The lowdown on where to surf, dine and rest your head on holiday
EAT AND DRINK
Enjoy one of the prettiest sunsets you'll ever see by booking a rooftop table at Fleetwood's on Front St on the island of Maui, overlooking the Pacific. Work through the cocktail list, featuring smash hits such as "Put the lime in the coconut," "1944 Mai Tyler" or "The Fleetwood Smash."
EXPLORE
The oldest (at 5.1 million years old) and most pristine of Hawaii's islands, Kauai, has been the backdrop of Hollywood blockbusters such as Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Avatar. Lihue-based Safari Helicopters offers a Deluxe Waterfall Safari scenic flight that gets you around the main highlights in about an hour.
WATCH
Hit the nearest surf break or check out the bronzed talent at a grassroots surf competition. The first international surfing contest was held in 1954 at Makaha, the birth place of big wave surfing, located on the west side of Oahu. Check out upcoming competition schedules at alohasurfguide.com.
LISTEN
The ukulele is still a fundamental part of the musical landscape of Hawaii. The Ukulele Festival held in July at Kapiolani Park Bandstand Waikiki is a crowd favourite, or if visiting in September the Island of Hawaii's Kona Slack Key Festival is a tribute to a uniquely local way of playing the guitar.