Aloha kakou to our Hawaii Travel Guide website. Here you can research each of the Hawaiian islands in detail to find the perfect beaches, places, waterfalls, hikes, and gardens for your vacation. You can also view our photographs of various locations in Hawaii, and if you choose, purchase our books to take along with you.

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So you want to know what makes a Hawaiian island? Great, you're in the right place. While every island has its own story, and we'll touch on that, only one is a living example of a Hawaiian Island in the works - the Big Island. It's the perfect specific to examine and use as an example. That said, let's take a look at the geology of the only island you can still see physically growing by day.

The Hawaiian Islands are home to some of the world's most beautiful waterfalls. Below we've included links to several of the best waterfalls on the islands, most of which you can actually see without a tour or helicopter (all falls visible from the air only are noted).

On the list of falls below, we've included the height of the falls when possible, a rank (out of 5 stars), noted if it's a seasonal falls (dry in summer), and included any additional access information as necessary. If you discover a falls we've mistakenly left off this list, by all means please contact us and we'll make sure it's added. We've also broken the falls down individually by island if you'd prefer to view them that way: Maui Waterfalls, Kauai Waterfalls, and Big Island of Hawaii Waterfalls. Oahu waterfalls will be coming soon.

Hawaii's cultural environment is the result of layer upon layer of various cultural groups. The culture of Hawai'i is arguably one of the strongest remaining in the world, and certainly within the United States. The culture and practices of the Hawaiian people remains very evident on the islands, even though the Hawaiian race itself has become diminished and "diluted" over the years - few pure blood Hawaiians remain in the general population.

Like a lot of visitors to Hawaii, you're probably wondering, which Hawaiian island is the best for you and your travel party? The islands are so diverse, that selecting the right island really is an important decision. And once you've started visiting the islands, coming back to a different island can often feel like a totally different place with a whole new set of experiences, sights, and attractions. Having been to all the major islands, we've already formed some bias on which we favor. But we'll put our bias aside for a while and objectively tell you about the beautiful islands in the Hawaiian chain so you too can pick the island that's just right for you. In due time, we're sure you'll pick your own favorites. The following quiz was developed using a variety of resources around the web. There are many similar quizzes out there, and a lot of chit-chat about the "best" island. Ultimately, if you still can't decide, you might try heading over to TripAdvisor.com and asking your questions there. We usually hang out on a few of the forums daily as well.

While it's always going to be close to impossible to predict the weather months or even weeks ahead of your vacation, you can look at past weather and climatic variables to determine what is likely to occur. Below we'll go over some of the most common concerns about Hawai'i weather. If nothing else, you'll have a general idea of what to expect. As always, be sure to check local weather through the TV stations during your stay for day to day updates. Avoid the Weather Channel's web site, they'll say it's going to rain every day. It's not.

OK, let's get right to it - the very best of the Hawaiian islands. If you're like most visitors, you probably want to know the highlights first, the rest later. Or maybe you don't have three months to spare perusing your way around each island, who does right? Most visitors have a few days to a few weeks at most. So we've given a lot of thought to what places would make the highlight real of Hawaii, the top 10 places for each island, with a few honorable mentions to follow up. It's not to say there aren't a few dozen other great stops on each island, we just think these are the very best. Hopefully if you have only a day or two on a particular island, these lists will help you get right to the good stuff.

No matter who you are, or what your interest, the islands of Hawai'i will make the corners of your mouth curl up with endless adventure, excitement, exploration and fun. Wander through some of America's most beautiful spots, take a stroll through one of the many sacred heiau grounds, search for shells on pristine beaches, or climb up a volcano and stand above the clouds. Discover your heritage within our islands own. So much of what makes America great is right here in Hawai'i. The culture, art and folklore of Hawaii's past make enchanting lessons in history and life. Help us continue to preserve and conserve the things that make Hawai'i unique and beautiful; because there is only One Hawaii...

One Hawaii is the charitable wing of Hawaiian Style Organiation LLC that supports the Conservation & Preservation of the Hawaiian Islands both Culturally and Naturally. Hawai'i is the most remote place on earth, and one of the most magical to all who visit it. Together we can work together, through Education, Charitable Acts, and our own time to help keep Hawaii what it is; a sacred land rich in beauty and culture... a place where Aloha is more than a word, but a way of life.

Help us continue to preserve and conserve the things that make Hawai'i unique and beautiful; because there is only One Hawaii...

