Today’s blog post brings our Featured Islands Summer Series to a close. Over the past two months, we explored each of the Hawaiian Islands in detail. We gave you info on the islands, things to do, and places to stay. If you missed any part of the series, read on to get a summary of each post. And click the corresponding links to take you back to the full post.
Big Island
We started our series with the island that’s been most talked about in the news recently. The Big Island is the largest Hawaiian island and continues to grow due to the continuous volcanic eruptions and lava flow. Kilauea in Volcanoes National Park continues to erupt which has shut down a good portion of the park. However, there are other places on Big Island worth exploring. Stay on Hilo side if you want to see volcanoes. Or go to Kona if you want more beach time, snorkeling, and diving.
Maui
Maui came next, an island with many valleys and is therefore called the “Valley Isle.” Haleakala is located on Maui and is known to be the highest point on the island. You can see great sunrises here if you plan ahead and make your reservations well in advance. “Road to Hana” is a journey you can make to explore beaches, waterfalls, ridge trails, and gardens. And Lahaina is a great little tourist town if you want to do some hiking, surfing, diving, or just have some relaxing beach time.
Oahu
Oahu is next on the list, an island known to the locals as “The Gathering Place.” The capital city of Honolulu and the popular tourist area of Waikiki are here. All the high-rise hotels, restaurants, and bars are located here. There’s plenty of shopping, museums, hikes, beaches, luaus, nightlife, and so much more. But be sure to check out other parts of the island too. East Side offers some nice beaches and hikes that are less touristy. And North Shore gives you more of an old-style Hawaiian vibe with a country like atmosphere.
Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe
Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe were grouped together into one post because they are the least visited and therefore have very little tourist attractions. Go to Molokai if you want to slow down and be closer to nature. Lanai is more like a laidback city on its own island. And Kahoolawe has nothing at all and is only used as a training ground by the United States military.
Kauai
Then we come to Kauai, also known as the “Garden Isle” due to its green landscape and rainforests covering much of the island. Waimea Canyon is popular here, offering miles of hiking trails with panoramic views and hidden waterfalls. Or go down the Na Pali Coast to explore the wilderness of the island. More hikes and camping spots are also here. And Hanalei Bay is the place for swimming and surfing, along with local food trucks and souvenir shops.
Niihau
Lastly is Niihau, an island not really for tourists at all. It’s called “The Forbidden Isle” and is the only island in which the true Hawaiian culture is being preserved even to this day. The original Hawaiian language is spoken every day here. And all the modern influences have been kept outside the island. Tours have only recently been introduced but are restricted to certain parts of the island, so as not to have contact with the residents here.
Image By: Hawaii Guide
