Aloha! Welcome to Hawaii!! Paradise in the Pacific!
Overview
When to Go
Events
Sights
Money & Costs
Getting There & Around
History
Say aloha to a bona fide heaven on earth.
Mark Twain declared Hawaii to be 'the loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean', and not even years of mass tourism have managed to prove him wrong. Its very name conjures dreamy images of drinking mai tais to slack-key guitar. But it's not all hibiscus behind the ear and papaya on the chin: it's also hikes along the smoldering crust of a living volcano, hip-hop in Waikiki and snorkelling with vivid fish.
Thousands of gems fashion the archipelago's necklace, but only six islands welcome visitors. Each is as different as the multi-ethnic complexions of the local population, who talk story and share their passion about Hawaii as if you're long-lost pals.
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 during the spring (April to mid-May) and autumn (October to mid-November).
Big holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and Easter mean accommodation is tight and prices a bit higher. In terms of cost, visiting between mid-April and mid-November can be a bargain because some hotel prices drop in the off-season. Hotels and resorts catering to summertime vacationing families do not lower their rates significantly.
If you're a board surfer, you'll find the biggest waves in winter, whereas if you're a windsurfer, you'll find the best wind conditions in summer. Football freaks will want to plan holidays around the Hula and Pro Bowls, while cowboys might plan an adventure around big rodeos. Alternatively, you might want to avoid big-time events. For example, unless you've scored tickets to the Merrie Monarch Festival, visit Hilo another time.
Weather
The climate in Hawaii is fantastic. It's balmy and warm, with northeasterly trade winds prevailing most of the year. Near the coast, average highs are a pleasant 27°C (80°F), and the difference between summer and winter average temperatures is minimal. The rainiest period is between December and March. In general, the driest, sunniest conditions and the calmest waters are on the southwesterly, or leeward, side of the islands. Conversely, the northeasterly, or windward, side of the islands receive decent rainfalls: Hilo, the rainiest city in the USA, is on the windward side of the Big Island.
With its multitude of cultures and permanently good weather, Hawaii always has something to celebrate. Some of the events to look out for include Hawaii's biggest hula competition, the Merrie Monarch Festival (April); May Day, an extravaganza of lei-making (May); King Kamehameha Day, a state holiday with parades (June); Aloha Festival, a celebration with parades, cultural events, canoe races and Hawaiian music (August to October); the Quicksilver/Eddie Aikau Memorial Big Wave Classic, a surf event held "on O'ahu" when wave heights exceed 6m/20ft (December); and the Ironman Triathlon World Championship on the Big Island (October).
A veritable paradise on earth, Hawaii has jawdropping scenery; check out Mauna Kea, the world's largest volcanic mountain, the wrinkled green peaks of the Na Pali coast or the world famous beaches of Waikiki. But don't forget the history: you can pay homage at the hallowed site of Pearl Harbor.
Price Guide, Tipping
Currency
Name
Symbol
*
Sample Price Guide
souvenir t-shirt
US$ 10.00
small bottle of beer
US$ 0.95
litre bottled water
US$ 0.95
loaf of whole wheat bread
US$ 1.45
liter of gas
US$ 1.55
New York hot dog
US$ 1.50
hotel double room
US$ 70.00-100.00
restaurant meal
US$ 25.00-40.00
printing a roll of film
US$ 5.00
1lb ground beef
US$ 1.85
Average Room Prices
Low Mid High
25-50 50-120 120+
Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High
5-12 12-20 30+
*
Tipping
Tipping is expected in cafes, restaurants and better hotels. The going rate in restaurants is 15% or more of the bill; never tip in a fast-food or self-service environment. Taxi drivers, bartenders and hairdressers depend on similar-sized gratuities.
Orientation
While there are 132 islands in the Hawaiian archipelago (at 2451km (1523mi) long, the world's longest) most are mere pin-pricks of rock, and only seven are inhabited. Each of these, formed through volcanic activity, rose from the bed of the Pacific Ocean over the past 25 million years. This process is still not complete: the Big Island is home to the active volcanoes Kilauea and Mauna Loa, while Maui is home to the world's largest dormant crater, Haleakala. Honolulu, the state capitol, is on O'ahu.
