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Posts Tagged ‘Hawaii’

Magpark – Hawaii is the most recent of the 50 US states and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It occupies most of an archipelago (series of islands) in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental US, southeast of Japan and northeast of Australia. Hawaii’s natural beauty, warm tropical climate, inviting waters and waves and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists and volcanologists alike. Due to its location in the mid-Pacific, Hawaii has North American and Asian influences along with its vibrant native culture. It has over 1 million permanent residents along with many visitors and military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of O’ahu.

Here is a breakdown of the major islands and their nicknames:

Hawaii – The Big Island

Maui – The Valley Isle

Kaho’olawe – The Target Isle

Lana’I – The Pineapple Isle

Moloka’I – The Friendly Isle

O’ahu – The Gathering Place

Kaua’I – The Garden Isle

Ni’ihau – The Forbidden Isle

As it is a major tourist and mid-Pacific stopover point, Hawaii tends to suffer from some of the same tourist attraction clichs as other major vacation spots. If you aren’t interested in the grass skirts and flower garlands then there may be a few other ways to spend your time exploring the natural beauty of the islands.

If you are interested in hiking, Kauai has an awesome canyon – Waimea Canyon accessible from the south of the island. On the north shore there is a hiking trail along the Napali Cliffs. And if you do go to the Kauai north shore, the Kileaua lighthouse is an amazing spot to witness the Hawaiian seabirds, Pacific seals and rugged ocean scenery. The best hike on the big island is the Ka-hau-a-Le’a Trail. It’s a tough trek through rainforest that ends abruptly as you encounter a lava-damaged space. This is a glimpse of the active volcano from a side that most people never see. Be warned though, that the road that leads to the trailhead is treacherous and it is not recommended that you leave your vehicle unsecured.

Bird-watching in general is an excellent pursuit if you happen to have access to a 4-wheel drive vehicle and are willing to put some mileage on your boots. Haleakala on Maui has an amazing old-growth with flowering trees just before the summit. It is easily accessible and there are tons of bright native birds in colorful foliage. Haleakala is not just the volcano summit or a bicycle coast downhill – there are a number of supernatural sights to appreciate for just a few more steps around the bend.

If hitting the links is your thing, a cross section of golf facilities is located in Central Maui, from exclusive golf clubs and spas to the basic county-run municipal course. On the road to Hana, in Spreckelsville, is the Maui Country Club, the only private country club on the island. It is open for play seven days per week but the public can play only on Mondays. Walking is allowed. This course is the oldest golf facility on Maui. It opened for play in 1925, and has nine holes, so it is played twice and is very well maintained.

Some other recommendations include:

Travelling to Volcano National Park where every evening a host of people (tourists and locals alike) will trek across the lava field to watch the lava glow at dusk.

Snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay — It cannot be reached via road, so you need to take one of the boat tours to get there. This is on the west coast not far south of Alii Drive.

The Kona Brewing Co. has the best pizza on the island and home-brews their beer (this is in Kailua-Kona).

The waterfalls in and around Hilo are a sight to see, especially if there has been recent rainfall.

The islands of Hawaii are home to a large population of people. If none of these ideas strike your fancy, you could always try asking one of the locals what they like to do – maybe a day at the beach shucking clams isn’t such a bad idea? Often the point of an exercise isn’t so much what you do as who you do it with, so making some local friends will definitely improve your options! In a setting as glorious as the Hawaiian Islands, anything off the beaten trail is likely to be more beautiful than any average day in the city.

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