The state of Hawaii isn’t just one of the most
popular places in America, it’s one of the most popular and
visited places in the world. The state is made up of six main
islands in the central Pacific Ocean. It’s situated southwest of
the American mainland, northeast of Australia, and southeast of
Japan.
Because of its location, the islands are influenced
by several cultures, including Asian, Native, Polynesian, and
North American. The official languages are English and Hawaiian,
but you’ll find just about everybody can speak English. The
capital city is Honolulu, which is on the island of Oahu. One of
the six islands is also called Hawaii, and this is the largest
and generally referred to as the Big Island. The other main
islands are Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Kauai, and Molokai; with
Kahoolawe and Niihau being two other inhabited islands which
aren’t frequented much by locals or travelers.
There are about 1.3 million full-time residents in
Hawaii, which makes it the ninth smallest state by population
and the eighth smallest when it
comes to land area. Hawaii was also the 50th and last state
to enter the Union as it joined in 1959. It’s believed the area
was first inhabited around 300 BC by Polynesian settlers and the
first European contact came in 1778 when Captain James Cook paid
a visit and named them the Sandwich Islands.
The tropical weather and location are almost
perfect and they’re just two of the things that attract visitors
to Hawaii. There are plenty of activities to keep people of all
ages busy as you have the fabulous beaches and the ocean which
provide for excellent swimming, snorkelling, sailing, diving,
para-sailing, surfing, and fishing, etc. There are also
mountains and lush vegetation to hike through as well as active
volcanoes and crystal clear water.
Several areas of the state are protected by the
National Park Service, and there are two national parks. These
are Haleakala National Park on Maui, and Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park on the Big Island. The state’s historic parks are
Kalaupapa, Kaloko-Honokōhau, and Pu’uhonua o Honaunau. You can
also visit the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail as well as
the USS Arizona Memorial located at the famous Pearl Harbour on
the island of Oahu. Another popular area is the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument as it contains about
140,000 square miles of atolls and reefs. Rainforests and hiking
trails can also be found all over the islands.
While the native culture is Polynesian, Hawaii
really is a huge melting pot of different people, although most
of are of Asian descent. You’ll still see the traditional
festivals, habits and ceremonies on the islands as there is a
rich history there as well as folklore, music, and mythology. Of
course, some of them are so popular they have spread to the
mainland of America, such as the luau and hula.
There are quite a few cultural events held every
year to celebrate the roots of the people. These include the
Merrie Monarch Festival, the International Film Festival, and
the Rainbow Film Festival.
Getting to Hawaii is easiest done by air as
there’s an international airports in Honolulu. There are also
several regional airports for island to island travel and you
can also get around by boat. Cruise ships are pretty popular as
they’re stopping by all of the time. The islands have narrow
winding roads along with some highways if you’re driving, and
each main island is served by buses to help you get around.
The food is quite diverse and interesting as its
influenced by several different cultures. You’ll find dishes
from Hawaii, Portugal, North America, the rest of Europe, and
Asia. There’s plenty of fresh seafood and beef as well as
tropical fruits like pineapple, bananas, mango, papaya, and
guavas.
There are hundreds of places to stay in Hawaii
as you can rent apartments, condos, hotel and motel rooms and
stay at world-class resorts. The prices are ideal to suit all
types of travel budgets.
Hawaii offers an endless stream of natural
beauty and sunshine, interesting culture, and a long history.
The weather also makes it an ideal destination at any time of
the year for people of all ages.
About
Hawaii