Hawaii, USA

OVERVIEW OF HAWAII The state of Hawaii includes approximately 130 islands in the Pacific Ocean, many of which are uninhabited. Hawaii is considered the 50th state of the United States of America and is situated nearly at the centre of the north Pacific Ocean. Hawaii marks the NE corner of Polynesia. While it was once a major hub for the whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, it is now economically dependent on tourism and the U.S. military. The natural beauty of the islands continues to be one of Hawaii's greatest assets and is the location of some of the finest beaches in the United States, each unique in its dimensions, shapes. These sandy stretches are fronted by crystal waters full of tropical fish darting through beautiful coral. Some of the world's best surfing and watersport opportunities are on offer here and for those intent on impressive sightseeing, it is hard to beat the thrill of watching lava flow from the world's longest erupting volcano. Honolulu is the state's capital, largest city, and cultural hub. Hawaiian and English are the official languages of Hawaii. Hawaii's traditions and culture is also an attractions in itself. Most nightlife is centred on traditional festivals which visitors are encouraged to experience as they let themselves free under necklaces of flowers and dance the famous 'hula' after sunset. THINGS TO DO IN HAWAII The Hawaiian islands offer a vast number of activities. Hiking and eco tours are popular on most islands, with opportunities for horseback riding, ATV, air tours, and other methods of exploring the landscape. Museums and historical sites such as Pearl Harbor are also to be found throughout the islands. Cultural activities such as the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu also make for interesting day-long activities. Oahu is famous for Pearl Harbor tours, but also popular are Shark Snorkel dives in cages, Waikiki snorkel tours as well as around Oahu Tours where you will see all the major highlites of Oahu including Diamond Head, the North Shore and Dole Plantation where you can sample menu items made from fresh picked pineapples. Maui is the location for Humpback Whale Watching from December 15 to April 15 each year as the massive Humpbacks migrate to Hawaii's warm waters to bear their calves. Also famous from Maui is the Molokini Crater which is a partially submerged volanco crater that you can snorkel at. Kauai is untamed and beautiful. It has been featured in many major motion pictures over the past two decades. See this island by land or by air to take in the true beauty of this island. This Big island is the volano island where you can take a land tour or fly over the incredible huge volanco on a helicopter tour. Doors off flights allow you to feel the heat from the volanco, and amazingly unique experience. Also on the Big Island you have the rare opportunity to swim with Wild dolphins, not capitve one. Hawaii is best known for its beaches and water activities. Surfing is practically a religion in Hawaii, and scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities exist nearly everywhere. In addition, jet skiing, parasailing and kayaking are available in tourist areas.

Right Now · June 2026

Where to Eat

Helena's Hawaiian Food — Kalihi, Oahu. This is among the most-recommended spots on the island for authentic Hawaiian food, built on a legacy stretching back to 1946 and anchored by the pipikaula short ribs, which are dried above the stove before frying. Order a full set — rice or poi, lomi salmon, salt and raw onions — and finish with haupia. The strip-mall exterior gives nothing away, but Helena's has earned a James Beard award, and it deserved it.

Nico's Pier 38 — Honolulu Harbor, Oahu. Two operations in one: by day, the fish market produces some of the freshest sashimi platters and poke on the island, alongside smoked fish that might include monchong or opah. Come evening, live music arrives alongside surf and turf featuring fat, luscious deep-water shrimp, with seating directly by the water.

Mud Hen Water — Kaimuki, Oahu. Mud Hen Water serves a modern Hawaiian menu for dinner, though brunch is where it really shines, thanks to the airy, light-filled dining room paved in reclaimed wood and its patio decorated with colorful murals. Go for the sourdough banana pancakes and fresh fish and luau — taro leaf cooked down in coconut milk to something approaching pudding.

Olay's — Honolulu, Oahu. Among the most beloved spots for outdoor dining on the island, Olay's offers a courtyard garden lush with palms and a koi pond, generally calm even when the rest of the city is celebrating. Order the whole fried fish doused with cilantro-lime sauce, Lao sausage, and the crispy rice salad for its textural contrasts.

Sushi ii — Honolulu, Oahu. Tucked into a strip mall, Sushi ii is among the few Honolulu omakase counters that also offers creative cooked dishes alongside impeccable sushi — dashi-marinated fish roe, golden eye snapper from Japan, and live local baby abalone. Reserve a seat at the sushi bar; it is where the chefs are most animated and most generous with the akamutsu.

After Dark

House Without a Key — Halekulani Hotel — Waikiki, Oahu. If you order one mai tai in Hawaiʻi, this is the place — classic, tart, and boozy, with three types of rum balanced against freshly squeezed lime juice. Arrive around sunset for Hawaiian musicians and former Miss Hawaiʻis dancing hula from 6 to 8 p.m., a scene that never gets old even for locals.

La Mariana Sailing Club — Sand Island, Oahu. Newer tiki bars try to capture the Blue Hawaii experience, but La Mariana is the real deal — established in 1957, it is Honolulu's last original tiki bar, a bamboo-lined and palm-fringed oasis that still serves the old salts with their sailboats parked in the nearby harbor. Glass fishing floats hang from the ceiling alongside relics from long-shuttered tiki bars; you are here for the mai tai and zombie, still arriving with a pineapple wedge and paper umbrella.

Mai Tai Bar — The Royal Hawaiian — Waikiki, Oahu. The Mai Tai Bar sits right on Waikiki Beach in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. A classy change of pace in a sea of touristy bars, it offers live music and a position directly on the beach with unobstructed views to Diamond Head. Go for the namesake at golden hour; linger well past it.

Out of Town

Diamond Head Crater Hike — Oahu. Worth every drop of exertion, the views at the summit are genuinely breathtaking. Book the earliest available time slot directly through the Hawaii State website — June sunrises here are among the island's quiet glories, and the crater rim is least crowded before 8 a.m.

Molokini Crater Snorkel — Maui. A long-extinct volcanic crater just off the Maui coast, Molokini is a top-tier snorkel site where visibility often surpasses 180 feet. Among the creatures you may encounter are rays, tropical fish, and a variety of other wildlife — an ideal outing for anyone who takes the underwater world seriously.

Manta Ray Night Snorkel — Keauhou Bay, Big Island. Swimming at night with massive reef manta rays as they gracefully feed on plankton in Keauhou Bay is a genuinely mesmerizing experience — suiting up in wetsuits and entering dark water alongside animals with an 18-foot wingspan produces a vacation memory of a different order entirely. Multiple operators run the experience; book with a small-group company for a less crowded encounter.

On the Calendar

Okinawan Festival — Honolulu Convention Center, Oahu. Organized by local cultural clubs to celebrate the heritage of Okinawan immigrants to Hawaii, the two-day festival brings in dancers and musicians both local and visiting. Food stalls offer andagi, yakisoba, and pig feet soup; a historical tent traces the deep connection between Okinawa and Hawaii; and the evening closes with a bon dance open to everyone. Held annually on Labor Day weekend — the 2026 edition falls in early September.

Aloha Festivals — Statewide, Oahu anchor. The Aloha Festivals are a showcase of Hawaii's rich cultural heritage, free and open to the public, taking place across the month of September with a different theme each year. All four festivals feature Hawaiian music, dance, and educational workshops; the Opening Ceremony is particularly spectacular, with the presentation of the Royal Court accompanied by hula and traditional chanting.