The fresh, floral air energizes you. The warm, tranquil waters refresh you. The breathtaking, natural beauty renews you.

Look around. There’s no place on earth like Hawaii and Travel and Cruise World can bring you the best of the islands and assist you in making this the "Trip of a Lifetime" you have always dreamed of.

Whether you’re a new visitor or returning, the six unique islands offer distinct experiences that will entice any traveler. We warmly invite you to explore these amazing islands and discover your ideal travel experience and we will be here each step of the way. 

Contact our office to start planning your Hawaii vacation package by land or sea.

For additional information on the islands visit Hawaii Visitors Information-Click Here

HAWAII ISLAND INFORMATION

Oahu:  Honolulu, Waikiki & Beyond

Honolulu is a bustling city with skyscrapers, thriving commerce, bright lights, five-star restaurants, great shopping, and, thanks to television and feature films, some of the most recognizable scenery on earth. It may seem that every visitor to the island is vying for a sandy spot on Waikiki—the most famous of all Hawaii's beaches, but all the serenity of a tropical paradise is as close as a twenty-minute ride away.

Diversions

When Hawaii became a state in 1959, the Aloha Tower was the tallest building on Oahu and the venerable Moana Hotel and bright pink Royal Hawaiian were the centers of tourism on Waikiki. As they have for decades, cruise ships dock at the base of the Aloha Tower, now the center of a harbor front marketplace. For maps and to find out what’s happening, pick up the literature that’s freely distributed and available on nearly every corner. Check out the bus schedules as well—public transportation around the island is cheap and easy to master. The open-air Waikiki Trolley also stops at the Aloha Tower and makes a loop around Honolulu and Waikiki, stopping at a dozen key sites. For one fare, riders can hop on and off all day long.

There's so much to see and do on Oahu, and it’s so spread out, that a rental car or guided sightseeing tour make sense if your ship is only in port for a day. For those extending their vacation with a pre- or post-cruise hotel stay, relax and “hang loose”—you have ample time to hit the highlights listed here and much more.

Near Aloha Tower (at Pier 7), the Hawaii Maritime Center traces Hawaii’s rich maritime past from the ancient Polynesians to the cruising days of the Matson Line. In downtown Honolulu, the Mission House Museum covers the startling cultural changes that took place when missionaries arrived in the islands in the 19th century. The Iolani Palace, built in 1882 by King Kalakaua, is a glorious monument to the Hawaiian monarchy and a must-see. You might recognize it from reruns of Hawaii Five-O. 

The Bishop Museum houses the world’s most extensive collection of natural and cultural artifacts from Hawaii and the Pacific. In addition to the exhibits, a daily hula show and craft making demonstrations make the museum a worthwhile stop. 

One of the most moving experiences of a lifetime is a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Arrive early as crowds are huge and the wait can be from one to three hours. To pass the time, peruse the fascinating museum. Navy launches ferry visitors to the stark white memorial that spans the hull of the sunken vessel to pay homage to those who perished on the great battleship on December 7, 1941. The great warship seems almost to weep with her visitors as oil seeps to the surface of water and creates oily rainbows.

Another legacy of foreign wars, and a symbol of Hawaii’s importance in them, is the National Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the “Punchbowl” for its location in the cone of a volcanic crater. 

Across from Waikiki Beach, the Honolulu Zoo at the entrance to Kapiolani Park is a favorite with families. Just across the street, the Waikiki Aquarium is located on a live coral reef. The Lyon Arboretum on Manoa Road occupies nearly 200 acres covered with botanical marvels from huge breadfruit trees to the most delicate orchids.

Around the island, scenery reigns as the main attraction. Plan to stop inside Diamond Head, the most recognizable of Hawaii’s natural symbols. Hiking to the top of the crater rewards hearty climbers with an incomparable view of Honolulu and Waikiki. A drive along the windward coast road passes the Holana Blowhole, Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and beach after beach—each one more enticing than the last.

A drive along the Pali Highway through Oahu’s interior reveals a more peaceful face of the island. Restored by the Daughters of Hawaii, the Queen Emma Summer Palace is an interesting blend of Victoriana and symbols of Hawaiian royalty. Near the summit of Pali Highway, Nuuanu Pali Lookout is noted for its gale-force winds and breathtaking view.

