Traveling To The Amazing Hawaii

Traveling To The Amazing Hawaii

Hawaii is one of those places that draws people back to it, it doesn’t matter how many times you have already been. We all dream to visit this place and everything that people love about it, like the beaches (especially the luxury homes in Hawaii that are right on the beach!) and the weather. I wanted to talk a bit more about the amazing sights and sounds of Hawaii and the amazing things about this wonderful place that you can see there. There is so much more to it than what you see on TV, I hope you enjoy reading more about it.

Traveling To The Amazing Hawaii
[ photo: beatofhawaii.com ]

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

This amazing park is located on the Big Island and is home to the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, which are actually active volcanoes! The area offers some scenery that you aren't likely to see anywhere else on the planet, for example there are a number steam vents and other areas where you can see the volcanic activity. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

[ photo: www.insightguides.com ]

Jaggar Museum is also a great place to learn more about volcanology and the history of the national park. The view from here is also amazing, so if you don't decide to go in you can always just check out the most stunning view of the volcanoes and the surrounding area. The Thurston Lava Tube is also a place that you absolutely need to visit, there really isn't anything quite like walking through a cooled lava tube that was formed by incredibly powerful volcanoes.

Reserve a place at the best sunrise you will ever see

It may sound strange, but you actually need to reserve a place at Haleakalā in order to see the sunrise and you should do so as soon as you possibly can. Although this sounds strange it will most certainly be the most special sunrise that you will ever see in your life. Imagine being on top of a mountain and watching the golden sun peek above the masses of whispy white clouds and then you have the sunrise at Haleakalā. This is one of the highlights of any trip to Hawaii and this is saying a lot given how incredible the nature in this wonderful place is.  

Eat Hawaiian food

Hawaiian food is very interesting and very tasty and was something I really enjoyed whilst there. You should absolutely try purple sweet potato and lau lau (meat or fish wrapped in leaves) that is cooked in an imu or an underground oven. The softness and tenderness of the meat and gooey sweet potato is absolutely amazing. This is truly traditional Hawaiian food and there is so much of it to try. If you want to try something that the ancient Hawaiians ate, then you need to try is Poi. It is a paste made from a pounded root with water added. It has been consumed for nearly 2000 years by the Hawaiian people!

Watch the lava flow into the sea

It sounds like something that you would only read about, but lava flowing into the sea is one of the most amazing sights that you can imagine. You can see this from land, sea or from the air (the best way) when you visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The lava oozes into the water and as it cools it hardens and creates a stunning effect due to the other lava that flows on top of it and the steam that rises from the water. This is a must see and is mother nature at her very best. The national park is also filled with other great things to do, such as looking into the volcanic crater from Crater Rim Drive. This is an unforgettable place, so be sure to spend a good amount of time here.

Surfing

Surfing is synonymous with Hawaii and there is a wide range of incredible beaches to explore and waves to ride. If you don’t know how, don’t worry. There is always the possibility to learn this great sport and there are a huge number of instructors that would love to teach you more to the art of surfing. For beginners there are great beaches like Kahalu’u Bay, which are calmer and less intimidating than the classic surf beaches with huge waves like Oahu.

Enjoy the atmosphere of a Luau

This is the traditional feast or party of the Hawaiian people and most often comes with some form of entertainment. We already talked about food, but this is the perfect opportunity to eat some of it. There is so much on offer, such as lomi salmon, poi, Kalua pig and much more. 

The concept of the luau is one that can be for a number of different occasions, for example a luau is possible for a wedding, birthday or just about any occasion that you could think of. In terms of entertainment there is often dancing and music for you to enjoy. This is a wonderful experience that every person visiting Hawaii needs to experience.

USS Arizona Memorial

While Hawaii is known for its laid back atmosphere and nature, it is always important to remember its history, especially during the Second World War. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour, this signaled the entry of the USA into the war. There are a number of reminders of this fact around the islands and the most stunning is perhaps the USS Arizona Memorial. 

This is a futuristic looking shrine that has been built on the top of the sunken USS Arizona, which is the only sunken battleship from the Battle of Pearl Harbour that was not raised from the sea. From the shrine you can learn more about the ship, the attack on pearl harbour and also have a look at the skeleton of the USS Arizona through cutout sections of the shrine. This is a sombre experience and incredible reminder of the past.