Hawaii Travel Guide

1. Explore the Waipi’o Valley

The lush wilderness of the Waipi’o Valley (Big Island) was once home to Hawaiian kings. Today, it’s covered with taro fields. Waipi’o is named for the river that cuts between the valley walls, giving way to waterfalls until eventually flowing into the ocean at a black sand beach. There are many trails here, but the main hike down into the valley takes you to the black sand beach and back up again. It’s 6.5 miles (10 kilometers) and strenuous but worth it.

2. Night dive with manta rays

On the Big Island, take a sunset cruise along the Kona coast to the Manta Ray Village. Here, you can swim with giant manta rays — some of which measure 18 feet (5.5 meters) in length and weigh up to 1,600 pounds (725 kilograms)! It’s one of the best spots in the world to swim with mantas. The manta rays feed off the phytoplankton and zooplankton, and they appear to glow underwater due to bioluminescence. Snorkel tours start at $115 USD while single-tank night dives start at $149 USD.

3. Go on a helicopter tour

For a birds-eye view of the islands in all their scenic beauty, take a helicopter tour. Fly over the lush rainforests and stark volcanic landscapes and admire the turquoise ocean from above. They aren’t cheap but they make for a fun once-in-a-lifetime experience to splash out on. Rides are usually 45-60 minutes long and focus on a single island. Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i and the Big Island all have incredible scenery to soak up. Helicopter tour prices start at $250USD per person. Paradise Helicopters and Blue Hawaiian are two of the biggest and longest-running tour operators. You can also do a scenic flight in a small plane with AirVentures for $155 USD.

4. Experience Merrie Monarch Week

The world’s biggest hula competition goes down in Hilo annually and is a week-long celebration of Hawaiian arts, language and culture. It’s named in honor of King David Kalakaua who revived hula and other art forms during his reign in the 1800’s when many were near extinction earned him the nickname “The Merry Monarch”. The festival is split between non-competitive events like fairs, markets and concerts around town which are free to attend, and the main hula competition where the top halau (schools) and individuals from all over the Pacific and even the mainland US battle for titles. It all ends in a huge royal parade around Hilo town. Tickets for the competition start at $10 and require a bit of work to get – you’ll have to mail a ticket request and your payment to the festival office before December for the April event, just like it has been for decades.

5. Hike the Waimea Canyon and Napali Coast

If you want to see why they call Kaua’i “The Garden Isle,” hike one of the many trails along the west side of the island. The trails are well marked and offer spectacular views of the canyon and coast as well as interesting tropical plants. Walk the 1.8-mile canyon trail in Waimea Canyon Park for breathtaking views along the canyon’s rim and end up at the Waipio’o Falls. North of the canyon,the Kalalau Trail is considered the most beautiful hike in Hawai’i, with 22 miles (35 kilometers) of trails across valleys, streams, and coastline. To do the entire trail, you’ll need to apply for a camping permit for Ha’ena State Park. Permits are $35 USD per person per day. Only 60 permits are given out per day and they get snatched up fast (reservations go up 90 days in advance). You can also get a day-use pass for the park which grants you access to a 6-hour parking time slot ($10 per timeslot plus $5 entry/person, with limited parking available). If that’s sold out, you have to take the shuttle which costs $40 USD but includes park entry.

6. Check out the Bishop Museum

The Bishop Museum on O’ahu is a Polynesian anthropological institute that showcases Hawai’i’s cultural art and artifacts. You could easily kill 3-4 hours here – it’s the largest museum in Hawai’i and home to the world’s largest collection of Polynesian artifacts. The Hawaiian Hall covers Hawaiian mythology (it has a stunning interior with beautiful wooden architecture). There’s also a science center for children and a planetarium with exhibits about early Hawaiians navigating the Pacific Ocean using the stars, and more recent work on astronomy on the islands. Admission is $33.95 USD. If you want to visit the planetarium, tickets are an additional $3 with your admission to the museum.

7. Go river tubing in Kaua’i

On Kaua’i, you can go backcountry river-tubing. You’ll drive through abandoned sugar cane plantations into the lush forests of the interior and then float down a series of canals in an old irrigation system from the 19th century. You’ll catch views of Mt. Wai’ale’ale, the second highest mountain on Kaua’i before you even get into the water. As you travel down the river, you pass through dark tunnels and lush rainforest landscapes. The entire journey will take three hours as you float for 2.5 miles. The day ends with a picnic and a chance to enjoy one of the islands natural swimming spots. Kaua’i Backcountry Adventures offer tours starting from $156 USD and last around three hours. Drinks and lunch are included.

8. Drive the scenic road to Hana

If you’re on Maui, driving the winding road to Hana is a must. It’s a twisty, hairpin-turn journey along the coast with lots of scenic viewpoints,waterfalls, hiking trails, and food stalls. Make sure you stop at the Oheo Gulch and spend time hiking the Pipiwai Trail to the 400-foot (121-meter) Waimoku Falls. It’s just a four-mile (6.5-kilometer) trek and you get to see some massive banyan trees along the way. You can either start early in the day and give yourself 8-9 hours to cover a few stops, or stay a night or two in Hana to break up the drive (if you’re self-driving). Tours with experienced drivers and guides are also available to book if you prefer to sit back and sight-see. (For another scenic drive, check out the Kahekili Highway. It’s less busy, has hairpin turns, and has plenty of sights to see too (such as the Nakalele Blowhole).)

