Hawaii travel guide

Waipi'o Valley is enclosed by steep cliffs and fringed by a black sand beach. It was once densely populated and home for the kings of Hawai'i, but today you only find a few houses, taro fields and waterfalls - including Hi'ilawe Falls, the tallest in Hawai'i with a drop of more than 400 m. The sweeping views from the lookout is amazing, but it gets even better if you follow the crazy road down. Keep in mind that the road is one of the steepest in Hawaii with a grade of up to 40%, so walk or go with a 4x4.

Hawai'i is known as one of the best places to watch humpback whales. During summer the North Pacific humpback whales feed on krill in the cold waters of Alaska, but migrates to the warm waters of Hawai'i to breed and give birth during winter. You can see whales breaching (jumping out of the water) and diving tall up from the shore, but to get up close to you need to join a whale watching tour. The best chances are probably from Maui (particularly Lahaina), where some operators give garanties for whale sighting during peak season (January to March).

Wild roosters, hens and chicks are roaming free everywhere on Kaua'i. Nobody knows where they originate from, but they seem to have been here for centuries. As they don't have any natural predators, they are thriving on the island. Be careful with the roosters as they have sharp spurs.