Filled with diverse landscapes and breathtaking beauty, the sites to see and visit in Hawaii are nearly endless. It seems that no matter where you look, you’re met with something that draws your gaze and grabs every ounce of attention. It can be anything really, from a rainbow stretching across the horizon on a drive down the Pali Highway, to a waterfall on the Big Island. You never really know what to expect next, and are constantly doing double takes at what you are seeing.
The islands truly are mesmerizing, and the places that you often see in pictures is even more beautiful in real life.
But what if you had to only see 1 single site on each island? What would you do, and where would you go? In this imaginary scenario, we’ll share the one location on each of the major islands that you MUST see for yourself. And don’t worry, you won’t have to pick just one when you arrive.
Oahu
For all that it has to offer, Oahu’s diversity may be the thing that is the most astounding. In one short drive from downtown Honolulu along the Pali Highway, you will travel from a bustling capital city to a lush rainforest that receives nearly 100 inches of rain per year. The highway stretches across the Ko’Olau Mountain Range, connecting Honolulu to Windward Oahu and the towns of Kailua and Kaneohe. As the descent to Windward Oahu starts, you’ll find the turnoff for the Pali Lookout, and our choice for Oahu’s must see site. The Pali Highway offers a panoramic view of Windward Oahu, tucked into the Cliffside and overlooking a treetop canopy and a dropoff that may leave you a little weak in the knees. The lookout is the site of a historic battle in Hawaii’s history, and the wind gusts at the lookout can reach 80 MPH. Get out your cameras, but be sure to hold onto your hats.
Maui
Maui may take the prize for the single site you need to see in all of Hawaii, but we wouldn’t dare try to put that list together. Head to the top of Haleakala at sunrise to find the one site you have to see on Maui. As the sun breaks the horizon, the dormant volcano takes shape, and the colors of years of erosion and lava flows take shape. On clear days, it feels like you can see to the end of the Earth, and you can easily see the entire coastline of south, west and north Maui.
Kauai
Our choice for Kauai is the Na Pali Coast, and since it is technically one single site, you’ll have the chance to enjoy 16 miles of this site. Since it would be impossible to contain it all into one view, you’ll want to either view the coast from a boat, or get a bird’s eye view from a helicopter. We prefer the helicopter, as it give you additional views of parts of Kauai you wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
Big Island
The Big Island is a tough choice, but we’ll have to play the technicality of choosing the volcano as our one site you must see, and enjoy the prehistoric landscapes of Mt. Kiluaea. And to really see the world’s most active volcano, we’d suggest taking a helicopter tour and discover parts of the volcano that cannot be access by land due to the activity of the lava flows.
Enjoy the islands and all that they have to offer, and feel free to make your own list of the sites on each island that visitors must see. Everyone loves Hawaii for different reasons, and we can’t wait to find out the reasons that you love Hawaii.
Due to the high volume of visitors traveling to Hawaii year round, our Oahu tours and Oahu activities sell out quickly. In many cases, tours sell out weeks or months in advance, especially our top seller Sea Life Park Luau. To ensure your spots on tour, we recommend reserving your tours today. Call our office or book online to take advantage of our low price guarantee today.
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