Big Island is one of the most visited islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and obviously offers a variety of accommodation. This includes hotels, vacation rentals and vacation resorts. Of all these types of accommodations, vacation resorts are mostly seen to be preferred by tourists. This is primarily due to the fact that vacation resorts offer almost everything that you could ask for within their boundaries. The benefits that attract visitors to these places are the high quality and efficient onsite service and various amenities and facilities that they are offered. When you make up your mind to look for a spot in a vacation resort for your next visit to the Big Island, make sure that you check what kinds of services and facilities it is offering you.

You could find different services, facilities and specialties for different vacation resorts, and all of them deliver their services in their unique manner. There are different types as well, such as golf vacation resorts, which offer you golf courses, as evident by their names, unlike other vacation resorts. Despite all the variety and specific features of all the vacation resorts on the Big Islands, there is a lot in common between them as well. No matter which vacation resort you select for you stay in the Big Island, you can be sure of getting certain facilities and services in each and every one of them.

There is hardly a vacation resort in the Big Island without a swimming pool. In fact, that is true for vacation resorts all across the Hawaiian Islands, as their slightly warm climate necessitates their presence. So you are sure to find a swimming pool wherever you get to make a reservation, and some of them even have multiple swimming pools in the same compound.

Another regular feature, which is common to all Big Island vacation resorts, is a restaurant. Just like the swimming pools, it is not uncommon to find multiple restaurants within single premises. These restaurants can range from casual to traditional sit-down restaurants, to bars. Apart from the traditional indoor bars, these vacation resorts offer the pleasant poolside bars, which are very well-placed to enhance your taste of the Hawaiian sun, with an appropriate drink.

Along with that, fitness centers also feature in almost all the vacation resorts. However, the size and the quality could vary with the particular vacation resort. The fitness centers, apart from offering the most commonly found fitness and exercise equipment, could also feature lap pools, hot tubs and even more activities. And most of them will entertain you any time of the day; they are usually open 24 hours.

The most favorite feature, which is featured on the majority of all quality vacation resorts, is a spa. Pampering yourself by indulging in your senses is probably the perfect way to spend a vacation. Nothing will relax you more than a massage after the lethargic traveling and the exhaustive sightseeing. Moreover, most of these spas are also offering all the services, which are provided by beauty salons. So you have all the more reasons to visit the spas, whether you want to have a pedicure or the relaxing stone massage therapy.

Many people cannot resist the thought of the beautiful golf courses, and you can find a few of them on the vacation resorts in the
Big Island. Mostly golf courses are offered by golf vacation resorts, which specialize in their services for the sport. However, one sport that you will easily find in almost all the vacation resorts is tennis. There are even vacation resorts that feature facilities for both the sports, so you can keep yourself busy in any one of them that you feel like playing.

Vacation resorts are perfect for those who dont like extensive and repetitive traveling, and who are looking for most, if not all of their activities, in one single place. And the facilities that have been just mentioned are sure to attract most of the tourists that seek to spend a relaxing and soothing vacation in Hawaii, with a touch of a little sociability as well. However, since each vacation resort could differ from the other in its services, you want to make sure you get what you want before finalizing your reservation. Take a little time out and research the available vacation resorts in Hawaii to enjoy your vacation in the most relaxing manner.

The most famous of all of the Hawaiian beaches are the Waikiki Beach and the Kailua Beach in Oahu. The island of Maui also features beautiful beaches along with attractive outdoor activities like biking and whale watching, while also featuring a couple of dormant volcanoes for those keen on sighting natural wonders.

Most of the visitors often select Honolulu as their primary destination for their visit, being the capital and the most developed city of the state. Honolulu is a tourist haven, offering a variety of options when it comes to outdoor and adventure activities, such as swimming, surfing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing and even swimming with dolphins. Waikiki Beach, which holds the reputation of being the best beach in the world, is another reason for tourists to be magnetized to the city. Furthermore, it also features the Waikiki Aquariums, the Honolulu Botanical Gardens and the Honolulu Zoo. Enjoy nature at its purest on the hiking trails of Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, where you come across one of the most peaceful experiences in your life, as you witness the flora and fauna of the islands at its most preserved and purest form. For those who value history and remembrance, could also visit the USS Arizona Memorial at the Pearl Harbor.

