Hawaii (state) is the only island and the southernmost part of the United States. The state is composed of eight main islands and 124 islets, reefs, and shoals. Honolulu, the capital and largest city of Hawaii, lies about 3,900 km from the western coast of the United States mainland.
The Aloha State, as Hawaii was officially nicknamed upon becoming the 50th state of the Union on August 21, 1959, occupies a land area almost wholly volcanic in origin. Some small areas above sea level consist of limestone derived from ancient coral reefs. The diverse scenery in Hawaii also includes mountains rising to more than 4,000 meters above sea level; great stretches of barren lava beds; golden beaches rimmed by palm trees; magnificent cliffs and brightly colored canyons; dense rain forests and arid thorny scrublands; and a multi-hued patchwork of field and forest.
The Hawaiian Islands were first inhabited around 400 AD by Polynesian navigators who sailed their double hulled canoes more than 3000 kilometers from the Marquises Islands in the southeast. A second wave of Polynesian migrants arrived around 1000 AD from the even more remote Society Islands (Tahiti). Hawaii was named after the legendary original homeland of the Polynesian people which they called Havaiki. Early Hawaiian clans were strongly hierarchical under the authority of powerful nobles and priests. Frequent inter tribal warfare and occasional cannibalism were the norm.
Until Captain James Cook reached the islands in 1778 (or 1779) Hawaii were barely known to the rest of the world. He named them the Sandwich Islands in honor of his patron, John Montagu, the fourth earl of Sandwich. In 1796 King Kamehameha I united the islands into a single independent kingdom. In 1893 the Hawaiian monarch was deposed, and Hawaii became successively a republic in 1894, a U.S. possession in 1898, and a U.S. territory in 1900. During the last half of the 19th century, Hawaii developed a plantation economy based on the cultivation of sugar and, later, pineapples, for export. The name of the state is taken from that of the island of Hawaii and is a Polynesian word of uncertain meaning. In the 19th century the name was extended to the entire archipelago.
Hawaii's place in modern world history was set on December 7, 1941, when a massive Japanese air attack on the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor and other military installations in Hawaii precipitated the United States' entry into World War II. Hawaii's role as one of the forward bases of U.S. military power has continued to the present day. Hawaii's postwar years were also marked by the diversification of its economy, with a great expansion of tourism, military expenditure, and some industry.
Hawaii is the only state where all the people belong to what are, in Hawaii, minority groups. For the most part, the state's residents live in a society that represents a uniquely harmonious fusion of races, languages, religions, and cultures. Most of the residents of Hawaii do not usually call themselves Hawaiians. They tend to reserve this term for those of their fellow citizens who have Hawaiian ancestry.
The state of Hawaii is made up of an island chain that extends for about 2,600km between the island of Hawaii in the southeast and Kure Island in the northwest. The state has a total area of 16,729 sq km, including 93 sq km of inland water. It is the fourth smallest state. The mean elevation is about 920 m.
Nearly all of the state's total area is accounted for by eight main islands, which are from east to west Hawaii, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Northwestward from the main islands extends a long string of islets, coral reefs, and shoals. The largest of these is Laysan, which covers only 400 hectares. These landforms are either uninhabited or are sparsely populated by people staffing government facilities.
The state of Hawaii is not coextensive with the geographical unit called the Hawaiian Islands, or Hawaiian Chain. The inhabited Midway Islands, in the northwest, are not part of the state but are administered by the U.S. government as a separate dependency. The atoll of Palmyra, an island southwest of the main islands, was part of the Territory of Hawaii but was specifically excluded from the state when statehood was achieved in 1959. It remains a U.S. territory.
The eight main islands of Hawaii, which lie just south of the tropic of Cancer, have a tropical climate that is determined by their latitude and oceanic setting and by the influence of the prevailing northeast trade winds.
