 Facts at a
Glance
Area: 6470 sq miles
Population: 1,160,000
State capital: Honolulu (pop 385,000)
People: 32% mixed ethnicity, 22% Caucasian, 22% Japanese, 12% Filipino, 5% Chinese, 1% Hawaiian
Language: English plus pidgin
Religion: Predominantly Catholic, but also Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Jewish and Muslim
 Environment
The US state of Hawaii lies 1470 miles north of the equator and 2500 miles south-west of the nearest continental land mass, North America. The six main islands are part of a 128-island archipelago stretching 1523 miles from Kure Atoll in the north-west to the Big Island in the south-west. The main islands include Oahu, and the Neighbor Islands of Maui, Kauai, the Big Island (Hawaii), Molokai and Lanai. The islands are the tips of massive mountains, created by a crack in the earth's mantle which has been spewing molten rock for 25 million years. The Big Island, Hawaii's southernmost, is still in the birthing process. Its most active volcano, Kilauea, has pumped out more than two billion cubic yards of lava in the past 12 years.
The native flora and fauna species of these isolated islands evolved with limited competition and few predators, so has fared particularly badly against more aggressive species introduced by early Polynesian settlers and Westerners. The islands are home to thousands of species, but of the 2400 native plant species remaining, almost half are endangered. It's a happier story in the sea. Hawaiian monk seals, dolphins and whales are year-round residents, though it's the huge, migrating humpback whales that everyone wants to see. Hawaii has only two national parks - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Haleakala National Park.
 Orchids & Anthurium (13K)
The climate in Hawaii is fantastic. It's balmy and warm, with north-easterly trade winds prevailing most of the year. Near the coast, average highs are a pleasant 27 degrees Celsius, and the difference between summer and winter average temperatures is a meagre five degrees Celsius. The rainiest period is between December and March. In general, the driest, sunniest conditions and the calmest waters are on the south-westerly, or leeward, side of the islands. Conversely, the north-easterly, or windward, side of the islands receive decent rainfalls: Hilo, the rainiest city in the USA, is on the windward side of the Big Island.
 History
The first Polynesians, believed to be from the Marquesas, settled on this island chain some time between 500 and 600 AD. They lived a rather peaceful life until, in 1000 AD, the Tahitians arrived and introduced their customs, religion and a strict social order. The first known Westerner to visit the islands was British explorer Captain James Cook who arrived in 1778. Cook named the Hawaiian archipelago the Sandwich Islands, in honor of the Earl of Sandwich. At first, Cook was heralded as the legendary Lono, god of fertility and peace, but a freakish turn of events led to his fatal stabbing at Kealakekau Bay on the Big Island.
A witness to Cook's slaying was a fierce warrior, known as King Kamehameha or Kamehameha the Great, who was to unify the Hawaiian islands and establish the Hawaiian monarchy. Kamehameha engaged in lucrative trade with American sea captains interested in Hawaii's sandalwood forests. As more ships found their way to this new port of call, a foreign presence began to establish itself on Hawaiian shores. In the 1820s, Yankee whaling ships began calling on Hawaiian ports in search of wine, women and song, and for the next 50 years Hawaii was the center of the Pacific whaling industry, bringing big money to the islands. The social excesses of the whalers were curtailed by the presence of Christian missionaries who befriended the Hawaiian royalty and introduced more 'refined' Western social mores.
In the mid-1800s, descendants of the missionaries established Hawaii's sugar industry. The declining native population meant plantation owners soon began to look overseas for a labor supply. Laborers were recruited from China, then Japan, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Korea and finally from the Philippines. As Hawaii's sugar industry grew, the USA became more integral in the affairs of the Hawaiian islands. As a means of eliminating tariffs, the plantation owners announced a provisional government which eventually led to the overthrow of the monarchy and established Hawaii as a territory of the USA in 1900. Hawaii's importance to the USA grew as the US Navy established a huge military base at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was the pivotal event which persuaded the USA to enter WW II. After the war, opinion polls showed that more than 90% of Hawaiian residents favored US statehood. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state of the USA.