After Honolulu, maybe the most popular spot which sees tourists crowding the most is the island of Maui. Maui uniquely features the largest national park in the whole world, something visitors close to nature should not miss. But as far as those who crave Hawaiian beaches are concerned, the West Shore features one of the finest in Hawaii. While at the East Shore, the Hookipa Beach Park offers you the experience of the best windsurfing and surfing in the whole world. Take a dip by booking your place on the Molokini Snorkel Cruise, which also allows you to visit the stunning half-submerged volcanic crater, which lets you witness one of the most amazing sites you will ever come across in your entire life, the most beautiful and unique marine life spectacles on Earth. Maui also is perfect for whale watching, as humpbacks frequent the coastal areas between December to mid-May. You could also visit the historical town of Lahaina, which features a few museums and a taste of Hawaiian culture you will love to remember.

One of the best accommodations that you will find in Oahu is the Doubletree Alana Waikiki, with comfy rooms and a high quality and efficient room service for a very economical cost. It offers the finest cuisine in Hawaii at its Padovanis restaurant, and is right next to the beautiful Waikiki Beach.

In the island of Maui, one of the most popular places to stay is the Pineapple Inn. The place is small, but one of the most attractive ones as well, as it offers the most dazzling views of the ocean with beautiful and lush tropical gardens. The place just offers four rooms in a cottage, so it is a quiet and private spot to choose. Every room features a kitchenette, so you can do your own cooking if you like, and enjoy your vacations the way you want.

This following guide will help you to select the appropriate Hawaiian islands to visit according to the activity that you want to pursue. Although you will find an activity present in almost all of the 6 major and most frequently visited islands in one form or another, but this article will enable you to find that activity at its best in Hawaii.
These recommendations are actually based on the valued opinion of many visitors and on our research of these locations.

The Best Beaches

1. Maui – Red Sand Beach (Hana)
2. The Big Island – Punaluu Black Sand Beach
3. The Big Island – Mahana Green Sand (Seasonal)

Surfing Destinations (Advanced Level) (Seasonal)

1. Oahu – North Shore
2. Kauai – Hanalei Bay
3. Maui – Honolua Bay

Surfing Destinations (Novice Level) (Seasonal)

1. Oahu – Waikiki
2. Kauai – Kalapaki Beach
3. Maui – Launiupoko Park

Windsurfing & Kite Surfing Destinations

1. Maui – Hookipa Beach Park (Advanced Level)
2. Maui – Kanaha Beach (Novice Level)
3. Oahu – Kailua Beach

Best Scuba Diving Destinations

1. Maui – Molokini
2. Maui – Lanai Coast
3. The Big Island – West Coast

Best Snorkeling Experience

1. Oahu – Haunama Bay
2. Maui – Kaanapali (Black Rock)
3. Kauai – Lydgate Beach & Tunnels

Top Natural Wonders

1. Kauai – Na Pali Coast
2. The Big Island – Kilauea Volcano
3. Maui or Lanai – whale watching (seasonal)

Best Hiking Tracks

1. Kauai – Na Pali Coast (seasonal)
2. Kauai – Waimea Canyon
3. The Big Island – Mt. Kilauea

Best Nude Sunbathing Beaches

1. Maui – Little Beach in Makena
2. The Big Island – Various Locations
3. Kauai – Secret Beach in Kilauea

The Most Colorful Nightlife

1.Oahu Waikiki
2.Maui Lahaina
3.The Big Island Kailua Kona

The Best Places To Shop

1. Oahu – Aloha Market & Waikiki
2. Maui – Lahaina
3. Big Island – Kailua Kona

Hawaii is home to one of the most spectacular and breath-taking natural wonders and scenic beauty, and is famous for rewarding its visitors to experience priceless natural phenomena and marvels.

