Hawaii lies approximately in the middle of the North Pacific, 19 ° – 28 ° northeastern latitude and 154 ° – 178 ° west longitude. There are 8 larger and more than 100 small islands. The land area is 16.700 sq km. Flag Hawaii

The islands have about 1.2 million inhabitants. Of these, about 20% are Hawaiians. The population density is 70 inhabitants per square kilometer. It is spoken American and Hawaiian. About 400,000 people live in the capital, Honolulu. The islands are Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii (Big Island).

The islands are geologically still very young and caused by volcanic eruptions. These eruptions continue until today. On the southernmost and largest island of Hawaii you can convince yourself of the activity of the volcanoes.

The islands are characterized by the volcanoes characteristically. There are heavily folded and green mountains and waterfalls in the interior as well as steep cliffs on the coasts.

economy
The Hawaiians live mainly from tourism, the military and agriculture.

politics
Hawaii is a state of the US with a governor as head of state and two legislative chambers (House of Representatives and Senate).

currency
Payment is made with the US dollar.

Hawaii has a tropical mild climate. The temperatures are balanced and are between 23 ° C and 28 ° C throughout the year.

The weather is mainly influenced by the trade winds, which mainly come from the northeast. As a result, the north and east coasts have an abundant rainfall with extensive rainfall.

The island areas to the south and west, however, are characterized by a dry and sunny climate. The largest amount of precipitation occurs on the island of Kauai (Mount Waialeale) with 1200 cm in the year.

On the high mountain slopes of the islands, the clouds are caught and rain down there. There are no distinct seasons in the archipelago. The summer can be recognized by the fact that the sun is higher in the sky and it is a little warmer.

The trade winds blow a bit more stable in the summer. The winters are a few degrees cooler and you notice that the sun is a bit lower.

travel time
The “Best Time to Travel” for the Hawaii Archipelago is year round. The sun is abundant throughout the year. For the wave surfers the best time to travel is winter, because then the waves are highest.

For the windsurfers, the best time to travel is the summer, because then the trade winds are the most reliable. So everyone gets his rights.

What should be considered, however, are the high season between Christmas and New Year until mid-January, because then many hotels are quite booked.

Native land animals are bats and birds, and the birds are rich in biodiversity. But like everywhere else on our planet, the number of endangered species is increasing faster and faster. The Hawaiian goose (Nene) is at home in the lava rocks. Of course, there are also insects and other small animals. Hawaii is malaria free. In addition, the imported animals such as horses, dogs, goats and cows are present.

The Pacific, however, offers a much greater biodiversity of marine animals. Unlike our European waters, the ecosystem around the Hawaiian Islands is still well preserved. In the coral reefs around the islands a variety of reef inhabitants can be found. There are colorful reef fish such as the butterflyfish and the parrotfish. Funny we found the name of a colorful pike reef fish named “Humuhumunukunukuapuaa”. A true tongue twister. On the beaches you can find various types of crabs digging their holes here.

In addition, there are sea anemones, starfish and sea cucumbers in the reefs. Mussels are found in a wide variety of genera and species. In the deeper waters many different species of dolphins and whales can be seen.

In the winter months humpback whales frolic thousands of miles off the coasts of Hawaii. They are most commonly found between the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. For the tourists Walwatching – Trips are offered from the boat. The humpback whales are up to 15 meters long. The whales are in these waters during the winter months to mate and then move north again towards the end of winter. The following year, you come back here to give birth to your young.

Other occurring sea creatures are swordfish, marlin, grouper, shark, barracuda, bonito, tuna, and mackerel, but the list need not be exhaustive. Incidentally, the sharks are also found near the coast due to the lack of external reefs. The far out swimming in the open sea is therefore not dangerous for humans.

Threatened habitats – is paradise dying?
The ecosystems are found in Hawaii in the smallest space. Bald steppes lie alongside tropical rainforests and lava deserts border sandy beaches with coral reefs. Through these different zones, the Hawaiian Islands have developed an incomparable flora and fauna.

However, this paradise is also severely threatened. Due to the ever more rapidly spreading mass tourism and the associated urban sprawl and development of the islands, many plant and animal species no longer have sufficient living space.

A negative example of this can be found on the island of Oahu. In Honolulu, industrial air and water pollution has displaced many plant and animal species. The deforestation of the forests, the exhaustion of natural water reserves and the aggressive land development with monocultures as well as the construction of hotel complexes, resort facilities and golf courses contribute significantly to the dying of biodiversity. You can clearly see the effects of looking at the environment with your eyes open.

When do we start to rethink people?

Due to the isolated location of the Hawaiian Islands, a large number of endemic plant species has developed. They only occur here in the Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawaiian Islands are therefore a treasure trove for botanists. Around 2,400 higher plant species grow here. However, the vast majority of these are found in the less accessible high valleys and cliff regions.

Probably the most common plant is the hibiscus, which occurs in about 5000 species. The yellow hibiscus is also the official flower of the state of Hawaii.

