 To most of us, the word Hawai‘i conjures up images of exotic hula dancers, swaying palm trees, crystal clear waters lapping the shores of pristine white beaches. With hundreds of beaches scattered around the six main islands of Hawai‘i this picture is indeed true, however the ‘Islands of Aloha’ offer so much more.
The Hawaiian word ‘ohana’ has deep and special meaning for the peoples of Hawai‘i. ‘Ohana’, or family, is a word that seems to go beyond the strict definition of family to include loyalty, pride in a shared heritage and sense of community. The word ‘keiki’ means children and you may here these two words nearly as often as the word Aloha. Feeling as they do about ohana, it is little wonder that Hawai‘i is so welcoming to those visiting with children.
Capital
Honolulu is the capital and the only major city in Hawai‘i. It’s the States centre for business, culture and politics. Honolulu is a city of minorities and home to many people from throughout the Pacific. This ethnic diversity can be seen on almost every corner – the sushi bar next door to the French bakery, the Catholic Church a stone throw away from the Buddhist temple. A daytrip to fascinating downtown Honolulu is a must.
Where is it and how do I get there?
Hawai‘i is located in the Pacific Ocean and is made up of over 100 islands, most of them only small atolls. The six main islands (which are all open to visitors) are, from largest to smallest, the Big Island of Hawai‘i, Maui, O‘hau, Kaua‘i, Moloka‘i and Lana‘i. The Hawaiian Islands are the tips of massive mountains created by volcanic eruptions that started over 25 million years ago. In fact, the Big Island of Hawai‘i is still growing thanks to its most active volcano Kilauea.
It’s about a 10 hour flight from Sydney to Honolulu International Airport on O‘ahu. Hawaiian Airlines, Qantas and Air Canada have direct and regular flights from Sydney to Hawai‘i. Air Pacific and Air New Zealand have non direct flights.
When to go/weather
Hawai‘i is sunny and warm all year round. It rarely gets humid as refreshing trade winds are often blowing. Average temperatures only differ approximately 4°C from summer to winter. During the summer months (June-August) the average temperature in Honolulu is 30°C. During winter (December-March) the average temperature is 26°C. Winter is also the wetter season, although Hawai‘i doesn’t get tropical rains so winter certainly isn’t a bad time to visit the islands. Rainfall varies more with location than with season. The majority of Hawaiian resorts are located on the sunny and dry side of the islands. The weather varies slightly between the islands.
Where to stay
Family friendly hotels are found thought the islands and you can be assured that your family and keiki (children) will be very well looked after. Most major hotel chains in such as ResortQuest, Hilton, Marriott, Outrigger, Ohana and Starwood offer kids clubs or activities for children. It is important to note that by State law in Hawai‘i kids clubs can only accept children from ages 5-12.
Food and Drink
You’ll find everything from hamburgers to pupu’s (Hawaiian snacks) in the islands. Not to be missed, and a highlight for kids, is the luau – a traditional Hawaiian feast. With great food, dancing, music and Aloha spirit the luau represents everything that is Hawai‘i. Not to be missed is shave ice, an island tradition. It’s made from finely shaved ice, scooped into a paper cone and infused with an array of fantastic flavours. Yum!!
Shopping for Families
ABC stores are found throughout the islands. Here you can by bread and milk, souvenirs, sun block, fake leis and much, much more. A favourite for kids on O‘ahu is the International Market Place where they can get quirky and cheep souvenirs for their pocket money. O‘ahu is the place to shop in Hawai‘i. All the shops along Kalakaua Avenue are open till 10:00pm every night.
Airports
All international flights arrive into Honolulu International Airport on O‘ahu. To get to the neighbour islands you will fly from O‘ahu. The flights are very short and you’ll be on another island in no time! To get to the Big Island which is furthest away takes about one hour. The main airport on Maui is Kahului Airport and on Kaua‘i it’s Lihu‘e Airport. The Big Island has two main airports Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport. If you want to see the volcano on the Big Island we advise that you fly into Hilo as it is closer to Volcano’s National Park.The main resort areas are closer to Kona Airport.
Transfer from the Airport
O‘ahu is the only island with public transport. Buses are the cheapest but longer way to get from the airport to Waikiki, the trip can take over one hour. For $35 US a taxi will take you to Waikiki in about 30 minutes. Taxis are also the best way to get from the airport to your hotel on Maui, Kaua‘i and the Big Island.
