HIDDEN HAWAII
The Aloha state is more than just mai tais and luaus
W hen you’ve tanned yourself to perfection, overdone the umbrella drinks and turned the last page of your beach read, a more primal Hawaiian experience awaits.
Oahu
The trail to Lulumahu Falls, off the Pali Highway, offers streams to ford and rocks to cross before you reach the 50-foot cascade. And just outside Pearl City is the Manana Trail to Waimano Falls, a challenging hike that offers amazing views and three pools where you can chill before tackling the steep climb back.
Maui
In Kipahulu, you can take a dip in the Seven Sacred Pools of Oheo. From there, venture deeper into Haleakala National Park, home of the world’s largest dormant volcano. To really escape from it all, rent one of the National Park Service’s historical wilderness cabins, so remote they’re accessible only on foot.
Kauai
The grandeur of Napali Coast wilderness is only accessible on foot. Hike the 11-mile Kalalau Trail through forests and across sea cliffs to the beaches of Hanakapiai and Kalalau.
Lanai
The Munro Trail, outside Lanai City, is a winding dirt road you can climb on foot, by mountain bike or in a four-wheel drive. On a clear day, as you ascend to the top of Mount Lanaihale, you can look out over the sea at the other Hawaiian islands.
Molokai
Experience the island as it might have been millennia ago at the Kamakou Preserve, a rainforest atop the island’s highest mountain. Once there, you’ll walk the three-mile boardwalk that winds through these unspoiled lands, rich with exotic plants and birds, some nearing extinction in other parts of the world.
Big Island of Hawaii
Snow in Hawaii? Yes. Mauna Kea means “white mountain,” and though it snows here most often in the winter months, there was a heavy snowfall in July. It’s a rugged drive to the summit in a four-wheel-drive vehicle — worth it for the spectacular views alone.