• The state of Hawaii includes approximately 130 islands in the Pacific Ocean, many of which are uninhabited. The islands lie about 1,600 miles (2,600km) off the coast of mainland USA. The largest island, Hawaii, is known imaginatively as the Big Island, but the state capital, Honolulu, and most of the population is located on the smaller island of Oahu, which is also the main tourist destination. The other main islands are Maui, Molokai and Kauai.

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• A quick iternary:

   

  Saturday - land in Honolulu, board ship
   Sunday - ship arrives in Hilo (big island).  We rent a car and go to Volcano National Park, other sites
   Monday - ship arrives in Maui.  We rent a car and drive road to Hana.
   Tuesday - ship remains in Maui.  We check out West Maui beaches.
   Wednesday - ship arrives in Kona (big island).  We do Captain Zodiac Snorkel excursion.
   Thursday - ship arrives in Kauai.  We rent a car and go to Waimea Canyon.  That night we have Luau excursion.
   Friday - We go to local beaches in morning, ship departs in afternoon.
   Saturday - We arrive back in Honolulu.  We rent a car and go to Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona.  Our flights leaves that night (red eye).

• Hawaii Photos
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• The youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands, the island of Hawaii (known as Big Island to avoid confusion) is one of the few places on earth where visitors can go from snowboarding to snorkelling in a single day!
• Big Island, however, actually has twelve distinct climatic zones ranging from tropical rain forests in the east to the frozen tundra atop Mauna Kea and the arid desert of Ka'u in the south.

• Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

   

  Hawaii's oldest food festival is celebrated in the heartland of American coffee country, the town of Kailua-Kona, from where the famous liqueur derives its name. The just-over-a-week-long festival has numerous other associated events including parades, art exhibitions, races, golf and cultural workshops. Several coffee related activities such as tours of farms, brewing secrets, and competitions run throughout the festival.

      

  Venue: Kailua-Kona;  Date: 2-11 November 2007;  Website: www.konacoffeefest.com

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• We took a packaged tour through Pleasant Hawaiian. I'm glad we did, since this was our first trip to Hawaii. Pleasant gave us introductions at both islands, and included some useful coupons for the typical things a first-time visitor does.

• Duty Free: Travellers to the United States who are returning residents of the country do not have to pay duty on articles purchased abroad to the value of $800 provided their stay was longer than 48 hours and their duty-free allowance was not used in the 30-day period prior.

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• Luaus are standard fare in the Islands...they're Hawaii's way of saying, "Let's party!" At a luau there's dancing, singing, plenty of laughs and lots of food.

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• The tiny Hawaiian island of Molokai has been called the 'island that the world has left behind'.
• It is largely untouched by tourism and development, there are no highrise buildings, traffic lights or fast food outlets, even in the main town of Kaunakakai.

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•  What's best for your budget? Hawaii's lodging rates vary, but generally follow these pricing standards: 

   • "Economy" = $49 to $89 (per night)
   • "Moderate" = $90 to $149
   • "Deluxe" = $150 to $350
   • "Luxury" = $350-plus

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• The main attraction on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is its natural beauty and unassuming lifestyle of the people.
• There are also some restored historic sites to explore, like the Alekoko Fishpond near Nawiliwili Harbour on the southeast coast, regarded as an engineering wonder of ancient times.

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• Oahu is only the third largest of the inhabited Hawaiian islands, but it is home to nearly three-quarters of the state's residents, most of them living in the ultra-modern capital city, Honolulu, and its adjacent beach resort suburb of Waikiki, on the south coast of the island.

• Moloka'i Hoe Canoe Racing

   

  Outrigger canoe racing is embedded in the culture of Hawaii, and each year the race, considered to be the world championship, attracts thousands of fans.

• Attractions

     

  Arizona Memorial Museum   The USS Arizona was one of several United States battle ships that were sunk by the Japanese Imperial Navy during its surprise historic attack on Pearl Harbour, Oahu, on December 7, 1941, causing the US to enter into World War II.

• Beaches

   

  The main attraction for visitors to Oahu are the range of 139 beaches which, from the pounding waves of the north shore to the gentle swells of Waikiki in the south, offer the chance to bathe and soak up the sun, or tackle a variety of active watersports in water temperatures that never fall below 75ºF (24ºC) all year round.
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  Bishop Museum

   

  The Bishop Museum in Honolulu is the largest museum in Hawaii and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific, recognised worldwide for its cultural collections, research projects and educational programmes.

• Honolulu’s Chinatown

   

  Enter Honolulu’s Chinatown neighbourhood through the Gateway Plaza on the corner of Bethel and Hotel streets in the city’s downtown business district, and you step into an exciting and exotic world made up of a colourful and eclectic blend of Southeast Asian cultures.

• Iolani Palace

   

  The only royal residence in the United States, the Iolani Palace, stands on the corner of King and Richard Streets in Honolulu, its opulent interior giving a glimpse into the lives of Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs between 1882 and 1893.

• Polynesian Cultural Centre

   

  Hawaii's top tourist attraction, the Polynesian Cultural Centre, is situated on the Kamehameha Highway in Laie on the scenic north shore of Oahu island. T

• Valley of the Temples

   

  Opposite a bustling shopping centre on the Kahekili Highway in Kaneohe, below the Koolau mountains, nestles a little piece of Japan tucked away in Hawaii.

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• Hula down to Hilo, which has been dubbed 'Hawaii's forgotten city' on the coast of the Big Island, for a dose of old-time Hawaii.

• Attractions

     

  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park   In the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park surrounding the earth's most massive volcano, Mauna Loa, visitors can actually watch lava flow into the sea from Kilauea, the still active on-site volcano.

• Pacific Tsunami Museum

   

  Hilo has been destroyed several times by tsunami (tidal waves). The first-hand oral testimony of tsunami survivors is now preserved along with some other fascinating information in the Pacific Tsunami Museum, located on Kamehameha Avenue in the town.

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• Hilo Town: A Lot More Than Meets the Eye

     Hilo is located on the east, or windward, side of the Big Island. The city faces the large crescent bay, with the towering mountains of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa as a backdrop.

• A must-see on any visit to Hilo is Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park includes the Jaggar Observatory, hiking trails, Halemaumau Crater, Bird Park and plenty of activities. 
  • More about Volcanoes National Park   

   Be sure to plan a morning trip to admire the rainbows that give Rainbow Falls its name. From Highway 19, go west on Waianuenue Avenue about 1.5 mi/2.5 km and follow the signs.

  If you're driving above Hilo on Waianuenue, turn right at the fork in the road and continue to the lookout to see Boiling Pots, a stretch of the Wailuku River where the water eddies and swirls in natural whirlpools. (Resist the temptation to swim in the river, because the strong currents and hidden rocks and ledges make it very dangerous.) About 5 mi/8 km farther, off Saddle Road, are the Kaumana Caves — their lava tubes formed during the 1881 eruption of Mauna Loa. (If you want to explore the tubes, take a flashlight.)