Hawaii Travel Guide
Hawaii - The most unusual state of the United States became a state in 1959, the 50th on the account. The archipelago of Hawaii consists of eight main islands, which are the vertices of a chain of volcanic mountains. Among them are active volcanoes: Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The name of the state, according to one version, comes from the Hawaiian word «Owhyhee».
The area of the state is of nearly 11 thousand square miles, and the population is some 1.2 million people. Hawaii is also called «Aloha state». Aloha both welcomes arrivals and blesses upon departure.
The stripes on the flag symbolize the eight Hawaiian Islands. The Colors are similar to flag colors of the U.S. flag. In the upper left corner of the flag is a small British flag that symbolizes the friendship of the State of Hawaii with the British. The fact of the matter is that Hawaii was seized by US business interests from the monarchy of Hawaii. The incident of grabbing Hawaii and joining the USA was done in the shadows of international imperialism where the alternative benefactors would have been either German, British or French. Given the alternatives, it was a marriage made in heaven.
Hawaii is called «The Aloha State», «aloha» - this is a friendly greeting, converted from Hawaiian to English. The motto of the state of Hawaii is as follows: Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono, which means «The life of the earth is infinite in its virtue» (The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness).
The state flower is the hibiscus flower, and the state tree, the Candlenut.
The capital city of Honolulu is a large city. Hilo, Kailua, Kaneohe, Pearl City, Mililani, are others. Honolulu - the largest and the most developed city of Hawaii. In 2004, Honolulu took first prize in the International Awards for Livable Communities (this is a competition between the big cities for the title of the living, actively growing city, the organizer - the UN). This year, the final published 48 cities, and the commission awarded the Golden Prize to the city of Honolulu.
What to do in Hawaii
Swim, surf and sunbathe and enjoy the local nature! But if you get tired lying on the beach or cooking under the sun, you can visit local attractions, which are very numerous. For example:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – The ancient volcanoes are about 70 million years old! The Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth at a height of more than 4 thousand meters
Honolulu Zoo - Zoo capital, a huge area covered with luxuriant vegetation. Here you can see the Nene bird, which is one of the symbols of the state.
The Sea Life Park is located in Waimanalo on the coast near Makapuu Beach. There are theater performances with dolphins, sea lions and penguins.
Bernice P. Bishop Museum: Located in Honolulu, it is a museum of history and culture of Hawaii opened in 1988. It has a fabulous exhibit explaining the culture of the Navigator.
USS Arizona Memorial - (Honolulu), a memorial built on the remains of a warship USS Arizona sunk during the Japanese bombings, December 7, 1941. It was a serious disaster in the history of the United States navy that gave President Roosevelt the political strength to enter the War against Japan.
Polynesian Cultural Center - located on the north part of Oahu. There are various shows that tell about the seven Polynesian cultures.