Hawaii - an insider's guide
Rex FeaturesWhich Hawaiian island is for you?
I'm constantly asked for the inside scoop on the six main Hawaiian islands - which island is best, what each has to offer - and I sometimes feel like a hustler when delivering my answers. You want beaches? Kauai's got beaches. Surfing? Oahu. Hiking? Both of the above.
Some travellers seek pristine shorelines or rainforests; others, craters and lava fields. Some are looking for art, food and culture. Others activity and adventure. All want to make the right choice, to explore the best, both on and off the track, and to avoid the clichéd Hawaii experience. Wonderful, then, to have six Hawaiian islands to choose from, and with all that they have to discover, you can't go wrong. Take off the plastic lei and go island-hopping.
Here's my guide to Hawaii's islands
AlamyKauai island, Hawaii
KAUAI ISLAND, HAWAII
Hawaii's Garden Isle doesn't do understatement. Like a rascal kid, it uses every opportunity to push the limits. The mountains soar; the surf pounds down upon its endless shores. There are pockets and nooks of adventure to be found everywhere - swimming holes and waterfalls, caves and beaches where you may find yourself entirely alone. It's like an Eden that's accessible by Jeep. No snakes and plenty of tempting coconuts.
My favourite town is Hanalei, home of my favourite beach, on Hanalei Bay. Its expanse provides a wonderful walk, and a vast surfing spot. The area known as Pine Trees is best for experienced surfers; smaller waves can be found on the south end by the pier (close to the Pat's Taqueria and Wishing Well Shave Ice food trucks, both a serious must).
I have never been to Hanalei without a stop (or three) at Tahiti Nui, a bar and restaurant that's a favourite with locals, yet where you'll feel more than welcome. I also have to mention Mediterranean Gourmet at the far end of the North Shore, along a sweeping coast. A Middle Eastern restaurant in Hawaii? This place is divine (so is the wine list) and remember, we're avoiding the obvious.
NEXT: Oahu
AlamyOahu island, Hawaii
OAHU
Oahu is for those who want something a little more bustling. While there are patches of peace and isolation, Oahu is a busier place where you don't want to get away from it all, you actually want it all: beaches, nightlife, shopping, surf. Restaurants here are outstanding: they're making island food, but reinventing it.
Prima, Vintage Cave and Town deserve the hype. Chinatown is a great place to hunt for dumplings, dragon fruit, saimin (a native noodle soup) and manapua (pork buns). I love Duc's Bistro, with entertainment by the beautiful Mihana Souza. As you eat French-Vietnamese, drinking a full-bodied California red and listening to Mihana's traditional songs, you absolutely know you're in Hawaii.
Oahu's surf is very democratic. The North Shore in winter is thrilling for all to watch, but only for the expert few to experience. The Triple Crown is a thrilling series of professional surf contests that will inspire you to pick up your own board and paddle out, albeit in friendlier waters.
Waikiki is the place to catch your first wave. The waves are glassy and user-friendly, and despite the crowds there's something of the Old Hawaii still to be found here: canoes and longboards; a particular light that frolics on the rolling ocean; and the Diamond Head volcanic crater, like a ship in the distance, content and anchored. When you're on a wave you'll feel part of this hub, and the views are spectacular both going in and going out or just floating.
Hans Hedeman Surf School is the place if you need an extra push. As for somewhere to stay, The Kahala (doubles from about £300) is away from the hordes and yet central to everything. It's also the most beautiful hotel on Oahu.
NEXT: Maui
AlamyMaui island, Hawaii
MAUI
Maui seems to be the most popular tourist destination, and the most common route visitors take is from plane to hotel, which is usually on the coast. All very well, but when in Maui I prefer to go upcountry, with its unique views of the Valley Isle. Head toward Paia, the windsurfing capital of the world, then up the lush slopes toward Kula. Just follow the scents of eucalyptus, Maui onions and lavender.
It's also the home of Surfing Goat Dairy, which holds tours, barbecues and, of course, makes cheese. Keep going towards Makawao, a rural community of artists that includes wood sculptors, glassblowers, printers and painters - all of whom you can visit, watch as they work and, of course, buy from. Abigail Romanchak, a printmaker, and artist Melissa Chimera are two of my favourite talents.