On Oahu’s North Shore, the former sugar plantation town of Haleiwa is the capital of world-class big wave surfing. Designated as a historic cultural and scenic district, a walk through Haleiwa is a step back into the last century. This stretch of coast is home to Sunset Beach, Waimea Beach, and the infamous Banzai Pipeline, and when surf’s up it’s a fascinating show. This is where the surfers really "hang loose"! Don’t leave without trying a shave ice, one of Hawaii’s favorite treats. 

Shopping 

Top-drawer made-in-Hawaii goods and unique local crafts are found in dizzying profusion throughout Oahu. Over a thousand stores occupy space in the eleven major shopping centers and display everything from aloha wear and t-shirts to designer merchandise with posh European labels. Sift through the tacky to find treasures at Ala Moana Center, the Aloha Tower Marketplace, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Kahala Mall, Ward Center and Ward Warehouse, and dozens of boutiques in the Waikiki resort strip along Kalakaua Avenue. 

Beaches

Waikiki is a string of beaches that stretches from Duke Kahanamoku Beach on the west to Sans Souci State Recreational Area near Diamond Head on the east. It’s fantastic for swimming, bodysurfing, canoeing, sailing, snorkeling, or just sunning. Beyond Diamond Head, Sandy Beach and Makapuu Beach Park are popular bodysurfing beaches but are not recommended for swimmers. Instead, watch the experienced bodysurfers there and then head for Hanauma Bay’s clear, warm, protected waters to snorkel among the colorful reef fish. This beautiful beach can get crowded but it has complete facilities and is easily reached by The Bus or the Hanauma Bay Shuttle from Waikiki.

Further east along the Windward Coast are Lanikai Beach, Kailua Beach, and Kualoa Regional Park, all scenic and good for swimming. On the North Shore, stop at Malaekahana Bay State Recreation Area or Waimea Beach Park for swimming. When the surf begins pounding the North Shore in winter months, plan on watching the surfers but don’t get too close to the treacherous waves.

Hawaii -- The Big Island

Hilo

Hilo’s misty climate makes it a natural tropical greenhouse. Ferns, orchids, and distinctive anthuriums thrive amid annual rainfall of up to 150 inches. There’s a lot to see and do amid brief, warm afternoon showers that are always followed by a showy rainbow so grab an umbrella and head out.

Diversions

Ships dock at Hawaii’s second busiest port and are met by shore excursion buses and vans. Automobile rentals are also available and independent tours can be arranged in advance. If you head out on a walking tour along the bay, follow Banyan Drive where it curves along the waterfront and passes Liliuokalani Gardens, the largest Japanese formal garden outside Tokyo.

In town, the Lyman Museum & Mission House is the oldest wood framed home on the island. A conglomeration of a typical New England house with a Hawaiian style thatched roof, it depicts missionary life in the islands and contains furniture and clothing belonging to the Lymans, a missionary couple who arrived in Hilo in 1832.

For fun, the Maunaloa Macadamia Nut Factory is just the place to take the kids. Learn how the buttery nuts are grown and processed and sample some following the tour.

Eight miles north of Hilo, natural wonders abound. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden contains more than 1,800 species of plants on 40 acres bounded by a waterfall and breathtaking views of the Ononea Bay. Not far from the gardens, Akaka Falls is one of Hawaii’s most scenic waterfalls.

Only thirty minutes southeast of Hilo is one of the world’s most legendary and spectacular sites, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. According to myth, Pele, the goddess of fire, is responsible for the growth of the islands so it stands to reason she is behind the continuous eruption of Kilauea Volcano since 1983. A drive through the park produces surprises around every bend, including lava flows that have destroyed the roads over the years. Cool off in the Thurston Lava Tube and take a hike on Devastation Trail, which for all intents and purposes could be on the moon and improbably leads to a lush rain forest. The pièce de résistance is viewing Kilauea’s flow of destruction and the best way to see it is from your ship, cruising off the darkened night coast.

Shopping

Abundant shopping is available throughout the city and its environs. Kaiko’o Mall, Prince Kuhio Shopping Plaza, and Waiakea Plaza contain a variety of department stores and nationwide chain stores as well as smaller shops and specialty boutiques. Hip new shops have found a home in Hilo’s Bayfront area, occupying the historic buildings along Kamehameha Avenue. Shop there for tasteful Hawaiian art and authentic Hawaiian wear.

A special shopping treat is the East Hawaii Cultural Center on Kalakaua Street. Operated by volunteers from the visual and performing arts communities, it contains an array of authentic high quality Hawaiian gifts and souvenirs such as locally made cards, jewelry, books, sculptures, and wood objects.

