The islands of HAWAII
, with their volcanoes , palm-fringed beaches , verdant valleys
, glorious rainbows and awesome cliffs , hold some of the most
spectacularly beautiful scenery on earth. However, despite their
isolation, two thousand miles out in the Pacific, they belong
to the United
States. If you
expect your South Seas idyll to be completely unspoiled, forget
it; the fantasy of a dream holiday in Paradise remains firmly
rooted in the creature comforts of home. With seven million tourists
per year, including honeymooners from all over the world, frequent
fliers cashing in their mileage, and almost two million Japanese,
the islands can seem like a gigantic theme park.
Honolulu
, by far the largest city of the fiftieth state, and with its
resort annex of Waikiki also the main tourist center, is on Oahu
. The biggest island, Hawaii itself, is known as the Big Island
in a vain attempt to avoid confusion. Maui and Kauai also attract mass tourism, while
smaller Molokai remains far quieter. All the islands share a
similar topography and climate . Ocean winds from the northeast
shed their rain on the windward coast, keeping it wet and green;
the southwest, leeward (or "Kona") coasts can be almost
barren, and so make ideal locations for big resorts. While temperatures
remain consistent throughout the year at between 70°F and
85°F, rainfall is heaviest from December to March. That is
nonetheless the most popular time to visit, enabling mid- to
upper-range hotels to add a premium of at least $30 per night
to their standard room rates. A visit to Hawaii doesn't have
to cost a fortune, however; there are plenty of budget facilities
if you know where to look. The one major expense you really can't
avoid, except possibly on Oahu, is car
rental - rates
are very reasonable, but gas is pricey.
THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA