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Hawaii is like an artist’s sun-kissed pallet: rain forests adorned in the deepest
greens; lush fruits and flowers of vibrant reds, yellows and pinks; all set
on the canvas of an azure-blue ocean. Mark Twain,
the famous American writer/humorist who visited in the late 19th century
described the Aloha state as the “The loveliest fleet of islands that lies
anchored in any ocean,” an apt description then and one that continues to be
true today.
A visit to Hawaii blends dramatic volcanic
landscapes, tropical climate, luxury resorts and the islands' unique Polynesian culture
into a vacation experience that is unrivaled anywhere in the world. Hawaii offers warm weather, broad sandy beaches, lush tropical
vegetation, water sports and a slower pace to the day's events than we
experience at home. Hawaii is a place to relax while experiencing the
countless ways to enjoy your vacation in paradise.
The Hawaiian Islands attract seven million visitors per year. The majority
of guests arrive from the western United States, followed in rank order by
visitors from the eastern United States, Japan, Australia, the United
Kingdom and Korea. For most travelers it takes a long plane ride to get
there, but visiting Hawaii is worth the effort.
Hawaii has six destination islands 0ahu, Maui, the Big Island (named
Hawaii), Kauai, Lanai and Molokai. Of
the visitors to the Aloha state, two-thirds visit only one island and almost
fifty percent of all visitors make that island Oahu, lured by Waikiki,
Honolulu and the famous surfing beaches of the North Shore. Oahu is an
incredible vacation
destination, but we hope to persuade you to sample the “other” Hawaii as
well. Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and Lanai all have distinctly
different flavors and are attractive vacation destinations. We do not
cover Molokai, perhaps the least developed island of the Hawaiian chain.
While we are focused on where people visit, we should mention that the
peak travel period is Christmas to Easter, although July and August comprise
a secondary peak.
Our Hawaii Travel Guides
ThereArePlaces Hawaii Guide covers
Oahu,
Maui,
the Big Island,
Kauai and
Lanai. We believe that these islands are the
most attractive for vacationing. Our guides to the Hawaiian Islands are concise,
illustrated and focused on the Best Places to Visit in Hawaii. Clicking the map symbol next to an
attraction or place name will show you its location on a detailed map of
that island in Hawaii.
Why Vacation in Hawaii?
Once you land upon her shores, Hawaii will
captivate you with the scent of tropical flowers carried by soft, warm
breezes. Year round, the daytime temperature ranges between 75º and 85º and
is perfect for enjoying a day of water sports, golf, sightseeing or just laying
at the beach. Something wonderful seems to happen during vacations in
Hawaii. Maybe its the tropics, or the distance away from the "real
world" back home, but everything other than vacationing
and having fun seems to melt away with the suntan lotion.
Hawaii’s leading resorts often bill themselves as "a complete vacation” and,
we think, this is an apt description of many of the resorts in Hawaii. There is often no compelling reason to leave the larger properties,
since everything you might want is likely to be supplied there. But trust
us; you will finally get tired of relaxing and lazing about at the pool or
the beach and want to head out for something , well, different - and Hawaii
excels at providing unique experiences.
Sunsets in Hawaii can be
spectacular
While Hawaii is a place to relax and get away from it all, it’s not one of
those
boring vacation spots where there is “nothing to do” buy sit in the sun. If you get tired of soaking up the
rays, you will find that Hawaii
offers excellent surfing, diving, golfing, hiking, biking, windsailing and
paragliding. If you are an adventurer, you already know that the Hawaiian
Islands owe their existence to volcanoes. If you are among the brave at
heart, the Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island can provide an
incredible adventure. Haleakala on Maui also can provide exceptional
adventure for those interested in trekking. If you are really capable,
you can learn to Hula - it is harder than it looks and more fun than
you can imagine.
The uniqueness of the Islands includes the Hawaiian culture. Although most
often seen by tourist as the luau and Hawaiian print clothing, the Hawaiian people have an
interesting history. Their's is a complex culture that includes wonderful
lore and important links between the Hawaiians and the earth. It is our
belief that the closer you get to Hawaiian culture, the more you will enjoy
your trip to the Islands.
For those interested in twentieth century history, there are dramatic
memorials commemorating the deaths resulting from the December 7, 1941
attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, an act that caused a state of war to exist
between the present day allies. Although war memorials are not of
interest to everyone, visiting the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is,
for many, an important part of the Hawaiian experience.
In our Hawaii Guide, we explore Hawaii, its islands
and the best places to visit. If you read along with us, we think that your
next vacation might just find you saying “Aloha”. We have arranged our
descriptions of the islands to cover Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and
Lanai (we do not cover Molokai). Oahu is the island with the most to do and
the number and types of activities decline as the islands decrease in size
and population.
Hawaii is a tropical paradise and most people travel there to take some time
to rest and relax in the tropics. If you are looking for a non-stop action packed
adventure, Hawaii may not be the right place for you. If you are looking
for great weather, fantastic beaches, excellent water sports and an
interesting cultural environment, then read about the wonder of Hawaii.
Travel Preparations for
Visiting Hawaii
The “rainy” season is December to March. Although storms are more common in
winter, it does not seem to change anybody’s travel plans since this period is
also the peak tourist season. It is the best time of year for professional-quality surfing, luxurious vegetation and lazing on the beach. There is a secondary
peak tourist season in summer, when it is both drier and warmer than in winter,
but this one reflects school being out and is when most families can stay in
Hawaii long enough to make it worth the flight. The lowest prices for rooms are
usually found during the “shoulder seasons” of April/May and September/October.
In our opinion, Hawaii is a great place to visit whenever you can get there.
What kind of clothes should you take?
It's the tropics, so
bring lightweight clothes. During the days you may spend a lot of your time
in swimwear. When you are touring or eating, you will probably want to wear
shorts, short-sleeve tops and sandals. In the evenings you may want to
nightclub or hit fine restaurants, so pack a
dress, or a sports coat, as appropriate. A light jacket or a windbreaker is
usually a good item to pack, since the temperature drops in the evenings,
especially on the coast or in the highlands.
If you are planning on
visiting Haleakala on Maui or Mauna Kea or Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on
the Big Island you should pack a sweater/sweatshirt, windbreaker and hiking
shoes.
Sunscreen, sun glasses
and hats to protect from the sun are a good idea for everyone, as the sun's
rays are more direct in Hawaii than where most of us live.
Island Hopping?
If you have never been
to Hawaii, we recommend that you plan a visit that includes Oahu and one
other island. Oahu has a lot to see and is a fun place to visit for a few
days but, to many tourists, it not the most attractive of the Hawaiian
Islands. We suggest that you spend three or four days exploring Oahu and
then head for Maui, the Big Island or Kauai for the another week, if you
have the time.
The main method of
inter-Island travel is by air. Aloha Airlines, Island Air, go! and Hawaiian
Airlines provide flights between all of the islands. The main airports are
in Honolulu (HNL), Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, Kahului (OGG)
on Maui and Lihue (LIH) on Kauai. There are smaller airports on Lanai and
Molokai.
In 2007, Hawaii Superferry launched an inter-island car-ferry service
connecting Oahu and Maui.
The company was scheduled to start its ferry service between Oahu and Kauai and Oahu and
Maui on August 28, 2007 with service to the Big Island scheduled to
start in 2009. Unfortunately, legal issues popped up and, at
present, the ferry connects
only Maui and Oahu. For current
information see
www.hawaiisuperferry.com/.
Also, two additional
ferries, unrelated to the Superferry, operate from Maui.
One connects with Lanai and the other with Molokai, both are passenger only.
Hawaii
Cruises
Cruising Hawaii sounds
idyllic, but there are a couple of clinkers for you to consider.
The islands and ports
that may be included on a cruise itinerary include:
Oahu (Honolulu), Maui (Lahaina or Kahului), the Big Island (Kailua-Kona or Hilo)
and Kauai (Nawiliwili).
You really have two
choices in respect to itineraries and the difference is significant.
First,
Norwegian Cruise Lines is the only carrier that operates boats that are U.S.
flagged. This means that the NCL ships that are Hawaii-based are
currently the only liners that can cruise the Hawaiian Islands without
having to make a stop in a "foreign" port. For
example, Norwegian
runs some cruises using liners that are not U.S. flagged and these tour the
Hawaiian chain and then make a run to Fanning Island in Kiribati to satisfy
the "foreign" port requirement, before returning to Oahu.
Fanning island is 1200
miles southwest of Hawaii.
Other cruise lines
employ other
variations. For example, Celebrity runs a Hawaiian cruise that you can pick
up in Los Angeles, stop in Ensenada, Mexico, cruise to Hawaii and then tour
the islands. Or you can catch the cruise in Honolulu, tour the islands
and, then, head for Ensenada and Los Angeles. Cruising from the Pacific
Coast to Hawaii or the reverse requires 5 days of cruising at sea, so
if your vacation time is limited to you might want to consider a "Hawaii-only"
cruise. In addition,
cruises involving the West Coast require you to buy a one way ticket either
to or from Hawaii, and these types of airfares usually
cost a premium.
The foreign port
requirement would lead you to think that
most
people would simply cruise NCL to avoid the hassle. Unfortunately, the three U.S. flagged, Norwegian liners that qualify to cruise exclusively in Hawaiian
waters have not received glowing reviews. We advise you to research
the experience that other travelers have had with Norwegian's
Hawaii-only liners .
Finally,
before you sign up for a cruise, consider that most vacationers
go to Hawaii to sit on the beach, or at the pool, or in the spa and do lots
of nothing separated by trips to see the local attractions when they feel
they need a break. Sitting around the pool in a boat is not like
sitting on the beach in Hawaii! Also, those of you who have cruised before know that cruise
line land tours are scripted, hurried and often less than satisfying. If you
really want to see the Hawaiian Islands, we think you need to be land
based. Of course, if you have been there before, a cruise could be a great
way to gain a new perspective on Hawaii.
