Hiking on Maui
Another way to get a bird ’ s eye view is from a helicopter . To see Kauai ’ s Jurassic Park movie locations , the Grand Canyon of the Pacific ( Waimea ), the fairly inaccessible Alakai Swamp and the Na Pali Coast jump into a chopper with Safari or Blue Hawaiian Helicopters . BHH also flies many Maui and Molokai routes . This is also a great way to view the volcanic action on Hawaii .
EARTH
Last , but certainly not least , the list of diversions offered on land is never-ending . It is a perfect place to hike , offering trails of all lengths and difficulty levels from the simple saunter to Lanai ’ s Puu Pehe ( Sweetheart Rock ) to the grueling ( but visually rewarding ) slog that is the rustic and slender 11-mile Kalalau Trail in Kauai . Many of Hawaii ’ s most famous geological landmarks like the Dragon ’ s Teeth rock formation ( Maui ) or Pele ’ s Chair ( Oahu ) are only reachable by foot .
There ’ s almost as much variety when it comes to beaches . They come in a rainbow of colors — red ( Maui ’ s Kaihalulu is caused by an eroding cinder cone rich in iron ), green ( olivine saturated Papakolea on Hawaii ), black ( Punaluu on Hawaii is a popular sunning spot for sea turtles as well ), orange ( Papohaku changes color as the sun sets in Molokai ) and run-of-the-mill white . Polihale Beach ( Kauai ) is commonly referred to as Barking Sands because individual grains there have microscopic porous holes that produce dog-like sounds when rubbed together .
Or maybe , like most of the world ’ s travellers , you intend to eat your way through time off . Once you ’ ve eaten your weight in Maui Gold pineapples and fresh mangoes , do a deeper dive into Hawaii ’ s growing and diverse farm and food scene . You can visit the home of Hamakua Mushrooms , sample honey at Big Island Bees and see what makes Kona coffee so prized on Hawaii . Get tipsy at Maui ’ s Ocean Vodka organic distillery , Oahu ’ s Hawaiian Shochu Company and Ko Hana Rum or Volcano Winery and Kona Brewery ( Big Island ). Grab picnic supplies and edible souvenirs on any idle at Surfing Goat Dairy ( Maui ), Kauai Chocolate Factory or the Dole Plantation ( Oahu ), which also has a family-friendly maze .
Humpback Whales
GETTING THERE
United Airlines offers seasonal nonstop service from Dulles International Airport ( IAD ) to
Honolulu International Airport ( HNL ).
SUMMER 2017 37 FLYWASHINGTON . COM