Tourism in Hawaii
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Also see the destination guide on Wikitravel:Hawaii.
Hawaiʻi is the name of a chain of several islands and are among the numerous Pacific Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Of these, the islands which have significant tourism are: Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, and Lānaʻi.
In 2003 alone, according to state government data (see[1]), there were over 6.4 million visitors to the Hawaiian Islands with expenditures of over $10 billion. Due to the mild year-round weather, tourist travel is popular throughout the year. The summer months and major holidays are the most popular times for outsiders to visit, however, especially when residents of the rest of the United States are looking to escape from cold, winter weather. The Japanese, with their economic and historical ties to Hawaii and the USA as well as relative geographical proximity, are also principal tourists.
2005 saw a big increase in tourism, with over 7.3 million visitors.
Contents |
[edit] Hawaiʻi (The “Big Island”)
The Island of Hawaiʻi, often called "the Big Island", is the largest island in the chain. Since the entire chain is also named Hawaiʻi the term "Big Island" also specifies that someone is referring to the particular island instead of the entire archipelago. Unique features of interest to tourism include: active volcanoes on its southeastern coast, two of the world's largest mountains (Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa), and the resort area of Kona.
[edit] Oʻahu
Oʻahu is the most developed and highly populated island. It is home to the city of Honolulu where some eighty percent of the state's residents live. It is the commercial center of the state as well as the seat of state government. Waikīkī is one of the most well-known tourist destinations in Hawaiʻi. The North Shore of Oʻahu is popular with surfers and hosts world championship competitions. The atmosphere fits with surfing culture; laid back and reminiscent of the 1960s. It's an easy drive from Honolulu and worth a visit. The Polynesian Cultural Center is the island's oldest and most visited attraction. The USS Arizona Memorial is also very popular visitor destination for the island of Oʻahu.
[edit] Maui
Maui is the second largest island and also attracts many visitors each year. It is often called "the Valley Isle" because of the narrow plain between the huge 10 thousand foot high Haleakalā and the West Maui mountains. Famous resort areas on Maui include Lāhainā, Kāʻanapali, Kīhei, and Wailea. Also of note is the tiny village of Hāna on the far eastern coast known for is remoteness for the rest of the island being access via a single narrow and windy roadway.
[edit] Kauaʻi
Kauaʻi is the smallest of the four listed here and may also be the least developed. Known as the "Garden Isle," Kauaʻi includes such scenic spots as the Wailua River with its double waterfall, the deep and colorful Waimea Canyon, and the remote and jagged Nā Pali Coast. Waiʻaleʻale, located near the very center of Kauaʻi, claims to be the rainiest location in the world.
[edit] Regions
Kauaʻi can be divided in to five regions. Because the island is so small those visiting Kauaʻi ought to include a little time in each region.
The magnificent North Shore boasts the Nā Pali Coast, with majestic cliffs rising more than 4,000 feet above the ocean as well as the beaches of Hanalei Bay, one of the oldest settlements on the island, and Lumahaʻi, made famous in the movie South Pacific. Don’t miss the northernmost point at Kīlauea, with its picturesque lighthouse and spectacular wildlife refuge.
The rugged West Side of the island offers visitors on vacation in Kauaʻi some of the most amazing scenery in all of the Hawaiian Islands. Visit Waimea Canyon, dubbed "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" and enjoy unbelievable views of some of the most photographed scenery in Hawaiʻi. Visitors will also want to make a visit the Polihale Heiau, the place where, according to local tradition, departed souls leave the island and head into the setting sun.
The South Shore is full of enticing beaches such as Māhāʻulepū Beach with its ancient petroglyphs and the rocky Shipwreck Beach, both perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving. Of course, there’s Poʻipū Beach, continuously ranked as one of the world's top beaches by travel experts everywhere.
Vacationers won't want to miss the Līhuʻe-Wailua region, the island's county seat and site of two 18-hole courses. The Hulēʻia National Wildlife Refuge located here offers stunning scenery and a great place to photograph native birds and animals. The elegant and pristine Wailua Falls, once the site of thrilling cliff diving, is a short drive inland.
