Feature: Activities in paradise! Spotlight on Hawaii
Traditionally vibrant and full of activity, Hawaii holds some of the world’s most colourful, beautiful views.Who hasn’t found themselves daydreaming about this paradise? About crystal clear waters and beautiful scenery? About pristine beaches and year-round sunshine? And about everything from windsurfing to exciting hikes? Well, most of us here at IWantSun.co.uk have to hold our hand up and say ‘I have’! Just the thought of remote beaches, hidden lagoons and clear turquoise waters is enough to make us say ‘Aloha Hawaii!’.
The Hawaiian Archipelago comprises 19 islands and atolls, with the main islands being the eight high islands of the south-eastern end of the island chain. As the most isolated land mass in the world, Hawaii is the perfect destination to escape the stresses of everyday life. With no hassles and no overcrowding, you will feel every bit in your element, relaxing amongst the untamed natural beauty of Hawaii. But one of the best things about Hawaii is that it allows you to combine a wide selection of activities, from some of the best water sports conditions in the world to volcanic landscapes. The different islands offer different adventures. Even if Hawaii is famous for being home to golden beaches and exciting surf, you will soon realise that there is much more to enjoy in this fascinating land.
There are said to be 13 climate regions on the planet and Hawaii’s Big Island has all but two, the Arctic and the Saharan. From vibrant colours of the birds of paradise, to exquisite orchids, the exotic flora and fauna of these paradise islands is breath-taking. Lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls and the world’s most active volcano should inspire you to enjoy an active holiday filled with sun, sea and sand. Who wouldn’t want to spend a week or more in this wonderful paradise?
A surfer’s paradise – nothing less!
We can get around it (and why would we!), Hawaii is synonymous with surf, sand and sun. The best-known spot to surf in Hawaii, and the place to be, is Oahu’s North Shore featuring the classic point break of Waimea Bay as well as the likes of Waikiki, Off the Wall, Backdoor Pipe, Sunset Beach and the notorious Pipeline. Perfect for enthusiastic spectators, bikini-clad beach bunnies and eager surf photographers, the Pipeline is a reef break located off Ehukai Beach Park and close to the shore.
There’s no doubt that to enjoy great water sports such as surfing then Hawaii is top of the list and Zoco Boarding Adventures has captured the surf spirit of this exotic destination by offering a specialised Hawaiian surfing holiday. Featuring a combined surfing and yoga holiday on the island of Maui, Zoco will soon introduce surfing holidays on the other Hawaiian Islands including Oahu’s famous North Shore, where winter storms in the North Pacific create large waves favoured by experienced surfers. Hawaii also caters for beginners with small and easy rollers at places like Waikiki, Chuns Reef, Cockroach Bay and Puena Point and there are plenty of surf schools available. So, don’t be surprised if you hear us shout ‘surf’s up!’
Like a fish in water
Not many destinations can rival the island’s wonderful diving conditions. Because of the geographical isolation of the Hawaiian Islands and their volcanic origin, you can expect to see a marine life totally different from other parts of the world. See underwater lava formations surrounded by unique endemic species of turtles, manta rays and sharks. Hawaiian diving provides unique visibility and easy access to some amazing sights including their famous humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins.
A number of specialised UK tour operators are offering diving holidays to Hawaii, including Ultimate Diving and DiveQuest. Both companies allow divers to experience some of the underwater wonders this exotic paradise has to offer. With year-round warm waters and an old favourite with scuba divers, the volcanic underwater typography is said to be a diver’s wonderland. The Kona Coast features many diverse dive environments including lava tubes, caves, arches, bommies and huge craters. Here, divers will have the chance to encounter many Spanish dancers, turtles, mantas, frogfish, close-ups of tiny creatures and wide reef scenes. Anyone up for a dive?
Explosive Walk
Even as many active holidaymakers come to Hawaii for a holiday either on or in the water many of the Hawaii Islands feature a wealth of activities on land. Beautiful scenery, spectacular flora and fauna and rocky landscapes make for a unique walking experience. To get the most out of your hire a local guide that will lead you lead you through some of Hawaii’s best-known and most beautiful locations. Hawaiian Walkways has a number of walking tours, allowing you to choose the trek that suits you. Ranging from classic and personal tours to the more exclusive trips, there are plenty of sightseeing spots along the way.
For an explosive experience the hike in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park gives you the chance toexplore the fantastic terrain, the microclimates, dynamic geology and flora of Kilauea volcano. In Hawaii, every plant, stone, persona and place has a story. And that’s no different on Kilauea. So, if you have a desire to understand the story behind this magnificent and intriguing place, a walking tour is definitely something to consider. Relaxing on a sun lounger on the beach feels even more rewarding after a long trek up a volcano, don’t you think?
Island-hopping
Since there are 19 Hawaiian islands to choose from, why not aim to visit more than one during your holiday? Each island has its own unique characteristics, so we would definitely encourage you to island-hop and experience at least two during your Hawaiian adventure. Inter-island travel is extremely reasonable and a number of operators are offering flexible and tailor-made trips – plus you’ll get a birds-eye view of Hawaii’s magnificent valleys, mountains, waterfalls and volcanoes. Have your camera ready, these aren’t just flights, they are mini adventures!
Bon Voyage is offering specialised trips that take in more than one Hawaiian island and over the years, the established tour organiser has included San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles as stopovers on its Hawaii holidays. But the company is also offering more unconventional stopovers such as a few days at the Grand Canyon, a ride with the cowboys in Texas or bear watching on Vancouver Island.
Best of the rest
Another feature of Hawaii that attracts many visitors each year is the fact that it’s showered with tropical sun all year round. And some of the other activities on offer here (besides the ones that we have already covered) are enjoying a festival, cruising, a honeymoon, watching humpback whales, cycling tours, playing golf, getting pampered in a spa or painting the town on a wild night out. Yes, Hawaii is definitely more than initially meets the eye. The opportunities are endless and you can be assured that whatever sort of holiday you daydream about, Hawaii will answer most of your dreams.