Getting around for families
TheBus, O‘ahu’s public transport, is excellent! For $2 US you can go from Waikiki to the surf beaches on the North Shore. Visit www.thebus.org for a timetable. Car hire is highly recommended on the neighbour islands, as they do not enjoy the same public transport network as O‘ahu. The neighbour islands are much quieter than O‘ahu and so is the traffic. Keep in mind however, that Hawaiians drive on the right hand side. You don’t require an international drivers license to hire and drive a car in Hawai‘i. The roads are well maintained and there are numerous scenic drives to explore on the different islands. On Maui do not miss the Hana Highway, best described as the ‘Great Ocean Road’ of the Pacific. It’s simply stunning
 What to wear
With beautiful and warm weather all year round packing for your Hawai‘i trip is a breeze! Swimwear, shorts, T-shirts and a light jumper or jacket (just in case) is all you need. Hawaiians dress very casually and love their Aloha attire!
Places of interest and things to see and do
Oahu, is the gateway to Hawai‘i and everywhere you go with your family you will be greeted with the warm welcome of Aloha. O‘ahu is full of attractions that appeal to families, from Waikiki Aquarium to Sea Life Park, where ’50 first dates’ was filmed. Your children or ‘Keiki’ can learn to surf or Hula or just splash their way through their vacation. For those travelling with older children the Pearl Harbor experience is an educational one and the Polynesian Cultural Center offers a day of fun for the whole family!
Top 10 things to do on O‘ahu:
1. Take family surfing lessons with qualified instructors such as Hans Hedemann Surf School or Hawaiian Fire Surf School.
2. Go snorkeling in the sheltered waters of Hanauma Bay and explore the underwater world.
3. Get away from Waikiki for a day and book yourself on a family fun cruise.
4. Visit the world’s biggest maze and enjoy a Dole whip at the Dole Pineapple Plantation.
5. Get wet and wild for a day at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park.
6. Be awed by the beauty of O‘ahu by taking an island seaplane or helicopter tour.
7. Get close to nature by mountain biking on one of O‘ahu’s many tropical trails.
8. Try some new moves and take a hula lesson for the whole family. Visit your concierge for scheduled hotel lessons.
9. Get up close and personal with Hawa‘i’s Pacific marine life at the Waikiki Aquarium.
10. Discover the charm and beauty of Hawai‘i and Polynesia at the Polynesian Culture Center.
Maui loves kids and offers some great experiences to appeal to all family members. Car touring is the number two family activity on Maui, after beach going. Here Maui’s small size is advantageous. Many will drive to the top of the dormant Volcano Haleakalâ . When visiting Haleakulâ National Park children aged between 5-12 can take advantage of the park’s Junior Ranger programme. At headquarters they can pick up a free booklet of activities that will teach them about the fragile ecosystems of this unique area and introduce them to Hawaiian words and phrases. After completing the activities the children receive a badge and are sworn in as Junior rangers. A whale-watching excursion is at least one educational opportunity that doesn't feel like school. Boats head out to sea in search of whales, while narrators share their lore of the humpbacks that winter in Maui waters from November through April. Here the gentle giants of the deep give birth to their young and celebrate life in fantastic gymnastics, leaping, spouting and waving their flukes.
Top 10 things to do on Maui:
1. Visit Haleakala volcano early in the morning to see a breathtaking sunrise – Haleakala means ‘House of the Sun’.
2. Watch the experts windsurf at Ho’okipa Beach
3. Snorkel at Molokini marine preserve and explore the local marine life.
4. Take a stroll through historic Lahaina town and pick up some local handicraft.
5. Sit on one of the beautiful beaches along the west coast and look for humpback whales (Dec-Apr).
6. Drive the beautiful Hana Highway – similar to the Great Ocean Road.
7. Hike through the lush ‘Îao Valley.
8. Make an aquatic journey at the Maui Ocean Center.
9. Visit Kaihilulu Beach – a RED sand beach.
10. Visit one of Maui’s many beautiful beaches and make a sand sculpture.
Kaua‘i is Hawai‘i’s Island of Discovery and on Kaua‘i there are special places that will delight the young of all ages. With many movies being filmed on Kaua‘i the Movie Tour of the island will interest both young and old. The tour takes you to locations for movies such as Jurassic Parks 1, 2 and 3 and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Kaua‘i Childrens Discovery Museum in Kapa‘a is not just for kids. Interactive exhibits, virtual reality games, and hands-on science and art activities will keep both parents and children entertained. Kaua‘i is also ringed by superb beaches, many of them facing calm waters ruffled with small waves in the summer. The calmest child friendly spots are Lydgate Park in Wailua and Po‘ipu Beach on the South Shore.
