Say Aloha To Hawaii

Once upon a time, the Polynesians sailed the seas in their large canoes in search of land and in pursuit of adventure. They found the Hawaiian Islands and made these beautiful islands their home. In the late 18th century, American trading vessels, too, came across Hawaii, and after many years of turbulence, tourists discovered the astounding beaches of the Hawaiian Islands. From then on, it has been and will be, a tourists' paradise. We are going to tell you about Hawaii, and then we will clue you on how to plan a cheap vacation - if you want to see this paradise at astoundingly cheap rates.

Hawaii is made up of four main islands Oahu, Maui, Big Island and Kauai - and that is why people refer to it as Hawaiian Islands. The focus of a traveler will be on Oahu and Maui, and here is their brief description:

Oahu Oahu can be said to be the "city" in Hawaii - full of metropolitan people and sporting a cosmopolitan lifestyle, Oahu houses about 75% of Hawaii's population. Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and Waikiki are in Oahu and life in Oahu is just like any other big city.

You would have guessed by now that Pear Harbor and Waikiki are the big tourist hooks - but there are other great tourist spots too: For example, Hanauma Bay is a well-known snorkeling address across the world; Sea Life Park is full of rich species of marine life, and there are many other attractions as well.

You may be planning a cheap vacation to Hawaii, but, remember, you need to be in Oahu for 2-3 days, at least, to soak it in.

Maui It's hard to describe Maui - to the elite traveler, it appears as chic and sophisticated; to the economy traveler, it's a hip, rugged place. Whatever angle you look at Maui, it meets your expectations of a great travel destination!

The attractions are manifold - you can bike down a volcano, or go whale spotting (in the winter),or even drive a sea vehicle through exotic sea life habitat! Of course, the usual stuff's there too - windsurfing, chopper rides, golf, partying, blah, blah.

Maui's USP is its natural beauty, its volcano (Haleakala), the national park, and the raw fact that Maui was formed when it emerged from the sea because of volcanic activity! Like Oahu, you need to stay in Maui for at least 2-3 days to get a grip on it.

Besides these, the Big Island of Hawaii (which is the youngest place on Earth) and Kauai (famous for its raw scenic unhindered beauty - Kauai does not have any high-rises and development is minimal) will take up the rest of your vacation.