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.
