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Hawaii Destination Guide

Hawaii

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A good place to begin your exploration of the island is the town of Hilo. Visit Lili'uokalani Gardens, Rainbow Falls and hike to the Boiling Pots for a swim. Hilo is also a hot spot of riveting cultural institutions like the Pacific Tsunami Museum and the Lyman House Museum to get a taste of local art from the Big Island.
Tourists flock to Kauai for its surreal landscapes, flowering trees and dense lush forests that trail to the edge of its sea cliffs. The prettiest place on the island is concentrated around Po`ipu, with hotels like Marriott's Waiohai Beach Club and Coastline Cottages serving the area. There are many beautiful beaches ideal for watching seals, dolphins, or for surfing and snorkelling. Po`ipu is also home to the outstanding and must-see Allerton and McBryde National Tropical Botanical Gardens of the Pacific.
Maui is the second largest Hawaiian island and more of a resort destination, especially for families who prefer to stay in zones like Kapalua and Lahaina. Hana is a gorgeous little village worth visiting, and for the more adventurous, a hike up the lush and verdant Western Maui Mountains near Haleakala is an exhilarating day away from the beach.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has seen over 70 million years of volcanic activity, as you can view in the scars, rock formations and fertile dales within its confines. The views you get here are unbeatable, and on occasion there are evening events—lectures, concerts and films—for a $2 entrance donation.
Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii, which means most of the action within this string of 19 islands is found here. Yet Honolulu does not enjoy the same paradise settings as the rest of Hawaii, unless you look for them in places like the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, which is spectral and gorgeous. Play with the surfers on Waikiki’s white sand beaches, and make sure to visit the harbour, museums and the sailors hangouts in the old downtown.