Hawaii conjures up images of leis and luaus, but try and imagine a world without the hula. This provocative hip-shaking, belly-baring dance was once banned by missionaries. Thank goodness, the hula is still legal today and anyone heading to Hawaii will get their fair share of it. The hula is so contagious, it's likely you'll start dancing on your flight to Hawaii.
Hawaii is exactly what the movies and photographs make it out to be. Blue lagoons, palm trees, rainforests, secret gardens, cascading waterfalls, and towering volcanoes. Its beaches range in color from gold to black and its waters are clear blue. There’s no shortage of adventure in Hawaii, which is why tourists always book return flights to Hawaii year after year.
Hawaii is made up of eight main islands – Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, Niihau – and hundreds of smaller islands. The Aloha State was formally admitted as the 50th state to the United States on August 21, 1959.The best way to see Hawaii is to choose your island and fly directly there. Travelers can get additional Hawaii flights from Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai. But before you leave the airport in Hawaii, make sure you grab your lei.
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Year-round temperatures typically range from the low 70s to high 80s (F).There are two seasons, dry and rainy. The rainy season runs from November to March, and the dry season is the rest of the year, although there is some rain, especially in the rain forests.June to November is the time for hurricanes. The islands’ valleys, coastal plains, and mountain peaks create microclimates. For example, Hilo gets 180 inches of rainfall a year, but Puako, 60 miles from Hilo, gets less than six inches a year.
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Peak Season
Resorts are fully booked and Hawaii flights and prices are high from mid-December through March, and sometimes into April. The last two weeks of December are particularly busy in Hawaii and summer school vacation brings a lot of families to the islands.
Off Season
Cheap flights to Hawaii are available in the spring and fall, mid-April to mid-June and September to mid-December, which is also the best weather. However, if you’re coming the last weekend of April, book your reservations early as that is Japan’s Golden Week (four national holidays in one week), and the islands are very busy with Japanese visitors.
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Oahu has a bus system, and taxis are available on the larger islands, but it can be very expensive taking a taxi for a long distance. You’ll probably want to rent a car, possibly even on Oahu.
Except for Lanai, Hawaiian car rental rates tend to be reasonable, but gasoline prices are high. Traffic on Oahu is heavy; there are approximately 400 cars for every mile of road on Oahu. If you do rent a car, make sure to avoid rush hour. Interisland airlines offer several trips a day for traveling from one island to another.
Another option is to go by boat: the Molokai ferry goes back and forth to Maui, and the Lahaina-Lanai Ferry provides service between Maui and Lanai.
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The idea is to visit just one island—find the one that’s right for you and there’ll be plenty to do.
- The Big Island, Hawaii, is for many the true Hawaii with its snow-capped mountains, active volcanoes, and beaches that range in color from black to green. The eastern side of the island is known for its mist, flower farms, waterfalls, and rainbows. The western side has dry lava lowlands, ranches in the uplands, and the resorts and bustle of Kailua-Kona.
- Maui, the second largest island, has many of the best resorts in Hawaii. Maui offers a tropical vacation with miles of perfect beaches, a 10,000-foot volcano mountain, waterfalls, rain forests, abundant marine life, arts and cultural activities, nightlife, and the world’s top surfers at Hookipa Beach.
- Oahu is the most populated island. Honolulu, Waikiki beach, Pearl Harbor, and Diamond Head are here. There are also museums, historic sites, and a great nightlife. Oahu’s terrain alone is an attraction, with mountain ranges, valleys, extinct volcanoes, and dry gulches.
- Kauai is the oldest inhabited island, with cliffs thousands of feet high along its northwestern shore, the Waimean Canyon, jagged mountains, rain forests, and sandy beaches. This is the place for water sports, kayaking, hiking, and bird-watching.
Put on the map by Bill Gates’ wedding, Lanai is small and not easy to reach, but known for its small town feel and celebrity appeal. The island is almost completely unspoiled and the main attraction is nature. Activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, whale-watching, horseback riding, golfing, and talking story with the locals. - Molokai is the least-developed island and has Hawaii's highest waterfall, the world's tallest sea cliffs, coral reefs, rain forests, and empty beaches. If you’re looking for a beautiful tropical isle with few tourist trappings, this is the island for you.
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