The following years saw the development of Hawaii as a major tourist destination with numerous resorts, golf courses and shopping centers being built. To combat the increasing development, a number of state parks, wilderness sanctuaries and marine reserves have been established. In the 1970s, a Hawaiian cultural renaissance reasserted local cultural values in the face of tourist-brochure parodies. In the past few years, sovereignty has become a key political issue. While some Hawaiian groups favor the restoration of the monarchy, other native groups are calling for a Hawaiian nation within the USA and the return of crown lands taken during annexation. In November 1993, US President Bill Clinton signed a resolution apologizing for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom 100 years earlier.
 Culture
Traditional Hawaiian culture and the customs of Hawaii's ethnically diverse immigrants are an integral part of the social fabric. This is not simply a place where East meets West, but a place where the cultures merge in a manner which seems to bring out the best in all of them. The revival of traditional Hawaiian culture has seen an explosion of Hula halaus (schools) and many Hawaiian artists and craftspeople are returning to traditional mediums and themes such a tapa weaving, quilt making and the creation of colorful leis.
Byodo-In Temple, Oahu - get to Japan without flying to Tokyo (9K)
English is the dominant language in Hawaii, but it is infused with Hawaiian words, phrases and pidgin slang. The Hawaiian language is only spoken by an estimated 9000 people, but 85% of all local place names are Hawaiian and they often have interesting stories behind them. Hawaii's early immigrants communicated with each other in pidgin, a stripped and simplified form of English which survives today as a lively, ever-changing local slang.
Waioli Huiia Church - family values and white picket fences (19K)
The islands' ethnic diversity makes eating out a real treat. You can find every kind of Japanese food, an array of regional Chinese cuisine, spicy Korean specialties, native Hawaiian dishes and excellent Thai and Vietnamese food. Fresh fish is readily available throughout the islands as well as an abundance of fruit including avocado, coconut, guava, mango and papaya.
 Events
With its multitude of cultures and permanently good weather, Hawaii always has something to celebrate. Some of the events to look out for include: the Merrie Monarch Festival (Hawaii's biggest hula competition, April); Lei Day (lei-making competitions, May); King Kamehameha Day (state holiday with parades, June); Aloha Week (celebration with parades, cultural events, canoe races and Hawaiian music, September); and the Quicksilver/Eddie Aikau Memorial Big Wave Classic (surf event held when wave heights exceed 20 feet, December).
 Facts for the
traveler
Visas: Conditions of entry are the same as those for the USA. Most visitors require a visa. However, Canadians need only proof of citizenship and citizens of the UK, New Zealand, Japan, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland can stay up to 90 days without a visa.
Health Risks: Leptospirosis, sunburn, jellyfish
Currency: US dollar
Relative costs:
- Cheap meal: US$5-7
- Restaurant meal: US$15-20
- Cheap room: US$15-25
- Hotel room: US$45-55 and upwards
Time: UTC minus 10 hours
Electricity: 110/120V, 60Hz
Weights & Measures: Imperial (see conversion table)
Tourism: 6.5 million visitors per year
 Attractions
Oahu
Oahu, nicknamed 'The Gathering Place', is the most populous, most developed and most well known of the Hawaiian Islands. The names and images most commonly conjured up by the mention of Hawaii are all here: Honolulu, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and Sunset Beach. The state capital, Honolulu, is the major exit/entry point for travelers. Honolulu and Waikiki form a relentless urban area of freeways and high rises that resembles a hybrid of Miami Beach and downtown Tokyo. The vast majority of the island's tourist infrastructure is located in this area.
Outside the urban perimeter are all the beaches you could wish for, aqua-blue bays, fluted mountains and valleys carpeted with pineapple fields. The island's surf beaches (try Banzai Pipeline, Sunset Beach, Makaha) are legendary, but there is also great bodysurfing (Makapuu Beach, Waimea Bay), windsurfing (Kailua Bay), snorkelling (Hanauma Bay) and diving (Three Tables and nearby Shark's Cove).
Classic snorkel spot, Hanauma Bay, Oahu (9K)
Many visitors are dismayed by Waikiki, a high-density beachside extension of Honolulu which is crowded with package tourists, shoppers, restaurants and nightclubs. It's not exactly picture-book Hawaii, but it has a rhythm and pace that will attract nightowls and singles who like to recover from their hangovers on a decent city beach. The Moorish, pink-turreted Royal Hawaiian Hotel is a survivor from the days when Rudolph Valentino was a romanitc idol and people came to Hawaii by luxury liner. South-east of the city is Diamond Head, a tuff cone and crater formed by a violent steam explosion. Its 760-foot-high summit forms the backdrop to Waikiki, and is one of the best-known landmarks in the Pacific. It has a good hiking trail and there are fantastic panoramic views from the top.
