 |
 |
GENERAL
INFORMATION |
|
 |
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean
lies a subtropical archipelago of volcanic peaks, mere dots on the map,
so small that historians marvel they were ever discovered at all.
The islands are surrounded by the most beautiful beaches, clear, sparkling
waters, gently waving palm trees, lush tropical vegetation and inhabited
by the beautiful Polynesian people who will welcome you to their paradise.
|
| Only
seven of the eight islands are inhabited: KAHOOLAWE Is the eighth isle and uninhabited. Hawaii, admitted to the Union of the United States in 1959, stands today as the Pacific’s most sought-after vacation mecca and one of the most famous resort destinations in the world. There are some 125-odd volcanically formed islets and atolls stretching 1600 miles across the central Pacific Ocean. Residents of the inhabited islands are of mixed races, including Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Samoan and other less-represented ethnic groups. Ethnic percentages vary widely from island to island. |
|
 Map
of Hawaii
|
|||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
| Flying into Honolulu International
Airport International - Air New Zealand, Air Nauru, American, Continental, Hawaiian Air, Canadian Airlines International Ltd., China Airlines, Japan Airlines, North West Orient, Korean Airlines, Qantas and many others. Domestic - Hawaiian Airlines, Aloha Airlines and smaller local commuter airlines. |
|||||||||||||
| US Dollar. Currency conversion
is readily available at Honolulu International Airport in the customs
area and at Bank branches at the airport. The major banks in Hawaii
are: Bank of Hawaii, First Hawaiian Bank, Hawaiian National, Bank of America,
Central Pacific, Bank of Tokyo. Banking Hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am - 3.00pm
|
|||||||||||||
| Narcissus (Chinese New Year), Jan/Feb; Cherry Blossom (Japanese), Mar/Apr; St Patrick’s Day (Irish), March 17; Lei Day (Hawaiian), May 1; Fiesta Filipina (Filipino), June; Octoberfest (German), Oct; Aloha Week, Sept/Oct (throughout islands). | |||||||||||||
| There are hundreds of parks for camping in Hawaii, some in federal national parks, others built by the state or the four counties. A few are private but open to the public. | |||||||||||||
| The tradewinds provide Hawaii with an ideal balmy climate, mild temperatures and moderate humidity. The temperature ranges from 18°C - 30°C. Rainfall depends on altitude and location, ranging from 14 inches per year to 141 inches. Honolulu has 24 inches per year. | |||||||||||||
| Visitors over 21 years permitted to bring in 1 quart spirits or wine, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 3lb tobacco. Formal forms to be filled out on plane. Baggage will be inspected upon arrival. | |||||||||||||
| Dress is casual. Women in light, loose dresses, men aloha shirts, shorts, sandals for day and slacks for evening. | |||||||||||||
| The electrical current is 120 volts, 60 cycles. | |||||||||||||
| A large variety of top international shows is always available. Famous local Hawaiian shows are always popular with the tourists. Many nightclubs and bars are scattered all over the islands. Twenty-one years is the legal drinking age. It is against the law for all ages to drink alcoholic beverages in parks and on beaches. | |||||||||||||
| |
|||||||||||||
| US visas and valid passports are required for foreign citizens entering the United States at Hawaii. Immigration documents to be filled out on aircraft. No inoculations are required by US Health Authorities for travellers from Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. | |||||||||||||
| Worldwide cuisine, traditional Hawaiian feasts, fast foods, quick take-aways - Hawaii has it all, elegant or casual. All condominiums have their own cooking facilities. | |||||||||||||
| Hawaii is located about 20 degrees north of the Equator. | |||||||||||||
| Many galleries and shops feature authentic Hawaiian arts and crafts. | |||||||||||||
| No one yet knows when Hawaii was first inhabited. It was long believed that the Polynesians first arrived in Hawaii from Tahiti around 1000 AD, but new discoveries have suggested that the true date may be closer to the 6th Century AD or even earlier. Hawaii was “discovered” by the western world in 1778, when British Captain James Cook sighted Oahu and first landed on Kauai. In 1820, the first American missionaries arrived from New England. Not only did they bring Christianity to a people becoming disillusioned with their ancient gods, but they represented the first of several migrations which led to the cosmopolitan character of Hawaii’s people today. Hawaii was admitted to the Union of the United States in 1959. | |||||||||||||