Both Kula and Makawao are gateways to the summit of Haleakala, a volcano whose highest peak is more than 10,000ft above sea level, a most astounding place that must inspire the artists below. It will also stir adventure-seekers. If you can get up to the summit early (sometimes jet-lag comes in handy) treat yourself to the sunrise: the show of light and colours will make you slack-jawed.
Stargazing from the same spot will leave you just as dumbfounded. When you wind back down, stop off at one of the restaurants in these characterful upcountry towns: Bev Gannon's Hali'imaile General Store, serving American dishes with Asian overtones - including popcorn shrimp and sashimi pizza - is worthy of its many awards.
NEXT: Lanai
AlamyLanai island, Hawaii
LANAI
Bought recently by one of the world's richest men, Larry Ellison, this island is unquestionably enticing. One of its most alluring attractions is Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele (doubles from about £265), which seems to take you back in time. With croquet, bowling and miniature golf, not to mention 18 holes designed by Jack Nicklaus, this place could be the set for Hawaiian Dirty Dancing, only with a spa and a bundle of luxury extras.
Venture south to Hulopoe Bay, which fronts the Four Seasons resort at Manele Bay. This white-sand beach is a park and protected site, rich with marine life. I remember screaming into my snorkel, made giddy by all the fish swimming beside me as though I were one of them, perhaps a humuhumunukunukuapuaa - less poetically known as a reef triggerfish.
NEXT: Big Island
Rex FeaturesBig Island, Hawaii
BIG ISLAND
Famous for its volcanoes and sometimes spectacular lava flows, the biggest of the islands has many other treats in store. One thing you wouldn't normally associate with Hawaii is cowboys, which brings me to one of my favourite places: Waimea, also called Kamuela. This is Paniolo Country, with rolling countryside, rodeos, ranches and cold weather, all at the base of the snow-capped volcano, Mauna Kea.
My husband and I took the kids there last November and watched a cattle drive, ate at Merriman's, whose chef Peter Merriman is a three-time regional finalist for the James Beard Foundation Awards, and drove to the top of Mauna Kea.
Driving through Waimea is an adventure in itself, along beautiful roads that weave through the countryside. Another wonderful way to experience this place is from the back of a horse. Paniolo Adventures runs tours for all levels on its 11,000-acre cattle ranch. The sunset tour is awesome, but all of the excursions will immerse you in the island's rainforests, mountains and black-sand beaches.
We stayed at Puakea Ranch (doubles from £200), which has just four secluded bungalows surrounded by sweeping ocean and mountain views. You have your privacy, but you also have all the best bits of a hotel, with a concierge who will arrange a chef to cook for you. Ditto childcare, massages, provisions from the garden. Unlike a hotel, though, you never have to check in. It's a dreamy place.
NEXT: Molokai
Rex FeaturesMolokai island, Hawaii
MOLOKAI
There is nothing on Molokai. I say this with admiration, praising its spareness and pristine, unadorned nature. Halawa Valley is rugged yet accessible, and the reward of Moaula Falls is something very special. This is a majestic island meant for those really wanting to get away from it all. Visit the nature reserves - Moomomi on the coast, Kamakou in the mountains - to get an even greater sense of paradise. I promise you will feel like a pioneer.
As for places to stay, B&Bs are the way to go. Molokai Komohana (doubles from about £65), adjacent to the pastures of Molokai Ranch, embodies the Molokai spirit and is particularly genial.
NEXT: How to get to Hawaii
Mariko JesseGetting to Hawaii
GETTING TO HAWAII
British Airways flies to Honolulu from Heathrow via Los Angeles. Turquoise Holidays, Kuoni and Virgin Holidays can all arrange tailormade trips to Hawaii.
A week's holiday on Hawaii with Kuoni, for example, staying at the Kahala Hotel & Resort and including flights, costs from £2,246 per person, based on two sharing. Visit www.gohawaii.com.
Published in Condé Nast Traveller April 2014
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