Hawaii is a melting of many ethnic groups. The Hawaiian people have brought together their distinctive heritage to be woven tightly to create the present day fabric of Hawaiian culture. With the first Polynesian settlers arriving and making their home on the islands, followed by settlers from, China, Portugal, Japanese, Korea, Phillippines, Germany and Puerto Rico, among others. it is no wonder that the Hawaiian culture has various vibrant and fascinating facets.

Music

Hawaiian music scene is a lively and contemporary blend of mainstream reggae, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz infused with some traditional music which includes the Hawaiian slack key guitar. The traditional hula dance performances, Polynesian navigation, lua - a form of Hawaiian martial arts continue to thrive throughout the main islands. Hula or traditionally known as hula kãhiko originated as a religious ritual in honor of the ancient gods and chiefs as well as to entertain the ruling class. The traditional garb included the knee length ti-leaf skirt for the added rustle effect to the dance movement. Even in modern times hula, whose attire now includes the floral lei and colorful tops, continues to enjoy tremendous respect. The ‘ukuele was introduced to Hawaii by the Portuguese immigrants and is now an integral component of contemporary Hawaiian music.

Flower culture

Hawaiian lei are garlands made of flowers, leaves, shells, ivory or feathers, to be worn around the neck. Important symbols of affection, Hawaiians bestow them on visitors usually with a kiss. Traditional braiding or weaving was an important method of making daily objects such as sleeping mats, pillows and baskets, just to name a few.Certain palm leaves and sedge grass are the common materials used for braiding.

The culture of Hawaii is not just one of sun, sea and surf popular associations of the islands; but rather it is one of vibrancy, soul stirring music and dance, heartfelt affection with deeply rooted traditions, dating centuries ago.

It is a diverse and abundant landscape of flora and fauna, rich marine life in the Hawaii Islands. Alpine, rain forest, dry land forest, coastal, mixed open forest, subalpine and rain forest are the vegetation zones of Hawaii Island. The beautiful archipelago is also home to some of the rarest plant and animal species.

From the majestic soaring cliffs along Na Pali coast in Kaua’i, to the rocky landscape in Lanai’s Garden of the Gods, and legendary surf waves in O’ahu, rugged Hana Coast in Maui, to the historic sites in Honolulu, and Kona district farms renowned for the Kona Coffee to the coconut fringed white sandy coasts in every main island are just glimpses into the abundant of nature in this isolated archipelago.

Volcanic past

Having been born of underwater volcanic eruptions, there are magnificent landscapes such as the Waimea Canyon in Kaua’i, where the layers of lava flows are clearly visible. The late-stage volcanic crater in O’hau’s Hanauma Bay is another spectacular sight as well as the Hawai’i Island’s Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, which are a pair of giant shield volcanoes.

The lush greenery is another refreshing landscape to marvel at. The diverse vegetation zones include the harsh and dry Alpine vegetation which is made of sparse array of shrubs such as silverswords, and the subalpine communities with variations of grasslands to stunted trees. The Montane dry and wet areas, and the lowland and coastal communities are more fine examples of nature’s glory in the amazing land of surf, sea and sand.

Surfing is a centuries-old practice that is highly honored in the Hawaiian culture. While the origins of this exhilarating wave sliding, or he’e nalu, remain unclear, its huge popularity is clearly evident by the thousands of surfers heading to the exotic islands to conquer some towering waves. What is now freely enjoyed by all competent surfers, once used to be strictly confined to the chiefs’ enjoyment and their own surf breaks, that was out of bounds to the commoners. While the sport was greatly discouraged by the missionaries in the 19h century and went through a period of decline, it was revived when Waikiki came to international attention in the early 20th century. This was also thanks to the father of modern surfing, Duke Kahanamoku’s worldwide demonstrations, and now the holy grail for surfing are the Hawaii Islands.

The North Shore

The surfing capital of the world is indisputably Oahu’s North Shore. During one of Hawaii’s distinct surfing seasons, thanks to the Alaskan winter storms, the biggest of the surfing waves hit the first landmass, after a journey of more than 5000km, gaining momentum and increasing energy. The geography of Oahu’s North shore is such that that the land lie and ocean floor are advantageous in welcoming the towering waves and unceasing barrels. The powerful swell lines hitting Waimea Bay, in Oahu’s North Shore attract surfers from all around the world to these northern shores during winter. Waikiki beach is actually excellent starting point for beginner surfers as it provides excellent breaks throughout the year and the summertime tame waves are especially great for beginners.

Surfing carnival

Every year, for three weeks, starting from late November, it is surfing carnival at Oahu’s North Shore. The world’s most prestigious series of surfing competitions, the Triple Crown of Surfing takes place at Banzai Pipeline, Sunset Beach at Waimea and the Ali’i Beach park in Hale’iwa. The enthralling excitement in the atmosphere is inexplicable and can only be experienced along with surfers from all over the world, who gather to compete and watch the crowning of the world champion of surfing.

During summertime, surfers head to the south shores for favourable waves for surfing and boogie boarding. The Waikiki beach in Oahu and Poipu Beach in Kauai are popular summer hangouts for surfers. In Maui, excellent surfing spots are at Hookipa Beach and Napili Bay, summer surfing is good at Baldwin Park. The biggest island, Hawaii Island may not have spectacular waves as its neighbours but there are some excellent breaks found at Waipo and Papeekeo, among other beaches.

The most isolated group of islands of Hawaii, formed by undersea volcanic eruptions, are located at 3860 km off the west coast of mainland North America. Hawaii consists of eight main islands made up of more than 6000 sq miles of land mass. Among the archipelago’s multitude of islands and atoll, tourists heading to the Hawaiian Islands have six major islands to choose from, for an incredible time of surf, sand and sea. These islands include Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii Island, Oahu, Kauai and Maui. Each island has its distinctive specialty and conveys the splendor of Hawaii Islands in its own unique way.

Landscape

The Hawaiian Islands, rich with fertile volcanic land are home to diverse and bountiful landscape such as tropical rainforest and alpine vegetation, contrasting with red, white, green, black, pepper colored stunning sand beaches. There are mountainous sea cliffs, lush green valleys with diverse flora, active volcanoes, picturesque waterfalls, silent and majestic mountains offering visitors a myriad of landscapes to relish and fall in love with.

Activities

Tourists have a wide selection of activities to choose in Hawaii. These include scuba diving, snorkeling, bird watching, air tours and hiking. The rich marine life awaits underwater or avid divers who will marvel at a whole new world of spectacular aquatic landscape. All over the islands, there are cultural show performances displaying the exotic Polynesian heritage, and many historical sites such as sacred Haeiu’s and Pearl Harbor. Food is also excellent in Hawaii Islands. A variety of cuisines, such as the local food and regional cuisine, and the ethnic and traditional American fare, can be enjoyed all over the islands. Plenty of shopping can be done in Hawaii Islands. Biking down Haleakala, driving the road to Hana, discovering National Parks are among the many adventures waiting to be unravelled when visiting Hawaii Islands.