In the caldera, the crater basin of the volcanoes, grows one of the rarest plants of our planet, the Silversword.

The Kukui Tree or Candle Nut Tree is the state tree of Hawaii.

Many other plants were originally introduced by the Polynesian settlers. These include the coconut tree, sugar cane, yams, taro and breadfruit.

The White Settlers brought the pineapple, sugar cane, melons, citrus, kaffir and macadamia nuts for cultivation.

Threatened habitats – is paradise dying?
The ecosystems are found in Hawaii in the smallest space. Bald steppes lie alongside tropical rainforests and lava deserts border sandy beaches with coral reefs. Through these different zones, the Hawaiian Islands have developed an incomparable flora and fauna.

However, this paradise is also severely threatened. Due to the ever more rapidly spreading mass tourism and the associated urban sprawl and development of the islands, many plant and animal species no longer have sufficient living space.

A negative example of this can be found on the island of Oahu. In Honolulu, industrial air and water pollution has displaced many plant and animal species.

The deforestation of the forests, the exhaustion of natural water reserves and the aggressive land development with monocultures as well as the construction of hotel complexes, resort facilities and golf courses contribute significantly to the dying of biodiversity. You can clearly see the effects of looking at the environment with your eyes open.

Hawaii belongs to the culture of Polynesia and forms with New Zealand and the Easter Island the Polynesian triangle. The word Polynesia is derived from the Greek language and means “many islands”. The language and culture of the Polynesian Islands have their origins in the islands of Tonga and Samoa. From here, the remaining islands of Polynesia were settled. It was not until about 300 AD, the Hawaiian Islands were populated by the Marquesas. A second settlement wave reached the islands around 1000 AD from Tahiti and the Society Islands. From this time comes the ancient Hawaiian culture.

Hawaii HistoryThis settlement was an amazing achievement, considering that there is a distance of 5000 km between Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands. This route over the open sea was mastered with pritivious canoes. The sea-tight sailing canoes made of hollowed-out tree trunks consisted of a double hull or a hull with a jib. Above this, a platform was built on which small shelters and fire pits were built.

Nourished during the month-long crossing of coconuts and fish. The canoes could carry up to one hundred people. A replica of these boats can be visited in the harbor of Honolulu. With this replica in 1977 they undertook a trip from Hawaii to Tahiti and sailed back to Hawaii via New Zealand. This was to prove that in former times it was quite possible to cover 17000 km. By the way, this company was successful and passed the test.

The social system was based on feudal systems with chief aristocracy. The so-called “Alii” formed the nobility classes that ruled over the rest of the people. The chiefs were both the supreme leaders in warfare and the judges in peaceful times. The chiefs had the position of kings and ruled the respective islands. The Hawaiians originally lived in extended families.

According to Polynesian mythology, the world and humans were created by several gods. These fathered demigods, who in turn begat people. The gods were offered sacrifices made of food, animals and sometimes human beings. The sacrificial sites, the “Heiaus” were built of lava rocks and remains of some of these sites can still be visited on the islands today.

The Hawaiian craftsmanship had a high level. Unfortunately, it was not far-reaching and what you get to buy today on the islands is usually tourist kitsch. The original songs and dances were the focus of Polynesian culture. Unfortunately, not much has been handed down from this. The tourist depictions of the Hula are more of a reference to Disneyland today.

Hawaii was discovered on January 18, 1778, more than a thousand years after the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers, by James Cook.

When James Cook returns to Hawaii a year later, he hangs out on Hawaii Big Island. By accident, Cook had chosen one of the holiest places for his landing. Hawaii – James CookAt this time, the Hawaiians were celebrating a feast in honor of the god Lono. The Hawaiians consider James Cook to be this god. In a two-week festival, they pay homage to him. Afterwards, Cook leaves the island of Big Island and gets into a hurricane with his ships. Heavy damage to the ships forces him to return to Hawaii. Surprised that such a calamity can happen to a deity, the mood is changing among the Hwaiians. During the stay of Cook it comes to theft and also a dinghy is stolen. On February 13, 1779, James Cook goes ashore with armed men to capture the chief. Cook and four of his men are brutally slaughtered in a skirmish.

For the natives, the discovery by the whites had fatal consequences. Due to introduced diseases, the population was decimated from 600,000 to 40,000 within a period of 100 years.

The Warchief of the Big Island, Kamehameha I, unites after long bloody battles all islands to a kingdom. He proves to be a benevolent ruler, who strives for the traditions of the people. After his death, his widow abolishes all taboos and opens the island empire to Western influences. One year later, the first white missionaries on the Big Island go ashore. Soon, the islands are Christianized, the missionaries and their descendants take over important political and economic positions in the kingdom.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Hawaiian Islands became the port of call for whole whaling fleets that hunted whales in the North Pacific for use as lamp fuel for whale oil. Around 1870, the era was replaced by the use of petroleum as a fuel. In the mid-19th century, the islands were discovered for the sugar cane industry. By the end of the 19th century, this industry became Hawaii’s largest economy, with some 400,000 immigrants coming mainly from China, Japan and the Philippines as laborers to the islands.

