The Hawaiian Islands are a special place that can’t be match by other island destinations, which is one reason why people make repeated visits to the Island each year.
There are eight islands that make up the island-state. Of the eight, six are open to visitors. The other six include the following islands: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii (often referred to as the Big Island).
OAHU: The most popular island is Oahu where you will find the capital of the state, Honolulu. This island is also home to one of the most famous beaches in the world, Waikiki. It is the most populated of all the Hawaiian Islands, created over 4 million years ago. Oahu is an island paradise that offers a wide range of activities, which blends old traditional Hawaii with the hustle and bustle of a contemporary city. Honolulu is the largest city on the Hawaiian Islands, the Waikiki area is very popular and often crowded; however, there are many areas on Oahu that will leave one wanting to return again and again. Besides visiting the tourist locations of Pearl Harbor, one can travel to the far north side of the Island to visit the Dole Pineapple Plantation, to the North Shore for tranquility, gorgeous, big surf waves at Waimea, great shrimp at Kahuku, courtesy of Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck, world-class golf at the Turtle Bay Resort, and all amongst a countryesqe backdrop. You think... country and ocean? Yes, country and ocean!
BIG ISLAND: The island of Hawaii is endearingly referred to as the Big Island because it is so big! It’s massive size is larger than all the islands in the rest of state put together! But it’s because of its sheer size that makes the Big Island so special. It boasts at least 13 climatic zones, so one can enjoy the sun, snow, rain and even desert conditions! Of course no trip to the Big Island would be complete without a visit to Volcano National Park - a live and active volcano that sometimes treats visitors to an incredible visual display of molten orange lava.
MAUI:
Maui, also called the Valley Isle, is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands.
Central Maui where the majority of Maui’s population lives and it is the center of the business community. The swap meet in this area is a great place to buy souveniers.
West Maui some of the best beaches on the island. This is where you will find highest concentration of resorts and hotels.
South Maui is hottest and driest part of Maui. It the location of Wailea, which is the home of multi-million dollar resort hotels. It boast year-round sunshine and black lava shores.
Upcountry Maui is the location of Haleakala, the 10,000 foot mountain located in the center of Maui. On the slopes of Haleakala, House of the Sun, you will find emerald fields, flower farms and even a grove of California redwood. A popular activity is to watch the sun rise from the top of the mountain and then cycle back down - not for the faint of heart! The Road to Hana can be found in
East Maui. The Hana Highway is a 52 mile road that winds around 600 curves and 50 one-way bridges. This side of the island gets more rainfall, so the forests are lush and green. There are many scenic stops along the way, so it usually take more than the stated 3 hours to reach Hana. Maui is a great place for active people because there are so many places to explore, things to do and things to see. But it’s also great for doing a little snorkeling and kicking back in the sun!
KAUAI: MOLOKAI:
