Adventure
Visiting the Islands
Your First Visit is on the Maui
Island.
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Welcome to Maui
Known as the “Valley Isle,” Maui is dotted with
quaint towns, artist communities, and local favorites that have been around for
generations. Head to Wailuku for pastries from a “mom and pop” bakery, or head
to Lahaina for a taste of Maui’s famed farm-to-table cuisine. From shimmering
beaches and sacred Iao Valley to migrating humpback whales and sunset on
Haleakala, it’s not surprising Maui was voted the “Best Island” by the readers
of Conde Nast Traveler for 19 years.
No doubt about it, Maui is the best island in the world.
Travelers around the globe favor “The Valley Isle” so much, they’ve named it a
top destination and the best island.
Possessing a luxurious and hip image, Maui hosts
world-class resorts, exciting activities, and championship golf, all surrounded
by staggering natural beauty. The islands’ “aloha spirit” and native host
Hawaiian culture provide an unparalleled vacation experience.
In addition to relaxing by the resort pool or on the
beach with a great book and the iconic fruity cocktail, visitors can take
advantage of activities such as golf, sailing, eco-tours, shopping, ziplining,
wine tasting, and farm tours plus so much more.
The central Maui town of Kahului/Wailuku is the island’s
business center, while West Maui hosts sprawling beaches, upscale hotels of Kaʻanapali
and the historic whaling town of Lahaina. South Maui is home to a high-end
resort district, Wailea, plus offers a good spot for snorkeling, diving and
wildlife watching. Maui’s best area to explore underwater is the lava rock
crescent-shaped Molokini, so take a 25-minute boat ride and explore.
ʻIao Valley, reposing between the volcanoes near
Kahoʻolawe, is a place the modern world seems to have left behind. There is
fascinating and dramatic history here, much of it violent, with the ʻIao Needle
rock pillar having served as a natural altar.
In the case of Hana, the journey may be as important as
the destination. With giant waterfalls, artist hamlets, and rainbows along the
way, make it a day trip and stop for picnic supplies in Paʻia. The infamous Road
to Hana is curvy and minimally maintained. Thank goodness the development of this
isolated town has been limited so visitors can enjoy a truer sense of Hawaii.
Once Maui’s bawdy whaling port, today’s Lahaina town is
picture perfect, hosts lively nightspots while daytime brings crowds of
tourists. If you need a T-shirt, souvenir shops aplenty along Front Street will
have you covered. Park the car and walk the historic tour away from the masses.
The demi-god Maui is a household name from Tonga to the
Society Islands, to the Marquesas to Hawaii. Something of a trickster, Maui had
a place in his heart for mortals and is celebrated throughout the Pacific for
such feats as giving fire to humans (after stealing it from its supernatural guardians)
and fishing the islands of the Pacific from out of their watery depths.
Over the millennia Maui’s geography has changed
drastically. Formed by six different volcanoes, the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi,
Lanaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe were once a single landmass known as Maui
Nui (“Great Maui”). Rising sea levels eventually separated the
islands, though they are still legally linked today – all are part of Maui
County.
Haleakala, whose name translates as “house
of the sun,” is the largest dormant volcano in the
world. Not yet extinct, it is expected to erupt sometime
in the next 200 years (it last erupted in 1790).
The underwater
valleys that once connected Maui, Molokaʻi, Lanaʻi, and Kahoʻolawe are
shallower than the surrounding ocean, providing shelter for an abundance
of marine life — including the humpback whales that
migrate to Hawaiian waters during winter months to give birth to their
calves.
Temperatures on Maui range from 70 to 80
degrees Fahrenheit year-round, although the slopes of Haleakala Crater
often see lows of 40 degrees. The lowest recorded temperature on Haleakala
was 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Maui’s official
flower is the loke lani (pink
cottage rose)
Maui’s official
color is pink
Oahu
Welcome To Oahu
Sometimes called “The Gathering
Place,” Oahu certainly lives up to its name. The third largest Hawaiian island
is home to the majority of Hawaii’s diverse population, a fusion of east and
west cultures rooted in the values and traditions of the Native Hawaiian
people. It’s this fundamental contrast between the ancient and the modern that
makes discovering Oahu so enjoyable. Whether you're hiking atop iconic Leahi
(Diamond Head), enjoying some of Hawaii's best shopping, or simply unwinding on
the sands of the island's beautiful beaches,
you'll find variety at every turn on Oahu.
Oʻahu’s diverse tropical terrain, unmatched ocean views, and wide
range of activities will bring out your adventurous side. Hike to the top of the iconic volcanic
crater (Lēʻahi (Lēʻahi Head) Head) for a panoramic view of Waikīkī. Crisscross the picturesque countryside on
horseback or on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) at Kuaola Ranch or run the popular paths of Ala Moana
Beach Park, Kapiʻolani Park in Waikīkī or the Lēʻahi Head Loop from the Waikīkī Bandstand to Lēʻahi via Monsarrat Avenue. Whether
you’re hiking, biking, driving, golfing, or riding, you can hit the ground
running on your visit to Oʻahu.
And, last, but
definitely not least experience a lūʻau during an evening celebrating Hawaiian and Polynesian
traditions along with a feast of traditional foods like Kālua pig and poi (taro).
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Geography
History
Nature
Unique to Here
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Visitors
usually have an initial shock when they arrive in Honolulu. This is not a quiet
resort town. Instead, you are greeted by a thriving world-class city, with a
beach that rivals any in the world. As a matter of fact, this natural harbor was
once home to the Hawaiian royal court.
The capital of Honolulu is the cultural,
industrial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the
heart of the tourist industry with the famous Waikiki Beach. Along the beach,
there are many shops with lots of neat things to buy as souvenirs, as well as
fine restaurants to try as well. Sports enthusiasts can go canoeing,
snorkeling, surfing, or horseback riding along the beach.
Kauai
Welcome To Kauaʻi
Unwind and let the oxygen-rich air of
Kauaʻi’s Wailua River invigorate your spirit as you kayak to a cascading
waterfall. Or breathe deeply at the edge of the time-swept Waimea Canyon as it
speaks to you without words. On Kauaʻi, native fishponds amaze with 1,000-year-old forward thinking, while legends of the Napali Coast transport you back in
time. From the small towns of Hanapepe and Old Koloa Town to sunny Poipu Beach,
this is true “Hawaii’s Island of Discovery.”
Kauai, the oldest island of the Hawaiian Islands, is a place where
worries vanish in the trade winds, warm saltwater laps the golden sands of Kauai’s
Beaches, and the rain forests of Koke’e host earth’s
rarest plants and birds. The tiny tropical island of Kaua’i has kept herself charmed, mysterious, and unconquered.
Here you will experience the secrets of Garden Island as you dive into the beauty Kauai has to
offer. From the moment you step off the plane, the balmy trade winds will remind
you, there is no place like the Garden Isle of Kauai.
When Captain James Cook first arrived in 1778 h
was welcomed by long-ago-migrated Polynesians who lived in established
communities led by the Kamehameha royal family. In 1809, King Kamehameha I
moved his royal court from the island of Hawaii to Oahu.
The Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is
a bay formed in the crater of an extinct volcano and filled with a
wonderful coral reef and fish. It is a great place for snorkeling and scuba
diving. You'll want to get there early in the morning as they control the
number of visitors per day.