The first Protestant missionaries came in 1820 from the US East Coast to Hawaii. They were later followed by Catholics, Mormons and other missionaries with different assignments. This brought to an end the sometimes barbarous Hawaiian customs and rites. However, the proselytizing also wiped out much of the Hawaiian culture by stamping and banning primitive dances and songs as immoral. A resurrection of these ancient cultures has only recently begun to develop through the development of tourism.

By 1920, the Japanese made up a quarter of the voting population of Hawaii. Japan’s increasing influence, including in economic terms, increasingly led to conflicts between Japan and America. During the Second World War, Japan had already brought large parts of the Western Pacific under his rule. This prompted the US to impose embargo on Japan and cut off supplies of important commodities such as oil, ore and steel.

Thus cornered attack Japanese bombers in the early morning of December 7, 1941, surprisingly and without any warning, the American base Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. Here is except for the aircraft carrier almost the entire Pacific Fleet of the United States. Hawaii – HistoryWith six aircraft carriers, the Japanese have approached Hawaii, turning off their air defenses first, and then bombing and torpedoing the ships at Pearl Harbor. The battleship Arizona is hit so hard that it sinks immediately with over 1000 men on board. The wreck will not be lifted later and the bodies will not be recovered. Above the wreck is still the Arizona Memorial Memorial. During the Japanese attack also sink the battleships Oklahoma, California, West Virginia, Nevada and Utah and 4 other battleships are badly damaged. Within 2 hours, nearly the entire American fleet was destroyed. This attack marks the beginning of World War II for Hawaii and America. President Roosevelt declared this day the “Day of Infamy”. It was followed by an unparalleled arms race and the Americans pushed the Japanese back to their home islands in the following years. Due to the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, the war was ended in 1945.

After a referendum in 1959 Hawaii is declared the 50th state of the United States of America. In the same year, the first jet plane lands – the age of mass tourism begins.

In 1983, the population of the islands exceeds the 1 million mark.

Hurricane Iniki devastates the island of Kauai on 12/13 September 1992 at wind speeds of up to 280 km / h. The reconstruction takes several years.

After a decline in visitor numbers during the economic crisis in the early 1990s, tourist numbers in 1999 have since grown back to around 7 million tourists in Hawaii – many of them from Japan and other Asian countries.

The range of different restaurants is as diverse as the mix of the population. You will find something for every taste. The restaurants offer Chinese, Italian, Greek, French and typical American cuisine. The Hawaiian kitchen we have long searched but not found. The large hotels offer a mix of Hawaiian and American cuisine upon request.

There are all American fast food companies to be found. Here the fast feeding takes place in the American way. The steak houses serve steaks, fish and lobster, buffet salads, spaghetti and Mexican dishes.

According to the American model, it is important to observe some rules of conduct that are not necessarily self-evident to Europeans: when entering the restaurant, you wait until a seat is allocated. Do not sit at the table with strangers. Smokers are assigned separate smoking areas. Outside these zones smoking is not allowed. A tip of 15% is expected, which is usually not included in the bill.

Loose clothing and shorts are worn in the regular restaurants, while the upmarket restaurants wear long trousers and a shirt. For a table reservation, which is common in good restaurants, you should ask for the dress code.

Cocktails are popular with Americans and are even drunk for dinner. The Mai Tai, a typical Hawaiian cocktail, is available everywhere and should be tasted at least once.

Below we have put together a small selection of recommended restaurants that we have also tested ourselves:

On Maui you will find a variety of restaurants, but most are very overpriced. The many luxury hotels and the high number of tourists on the island contributed to this development. Often, however, early bird dinner (until 19.00 clock) offered at cheaper prices.

The Lahaina Treehouse was built around a tree and is located at Market Place, 126 Lahainaluna Rd. In Lahaina – Tel: 667 9224. Here you can get seafood in every imaginable way. The quality is fresh and the prices are moderate.

Gerard’s in Lahaina (picture in the upper image bar and in the photo gallery) offers excellent French cuisine. Served in small separate rooms in the house or on the porch, where you sit in cozy wicker chairs. Only Hawaiian products are used, mainly fish from local waters.

The restaurant is an absolute must because only because of the unusual and comfortable atmosphere. We visited it several times and the quality and service were always consistently good. The prices are in the upper category. By the way, a breakfast buffet is offered. You should definitely book for dinner, as the restaurant is often fully booked. Address: 176 Lahainaluna Street, Lahaina – Tel: 661 8939

Daniel Paul’s Lahaina Grill at the historic Lahaina Hotel in Lahaina also serves good food.

On Front Street in Lahaina you will find the Longhi’s to go to see and be seen. Here meets both the scene as well as locals and tourists. The audience is mixed. and there is something for every age group. There is live music on the weekends. The price level is in the middle category.