By Doug Hansen

For a family vacation in Hawaii, it's hard to imagine a place more accommodating than Disney's Aulani resort in Oahu. Located 17 miles west of the Honolulu airport, this relatively new (opened in 2011) luxury resort sits on a beach far removed from the hustle-bustle of Honolulu. During the five days my wife and I spent at the Aulani, we marveled at Disney's masterful portrayal of traditional Hawaiian culture. It's a place where adults and kids can experience Hawaii without ever having to leave the resort.

When we first arrived at the imposing complex we were struck by the profusion of traditional Hawaiian artifacts in the lobby and throughout the grounds. As a staff member explained, "The goal of Aulani is to convey the stories of Hawaiian traditions and culture." According to the Disney folks, Aulani has one of the world's largest collections of contemporary Hawaiian art. I particularly liked the painted mural around the entry that depicted Hawaii's history, from the first Polynesians until more recent times.

We made our way to one of the two large towers to find our one-bedroom villa, which delighted us with its tasteful decor, full kitchen and — best of all — a panoramic view of the seven-acre pool area below and the shimmering ocean in the distance.

Surprisingly, we found that the traditional Disneyland characters were quite understated. In fact, we mainly encountered Minnie Mouse and Pluto in the morning at the indoor-outdoor Makahiki buffet, where Minnie sang and Pluto enticed kids and parents to join a lively conga line that wove around the tables. The kids' delight added a nice touch to the ambience as we savored our freshly made omelets and assorted fruit while watching the koi swim in the pond next to us.

Throughout the day the air was filled with the joyous sounds of children laughing and shouting as they cavorted on the water-drenched jungle gym or hurtled down one of the volcano's slides. I thought about what George Bernard Shaw once said: "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Throwing caution to the wind, my wife and I summoned our child-mojo and yelled like kids as we descended the volcano on a giant yellow inner tube, speeding down the slick, curving slide. After splashdown, we floated along the meandering "river" through the gardens until finally disembarking at one of the large swimming pools.

My wife headed off to swim in the lagoon, and I chose to join other adults in the hot infinity pool. I found many parents taking advantage of Auntie's Beach House, the free child-care facility nearby. Why wouldn't they? It offers a state-of-the-art collection of Hawaiian-themed games, crafts, computers, movies and an extensive outdoor playground that any child would go crazy over. (Note to nervous parents: Each child wears a computer-chipped bracelet that shows his or her location at all times.) While mostly catering to children ages 3 to 12, Auntie's place and the resort in general accommodates teenagers, too, by offering teens-only evenings and teen-specific spa treatments.

When we weren't floating the hours away in the indolent river, my wife and I hung out at the resort's private lagoon. A line of boulders blocked the waves from entering, which made morning swims a pleasure. Later in the day we alternated between stand-up paddle-boarding, kayaking, snorkeling and swimming in the shallow turquoise water, which contained more fish than I had expected.

The real fish extravaganza, however, was tucked away in the middle of the pool and garden area. Rainbow Reef, with its 1,300 colorful fish representing 49 species, provided a totally safe and gratifying alternative to open ocean snorkeling — perfect for beginners. We marveled at the diversity of colors and shapes of the fish as we floated around the enclosure. Afterward we stood by the reef's large, below-water window to watch one of the twice-daily feedings.

Early mornings were our favorite time to get out and walk for a couple of miles on the ocean-hugging path. Joggers puffed past us, couples strolled along sipping their coffee and the palm trees swayed in the morning breeze while the azure lagoons calmly awaited the next batch of beachgoers.

We thoroughly enjoyed this Hawaiian version of Disney's "magic kingdom," particularly because of the resort's extraordinary adherence to culturally accurate Hawaiian motifs throughout the resort. As our guide pointed out, "Everything, including activities, integrates Hawaiian culture. For example, the outdoor yoga by the lagoon reflects our Hawaiian ideal of "harmony with nature." Even the round glass balls on the garden area's lights represent the kukui nuts that our ancestors used to burn in torches." Kids of all ages use hotel-provided GPS devices to search for Menehune — the Hawaiian version of leprechauns — hidden throughout the grounds. Also not to be missed are the regular guided cultural tours provided by the hotel. The more we learned, the more we enjoyed our stay. The small bright lights embedded in the bottom of the tranquil blue pool, for example, replicated the shape of the constellation that early Polynesian sailors used to navigate across the ocean before arriving at this island paradise.

We were grateful to be able to share this sacred land. Our hope is that one day we will again follow that constellation back to Hawaii.

WHEN YOU GO

Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, 92-1185 Ali'inui Drive, Kapolei, HI 96707; 808-674-6200 direct or for reservations 866-443-4763; www.disney.com.

Laniwai, a Disney Spa, offers a full-service, luxurious spa experience that features an outdoor garden retreat with private pools, hot and cold whirlpools. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ages are 18 and up, or 14 with an adult.

Aunty's Beach House provides free child care on-site for ages 3 to 12 with occasional teenager-specific evenings that include karaoke, games, crafts and more.

Rainbow Reef is an on-site snorkeling lagoon with more than 49 species and 1,300 colorful fish. It is safe for all ages and snorkeling experience levels.

Makiki Joe's Beach Rentals has snorkeling gear, kayaks, paddle-boards and more on-site.

Halihali Shopping Shuttle runs Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, departing at 8:30 a.m. and returning at 5:30 p.m. Stops include Ala Moana Center, DFS Galleria and Waikele Center.

Breakfast: 'AMA'AMA or Makahiki Buffet (with lively Disney characters singing and parading with the children)

Lunch: 'AMA'AMA, Off the Hook, Wailana Pool Bar, Ulu Cafe (all-day menu)

Dinner: 'AMA'AMA. Makahiki Buffet, Ulu Cafe (all-day menu)

For general information: www.gohawaii.com/en/oahu/about/travel-tips

All of the artwork at the Aulani resort on the island of Oahu reflects Hawaiian culture. Photo courtesy of www.hansentravel.org.

Water activities at the Aulani resort on Oahu in Hawaii are available for all ages and skill levels. Photo courtesy of www.hansentravel.org.

Doug Hansen is a freelance writer and photographer whose photos and articles are at www.hansentravel.org. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.