Exploring the islands
Plan on renting a car if you want to explore Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (the Big
Island) and Kauai, as there is little in the way of public transportation.
An alternative is to find a tour company and let them arrange explorations
for you.
It is likely that you will spend most of your time at
the resort, if so, consider renting a c a car for just a day or two. If you
a real explorer and want
to experience all that each island offers, you will need a car for a
longer period.
Facts you should know about Hawaii
Windward and Leeward sides of islands.
The windward side of the Hawaiian Islands is the coast hit by the prevailing Northeast
Trade Winds, which flow from the northeast to the southwest. These
winds generally strike the northern or eastern side of the islands, which is called the windward side.
The windward side is usually the wetter side of the island, as the land
elevation forces the wind to rise to cross the island. Ascending air masses cool, which
may cause the water vapor they carry to condense and precipitate as rain. The
Leeward side of the island is usually the drier side of the island, since
the air carried by the winds has lost its moisture on the windward side of
the island. In addition, it is often warmer on the leeward side of the
islands, because the trade winds warm as they head to lower elevations after
crossing higher land.
Waterfalls and rainforests area common on the windward side
of islands and rare on the leeward side. Honolulu, Kanapali and Kona are
located on the leeward side of their respective islands.
Hawaii and volcanoes
The Hawaiian Islands are over 2400 miles from the nearest continent. This
mid-Pacific island chain has been forming over the last 81 million years as
the Pacific Plate (one of many major movable sections of the earth’ surface)
slowly edges northwest. The path of these "migrating" islands
passes over a stationary source of magma (a plume) that winds through the
earth's crust and eventually oozes out onto
the floor of the Pacific Ocean.
Countless eruptions over millions of years
sometimes produce layered mounds of lava that are able grow and break the
ocean's surface, despite the scouring action of the Pacific. When this happens, an island is born. However, because
the plate continues to move towards the northwest, the volcanoes are
eventually cut off from the sub-surface lava plume. When this happens,
the island reaches a mature stage and it is likely that another new island
will start to form to the south.
Which Hawaiian Island was created first?
In chronological age, the Big Island is the youngest of the Hawaiian chain,
and the other islands increase in age to the north, with Kauai being the
first (oldest) Hawaiian Island.
The Big Island is currently the lava hotspot in Hawaii, but its lava action
occurs on the south end of the island. Further south of the Big
Island, an island-to-be named Loihi is already building up beneath the
surface of the Pacific.
Hawaii and Earthquakes
On October 15, 2006, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake
occurred 10 miles west-southwest of Waikoloa
off the west coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. Although there was some
structural damage across the Big Island, there were no deaths and limited
casualties. Large earthquakes are relatively rare in Hawaii, although
the Big Island is one of the most active seismic zones in the world.
The majority of the Big Island earthquakes are small in magnitude and related to the
movement of magma flowing through the Kilauea and Loihi volcanoes.
The cause of the October 15th earthquake
appears to be related to the weight of the lava that has
accumulated during the Big Island's rise from the sea floor. The distance
between the highest elevation on island and the sea floor is approximately 30,000 feet. The weight of this landmass depresses the earth's
crust around the edges of the island and, from time to time, a rebounding
effect generates shearing and tearing of the crust that results in
earthquakes. In addition, the Hawaiian Islands are part of a chain of
volcanoes that stretches nearly 3500 mile across the North Pacific Ocean.
Due to the movement of the earth's crust resulting from plate tectonics, the
Hawaiian Island chain is moving to the northwest. These movements of the
crust cause earthquakes in zones where plates collide.
Hawaii and Tsunamis
Major earthquakes that lower or raise of the earth's crust can result in the formation of Tsunamis.
Tsunamis are large, rapidly moving ocean waves triggered by a
major disturbance of the ocean floor. They are often caused by earthquakes but can be produced by submarine landslides or a volcanic
eruptions. Tsunamis have been referred to as "tidal waves," but they
have no relation to tides.
Hawaii is included in the Pacific
Tsunami Warning System, which is headquartered at Ewa Beach on Oahu. The system
relies on sea-level monitoring instrumentation to determine when tsunami
warnings should be issued.
Although an infrequent phenomenon, tidal waves have occurred in Hawaii on
the east coast of the Big Island at Hilo and further south.
If a tsunami warning is issued, local
authorities will implement evacuation plans. Do not return to
low-lying areas until notified by the authorities.
Hawaii's No Smoking Ban
In November of 2006, the State of Hawaii banned public smoking in enclosed
or partially enclosed areas (both public and State owned) that are open to
the public (including private businesses). Although hotels can reserve 20%
of their rooms for smokers, smoking is not allowed in lobbies, reception
areas, restaurants, bars or other public areas. In addition, the ban
applies at airports, aquariums, galleries, libraries, museums, lobbies, bars
(indoor or out), elevators, nightclubs, restaurants, sports venues, retail
shops and malls. For more information, see this
site.
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