Top 10 things to do on Kaua‘i:
1. Visit impressive Waimea Canyon, the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’.
2. Kayak along one of Kaua‘i’s many navigable rivers.
3. Take a helicopter ride along the impressive Napali Coast.
4. Visit a number of Hollywood Movie sets on a movie tour around the island.
5. Get down and dirty in the rainforest with all terrain vehicle tours (ATV).
6. Sail over the tree tops on a zipline adventure.
7. Re-live the Kauai plantation days at Old Koloa town.
8. Visit the Hanalei Valley lookout just beyond Princeville for a birds eye view of the valley and taro fields.
9. Visit the scenic 80 foot falls north of Lihue called Wailua Falls.
10. Hike the trail along the ‘sleeping giant’ from Wailua to Kapaa.
Hawai‘i’s Big Island is BIG on families! It is twice the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined. To minimize your time in the car, you may want to split your visit and stay on both sides of the Island. Stay on the Hilo side for exploring the waterfalls of the Hâmâkua Coast and the Kîlauea Volcano. Move over to the Kona side for fun on the beach and in the water. On the Big Island you have a secret weapon for even the most challenging of children and it can be found no where else in Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i volcano’s national park is home to a real active volcano and provides a totally different experience to that of a theme park volcano. Here you can get close to fresh lava flows or even trek through ancient lava tubes. For children over the age of seven Hawaii's Big Island offers the most sought-after astronomical site in the world. Home to some of the most powerful telescopes in the world, Mauna Kea is about as close as you can get to the stars without leaving earth. Specially guided tours take you right up to the summit, and into these huge telescopes to view the universe and beyond. Guided astronomy and stargazing tours offer transportation, warm parkas, dinner, access to the summit of Mauna Kea, detailed narratives on history and cultural as well as expert night time viewing. Certainly a memorable moment for all the family!
Top 10 things to do on the Big Island:
1. Snorkel with turtles at Kahalu‘u Beach Park.
2. Get up close to Kilauea’s fresh lava flows in Volcano’s National Park.
3. Night dive or snorkel with manta rays.
4. Catch a marlin off the Kona Coast.
5. Stargaze at the top of Mauna Kea.
6. Discover paniolo ( cowboy) heritage in Waimea.
7. Flume ‘Da Ditch’ through the old irrigation channel at Waimea.
8. See where coffee comes from and drink it straight from the source at one of the Kona Coffee plantations.
9. Visit Captain Cooks memorial at Kealakekua Bay
10. Learn about the powerful tsunami phenomenon at the Tsunami Museum in Hilo.
Events
Hawai‘i is host to many high profile sporting and cultural events. For the latest on events please visit www.gohawaii.com
FAST FACTS
Health precautions: No vaccinations are required to visit Hawai‘i.
Population: 1,211,500 people live in Hawai‘i. The most populated island is O‘ahu.
Culture/Religion: local customs -There is no ethnic majority in Hawai‘i with everyone belonging to a minority. The population is also religiously diverse. You’ll find Christian and Catholic churches throughout the islands as well as Buddhist and Hindu temples.
Language: The official language is English, but you’ll here many words in Hawaiian. Aloha is a very important word that means love and respect as well as hello or goodbye. Mahalo means thank you.
Time: Hawai‘i is 21 hours behind Australian time during daylight saving and 20 hours behind when it’s non-daylight saving.
Currency: The currency is US Dollar.
Tipping: In restaurants waiters expect a tip of about 15%, while 10% is generally enough for taxi drivers. Hotel bellhops are tipped $1 US or $2 US per bag depending on weight.
Electricity: Electricity is 110/120V, 60 cycles. You can purchase converters that plug into your Australian plug and then convert the voltage and attach into the US sockets.
Tap water: It’s fine to drink the tap water.
Passport and Visa Requirements: No visa is required for Australians holidaying in Hawai‘i. You are required to have a machine-readable passport, which most passports issued less than 10 years ago are.
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