterfront, Diamond Head a dark silhouette in the distance
Waikīkī at night — the beach alive until the last possible hour. Diamond Head in the distance, always watching.

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