Hawaii is blessed with breathtaking beaches, dramatic mountains, pristine rainforests and rich Polynesian cultural heritage and not only fulfills all expectations you could have of a tropical paradise, it even surpasses them.
The Hawaiian archipelago is 3,860 km off the US coast in the Pacific and consists of 132 islands and atolls. The state of Hawaii includes eight islands, seven of which are inhabited. Six islands allow visitors. The capital, Honolulu, is on the south coast of Oahu, the most commercially important island, but Hawaii is the largest island by area. Two diagonal mountain ranges run through Oahu, with numerous beautiful waterfalls. In addition to rainforests, the islands also have green lowland areas and 13 climate zones. The population of Hawaii is made up of many ethnic groups.
Captain James Cook was the first person in the western world to set foot here in the 18th century. Oahu became known when Honolulu’s commercial trade grew in importance and the U.S. Navy acquired the rights to Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941 was the day the United States first intervened in World War II after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
According to acronymmonster, the nickname of Hawaii is The Aloha State.
Important facts
Land area: 16,636 sq km.
Population: 1,415,872 (2019 estimate)
Population density: 77 per sq. Km.
Capital: Honolulu.
Attractions in Hawaii
Hawaii: Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
The elements of fire, water, air and earth unite on the island of Hawaii. Nowhere is this as clear as in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park (Internet: www.nps.gov/havo), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rangers, some of whom are also German speaking, guide visitors through this natural wonder, for example from the Kilauea visitor center to the bottom of the caldera. The Kilauea is still active and, with its frequent eruptions, offers a spectacular spectacle, especially at night when the glowing lava hisses into the ocean. The unstoppable lava flows of Kilauea occasionally destroy streets and houses.
Hawaii: Hilo
From the town of Hilo on the Big Island you can overlook Hilo Bay and when the visibility is clear you can see the often snow-capped mountain peak of Mauna Kea. Hilo attractions include the Pacific Tsunami Museum, the Hilo Farmers Market, the Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo, which, as its name suggests, is located in a rainforest, and the Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai, the astronomical and cultural center that serves its visitors Astronomy as well as Hawaiian culture and history. In the Hilo area, the Akaka Falls, Nani Mau Gardens and the Macadamia Nut Factory are worth seeing. The week-long Merrie Monarch Festival in honor of King David Kalākaua is a magnet for visitors. The festival celebrates hula and other Hawaiian traditions every Easter.
Hawaii: Mauna Kea
A visit to the top of the Mauna Kea, where the Mauna Kea Observatory is located, is an unforgettable experience. Due to the enormous height (4300m above sea level) of the inactive volcano Mauna Kea, the summit is often covered with snow. There is a lack of oxygen at the top of the summit, which can affect pregnant women, children and the elderly in particular. Below the mountain peak is the Maunakea Visitor Information Station, where the oxygen content is also sufficient for sensitive visitors, and which is an attraction for star gazers. A short hiking trail leads from the visitor station to Pu’u Kalepeamoa, also known as Sunset Hill. Many visitors flock there for the view of incredibly beautiful sunsets. Because from here you can watch the sun go down over the coast of Kona in the west.
Kauai: Botanical Gardens
When walking through the botanical gardens on Kauai, visitors feel like Alice in Wonderland because you can no longer get out of amazement. You have to see Allerton Garden, the location of some films and the beauty of which has already captivated Jackie Kennedy. The Limahuli Garden, which consists of taro-covered terrace steps made of lava stone, is also a magical place. The garden with lush native vegetation typical of Polynesia is framed by Makana Mountain and other high rocks. During the guided tours, visitors also hear legends about the petrified Menehune that sit on top of the rocks and watch over the garden.
Kauai: Fern Grotto and the Wailua River
The popular tourist attraction Fern Grotto is a lava stone cave covered with ferns and tropical plants, but has been closed for many years and can only be viewed from the outside. Therefore: The path is the goal. The grotto, which is set in beautiful scenery, is only accessible via the Wailua River, which is the only navigable river in the entire state of Hawaii. You can do the approximately 40-minute and beautiful boat trip to the grotto on your own in a kayak or in a canoe, but in this case you need a permit from the Smith family, who owns the surrounding land around the jetty. The jetty itself may only be accessed by the commercial tourist ferries that run from the Wailua Marina to the grotto every 30 minutes.
