Hawaii is the world's most isolated island archipelago, and lies over two thousand miles from the coast of California.

The islands offer a unique history, culture and laid-back tropical ambience, and visitors never fail to be seduced by its many charms. Fun-packed Waikiki is the main gateway and resort but it would be an awful shame to come all this way and not experience the many attractions and distinct characters of the other islands. One of the best ways to do this is by islandhopping, as it’s the ideal way to appreciate and contrast the distinctive and beautiful lush island of Kauai, sophisticated Maui and volcanic landscapes of the Big Island.

Oahu - The Gathering Place
Most visitors fly into the city of Honolulu, home to the high-rise resort enclave of Waikiki, with its superb white sand beaches, elegant shopping malls, gourmet restaurants, luxury hotels and non-stop nightlife. It’s a tourist playground and an essential stop on any holiday to Hawaii. The airport is just 25 minutes from Waikiki, and getting around both the resort and the island could not be easier. The extinct volcanic crater of Diamond Head and
the wreck of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor are classic sightseeing options, but don’t miss rural Oahu, with its verdant mountains, endless pineapple fields and coffee plantations. The island’s North Shore is famous for its huge, crashing waves and for laid-back surfing resorts such as Hale’iwa.

Maui – The Valley Isle
Maui welcomes more visitors than any island other than Oahu and offers a delightful balance of well-planned tourism facilities and rural charm. The resort of Wailea has a scenic setting at the base of Haleakala, the towering shield volcano that dominates much of the eastern half of Maui. It offers golf, shopping, snorkelling trips and glorious sunsets. The resort town of Kihei shares a similar setting, with a more laid-back appeal.

Hawaii – The Big Island
From the minute your aeroplane touches down on the black lava fields, you sense that the Big Island is a place of dramatic contrasts. It’s the youngest, largest and most varied of all the Hawaiian Islands. Most visitors head to the fine hotels on the Kona and Kohala Coasts, which stretch either side of Kailua Town on the sunny side of the island. Big Island requires several days to fully explore its delights, and car hire is recommended.

Kauai – The Garden Isle
As the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, the forces of nature have had longer here to shape the landscape, and have left behind an outstandingly scenic island of cliffs, canyons, lush valleys, waterfalls and taro plantations.

Lanai & Molokai
Less well-known than their other island counterparts, Lanai and Molokai are much smaller in terms of visitors to their shores. Lanai was the last of the all the Hawaiian Islands to open up to tourism.