state of Hawaii

Hawaii Cities, Climate and Sights

The archipelago of Hawaii became the 50th US state in August 1959 and was the last state to join the United States of America. Hawaii is about a 5 hour flight from Los Angeles, California. Around 1.4 million people live in Hawaii on a total area of ​​28,300 km. The capital and largest city is Honolulu with nearly 400,000 residents. Most residents are Asian and people of European descent.

  • Liuxers: List of Federal school codes for educational institutions located in Hawaii. Includes FAFSA codes in the state of Hawaii.

The US state of Hawaii in a travel guide portrait

The eight stripes of the national flag of Hawaii stand for the eight main islands of the US state. The Union Jack on the top left shows the bond with the British kingdom. The residents now all speak English, but Hawaiian is also the official language.

The state is also called the Aloha State, guided by the typical local greeting. 137 islands are spread over an area of ​​more than 16,000 square meters in Hawaii. Many of these are uninhabited today. The main inhabited islands are Oahu with the capital Honolulu, the largest island Big Island, Maui and Kauai. The motto of Hawaii is ” Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Āina i ka Pono “, roughly translated as “Righteousness preserves the survival of the land”.

state of Hawaii

Connection of the island to the world

To date, there have been no direct flights from Europe to Hawaii due to the great distance. The largest airport on the islands is Honolulu International Airport (HNL). It can be reached with various transfer connections within the USA and Canada, for example:

  • Air Canada via Vancouver
  • Hawaiian Airlines from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland or San Francisco
  • American Airlines via Chicago or Denver
  • Delta Air Lines via Atlanta
  • United Airlines via Chicago, Denver or Newark

A flight from Central Europe takes about 19-22 hours with changes. But that’s less than to New Zealand, for example, where we traveled more than 30 hours with the Emirates. See Hawaii counties list.

The biggest cities

Honolulu with Waikiki Beach

  • Honolulu 338,000 inhabitants, capital of the state
  • Pearl City 48,000 inhabitants, right next to Pearl Harbour
  • Hilo 44,000 inhabitants, largest city on Big Island
  • Kailua: 38,700 residents can be found on the east coast of the island of Oahu in Honolulu County
  • Waipahu: 38,300 residents on the island of Oahu
  • Kaneohe: Kāneʻohe is near Honolulu and has 34,600 souls
  • Kaluhui: Kahului and Wailuku is a double city that has grown into a large settlement area in the north of the island of Maui, which belongs to the Hawaiian archipelago, with 26,337 inhabitants.
  • Kihei: 21,000 citizens reside in Kīhei, a seaside community on the southwest coast of the island of Maui

Climate and weather conditions

Hula dancers

The Hawaiian climate is tropical but mild, in Honolulu the average temperatures are 25 degrees during the day all year round and the nighttime temperatures do not drop below 15 degrees Celsius. From October to March there is increased precipitation, but it is quite moderate.

Many islands are green and wet on the side facing the weather, while the other side is rather dry. So you can spend your days on the islands according to your taste and preference.

Sights in Hawaii

Landscape in Hawaii

In order to discover the sights in Hawaii, most tourists come into the country by plane. There are permanent flight connections from some US airports to the main island of Oahu, and there to Honolulu Airport. Once there, you rent a car, the rentals are one of the cheapest in the States. The easiest way to fly from island to island is with one of the small island hoppers. A ferry can be found between Maui and Lanai, as well as between Maui and Molokai.

Only on Oahu do public buses operate, with which the island can be circumnavigated. They connect, among other things, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Kailua Beach and other beaches, shopping centers and attractions such as Pearl Harbour. The route leads directly past various beaches and in parts runs in the immediate vicinity and with a good view of the sea. Buses run from 08:00 in the morning to 22:00 in the evening. On the island of Maui, to the west, is the Lahaina Kaanapali and Pacific Railroad, also known as the Sugar Cane Train. This is a steam-powered tourist train with a distance of about ten kilometers.