9. Tour a coffee plantation

Hawai’i is one of the few places in the USA where coffee is grown. For an in-depth coffee plantation tour, head to the Kuaiwi Farm in Kona on Big Island. You’ll learn all about the coffee process from beginning to end, as well as how a variety of other organic staples are grown, including cacao, pineapples, and bananas. Tours are $35 USD and include samples. Several other farms like Hala Tree and Kona Coffee Living History Farm offer different tours and tasting experiences that start at $20.. There’s even a 10-day annual coffee festival in Kona every November featuring music and dance performances, a cupping competition, farm experiences and more to celebrate the island’s long and unique coffee culture.

10. Learn to surf

Surfing is huge in Hawai’i. O’ahu North Shore is especially popular with surfers of all levels and major competitions are often held here. November through February is considered big wave season on the North Shore and is a great place to see the pros. Beginners will want to start on the South Shore where the waves aren’t quite so large. If you want to learn how to surf, sign up for some classes (or even a multi-day surf camp). Group classes are generally around $100 USD. North Shore O’ahu Surf School has some great instructors and offers private classes for both beginners and advanced surfers. You can expect to pay $200 for a two-hour lesson. You can find surfboard rentals around the islands for around $25-40 USD per day or $125-150 USD per week.

11. See the sunrise at Haleakala

Haleakala is a 10,023-foot (3,055-meter) dormant volcano on Maui offering one of the most spectacular sunrises you’ll ever see. It’s really, really cold at the top (bring gloves and a hat) and the drive up is precarious but the views over Maui at the top are worth it. You can also do the challenging 12-mile (19-kilometer) volcano hike across flower farms, pine forests, and pebbly volcanic landscapes. It’s super easy to do on your own, however, tours are also available (they last 9 hours and start at $220 USD). If you’re traveling from the mainland, do this on one of your first days as your jetlag will work in your favor so you can wake up early with ease.

12. Hike Diamond Head

Located on the eastern end of Waikiki, Diamond Head is O’ahu’s most famous landmark. This dormant volcano and its extinct crater were created during a volcanic eruption over 300,000 years ago. You can hike to the scenic lookout point at the top for panoramic views over Honolulu. The trail is just .8 miles (1.2 kilometers) long, but it’s incredibly steep, so wear your most comfortable shoes. The hike is so popular that you’ll want to start as early in the morning as possible (before the busloads of tourists show up). It’s just $5 USD to visit and parking is $10 USD per vehicle, but you must make reservations (you can reserve up to 14 days in advance).

13. Hike the Ka’iwa Ridge

This hike is better known as the Lanikai Pillbox Trail because you’ll hike by military observation stations from the 1940s (they’re not actually pillboxes as they were never used for defensive purposes). It’s a moderately steep, 1.8-mile (2.9-kilometer) hike that takes you to the ridge overlooking the crystal blue waters of Lanikai and Kailua beaches. There’s no shade so it’s best to do this hike in the early morning or late afternoon. While Diamond Head may be more convenient if you’re staying in Waikiki, the drive out to this hike is well worth it.

14. Hit the beach

It’s hard to find a bad beach to hang out on in Hawai’i. Most of them have powder-white sands, swaying palm trees, and epic sunsets. Check out Papakolea Beach/Green Sand Beach (Big Island), Kailua Beach (O’ahu), Ala Moana Beach Park (O’ahu), Makena Beach (Maui), Hanalei Beach (Kaua’i), Polihua Beach (Lana’i), and Kaanapali Beach (Maui), to name a few. There’s so much stunning coastline in Hawai’i and you can often just pull your car over and relax on any random beach without it getting too overcrowded.

15. See Hilo

Hilo is the busiest town on Big Island and its historic downtown area is chock full of galleries, museums, shops, and restaurants. Spend a few hours at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center or the Hawaii Museum of Contemporary Art for regular exhibitions. The Hilo Brewing Company has a tasting room for craft beer fans to try out their brews made on site and serves cocktails too. One of the town’s must-see highlights is the Farmer’s Market, which is open seven days a week but there are especially large markets every Wednesday and Saturday. You’ll find everything from fresh fruit to smoothies to handmade jewelry here, and there are often musicians and street performers too. Be sure to walk around the Liliuokalani Gardens and enjoy its Japanese rock gardens and pagodas (admission is free). Also, don’t miss Two Ladies Kitchen, which has some of the best and freshest mochi (Japanese rice cake) you’ll find outside of Japan.

16. Explore Lana’i

Known as Pineapple Island, Lana’i is the 6th smallest island in Hawai’i. It’s also the smallest publicly accessible inhabited island too (just over 3,000 people live here). The island is a 45-minute ferry from Maui and is home to beautiful beaches, scenic nature trails (Munro and Naha are two popular trails), and a couple of golf courses. It’s a relaxing place to get away for a day or two if you want to avoid the crowds. Consider renting a 4×4 jeep or hiking the Kealia Kapu-Kaunolu Village Heritage Trail. If you’re visiting on a day trip, take the first ferry in and the last one out to maximize your time.

17. Visit Moloka’i

This is the 5th smallest island and arguably the “most” Hawai’ian as it’s home to the highest number of native Hawai’ians per capita. With only 8,000 people here, it has a very rural feel and is very different from the tourist hubs of the larger islands. Located just north of Maui, it’s a short flight or ferry ride away – some people even take day trips to the island from Maui or Lanai. Don’t miss Kepuhi Beach, a popular spot to swim and surf and the famous hot bread from Kanemitsu Bakery. If you stay a few days the Halawa Valley guided hike and cultural tour is a must to get to know this sacred heart of the island with its cascading waterfalls, dramatic cliffs and astonishing views over black sand beaches.