Wacky Wacky beach and birthday-cake hotels, Oahu (19K)
Sure, it's got wide beaches, waving palms and balmy weather, but Honolulu isn't just the tropical splendor you used to see on Hawaii 5-0. As the only US city located in the tropics, the only one with a royal palace and the only one that can claim an equal blend of Western, Asian and Polynesian influences, Honolulu offers visitors a cornucopia of cross-cultural attractions.
You'll find yourself disappointed if you've come to Honolulu to 'get away from it all' - it's among the world's most visited locales - but with a little perseverance and a fair amount of planning, you'll find there's plenty of elbow room for all. The valleys above the city have lush forest reserves and often-empty hiking trails. And within an hour's drive of the capital, you can find tranquil coves for swimming and snorkeling, quiet gardens and towns so small and peaceful that you'll almost forget the throngs on the beaches.
Iolani Palace, Honolulu, Oahu (20K)
Hanaumu Bay in south-eastern Oahu, is a wide, sheltered bay of sapphire-and-turquoise waters set in a rugged volcanic ring. It has fantastic coral and marine life and wonderful snorkelling, but it's under environmental pressure from the sheer number of visitors coming to feed and view the fish. The Nuuanu Pali Lookout, in the southern Koolau Range, has brilliant views of the windward coast from its 1200-foot elevation. This is where Kamehameha the Great routed Oahu's warriors during his invasion of the island in 1795. Hawaii's most visited attraction is the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, north-west of Honolulu, where 1.5 million visitors come each year to learn about the surprise Japanese attack on 7 December 1941, and to pay their respects to the 2335 dead US servicemen.
Maui
Maui is known as 'The Valley Island' because it comprises two large extinct volcanoes (Haleakala and Puu Kukui) divided by a central valley. It's the second-largest of the Hawaiian islands and the most developed of the Neighbor Islands. It's renowned for its abundant supply of fine beaches and some of the world's best windsurfing and surf spots. Fortunately, the high-rise resorts are confined to the beach areas of West Maui, so it's easy to escape to the uplands or east coast where you'll find rainforests, eucalyptus groves and cattle ranches. Most of the tourist infrastructure is in Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kihei. Head to Haiku, Kula or Hana to escape the tourist scene.
Great beaches are a dime a dozen, but it's hard to resist the wonderfully named Slaughterhouse Beach - a hot summer bodysurfing and nude-bathing spot on Honolua Bay in north-western Maui. It has great snorkelling, and you may be fortunate to see turtles and reef fish. Hookipa Beach, near Paia, is one of the world's premier windsurfing spot. The strong currents, a dangerous shorebreak and razor-sharp coral mean it's for experts only, but you're bound to learn a few tricks just by watching.
Another tough day at the beach, Makena Bay, Maui (10K)
East Maui is dominated by the 10,000-foot Haleakala (literally 'House of the Sun'), the largest dormant volcano in the world. There are incredible hiking trails across the moonscape crater floor and the crater rim is an awesome place to watch the sun rise. The windward side of Haleakala is beautifully lush, wet and rugged. It's skirted by the justly famous, coastal Hana Highway which passes tropical jungle, roadside waterfalls and sedate country towns. The highland area on the western slopes of Haleakala has some of Maui's finest countryside, with cloud forests, rolling hills, green pastures, landscaped gardens and wineries. There are fine hikes in the Polipoli Spring State Recreation Area in the Kula Forest Reserve.
 Off the record
If you're looking for lush scenery, Kauai is a great choice. Kauai's central volcanic peak, Mt Waialeale, is allegedly the wettest place on earth, and the island is so richly green that it's nicknamed 'The Garden Island'. Movie makers looking for lush scenery bordering on the fantastic came to Kauai to film parts of South Pacific, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park. The island is just 33 miles east to west, 25 miles north to south and shaped like a slightly compressed ball. Most of the island's interior is mountainous forest reserve, which offers great hiking; the southern and western coasts are dry, sunny and fringed with beautiful beaches. Accommodation and eateries can be found in the small towns of Lihue, Kapaa, Princeville and Poipu.
