Must-see attractions in Hawaii

  • Outrigger canoe near the beach of Hanalei Bay just after sunrise.

    Hanalei Bay

    Hanalei

    Hanalei Bay is Kauaʻi's postcard-perfect beach, embracing surfers, paddlers, bodyboarders and beach bums alike. It's a perfect crescent of golden sand…

  • Smoke plumes from the Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii.

    Kilauea

    Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

    Kilauea volcano lies at the center of activity in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The unassuming bump on Mauna Loa's southeast flank would be easily…

  • Shangri La

    Shangri La

    Oʻahu

    In the shadow of Diamond Head, the former mansion of billionaire tobacco heiress Doris Duke is a sight to behold for art-lovers and celebrity hounds…

  • The Stones of Life - four stones on Waikiki Beach that were placed there as tribute to four legendary mahu.

    Stones of Life of Kapaemahu and Kapuni

    Waikiki

    Near the police substation at Waikiki Beach Center, four ordinary-looking volcanic basalt boulders are actually sacred and legendary Hawaiian symbols…

  • There is a fisherman about to cast his line in the water over a tall cliff. Spitting Caves Hawaii is a hidden gem of East Oahu.

    Spitting Cave

    Oʻahu

    This impressive, little-known viewpoint is at the end of Lumahai St in Portlock, makai (toward the sea) from the traffic lights at the Koko Marina Center…

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Hana, Hawaii, Maui, North America, United States
Kahanu Gardens,  Hana, East Maui.

    Piʻilanihale Heiau & Kahanu Garden

    The Road to Hana

    Probably the most significant stop on the entire Road to Hana, this site combines a 294-acre ethnobotanical garden with the magnificent Piʻilanihale Heiau…

  • Gemini North Observatory on top of Mauna Kea mountain peak on Big Island of Hawaii, United States with deep blue sky and volcanic landscape.
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    Mauna Kea's Summit Area

    Maunakea

    At 13,796ft in the air, you are above 40% of the atmosphere and 90% of its water vapor – apparently perfect conditions for growing the giant mushroom-like…

  • The USS Arizona Memorial straddles the sunken hull of the battleship without touching it.

    USS Arizona Memorial

    Pearl Harbor & Leeward O‘ahu

    This somber memorial is one of the USA's most significant WWII sites, commemorating the Pearl Harbor attack and its fallen service members with an iconic…

  • Photo Taken In Kilauea, United States

    Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    The gloriously scenic wildlife refuge that marks the northernmost tip of the major Hawaiian islands protects both nesting seabirds on the coastal cliffs…

  • Makalawena Beach on Big Island Hawaii, USA, a beautiful remote white sand beach and turquoise water.; Shutterstock ID 1583199166; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI
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    Makalawena Beach

    Kona Coast

    If what you're after is an almost deserted, postcard-perfect scoop of soft, white-sand beach cupping brilliant blue-green waters, head to 'Maks.' Although…

  • Limahuli garden in Kauai, Hawaii.

    Limahuli Garden

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Perhaps the most beautiful spot on an island of unsurpassed beauty, this magnificent garden is a must-see stop on any North Shore itinerary. Besides…

  • A Hawaiian monk seal lounges on Ke'e Beach.

    Keʻe Beach

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Long renowned as one of the North Shore’s most glorious beaches, lovely Ke‘e Beach, beside the Kalalau trailhead at the end of Kuhio Hwy, has been given a…

  • National Tropical Botanical Garden

    Poʻipu

    Two superb gardens in lush Lawa‘i Valley, run by the National Tropical Botanical Garden, are open to visitors. Allerton Garden, spreading back from a…

  • Keawakapu Beach on Maui at sunset with lava rocks in foreground.
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    Keawakapu Beach

    Kihei

    From break of day to twilight, this sparkling stretch of sand is a showstopper. Extending from south Kihei to Wailea’s Mokapu Beach, Keawakapu is set back…

  • Kapalua beach bay, Maui, Hawaiian Islands - Aug 2019: Quiet, elegant, picturesque, Kapalua boasts beautiful seabed and ideal atmosphere for family vacation

    Kapalua Beach

    West Maui

    For a long day on the beach, it’s hard to beat this crescent-shaped strip at the southwestern tip of Kapalua. Snorkel in the morning, grab lunch at the…

  • Maniniowali Beach - Kua Bay, Big Island, Hawaii; Shutterstock ID 1467691745; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Kua Bay

    Kona Coast

    This sublime crescent-shaped white-sand beach is fronted by sparkling waters in alternating bands of pale cyan, deeper turquoise, and rich blue. Kua Bay…

  • View of the Napali Coast, Pu'u O Kila overlook, Waimea Canyon State Park, Koke'e State Park, Kauai, Hawaii

    Kokeʻe State Park

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Besides the two Na Pali lookouts at the end of the paved highway, Koke‘e State Park is the starting point for almost 50 miles of outstanding hiking trails…

  • Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

    Hawaiʻi the Big Island

    Even among Hawaii's many wonders, this national park stands out. Its two active volcanoes testify to the ongoing birth of the islands: quiet Mauna Loa (13…

