A bit of Hawaii Island
The island of Hawaii is about the size of Connecticut, yet contains a more diverse collection of climates and landscapes than you can imagine. While visiting Hawaii, you will encounter everything from fiery volcanoes to snow-capped mountains, lush rainforests and shimmering waterfalls, flower-filled meadows and white, black and green sand beaches. Hawaii is the youngest of the islands in the Hawaiian chain, and it is still being created today, with Mount Kilauea erupting and adding a football field of lava each week to the island.
The world’s tallest mountain (measured from the ocean floor) is Mauna Kea, and its snowy top has its own glacial lake. Its nearest neighbor - Mauna Loa - is the world’s largest volcano, and it rises over 30,000 feet from the ocean floor. Several ships include a night of scenic cruising past Mount Kilauea, and there is nothing quite like the spectacle of watching an erupting volcano spewing fiery red lava down its banks into the sea from the deck of your cruise ship.
Ships dock on the island of Hawaii at the ports of Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Hilo is an industrial port, without much to see in the immediate area, so plan to join a shore excursion or hail a cab. Kailua-Kona is a charming town, complete with local beaches, shops, and historical sights right near the pier. The beach at King Kamehameha is just off the pier and open to the public, and if snorkeling is your thing, Kahaluu Beach Park is located just 2 miles down Alii Drive, which runs for miles along the water from the pier at Kailua-Kona, with beautiful views and an endless stream of shops, galleries, and local artists. For a bit of history, right in town you can visit Hulihee Palace, which was built in 1838 as a summer home for Hawaii’s royalty, and Mokuaikaua Church, which is the oldest Christian church in Hawaii. If you would like to see ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs, you will find a marked trail leading from the King’s Shops off Waikoloa Beach Drive. It is about 30 miles from the pier, but while you are there, be sure to take a stroll through the Hilton Waikoloa Village. This magnificent resort features amazing landscaping, including waterfalls, huge statues, beautiful native plants and millions of dollars worth of artwork.
Popular shore excursions on the island of Hawaii include trips to Volcanoes National Park, tours of amazing botanical gardens, sailing, snorkeling, horseback riding, and even helicopter tours over the island. With so much to do and see, you will want plenty of time to enjoy Hawaii’s Big Island.
Kauai is a small island west of Oahu, and what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. It is known as the Garden Isle, for it is covered with flowers and vegetation, the pleasant byproduct of a more generous supply of rainfall than received by the other islands. In fact, the summit of Mount Waialeale is one of the wettest places on the earth, receiving an average of 444 inches of rainfall annually. If you are lucky enough for your cruise ship to dock here, you will be swept away by the magnificent scenery, including towering cliffs and jagged peaks, lush green valleys and abundant rain forests, beautiful sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. Kauai has such an exotic beauty that several movies have been filmed here, including “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “King Kong”, “South Pacific” and the “Jurassic Park” series. Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” by Mark Twain, is located here, too, and it is almost 3000 feet deep with beautiful red earth cliffs.
Ships dock at Nawiliwili Harbor, which isn’t known for much except its fun name. A local law mandates that no building may be constructed taller than the height of a coconut tree, so you won’t find glitzy hotels or large shopping centers here. Less than one mile from the pier, you will find some of the best shopping on the island – especially of pearl jewelry – at Anchor Cove Shopping Mall. Just behind the shopping mall is a spectacular beach called Kalapaki Beach, which is supervised by lifeguards and is safe for swimming. Further south you will come to Poipu Beach, which is worth the 15 mile ride for its crystal clear water, pure white sand, and lava rocks. Kauai’s most famous beach is at Hanalei, where you can catch surfers riding the waves. There are several shore excursions which bring you closer to the unbelievable beauty of this island, including river tubing, hiking and kayaking. You can even sign up for a zipline adventure, soaring high above the spectacular scenery on a high wire zipline.
If your taste runs more to history than scenery, visit Old Koloa Town, located about an hour’s drive from the port. This town has been preserved from the days when waves of immigrants came here to work on the sugar plantations, with its original buildings now converted into shops and restaurants. In the center of town is a small history center, and individual buildings are labeled with plaques detailing their original functions and unique histories.
Maui has two ports where cruise ships dock, the ports of Lahaina and Kahului. If you are lucky enough to dock at Lahaina, you will find it to be one of your favorite ports of call. Lahaina is rich in history, as it was originally a 19th century whaling village and the royal seat of the island. History buffs will find the Courthouse in the center of town, which includes 2 art galleries as well as the Lahaina Heritage Museum on the second floor. While you are there, pick up a walking tour guide, which will direct you to many of the other sights in town, including the Pioneer Inn, Maui’s first hotel, the Baldwin House Museum, and the Wo Hing Museum. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, as well as local artists working right in town. While in town, be sure to check out the shops at Front Street, which is a shopper’s paradise.
The beach at Lahaina is nearby, and here you can either watch new surfers take their first lessons, or sign up for some lessons yourself. Another beautiful beach is Kaanapali Beach, located behind Whalers Village. Whalers Village is a shopping area, featuring restaurants, water sport rentals, and the Whaling Museum, where you can take a free self-guided audio tour through the history of whaling.
If you dock at Kahului, you will find yourself in the midst of an industrial port, so you will probably want to venture over to Lahaina, or if you are docking there an additional day, to visit other attractions on the island. The Haleakala Crater is quite a hike, but the dramatic landscape of this dormant volcano is well worth the trouble. Dress warm, as it is quite chilly at the top, where you will find rare and endangered animals and plants among the lava rocks. The views from the top include the island’s plantations and beaches, as well as four of the neighboring islands. The Maui Ocean Center is the largest tropical reef aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, and it features Hawaii’s native marine life. You are sure to find plenty to do to enjoy your day ashore on the island of Maui.
The world’s tallest mountain (measured from the ocean floor) is Mauna Kea, and its snowy top has its own glacial lake. Its nearest neighbor - Mauna Loa - is the world’s largest volcano, and it rises over 30,000 feet from the ocean floor. Several ships include a night of scenic cruising past Mount Kilauea, and there is nothing quite like the spectacle of watching an erupting volcano spewing fiery red lava down its banks into the sea from the deck of your cruise ship.
Ships dock on the island of Hawaii at the ports of Hilo and Kailua-Kona. Hilo is an industrial port, without much to see in the immediate area, so plan to join a shore excursion or hail a cab. Kailua-Kona is a charming town, complete with local beaches, shops, and historical sights right near the pier. The beach at King Kamehameha is just off the pier and open to the public, and if snorkeling is your thing, Kahaluu Beach Park is located just 2 miles down Alii Drive, which runs for miles along the water from the pier at Kailua-Kona, with beautiful views and an endless stream of shops, galleries, and local artists. For a bit of history, right in town you can visit Hulihee Palace, which was built in 1838 as a summer home for Hawaii’s royalty, and Mokuaikaua Church, which is the oldest Christian church in Hawaii. If you would like to see ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs, you will find a marked trail leading from the King’s Shops off Waikoloa Beach Drive. It is about 30 miles from the pier, but while you are there, be sure to take a stroll through the Hilton Waikoloa Village. This magnificent resort features amazing landscaping, including waterfalls, huge statues, beautiful native plants and millions of dollars worth of artwork.
Popular shore excursions on the island of Hawaii include trips to Volcanoes National Park, tours of amazing botanical gardens, sailing, snorkeling, horseback riding, and even helicopter tours over the island. With so much to do and see, you will want plenty of time to enjoy Hawaii’s Big Island.
Kauai is a small island west of Oahu, and what it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. It is known as the Garden Isle, for it is covered with flowers and vegetation, the pleasant byproduct of a more generous supply of rainfall than received by the other islands. In fact, the summit of Mount Waialeale is one of the wettest places on the earth, receiving an average of 444 inches of rainfall annually. If you are lucky enough for your cruise ship to dock here, you will be swept away by the magnificent scenery, including towering cliffs and jagged peaks, lush green valleys and abundant rain forests, beautiful sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. Kauai has such an exotic beauty that several movies have been filmed here, including “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “King Kong”, “South Pacific” and the “Jurassic Park” series. Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” by Mark Twain, is located here, too, and it is almost 3000 feet deep with beautiful red earth cliffs.
Ships dock at Nawiliwili Harbor, which isn’t known for much except its fun name. A local law mandates that no building may be constructed taller than the height of a coconut tree, so you won’t find glitzy hotels or large shopping centers here. Less than one mile from the pier, you will find some of the best shopping on the island – especially of pearl jewelry – at Anchor Cove Shopping Mall. Just behind the shopping mall is a spectacular beach called Kalapaki Beach, which is supervised by lifeguards and is safe for swimming. Further south you will come to Poipu Beach, which is worth the 15 mile ride for its crystal clear water, pure white sand, and lava rocks. Kauai’s most famous beach is at Hanalei, where you can catch surfers riding the waves. There are several shore excursions which bring you closer to the unbelievable beauty of this island, including river tubing, hiking and kayaking. You can even sign up for a zipline adventure, soaring high above the spectacular scenery on a high wire zipline.
If your taste runs more to history than scenery, visit Old Koloa Town, located about an hour’s drive from the port. This town has been preserved from the days when waves of immigrants came here to work on the sugar plantations, with its original buildings now converted into shops and restaurants. In the center of town is a small history center, and individual buildings are labeled with plaques detailing their original functions and unique histories.
Maui has two ports where cruise ships dock, the ports of Lahaina and Kahului. If you are lucky enough to dock at Lahaina, you will find it to be one of your favorite ports of call. Lahaina is rich in history, as it was originally a 19th century whaling village and the royal seat of the island. History buffs will find the Courthouse in the center of town, which includes 2 art galleries as well as the Lahaina Heritage Museum on the second floor. While you are there, pick up a walking tour guide, which will direct you to many of the other sights in town, including the Pioneer Inn, Maui’s first hotel, the Baldwin House Museum, and the Wo Hing Museum. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, as well as local artists working right in town. While in town, be sure to check out the shops at Front Street, which is a shopper’s paradise.
The beach at Lahaina is nearby, and here you can either watch new surfers take their first lessons, or sign up for some lessons yourself. Another beautiful beach is Kaanapali Beach, located behind Whalers Village. Whalers Village is a shopping area, featuring restaurants, water sport rentals, and the Whaling Museum, where you can take a free self-guided audio tour through the history of whaling.
If you dock at Kahului, you will find yourself in the midst of an industrial port, so you will probably want to venture over to Lahaina, or if you are docking there an additional day, to visit other attractions on the island. The Haleakala Crater is quite a hike, but the dramatic landscape of this dormant volcano is well worth the trouble. Dress warm, as it is quite chilly at the top, where you will find rare and endangered animals and plants among the lava rocks. The views from the top include the island’s plantations and beaches, as well as four of the neighboring islands. The Maui Ocean Center is the largest tropical reef aquarium in the Western Hemisphere, and it features Hawaii’s native marine life. You are sure to find plenty to do to enjoy your day ashore on the island of Maui.
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