Maui & the Big Island

Posted - March 5, 2018

In Hawaii, cares magically melt away with the tropical sun. Here, where warm breezes sway tropical trees and cobalt blue seas stretch as far as the eye can see, it’s easy to believe that you have found paradise. The lure of these islands is so compelling that many frayed mainlanders find themselves returning year after year.

With so many naturally beautiful features – expansive beaches, cascading waterfalls, lush gardens and mountains – Hawaii makes for a perfect island getaway. Families, as well as couples seeking romance, will find plenty of exceptional accommodations to choose from on these islands.

Two of the most often visited Hawaiian Islands are Maui and Hawaii, the Big Island. On Maui, known as the Valley Isle, visitors find the perfect combination of scenic mountains and coastline, luxury resorts and sports activities, including championship golf, wind surfing, snorkeling, sport fishing and sailing.

During the North Pacific Humpback Whale winter migration, November through May, whale-watching excursions become a favorite pastime on the ocean waters and shorelines of the island, particularly during the peak months of January, February and March.

Another one of Maui’s natural assets is Haleakala, a 10,023-foot-high volcano that you can drive up to or bicycle down as you say aloha to the morning sun or enjoy another beautiful sunset. But it is the legendary Road to Hana, with its long, sinuous stretch of highway laid through tropical rainforest, that is claimed to be Maui’s biggest attraction.

The Big Island of Hawaii is unlike the other islands in many ways, encompassing some of Hawaii’s most varying landscapes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the few places in the world where visitors can come face to face with two active volcanos, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

Along the coastal areas of Kailua-Kona, Hilo and Kohala Coast, sandy beaches and lush gardens dominate the scenery, while in the high country, cattle graze the verdant valleys under snowcapped mountains. Visitors with an adventurous spirit may want to venture to the dormant volcano Mauna Kea, which sits at 13,796 feet above sea level. At the summit of the mountain is the world’s largest observatory for optical, infrared and submillimeter astronomy.

Regardless of where you choose to stay on the Hawaiian Islands, you’re sure to be warmly welcomed by the islanders with the aloha spirit of friendliness.