Lonely Planet Best of Hawaii , livre ebook

Best of Hawaii
Top Sights, Authentic Experiences
Contents

Plan Your Trip

Hawaii’s Top 12
Need to Know
Hot Spots For…
Local Life
Month by Month
Get Inspired
Itineraries
Family Travel

On The Road

Honolulu
Chinatown
Iolani Palace
Pearl Harbor
Bishop Museum
Manoa Falls Trail
Sights
Activities
Tours
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Getting There
Waikiki
Kuhio Beach Park
Surfing
Sights
Beaches
Activities
Tours
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Getting There
Where to Stay
Na Pali Coast Wilderness State Park
Boat Tours of the Na Pali Coast
Kalalau Trail
Ha ena State Park
Sights
Activities
Shopping
Eating & Drinking
Getting There
Hanalei Bay
Black Pot Beack Park & Around
Beaches
Activities
Tours
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Getting There
Waimea Canyon
Hiking Waimea Canyon
Hiking Koke‘e State Park
Sights
Activities
Shopping
Eating
Entertainment
Getting There
Moloka‘i
Halawa Valley
Hiking Kalaupapa Trail
Sights
Activities
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Getting There
Road to Hana
Pi‘ilanihale Heiau
Pi‘ilani Trail
Ke‘anae Peninsula
Waterfalls & Swimming Holes
Beaches
Sights
Tours
Activities
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Getting There
Kihei & Wailea
Whale-Watching
Best Local Food
Beaches
Activities
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Getting There
A Day on Lana‘i
Haleakalā National Park
Hiking the Summit Area
Hiking the Kipahulu Area
Experiencing Sunrise
Sights
Activities
Tours
Eating
Getting There
Waipi‘o Valley
Muliwai Trail
Sights
Activities & Tours
Eating
Entertainment
Getting There
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea Summit Area
Humu ula–Mauna Kea Summit Trail
Stargazing
Mauna Loa Observatory Trail
Sights
Activities
Tours
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Getting There
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
Kilauea Iki Overlook & Trail
Halema‘uma‘u Viewpoint
Top Day Hikes
Crater Rim Drive
Beaches
Sights
Activities
Shopping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Getting There

In Focus

Hawaii Today
History
People & Culture
Hawaiian Arts & Crafts
Outdoor Activities
Cuisine

Survival Guide

Directory A–Z
Directory A–Z
Accommodations
Electricity
Entry & Exit Requirements
Customs Regulations
Food
Gay & Lesbian Travelers
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
Money
Public Holidays
Telephone
Time
Tourist Information
Travelers with Disabilities
Transport
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Glossary
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
Welcome to Hawaii
It’s easy to see why Hawaii has become synonymous with paradise. Just look at these sugary beaches, Technicolor coral reefs and volcanoes beckoning adventurous spirits.

Hanauma Bay, O‘ahu | LEIGH ANNE MEEKS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Snapshots of these islands scattered in the cobalt blue Pacific Ocean are heavenly, without the need for any embellishment by tourist brochures. Sunrises and sunsets are so spectacular that they’re cause for celebration all by themselves.
Life in Hawaii is lived outdoors – a boon for adventurers. Whether it’s surfing, swimming, fishing or picnicking with the ‘ ohana (extended family and friends), encounters with nature are infused with the traditional Hawaiian value of aloha ‘ aina – love and respect for the land. Hike across ancient lava flows. Learn to surf. Snorkel with sea turtles. Kayak to an island or join a whale-watching cruise. On land, ride horseback with paniolo , Hawaii’s cowboys.
Another draw? Hawaii proudly maintains its own distinct identity apart from the US mainland. Spam, shave ice, surfing, ukulele and slack key guitar music, hula, pidgin, aloha shirts, ‘rubbah slippah’ (flip-flops) – these are touchstones of everyday life.
Even better, everything here feels easygoing and casual, bursting with genuine aloha and fun. Hawaii is proud of its multicultural heritage, with the descendants of ancient Polynesians and various immigrants coexisting with ease. Come here to enjoy what the future of the USA could be. And catch a few sunsets while you’re at it.
Plan Your Trip Hawaii’s Top 12

1 Honolulu
Shares an island-style mixed plate of experiences
In this boisterous Polynesian capital you’ll eat your way through the pan-Asian alleys of Chinatown, gaze out to sea atop the landmark Aloha Tower, and explore Victorian-era brick buildings, including the USA’s only royal palace. Browse at the world’s largest open-air shopping center at Ala Moana, then poke your nose into the city’s impressive art museums.