Kauai: Mount Waialeale
Mount Waialeale rises in the middle of Kauai at 1569 m above sea level, making it the highest mountain on the island. You have to be very lucky to be able to take a picture of Mount Waialeale when the sun is shining, because it is located in one of the rainiest areas on earth. Waialeale means from the Hawaiian “rippling water”. Mount Waialeale is located in the Alaka’i Wilderness Preserve. A hike on the Alaka’i Swamp Trail leads through clouds and through a lush, moist mountain forest. The almost vegetation-free mountain peak of Mount Waialeale is inaccessible to hikers.
Kauai: Na Pali Coast State Park
The wild, ridged and green Na Pali coast can only be explored on land on the Kalalau Trail. Hikers who need to be experienced and physically fit for this strenuous and demanding hiking trail should plan a day or two for the Kalalau Trail. The effort is rewarded with the most beautiful scenery Hawaii has to offer, as well as secluded bays and idyllic sandy beaches along the way. Side paths lead to waterfalls and offer spectacular views of the natural beauty of Kauai.
Kauai: plantations
On Kauai you can visit several former plantations. Sugar cane was grown until 1965 and there were also pineapple plantations until the 1960s. Hawaii is the only state in the United States that has coffee plantations, which is reflected, among other things, by the Kauai Coffee Company. A restored train jerks regularly over the historic Kilohana plantation near Lihue, which in the Kauai Museum provides information about agriculture in Hawaii from its beginnings to the present day. Tubing is particularly fun on the former Lihue plantation: you can float in rubber tires on the old irrigation channels and through several tunnels.
Kauai: Sightseeing from the helicopter
A helicopter flight over the dramatic and incredibly beautiful island of Kauai should be on every personal wish list for life dreams. The flight goes over the otherwise inaccessible areas and the numerous natural wonders of the garden island such as untouched forests, falling waterfalls, green valleys, the Na Pali coast and the Waimea Canyon as well as over the interior of the island with its lush tropical vegetation.
Kauai: beaches and water sports
Dozens of beautiful beaches line the Kauai coast. From Salt Pond Beach with white sand to the Royal Coconut Coast with golden-brown sand, there is a suitable beach for every taste. Sun worshipers are offered many water sports almost everywhere, such as snorkeling, surfing, diving and bodyboarding. Or you can simply take a walk on the beach or swim through the crystal-clear water that laps the tropical island. At the beautiful Hanakapiai Beach you should only take pictures and not go swimming because of the local currents. Numerous beaches are featured on www.to-hawaii.com/kauai/beaches.
Kauai: Hiking in Waimea Canyon
Countless rainbows span the Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The many rainbows are neither a coincidence nor the result of magic, because the Waimea Canyon is located in one of the rainiest areas on earth. Despite the heavy rain, the sun often shines here, making the water drops sparkle in all the colors of the rainbow. Every now and then a waterfall falls down. The red of the rocks and the green of the vegetation are the dominant colors in all their shades in Waimea Canyon. The Waimea Canyon is partly in the Waimea Canyon State Park. The most direct experience of this unique landscape is on a hike. The Kukui Trail is a difficult hiking trail. The Grand Canyon Trail is only four kilometers long and not easy either, but it does offer breathtaking views of the Waimea Canyon. The Cliff Trail and the Po’omau Canyon Lookout Trail are short and easy. From a parking lot at Pu’u Hinahina, on Waimea Canyon Drive, you can reach the Ni’ihau Lookout, from where you can catch a good view of the forbidden island of Ni’ihau, and the Pu’u Hinahina Lookout, the reveals a panoramic view of Waimea Canyon.
Lanai
Lanai was once known as the “pineapple island”. You have to see the village of Kaunolo, the Munro Trail that leads to the spectacular Hauola Gulch, the petroglyph (rock painting) on Shipwreck Beach and the tropical rainforest in the middle of the island.
Maui
The following cities and landscapes are particularly interesting on this island: Wailuku, the bustling Kahului, the Iao Valley, the historic plantation town of Lahaina, the huge volcanic crater Mount Haleakala (“House of the Sun”), the wonderfully calm east coast, the charming Hana Valley and the Wailua Cove waterfalls.
Molokai
The port city of Kaunakakai, Mount Kamakou, the Hipuapu Falls and the beautiful Halawa Valley are among the most famous sights here.
