All About Hawai‘i

What to Wear

Travel light, in both weight and pieces of clothing. We have temperatures in the 70's during the winter and the 80's in the summer.

Hawaiian showers are light and warm, so you'll want to do like the locals do and walk umbrella-less through the rain.

"Aloha Style" entails a dress that is more casual, comfortable and colorful than any place you have probably been. You'll want to be a part of it!

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Take the Sun in Small Doses

Hawai‘i lies closer to the equator than any other place in the United States, so our sun is hotter and you will tan faster, even when it is cloudy. Take the sun in small doses. Even the locals use sunblock. Pure aloe is a great cool skin soother if you have had too much sun.

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A Little Taste of Hawai‘i

Flowers

They are our favorite symbol of Aloha. Anthuriums, orchids, plumeria, ginger, birds of paradise and pikake are fashioned into leis and bouquets or kept as growing plants. New to the market is protea with its myriad varieties of shapes and sizes.

 

Food

The famous Macadamia nut has a distinctively delicate sweet taste. Kona coffee, the only coffee grown on US soil, is unique to Hawai‘i. You will also find many fruits unknown to the other 49 states such as guava, papaya, passion fruit, poha, coconut, and mango. Note: You are not allowed to transport fruit back to the mainland so eat it here.

 

Jewelry

Puka shells, with natural holes for stringing are found on beaches. We make a special kind of necklace with them. We also use seed to make leis. The volcanic gem called olivine makes sparking green jewelry. You'll find all kinds of pieces made from pink and black coral, ivory, jade and pearls, which come from the Pacific.

 

Perfumes

Several local favorites produce perfumes and cologne from our flowers...ginger, pikake, plumeria and gardenia.

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State Facts

Population

1,180,000

 

O‘ahu

This island is the home of Waikiki Beach and the capital city, Honolulu. It offers an urban setting as well as an open countryside with small towns and farms. O‘ahu's landmarks include Pearl Harbor, where in 1941 an attack by Japanese forces launched America into World War II; Diamond Head, an extinct volcanic crater; Bishop Museum, foremost cultural history institution of the Pacific; Hanauma Bay, a marine preserve; and I‘olani Palace, the only palace on US soil.

 

Hawai‘i (The Big Island)

Some of the most incredible sights can only be seen on this island - red-hot lava creating new land, black sand beaches and snow-capped mountains. At Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, visitors can watch eruptions from a safe distance or they can drive through a steaming crater and stroll inside a huge lava tube. This is the youngest island with the tallest mountain in the Pacific (Mauna Kea, nearly 14,000 feet).

 

Kaua‘i

This island is called, "The Garden Isle". Flowers and fruit are everywhere, along with waterfalls and postcard beaches. The island has been the site for many films such as Jurassic Park and South Pacific. Kaua‘i is home to the legendary Na Pali Coast wilderness area and Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Popular outdoor sports include hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, snorkeling and diving, fishing, windsurfing, golf, swimming and bird watching.

 

Maui

Mount Haleakala, Maui's dominant landmark which rising over ten thousand feet. It is the largest dormant volcano on earth with a crater large enough to hold Manhattan. One of the most beautiful drives in all of the Hawaiian Islands is along Maui's Hana Coast Road in the east, which passes black sand beaches, lava flows, waterfalls, and other scenic attractions.

 

Moloka‘i

Moloka‘i is Maui's nearest neighbor. It is eight-and-a-half miles northwest of Maui and part of Maui County. The main attraction on Moloka‘i is Mount Kamakou, elevation 4,961 feet. The Kamakou Preserve is a 2,774-acre refuge for birds, plants, wildlife and humans willing to go to great heights to appreciate nature.

 

Lana‘i

Lana‘i, like Moloka‘i, is also part of Maui County. Once the world's largest pineapple plantation, it is now a place for people to go for a sweet escape.

 

Hawai‘i State Flag

The State of Hawai‘i flag uses Great Britain's Union Jack in the upper left hand corner. Eight red, white, and blue stripes represent the eight major Hawaiian Islands.

 

Size

With eight main islands comprising 99% of the total land area of 6,425 square mile, Hawai‘i ranks 47th in size, larger than Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware.

 

State Capital

Honolulu

 

Major Income Source

Tourism. It accounts for $8 billion per year. Hawai‘i ranks first in the US in hotel occupancy.

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