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10 Best Things to do in Hawaii

Hawaii has a beautiful tropical climate and laid-back atmosphere that makes it a perfect location for a vacation.

The islands are marked with beautiful sandy beaches and gigantic volcanic mountains. There are also black sand beaches to explore with a backdrop of lush green thick forests.

Photo by Luke McKeown on Unsplash

While in Hawaii, one will be blown away by stunning landscapes, friendly people and smell some exotic flowers.

There are several fun things to do in Hawaii like exploring waterfalls, scuba diving, surfing, hiking up a volcano, touring pre-historic sites and so much more.

Hawaiians are known to be the most welcoming and warm people. The first thing they offer you is a lei, a token of welcoming you or bidding you farewell.

Hawaii State is made up of 137 islands. The major ones are The Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Ni’ihau, Koho’olawe, and Lanai.  

With several options to choose from on each island, here are the 10 best things to do in Hawaii.

1. Snorkelling at Kahe Point beach – Oahu

Photo by Benjamin L. Jones on Unsplash

One of the top activities to do while in Hawaii is snorkelling. There Without several places to do this. While on Oahu island, be sure to book a snorkelling session for your friends and family.

The island has several snorkelling vessels that will offer you the best experience for marine life in Hawaii. These vessels are operated by professional tour guides with vast knowledge of Hawaiian marine life.

You will get to see the Green Hawaiian Sea Turtle, tropical fishes and flamboyantly coloured reef formations.

If you are lucky, you can see the Spinner Dolphins skipping on the ocean as well as spot some humpback whales.

1. Visit Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden – Papaikou

When you visit Papaikou island in Hawaii, one of the places on your bucket list should be the tropical botanical gardens.

Whether you are a nature lover, green thumbs curious about nature, you will enjoy your time in this garden. Children will also have a great time as well as educational moments.

The Hawaii tropical botanical garden has beautiful poinsettias, daffodils and other rare tropical plants.

A walk through the trails in the garden will unveil lush plants and flowers all with beautiful colours. This garden pays tribute to the splendour of the Island.

To get to this garden, you will use route 19 and drive for about 4 miles along the scenic Hamakua Coast.

2. Surf and swim at Waikiki Beach – Honolulu

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Waikiki beach is one of the most beautiful in Hawaii and the world over. This beach is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island.

The beach is in Honolulu and along it are big luxurious resorts and cute shopping boutiques.

Other than swimming and sunbathing, one other popular activity is surfing. This beach is the best if you are a beginner or not looking for intense waves.

The waves here are ideal to learn surfing fundamentals or refresh your surfing skills. Take your time and ride the waves as they come.  

3. Enjoy a thrilling bike ride to Mauna Kea – Island of Hawaii

Other than water activities, Hawaii has plenty of biking activities. One of them is riding your bike up a volcano on the Big Island.

The biking trail to Kilauea Volcano is exciting and thrilling for lovers of speed. The speeding happens when riding downhill.

You will ride up about 4000 feet to the summit of this active volcano. There is so much to see and time to snap as many photos and videos as you want for a keepsake.

The entire trail is not steep, there are a couple of flat areas. One needs to be fit since there will be a lot of braking and paddling.

Your efforts will be rewarded at the summit with panoramic views and if it is in the evening, be sure to catch the magical sunset.

4. Take a trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Island of Hawaii

Photo by Dave Bunnell – Wikimedia

Some of the popular activities in Hawaii involves exploring the sea and land. While on land, be sure to not miss a chance at the Volcanoes National Park.

There are several volcanoes in Hawaii and part of the top attractions here. Visiting this national park is safe since Hawaii has volcanic monitoring systems.

The park is a UNESCO Heritage Site and you will get to see Mount Kilauea which is the most constant active volcano in the world.

The area is well protected and preserved and there is so much to see and learn. There are educational centres like the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum, the Volcano Art Centre, and the Puna-Ka’u Historic Archaeological District.

 It is also in this park that you will get to see Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world.

5. Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park – Kauai

Kauai has exceptional and stunning sites that are under government protection, but open to the public.

One of these parks is the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park. It has some of the world’s most vivid sceneries. One cannot miss visiting this place while in Hawaii.

The park is located on over 6000 acres and features an untouched coast stretching for about 16 miles.

This park is often referred to as one of the garden isles of Hawaii. Na Pali means high cliffs. It is believed that the earliest Hawaiian lived behind the cliffs.

There is only one way to get to the park, and it is by hiking on an 11-mile trail or by boat. There is no road access for vehicles.

6. Explore the black sand beach at Pailoa Bay – Maui

Photo by TimBray – Wikimedia

The most popular sandy beaches are white or golden, the black ones are a rare find. One of these beaches is found in Hawaii on Maui island.

To get to this beach, you will drive the road to Hana. This highway has more than 50 miles of beautiful scenery.

It is one of the thrilling drives in Hawaii since you will encounter sharp turns as well as one-lane bridges.

Payload Bay has one of the most famous black sand beaches on the island. Take a stroll barefoot on the beach and explore the beautiful beach.

8. Visit the Leper Colony Kalaupapa National Historic Site – Molokai

This is one of the best places to visit in Hawaii for some history lessons.

The Kalaupapa National Historical Park has a community of people that reside there. These people are clergy, patients, federal employees as well as residents.

It is one of the historic sites in Hawaii that is open 24hours.

This site was set aside for people that suffered from Hansen’s Disease. This was between 1865 and 1966.

The sick was forcefully kept in isolation on this remote island in Molokai. They were shipped on a cattle boat and would be kept here until they died.

When you visit the historical site, you will meet some survivors of the colony. This place is no longer used as a prison but one of the educational centres in Hawaii’s history.

You will be required to get a permit from either Kekaula Tours or Saint Damien and Mother Marianne Cope Molokai Tours. Only 100 people are allowed to visit per day.

9. Go for Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours – Lanai

Photo by Simon Infanger on Unsplash

Water activities in Hawaii are always fun. One such activity is whale watching from any of the islands in Hawaii.

If you are on Lanai island, then book a whale watching tour. This island is located along the Auau Channel, one of the best whale watching locations in Hawaii.

The best time to catch Humpback whales is between December and May. The peak season for whale watching is between January, February and March.

10. Take a hike to Diamond Head – Oahu

Photo by yestoforever – Pixabay

This massive mountain was nicknamed by British seafarers in the 1880s for its summit. The Diamond Head is part of a volcano crater a few meters away from Waikiki Beach.

It is one of the best places to go for a hike while on Oahu island. Most people hike from the beach to the summit and it usually takes about 2 hours. 

A hike up involves trekking through narrow and dark passageways before reaching the summit.  Enjoy magnificent 360-views of the beach and the ocean below. 

You will need, enough drinking water, sunscreen and sturdy shoes. The trail to the summit was constructed in 1908.