Average temperatures range between 22° and 26° C (72° and 79° F) throughout the year at low elevations. Lowland temperatures vary only a few degrees from month to month and rarely more than 6° C (10° F) from day to day. Extreme temperatures rarely occur. Daytime temperatures hardly ever rise above 35° C (95° F), and temperatures below freezing are practically unknown at elevations of less than 1,200 m. Weather conditions above about 2,500 m can be quite severe, especially during the winter months.
Traditional Hawaiian seasons may be generally classified into two periods. Kau, or the summer period, normally lasts from mid-April until mid-October; ho'oilo, or the winter season, usually lasts from mid-October to mid-April. Although mild by the standards of temperate areas, the winter season is characterized by slightly lower temperatures than those of the summer, and by frontal or cyclonic storms that can bring strong northerly winds and much rainfall to some areas of the islands. Rainfall varies greatly from place to place and from month to month. In general, the wettest months are November to April.
Hawaii, often called the Big Island, lends its name to the entire Hawaiian archipelago. It is almost twice as large as the rest of the islands combined, and at the same time the Big Island is the less populated. Roughly triangular in shape, it extends 150 km from north to south and 122 km from east to west. The island is a huge mountainous mass dominated by two great volcanic peaks, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea is the world's largest sea mountain, complete with its own glacial lake, while its nearest neighbor Mauna Loa ("Long Mountain") is the creator of one -sixth of the island and the largest volcano on earth, rising 30,000 feet out of the ocean floor (you can see only the 13,796 ft. that are above sea level) In addition to its great bare lava beds and barren ash-covered slopes, which cover much of the island, Hawaii has large areas of tropical rain forests, numerous waterfalls, and great stretches of rolling grasslands.
The Big Island has an unmatched diversity of terrain and climate. A 50-mile drive will take you from snowy winter to sultry summer, passing through spring or fall along the way. The island bears the nation's wettest city, the southernmost point in the United States, the world's biggest telescope, the ocean's biggest trophy marlin, and America's greatest collection of luxury resorts.
The Big Island has it all: fiery volcanoes and sparkling waterfalls, black-lava deserts and snowcapped highest peaks in the Pacific, tropical rain forests and alpine meadows, a glacial lake and miles of golden, black, and green sand beaches. Hawaii island does not fit the stereotype of a tropical island, however. Some tourists are taken aback at the sight of stark fields of lava or black-sand beaches. You must remember about the island's long distances (expect to do lots of driving). And you may have to go out of your way if you're looking for traditional tropical beauty, such as a quintessential white-sand beach.
The Big Island is the least-explored island in the Hawaiian chain, but if you're looking to get away from it all and back to nature, that might be the best thing. Where else can you witness fiery creation and swim with dolphins; ponder the stars from the world's tallest mountain and catch a blue marlin; downhill ski and surf the waves in a single day? You can do all this, and more, on only one island in the world: the Big Island of Hawaii.
Maui, the second largest island, is sometimes called the Valley Isle because it consists of two mountain masses separated by a low, narrow valley-like isthmus. Haleakala, a huge dormant volcano 3,055m high, forms the largest of these mountain masses. Its summit depression is huge, with a circumference of 34 km. The lowland isthmus forms a fertile agricultural area.
Maui is just a small dot in the vast Pacific Ocean, but it has the potential to offer visitors unforgettable experiences: floating weightless through rainbows of tropical fish, standing atop a 3,000m volcano watching the sunrise color the sky, listening to the raindrops in a bamboo forest.
Molokai is called the Friendly Island because of the hospitality its inhabitants extend to visitors. Its eastern half is a mountainous area that rises to 1,512m at Mount Kamakou. Along the northeastern coast steep cliffs tower as high as 1,100m above the sea. The western half consists of a smaller volcano that rises to 503m. Much of this mountain is a generally low plateau, which was formerly used for pineapple growing, and now for cattle ranching and some tourism.
The first thing you see as you drive out of the airport is a sign reading 'Aloha! Slow Down. This is Molokai'. It's best to take that advice, forget the big-cities hectic pace of life and just sit back on the edge of one of the islander-built 800-year-old fishponds and watch the sun rise, then stroll along Hawaii's longest beach with barely another soul in sight. In the evening, you can watch the sun setting behind rustling palms and wind down with a little guitar music at some Molokai's oceanfront bar.
