Beyond the sun, sand and surf, idyllic Hawaii has lush tropical rainforests and a rich cultural history with deeply held traditions and customs. The “Aloha Spirit” can be felt everywhere in the warmth and grace of its people. With a steady year-round climate of 25-29°C, Hawaii is the ideal holiday destination for travellers of all ages, budgets and interests; perfect as a family escape, a romantic getaway, a health and relaxation retreat or an action-packed adventure holiday.
Hawaii’s first settlers arrived around 500AD and Tahitians navigated their way across the waters around 1000AD. The first European to discover these beautiful islands was Captain James Cook in 1778, naming them the Sandwich Islands in honour of one of his patrons, John Montague - the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Cook was killed just over a year later in Kealakekua Bay on his third visit to the islands, after a nasty clash between his party and the natives. He is buried at sea just off the coast. Immigrants from Japan, China, Portugal and the Philippines arrived in the mid-1800s to work in the cane fields, giving Hawaii its multi-ethnic culture however this displaced many of the native Hawaiians, leaving them without land to live on. A coup occurred in 1893 when a group of American businessmen overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy and in 1959, Hawaii became the 50th US state.
Over 70 million years in the making, the islands were created by spewing lava from a hot spot found under the earth’s Pacific plate. The result is the volcanic mass of islands that make up Hawaii today and give it its unique and magical landscapes. Each of Hawaii’s eight main islands, including the unpopulated Kaho’olawe, retain their own distinct character and represent her beauty in a unique and unforgettable way.