A question we hear frequently is "What's the best time to travel to Hawaii?" or "When should I visit Hawaii?" This question is typically followed by "What’s the weather like in Hawaii?" You can learn about the general weather conditions on our Hawaii Weather page (also linked at the bottom of this article). On this page we’ll discuss our personal favorite times of the year to visit and why. We should note that this article is written in bias towards the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai, and doesn't detail Oahu as much. We highly recommend checking a local Hawaii calendar online prior to scheduling your trip, thus allowing you to determine what is and what is not occurring on the island of your choice ahead of time. We've detailed a few of the major events (specifically on the Big Island) below. Also, as a general rule of thumb, if you hope to avoid the crowds, then consider planning your trip to avoid holidays. Many folks from the west coast of the mainland (or even from neighboring Oahu) will jump over to the less visited islands for the holiday(s). This is especially true during the Christmas holidays, when things get very busy in the islands.

So you're thinking about Hawaii and here you are at our website. Now what? If you're still on the fence about Hawaii, then hopefully we'll convince you along the way it's one of the most amazing places you could ever visit. And if you've already decided Hawaii is your next vacation stop, then the following steps should help you better start to plan your trip and understand the layout of our site. There's a lot of useful and professional information here, so pull up a chair and lets get to the good stuff.

The following is a brief history of the islands of Hawaii. Specifically this text is pulled directly from our Hawaii - Mile by Mile Guidebook. We hope it helps provide our guests with a better understanding of the islands and the people that live upon them.

Thousand of miles from the nearest continent the volcanic mountains of Hawai'i stood somber and alone in the Pacific, void of nearly all life. Lifeless they would remain if not for the birds, the currents, and the wind. Seeds were carried by the tides that washed across the shores. Storms brought more seeds with their howling winds and rains. The birds, like the small golden plover, brought the rest. Birds would fly from as far as 3,000 miles away, non-stop.

Eventually the Hawaiian islands would be covered with extensive forest habitats, shrubbery, and grasslands. Soil and precipitation differences around the islands would cater to all kinds of plant-life. In time, the foreign species would become unique to all the world, found only in Hawai'i.

Today, we call them endemic Hawaiian species like the Nene (Hawaiian goose) and silversword (which is actually a relative of the sunflower). You will find them no where else on the planet. These species had thousands, if not millions, of years to develop into unique flora and fauna.

For thousands and thousands of years they were undisturbed by the ways of humans. Today, many of these species are not so lucky. The 'Akiapola'au (a rare bird found on the Big Island of Hawai'i) is just one example of a species that is fading fast. Most experts predict that their numbers have dwindled to between 1,000-1,500. We were very fortunate to see one as recently as 2006, so perhaps hope still remains for this incredible bird.

This article is written for all visitors, but especially first timers...

Before you pack your bags, put on your Aloha shirt, and jump the Pacific Ocean to head to Hawai'i, there are a few basic things you should know about the island, its people, weather, geography, and lifestyle. Furthermore, this section of our guide is meant to help you plan the perfect Hawai'i vacation by covering some of the most essential facts all visitors need to know. On this website we'll cover some of these facts and planning tips including money, when to visit, the weather, what you'll need to pack, the best way to get to the island, online trip planning, accommodations and car rental tips, and include itineraries for the one and two week travelers.

Lastly, if you're like most visitors to the islands, this is an investment. It's your money, your time (planning), and you want to make sure its the best experience possible, the most bang for your buck. Consider this section of our website a tutorial on good investing in Hawai'i.

On any island in Hawai'i (including Oahu in our honest opinion) a rental car is definitely the best option for getting around the island you're visiting and viewing all the sights we detail both here on our website and in our physical guidebooks. The rental rates in Hawai'i are some of the cheapest anywhere in the world because the competition is fierce.

There is no *serious* bus service on the islands, excluding Oahu, and taxi services are both expensive and illogical for sight-seeing purposes. Mopeds and bikes can be a practical alternative for day excursions along the drier south coastlines, but generally are not as useful in other parts of the island, especially where long distances and/or rain storms may prevail between locations you'll want to see.

The islands of Hawaii could each easily be described as paradise. But even paradise has its hazards and we'd be foolish not to at least educate you on a few of them. Please make sure you and those who travel with you know about these hazards. Our statements below are rather candid because we want you to know the truth about the place you are visiting. This isn't Disneyland; it is often wild, rough, and natural law prevails out here. The more you know, the better prepared you are to avoid the hazards of our beautiful islands. We've made this short section a chapter in all of our recent guidebooks, and that should show how much emphasis we put on this subject.