Welcome to Hawaii – the land of big-wave surfing, hula girls and tropical beaches. Janine Kelso reports
Most Brits who visit the US state of Hawaii stay on Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu, but there are seven other major islands which make up the archipelago.
UK tour operators to Hawaii are currently upping their game. Thomas Cook is set to launch a dedicated Hawaii brochure while North America Travel Service’s brochure for the islands is now in its 15th year. Hawaii is one of its top-selling US regions thanks to its popularity with the weddings and honeymoons market.
But make no mistake, a trip to Hawaii is seriously long-haul and a 10-hour time difference means you can’t escape jet lag. There are currently no direct flights to Hawaii so travellers will need to change at mainland US cities such as New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco, which means it’s often best to book as part of a twin or triple-centre break.
Visitors to Oahu will fly into Honolulu, a 20-minute drive from the famous Waikiki Beach and its throng of skyscrapers, exclusive shops and a lively coast popular with surfers.
If that sounds a little crowded, make a beeline for neighbouring Maui, Kauai or the Big Island. There is currently no ferry service to connect the islands, so they are only reachable by a 25 to 40-minute flight.
Hawaii has been dogged by airline shutdowns recently with local carriers ATA Airlines and Aloha Airlines going bust last month. Inter-island flights can be booked through Hawaiian Airlines and go!, which have both increased flights to fill the gaps in service. One-way tickets between Oahu and Kauai start at £25.
Sights and attractions
Pearl Harbor is one of Hawaii’s most popular attractions. Battleship Arizona was attacked by the Japanese on December 7 1941, killing 1,177 sailors and marines and catapulting the US into World War II.
The ship now stands as a memorial to the men who lost their lives. Entrance is free but visitors need to arrive early to get in. Open from 7.30am-5pm, the last programme is at 3pm.
For a taste of culture, watch a hula show – most four and five-star hotels offer nightly performances.
Hire a car and drive for 50 miles down Maui’s Hana highway – a winding road which snakes through dramatic landscapes and past waterfalls. Finish up in the picture-perfect beach resort of Hana and stay at the upmarket Hana Hotel – it’s so sprawling that guests have to be taken to their rooms in golf caddies.
Activities
Take a surf lesson and ride the waves. Clients can also learn the island’s latest craze – paddle surfing. Paddle over to Turtle Bay where it’s possible to see the giant reptiles as they swim up to the surface.
For a real thrill, take a ride with four to six people in an outrigger canoe where you paddle hard until catching a wave and flying through the ocean. Waikiki Beach Services – connected to the Outrigger Reef Hotel – offers a three-hour lesson featuring surfing, paddle surfing and canoe surfing for £139. Prices for a group surf lesson lead in at £20 an hour.
To ease your joints after a tough morning riding waves, treat yourself to a Polynesian Nonu massage at the swanky Halekulani hotel spa, in Waikiki Beach. The Samoan- inspired treatment uses hot stones and oils to soothe and relax. It costs £90 for the 55-minute session. All treatments at the SpaHalekulani begin with a foot pounding ritual.
Let your jaw drop at the waterfalls, mountains, canyons and lush, tropical landscapes featured in the movie Jurassic Park by taking a helicopter ride over Kauai – a true nature lover’s paradise.
Adrenalin junkies can take a bird’s-eye view of Kauai by taking a skydive, flying a microlight or even a wing tour.
Hotels and resorts
Well-heeled clients should stay at the plush Halekulani, in Waikiki. Sting stayed in its stylish Vera Wang suite when The Police played a gig on the island in February. If you want to lay your head on the same pillow as the rock star, the suite costs a cool £14,669 for a four-night stay.
Hip guests should stay at the Wyland, near Waikiki Beach. The design hotel – part of the Outrigger group – has only been open for a year and is full of marine-themed artwork by artist Wyland. Rooms have a contemporary style with flat-screen TVs and comfy beds, while there is a lively bar and pool area.
With four parrots residing in the lobby and monk seals sleeping on the beach during the day, the Regency Hyatt Hotel in Kauai is a must for nature lovers.
There are plenty of cultural activities to keep guests busy, such as garland making, and there is live jazz every night in the hip Stephenson’s Library bar and an award-winning spa.
Hawaii travel facts
Gateway airports: San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Seattle in the US, and Vancouver in Canada.
Who flies there? United Airlines, American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Continental Airlines
Flying time: About 15 hours – not including time between flights.
Tour operators: Funway Holidays, Virgin Holidays, Thomas Cook, North America Travel Service.
State phrase: ‘Aloha’ means both hello and goodbye. Hawaiians say this phrase is expressed with feeling and comes from the heart.
Time difference: GMT -11 hours
Sample product
Funway Holidays offers seven nights in Hawaii for £1,275 per person in June 2008, including three nights’ room-only at the Sheraton Kauai, four nights’ room-only at the Wyland Waikiki Hotel and flights with United Airlines.
North America Travel Service offers a 10-night twin-centre trip to Hawaii for £1,884 per person in November featuring five nights at the Halekulani Hotel in Waikiki
and five nights at the Grand Wailea in Maui, including flights and inter-island flights.
Cosmos Tourama offers the 12-night Hawaiian Islands tour, featuring the islands of Kauai, Oahu and the Big Island for £1,905 per person departing December 4, including flights, room-only accommodation, transfers and a tour guide.
Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets and Attraction World offer advance tickets to attractions in Hawaii.