Downton Honolulu | JOHN SEATON CALLAHAN/GETTY IMAGES ©

Pho, Pig & the Lady | MATT MUNRO/LONELY PLANET ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
2 Waikiki
Waikiki is back, baby! Dig in.
Hawaii’s most famous beach resort was a haven for tacky plastic lei, coconut-shell bikini tops and motorized, hip-shaking hula dolls. But real aloha and chic-modern style have returned. Beach boys and girls surf legendary waves by day, and after sunset tiki torches light up the sand. Every night hula dancers sway to ancient and modern rhythms – backed by slack key guitars and ukuleles – at oceanfront hotels, open-air bars and even shopping malls.

Waikiki Beach | BENNY MARTY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
3 Na Pali Coast
Rugged adventures on land and sea
The Na Pali Coast should top everyone’s to-do list. Make the oceanic journey by sailing a catamaran, or pit your paddle and kayak against the elements. For hikers, Ke e Beach is the entry point for the rugged, 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail. Hawaii’s most famous trek will transport you to a place like no other, where verdant cliffs soar above a sloping valley abundant with fruit trees, waterfalls and solace seekers.

MARTIN M303/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
4 Hanalei Bay
Beach life is the best life here
Voted one of the USA’s best beaches many times over, this crescent-shaped bay delights lazy sunbathers and active beachgoers alike. Surfers can charge massive (and some beginner) waves while onlookers amble along the golden, sandy shore. Surf lessons go on near the pier, and most afternoons see locals and visitors firing up barbecue grills, cracking open cold brews and humbly watching the daylight fade.

CHASE CLAUSEN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

MESE.BERG/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
5 Waimea Canyon
Lush, rugged and divine for exploring
Formed by millions of years of erosion and the collapse of the volcano that formed Kaua i, the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’ stretches 10 miles long, 1 mile wide and more than 3600ft deep. Reached via a serpentine scenic drive, roadside lookouts provide panoramic views of rugged cliffs, crested buttes and deep valley gorges. Steep hiking trails drop into the canyon floor to survey its interior. It’s a bounty of amazing sights.

BILL FLORENCE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
6 Moloka‘i
History and views on the most Hawaiian island
More than 50% of Moloka‘i’s people have indigenous heritage. Locals favor preservation of land and culture over schemes promoting tourism. Yet there is aloha spirit everywhere and visitors find a genuine welcome. The island is also home to striking Kalaupapa Peninsula and the Halawa Valley, an end-of-the-road place with hundreds of sacred taro patches, ancient temples and waterfalls pounding into swimmable pools.

MIKE BRAKE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
7 Road to Hana
Hold on tight for a dramatic drive
A roller coaster of a ride, the Hana Hwy in Maui twists down into jungly valleys and back up towering cliffs, curling around 600 twists and turns along the way. Fifty-four one-lane bridges cross nearly as many waterfalls – some eye-popping torrents, others soothing and gentle. But the ride’s only half the thrill. Get out and swim in a Zen-like pool, hike a ginger-scented trail and savor fresh guava and coconuts.

SHANE MYERS PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
8 Kihei & Wailea
Golden-sand beaches and pristine resorts
Famed for phenomenal swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing and sunny skies, the beaches are world class. Beyond the beaches, with its tidy golf courses, protective privacy walls and discreet signage, Wailea looks like a members-only country club and is South Maui’s most elite haunt. Amenities shine. If you’re not staying here, say a loud mahalo (thank you) for Hawaii’s beach-access laws that allow you to visit these beautiful strands anyway, with dedicated public parking lots.

MONICA AND MICHAEL SWEET/GETTY IMAGES ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
9 Haleakalā National Park
Otherworldly beauty from shore to summit
As you hike into the belly of Haleakalā, the first thing you notice is the crumbly, lunar-like landscape. Then you experience the eerie quiet – the only sound is the crunching of volcanic cinders beneath your feet. The path continues through an unearthly world, a tableau of stark lava, rainbow-colored cinder cones and ever-changing clouds. At the coast, waterfalls tumble into brilliant pools, flanked by trails, viewpoints and one amazing bamboo forest.

EQROY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
10 Waipi‘o Valley
A stunning and mysterious tropical valley
A mysterious green bowl full of ghosts and legends. A sacred site. A retreat from the outside world. Waipi o’s special distillation of all these makes it irresistible. Many choose to snap a photo from the panoramic overlook, one of the Big Island’s most iconic views. Others trek down to the valley floor to stroll a black-sand beach and peer at distant waterfalls. Access is limited beyond that, which only enhances the mystery.

WESTEND61/GETTY IMAGES ©

PNG STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

HAWAII’S TOP 12 PLAN YOUR TRIP
11 Mauna Kea
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