The Hokule'a will go on a sail around O'ahu with its "Chinese cousin" today.

The Princess Taiping, a replica of a 14th-century Chinese junk, arrived in Hawai'i this month after a nine-month voyage across the Pacific.

Built in Taiwan using traditional Chinese methods, the Princess Taiping seeks to revive pride and culture in traditional Chinese voyaging, much as Hokule'a and the Polynesian Voyaging Society have done here since the 1970s.

In fact, Taiping captain Nelson Liu said the inspiration for building the historic vessel came in part from the voyages of the double-hulled Hawaiian canoe.

At 2 p.m. today, the two vessels will sail from Sand Island and travel down the Honolulu coast to Waikiki, up to Diamond Head, and back for sunset.

The best place to see the dual voyage is probably at Magic Island, said Aaron Kandell of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hokule'a's parent organization.

Around mid-February, the Taiping will head home for Taipei via Saipan, Kandell said. It traveled as far as Alaska and California, making it the first Chinese junk to make a complete trip across the Pacific and back.

Kandell encouraged people to visit the Taiping and its crew. The vessel is docked at Ala Wai Boat Harbor.