Stunning Beaches Of Hawaai

Oahu Hawaii

Oahu is the third largest and the most developed, have a total land area of 6467 square miles. Like other islands of Hawaii, Oahu is the tip of an underwater mountain. The island is roughly shaped like an elephant's head, with the Waianae Range on the west, and the long Koolau Range on the east of the island.

Oahu is not the largest, but the main island of Hawaii . It is the most populated island and hosts five million visitors a year. Honolulu , the capital of Hawaii is situated here on Oahu. Honolulu boasts about 80% of the population of Hawaii. When Kamehameha the Great was fighting for control of Hawaii, Oahu was the last independent island to fall. It was vanquished in 1795.

Hawaii's new king moved house to a flourishing village called Honolulu in 1809 in order to control and develop the vigorous trade taking place in the harbor with visiting merchant ships. Since then Honolulu plays role of business, commercial and cultural center of Hawaii.

Oahu Hawaii tourism is centred almost exclusively around Waikiki Beach . Over 90% of Oahu hotels are located here. Waikiki is famous for the best surfing waves on Oahu Hawaii. The majority of the island's attractions are concentrated around this urban area. There are some other places of interest on Oahu, but they can be explored on a day tour. d.

Oahu Hawaii is also famous for the most challenging and scenic golf courses (there are about 36 of them on Oahu Hawaii). Stretching into rainforest mountains, through the island's central plateau and along golden beaches, Oahu's courses provide splendid scenery and some of the most challenging holes in the nation.

MAUI Hawaii

Maui is the second largest island in the Hawaiian Island chain. The nickname of Maui is " The Valley Island " because the island is formed by two parallel and now dormant volcanoes with a valley between them. The western section of Maui Hawaii was formed by Mauna Kahalawai (5,788 feet) and the southeastern section - the world's largest volcano, Haleakala (10,029 feet).

As the middle island of Hawaii, Maui was the center of Hawaiian royalty. Through the years, it also served as a base for Christian missionaries, a port of call for whaling vessels, and the site of Hawaii's most productive sugar cane and pineapple plantations. Nowadays Maui is the most developed of Hawaiian islands. It has everything for perfect vacation: accommodation for every taste, from budget hotels to luxuriuos resorts, gorgeuos beaches entertainment

Kauai Hawaii

Enchanting beauty of cascading emerald mountains, uncrowded sandy beaches and spectacular waterfalls - that is Kauai Hawaii . Kauai is so richly green and flourishing that it's nicknamed "The Garden Island" . Nearly half the island is a protected conservation area, and much of the rest is rural.

Kauai is considered to be the Hawaii's oldest island . It was formed by volcanic activity more than 5 million years ago.

Kauai's central volcanic peak, Mount Waialeale , is the wettest place on earth. Thanks to moisture-laden winds that strike Mount Waialeale, the area surrounding the peak is often deluged by upwards of 480 inches of rain per year.

The lush natural environment and breath-taking scenery makes Kauai Hawaii a favorite island with photographers and filmmakers. Over the years, such well-known works as "South Pacific," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Jurassic Park," and "Outbreak" have been filmed here.

Roughly circular in shape, Kauai is 550 square miles in area and 32 miles in diameter. Though Kauai's climate is tropical, it actually consists of many distinct microclimates, including sunny dry areas, lush river valleys, temperate foothills and high mountain rain forests.

Kauai Hawaii is a very compact place for travel - that means, it has a little bit of everything in a compact area - the sunny seaside town of Poipu and Lihue in the south with its golf courses, the archeaological sites and rivers for exploring in the west, the breath-taking coastline in the north, and the unusual canyons and wild beaches on the west side.

Lihue , situated on the southeastern coast, is the island's county seat and most prominent city. The airport of Kauai Hawaii is situated at Lihue . In addition, Lihue's processing plants prepare raw sugar for export to the States.

Molokai Hawaii

Peaceful and rural, Molokai is called "the most Hawaiian Island". If you're looking for natural beauty, rainforests and deserted beaches, outdoor adventures and eco tourism, travel to Molokai Hawaii is a perfect choice for you.

Life here is slow and relaxed. There is so little automobile traffic, that there's not a single traffic light. There are no buildings taller than a coconut tree. Although it is just only 9 miles away from Maui, Molokai is years apart from other major Hawaiian islands in terms of modern development. Visiting Molokai , you feel stepping many years back in time.

