The location where Hawaii now lies is a so called hotspot. From the inner core of the earth, magma rises up in this place as lava. Thereby the crust of the earth starts moving and that is how the Hawaiian islands originated. They are thus of volcanic origins. Momentarily many of the volcanoes are still active and some of them even have continuous eruptions. In about 10.000 years there will be a new island, because a new volcano is slowly rising to the surface of the sea.
Sinds the year 400 Hawaii is inhabited by Polynesians that probably came from the Marquesa islands. People have also come from Tahiti 700 years later to the state. In 1778 the islands were found by the European discoverer James Cook. Around 1810 the islands violently united to the kingdom of Hawaii. Until 1893 the kingdom was still independent, but in 1898 it became a republic. After that year the islands became part of the United States and they were together called the Hawaii Territory. In the nineteenth century a lot of workers from Japan, China, the Philippines and Portugal have moved to the island and the original civilisation became a minority. From the year 1959 Hawaii has become a state of the United States of America with the consent of the population.
The islands of Hawaii are mostly made of volcanoes and a mountainous landscape. Two famous mountains are the Mauna Kea and the Mauna Loa. Plants and animals have reached the islands many years before humans did and you can still see the trails of them. A big number of plants and animals have already become extinct but there are still different species of endangered animals to be found in Hawaii. The weather is almost the same all throughout the year in Hawaii, with temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees celsius. The people there only differentiate in two seasons, namely the summer and winter. On the volcanoes Manu Kau and Manu Loa it is however a lot colder and in the winter they are often covered in snow.
In Hawaii the Hawaiian language was only developed between 1820 and 1826. Before that time the population was mainly communicating through singing and dancing. From 1830 onwards less and less Hawaiian was spoken and the population started switching to talking English. The schools in Hawaii still however teach the Hawaiian language. The original Hawaiians are known for their friendly aloha spirit and you will often still see this back among the locals. Typical for Hawaii are the musical instrument the ukelele, clothing with coloured flower patterns and the flower garland.
When you are looking for a holiday paradise, then you should definitely book a holiday to Hawaii. The amazing nature, the lovely climate and the friendly population will give you a real holiday feeling. Every island has its own characteristics, and it is best to choose a round tour if you have the time. Below you will read more about the six most important islands of Hawaii.
The biggest island of the state of Hawaii has exactly the same name as the name of the state. To prevent confusion the island is therefore also called Big Island. There are five impressive volcanoes to be found and two of them are still active. The east of the island is known for the fantastic tropical rainforests and waterfalls. Also do not forget to pay a visit to the Mauna-Kea observatory where you can find the biggest telescopes in the world.
The capital city of Hawaii - Honolulu - is situated on the island Oaho. This is a very touristic place and you can go shopping and experience nightlife. On the coast in the north west of the island you can go surfing, because there are often high waves. Furthermore you can make a wonderful walk over the boulevard Waikiki Beach and visit the marine base Pearl Harbor.
On the island Kauai you find wonderful nature and the 900 meters deep Waimea Canyon. Many movies have been shot on this island and it is therefore certainly worth visiting. Do you want to admire the nature even more and go into the wild? Then bring a visit to the fantastic Napali Coast State Park!
Another Hawaiian island where you can enjoy nature is the island Maui. Here you will find wonderful beaches and you can go snorkelling at the volcano crater Molokini. On the north coast you will find high waves and this is a perfect place to go surfing. Furthermore you can also go shopping or partying in the different malls and nightlife venues.
An island that is less visited by tourists is the island Molokai. Still it is a great island to visit, because you can still find the typical rural life of Hawaii. You can also pay a visit to beautiful beaches, fantastic parks or the impressive cliffs.
The island Lanai is primarily known for the biggest pineapple plantation of the world that was found here until 1992 and is therefore often called the pineapple island. Lanai is the island with the least amount of inhabitants and is hardly visited by tourists. Here you can enjoy your holiday in peace. You can still find the charm of the old Hawaii and you can relax in Lanai City or on one of the incredible golf courses.
