A Surfer's Dream

Koa trees are native to the Hawaiian islands and can be found primarily at high altitudes on the Big Island. You may have seen the beautiful creations by local handcrafters – from intricate jewelry boxes and carved pictures frames to rocking chairs and bedroom furniture. But have you ever seen a koa surfboard like this?

Here’s the newest member of our Kaua‘i Marriott ‘ohana (family), an eighty-five pound koa surfboard which was shaped by Kaua‘i's own Frank Pullano. The style and shape of the surfboard was modeled after the ones surfed by the legendary Duke Kahanamoku in the 1920s.

Here’s Ed Fuller, president and managing director of Marriott International Lodging (left) admiring the surfboard with Frank (right).

The koa wood is from Kealakekua Ranch on the Big Island and is estimated to be 100 years old. Koa trees thrive in dense rainforests and can reach up to forty feet in height with a potential life span of four hundred years. Kealakekua’s ideal annual rainfall, high altitude and rich soil combined produce a wide variety of color and grain patterns making koa highly treasured and sought after.

Now if only we could bring her out on the water to surf in the waves at Kalapaki Bay!

A Surfer's Dream: Hotels on the Beach in Hawaii and a Koa Surfboard to Ride

The truth is, a vacation at hotels on the beach in Hawaii is already a surfer's dream come true, but can you imagine being that lucky surfer who gets to ride an authentic koa surfboard, made from the koa trees native to the islands? This 85 pound surf board was modeled off a classic version from the 1920s. It's almost as big as a boat. The beauty of koa wood is that it's ancient. Most koa trees are over 100 years old. Picture yourself riding a surf board made from a tree that goes back to the early days of the tribes.

Of course, most koa surfboards are made from koa trees that have died of natural causes. These trees thrive in dense rain forest, reaching more than 40 feet in height, which explains the size of the surfboard. These trees have been know to live 400 years, thanks to ideal rainfall, high altitude and abundant soil. Koa is highly treasured and sought after. An entire board made from koa is virtually a surfer's dream come to life, bringing just as much joy as a surfer vacation at hotels on the beach in Hawaii.

Even if you don't have a luxury board, hotels on the beach in Hawaii must be experience by the true surfing enthusiast. Hawaii has some of the finest surfing in the world. Taste the paradise from the top of the board.