You probably don't need even one reason to visit Hawaii, but just in case, here are 5 that you may want to use.
- Learn to Surf
- Swim with Turtles
- Visit the Arizona
- See a Live Volcano
- See Colored Beaches, Red, Green and Black
Learn to Surf
Sure, you can learn to surf in California or Australia or one of a myriad of other kicking places, but only on Oahu's Waikiki Beach can you learn to surf where it all began. This is the place where surfing came into it's own, thanks in part to Duke Kahanamoku and his group of friends in the early 1900's. They later became known as the the Beach Boys of Waikiki and were the catalyst for the reintroduction of the sport of surfing. Thank goodness that teenager and his group of buddies liked to hang out at the beach and surf!
Of course, the best surfing to be found in the islands is on the north shore of Oahu, not in Waikiki, but if you are going to Hawaii to learn to surf, I suggest you start with the smaller, gentler waves of Waikiki.
Swim With the Turtles
There are several places in the islands where you can swim with the turtles. Everyone seems to have their favorite spot. You can see them when you go diving in Hawaii, but you don't need to be a diver to swim with the turtles, snorkeling will get the job done. And for the water timid, you can even do it in water shallow enough to stand up in. Bu you will need to get wet and you really need a mask to be able to see them well.
Don't, however, ever grab one and expect it to pull you through the water like you may have seen on TV or in the movies. Interfering with turtles is illegal in Hawaii. You can see them laying on the beaches catching some rays just like a tourist, but you must give them space. Approaching closer than 50 feet to them can get you a serious fine.
Visit the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
Take a visit to a sad piece of American history and view the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The occasion is solemn, yes, but it is very moving. You will watch a short video on shore before visiting the Memorial.
The U.S. Navy will ferry you out to the Memorial and the boats run between the Memorial and the shore about every 15 minutes. You cannot take a lot of personal belongings out to the memorial with you. Large bags must be left on shore, so when you go, make sure to leave all unnecessary things in your room or your car.
While you are here you can visit the grounds where there is a display of Naval weaponry and you can also take a tour of the battleship the USS Missouri.
See a Live Volcano
How many places can you go to see a live volcano? Many volcanoes erupt violently, so it is too dangerous for the general public to be able to view such an awesome spectacle. Those sights are reserved for the scientist studying the event. But Kilauea has been quietly and continuously erupting since the 70's. Since the eruptions are not violent in nature, rather a slow oozing of magma, the National Park maps out safe zones on a daily basis that allows you to view the lava flow. There is, of course, always some risk involved. It is, after all, nature, not an amusement ride. If you are not intrepid enough to view a volcano on foot, you can always opt for the view from the sky via a helicopter ride.
See Colored Beaches - Red, Green and Black
There are great beaches the world over, but where can you find, all in one place, a collection of colored beaches? On the Big Island and on Maui you can find black sand beaches. When you stand on the beach and the waves roll over your feet it looks like tar oozing. The Black Sand Beach on the Big Island is a great place to see turtles sunning themselves.
On Maui, close to the black sand beach near Hana, you can find the Red Sand Beach. It is a beautiful little crescent of red sand that is fairly difficult to get to and is often inhabited by naturists.
Back on the Big Island you can find the Green Sand Beach. It too is difficult to get to, you will need a four wheel drive to get near it but it is worth the drive.
So, there are 5 reasons to visit Hawaii. Not the top 5 in my opinion and not the only reasons by a long shot. There is so much to see and do in Hawaii that I do not think I could pick a top 5, maybe if I could choose the top picks for each island, but even that would be hard.
Retta Carl is a self proclaimed travel junkie. She has talked her husband Lyn into going many places during their marriage, but the place that keeps drawing them back over and over is Hawaii. A visit to the islands always feels as if they are going home.
Recently Retta has started writing about Hawaii on a new website, http://hawaii-vacation-guide.org. You can feel how much she love the islands by reading what she writes there and she shares some of the photos she has taken there over the years.
Come visit and let her share some island aloha with you!
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