Everyone knows someone who has taken a trip to Hawaii.
There’s so much to see and do while at Hawaii. This page will attempt to
cover many of these. Hawaii is made up of 6 larger islands: Big Island
(Hawaii’s Main Island), Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai.
The Big Island, the youngest and largest of the
Hawaiian Islands is also known at the “Orchid Isle.” The Big Island has 12
distinct climate zones. With the assistance of erupting Kilauea, which
spits out hot molten lava down the island’s south shore to the sea, this
island continues to grow everyday. It’s the longest continuous erupting
volcano in the world. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is just a short drive
from Kilauea or Hilo. Resorts and most residential developments are located
in costal areas on the Big Island such as Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and the Kohala
Coast. Much of the interior of the island is untouched and many cattle
ranches exist today.
On a yearly basis, the Big Island hosts a number of
world-renowned festivals and sporting events including: Merrie Monarch Hula
Festival, the Ironman Triatholon World Championships, and the Kona Coffee
Cultural Festival. The average rainfall ranges from 10 inches to 128 inches
on the Big Island.
Maui has a place for anyone who is looking for some
great fun in the Pacific Ocean. Maui is actually formed by two giant shield
volcanoes which from atop Maui actually looks like a head or even a torso of
a man. The west side of Maui is the older portion of the island. IT is
estimated that the volcano that formed Maui has a crater that spaned over 5
miles across. The highest point of the west Maui mountains towers at 5,788
feet.
Over the years, the geography of Maui has changed. The
island was formed with the hot lava and magma from 6 volcanoes the islands
of Maui, Moloka’i, Lana’I, and Koho’olawe were once a single landmass. Due
to rising sea levels the islands eventually separated although they are
still joined beneath the ocean. The underwater valleys that once saw
daylight now serve as a shelter for a abundance of marine life. The
temperature on Maui ranges from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.
Maui’s official flower is the loke lani (pink cottage rose) and the official
color is pink.
Maui is known from it’s breathtaking sunrises from
Haleakala’s Summit. The volcano has been inactive since 1790 when two minor
flows occurred. It is not a National Park that is open to visitors and
those seeking to catch the first rays of sun on Maui. There is a $10
entrance fee to enter the park, which is good for 7 days. The National
Weather Service provides information on the sunrise and sunset times and
viewing conditions, so make sure to call ahead.
Lanai is known as Hawaii’s most secluded island and is
well known for it’s pineapples. It actually holds the record for the
world’s largest pineapple plantation. With a population of 5,000, Lanai is
like small city rather than a large metropolis. With a peak of 3,370 feet,
Lanaihale is a sight to see and on a clear day, you’ll find up to five other
islands in the distance.
Lanai is known for the outdoor adventures it has to
offer, not the nightlife of other surrounding islands. The Munro Trail
tracks though the Norfolk pines and up to the highest elevation of the
island. Taking a hike down the island’s eastern cost, you’ll find Shipwreck
Beach because of the sometimes rough waters, which are not recommended for
swimming. The calm waters of Hulopo’e Bay offer a favorable alternative,
not to mention great snorkeling!
Molokai has long been thought as an island with special
power. That is to say that Molokai is though to be protected by Mana, or
spiritual power. Molokia is also known for having the largest percentage of
native Hawaiian residents in the state.
Molokia is only 264 square miles in total area, which
makes for a quick drive from one end of the island to the other. The main
town, Kaunakakai spans three blocks. However, Molokai offers Hawaii’s
longest white sand beach and the only barrier reef north of Australia. Also
enjoy the Kahiwa Falls, located east of Kalaupapa, which stand at 1,750 feet
earning the reputation of the highest sea cliff in the world.
The Hawaiian island of Oahu contains endless contrast.
It is the third largest home to nearly three-quarters of Hawaii’s 1.2
million population. The Urban city of Honolulu is a modern city comprised
of more than 370,000 individuals. Outside Honolulu you’ll find farmland.
The island is believed to be the product of a single hot spot, derived from
the earth’s mantle. Over the course of millions of years, this island
formed and now contains two extinct shield volcanoes.
Oahu has many visible landmarks. The 761 foot-tall
Diamond Head, which can be found on Waikiki’s eastern border, is a “turf
cone” formed over 100,000 years ago. The city and the County of Honolulu
encompass the whole island of Oahu. In Honolulu the sugar planters and
missionary decendants overthrew the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1893. When
Statehood was declared in 1959, Honolulu became the state capitol. The
island’s highest point is at the summit of Mt. Kaala in the Waianae Range
(4,020 feet).
Kauai earns the reputation as home to the wettest spot
on Earth, Mount Waialwale, averaging 458 inches of rain per year. The
popular destination is traveled to by many to see “The Garden Isle.” Kauai
is thought to have been the first of the Hawaiian Islands founded by
Marquesan seafarers, circa 750 A.D. Due to it’s proximity to the other
Hawaiian islands, Kauai royal bloodline was thought to the the purest in all
the islands.
Kauai was the first Hawaiian Island English Captain
James Cook explored in 1788. The oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, the island
was first formed by an erupting volcano over 10 million years ago. The
average temperature at Lihu’e Airport is between 70 and 80 degrees
Fahrenheit year round. The official flower is the mokihana (green berry)
and the official color is purple.