The island of Molokai is approximately 165,800 acres in area, and was formed by a series of three volcanoes which divide the island into three major sections: East Molokai, the Central Hoolehua plain, and West Molokai. Molokai is in the middle of the island chain between the island of Oahu which lies 26 miles northwest of Molokai, and Maui, which lies nine miles southeast.

According to the experts, first settlements appeared on Molokai about 650 A.D. Those first settlers most likely originated from the Marquises, with later migrations, in double hulled canoes, from Tahiti and other areas in the South Pacific. The oldest known Hawaiian settlement on Molokai occurred in Halawa Valley , at the eastern end of the main highway that crosses the length of the island.

Molokai Island has population about 6,800. Molokai has a large population of Native Hawaiians. Residents here are very friendly and honest.

Molokai is the island where the hula , a famous Hawaiian dance, was born. Legend tells us that Laka , goddess of the hula, gave birth to the dance on Molokai, at a very sacred place in Ka'ana. Every May a celebration of the birth of hula, called Ka Hula Piko , takes place on Molokai .

Lanai Hawaii

Lanai is very small - only 140 square miles- and quiet island. The population of Lanai is 3,000 people. Lanai has one airport ( Lanai airport ) and only three hotels, two of them are luxury resorts.

As a legend says, Lanai was an evil place, overrun with demons. Perhaps, the small island, that lacked the resources other islands had, was perceived as inhospitable and evil place. For nearly 1,000 years after Polynesians settled Hawaii , Lanai remained uninhabited. Then, according to the legend, the demons were driven out by Kaulalaau (exiled son of a West Maui king), and Hawaiians finally came to live on Lanai.

Over the years, Lanai has gone through different stages of development. The island was used for sugarcane raising and cattle grazing. In 1922 it was purchased by a pineapple company and developed as a pineapple-growing center. Nowadays pineapple is no longer grown here commercially, but the nickname of Lanai - the Pineapple Isle - still remains.

Two popular places on Lanai, Hawaii are the Garden of the Gods and Shipwreck Beach.

Gardens of God

Garden of the Gods is a windswept plateau area at the west end of Lanai . The relentless winds have been weathered queer forms of cliff sides. The exposed hillsides and rock formations reveal the very earthy tones of red, rust, russet, yellow and brown. This lunar-like landscape is especially impressive in the early morning or late afternoon sunlight.

Shipwreck beach

Shipwreck beach is a 8-mile -long stretch of white sand on the north of Lanai . The beach was named for the rusting World War II Liberty ship that lists off its shore. It can be dangerous to swim here, as the undercurrents are often strong, and there are no lifeguards. But beachcombers love this place, because everything from Nautilus shells to timbers to old wooden riggers wash ashore. In the winter and early spring this beach is one of Lanai's best whale-watching spots.

Big Island Hawaii

Its official name is the Island of Hawaii , but you rarely hear this. Commonly it is called the Big Island , because it's nearly twice the size of all the other Hawaiian islands combined.

gfh	The Big Island of Hawaii has other unofficial names: some call it the " Orchid Isle " due to the 100,00 plus species of orchids grown there. Sometime it is named " Volcano Island ", because at the heart of the Big Island there are two towering volcanic peaks, Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.

Geographically the Big Island of Hawaii is the most diverse island of the archipelago with eleven of the 14 known climate zones in the world: from desert lavascapes to tropical rain forests, from beaches to snow-capped mountains. The highest point of Big Island Hawaii is Mauna Kea (that means "White mountain") at 13,796 ft above sea level and home to the world's largest astronomical observatory , with telescopes operated by astronomers from eleven countries of the world.

Archaeological attractions The National Historic Park at Puuhonua is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in Hawaii. Puuhonua was an important residential site for the Hawaiian royal chiefs. The park includes several huge stone platforms and a reconstructed temple with ornate carved wooden statues .

Puako Petroglyph Preserve is another attraction for those who is interested in Hawaiian history and culture. Its collection includes more than 1,200 stone carvings. Puukohola war temple was built from 1790-1791 by King Kamehameha I to fulfil a prophecy that he would conquer all of Hawaii on completion of the temple.

Summit of Mauna Kea

The summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii hosts the world's largest astronomical observatory for optical, infrared, and submillimeter astronomy. The number of clear nights here on Hawaii is among the highest in the world, that makes Mauna Kea unique astronomical observing site. At the Visitor Information Station guests can learn about the mountain, the telescopes, and the Universe, buy souvenirs and view the stars after dark through the portable telescopes.

 
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