Places of interest include the 22-mile stretch of sharply fluted coastal cliffs along Na Pali Coast. This is the locale of Hawaii's most spectacular hiking trail, with sheer, green cliffs dropping into brilliant turquoise waters. Waimea Canyon - predictably dubbed the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific' - is smaller and a mere 200 million years younger than its Arizona cousin, but otherwise not at all dissimilar. The canyon's colorful river-cut gorge is 2785 feet deep and it seems incredible that such an immense canyon could be tucked away in such a small island.
Hiking heaven, Na Pali Coast, Kauai (9K)
There's a beautiful, endless sandy beach at Polihale on the western coast, just a few miles from the brilliantly named US naval base, Barking Sands Pacific Missile Range. The area is almost a desert, so when it's raining everywhere else, beachgoers head this way. Lumahai Beach, in the north, is the gorgeous mile-long stretch of beach where Mitzi Gaynor promised to wash that man right out of her hair in the 1958 musical South Pacific. It's a broad beach sandwiched between lush jungle on one side and tempestuous ocean on the other. A trip up the Wailua River to the Fern Grotto in a tourist cattle barge is a must for anthropologists, absurdists and those who love to holiday to the sounds of Elvis' Hawaiian Wedding Song.
The island of Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island, is nearly twice the size of all the other Hawaiian islands combined. Geographically it's the most diverse island of the archipelago, with deserts, rainforests, volcanoes and, surprisingly, snow-capped mountains. The mountains create a huge barrier that blocks the north-easterly trade winds and makes the leeward, western side of the island the driest region in the archipelago. This coast has the best beaches and water conditions. The windward, eastern coast is predominantly rugged, with pounding surf, plenty of rain, tropical rainforests, deep ravines and majestic waterfalls. Kona, Waikoloa and Hilo are the main centers for accommodation and restaurants.
The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is hands down the most unique park in the US National Parks system. It covers a huge area and encompasses two active volcanoes, a still-steaming sunken crater and geologically awesome landscapes of cinder cones, pumice pillars and hardened rivers of lava. Its terrain ranges from tropical beaches to the subartic summit of Mauna Loa, and includes lovely rainforests and fern groves. This is one of the best areas in Hawaii for camping and hiking.
The lush, coastal Waipio Valley is the largest and most spectacular of the series of amphitheatre valleys on the windward side of the Kohala Mountains. It is enclosed by near-vertical 2000-feet-high cliffs and is accessible only by a narrow, excessively-steep 4WD track, making hiking in the best option. The valley is a fecund tangle of jungle, flowering plants, taro patches and waterfalls, and a magical place to experience the spirit of the 'old' Hawaii. The valley has one rustic hotel, some 50 residents, a number of wild horses and a few aggressively territorial farm dogs.
Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park encompasses ancient temples, royal grounds, burial sites and a place of refuge (or puuhonua). It's worth spending some time exploring to check out the carved-wood representations of ancient gods; the stone board for playing konane, an ancient form of checkers played with black lava and white coral; and the wonderful snorkelling found off the natural lava steps just north of the place of refuge. The beautiful stretch of white sand at Hapuna Beach is the island's most popular beach. It has good snorkelling, swimming, diving and bodysurfing. Avoid the winter surf which can pound the shoreline and get unsuspecting swimmers in trouble.
Ancient gods, Puuhonua O Honaunau, the Big Island (11K)
 Off the Beaten Track
Secret Beach
Secret Beach is a gorgeous, 'undiscovered', golden beach, backed by cliffs and jungle-like woods. It's popular with Kauai's 'alternative' community and nude sunbathers. The beach is near Kalihiwai, on Kauai's northern coast, but it's hard to find and requires navigating a dirt road and following a walking trail through jungle growth and ironwood trees. If you want to get away from it all, it's worth the effort in summer when swimming and snorkelling conditions are safe.
Kalaupapa Peninsula
The century-old leprosy settlement on Kalaupapa Peninsula is on the island of Molokai, nine miles north-west of Maui. Backed by majestic 2000-foot cliffs and surrounded by water on three sides, Kalaupapa is both strikingly beautiful and strikingly lonely. This is where the admired Belgian priest, Father Damien, worked before succumbing to leprosy himself. The trip to the peninsula is accessible only by mule, on foot or by small plane. The peninsula is now a historical park and all visitors are required to join a guided tour - in itself an enlightening experience.
Kiholo Bay
Kiholo Bay, north of Kona on the Big Island, is a pristine oasis surrounded by lava. A two-mile trail runs from the highway to the bay, passing through arid lava fields. Just to the north is a lovely, protected inlet fronted by black sand and palm trees where you may get to swim alongside a family of giant sea turtles.
Turquoise overdose, Kiholo Bay, the Big Island (13K)
Hulopoe Bay
The sleepy, pineapple-plantation island of Lanai, nine miles east of Maui, used to be visited only by hikers and independent travelers keen to escape the tourist scene on other islands, but it's rapidly being transformed into an exclusive resort. Despite the growing number of golf courses, it's still worth catching the boat from Maui (one-hour) to snorkel at the beautiful, crescent-shaped, white-sand beach at Hulopoe.
Niihau This island has been closed to outsiders for so long that it has earned the nickname 'The Forbidden Island'. No other place in Hawaii has more successfully turned its back on change than Niihau, which has no paved roads, no island-wide electricity and no telephones. The island is a native Hawaiian reserve, with 230 residents, and it's the only island where Hawaiian is the primary language. The entire island, right down to the church, belongs to the non-Hawaiian Robinson family who run a huge ranch and are highly protective of the Niihau's isolation. The 70-square-mile island is 17 miles west of Kauai and accessible only on pricey helicopter tours.
 Activities
Hawaii is a fantastic place to enjoy watersports and recreational activities. Surfing is the king of sports, and Hawaii is deservedly renowned for its great waves. Beginners can learn the basics at Waikiki, then watch the professionals on Oahu's North Shore. Maui has become a windsurfing mecca, with the top international windsurfers heading for Hookipa Beach. Diving is good year-round and there are plenty of underwater caves, canyons, lava tubes, vertical walls and sunken ships to explore. Lanai, the sunken volcanic crater of Molokini, and Oahu and Kauai's northern coasts are all great diving areas. The Big Island's Kona Coast offers some of the world's best deep-sea fishing for Pacific blue marlin, yellowfin tuna and spearfish. And for those who want to keep their feet on solid ground, hiking opportunities include trails in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Haleakala National Park and Hawaii's premier hike along Kauai's Na Pali Coast.
Bird's eye view of Molokini, dive site extraordinaire (11K)
 Getting There & Away
Honolulu International Airport, on the island of Oahu, is a major Pacific hub and an intermediate stop on many flights between the US mainland and Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. There's a US$6 departure tax on all international flights. If you insist on arriving by sea, the QE II stops in Hawaii in January on its annual world cruise.
 Getting
Around
Inter-island flights are plentiful between Honolulu (Oahu) and airports at Lihue (Kauai), Kahului (Maui), Kona and Hilo (Big Island). The main carriers are Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines; commuter services are run by Island Air and Air Molokai. There are inter-island ferries between Lahaina (Maui) and Manele (Lanai), and Lahaina and Kaunakakai (Molokai).
Oahu has a comprehensive bus system, making it easy to explore by public transport. It will be necessary to hire a car to fully explore the other main islands. Hawaiians drive on the right-hand side of the road and consider horn honking extremely rude unless required for safety. Cycling is a legitamate way of getting around but be prepared for hefty climbs and narrow, traffic-clogged roads.
 Recommended
Reading
- Hawaiian Antiquities, written in 1838 by David Malo, was the first account of Hawaiian culture written by a Hawaiian.
- Hawaii: The Islands of Life, by respected Pacific author Gavan Davis, has beautiful photos of flora & fauna and landscapes.
- Hawaiian Mythology, by Martha Beckwith, comprehensively translates Hawaii's myths and legends.
- A Hawaiian Reader, edited by A Grove Day & Carl Stroven, is an excellent anthology with works by Mark Twain, Jack London and Somerset Maugham.
- Hawaii, by James 'Fat Book' Michener, is a historical novel charting the islands history from their volcanic origins to their emergence as a state.
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