  • Waiʻanapanapa State Park

    The Road to Hana

    Wai'anapanapa means 'glistening waters', and the clear mineral waters in the cave pools here will leave you feeling squeaky clean. There's a natural lava…

  • Hapuna Beach State Park, Big Island, Hawaii
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    Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

    South Kohala

    Hapuna Beach is world famous for its magnificent half-mile sweep of white powder sand and fabulously clear waters. In summer, waves are calm and allow…

  • drive up to the Jagged peaks in the valley of waimea canyon; Shutterstock ID 1789907294; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Waimea Canyon Drive

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    This magnificent scenic drive traces the entire length of Waimea Canyon’s western rim and continues into Kokeʻe State Park, climbing 19 miles from the…

  • Wailea beach, Hawaii

    Wailea Beach

    Kihei & South Maui

    Sunbathe like a celebrity at this sparkling strand, which fronts the swish Grand Wailea and ever-posh Four Seasons resorts and offers a full menu of water…

  • Hamoa Beach, Maui

    Hamoa Beach

    Hana & East Maui

    With its clear water, white sand and hala-tree backdrop, this famous crescent is a little gem; author James Michener once called it the only beach in the…

  • Red and yellow hawaiian canoe with outrigger on the beach at Hanalei pier at dawn as the sun lights the sky over Na Pali mountains
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    Black Pot Beach Park (Hanalei Pier)

    Hanalei

    The short easternmost stretch of Hanalei Bay, alongside the rivermouth, usually offers the calmest surf among the wild North Shore swells, and is popular…

  • Upper Waikani Falls also known as Three Bears, a trio of large waterfalls amid rocks & lush vegetation with a popular swimming hole, off the Road to Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii, USA
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    Three Bears Falls

    The Road to Hana

    Got your camera? This beauty takes its name from the triple cascade that flows down a steep rock face on the inland side of the road, 0.5 miles past the…

  • Lumahaʻi Beach

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Countless Kauaʻi locals consider Lumaha‘i their favorite beach on an island blessed with dozens of beauties. It’s utterly cinematic, with thick loamy sand…

  • Puu O Kila Lookout on the Napali Coast, Waimea Canyon State Park, Kauai, Hawaii; Shutterstock ID 1221867661; purchase_order: 65050; job: ; client: ; other:
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    Puʻu o Kila Lookout

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    A mile beyond the Kalalau Lookout, the paved park road dead-ends at the Pu‘u o Kila Lookout. The views of Kalalau Valley, plummeting 4000ft below, are…

  • Stunning aerial view into Waimea Canyon, Kauai, Hawaii
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    Waimea Canyon State Park

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Of all Kaua‘i’s wonders, none can touch Waimea Canyon for grandeur. Few would expect the island to hold such a gargantuan abyss of lava rock; popularly…

  • Kauapea (Secret) Beach

    Hanalei Bay & the North Shore

    Far from being ‘secret,’ must-see Kauapea Beach is renowned as one of the most breathtaking beaches on Kaua‘i. You won’t see it signposted, though, and…

  • Salt Pond Beach Park

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    One of Kaua‘i’s safest and loveliest-looking beaches, a favorite with local families, Salt Ponds owes its off-putting name to the separate saltwater flats…

  • Big Beach

    Kihei & South Maui

    The crowning glory of Makena State Park, this untouched beach is arguably the finest on Maui. In Hawaiian it’s called Oneloa, literally ‘Long Sand.’ And…

  • Makauwahi Cave Reserve

    Poʻipu

    This amazing natural site is also a paleontological treasure house. Seen from above, it’s a deep, circular sinkhole, possibly formed by the collapse of an…

  • Kealia Beach Park

    Kapaʻa & the Eastside

    Blessed with a wild, near-pristine location, a laid-back vibe and easy access via car or the coastal path, scenic Kealia is the Eastside's best beach…

  • Puʻuʻulaʻula (Red Hill) Overlook

    Haleakalā National Park

    You may find yourself standing above the clouds while exploring Puʻuʻulaʻula (10,023ft), Maui’s highest point. The summit building provides a top-of-the…

  • Paʻiloa Beach

    The Road to Hana

    The small beach here is a stunner – hands down the prettiest black-sand beach on Maui. Walk on down, sunbathe, enjoy. But if you jump in, be very cautious…

  • Awa‘awapuhi Lookout

    Waimea Canyon & the Westside

    Right at the end of the 3.1-mile Awa‘awapuhi Trail, this incredible overlook affords hard-earned views over a tortuous, sheer-walled valley that snakes…

  • Interior of Bishop Museum, main gallery with sperm whale hanging from ceiling.

    Bishop Museum

    Honolulu

    Hawaii’s version of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, the Bishop Museum showcases a remarkable array of cultural and natural history exhibits…

  • iolani palace honolulu hawaii usa

    ʻIolani Palace

    Honolulu

    No other place evokes a more poignant sense of Hawaii’s history. The palace was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. At that time, the Hawaiian…

  • The Honolulu Museum of Art

    Honolulu Museum of Art

    Honolulu

    This exceptional fine-arts museum is among the best of its kind anywhere. The collection is effectively a 'best of' summary of major art movements…