The islands of
HAWAII, with
their
volcanoes ,
palm-fringed
beaches ,
verdant
valleys , glorious
rainbows
and awesome
cliffs , hold
some of the most spectacularly
beautiful scenery on earth. However,
despite their isolation, two
thousand miles out in the Pacific,
they belong very definitely to the
United States. If you expect your
South Seas idyll to be completely
unspoiled, forget it; the fantasy of
a dream holiday in Paradise remains
firmly rooted in the creature
comforts of home. With seven million
tourists per year, including
honeymooners from all over the
world, frequent fliers cashing in
their mileage, and almost two
million Japanese, the islands can
seem like a gigantic theme park.
Honolulu, by far the
largest city of the fiftieth state,
and with its resort annex of Waikiki
also the main tourist center, is on Oahu
. The biggest island, Hawaii
itself, is known as the Big
Island in a vain attempt to
avoid confusion. Maui and Kauai
also attract mass tourism, while
smaller Molokai remains far
quieter. All the islands share a
similar topography and climate
. Ocean winds from the northeast
shed their rain on the windward
coast, keeping it wet and green; the
southwest, leeward (or "Kona")
coasts can be almost barren, and so
make ideal locations for big
resorts. While temperatures remain
consistent throughout the year at
between 70°F and 85°F, rainfall is
heaviest from December to March.
That is nonetheless the most popular
time to visit, enabling mid- to
upper-range hotels to add a premium
of at least $30 per night to their
standard room rates. A visit to
Hawaii doesn't have to cost a
fortune, however; there are plenty
of budget facilities if you
know where to look. The one major
expense you really can't avoid,
except possibly on Oahu, is car
rental - rates are very reasonable,
but gas is pricey.
