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The Road to Hana is a popular day drive from Lahaina, though
with so many twists and turns the road is not for those unused to
driving on the right or with a large vehicle. Still the waterfalls
and Pacific ocean vistas make it a pleasant way to get to Hana,
a small isolated town that gives a good picture of what rural Hawai'ian
life is like.
Oahu
Most Hawai'ians call Oahu home and ¾'s of the island's population
live here. The name actually means 'The Gathering Place' as Hawai'ians
came here in ancient times by canoe to attend tribal meetings.The
island is also the Pacific headquarters for the US military so there
is a large military presence around the south central part of the
island.
The State capital, Hololulu is situated not far away from
Waikiki and has a central business district with high rises
and city parks not far from the old royal palace where Queen
Liliokolani was overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1893, which
resulted in the US government's annexation of the Hawai'ian islands,
paving the way for the admission of Hawai'i as the 50th state in
1959.
Chinatown is a short walk from downtown Honolulu and offers
an interesting and more authentic Asian experience than those of
other 'Chinatowns' in other US mainland cities. Temples and pagodas
stand next to excellent Asian restaurants serving Filipino, Vietnamese,
Chinese and Japanese food and the markets make an interesting stroll
in the mornings.
Calm and placid most of the year the North Shore of Oahu really
heats up in December when large Pacific storms in Alaska and Japan
create the world's largest waves for surfing. Huge crowds
gather to watch the brave few tackes these behemoths and injuries
and deaths are not uncommon, it is strictly expert only territory.
Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach are local
favorites. For diving and snorkelling on Oahu try Hanauma Bay,
an ancient caldera that has some of the tamest fish in the world.
Diving is best on the protected part of the south coast in places
like Sharks Cove and Ewa Beach.
Kauai
As the oldest island in Hawai'i, Kauai is also the lushest and greenest
place in the archipelago.
Rainforests make excellent backdrops for hiking and some of the
best bodyboarding in Hawai'i can be experienced on Poipu Beach,
on Kaui's north shore. Waimea Canyon is one of the island's
most famous sights, a result of the erosion that has been happening
here since the island was born. Helicopter flights are available
all over Hawai'i and in the rainy season fantastic waterfalls make
this an even more spectacular experience. The largest navigable
river in Hawai'i, the Wailua River, is 30 miles from Waimea.
It's best explored by kayak passing sacred temples where animal
and human sacrifices were once offered to the gods.
Kahoolawe
Flat, dry and not on any tourist itinerary for years, Kahoolawe
has long been a diving spot visited by Lahaina operators
though off limits to anyone wanting to have a look around.
It is attempting to revive Hawai'ian culture by setting up a settlement
there. This won't be easy: the featureless island was for years
used by the US military as a bombing range and thousands of unexploded
ordinances remain.
Lana'i
Once a large pineapple plantation, Lana'i has also been a popular
dive spot for Maui based diver boats for years. In recent
times the island has been developed as a high end luxury resort.
In good weather a ferry operates from Maui to the island and travellers
can snorkel at Hulopoe beach.
Hawai'i
The island of Hawai'i is two times larger in size than all of the
other islands combined. It has a vast range of landscapes from the
icy cold slopes of the Mauna Kea observatory to the rainy
and green forests surrounding Hilo, the sleepy town on the
island's southeast coast.
The west coast is where the tourists flock for sunny skies and deep
blue water congregating in the tourist centre of Kona. In
the north is the largest privately owned cattle ranch in the USA,
Parker Ranch, that is staffed by Paniolo's imported from
Mexico. Covering over one tenth of the entire island, parker ranch
has more than 85,000 cattle.
Perhaps the most famous National Park in the United States, Volcanoes
Nat'l Park has the unique distinction of allowing visitors to
get right up to active lava flows and witness new land being born.
The park is easily reached from Hilo, on the islands east shore,
but as most visitors stay in Kona the park is a two hour drive in
each direction. It is best to allow several days to really experience
all the park has to offer as numerous nature trails wind their way
through lava tubes, ancient calderas and other volcanic formations.
As in many sights in Hawai'i a rental car is essential here to see
everything.
If you're really lucky, Kilauea volcano, that has been active
since the early 1980's will put on a show for you and a thick river
of lava will pour towards the sea, where huge clouds of steam rise
up; at night low clouds are illuminated with the orange glow from
the lava.
Niihau
Owned entirely by the Robinson Family (who are not native Hawai'ian)
Niihau has completely shut out the developing world and has no electricity,
running water or telephones. Native Hawai'ian is spoken by the less
than three hundred inhabitants and Niihau is known as the 'Forbidden
Island' for its restrictive admission policy.
By Dave Lowe
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