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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- North America
- United States of America
- Hawaii
- Big Island
Big Island
The youngest and largest of the Hawaiian Islands, the island of
Hawaii (known as Big Island to avoid confusion) is one of the few
places on earth where visitors can go from snowboarding to
snorkelling in a single day! Local legend has it that the volcano
goddess Pele and the demi-god Kamapua'a, who could control the
weather, battled for the island and eventually decided to divide
it: Pele took the hot, dry western half and Kamapua'a ended up with
the wet, tropical east.
Big Island, however, actually has twelve distinct climatic zones
ranging from tropical rain forests in the east to the frozen tundra
atop Mauna Kea and the arid desert of Ka'u in the south. This
diversity makes Hawaii's Big Island an unrivalled pleasure ground
for active holidaymakers, the island's resorts offering every type
of outdoor activity imaginable. To add to the thrill there is the
attraction of two active volcanoes on this island - the Kilauea
Caldera is the longest continuously erupting volcano in the world,
its present eruptive phase dating back to 1983; Mauna Loa last
erupted in 1984. Of the three other volcanoes on the island two,
Mauna Kea and Kohala, are extinct, while Hualalai is considered to
be dormant. All this volcanic action has meant that holidaymakers
can decide on their preferred beach sand tones ranging from white
to red, black and even green.
Together with the diverse ecosystems of Big Island is the rich
Polynesian Hawaiian culture, a culture that has absorbed some
interesting elements from both Asia and Europe, creating a
colourful mix. On the coast you can dance the hula at an authentic
luau feast, while upcountry you will find a blend of Portuguese and
Mexican culture combined with Hawaiian tradition among the
'Paniolos' (cowboys) on the giant cattle ranches.
Information & Facts
Language
English is the most common language but Spanish is often
spoken in south-western states.
Money
The US Dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into
100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are
widespread and credit cards and travellers cheques are widely
accepted. Travellers cheques should be taken in US Dollars to avoid
hassles. Banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm.