Some background
Hawaii, also known as “The Aloha State,” is consisted of 19 islands and atolls (Ring-shaped islands surrounded by additional smaller islands) in the Central Pacific Ocean and
is the 50th state of the United States.
The main cities in Hawaii are Honolulu, the capital (located on Oahu Island),
Hilo, Lihue and Kahului (located on Maui, the second largest island, Following
the largest one called Hawaii or “the big island”). The total number of islands
is 137 and its 2 active volcanoes makes it the only state in the U.S with a
territory that constantly keeps growing. One of them, Kilauea, is the most
active volcano in the world.
The common languages are English and Hawaiian and the local currency is US
Dollar.
The amazing landscapes, beaches and wildlife are just part of what makes it so special.
Hawaii is also the only state in the United States in which the largest ethnic group
is Asian. The Hawaiian natives who settled there about 1,500 years ago are of
Polynesian origin (the meaning is “multi-islands”, in Greek) and
constitute the second-largest population segment in the country.
Polynesia is located in the central part of the Pacific in a form of a
triangle; Made up of Hawaii Islands, New Zealand and Pascua Island. In this
area (about 40 million square kilometers), which is almost entirely water,
there are several thousand islands.
The main island groups are: Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and the French-controlled
island group in the center of the triangle, called French Polynesia (which
consist of; Tahiti, Bora-Bora and many other islands). Most of them are located
south of the equator.
If you’re travelling to Hawaii you need to have a valid US visa and to get ready
for freedom vibes that you never experienced before!
Recommended seasons
The climate in Hawaii is tropical, so all year long the weather will be warm and humid.
However, it can be divided into 2 main seasons;
The wet season ranges from October to March and the dry season between April and September.
Exceptionally, the peak season in Hawaii applies during the wet season (especially in December-January), during this time prices rise and hotel occupancy is high.
During the dry season the prices actually gets lower and the best time to visit (both in terms of weather and price) is between April-May and September-October.
Arrival
When arriving to Hawaii you’ll probably go through its international airport in Honolulu (Oahu Island), in which you’ll find flights from all over the world but mainly from US states. There are also direct flights to Maui, the Big Island and Kauai but they depart less frequently and at higher prices.
Traveling between Hawaii’s islands is mainly done by internal flights.
There is also an option of taking a cruise that stops in some of the most beautiful
beaches all around Hawaii.
Food
As it’s a country surrounded by the ocean, Hawaiian cuisine consists mainly of seafood and fish. One of the most famous dishes is the Poke, a type of decomposed sushi. It is a bowl full of goodies – rice, seaweed, vegetables and fresh raw fish. Just perfect.
The second known Hawaiian dish is the garlic shrimp. One of the best I ever tasted was actually at a food truck area in the center of Honolulu, close to Waikiki Beach, where its served in a box like proper street food.
And to the highlight, the Honolulu restaurant that you just can’t miss is TOMMY BAHAMA.
It’s located in the city center, on Ala Moana Boulevard, which is the main street. with excellent local food and mesmerizing decor!! Ask to be seated on the rooftop, it is completely under the open skies (I recommend arriving around sunset time) and so you can enjoy the amazing experience with your bare feet lying in the sand that is covering the floor.
If you ask me, this restaurant is a must for anyone that is visiting Honolulu!
Accommodation
Like in any other destination that is surrounded by sea, it goes without saying that staying in a hotel near the beach is a must. Honolulu’s main beach is Waikiki where you can find many hotels.
Prices vary according to the season and the accommodation level.
The central area, in terms of shopping malls and marine sports centers, is next to the famous Waikiki statue – “Duke Paoa”.
The rule of “staying close to the beach”, obviously, applies in Maui as well, where it’s recommended to stay alongside the West Coast strip called Lahaina, which also has some of the most luxurious hotels on the island.
Attractions
As expected in such tropical place, Hawaii is home to all the familiar marine sports.
But it’s mostly known for the high waves that reach its shores, making it one of the world’s most popular surfing destinations.
If you prefer to be underwater, you can find incredible reefs in Maui where you can dive (or snorkel, if you’re like me and don’t have a diving license) and find an amazing underwater world rich with colorful fish, turtles and whales!
Another Hawaiian attraction is the Luau show. This is a Polynesian dancing show with stunning authentic costumes and spectacular fire stunts.
As is customary, the Luau evening includes dinner that follows by the show.
Tickets cost around $ 100 per person and this is an interesting worthwhile cultural experience.
Hawaii is lush with spectacular nature, landscapes, volcanoes and stunning beaches.
In order to enjoy it as much as possible, I recommend renting a car and touring its islands.
Oahus' pearls
4 more places that I would like to share with you:
1. Hanauma bay – a small bay located in the southeastern region of Oahu with a beautiful beach and high observation point that is totally worth the trip. The beach is a virgin one and runs as a nature reserve where you can snorkel along coral reefs, or just bath in the clear water.
2. Byodo-in temple – is also located in the eastern part of Oahu, in the “Valley of Temples” where you can find many temples and a large cemetery where Buddhists and Christians are buried together. The valley is close to some steep cliffs and is therefore very picturesque.
This is a replica of a 900-year-old temple in Japan.
Surrounded by Japanese gardens including ponds, fish, ducks and turtles.
A magical experience, and the road that is leading to the place is filled with breathtaking views of wild and mountainous vegetation as you can see only in Hawaii.
3. Pearl Harbor Museum – The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack by the Japanese navy on the US Navy base during World War II. The Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the American base and used planes to bomb its vessels.
In the surprise attack, the U.S lost 12 warships, 188 aircraft and 2,459 soldiers and civilians.
The attack on Pearl Harbor caused the entry of the United States into World War II.
The museum is on the northwest end of Honolulu and it includes- remains from the attack, ships, naval installations, models of missiles used in the attack and memorials for the fallen and the damaged vessels.
The visit in the museum is free of charge and takes about one and a half – two hours.
There is a parking lot on site but it is recommended to arrive early in the morning so there will be a parking space available.
Please note that the museum cannot be entered with bags.
4. Dole Plantation, Maui – This is a huge pineapple field (and many other fruits) where the fruits are grown for distribution. The plantation has a train tour that takes you through the different fruit growing areas (pineapple, mango, bananas, etc.), enter a crazy vegetation maze and find your way out with puzzles and clues, wander around the factory and the gift shop and taste the variety of fresh pineapple products sold on the spot. My tip – Go for the amazing fresh pineapple ice cream.
That’s it for now,
Hope you liked my photos and that I inspired you to visit this amazing destination (:
Let me know if you’ve already visited Hawaii or planning to do that any time soon..
* For more photos and videos from this perfect destination, go to my Instagram page and click on Hawaii highlights. (just click the Instagram button below)
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