• Big Island
• Kauai
• Maui
• Oahu
Big Island
The Big Island of Hawaii is well named - it could hold all the other
islands put together, with room to spare. The entire island has the
population of a medium-sized town, with 150,000 people (half what it was
in Captain Cook's day) and a low level of tourism compared to Oahu or
Maui; despite its fair share of restaurants, bars and so on, this is
basically a rural community. The development that will surely come may
put an end to that, but for the moment there are sleepy old towns all
over the island, unchanged for a century. The few resorts are in the
least beautiful areas, built on the barren lava flows of the Kona coast
to catch maximum sunshine.
The Big Island is, in fact, growing, its southern shore inching ever
further out to sea, thanks to the Kilauea volcano, which has destroyed
roads and even towns, and spews out pristine beaches of jet-black sand.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park , which includes Mauna Loa as well as
Kilauea (though not Mauna Kea , which is further north and higher than
either at 13,796ft), is absolutely compelling; you can explore steaming
craters and cinder cones, venture into the rainforest, and at times
approach within feet of the eruption itself. The summits of Mauna Loa
and Mauna Kea have the clearest air on earth - and astronomical
observatories to take advantage of it - but down below, when the
tradewinds drop, the island is prone to a choking sulphurous haze known
as " vog ."
As befits the birthplace and base of King Kamehameha , more of the
ancient Hawaii survives on the Big Island than anywhere else in the
islands. Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park preserves a "place
of refuge" for kapu -breakers and defeated warriors, and there are
further temples north along the Kohala coast, while Waipio Valley ,
where Kamehameha spent his youth, remains as lush and green as ever.
Flights to the Big Island arrive at Hilo on the rainy east coast, or the
much less genuine but inoffensive resort of Kailua (often referred to as
Kona) on the west. If you don't rent a car , you may not get to the
interesting sites; one bus daily links Hilo and Kailua, and organized
bus tours go to specific attractions, but public transportation is all
but nonexistent.
Kauai
Although no point on the tiny island of KAUAI is as much as a dozen
miles from the sea, the variety of its landscapes is quite incredible.
This is the oldest of the major islands, and erosion has spent that many
more million years to sculpt it into fantastic shapes. The mist-shrouded
extinct volcano Mount Waialeale at its heart is the world's wettest
spot, draining into a high landlocked swamp, full of unique plants and
animals. Nearby is the chasm of Waimea Canyon , while the north shore
holds the vertiginous green cliffs of the awe-inspiring Na Pali coast,
familiar to millions from films such as Jurassic Park and South Pacific
but the sole preserve of adventurous hikers . Kauai is a place to be
active, on sea and land; and if you only go on one helicopter flight in
your life, this is where to do it, despite recent restrictions on how
low they can fly.
Maui
The island of MAUI , the second largest in the Hawaiian chain, is Oahu's
fastest-growing rival, attracting roughly a third of all visitors to the
state. Some would say that things have gone too far. What were once
remote, unspoiled beaches, around Kaanapali and Kihei for example, have
been swamped by sprawling resorts, and Lahaina , once "whaling capital
of the world," is now little more than just another tourist trap.
On the other hand, the crowds come to Maui for the good reason that it's
still beautiful. This is probably the best equipped of all the islands
for activity holidays - whale-watching, windsurfing, diving, sailing,
snorkeling and cycling. Temperatures along the coast can be searing,
especially at Lahaina, but it's always possible to escape to somewhere
cooler. Upcountry Maui , on the slopes of the mighty Haleakala volcano,
is a delight, well away from the bustle; Makawao and Paia here make good
alternative hangouts, although they're short on accommodation. Finally,
the waterfalls and ravines along the tortuous road out west to Hana
outclass anything on Oahu.
Oahu
Three-quarters of Hawaii's population live on OAHU , which has
monopolized the islands' trade and tourism since the first European
sailors realized that Honolulu offered the safest in-shore anchorage in
thousands of miles of ocean. Over eighty percent of visitors to Hawaii
still arrive in Honolulu - albeit by air now, rather than by sea - and
most remain for their entire vacation. Oahu effectively confines
tourists to the tower-block enclave of Waikiki , just east of downtown
Honolulu; there are few rooms anywhere else. In much the same way, the
military are closeted away in relatively inconspicuous camps. On any one
day, the numbers of military personnel and tourists on Oahu are roughly
the same.
Overcrowding and rampant development mean Oahu can't be recommended over
the Neighbor Islands (as the other Hawaiian islands are known), but it
can still give a real flavor of Hawaii. There are some excellent beaches
, with those on the north shore a haven for surfers and campers, and the
cliffs of the windward side are awesome.
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