One state, six different worlds
Hawaii is a chain of volcanic islands strung across the middle of the Pacific, the most isolated island group on Earth. Eight of them are considered the main islands. Two are closed to ordinary visitors: Niʻihau is privately owned, and Kahoʻolawe, once a military bombing range, is a protected reserve. That leaves six: Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai.
The islands get younger as you travel south-east, because they formed one by one as the Pacific Plate moved over a hotspot in the Earth's mantle. Kauai, the oldest, is worn into canyons and sea cliffs; the Big Island, the youngest, is still erupting. In between you will find a capital city, quiet rural islands and some of the best beaches in the world.
Island map
Tap an island
From Niʻihau and Kauaʻi in the north-west to the Big Island in the south-east, the main islands stretch about 600 km across the Pacific. Each one you can visit has its own guide.
