Kola Nut Travel

The Hawaiian Islands remain one of the most beautiful places on earth. The physical beauty of Hawaii is almost unparalleled. Majestic mountains were created millions of years ago by volcanic activity that thrust these islands up three miles from the ocean floor. Wave action across endless eons of time created coral reefs, and then battered and broke them to create miles of white sand beach. There are no strangers in this Paradise. Perhaps the most beautiful part of Hawaii is the genuine warmth of the people. It’s called the spirit of Aloha, allowing a melting pot of cultures from all over the world to find common ground and a new home in this most gentle of places.

You could search the whole world over and never find another island like Oahu. It's an isle of magnificent panoramas, ringed with white sand beaches, capped by towering volcanic peaks, and in between the mountains and the ocean lies the playground of the Pacific. There are over 20 craters just on this island alone! Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii, located on the island of Oahu. Be sure to visit places such as Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, the North Shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Dole Plantation, and everything between.

Waikiki Beach is usually crowded but is still a nice place where one can swim, canoe, surf and snorkel. The areas towards Diamond Head are closer to expansive picnic and recreational facilities, including those of Kapiolani Park.

"No Ka Oi!" – roughly translated, means "The Best!" That's what the locals maintain about the island of Maui, second largest in the Hawaiian chain. It is a paradise of gorgeous beaches and sprawling sugarcane fields. Dominating the island is the enormous volcano Haleakala ('House of the Sun'), one of the best places in the world for sky gazing. Haleakala National Park slices up volcanic Mt. Haleakala, a dramatic scurry to the clouds, from sea level to 10,000 feet, over a distance of 35 miles. The environment changes rapidly and dramatically with the altitude, from subtropical rainforest at sea level to sub-alpine desert in the crater.

On the Big Island, enter the Volcanoes National Park and drive along Rim Crater Drive where you can enjoy a unique view of this moon-like landscape and learn about the mysteries of the famed Madame Pelé, the Hawaiian Goddess of Fire. Standing at just over 5,000 feet, Kilauea is not the Big Island's tallest volcano, but it is certainly the most active. Pass the Halemaumau Fire Pit and the Kilauea Iki Crater before stopping at the Thurston Lava Tube where you can walk through the extinct lava tube for an up-close view of how the lava cuts through the ground. If you are lucky, you just might time your visit with an eruption and marvel at the awesome power of Nature as molten lava flows down the mountainside and into the sea, creating enormous clouds of steam!

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