ELTIPS AV R T
And with bold blue waters and sky-high waves, Waikiki Beach in Honolulu is one of the most soughtafter surfing spots in the world.
I’d never been on a board before but my instructor, Trevor, assured me that with his help I’d master it in a lesson. I was dubious.
This busy bay in the middle of the Pacific may be popular, but for anyone who has been to the cinema in the past 20 years it probably isn’t Hawaii’s most recognisable area.
The Ka‘a‘awa Valley on the east of the island of Oahu is known as Hollywood by the sea – its A-list scenery pops up in many blockbusters including Jurassic Park, Godzilla and the TV show Lost.
Take a tour of the stunning movie locations with Kualoa Ranch Film Tour, kualoa.com, to get in the middle of the action.
One of the most famous films set here is the Ben Affleck flick Pearl Harbor. History buffs can visit the actual setting of the Second World War attack for a solemn but fascinating look into the USA’s wartime past.
Pay your respects to more than 1,000 sailors and marines killed in 1941, whose graves still lie aboard the sunken naval ship, the USS Arizona. See pacifichistoricparks. org. Once you’ve shopped for a suitcase full of Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts, leave Oahu and take a short flight to Hawaii Island, or Big Island, as the locals call it.
You touch down on black soil. Don’t be surprised to find the landscape completely different. Much of the ground is covered with hard lava, a result of thousands of years of eruptions from the still active Kilauea volcano.
It is a national park. Visitors can get a close up look into the eye of the volcano – most impressive at night when crowds gather to watch raging red lava glow in the dark.
You can learn loads at the huge visitor centre, ideal for families. Plus GO for a private surf lesson if you are an absolute beginner. It will really help you get to grips with it. WHEN hiking on the volcano, pack extra sun cream and water. The heat can take you by surprise. DON’T take lava rocks home as a souvenir – it’s considered bad luck and legend says you don’t want to upset Pele, the goddess of the volcano, because she might stick a curse on you. you can hike on a variety of trails that are suitable for children.
Aside from the volcano and its beautiful destruction, let’s not forget you’re still in Hawaii and much of the coast is lined with some of the state’s most beautiful beaches.
The crowds here are not so big. You can get lucky and claim whole sections of golden sand to yourself.
But back on Waikiki Beach on Oahu, I was there for the surfing, not the slobbing.
Dudes
After a short warm- up on the beach, I was in the water, along with groups of serious surfer dudes waiting for a “curl”.
On my signal from pro- surfer Trevor, I paddled with all the energy I had, determined to unleash my innerinn Point Break.
ClutchingC on to my board with two hands, I kept my eyes on the beach ahead. “Don’t look down,” yelled Trevor as the strong current carried my board across the curl of the wave, giving me approximately three seconds to jump up, assume position and cruise back to shore.
And after several headfirst plunges into the water, I eventually managed to stand up and ride a wave back to the beach as wild sea turtles swam below me.
It really was the stuff holiday dreams are made of.
After dark I toasted my surfing success with a few mai tai cocktails at the famous Tiki’s Bar and Grill on the promenade.
With the evening as warm as the welcome, revellers spilled out of the bars and cafes along the beach for a dance on the sand.
Friendly faces and sun- drunk holidaymakers guarantee a party every night of the week.
If it’s paradise under palm trees you’re looking for, you can’t go far wrong here. FACTFILE: American Airlines flies from Heathrow to Honolulu daily, via LA, from £ 792 return, aa. co. uk. On Hawaii Island, Fairway Villas Waikoloa, outrigger.com, has rooms from £106pn. On Oahu, Vive Hotel Waikiki (vivehotelwaikiki.com) has rooms from £145pn. Surf lessons at Gone Surfing Hawaii vary in price depending on group size. Visit gonesurfinghawaii.com. For more on Hawaii, visit gohawaii.com/UK.