Beaches 

The Big Island’s beaches are not stereotypical and palm-fringed stretches of white sand just weren’t in the cards for this part of the island. However, Leleiwi Beach Park is a delightful palm-fringed black lava tide pool. With no crashing waves and current, the shallow pools are perfect for swimming and snorkeling is excellent. Facilities include showers, rest rooms, lifeguards, a picnic pavilion, and a marine-life facility.

Hawaii -- The Big Island

Kailua-Kona

The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island in the Pacific and is growing daily, thanks to Kilauea’s volcanic activity. With snow capped mountains, lava strewn deserts, rain forests, waterfalls, meadows, lakes, and multi-colored beaches, this is simply one of the most smashing places on earth. The Big Island is also a spiritual center to Hawaiians with numerous sacred heiaus, or ancient temples, and a pervading sense of “mana.”

Diversions 

Tendering ashore to Kailua Pier, passengers find themselves in the heart of Kailua-Kona.  Shore excursion buses and vans meet arrivals, automobile rentals are available, and independent tours can be arranged in advance. Helicopter tours are particularly popular, especially those that fly over Kilauea and the Volcanoes National Park. Only steps from the pier are two of the village’s major sights. To the right is Hulihee Palace, an improbable New England style mansion filled with memorabilia, which was the favorite summer residence of Hawaiian royalty since its construction in 1838. Follow the street to the left and pass the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel to reach Ahuena Heiau. This is the sacred ground established by King Kamehameha in 1812 after he conquered and united the islands and is where he died in 1819.

In the South Kona district, primary attractions are the Painted Church (the interior of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church is entirely painted in biblical scenes illustrating creation) and Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, a forbidding place also known as the Place of Refuge where defeated warriors and taboo violators found a haven. The archaeological site includes idols, canoes, and reconstructed huts.

Heading north of Kona, the Kohala Coast offers more sites important to Hawaiian history and culture. Aquaculture was practiced in Hawaii, as it was in Polynesia, and ancient Hawaiian fishponds can be viewed in the area of the Mauna Lani and Royal Waikoloan resorts. Near Kawaihae Harbor is Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, the seaside temple and amphitheater built by King Kamehameha I in 1790. Further north, the road ends just past Kapaau where the original King Kamehameha statue stands.

Take a side trip back to Kona on the Kohala Mountain Road through Waimea. This region is the home of the famous Parker Ranch and paniolos (Hawaii’s cowboys). On Highway 190 the Visitor’s Center houses the Parker Ranch Museum and two of the ranch’s historic homes are open for tours.

To many, Kona means coffee and sport fishing. Self-guided and organized tours of coffee growing country are popular and professional captains offer half day and full day big game fishing charters for a maximum of six fishermen. Golf and a variety of soft adventure activities can be arranged with advance planning.

Shopping 

You really don’t have to look hard for opportunities to spend money. Galleries, boutiques, and shops are everywhere. Look for locally made ceramics, fine art, posters, photographs, wood carvings, and Niihau shells in the galleries. You'll find aloha wear, jewelry, and gifts everywhere else. Don’t forget to pick up some Kona coffee to take home; it’s pricey but exquisite.

Beaches

The Big Island doesn’t have many great beaches; instead it has a variety of unique ones. Many are new black sand beaches, unusual green sand beaches, and a rare white sand beach that routinely “disappears” during high tide and after storms.

In Kailua-Kona, the small beach in front of the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel is within walking distance of the pier. Head south for White Sands Beach (also called Disappearing Beach) and Kahaluu Beach Park—with protected lagoons it’s the most popular family beach on the Kona Coast. Both beaches offer great snorkeling. 

At the very southern tip of the Big Island is Papakolea Beach, or Green Sand Beach—very difficult to get to and possibly even treacherous.

For swimming and sunning, venture north of Kona to the Kohala Coast and Kaunaoa Beach, Hapuna Beach, and Anaehoomalu Bay.

Kauai

Hawaii’s northernmost island features a juxtaposition of lush vegetation, barren desert, and gleaming beaches. Appearing as a backdrop to Hollywood’s most glittering stars, Kauai has set the scene for feature films from South Pacific and Blue Hawaii to Jurassic Park. Considered by many visitors to be the most beautiful and natural of the islands, it is also the most independent; local law prohibits buildings that exceed the height of a coconut tree.

