A green sea turtle surfacing for air in clear blue water

The Hawaii travel guide series

DiscoverHawaii.


The islands of fire and ocean.

Oahu·Maui·Big Island·Kauai·Molokai·Lanai

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One country. A lifetime of places.

Hawaii is too big for one book. So Discover Hawaii publishes a series of focused guides, each one built for a single island, region or way of travelling.

Every guide covers what you need on the ground: when to go, how to get around, where to stay, what it costs, local etiquette and the precautions that keep a trip on track. Each title is updated for the 2027 season.

137Islands
25%Of Hawaii's reef fish are found nowhere else on Earth
8Main islands, 6 to visit
Aerial view of turquoise lagoons and reef walls meeting the deep blue ocean

The ocean series

Beneath
the Surface


Hawaii sits alone in the middle of the Pacific, its reefs full of life found nowhere else. Here's what lies beneath.

A diver descending beside a sheer reef wall with sunlight breaking through the surface

Diving Hawaii

137 islands.
The loneliest reefs on Earth.


Hawaii lies farther from a continent than any other island chain, and its reefs grew up in total isolation. Warm currents sweep in from the open Pacific, carrying larvae and nutrients from island to island. The result is marine life you will not find anywhere else.

But the swell is strong, the best sites are exposed and the seasons change from shore to shore. A dive on Maui's north shore in winter is a very different dive.

Kona CoastNight dives with manta rays and pelagic blackwater drifts offshore
MolokiniA sunken crater rim, clear water and big reef fish
LanaiLava-tube cathedrals lit by sunbeams, a boat ride from Maui
Oahu wrecksSunken ships and a WWII plane off south Oahu, full of turtles
See all the dive regions on our free map →

The dive guide · Coming 2027

Diving
Hawaii

Diving the reefs of the Pacific


Everything you need to plan the dives of your life, from your first drift dive to your tenth liveaboard: the right reef, in the right season.

The best dive sitesKona, Molokini, Lanai, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Molokai, the Big Island and more, by level and conditions
Season calendarWhen to see mantas, humpbacks, monk seals and hammerheads
Boat vs. shore divesHow to choose, real costs and dive shops
Dive safetyCurrents, insurance, recompression chambers and emergencies
A pod of dolphins seen from above in clear turquoise water

The flagship guide

Sea
Turtles


Hawaii's green sea turtle, the honu, grazes the reefs and hauls out to bask on beaches across the islands, while the rare hawksbill still nests on a few quiet shores. Our guide shows you where to see them, how they live and how to watch them the right way, with maps of the best turtle beaches and snorkel spots.

Coming 2027

Read: how to see honu responsibly →
Discover Sea Turtles, Complete Guide, cover
Mount Bromo's crater steaming above the Sea of Sand
Discover Tiger Sharks, Complete Guide, cover

The shark guide · Coming soon

Tiger
Sharks

Meet Hawaii's apex predator


Named for the stripes they wear when young, tiger sharks patrol Hawaii's waters year-round and can grow beyond four meters. Our complete guide explains the animal behind the myth: how they live, where they roam and how to share the ocean with them.

Life of a tiger sharkDiet, migration, breeding and why they will eat almost anything
Where they roamReefs, channels and the open ocean around the islands, mapped
Manō in Hawaiian cultureSharks as ʻaumākua, family guardians, in island tradition
Ocean safetyThe real risk, sensible habits and what to do if you see one

Southeast Sulawesi

WakatobiNational Park


The name is a puzzle: Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko, the four main islands of a national park far off the usual routes. It's a UNESCO biosphere reserve and home to Bajau communities who have lived on the sea for generations.

Getting there takes effort. That's exactly why the reefs are some of the healthiest in Hawaii.

The guide · Available nowDiscover Hawaii: Wakatobi National ParkBuy on Amazon →
Close-up of a teal leather coral

Discover Hawaii's hidden gems.

Sulawesi

Most visitors never leave Bali. Our guides go further: Tana Toraja's highlands, the Togean Islands, Bunaken's reef walls and the quiet coasts in between.

See the island guides
Calm blue sea off Sulawesi with a cargo ship, palm forest in the foreground and mountains on the horizon

The archipelago

Map of Hawaii showing Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, Komodo, Flores, Wakatobi, Maluku, Raja Ampat and Papua Sumatra Java Kalimantan Sulawesi Bali Lombok Komodo Flores Wakatobi Maluku Raja Ampat Papua

On land

The Island Guides


Bali, Lombok and Sulawesi, island by island. Available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback, and as an ebook on Apple Books and Kobo.

DiscoverBali.
Bali2027

Explore Bali without the crowds
TRAVEL GUIDE
Discover Bali

Bali 2027 Travel Guide: Explore Bali Without the Crowds

DiscoverBali.
BaliCulture & Religion

Temples, ceremonies, offerings & etiquette
2027 EDITION
Discover Bali

Bali: Culture, Religion & Traditions (2027)

DiscoverHawaii.
The Historyof Bali

Culture, tradition & religion
COMPLETE GUIDE
Discover Hawaii

The History of Bali: Culture, Tradition & Religion

DiscoverBali.
Digital NomadsBali

Working remotely and living in Bali
2027 EDITION
Discover Bali

Digital Nomads Bali: The Complete Guide to Working Remotely (2027)

DiscoverLombok.
Lombok2027

Gili Islands, Mount Rinjani, beaches, surf & Sasak culture
TRAVEL GUIDE
Discover Lombok

Lombok 2027: The Complete Travel Guide

DiscoverHawaii.
DiscoverSulawesi

Makassar, Tana Toraja, the Togean Islands, Bunaken & Lembeh
COMPLETE GUIDE
Discover Hawaii

Discover Sulawesi: The Complete Travel Guide (2027)

Free download

The Hawaii Travel Checklist


Everything to sort out before you fly, on two pages. Join the Discover Hawaii list and we'll send it to your inbox, plus a note whenever a new guide comes out.

One email per new guide. Unsubscribe any time.

  • Visa & arrival
  • SIM card & internet
  • Money, ATMs & tipping
  • Health & vaccinations
  • Getting around the islands
  • Safety, scams & emergency numbers