One such wonder is whale-watching. Humpback Whales gather to mate in the temperate waters of the Pacific around Hawaii, migrating some good 4,000 miles all over from Alaska, their summer feeding haven. Whales tend to increase their activity during mating, and that causes them to make a lot of surface appearances. Whale moves like breaching and tail-slaps provide scenes that are awaited by enthusiastic whale watchers all over the year.

As a local Hawaiian and a keen whale-watcher myself, allow me to offer five useful tips to you, which will ensure your whale watching experience in Hawaii to be a thing to remember.

1. Plan Your Trip During Whale-Watching Months

The arrival of the Humpbacks commences in the month of November, and they do not return back to Alaska before May starts. Plan your tour to Hawaii between these months, even more so in February and March, during which the activity of the whales is at its peak. You will easily spot whales, with some nice potential shots for the photographers. If you havent yet made your plan for Hawaii, remember to do so in the mentioned months.

2. Be at the Right Places

Another important factor is to be at the right places and right islands in order to get better views. Kauai, Maui and the Big Island are the favorites of whale-watchers. You can see some whales from Oahu too, but not as much as from the former three.

3. Take A Boat Tour

It is a natural coincidence that a popular tourist spot as Hawaii also serves as the natural habitat for the Humpback Whales, which actually allows visitors to witness a show arranged by nature herself. But you can get unimaginably close and of course, better views if you take a boat tour. The Humpback Whales are curious animals and always approach a boat, offering you almost a pleasant close encounter with the wonderful creatures.

You can find a lot of boat tours on the Lahaina Harbor all through the day during the whale-watching seasons. Whale-watching is also pretty organized in Kauai and the Big Island, and tours are arranged with schedules, which also feature expert guides that enrich your whale-watching experience by the relevant knowledge.

However, if youre not the boating type, you can even enjoy the whale-watching experience from the shore. But in order to get the best possible views from land, you need to choose some really good spots. Some of such locations on the Kauai island are the Kealia Lookout, the Kilauea Lighthouse, and many of the high spots on the coastline. Once you settle into a nice spot with all your optics focused, you can relish the joys of witnessing the spectacular spouting water plumes and the playful moves of the enormous creatures.

4. Take Care to Respect Their Space

Whale-watching can be a fun activity, but remember that it involves living creatures, and there are strict rules and ethics that regulate it in order to protect the freedom and safety of these beautiful creatures. Any observer is not allowed to get within a distance of 100 yards from the whale, whether by boat or by swimming. However there is no such rule that can prevent whales from getting closer, but experienced Hawaiian guides and tour leaders exactly have the idea of how to interact with and approach these peaceful creatures, and to encourage them to feel safe and come closer.

5. Take Care to Preserve the Species

Due to the unrestrained and unethical practice of mass commercial whaling during the early half of the 20th century, the Humpback Whales almost saw extinction staring in the eye by 1966. As you are reading these lines, there are roughly 30,000 to 40,000 Humpbacks around the world. Federal Legislation is made to protect the creatures, but the real difference is made if every individual understands his or her responsibility, and to help preserve these magnificent creatures, so that the generations to come can enjoy whale-watching, just like we do. You could take care of the following:

Only be a part of responsible whale-watching groups or activities
Keep the beach clean and never dispose off any debris to the beach and the sea. Support groups that work against illegal whaling & stop buying related products. Support relevant legislation, preservation programs and research meant for this purpose. Support and donate to environment friendly organizations and groups

Hawaii whale-watching is as close as you can possibly get to these amazing creatures without being a researcher or a biologist. There is one thing reading about it in books, and watching it on TV, but it is entirely different living the experience yourself. There is no reason why you shouldnt try. Its perfectly safe, is a fun-filled activity for the whole family. It could be one of the greatest reasons that attract you to the shores of Hawaii.