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Aloha! In January 1778, Captain Cook and his two English ships landed on Kauai and traded with the Hawaiians. At roughly the same time the Europeans first came in contact with Hawaii. Each island was ruled independently until King Kamehameha (1753-1819) used force in order to unite them. During the mid-1800's a group of sugar planters became an active force on the islands and orchestrated the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch. The islands were then annexed into the United States in 1898. Although Kauai was heavily damaged by hurricane Iniki in 1992, this island is back on its feet and more beautiful than ever. Check out the island via a helicopter ride or by taking a rubber raft trip. Other areas of interest on Kauai are whale watching (during the months of November - March), challenging golf, and the Waialua Falls. Waimea Canyon is an enormous deep gash that cuts through the rugged central mountains and was dubbed by Mark Twain as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific". Located on the northern side of the island you will find Kilauea Lighthouse (built in 1913), the Mission House Museum, and the Wet and Dry Caves.
Molokai is perfect for those who want to unwind quietly. It is great for deep-sea fishing, hiking, or relaxing on the beach. While on the island be sure to visit Kaunakakai, which is the principal city. Some sights of interest include the Molokai Ranch Wildlife Conservation Park, Moaula Falls, Hipaupua Falls, and the leper colony known as Kalaupapa. If you enjoy shopping, the island of Oahu offers a number of markets featuring fresh produce and fish, but keep in mind that they stay open for a very short time so arrive early (before 7:00am) in order to get the best selection. Golfers may want to take advantage of the many exquisite courses such as Ala Wai, Bay View, Hawaii Kai, Makaha Valley, and Turtle Bay. Pearl Harbor is located on the opposite side of the island from the downtown area. There are two ways to see Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. You can board a boat in the Honolulu/Waikiki area for the Pearl Harbor cruise/tour. With a running narrative, the boat sails to the harbor so passengers can view the Arizona Memorial (which straddles the sunken ship). The other way to visit the memorial is to take the shuttle across in order to watch a short film about the attack. The U.S. Park Service and the United States Navy operate this tour. It is best to get your tickets and arrive at the Arizona Memorial as soon as it opens because the waiting time becomes longer later in the day. A stop over after visiting the Arizona is to see the Bowfin, a World War II submarine and the Pacific Submarine Museum (be sure to check out the Kaiten, a one-man Japanese sub captured in World War II that was used as a underwater equivalent of a kamikaze plane). Before your visit is over be sure to see Kapiolani Park, the Waikiki Aquarium, the Honolulu Zoo, and a performance at the Kodak Hula Show.
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The "Big Island"
of Hawaii is home of the volcano goddess, Pele. Visitors determined to see
an active volcano should start with Kilauea, which has been erupting steadily
for the past 10 years. If you prefer something a little safer, check out
the colorful beaches. This island features green, gold, gray, black, and
white sand (even a beach that disappears, which is located between Keauhou and
Kona) beaches - each with their own personality and are fabulous if you want to
soak up the sun. The deep-sea fishing and snorkeling are excellent.
Hawaii even offers snow skiing (yes, snow!) during the winter months.
Hawaii also boasts the volcanoes Mau Loa and Kilauea as well as the Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park.
With gorgeous white sand,
sugarcane fields, waterfall fed pools, and twisting mountain roads, the island
of Maui is the second most popular Hawaiian island. The eastern portion of
Maui is actually a single volcanic mountain, Mt. Haleakala. It is the
largest dormant volcano in the world. Mt. Haleakala rises up 30,000 feet
from the ocean floor and only 1/3 of the volcano extends out above the water.
Hana is a favorite spot for most travelers. To call this road
"winding" is a large understatement! For those of you that get
motion sickness we suggest flying in. There are 670 hairpin turns and 56
one-lane bridges along the way. The highway cuts through lush foliage and
passes by roadside waterfalls, beaches, and beautiful coastal scenery.
Ka'anapali is a small west -coast community and has an excellent beach, two golf
courses (one designed by Robert Trent Jones and the other by Jack Snyder), and
the Whalers Village, which is a shopping complex with a museum about whales and
whaling.