The Coconut Coast, located on the northeastern portion of the island, is the home of many sacred sites and Hawaiian cultural attractions. On the Coconut Coast resides the 19th century plantation town of Old Kapaʻa, sprinkled with fine restaurants and distinctive shops.
[edit] Activities
Kauaʻi is a paradise for nature lovers. Hiking, kayaking, camping, a helicopter tour (~$180) and/or a boat tour (~$115) are the only ways one can see the true beauty of the island. A visitor who doesn't hike hazardous trails or does not have the budget to take a helicopter or boat tour won't be able to see much on Kauaʻi, because the roads only reach about 5% of the island.
There is one main highway, which does not circle the entire island. The highway goes along the coast from the north at Keʻe Beach, goes around the east side where the town of Līhuʻe and the airport are located, continues along the south shore and then west, ending at the remains of a town called Mana and Polihale State Park.
The northwest part of the island contains the Nā Pali Coast State Park, a range of breathtaking, rugged cliffs that are inaccessible by car. A view of this spectacular vista, either by hiking, helicopter or boat, should not be missed when visiting Kauaʻi.
]]Nā Pali coast from helicopter
In the northwest interior of the island are the Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and the high altitude Alakaʻi Swamp. In the center of the island is the top of the inactive Waiʻaleʻale volcano. The summit is shrouded by clouds 300 days a year and gets an average of 1.5 inches of rain everyday, making it is the wettest place on Earth.
Almost the entire island is lush green wilderness, perfect for hikers and campers. Some of the hiking trails along the cliffs are very steep and are not for beginners. There are streams and rivers at the bottom of the Waimea Canyon and throughout the island. Kayaking on these rivers is a popular activity. Ocean kayaking is also popular.
One way to see the scenery is by taking a helicopter tour. Tours leave from Līhuʻe Airport and fly over the shorelines, the valleys where the ancient Hawaiians used to live, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and the swamp at 2000 feet elevation. The waterfall where the visitors to Jurassic Park landed is located on Kauaʻi.
Some helicopters fly into the shaft of an old volcano. Half of the crater had fallen off due to erosion. The remaining half forms a semi-cylindrical opening. When a helicopter is in the opening, the passengers are surrounded by a vertical wall 270° around. The cliff walls are covered with plants and numerous threads of tiny waterfalls. The Hawaiians called it the Wall of Tears. The ceiling of the shaft is always covered by clouds. On the rare occasion when the mountain clouds clear up, the helicopter can fly up the shaft vertically and it feels like you're looking up from the bottom of a well. Even most seasoned pilots have seen the sky from the shaft only a few times.
Nā Pali coast from helicopter
Another fun thing to do is to take a raft expedition. The trip leaves the north shore on a motorized raft (temporarily discontinued by US Government authorities due to environmental concerns), which holds 14 passengers and a crew of 2. The raft travels along the west shore to see spectacular views of the cliffs. When the lava flowed from the volcano to the sea, it cooled to form the rocks and continued to flow in underground tunnels. When the flowing lava stopped, the tunnels became sea caves along the shore. Rafts can enter into the sea caves; some of the cave entrances are covered by waterfalls. Some raft trips land on a beach for a lunch break, followed by time for snorkeling in the coral reef. The colorful coral fish swim to the divers begging for food.
Large power and sail catamarans also tour the island coasts, with the primary port being Port Allen on the southwest coast. Catamaran tours offer from as little as simple sight seeing of the Nā Pali or the southern coasts, to dinners at sunset, to snorkeling off coral reefs.
Another way to see the island is by car. One can basically drive the entire stretch of the highways on the island in a few hours. At one end is the viewpoint at Waimea Valley and Kokeʻe to see part of the sea cliffs and lush green valleys and the desert-like Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
About one mile from the north end of the highway is a dry lava cave that the visitor can walk inside. The end of the highway offers the trailheads for Nā Pali hiking. Along the ways are numerous resorts and white sand beaches.
There is a place called Spouting Horn on the south shore near Poʻipū, where the ceiling of an undersea lava tunnel is cracked; the sea waves push water into the tunnel and water spout shoots 30 feet into the air.
