Hawaii is composed of 8 major islands - Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau - and over 120 other small islands and atolls. The so-called "crossroads of the Pacific," the islands have developed into a unique environment of tropical enticements and melting pot of cultures.
When to go
Although Hawaii's busiest tourist season is during winter (December to February), this has more to do with the weather elsewhere, since many visitors are snowbirds escaping cold winters back home. Average temperatures differ very little from winter to summer. June through October is the hottest period, while rainfall is heaviest between December and March. Neither extreme is worth worrying over. Hotel prices are lowest between April and mid-December.
If you're a surfer, you won't want to miss the Christmas-time action around Oahu's North Shore, but if windsurfing or diving is more your thing, you'll find the waters at their calmest at the height of summer (July and August).
Big Island is well-known for housing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a must-see for outdoor enthusiasts. The volcano Kilauea, within the park, has been continuously erupting since 1983, providing visitors with a glimpse of nature's raw power.
On Oahu, surfing reigns supreme. Every year, countless people catch their first waves at Baby Queen's in Waikiki, and many others perfect their techniques on Oahu's innumerable beaches. The winter months bring mammoth waves to the North Shore and the Leeward Coast's Makaha Beach.
Also on Oahu is the Arizona Memorial Museum where thousands annually pay their respects at the infamous Pearl Harbor where Japanese forces bombed the United States.
Maui is the only island in Polynesia to be named after a god. You can visit east Maui's Haleakala Crater (the largest dormant volcano in the world at 10,023 feet tall), where you'll find a desolate landscape that is nonetheless home to the beautiful silversword - a member of the daisy family that has, due to its isolation, evolved into a plant like no other in the world. The lush rainforests and bogs of the nearby West Maui Mountains are home to a network of trails, cultural spots and stunning points of interest.
Kauai
Known for its spectacular canyons and waterfalls, the Garden Island of Kauai is also home to nature preserves, carefully restored historical sites, and some of the most secluded, pristine beaches in the Hawaiian Islands. Princeville, on the island's north coast, is a planned resort area flanked by botanical gardens and nearby communities of artists and musicians. 'Alekoko Fishpond, near Nawiliwili Harbor on the island's southeast shore, is an engineering marvel built in ancient times - and allegedly in a single night, by the legendary "menehune."
