HAWAII
TRAVEL INFORMATION
ABOUT HAWAI'I
Hawai'i, the "The Aloha State," consists of 130 islands,
islets and shoals, spanning 1,600 miles across the northern Pacific.
Eight major islands are primarily identified with the state, each
has its own nickname: Hawai'i - "The Big Isle," Kaho'olawe
-"The Forbidden Isle," Kaua'i -"The Garden Isle, Lana'i
- "The Pineapple Isle," Maui -"The Valley Isle,"
Molokai -"The Friendly Isle," Ni'ihau - "The Distant
Isle," and 0'ahu-"The Gathering Place."
Inter-island travel is inexpensive and convenient. The longest trip
to Princeville on Kauai via one of the three commuter airlines is
only 45 minutes. The state has a total population of 1.483 million
people of which nearly 1.2 million reside in the capital city of Honolulu
on 0'ahu. 0'ahu is the second oldest island behind Kauai, and third
largest in land mass. Hawai'i became the 50th U. S. state on August
12,1959 and is on Hawaiian Standard Time. To locals, this means a
slower pace, because when you are in paradise, why hurry? Daylight
Saving time is not in affect here.
HISTORY
The Islands' creation is usually told from two points of view: Polynesian
myths and legends passed down through ancient chants, and geological
activity based on scientific research. Interestingly, they both
agree - Hawai'i was born out of the sea. Centuries of volcanic activity
and lava flows, and Polynesian culture dominated life in the Islands
until January 20, 1778, when English naval Captain and explorer
John Cook and his men entered the village of Waimea, on the north
shore of 0'ahu. From that time forward, the Islands were never the
same. Cooks' experience with the Islanders and his eventual death
at their hands a year later, is a tragic chapter of Hawaiian history.
Captain Cook named the islands, "The Sandwich Islands,"
after The Earl of Sandwich, an English benefactor. It was in 1819
that two events occurred continuing the change of the old ways of
the prehistoric Polynesian culture. First, was the death of the
last of the great native rulers, Kamehameha The Great, that brought
to an end their ancient way of governing the islands. His death
also brought about the demise of many of their gods. Second, was
the decision of New England Calvinists to "convert the heathen
islands." These two events gave rise to the spurt of Christianity
in the islands and set the stage for the development of Honolulu
as a commercial center for whaling and in 1849, Maui, as the center
of the sugar industry. The whalers, missionaries, and sugar barons
all left their marks on Hawai'i's history. In the 20th century,
war campaigns, successful statehood and tourism promotions, have
all contributed to the overall character and evolving culture of
the state.
GEOGRAPHY
Hawai'i is all volcanic lava that has cooled and been sculptured
by wind, rain and the sea. Thanks to television, the world has watched
with awe the destructive and creative results of molten lava erupting
from some of the state's active volcanoes. These fiery rivers of
molten lava continue adding to the state's land mass as they flow
into the sea. Hawai'i shares the same latitude as Mexico City and
Hong Kong. It is the southernmost state of the Union, with elevations
that range from Mauna Loa's 13,796-foot peak to the Maro Reef, mostly
underwater.
CLIMATE
The Islands are known for their mild climate of temperatures between
the mid 70s and 80s. In winter months, temperatures can dip to the
60s and during summer will rise to the 90s. The "wet"
season is December, January and February. This means passing rain
showers. Casual is the dress in this state. If you plan trips to
higher elevations, a sweater or windbreaker will feel good, especially
for the evenings. For men, it is always good to have a jacket for
dining out.
TRAVELING
HINTS
All major car rental companies are in Hawai'i. Be safe and stick
with them if renting a car, Remember that probably most people driving
on the highways are also tourists and uncertain about where they
are going. Hawaiians usually don't honk their horns except to greet
friends or in an emergency, otherwise it is considered rude. Practice
patience and random acts of kindness. H-1,H-2 and H-3 are freeways,
but have tricky crossroads and exits. Be alert.
HAWAII
VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU (HCVB)
The HVCB is the official state tourism representative and has offices
on seven of the islands and worldwide. Their main office in Honolulu
is at 2270 Kalakaura Ave, Ste 801, 96815, 808-923-1811, fax-808-9228991,
Website: www.visit.hawaii.org They can help plan your visit and
provide excellent information. "The Islands of Aloha",
their official travel guide is good to have. It includes a listing
of golf courses throughout the state. For the best detail information
on Hawai'i, get Moon Publications' "Hawaii Handbook, The AllIsland
Guide" and "Honolulu (Waikiki) Handbook The Island of
Oahu," both by J.D. Bisignani. Area Code Statewide: 808
Or contact:
Hawaii
Board of Tourism
P.O. Box 2359
Honolulu, HI 96804
Phone: (808) 586-2550
fax: (808) 586-2549
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