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Hawaii - Honolulu Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Hawaii - Honolulu
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Hawaii - Honolulu Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Hawaii - Honolulu - The main attraction on the Hawaiian island of
Kauai is its natural beauty and unassuming lifestyle of the people.
The wettest spot on earth is said to be Kauai's Mount Waialeale
with an average rainfall of 485 inches per year - this has resulted
in the Alakai Swamp, the highest swamp in the world, and the Waimea
River, the longest river in the Hawaiian Islands. It also causes an
abundance of rainbows and lush vegetation that has earned it the
title of 'the Garden Island'.
Kauai was the
first of the Hawaiian Islands to be discovered by English explorer
Captain James Cook in 1778 when he landed at Waimea on Kauai's
southwest coast. There is evidence, however, that he was not the
first European in Hawaii; some Spanish sailors may have paid a
visit about a century earlier. Today Kauai is popular with
visitors, but tourism development is concentrated in just a few
prime locations such as the Princeville resort on the north coast.
Holidaymakers who opt for Kauai's raw wilderness are rewarded with
some of the most secluded, pristine beaches in the Hawaiian Islands
and marvellous natural wonders like Waimea Canyon, covering 14
miles (23km) on the west side. There are also some restored
historic sites to explore, like the Alekoko Fishpond near
Nawiliwili Harbour on the southeast coast, regarded as an
engineering wonder of ancient times.
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Hawaii - Honolulu
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. Beaches
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What is it? The main attraction for visitors to Oahu are
the range of 139 beaches which, from the pounding waves of the
north shore to the gentle swells of Waikiki in the south, offer the
chance to bathe and soak up the sun, or tackle a variety of active
watersports in water temperatures that never fall below 75ºF (24ºC)
all year round. The south shore is favoured by families, offering
picnic spots and opportunities for snorkelling, tide-pooling and
swimming. Magic Island near Waikiki is a peninsula where the beach
is protected by a man-made breakwater offering safe bathing and a
stretch of shady, grassy areas on which to picnic. At Ala Moana
Beach a half-mile of white sand is protected by a reef, washed by
calm shallow waters. Hanauma Bay marine sanctuary is located in the
crater of an extinct volcano and is an ideal snorkelling spot while
Waikiki Beach, the most famous stretch of sand in the world, draws
about four million visitors a year to its sands where sun
worshippers can buy fast food, snacks and cocktails to enjoy under
their rented umbrellas. On the West coast the Ko Olina Resort and
Marina offers seven crescent shaped sandy beaches with palm trees
and views of the Waianae Mountains, and Yokohama Bay is a quiet,
beautiful spot away from the madding crowds. The North shore is
favoured by surfers, particularly during the winter months when
waves can reach heights of 25 feet (8m) at beaches like Ehukai with
its famed Pipeline, Sunset Beach and Waimea Beach. The East shore
boasts lush tropical beach settings with conditions ideal for
windsurfing and sailing. Kailua Beach Park is picturesque and
usually in the 'top ten beaches in the United States' lists.
Lanikai is even better. Sandy Beach is popular for kite-flying, and
Waimanalo offers four miles of uninterrupted white sand framed by
palm trees.
Hours of Operation:
Phone: |
2. Polynesian Cultural Centre
55-370 Kamehameha Highway (83)
www.polynesia.com |
What is it? Hawaii's top tourist attraction, the
Polynesian Cultural Centre, is situated on the Kamehameha Highway
in Laie on the scenic north shore of Oahu island. This remarkable
venue, visited by more than one million people a year, consists of
seven Polynesian 'islands' in a beautifully landscaped 42-acre
setting, representing Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti, the
Marquesas and Tonga, all sited in a freshwater lagoon. The centre
gives visitors a holistic insight into the culture of the different
Polynesian communities, employing students from the nearby Brigham
Young University-Hawaii campus to bring various activities, from
pageants and ceremonies to tribal tattooing demonstrations, to
life. A highlight of a visit to the Centre is the evening show
spectacular, 'Horizons', presented in the 2,770 seat Pacific
Theatre with its multi-level stages allowing for fiery volcanoes
and brilliant fountains to erupt as special effects in this huge
Polynesian song and dance revue.
Hours of Operation: Open Monday to Saturday. The box office is open 9am
to 8pm. Island tours and cultural presentations start at 12.30pm.
The seven cultural villages close at 6.30pm, but the various shows,
pageants, extravaganzas, shops, Imax theatre and restaurants are
open later. 'Horizons' starts at 7.30pm
Phone:800 367 7060 |
3. Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu
www.bishopmuseum.org |
What is it? The Bishop Museum in Honolulu is the largest
museum in Hawaii and the premier natural and cultural history
institution in the Pacific, recognised worldwide for its cultural
collections, research projects and educational programmes. The
museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop, in honour of his
late wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of
the royal Kamehameha family of Hawaii. Originally the museum housed
the extensive family heirlooms of the royal family, but now the
collection includes millions of artefacts, documents and
photographs relating to Hawaii and other Pacific island cultures.
It also has one of the largest natural history specimen collections
in the world. All these treasures are housed in the former
Kamehameha School for Boys in Bernice Street, Honolulu, established
by the princess, which moved to a new location in
1940.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9am to 5pm
Phone:(808) 847 3511 |
Hawaii - Honolulu
holidays - Top Events
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