While the rest of Hawaii grew up, the Island of Molokai grew roots. Roads are few and generally empty. The island clings to tradition. Its small population prefers to live by raising crops, catching fish and adhering to the old ways. Molokai isn't merely a lovely island, it's the only island for those who want to experience something besides commercial luau, fancy shops, big resorts and the company of tourists. Instead, discover serenity, empty beaches and untamed outdoor beauty. In short, you'll experience a place where you can look inward as much as outward. You will also find the Hawaiian culture, which is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Though Molokai isn't sophisticated when it comes to tourism, it offers a wide range of places to stay and things to do.
Lanai, known as the Pineapple Island for the many years it was a prosperous pineapple plantation, was recently opened to tourism. Its years of private ownership by the Dole Food Company and reputation today as a place where visitors can find seclusion has bestowed upon it a new nickname as the Private Island. It is a generally hilly island that rises gradually to 1,027m above sea level at Lanaihale, or Mount Palawai. Cut off in part from the northeast trade winds by Maui and Molokai, the island of Lanai receives very little rainfall except in the summit region surrounding Lanaihale. For a time the land was used mainly for cattle raising. In 1922 most of the island was purchased by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (now the Dole Company), which tapped underground reservoirs and valley streams for irrigation water. The workers and their families reside in Lanai City, now the chief community, which lies at the foot of Lanaihale on the Palawai plateau.
Lanai's unique outdoor attractions are the primary reason for visiting the island. They include the Garden of the Gods in Kanepu'u, where rocks and boulders are scattered across a crimson landscape as if some divine being had placed them there as a sculpture garden. Adjacent is a self-guided nature trail leading through the Kanepu'u Preserve, a unique dryland forest hosting some 48 native species, including the endangered Hawaiian gardenia. The waters at Hulopo'e Beach are so clear that within a minute of snorkeling you can see turquoise and jade fish. After hiking or driving to the summit of Lana'ihale, a 3,370-ft-high windswept perch, you'll find a splendid view of nearly every inhabited Hawaiian island. A visit to Lana'i can be either simple or elegant. Solitude is easy to come by. On the other hand, you can rub elbows with sophisticated travelers during a game of croquet or a round of golf. Bring casual clothes because many of your activities will be laid-back.
Oahu, called the Gathering Place, is the home of about three-quarters of the state's total population, and the site of Honolulu, the state capital. The island is made up of two parallel mountain ranges, which are separated by a low rolling plateau and fringed by narrow coastal plains. The ranges, which run from northwest to southeast, are the Waianae Range on the west and the Koolau Range on the east. Mount Kaala, the highest point on Oahu, rises to 1,227m in the Waianae Range. The Koolau Range reaches a maximum height of 946m. On the windward, or northeast, side this range forms a series of spectacular cliffs. Honolulu, by far the largest city in Hawaii, lies on a narrow leeward coastal plain at the foot of the Koolau Range. Nearby are three famous landmarks, Punchbowl, Diamond Head, and Koko Head, all of them the remnant deposits of extinct volcanic vents. At its southern end the plateau merges with a broad coastal plain that encloses Pearl Harbor, Hawaii's finest harbor.
Everyone ventures to Oahu seeking a different experience. Some talk about wanting to find the "real" Hawaii, some are looking for heart-pounding adventure, some yearn for the relaxing and healing powers of the islands, and others are drawn by Hawaii's aloha spirit, where kindness and friendliness prevail.
All kinds of memorable experiences can be yours. Imagine yourself hovering weightless over a rainbowed sea of tropical fish, sitting in a kayak watching the brilliant colors of dawn etch themselves across the sky, sipping a mai tai while you take in sweeping views of the south shore and the Waianae Mountains, battling a magnificent game fish on a high-tech sport fishing boat, or listening to melodic voices chant the stories of a proud people and a proud culture that was overthrown little more than a century ago.