Diversions

Ships dock at the island’s main harbor, Nawiliwili, and are met by shore excursion buses and vans. Automobile rentals are also available and independent tours can be arranged in advance. Helicopter tours are particularly popular, especially those that fly over Waimea Canyon and along the Na Pali Coast.

In nearby Lihue, two interesting museums illustrate the island’s geological and social history. Using artifacts and even a replica of Captain Cook’s ship, the Kauai Museum traces the island’s history from its volcanic origin, through its discovery by Polynesian settlers and European explorers and all stages of development to the present. The Grove Farm & Homestead Museum is the best remaining example of life on a sugar plantation in Hawaii.

Smaller, but no less imposing than the mainland’s original Grand Canyon, is Kauai’s “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” More accurately, this is Waimea Canyon, a great gulch of ever changing color. Filled with observation points overlooking waterfalls and the Waimea River far below, the scenery changes from barren and desert-like to lush during the sixteen-mile drive to Kokee State Park, located in the midst of an abundant rain forest. The coastal drive to Waimea Canyon passes Spouting Horn at Kikuiula Bay, a blowhole that blasts spouts of seawater from ten feet to as high as six stories into the air.

North of Nawiliwili, the Coconut Coast is another of Kauai’s most scenic areas with abundant coconut palms swaying with the trade winds. The oldest and most popular attraction is a boat ride down the Wailua River to Fern Grotto, a natural amphitheater filled with ferns. Elvis fans will recognize this area from one of the most beautiful scenes in Blue Hawaii.  In Wailua River State Park, an overlook affords a view of Opaekaa Falls, a restored Hawaiian village, and, if you look just right, you can see the fabled “Sleeping Giant” outlined atop the Nounou Ridge.

Further north along the road to Hanalei is tropical grandeur to rival that of Tahiti’s fabled islands and the mythical idyllic Bali Ha’i. Past Princeville, resorts and development give way to the greens of the valley and blue shadings of the sky and sea. The gorgeous and unspoiled scenery is the main attraction until the road ends. Then the real Hawaii takes over where the untouched Na Pali Coast begins.

Shopping

On the road between Nawiliwili and Lihue, the Anchor Cove complex has shops with collectibles. In Lihue, the Kauai Museum’s store is the best bet for arts and crafts made in Kauai as well as highly prized Niihau shell leis. Between Lihue and Poipu, the Kilohana Plantation contains a sprinkling of galleries and shops. Poipu itself is mostly touristy but neighboring Old Koloa Town has some fun gift and souvenir shops in its single block. Scattered throughout Kilauea and Hanalei on the North Shore are a variety of high end boutiques selling arts, crafts, and aloha wear, as well as the funkier stores where the locals shop.

Beaches

One of Kauai’s best beaches is Kalapaki.  Located near Lihue and very close to the cruise pier, it is sheltered by a jetty and very safe for swimming. To the southwest, Poipu Beach Park is actually two beaches in one and is excellent for swimmers, snorkelers, and surfers. The jetty provides a protected area for children and a grassy lawn is perfect for picnics under the palm trees. On the Coconut Coast, head for Lydgate State Park north of Lihue. The rock wall fishpond insures the only safe swimming area and the best snorkeling conditions on the eastern shore. These beaches all have rest room and shower facilities.

Maui

Roughly translated, "Maui no ka oi" means Maui is the BEST. You'll hear this local phrase and soon find yourself nodding in agreement. Maui has some of Hawaii's most stunning scenery, beautiful palm-fringed beaches, and friendliest residents. Known as the 'Valley Isle,' Maui was created by two now-dormant volcanoes and is the namesake of the demigod Maui.

Diversions

Cruise ships either dock at Kahului or anchor off Lahaina. Passengers stepping ashore or tendering in are met by excursion buses and vans. Automobile rentals are also available and independent tours can be arranged in advance. Maui is generally thought of in terms of regions—East, West, South, Central, and Upcountry.

East Maui and Upcountry

Two favorite island rituals can only be accomplished if your ship overnights here—viewing the sunrise at Haleakala and driving the infamous the Road to Hana. Set off during the dead of night to the summit of Haleakala (where legend says Maui lassoed the sun to dry his mother's tapa cloths) to see the sun rise through the clouds in a spectacular burst of gold. Coming back down the volcano you'll pass through an area so reminiscent of the surface of the moon that astronauts have trained there.

