How You Can Have A Great Vacation in Hawaii

Where do you really want to travel to -- the Hawaiian tropics of course! Almost everyone dreams of going to Hawaii at some time in their life! Well let me get you started on the adventure of a lifetime for the best vacation you could possibly dream of to the Islands of Aloha - Hawaii! When I was a kid, my dad told me of the time he fondly spent in Hawaii, just being in the U.S. Army. I was always blessed by his dreamlike statements of the wonderful islands of Hawaii! This gave me a real wanderlust to not only take a vacation to Hawaii one day, but to live there if possible. Wow, was I blessed when the opportunity came my way to not only go to Hawaii, the ultimate vacation destination (as far as I was concerned, and still am in many ways), but to live there and see it as a resident, to take in the sites more than in a quick tourists' view! The People of Hawaii Hawaii is all you could ever ask for in a vacation! It has a variety of different activities and landscapes, not to mention photographable people and places! It is, of course, a growing society of many different peoples - ethnic groups from all over the world, and let me tell you, the term "melting pot" is a very good description for the people and cultures that have come to live in these beautiful islands. I've heard it said that Hawaii has the highest inter-racial marriage rate of all the 50 states in the good ole' USA -about 40-50% of the people are inter-racially married,if my statistics are accurate. This brings greater love and understanding to the people who live and work together and causes a greater continuity of friendships and cooperation amongst the people. This is maybe what makes Hawaii such a nice place to live and visit! The Landscape of Hawaii Hawaii is made up of 5 main islands - The Big Island of Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Kaui, and Lanai, plus other smaller islands that most people, whether tourist or residents, do not go to. The Landscapes and even the climates can vary from island to island. Having lived on the island of Oahu for almost 4 years, I can say with certainty that even living on the south-to-middle side of the island in the city of Honolulu, is a different landscape and weather experience than living on the North Shore, like the town of Haleiwa, or on the east side of the island, like the city of Kaneohe. From island to island, depending on the elevation of the mountains or how close to the ocean, or how much foliage there is, all plays into the mix when it is related to the weather. Just be sure not to go to Hawaii for a vacation if it is the rainy season, unless you don't mind the rain. This falls anywhere between September to February of any given year. Highlights of the Main Islands, Starting with Oahu... Oahu is the island of the Main Population base for the islands of Hawaii, with Honolulu as its capital city and main metropolis. About 400,000 people live on Oahu. Waikiki is the main tourist hang out and is well known for its beautiful hotels and beach. Maui Maui is a wind surfers paradise and is the island where Haliakala, the dormant volcano resides. It is famous for its beautiful sunrises. Maui is more of a country island and has a very warm feeling to it! Big Island The Big Island of Hawaii is a huge place where the active volcano Kilauea is and where the dormant volcanos - Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea sit perched above the clouds, with Parker Ranch in between. Kauai Kauai island is the island of great beauty! It has many wonderful sites to see, including the mini Grand Canyon. Expect to spend more time on this island if you love nature and the call of the wild - it is very enriching! To sum up the matter, if you are looking at taking a trip to Hawaii or if you plan on living there, make sure you know what you want before you go there. There is such a variety of things to do and places to see and weather to deal with, that it is well advised for you to do your reseach and have your mind made up before you make plans to get on that slow boat or high flying airplane! This the manager and editor of the www.aloha-expressions.com internet site, also the author of this article. Having lived in Hawaii for 4 years and being an avid friend to the people of the islands, I can honestly say that I am a mini-expert on Hawaii who can be taken at his word. I recommend you taking a look at my website: www.aloha-expressions.com and parusing your way through the blog, newsfeeds, and resources sections, I think you will find something of interest that you will like and find valuable on your search to your next Hawaiian vacation or relocation!