The Hawaiian Islands

Sandy beaches, active volcanoes, fantastic waves, and interesting people are but a few of the reasons to visit the islands of Hawaii. As the 50th state, Hawaii offers a multitude of wonders, a rich cultural history and a beautiful climate year around.

Hawaiian Geography:
The state of Hawaii is actually an archipelago of more than a dozen islands, with six of them, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and the Big Island of Hawaii, open to visitors. The big island itself is actually the youngest out of all of the Hawaiian Islands and is home to all three of Hawaii's active volcanoes. These are Mauna Lao, which actually covers half of the Big Island and last erupted in 1984, Kilauea, which has been erupting since 1983, and the underwater giant Loihi, located off of the Big Island's southern coast.

Hawaii's First Settlers
The first peoples to arrive on Hawaiian more than 1,600 years ago were Polynesians, who traveled by canoes and brought with them many staples to survive the journey including pigs, chickens, and dogs, and the seeds or roots of taro, coconuts, bananas and sweet potatoes. Captain James Cook, the first Westerner, arrived in 1778 and was killed by Hawaiian warriors at Kealakekua Bay a year later. The ruler Kamehameha successfully united all of the Hawaiian Islands by the early 1800s. Other Western missionaries and settlers continued to come to the islands, and in 1959 Hawaii became a state.


Hawaiian Activities
Today visitors can enjoy Hawaii's rich cultural past and participate in a wide variety of activities throughout the islands. You can enjoy a round of golf, snorkel along the coast, sport fish, spend the day horseback riding, surfing, shopping, or enjoying annual rodeos, hula festivals, or cherry blossom festivals. When visiting Oahu, make sure to stop by the Pearl Harbor memorial, or if you will be spending time on the Big Island, venture to the top of Mauna Lao while visiting Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Whether you choose to stay in a beautiful Hawaiian cottage, a luxury hotel, or at a friend's welcoming home, you are sure to enjoy your stay in one of the most gorgeous places on Earth. Hikers Rest is your Hawaiian cottage away from home offering lovely amenities within the Ohia rainforest and only minutes away from Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Visit today at http://www.volcanohikersrest.com.Angela Entzminger, the author of this article, is a freelance writer.