There is a famous coral reef on the north shore, one can stop by any rental store to rent snorkeling gear for $1.99 per day (in 1996's US dollar value). Drive to a place called Tunnel Beach, it is the largest reef on Kauaʻi. Park the car on the roadside and just walk into the water. There is no road sign to Tunnel Beach, one has to look it up in the map and guess the way there. The map actually shows many coral reefs around the entire shore line, but Tunnel Beach is the best around May when the ocean waves are pounding on the south shore, the north shore is perfect for snorkeling.
Tourists can also attend a lūʻau. They cook a pig in the imu (the ground oven) and serve shredded pork with poi (mashed taro root) and other traditional dishes in the buffet-style dinner. Afterwards, they have a show of different Polynesian dances for the tourists.
Lodgings on Kauaʻi are primarily available at timeshare resorts, but a significant number of hotel rooms are also available. Taking an afternoon and visiting a timeshare sales agent for a no-obligation ownership presentation can net you significantly discounted, or free, activities, such as helicopter rides, boat tours, and luaus. But a significant number of conventional hotel resorts are available. In addition to traditional hotels and resorts, try a vacation home rental, they often offer more privacy and space than a traditional hotel room. Vacation home rentals can be budget or luxurious, often with a full staff ready to pamper.
The island of Kauaʻi was featured in Disney's 2002 animated feature film Lilo & Stitch. It has also served as the backdrop to many other feature television shows and movies, such as Six Days Seven Nights, Fantasy Island, Jurassic Park, and Blue Hawaii (Elvis — Coco Palms Resort) (From [2], by permission. See top of source webpage).
[edit] Lānaʻi
There are three hotels on Lānaʻi:
- Hotel Lānaʻi - the oldest hotel on Lānaʻi. Contains 10 rooms and one cottage.
- The Lodge at Kōʻele - Known as a highland resort hotel. The hotel is erected on the hilltop, at the center of Lānaʻi. Lodge at Kōʻele is like a villa of Europe, with a pastoral mood. The temperature here is less than usual for Hawaiʻi, so it is a very good choice for a summer resort. Elected as one of the best hotels in the world.
- The Four Seasons Resort at Mānele Bay - twin hotel of The Lodge at Kōʻele. Known as a beach resort hotel. This hotel is erected in the south of Lānaʻi, besides the Hulopoʻe Beach. The hotel takes in Mediterranean Style, and the resort is very elegant. Visitors can hear the sound of rippling waves and smell the sea. Like The Lodge at Kōʻele, The Four Seasons Resort at Mānele Bay is also elected as one of best hotels in the world.
[edit] Golf Courses
The Cavendish Golf Course - A free 9 hole golf course in the pines that requests a donation for its upkeeping. Bring your own clubs!
The Experience at Kōʻele - A golf course made with The Lodge at Kōʻele. Placed besides the hotel, the course is designed by golf legend Greg Norman. It makes the most of the abundant nature on Lānaʻi. Therefore, there are lots of up and downs, and it is a difficult course. However, even beginners can enjoy many natural features while playing; such as lakes, waterfalls, and streams.
The Challenge at Mānele - A golf course made with The Mānele Bay Hotel and placed besides the hotel. The course is designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Since the course sits beside the beach, players can see the wonderful, clear blue sea of Lānaʻi from all 18 holes. However, the course is very challenging.
[edit] Molokaʻi
Molokaʻi is the most rural and undeveloped of Hawaiʻi's islands. There are not a lot of tourist amenities on the island.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
- List of Hawaiʻi State Landmarks
[edit] External links
- Wikitravel:Hawaii - Wikitravel's Guide to Hawaiʻi
- Hawaii State DBEDT - the state's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism provides resources and statistics to promote tourism
- Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau - information for tourists and business travellers
- Maui Visitors Bureau - visitors information for Maui
- Kauaʻi Visitors Information - official county visitors site
- Lānaʻi Visitors Bureau - travel information for Lānaʻi
- Aloha Boat Days Committee - tourism in Hawaiʻi via cruise ship