Oahu: Big Island Tour
Countless excursion programs are available to tourists on Oahu. But you should definitely plan at least one day for the big island tour across Oahu. The mostly local bus drivers, who are also tour guides, tell their guests many interesting and funny stories about their home that you would not find anywhere else. Attractions on this route are the Diamond Head, the rich Kahala district, where the beautiful and famous live, Hanauma Bay, the Halona “Blow Hole” Lookout, the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, the Byodo-In Temple, the uninhabited island of Mokoliʻi, also known as Chinaman’s Hat, the Laie Hawaii Temple, the Kualoa Ranch, the North Shore, which is famous as a surfers paradise and because of its beautiful beaches like Waimea Bay,
Oahu: Honolulu
Whoever visits Hawaii mostly arrives in the capital Honolulu. The city’s most popular vacation spot is Waikiki Beach. In the center of Honolulu, which consists of the Capitol District, the central business district, Chinatown and the harbor district, there are numerous National Historic Landmarks: Among other things, the only royal palace in the USA – the Iolani Palace, as well as the Aloha Tower and the Chinatown Historic District. At the Oʻahu market in Chinatown you can find all types of meat that are commonly eaten in Hawaii. The Kalakaua Avenue, the huge open-air shopping center Ala Moana Center and the Kahala Mall are ideal for extensive shopping trips. A must for every Honolulu visitor is the Bishop Museum, with the largest collection of Polynesian artifacts in the world and regular extremely interesting tours and demonstrations, including on the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. Asian art can be seen at the Honolulu Museum of Arts.
Oahu: Honolulu Zoo
The Honolulu Zoo is home to more than 1230 mammals, birds and reptiles. The zoo is located in the northern part of the Kapiolani public park, which is named after Queen Kapiʻolani and in which the Honolulu Marathon ends every year.
Oahu: war memorials
There are some war memorials on Oahu. The best known is Pearl Harbor with the USS Arizona Memorial, which was set up where the Japanese launched their surprise attack on the warship USS Arizona, drawing the United States into World War II. To date, oil from the sunken warship rises to the water surface. According to legend, the oil will not dry up until the last survivor of the attack dies. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Hawaii is the Punchbowl Crater – a grassy crater with graves of American war prisoners located above Honolulu.
Oahu: Nuuanu Pali Lookout
Not far from the Honolulu skyscrapers, the Nuuanu Pali Lookout offers a wonderful panoramic view of the cliffs of Koolau and the Windward Coast. You drive northeast of Honolulu city center on the Pali Highway for approximately 8 km until you reach your destination. At Nuuanu Pali Lookout you get a first idea of the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands.
Oahu: Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC)
The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) provides information about the customs and lifestyle of the South Pacific peoples from Tonga, Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, Samoa, the Marquesas Islands and New Zealand in six replica villages. In the villages, a total of around 1,300 locals tell of life in their respective homeland. This cultural attraction for the whole family is in the small town of Laie at the northeastern end of Oahu. If you are not afraid of the high admission prices and the journey, you can stroll through the South Seas, be entertained by great shows and enjoy delicacies from the South Seas.
Oahu: Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay
Ten kilometers east of Waikiki is the beautiful, round Hanauma Bay, which is the perfect place for snorkeling for all ages. The bay is protected from heavy seas by natural conditions, it houses a reef and has an opening to the sea through which tropical fish and turtles can swim into the bay. In addition to guided diving tours, there are also a few important rules of conduct to protect the marine life and the reef.
Oahu: Waikiki Beach
On perhaps the most famous beach in the world, Waikiki Beach, you can relax under the palm trees in the sun, watch people, stop by one of the many beach bars, learn to surf, glide over the water on a catamaran or in a canoe or just the tropical one Enjoy paradise. From Waikiki Beach you can see a famous National Monument, which is also Honolulu’s landmark: the volcanic crater Diamond Head. The upper rim of the crater is a popular destination that can be reached after a two-hour hike, including steep stairs. The Waikiki Aquarium is located in the south of Waikiki Bay, where visitors can dive into the marine world without getting wet. Don’t miss a special spectacle during Advent: Santa Claus arrives in December with his canoe on the beach in front of the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel, where he is welcomed by hula dancers and a large audience. The International Market Place with 75 shops and numerous restaurants is located on the shopping mile parallel to Waikiki Beach.
Oahu: Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii
On the southwest coast of Oahu in Kapolei is the huge water park Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii. The 25 water slides and attractions are divided into the categories “calm”, “moderation” and “extreme”. There is also a shop for surfers, a bar, a café and several food trucks. If you want to make your visit to the water park a bit more private, book a cabana at least a week in advance, in which you can relax on deck chairs and with cool drinks from the hustle and bustle in the water park.
American Savings Bank
Hawaii’s third largest financial institution offers information on its personal lending products, services and operating hours.
Website: http://www.asbhawaii.com/
BancWest Corporation
Learn more about this West Coast financial institution that was formed by the partnership between First Hawaiian Bank and Bank of the West.
