If you like the outdoors, there’s no shortage of things to do in Hawai‘i. Hiking, cycling, surfing, snorkeling, diving, swimming, stand-up paddling, kayaking, outrigger canoeing, wildlife-watching, paragliding, horseback riding, ziplining, shark-diving and deep-sea fishing are just some of the activities available. You can cycle down the flanks of a volcano, ride a motorcycle on one of the curviest roads in America, or kitesurf into the teeth of strong trade winds.
Zipline at Botanical World Adventures
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Hawai‘i by air
Hawai‘i has everything from sky-diving to paragliding and ziplining. On Oahu, take a seaplane tour with Island Seaplanes (http://islandseaplane.com) on Lagoon Drive, or head across the street to Novictor for a tour by helicopter (http://novictorhelicopters.com). On Kauai, check out the Na Pali Coast from the air on a flight-seeing tour with Wings Over Kauai. Blue Hawaiian (http://bluehawaiian.com) offers trips on all four of the major islands.
Ziplining has become another big draw on the islands, with a number of facilities sprouting up. On Maui, Pi‘iholo Ranch has built a spectacular zipline course. On Kauai, a number of outfitters offer the same sort of amenities; Back Country Kauai combines ziplining with inner-tubing down the open-air canals of a former sugar cane plantation (www.kauaibackcountry.com). On Oahu, Kualoa Ranch (www.kualoa.com) allows you to zipline across Kaaawa Valley, where Jurassic Park was filmed.
Cycling
Hawai‘i is known for cycling, in part because Kona is home to the Ironman World Championships, however, there’s another great ride anyone can do: down the slopes of a volcano. This adrelin-fueled pastime is perhaps most popular on Maui, where a number of outfitters lead early-morning trips down the slopes of Haleakala. One of the best is Bike Maui (http://bikemaui.com), whose trips include pick-up and drop-off from their store in Haiku. One word of caution: the majority of rides occur alongside automobile traffic, and cycling on any of the major roads is not recommended for children.
Fishing
Hawaii is world-famous for big-game fishing, especially for catches taken off the Kona Coast of the Big Island. World-class fishing tournaments held there each summer draw competitive game fishermen from across the globe. One of the biggest is the Hawaii International Billfish Tournament. Charter trips, on which attendants take you to their secret lucky spots and teach you their methods, include Sea Wife Charters (http://seawifecharters.com) located in Kona; several charters also depart from Lahaina and Ma‘alaea on Maui, and Kewalo Basin on Oahu.
Sliding Sands Trail
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Hiking
Hawaii is a hiker’s paradise. You could hike a different trail every day for a year in Hawai‘i and probably still have a few more months’ worth after that. Local groups estimate the state boasts more than 3,000 miles (4,828km) of hiking trails, ranging from easy to moderate to hard. The 11-mile (18km) Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali Coast on Kauai is considered one of the best backcountry hikes in the United States, and usually requires two or three overnights to get from the trailhead near Ke‘e Beach to the Kalalau Valley.
Another epic hike: the climb up Koko Head, on Oahu. It’s not the length of this trail that presents a challenge for hikers (it’s only 1.5 miles/2.4km long). Instead, it’s the elevation gain: the trail includes more than 1,000 steps as it climbs 1,600ft (488 meters). On Maui and Hawai‘i islands, just about any hike on national park land will be fulfilling. On Lanai, in places like the fire-red Garden of the Gods, you can feel as if you are on another planet.
Learning to surf in Waikiki
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Water sports
Considering Hawaii is surrounded by water, it’s no surprise that the islands are a great place to engage in water sports. Each place has its own specialty. Windsurfing is popular at Kailua Beach on Oahu and Ho‘okipa Beach on Maui, and can be learned in a variety of windsurfing schools. Kiteboarding is similar but with a smaller board so athletes can do flips and other tricks. The Kiteboarding School of Maui (http://ksmaui.com), located in Kahului, was the first kiteboarding school in the world.
Diving also is incredibly popular in Hawai‘i and is particularly good around Hawai‘i Island, which has almost no soil to create runoff, leaving the water crystal clear. Snorkeling also is a favorite pastime in the islands. On Maui, a plethora of outfitters offer trips to places such as Molokini to snorkel; Pride of Maui (www.prideofmaui.com) is among the most reputable.
The Hawaiian Islands are considered to be the birthplace of modern surfing, which makes Hawaii a great place to hang ten. Amateurs usually opt for calmer spots: Waikiki Beach on Oahu, Poipu Beach on Kauai, Kahalu‘u Beach Park near Kailua on Hawaii Island, and off Lahaina on Maui. Surf schools operate in all four of these latter spots; average lessons last 1–2 hours and cost anywhere from $95 to $150.