The Best of America

Hawaii has an extraordinary climate which encompasses no less than 11 of the 13 climate zones found in the world. This is a place where it is possible to lounge on a hot beach in the morning and walk in snow on a mountain top that afternoon. This diverse collection of micro-climates is all due to a dramatic volcanic landscape which acts as a barrier between the different regions and allows tropical rain forests, dry deserts, cool alpine slopes and golden beaches to co-exist within the space of a few miles. Yet despite these extremes in the Hawaiian climate the weather is consistently good thanks to warm, gentle trade winds which bring mild temperatures and blue skies. Read the rest of this entry »

A mild climate and stunning natural setting make tourism the biggest and most important contributor to the Hawaiian economy. From its historical roots as a producer of sugar cane and pineapples, Hawaii has developed a tourism industry that makes it one of the world’s prime destinations for holidaymakers and brings in revenues that are second only to the amount the United States federal government spends on the six main islands every year. An estimated eight million tourists visit annually, bringing in close to $12 billion in revenue and creating an industry that employs more people than any other sector. Read the rest of this entry »

There are six major Hawaii natural parks which celebrate the extraordinary landscapes and unique bio-diversity of the islands. The most popular is the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Big Island which is home to one of the most active volcanoes on the planet and a sacred place for Hawaiians, the Kilauea Volcano. The park is huge with 150 miles of hiking trails snaking through its 330,000 acres of deserts, rain forest and volcanic craters. On the same island is the much smaller Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, once a royal park and a place where law-breakers in ancient times could find refuge and absolution. Although only 180 acres in size, the park is one of Hawaii’s most sacred and historic places. Read the rest of this entry »