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Anyone lucky enough to be going to Honolulu doesn't have to give
a reason for going. They can just say, "We're going to Honolulu,"
and imagination will take care of the rest. Moreover, Honolulu can
probably live up to and even surpass whatever we imagine. World-famous
beaches and tropical weather set the scene for an amazing mix of
Pacific cultures in this Hawaiian capital. There is a reason why
Hawaii is consistently rated as one of the nation's top travel destinations;
in fact, there are several of them.
Waikiki Beach is the center of activity for Hawaii's biggest industry:
tourism. This is one of the world's greatest resort playgrounds,
featuring some of the most beautiful beaches and hotels in the world.
Visitors from all over the world flock here to enjoy the sun, the
sand and the incredible nightlife.
Besides the beaches, visitors to Honolulu can take tours of the
countryside surrounding the downtown area. These tours are amazing,
bringing visitors to some of the most beautiful rainforests and
volcanoes in the world. Animal and plant life are abundant, and
the scenery is unsurpassed. A five-minute car ride from Honolulu
brings visitors into some of Nature's most beautiful and awe-inspiring
sights. Several museums, including the Bishop Museum, combine exhibits
on Hawaiian natural history with lessons about history and culture
of its many diverse peoples. The Waikiki Aquarium is the third oldest
public aquarium in the United States, and it features many of Hawaii's
most interesting sea animals. The Honolulu Zoo also features some
of the unique mammals, birds, and reptiles that inhabit the forests
just outside of the city...MORE
MAUI
Known locally as the Valley Island, Maui reigns as the second largest
of the Hawaiian Islands. A spectacular dormant volcano, 10,023-foot
Haleakala erupted five million years ago to create the 279-square-mile
island, together with the now-extinct Pu'u Kukui. As gentle mists
move through the valley between the volcanoes, rainbows spring from
nowhere and lush sugar cane wafts in the balmy trade winds. The
valley forms the island's verdant agricultural center, where tropical
fruits and flowers grow in abundance.
Two million people now visit Maui each year, and 120,000 people
make the island their home. Maui, which is located midway between
Oahu and Hawaii, showcases a mix of eclectic styles and cultures;
in some villages, ancient Hawaiian is still spoken, as nearby five-star
resorts beckon the rich and famous. Asian and Polynesian influences
are evident everywhere, from cuisine to clothing to architecture.
Several of the island's cities are renowned for their special flavor.
Located on the island's northwest coast, Lahaina is a little whaling
town with a storied past - irreverent whalers clashed with Christian
missionaries trying to save the islanders' souls. Many of Lahaina's
buildings are now listed as National Historic Landmarks, and its
museum documents the harsh whaling life that made it a boomtown
of the mid-19th century. Pa'ia, a former hippie hideout of the seventies,
has become a favorite of the young windsurfing crowd, and Ho'okipa
Beach is the place to watch the world's best sailboarders ply their
trade.
Outdoor types will be especially happy in Maui, as the stunning
terrain offers plenty of camping and hiking opportunities, and the
warm oceans are ideal for year-round swimming, sailing and whale-watching
cruises. Adventurous travelers can arrange for a helicopter tour
of the more remote regions, or arrange a paraglide tour in the mountains.
Each year, more than one million people make their way to eastern
Maui to visit the Haleakala volcano, possibly the island's most
breathtaking feature. The volcano last erupted about 200 years ago,
and the view from its uppermost rim into its 3,000-foot-deep crater
is nothing short of magnificent - like the rest of this exotic island...
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