Getting There, Getting Around
Getting There
Honolulu International Airport (HNL), on the island of Oahu, is a major Pacific hub and an intermediate stop on many flights between the US mainland and Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. There's a US$14.50 departure tax on all international flights. If you insist on arriving by sea, the QE II stops in Hawaii in January on its annual world cruise.
Getting Around
Inter-island flights are plentiful between Honolulu (O'ahu) and airports at Lihue (Kauai), Kahului (Maui), Kona and Hilo (Big Island). The main carriers are Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines; commuter services are run by Island Air and Air Molokai. There are inter-island ferries between Lahaina (Maui) and Manele (Lana'i), and Lahaina and Kaunakakai (Moloka'i). In 2007, the Hawaii SuperFerry will start sailing between O'ahu, Maui, Kauai'i and the Big Island.
O'ahu has a comprehensive bus system, making the island easy to explore by public transport. It will be necessary to hire a car to fully explore the other main islands. Folks in Hawaii drive on the right-hand side of the road and consider horn honking extremely rude unless required for safety. Cycling is a legitimate way of getting around but be prepared for hefty climbs and narrow, traffic-clogged roads.
Pre-20th-Century History
The first Polynesians, believed to be from the Marquesas, settled on this island chain some time between 500 and 600 AD. They lived a rather peaceful life until, in 1000 AD, the Tahitians arrived and introduced their customs, religion and a strict social order. The first known Westerner to visit the islands was British explorer Captain James Cook, who arrived in 1778. Cook named the Hawaiian archipelago the Sandwich Islands, in honor of the Earl of Sandwich. At first, Cook was heralded as the legendary Lono, god of fertility and peace, but a freakish turn of events led to his fatal stabbing at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island.
A witness to Cook's slaying was a fierce warrior, known as King Kamehameha or Kamehameha the Great, who was to unify the Hawaiian islands and establish the Hawaiian monarchy. Kamehameha engaged in lucrative trade with American sea captains interested in Hawaii's sandalwood forests. As more ships found their way to this new port of call, a foreign presence began to establish itself on Hawaiian shores. In the 1820s, Yankee whaling ships began calling on Hawaiian ports in search of wine, women and song, and for the next 50 years Hawaii was the centre of the Pacific whaling industry, bringing big money to the islands. The social excesses of the whalers were curtailed by the presence of Christian missionaries who befriended the Hawaiian royalty and introduced more 'refined' Western social mores.
In the mid-1800s, descendants of the missionaries established Hawaii's sugar industry. The declining native population meant plantation owners soon began to look overseas for a labour supply. Labourers were recruited from China, then from Japan, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Korea and finally from the Philippines. As Hawaii's sugar industry grew, the USA became more integral in the affairs of the Hawaiian islands. As a means of eliminating tariffs, the plantation owners announced a provisional government which eventually led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of Hawaii as a territory of the USA in 1900.
Modern History
Hawaii's importance to the USA grew as the US Navy established a huge military base at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was the pivotal event that persuaded the USA to enter WWII. After the war, opinion polls showed that more than 90% of Hawaii residents favoured US statehood. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state of the USA.
The following years saw the development of Hawaii as a major tourist destination with numerous resorts, golf courses and shopping centres being built. To combat the increasing development, a number of state parks, wilderness sanctuaries and marine reserves have been established. In the 1970s, a Hawaiian cultural renaissance reasserted local cultural values in the face of tourist-brochure parodies.
Recent History
Native Hawaiian sovereignty has become a key political issue. While some Hawaiian groups favour the restoration of the monarchy, other native groups are calling for a Hawaiian nation within the USA and the return of crown lands taken during annexation. In November 1993, US President Bill Clinton signed a resolution apologising for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom 100 years earlier. But since 2000, court decisions have ended certain state and federal privileges once granted to Native Hawaiians, deeming the laws unconstitutionally race-based.
In the mid-1990s, the sugar era ended in Hawaii, making tourism the key economic force, along with other agricultural crops, including coffee and macadamia nuts. Today, hot topics include rampant traffic on the four major islands and skyrocketing real-estate values that price locals out of the market.