Though the state has one of the smallest populations in the United States, Hawaii has seven different islands to explore over a wide region. Therefore, knowing the characteristics of a good Hawaii vacation guide might be something worth learning when preparing to visit America’s Central Pacific tropical paradise. Hawaii is truly a diverse mixture of scenery, and any good guide will have certain attributes which seeks to explain that.

Any good Hawaii vacation guide tends to look at each island in the chain, and especially the four main tourist destinations, as separate and unique in their individual way. This is smart, because all four of them are diverse examples of the wider Hawaiian native culture. Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the largest city by far in the state. And most of the population of Hawaii resides on this island.

The island of Hawaii – also called The Big Island – enjoys at least three distinct climates. It even has snow, on the peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, and an active volcano. Kauai, the Garden Isle, has some of the rainiest spots on the planet, along with Waimea Canyon, the deepest of its kind in the Pacific region. And Maui combines classic tropical environments with a laid-back way of life.

Due to this diversity of climate and terrain, the best guides treat each island both independently and as a part of the state. They also take the time to bring a visitor up to speed on the native Hawaiian culture which makes Hawaii what it is in the United States. The very best guidebooks attempt to avoid being nothing but a collection of coupons for sightseeing tours and the like, though even they might have several good ones in them.

Finding a well-made Hawaii vacation guide shouldn’t be all that difficult now that a bit about what constitutes one has been reviewed. Look for the ones that try to cover each of the islands in their way and with their own local culture, at least. Also, look to the books that teach a bit about native Hawaiian ways of life, and aren’t completely inundated with discount coupons. In that way, learning something about this U.S. jewel in the middle of the Pacific will be worthwhile and educational at the same time.

If it’s a national park in Hawaii, then it has to have something to do with beaches, waves and surfing, doesn’t it? Actually, no. On the island of Maui, a national park sweeps across the stunning landscape of Haleakala, a 10,023-foot volcano whose peak is surprisingly accessible and extremely popular.

Visitors can easily drive to the summit of Haleakala (which means “House of the Sun”), though it’s admittedly a steep trip into the clouds along an extended series of switchback curves. The 38-mile trip ascends from sea level to 10,000 feet in about two hours, during which you traverse three climate zones. There are three picturesque overlooks to enjoy – Leleiwi, Puu Ulaula, and Kalahaku – and a visitor center just below the peak.

More than one million people annually make this journey, many of them in the predawn hours as it’s a dramatic place from which to view the sunrise. The sunset views are pretty spectacular, as well. According to Hawaiian legend, it was here that the demigod Maui lassoed the sun from the summit of Haleakala in order to force it to move more slowly across the sky and thereby lengthen the day.

At the top, one can look down into a massive crater that encompasses 19 square miles and is more than 2,600-feet deep. The Haleakala Crater was formed through the ages by erosion from wind and water. A number of breathtaking hiking trails lead down into the crater’s lunar landscape. The trails are breathtaking in more ways than one, though. Remember, if you begin by hiking down, it means you have to return by hiking uphill. Not always an easy task, especially at that altitude. There are, however, escorted hiking and horseback tours available. Or, you can take a van up to the peak and then enjoy an exhilarating ride back down the twisting road on a rented mountain bike.

Haleakala is also a prime location for astronomy and there are observatories located near the summit. These are unfortunately closed to the public, although a stargazing expedition can be arranged through a local company that brings portable telescopes up the mountain.

source: http://www.examiner.com/