| English is the official language. Hawaiian is the local language and due to the large variety of tourists arriving from all over the world, many foreign languages are spoken at hotels and resorts. | |||||||||||||
| Very expensive. Make sure you are well covered by sufficient medical insurance before leaving for your destination. Most hotels have resident doctors. | |||||||||||||
| Total population of all the Hawaiian islands stands at about 1,144,800. | |||||||||||||
| Many religions and denominations are represented in Hawaii. | |||||||||||||
| Shopping hours are varied and often late into the evening at popular tourist destinations. Credit cards are widely accepted. | |||||||||||||
| The Islands of Hawaii are extremely well catered for. A full range of indoor activities for all ages. Opportunities abound for the active sportsperson, with tennis, squash, golfing, fishing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, sailing, all types of water sports and hunting. For the less active, Hawaii offers excellent sightseeing tours, beautiful bushwalks, shell collecting and a host of comfortable enjoyments. | |||||||||||||
| With a network composed of undersea cable and satellite communication systems, Hawaii serves as the communications hub of the Pacific. These systems provide two-way voice, data, and television services to North America, Australia and Asia, and other Pacific Basin areas. Telephone service throughout Hawaii is provided by a major company, GTE Hawaiian Telephone Co. | |||||||||||||
| Time differences are as follows:
Hawaii Standard Time 12 noon
|
|||||||||||||
| Tipping for good service is appropriate in Hawaii. It is customary to tip 15 per cent in a restaurant. Taxi drivers are usually tipped about 10 per cent of the fare. Gratitude for ground transportation from Waikiki to the airport $1 per person. $1 to $2 per person to tour guides. Porters and bellmen 50 cents per bag. Hotel maids $1 per day. Tip barbers and hairdressers 10-15 per cent depending on the quality of service. A 4 per cent state tax is added to rooms, food, goods etc. There is also a 5 per cent accommodation tax. | |||||||||||||
| Taxis, car rental and regular bus services. For car rentals you must be 21 years of age. Drive on the right side of road. Right turn permitted in right lane at stop light after full stop, unless otherwise signposted. Left turn permitted at stop light from left lane on one-way street into another one-way street after a full stop. Pedestrians have right of way in almost all situations. Allow other motorists to pass if you are proceeding at sightseeing speed. | |||||||||||||
| The water is safe to drink. | |||||||||||||
From its magnificent, legendary resorts, to 42 miles of
shimmering, uncrowded beaches, to wilderness in the interior where few
outsiders have ever set foot, Maui is
a place of rare, spectacular, uninhibited beauty. Every possible
recreational and entertainment opportunity you’d want or expect is here
on Hawaii’s most intriguing island. 
Unforgettable dining. Glittering nightlife. Thrilling activities. Mystical Haleakala crater. The bustling whaling town of Lahaina. Maui fulfils all the promise of paradise, and welcomes you with her warmest Aloha. Physical Characteristics -
Climate -
Population -
Medical -
Transportation -
Camping -
Visitors Information -
|
|||||||||||||
| Size - 4,038 square miles (10,458sq.km). With a population of 130,500. Distance from Honolulu, 214 miles (344km). Geography -
Climate -
Major Industries -
Recreation -
Brief History -
|
|||||||||||||
|
INTRODUCTION TO KAUAI Size - 549.40sq.miles (1433sq.km). With a population of 55,000. Distance from Honolulu 103 miles (166km). Geography
- Climate -
Major Industries -
Recreation -
Brief History -
A Few Points of Interest
Grove Farm Homestead - Founded in 1864 by George Wilcox, the homestead is now a museum complex. Kamokila Hawaiian Village - Replica of an ancient Hawaiian village on Wailua River. Menehune Fishpond - Remarkable stone walls, said to have been built in one night by the Menehune, enclose a fishpond still in use. |
|||||||||||||
 |