Oahu is a rich and rewarding destination for vacation packages. Beyond the turquoise waters, the pristine beaches, and the razor-edged mountains, there's a legacy of royalty, a delicious blend of Pacific influences and the luxurious pace of island relaxation.
You'll find palm-fringed blue lagoons, lush rain forests, hidden gardens, cascading waterfalls, wild rivers running through rugged canyons, and volcanoes soaring two miles into the sky. There are also incredible beaches - with gold, red, black, and even green sands. Add to that the history and culture of the Hawaiian Islands, and you have a vacation paradise.
Kauai, the wettest and greenest of the islands, is often called the Garden Isle. Perhaps the most scenic island of Hawaii, it is an area of luxuriant vegetation, multihued canyons, and numerous streams and waterfalls. The mountain's highest peak, Kawaikini, rises to 1,598m. The windward summit region of the extinct Kauai volcano is one of the wettest areas on earth. Through the centuries the erosive action of torrential streams has produced steep canyons, such as Waimea Canyon. The island's most popular scenic attraction, this great canyon is 16km in length and has multicolored walls more than 800m high. On the northwest coast the land drops in a series of huge craggy cliffs called Na Pali. Along other parts of the coast, sugarcane and cattle are raised on narrow lowlands. Kauai has served as the backdrop for a number of movies, including King Kong (1976), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and Jurassic Park (1993).
Soft tropical air, sunrise birdsong, essence of ginger and plumeria, golden sunsets, sparkling waterfalls -- you don't just go to Kauai, you absorb it with every sense. It may get more than its fair share of tropical downpours, but that's what makes it so lush and green and creates an abundance of rainbows.
Kauai is essentially a single large shield volcano that rises 3 miles above the sea floor. The island lies 90 miles across the open ocean from Oahu, but it seems at least a half-century removed in time.
Today the independent spirit lives on in Kauai, which refuses to surrender its island to wholesale tourism, preferring instead to take care of residents first (though it takes good care of visitors, too). A Kauai rule is that no building may exceed the height of a coconut tree - between three and four stories. As a result, the island itself, not its palatial beach hotels, is the attention-grabber. There's no real nightlife there, no opulent shopping malls. But there is the beauty of the verdant jungle, the endless succession of spectacular beaches, the grandeur of Waimea Canyon, and the drama of the Na Pali Coast.
Kauai's beauty has played a supporting role in more than 40 Hollywood films, from South Pacific to Jurassic Park. But this island is not just another pretty face: Its raw wilderness is daunting, its seas challenging, its canyons forbidding - two-thirds of the island is impenetrable. This is the place for active visitors: There's water sports galore; miles of trails through rain forests and along ocean cliffs for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders; and golf options that range from championship links to funky local courses where chickens roam the greens and balls wind up embedded in coconut trees. But Kauai is also great for those who need to relax and heal their jangled nerves. Here you'll find miles of sandy beaches, perfect for just sitting and meditating. There are also quiet spots in the forest where you can listen to the rain dance on the leaves as well as an endless supply of laid-back, lazy days that end with the sun sinking into the Pacific amid a blaze of glorious tropical color.
Niihau is the private property of the Robinson family, the descendants of Mrs. Elizabeth Sinclair and family, who purchased the island from the Hawaiian government in 1864. Only invited guests of the residents or of the owners are welcome there, and Niihau is frequently called the Aloof Island or Forbidden Island. Some 230 native Hawaiians live and work on Niihau. They speak the old Hawaiian language and follow some of the customs and traditions of their ancestors. Most of the island is low and arid. Too dry for cultivation, the island is used for grazing cattle.
Kahoolowe, the smallest of the main islands, is rocky and sparsely vegetated, especially in the upper region of the island. It has a maximum elevation of only 450m. Kahoolawe was used by the U.S. Navy as a target site from 1941 until 1994, when it was ceded to Hawaii.