Hawaiian Holidays Tours & Activities

The warm, clear Pacific waters that surround the Hawai'ian islands are abundant with tropical marine life making them perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. If you rent a mask and snorkel or purchase your own you can see lots of fish in the coastal waters off most beaches, but for the best snorkel and dive spots, take an organized excursion. You will benefit from expert local knowledge and access to spots where you may see dolphins, turtles, sharks and thousands of schooling tropical fish. Beginner and advanced divers are catered to and scuba certification courses are widely available.

The Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu is a very popular tourist attraction. Here you will learn about the traditional lives and cultures of the people of the Polynesian island nations by touring their re-created villages. You will see demonstrations of ancient forms of dance, music, arts and crafts, and you can eat at an authentic luau feast while watching a spectacular canoe pageant.

www.polynesia.com

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is one of the most spectacular natural wildernesses in the world. The park consists of the ever-active Mount Kilauea where you can see the red glow and billowing steam where molten lava meets the Pacific Ocean at the end of the Chain of Craters road. The road itself is an interesting attraction, with fields of black undulating lava beds that have overtaken the road. A drive up the volcano reveals entirely different climates. You can stop along the way for a walk among giant ferns and through the massive Thurston Lava Tube before reaching the sparse summit and caldera.

www.nps.gov/havo

Hawai'i is the home of surfing, credited with its invention and worldwide popularization. It is also home to some of the most famous surf spots in the world. If you are a beginner you can take a lesson or hire a board and tackle the gentle waves of Waikiki. Oahu's North Shore is legendary for big waves and should only be tackled by experienced surfers, especially during winter months. Visitors to the North Shore can watch some world-class surfers and some of the world's premier surfing competitions from the safety of the beach. All the Hawai'ian islands have surfing schools that can provide you with lessons, rentals and advice about appropriate spots to test your skills.

Golf is a major attraction in Hawai'i. The warm, sunny climate, lush landscapes, spectacular scenery and choice of many championship courses makes Hawai'i a golfers' paradise. The various landscapes of Hawai'i are all incorporated into its many golf courses, meaning you can play holes along the ocean, on the sides of volcanoes, along mountainous terrain, or surrounded by the skyscrapers of Honolulu. Some notable courses are the two world-famous championship courses of Princeville at Hanalei on Kauai and Ala Wai Golf Course in downtown Honolulu, which is considered the busiest course in the world, and Ko'olau Golf Club on Oahu, generally considered to be the hardest golf course in the world.

www.princeville.com
www.honolulu.gov/des/golf/alawai
www.koolaugolfclub.com

The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor on Oahu is a monument to one of the most significant events in world history. The sunken battleship is the eternal resting place for many of its 1,177 crewmen who were killed during the attacks on the site by Japan. Visitors can pay their respects to those who sacrificed their lives and learn more about the momentous events leading up to, during and after the attack until the end of the war.

www.nps.gov/usar

The road to Hana is the name given to a 53-mile drive along the Hana Highway on Maui's eastern coast. The 2 to 4 hour drive features hundreds of curves, hairpin turns and 53 bridges on the way to the sleepy town of Hana. Along the way you will drive through thick and lush tropical vegetation, and many visitors choose to elongate the journey by stopping for photography and swimming in pools and under waterfalls. The town of Hana features both a black-sand beach and a red-sand beach in its vicinity, and many choose to explore further on foot or by car to swim in the "Seven Sacred Pools."