Travel & Leisure

In the South Pacific Hawaii is comprised of six tropical islands. Hawaii is one of the most picturesque visitor destinations you can find in the world. The excellent beaches and many outdoor activities that Hawaii has to offer makes for an excellent tranquil setting. Many unique zoos such as the only rainforest zoo in the United States is found on the big island of Hawaii. You can also find several well known beaches in Hawaii such as the Kailua Beach and Waikiki Beach. Maui is also an excellent island for the outdoor enthusiast which two dormant volcanoes and activities such as biking and whale watching.

Many vacationers to Hawaii end up going to Honolulu on the island of Oahu. This city is known for its wide selection of resort accommodations along with an excellent variety of activities such as scuba diving, deep sea fishing and swimming with dolphins. In addition, Honolulu features Waikiki Beach which is known as one of the best beaches in the world. If you prefer other activities then Honolulu also offers the Waikiki Aquariums, the Honolulu Zoo and the Honolulu Botanical Gardens. If you prefer your outdoor activities in the form of nature walks then there is the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve which offers trails that focus on giving you the experience of unspoiled Hawaiian flora and fauna while promoting the preservation of local marine life. For the history buffs there is Pearl Harbor which features the USS Arizona Memorial to those who died in World War II.

The second most popular destination in Hawaii is Maui which has the world’s largest national park called Haleakala. In addition the west shore has some excellent beach options. Some of the best surfing and windsurfing in the world can be found at the Ho’okipa Beach Park on the east shore. In addition the small historic town of Lahaina nearby offers an excellent selection of museums and cultural activities. You can also experience the unique option of the Molokini Snorkel Cruise which lets you visit a half submerged volcanic crater that has some of the most unique marine life anywhere in the world. Between December to Mid-May there are number of humpback whale watching cruises available to visitors.

An excellent option for accommodations in Oahu is the Doubletree Alana Waikiki which gives you very comfortable and beautiful rooms with prompt customer service at about half the price of other hotels in Hawaii. It also features great cuisine at the Padovani’s Restaurant downstairs and it within walking distance of the famous Waikiki Beach.

In Maui an excellent option is the Pineapple Inn which is very small, but has a terrific value. There are only four rooms at this inn with one cottage. However it offers excellent panoramic ocean views and an excellent tropical garden. Each room comes with a small kitchenette so you can stay in your room and enjoy the ocean for as long as you want.

Greg Chadwick owns and operates the Hawaii Hotel Finder website. Please visit our website to find great deals on Hawaii Hotels.

Hawaii is a special place to swim with dolphins in the wild. The most common dolphins to swim with are the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin or Spotted Dolphins. Hawaii is home to about 700–1000 Spinner Dolphins.

The Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii is a favorite destination of people who want to swim with dolphins in the wild.

Although many species of Dolphins live here year round, the Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins are the most playful and curious. They feed offshore during the night and return close to shore each morning to rest and nurture their young. The pods number from a dozen or so up to 200.

One can find the dolphins traveling to one of their many resting areas, playing, leaping and spinning as they go. Once the dolphins reach these rest sites they begin to settle down and spend their day in a sleep state.

The Spotted Dolphins, the Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins and the rough toothed dolphins are usually found along the coast, sometimes intermingling with the Spinners.

You can have some of the best snorkeling on Maui, where, if your are lucky, you can have a good chance to meet up with the magnificent Spinner Dolphins and Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins.

Maui is called the fun capital of the Hawaiian Islands, with more than 100 kinds of activities to be enjoyed by land, sea or air. The Island of Maui begins atop Mauna Haleakala, a dormant volcano whose crater is big enough to hold Manhattan. Mauna Haleakala’s slopes descend to 33 miles of pristine beaches, and then plunge into the waters off Maui’s shores.

Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island is the only legally registered operator with the United States government that is allowed to organize swim with the dolphin activity in the wild.

Dolphin Swim Info provides detailed information about swimming with dolphins, including profiles of the best places to swim with dolphins: Florida, Hawaii, Cancun, California, Malta, Key Largo, and the Bahamas. Dolphin Swim Info is affiliated with Original Content.