Main island of Oahu with Honolulu

In the largest and most famous of the Hawaiian Islands, surfing is one of the most popular sports not only among the locals, but especially among the younger generation of tourists. Probably most of these surfers can be found on the North Shore, and there on Sunset Beach.

shopping pleasures

Countless shopping centers on Oahu make shopping fun – for all age groups. The spectrum ranges from exclusive boutiques with European designer labels to cheap discounters (Sears, Walmart) for hobby sports needs (snorkeling equipment from around $15). The prices are almost no different from the American mainland.

Chinatown

Merchants in Chinatown

Chinatown is almost in the center of town, along Hotel Street. There you can discover bubbling delicacies from Asia’s countries. Not only Chinese have their cheap shops there, Vietnamese and Thais are also represented here. This district is a colorful mixture of Asian art of living and lively joie de vivre.

Botanical Garden

The perfectly manicured and tropically colorful botanical garden can also be admired in the middle of Honolulu. In addition to a spacious, walk-in original Buddha temple, there are also special tropical tree, fern and bush species represented in addition to the great and colorful orchids.

Waikiki

Waikiki on Oahu in Hawaii

The well-known holiday resort of Waikiki with its Waikiki Beach offers ideal conditions for a relaxing beach holiday. Water is one of the most important bases for attractions in Hawaii. There are several amusement parks with water slides and water rafting to pass the time. Activities that are particularly interesting for families, such as hiking tours in the green parts of the island, are important pillars of tourism on the island. Waikiki has a few Polynesian bars frequented by Japanese. There are also several Irish bars where you can meet Americans and visitors from all nations.
Bike trips are one of the many interesting options for a holiday on Oahu to get to know the island comfortably and with the whole family. Golf courses should not be missing either, so that you can indulge in your favorite sport on holiday. The allegedly most beautiful beach in the USA can be found here on Oahu and is called Waimanalo Bay Beach Park.

Hike at Diamond Head

The Diamond Head is a 232 m high tuff formation on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu and the symbol of Honolulu and Waikīkī. Its English name comes from 19th-century sailors who mistook the calcite sprinkles for diamonds.

Visit to Iolani Palace

The Iolani Palace is the former royal residence in Honolulu, here you can find a painting of the French king Louis Philippe, painted by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, for example in the Blue Room, a room for informal receptions. The State Dining Room is decorated with paintings of former European rulers who came to Hawaii as state gifts, such as the 1847 portrait of Frederick William IV of Prussia and that of Napoleon III. The throne room was not only used for official receptions, but was also used as a ballroom.

More Attractions

  • Oahu – Hanauma Bay: beautiful for snorkeling, Diamond Head: breathtaking views of Waikiki/Honolulu, Aloha Tower: observation tower at the Honolulu Harbor with adjacent shopping mall, Aloha Stadium: flea market at Aloha Stadium (Saturday and Sunday only), Polynesian Cultural Center: here you can learn a lot about the culture of the Polynesian, Pearl Harbor / Arizona Memorial: memorial to the battle of Pearl Harbor; Dole Plantation: see how pineapples are grown and wander through the world’s largest planted maze
  • Maui – Haleakala: breathtaking sunrises and sunsets on the summit of the volcano (caution: it’s bitterly cold and drafty up there in the early morning!), Huialoha Church: small church on a promontory in Maui; Lahaina the little fishing village, check out the Peter Lik Gallery there!; Early in the morning to Hana in the east of the island, a remote hippie village that can only be reached via the Hana Road! Attention, the journey takes a long time, is curvy and often not without danger!
  • Kauaii – Napali Cost: great for hiking and walking, Waimea Canyon: the Grand Canyon of Hawaii
  • Big Island – Volcano National Park is a must see; southernmost point of the USA (incl. islands): breathtaking thundering waves and a little to the east a small bay where you can find olivine stones like on Lanzarote (El Golfo)

Everyone has to decide for themselves whether Hawaii is really worth seeing, at least the Americans love the holiday paradise as much as we do! There is varied entertainment and impressive highlights for everyone.