Hawaii Holidays

Described as Hawaii’s tastiest occasion, the Big Island Chocolate Festival takes place on the last weekend in April each year. Held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa with tickets starting at just $99, this two-day event invites visitors to sample delicious treats, witness fantastic chocolate sculptures, and learn the secrets of chefs from across the state. Several VIP experiences are available, including gala parties and stay packages. Speak with our Travel Specialists to plan your sweet spring stay on the Big Island.

“Hula is the language of the heart,” said Kalākaua Rex, affectionately known as the Merrie Monarch. Since 1964, the week after Easter, an annual festival has been held to honour the legacy of this cherished royal. Taking place in Hilo on the east coast of the Big Island, the celebration features a collection of free events for locals and visitors, including art markets, beauty contests, and - of course - hula competitions. The final Saturday is a showcase which begins with the Merrie Monarch Royal Parade and finishes with an evening award ceremony.

The largest in the archipelago, Hawaii’s eponymous isle is also the most recently formed – so it’s the best place to see Mother Nature’s dramatic displays. On Big Island’s eastern side, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a must-visit. You’ll be able to see lava fields, steaming crevasses and even molten lava, which oozes out of Kilauea – Hawaii’s most active volcano. Walk along the national park’s trails, or glide above the landscape on an exhilarating helicopter tour.

Naturally, Hawaii holidays always involve some beach time. Big Island’s shores are carpeted in powdery sands, while the ocean offers plenty of opportunities for snorkelling and swimming. You can relax on Hapuna Beach – the largest on the island – or head to the black sands of Punaluu Beach to watch green sea turtles come ashore. Want to get your adrenaline pumping? Visit Hanolii Beach Park or Magic Sands Beach Park to enjoy surfing and other watersports.
More adventures await inland. You can go zip-lining through the rainforest, follow walking trails across lava fields, explore rich forests, and go star-gazing on dormant volcano Mauna Kea.

There’s plenty more to see beyond Hawaii’s Big Island. Maui is the second-biggest isle, followed by Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and Lani.

Both Maui and Oahu are very popular for Hawaii holidays. The former is famous for its tropical beaches and stunning Iao Valley State Park, which is sacred to the Hawaiian people. Oahu, meanwhile, is considered to be the ‘Heart of Hawaii’ – it’s the most populous isle and where you’ll find the state capital, Honolulu. On Oahu, you can stroll along world-famous Waikiki Beach, visit Pearl Harbor, and enjoy all sorts of activities, ranging from golf and cycling, to surfing and parasailing.

Or why not explore one of Hawaii’s smaller isles? The ‘Garden Island’ of Kauai boasts jungle-clad mountains and lush valleys – which you might recognise from Jurassic Park – while its towns have a charming, laidback feel. Rustic Molokai gives you a brilliant insight into Hawaiian culture, while petite Lani serves up top golf courses, rugged nature reserves and tucked-away beaches.

Hawaii holidays are ideal for explorers, as you can discover a variety of natural landscapes. But if you really want to get under the skin of this archipelago, a Hawaii multi-centre holiday is the best way to do it. You could fly into Honolulu and spend some time on Oahu’s beaches and golf courses, before continuing on to exotic Maui. Or, if you’re keen to marvel at Hawaii’s volcanic wonders, why not combine Big Island and Oahu into one trip?

If you want to see more of the USA, you could enjoy a few days in California – our Travel Specialists can easily tailor your trip to you. Fly home via Los Angeles to tick off the sights of Hollywood and Beverly Hills, or spend a couple of days in San Francisco exploring Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Thanks to Hawaii’s equatorial position, temperatures remain between 23°C and 27°C all year round. The sea is warm throughout the year, too, so there’s never a bad time to plan your holiday. That said, August and September are the hottest months, while November is usually the wettest month.

It’s also worth knowing that the islands’ west coasts are generally drier than the east coasts.
If you’re a keen surfer, consider booking your Hawaii trip for winter – between November and March – when the waves are at their highest. It’s often too choppy for swimming in the sea at this time of year though, so if you’re not fussed about surfing, April to September is the best time to visit Hawaii. You can swim and snorkel in the ocean, and unwind on the sun-soaked shores. Alternatively, if whale-watching is top of your to-do list, plan your Hawaii holiday to coincide with the Pacific humpback whale migration, which occurs between November and April.