Heading for Hana also means rising early to beat the traffic on a narrow winding road that contains over 600 curves and fifty one-lane bridges. Aside from the other motorists, which includes not only tourists but tractor-trailer trucks as well, the 52-mile drive through tangled rainforest itself is breathtaking with waterfalls and calm pools dotting the roadside. "Heavenly" Hana is a peaceful oasis exemplifying the aloha spirit of old Hawaii. Don't linger too long as you'll want to be off the road before nightfall and the drive can take three hours in each direction.

If you don't have the time for exploring Haleakala and Hana by car, helicopter sightseeing excursions that provide a glimpse of them are available.

Central Maui

The Iao Valley State Park contains one of Maui's most unusual sights, the Iao Needle rock formation. Nearby in Wailuku is the Bailey House Museum, containing artifacts and objects of Hawaiiana on the main floor and rooms decorated in the missionary-era style upstairs. Also on the grounds is a building housing Duke Kahanamoku's redwood surfboard.

West Maui

Nestled at the base of the West Maui mountains, Lahaina retains very little of her earlier days as an important whaling seaport. Even less remains from pre-nineteenth century times when the alii, or island chiefs, made the area their playground and King Kamehameha established Lahaina as the capital of a unified Hawaii in 1802. When the entire town was named a National Historic Landmark in the 1960's, interest in restoration began to take hold. Baldwin House Museum, Lahaina's oldest dwelling, appears much as it did in missionary days when its owner served as the area's physician. Next door, the Master's Reading Room is the oldest building on Maui and houses the Lahaina Restoration Foundation but is not open to the public.

The historic banyan tree that dominates Courthouse Square was planted as an eight-foot  sapling in 1847 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of missionaries. The huge banyan now covers more than two-thirds of an acre and is nearly impossible to photograph without a very wide angle or panorama lens.

In its heyday as a whaling center, Lahaina was host to hundreds of ships similar to the restored Carthaginian II, an authentic replica of a nineteenth-century square-rigger. Compare the floating museum's living quarters to modern day cruise ship cabins to see how far ship design has come. For more whaling lore, the Lahaina Whaling Museum exhibits relics from that period.

Take the Lahaina-Kaanapali Railroad, or sugar cane train north from Lahaina to Kaanapali, Hawaii's first planned resort community. There, a life-size metal sculpture of a mother whale and two baby whales and the skeleton of a 40-foot sperm whale greet visitors to Whaler's Village. On the second floor of the shopping mall is the Whale Center of the Pacific with exhibits containing whaling tools, harpoons, and artifacts detailing the whalers' lives at sea. Some of the world's finest examples of Pacific scrimshaw are found here.

Shopping

Maui is an art lover's paradise and dozens of galleries and gift shops all over the island display the work of local artists. Particularly prized are delicate Niihau shell jewelry.  

Kahului has two main shopping malls, Kaahumanu Center and Maui Mall, where the mix of stores runs the gamut from food to arts and crafts.  

Lahaina Cannery Mall is located in what once was a pineapple cannery and, if you can't find what you're looking for along downtown Front Street, you'll surely find it there or at Lahaina Center.

Whaler's Village in Kaanapali has gone upscale and high fashion. If Prada and Ferragamo aren't on your shopping list, just stop for a locally made Maui ice cream cone after you admire the whale skeleton. 

Beaches

Golden sand beaches are seldom far from sight along West and South Maui.  Don't worry about the imposing luxury resorts that line the most spectacular beaches—all beaches are open to the public and SHORELINE ACCESS signs point the way. For swimming and snorkeling, Kaanapali and Kapalua Beaches are havens of calm crystal clear water inhabited by thousands of colorful tropical fish. The best snorkeling is around Kaanapali's Black Rock where vendors rent snorkels and boogie boards. Take along some frozen peas and you'll be the center of a fish feeding frenzy.  

A favorite beach along the sunny South Maui shore is at Wailea where the waves are a bit more active and Pacific humpback whales can be spotted in season (December through April). Snorkeling here is limited.

Windsurfers head straight for world famous Hookipa Beach just off the Hana Highway near Paia to take advantage of the nearly constant perfect wind and wave conditions. The wind and surf make is less than ideal for swimming and exploring the reef except during periods when the waves are flat. he beach park has full facilities and is the ideal spot to watch the daredevils taking on the wind and sea.