Hawaiian Islands are the Vacationers’ Favorite
Hawaii is a set of island in the Pacific Ocean, located approximately five hours by air from San Francisco or Los Angeles. A long time favorite of the mainland USA traveler, Japanese and Asians have held a passion for island retreats, and now Canadians are coming on board, looking to vacation in the paradise beyond compare.
For mainland surfing buffs and pros, Hawaii is considered the premier surfing spot in the United States. The waves are some of the largest, offering fabulous opportunities for a ride. That’s why Hawaii is well known among the world surfing culture and you can pretty much bet that surfers who travel the globe will add Hawaii to their list of “must-see” experiences.
For the rest of us who’ve eaten Macadamia nuts, dined on pineapple chunks or worn a tropical shirt or skirt, a visit to the islands offers these delights, but quite a bit more, actually.
From cascading waterfalls to tropical gardens, smooth sandy beaches to sunshine, tradewinds and those afternoon showers, Hawaii lives to a different time zone and speed than the mainland. They have their own language, sayings, customs and style of living, and those are the things that endear people to Hawaii.
Most trips begin at Honolulu on the Big Island of Hawaii. While the state is comprised of over 100 islands and atols, there are several that are geared toward serving the tourist crowds. The Big Island is the most popular and offers the greatest number of hotels for vacations. It includes Hilo, known for waterfalls, rainforests and botanical gardens. Another popular attraction is Kilauea, an active volcano located in Hawaii Volcano’s National Park. As the most active volcano in the world, locals hold great respect for the power of nature. Kohala Coast on the Big Island is ranked as one of the top 50 destinations worldwide. A visit is the only way to find out why.
The second island in size and popularity is Maui. Luxury resorts abound, as do golf courses on this playground of celebrities, the wealthy, corporate guests, and ordinary folks. Maui has many attractions, yet retains the charm of its historic roots. From a winery to sugar cane factory, whale watching to scuba diving, Maui offers a lush, green environment that’s best enjoyed on car trips and touring around the island. If you stayed strictly in the popular villages, your view of this paradise would be distorted, as you’d believe it was really an over-rated tourist trap.
Other islands you can access via plane jumper flights or by boat include Lanai, which doesn’t have a single traffic light. On Molokai half the population is native, and preservation of culture is a biggie.
Oahu is home to the surfing paradise, North Shore. The capitol is in Oahu and half the island population lives on this very popular island, where the world famous Wakiki Beach melts tourists’ cares away on a daily basis.
Kauai is the island of romance. The oldest island in the chain is swept with beauty and grace, and is a great place to go for nature adventures or honeymoon seclusion. Several attraction on Kauai include the golden colored Coconut Coast, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific at Waimea Canyon and towering cliffs at Napali Coast, accessible on boat excursions.
If you need some reasons to visit Hawaii, several include health, relaxation, unwinding, do nothing, see blue, blue skies, bluer oceans and green fields and mountains. The weather is but one delight. The saturated colors of the landscapes seem to beautiful for words, and barely real. People go to Hawaii as a treat, and because they believe they are worth it.
