> > by Rhonda Bannister
The most beautiful necklace of islands anchored in any ocean.
Ahh the glitz, glamour and romance of famed Waikiki; a sparkling high-rise cityscape, a curve of beach washed by a tropical moon, the imposing shape of Diamond Head, beach front bars and restaurants, crooners and hula dancers - these are all part of a magical combination that make the island of Oahu such a wonderful destination for couples looking for a sophisticated holiday or honeymoon where they can dance the night away and then happily laze on the beach all day. Waikiki, on the main island of Oahu, is still one of the premier holiday destinations in the world and when you stroll along the beach at sunset or sit mesmerised by the view, glass of wine in hand at the famous Mai Tai bar right on the beach, you’ll understand why. But there’s more to Hawaii than just Waikiki so if you can, include at least one other island in to your visit because the ineffable, natural beauty of these sun-kissed islands will blow you away!
Apart from Oahu, the three most popular tourist islands are Hawaii, simply called the Big Island, Maui and Kauai and each offers the visitor a completely different experience. If you or your partner are golf tragics then a visit to the Big Island with its many luxury golf resorts should be on the agenda. The Big Island is where you’ll witness the fiery volcanic activity that created this chain of islands and there’s plenty of interest here besides golf. Maui also has golf resorts plus spectacular scenery of mountains, waterfalls, lush rainforests and moonscapes. There’s also marvellous beaches and quaint little villages.
Kauai, the garden isle, is where adventurous couples can hike, mountaineer, snorkle and scuba dive to their hearts’ content. It’s here that you’ll see Waimea Canyon dubbed the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’, and the awesome mountainous shoreline of the Napali Coast. There’s also cute little towns such as Hanalei (made famous in the Puff the Magic Dragon song), and Hanapepe that look like they’re stuck in the 50s - milk bars and all!
WHERE?
Located in the North Pacific Ocean off the west coast of America, Hawai’i is around 10 hours flight time from Sydney and around 8.5 hours from New Zealand. Hawaiian Airlines fly from Australia to Honolulu with connections to all other islands. www.hawaiianairlines.com.au
THREE TOP THINGS TO DO:
On Kauai take a helicopter ride over Waimea Canyon and the Napali coastline - to see the majesty wrought by Mother Nature from above is incredible, especially when you fly into the crater of the volcano and see pristine waterfalls snaking like a family of silver serpents down the cliff face. If you thought beer was a one dimensional beverage of golden hue you’ll be surprised to learn that in Hawaii it also comes in a shade of lipstick pink but only at the iconic Mai Tai Bar at the candy-pink, Royal Hawaiian Hotel, right on the beach at Waikiki. This hotel is part of Hawaii’s history and is a must- visit even if only for the bragging rights.
Swim with the dolphins in Oahu with Dolphin Excursions (dolphinexcursions.com) who will take you the the quieter west side of the island for a day of scintillating fun frolicking with pods of dolphins in shallow bays.