The Hawaiian Islands are made up of 137 islands,
islets, and shoals, stretching 1,600 miles across an expanse of the
North Pacific. Almost all of Hawaii's booming tourism
industry is focused on the six major islands, Hawaii (referred to as
"The Big Island"), Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Lanai, and Kauai.
These six islands play host to seven million tourists annually,
pumping nearly eleven billion dollars per year into the state's
economy. With over 71,000 hotel rooms (averaging $175 per
night), Hawaii is the most famous tourist destination in the western
hemisphere.
Hawaii is home to 1.2 million permanent residents,
nearly three-quarters of whom call Oahu home. Honolulu is a
major financial center as well, helping to provide the Hawaiians with
the seventh highest median income in the United States. However,
the remote location also results in a cost of living that is 27%
higher than average for the U.S, with an average single-family home
running about $265,000. Polynesians/Native Hawaiians still make
up the largest ethnic group in the islands, with Caucasians only
accounting for 20% of the population. Japanese, Filipino, and
Chinese are the other major ethnic groups here.
There is no bad time of year to visit Hawaii.
The average temperature in summer is 85° and in winter, 78°.
Nighttime temperatures drop only about 10°. However, if you plan
on visiting the high country, such as Mauna Loa or Haleakala, make
sure you bring some warm clothes! The temperature is usually at
least 30° cooler than sea level. Expect rain at any time of the
day, at any time of the year. The climate in Hawaii can vary
from arid desert to lush, tropical jungle. For example, on Maui,
Lahaina receives only about 15 inches of rainfall per year (just
slightly more than Los Angeles), while only seven miles away, Puu
Kukui can get nearly 40 feet (480 inches) of rain per year.
On Kauai, Mt. Waialeale is the wettest spot on earth, averaging 460
inches of rain each year, while Poipu, just a few miles away, gets on
35. The rains are usually short-lived, and add to the
experience. In a few moments, you can drive from lush tropical
jungle to miles of volcanic wasteland.
Hawaii is a premier world destination for outdoor
sports such as hiking, surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing,
and kiteboarding. The beaches are fabulous, and there are no
shortage of them. Night life in Hawaii is pretty much limited to
what you'll find in Honolulu and Waikiki. Otherwise, it's a
great place to relax, and unsurpassed for romance. People come
from all over the world to get married here, with over 60% of the
marriages each year being between non-residents. February and
March bring the humbpack whales here to calve, and you can barely look
around without seeing one. Dolphins, seals, and tropical birds
abound. The recreation is unlimited, and the sun is out all year
round. It's no wonder people flock here in droves.
This website will serve as your full-service travel
guide to the Hawaiian Islands. You'll be able to
find which island sounds right for you, find incredible travel deals,
and get first-hand advice and recommendations. You can find
guidebooks, Hawaiian literature, novels, history books, cookbooks,
pictorials, and more in our Hawaii Bookstore.
You can pose questions and talk about your travels on our
Hawaii Message Board.
You can view photo galleries of all six major islands , including
underwater photos, inviting you into
the Hawaii's underwater world. You can even find information
about the islands of Midway, Niihau, and Kahoolawe. Nowhere else
on the web can you find more information about your trip to Hawaii.
Beneath it all, this site still serves as our personal website, and is
intersperced with our own insights, trip reports, photos, and
recommendations. This site is still being developed, but we
thought we'd share with you what we had done so far.
To continue viewing this site, click on a link at
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