HAWAII

Active volcanoes, magical beaches, monster waves, surreal cliffs – and thousands of humpback whales during winter: Hawaii!

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whales: Hawaii

Hawaii is one of the best places in the world to observe humpback whales: Between December and April, thousands of animals come here to give birth to their young.

The humpback whales of the North Pacific usually spend the summer high in the north in the rich feeding grounds off Alaska, in the Bering and Beaufort Seas. In winter, they migrate to the warmer waters in the south, where they breed. Between December and April, there are probably up to 10,000 humpback whales in the waters off Hawaii.

The whales mainly stay in the shallow and calm waters between Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe, which seem to offer the best conditions for giving birth to their offspring. Most boats start on the west coast of Maui, the most important places are Lahaina and Maalaea, tours are also possible in Kihei and Kaanapali Beach.

A striped dolphin with its offspring. In addition to humpback whales, you can encounter numerous species of dolphin around Hawaii. Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

On the main island of Hawaii, most providers can be found in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou Bay, Honokohau Harbour and the Kohala Coast. On Kauai, most tours start in Port Allen, on Oahu in Honolulu – but both are mainly about dolphins.

There are hardly any whale watching tours from the other islands. Every year, around 300,000 people take a boat tour from Maui, Hawaii, Kauai and Oahu to see humpback whales, most of them departing from Maui between December and April. Dolphin safaris start mainly in Oahu and are possible all year round.

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TO DO: Hawaii

In Hawaii, you can hike between lava fields and active volcanoes and marvel at some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world. There are also world-famous beaches. Plus: lots of animals that can't be found anywhere else.

The island chain in the Pacific is the 50th state of the United States – geographically, however, Hawaii is not assigned to the American continent, but to Oceania. The eight largest islands are, from west to east: Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui and Hawaii are all of volcanic origin. The shield volcanoes of the Hawaiian Islands are the largest on earth and some are still active. A good 75 per cent of the population live on Oahu, home to Honululu, Waikiki Beach and the extinct volcano Diamond Head, which is the island's landmark.

The Hawaii Volcanos National Park in the south-east of the island of Hawaii is a World Heritage Site and includes huge lava fields and the Kilauea volcano which is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Along the 18-kilometre Crater Rim Drive, there are many viewpoints and hiking trails (a few hundred metres to five kilometres) where you can explore lava fields, lava tunnels, cooled lava lakes and active craters. The 30-kilometre Chain of Craters Road leads over 1,000 metres down to the coast – at its end, with a bit of luck, you can see lava flowing straight into the sea.

“The signature fish of the islands is called Humuhumunukunukuapuaa. It has white, yellow and black stripes and lives exclusively in these waters.”

The oldest and greenest island is Kauai with its extremely jagged cliffs on the world famous Na Pali Coast. Anyone who sees pictures of spectacular lush green mountains in Hawaii almost always sees Na Pali Coast. Jurassic Park was also filmed here. The easiest way to marvel at the coast is from Port Allen by boat or on a guided kayak tour. Those who prefer a more direct route can hike the 18-kilometre Kalalau Trail, which leads through numerous spectacular valleys and ends at Kalalau Beach. However, the two-day trail is one of the most challenging in the whole of Hawaii. The easiest (but most expensive) option is a scenic flight, which allows you to see parts of the coast that cannot be reached by land or sea.

Another popular hike on Kauai – the Kukui Trail – leads almost five kilometres through Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. This hike is also rather challenging.

The Road to Hana is considered one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world. In the east of Maui, it leads along Highway 36 and 360 through 620 bends and over 59 bridges past coconut palms, waterfalls and black beaches to the unspoilt coastal town of Hana. Depending on the number of stops, this is a day trip. If you don't want to drive yourself, you can also book the trip as a tour.

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The most famous beach in Hawaii is certainly Waikiki Beach in south-east Honolulu, which stretches all the way to Diamond Head. However, two of the most beautiful beaches (even worldwide) are Hanalai Bay (Kauai) and Hamoa Beach (Maui). In addition to Hanalai, the north coast of Oahu with Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay and Makaha Beach is also very popular with surfers: in winter there are also huge monster waves here. Beginners tend to start on the south coast of Oahu.

As Hawaii is extremely remote – in all directions it is actually the most remote area in the world – there are many endemic animals that only occur here (mainly birds, reptiles and insects). In most cases, they arrived on the islands a long time ago by chance, where they then developed completely differently from their relatives on the mainland or on other islands. Good to know: there is not one poisonous snake in Hawaii.

The waters around Hawaii are a paradise for divers and snorkellers. Millions of colourful fish live in the extensive coral reefs, which are constantly expanding due to the strong volcanic activity. Manta rays, octopuses, moray eels, sharks, seals and turtles (green sea turtles, leatherback turtles and hawksbill turtles) can also be seen here. If you're lucky, you might even encounter dolphins or humpback whales on a snorkelling tour. Incidentally, Hawaii's signature fish is called Humuhumunukunukuapuaa. It has white, yellow and black stripes and lives exclusively here.