| ISLAND INFORMATION | |
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HAWAII aka THE BIG ISLAND
or THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII A lot of people confuse the island of Hawaii with the State of Hawaii. While it's true that Hawaii, the island, is part of Hawaii the state; it is not true that Hawaii, the island, is the main island in the chain--it's just the biggest and youngest. The Big Island, as locals refer to it, is home to active volcanoes, tropical rain forests, desolate lava fields (where the astronauts--but not Michael Jackson--practiced their moon walks) , large cattle ranches, orchid and antherium nurseries, Kona coffee and macadamia nut farms, spectacular waterfalls, world class big game fishing, and the towns of Hilo and Kailua-Kona (not to be confused with the town of Kailua on Oahu). A word of warning: DO NOT TAKE any lava rocks from their environment, or you run the risk of incurring the wrath of Pele, goddess of the volcanoes. |
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OAHU or THE GATHERING PLACE When most people think of Hawaii, they are actually referring to the island of Oahu, where Honolulu (the State Capital), Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor and Don Ho are all found. Oahu is also home to the big wave beaches of the North Shore, as well as the more sedate, world famous beaches of Kailua and Lanikai. For the more dry-land oriented there's always a championship golf course within 15 minutes of wherever you are on Oahu. For those of you used to driving on the mainland, directions can take a little getting used to on Oahu. Forget North, South, East and West; local residents won't know what you're talking about....they prefer to give directions in terms of Mauka (towards the mountains), Makai (towards the ocean), Diamond Head (towards Diamond Head) and Ewa (away from Diamond Head). This means that if you are on the East side of the island and facing North Makai is to your right, but if you are on the West side of the island and facing North, then Makai is to your left. It works a lot better in practice than it does trying to explain it. |
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MAUI or the VALLEY ISLAND Maui is the second largest island in the Hawaiian chain and takes its name from the demi-god, Maui, of polynesian myth. Its skyline is dominated by Haleakala, the House of the Sun, which rises over 10,000 feet above sea level and whose crater is large enough to hold the entire island of Manhatten. It is home to numerous championship golf courses and was once the whaling capitol of the world. Charles Lindburgh is buried in Hana. |
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KAUAI or the GARDEN ISLAND Kauai is the oldest island in the Hawaiian chain and takes its name from the lush flora that covers much of the island. It is home to Mount Wai'ale'ale, the wettest spot on earth averaging over 450 inches of rainfall annually. It is a truly picturesque island and has been featured in numerous movies and tv shows including Raiders of the Lost Ark and Fantasy Island |
