Kaua‘i (pronounced “cow-wa-ee”) is the lushest of all the islands … and also the wettest. Mount Wai‘ale‘ale, at the island’s center, reigns as the wettest place on Earth, with 450 inches of rain per year (the lowlands are much drier, and there’s even a near-desert on the west side). The rain runs down to the coasts, carving the spectacular valleys and canyons that have made this scenic island a favorite location for countless Hollywood movies and for tourists.

All of the main islands have distinctive characteristics, making island-hopping cruises exquisitely rewarding. Most cruises embark from Oahu, home to the state’s main international airport as well as Honolulu, Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor. There’s plenty of sightseeing to do even before you board your cruise ship. The itinerary for most voyages runs clockwise from Oahu to Maui, on to the Big Island (aka Hawai‘i), up to Kaua‘i, then back to Oahu.

Maui, the tourist paradise, boasts not only the best resorts (many currently open as of press time with many also hosting displaced residents) but also great hiking on the slopes of its two volcanoes and other outstanding amenities and offerings.

© Shane Myers | Dreamstime.com

The Hawai‘ian Islands sit on what is essentially an island production line. An undersea hot spot gives rise to each new volcanic island, and then tectonic forces gradually move them all northwest. Midway Atoll lies at the oldest end of the process; the Big Island marks the youngest.

In contrast to verdant Kaua‘i, huge swathes of the Big Island prove starkly volcanic — the island is still forming. At its heart sits the great volcano, Mauna Loa. Measured from its base on the sea floor, it rises even higher than Everest. Take a drive to the upper slopes and you pass through eight climate zones, from tropical to polar. Between December and February you may see snowfall at the summit, and cold downdrafts often cool the surrounding lowlands. Believe it or not, it can get cold in Hawai‘i.

The Big Island’s west coast features archetypical beach resorts, while the interior offers a hiking paradise with trails that take in beautiful waterfalls and stunning panoramas of the wild cliffs of the northeast coast. In the south of the island, lava flows periodically ooze down from the slopes of Mauna Loa and nearby Kilauea, steadily increasing the island’s size. Few experiences match the sight of the lava meeting the sea in a turmoil of noise and steam. From your vantage on the freshly cooled lava fields, it looks like the end of the world. In fact, it’s the beginning.

© Cory M Dorazio | Dreamstime.com

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