Aloha! Hawaii vacation “with everything”? We’ve got flights, accommodation and activity tips.

Aloha! You see cool pictures of beautiful beaches everywhere and you’re already wondering if surfing would be good for you and when to go? Hawaii is a popular destination not only for tourists but also for filmmakers. You can visit the locations where Lost, the legendary Baywatch and Jurassic Park were filmed. Hawaii is said to be the pearl of the Pacific and you won’t be surprised. Hawaii holidays will make your dreams come true with beautiful sandy beaches, swimming in the azure sea and taking in the beauty of Hawaii’s nature at every turn. Created by volcanoes, waterfalls, coral reefs, tropical rainforests and beautiful flowers, this magical paradise on earth will remain an unforgettable experience. In short, Hawaii will enchant you with its friendly atmosphere, Polynesian hospitality and cultural traditions.

From where? With whom? When? Tips for flights to Hawaii

• From where? There are no direct flights from Europe to Honolulu. Popular non-direct routes for this connection are Frankfurt am Main Airport – Honolulu Airport, Paris Orly Airport – Honolulu Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport – Honolulu Airport. Some of the biggest international airports in Europe offer flights to Hawaii include London Heathrow (LHR), Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Frankfurt Airport (FRA) or Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS).
• With whom?

1. From London Heathrow Airport (LHR): There are several airlines that offer flights from London Heathrow to Honolulu, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and United Airlines. The flight duration is around 16-18 hours, with one or two stops depending on the airline and route. It’s worth noting that some airlines may offer connecting flights through other airports, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, before reaching Honolulu.
2. From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG): You can fly to Honolulu from Paris with airlines such as Air France, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. The flight duration is around 18-20 hours, with one or two stops depending on the airline and route.
3. From Frankfurt Airport (FRA): Airlines such as Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines offer flights from Frankfurt to Honolulu. The flight duration is around 20-22 hours, with one or two stops depending on the airline and route.
4. From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS): KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer flights from Amsterdam to Honolulu. The flight duration is around 19-21 hours, with one or two stops depending on the airline and route.

• When? The weather in the Hawaiian Islands is very favourable and stable throughout the year. There are practically only two seasons – summer and winter. Summer lasts from May to October, winter from November to April. The average daily temperature in summer is almost 30 degrees Celsius, in winter it is 25 degrees Celsius. The average water temperature throughout the year is 23.3 degrees Celsius, but in summer it usually climbs three to four degrees higher. The winter season is favourable for all surfers, with big waves forming especially on the northern beaches of the islands.

Accommodation in Hawaii: stay a few days in Honolulu and then move on

Be prepared for Hawaii to be one of the most expensive destinations when travelling in the Americas. If you’re looking for a truly beautiful beach and an all-inclusive vacation, you’re going to have to pay a lot more in Hawaii than you would for a vacation in Turkey. The price for 1 night in a hotel will go from €300 for two to several thousand. However, you can also find accommodation here at favourable prices.

Check prices and book your hotel through Pelikan. Find accommodation tips on this handy map:

What you need to enter Hawaii (entry requirements as for the USA)

• When travelling to the US, you no longer need to apply for a visa at a US embassy, you just need a biometric passport and an ESTA. Only those travelling to the US for more than 90 days or going to the US for work, study or exchange need to apply for a visa. Also, all those who have not been approved for ESTA. Here is a complete guide on how to get an ESTA (US visa) authorisation.
• Valid passport for at least 6 months after your return
• Only fully vaccinated persons (applies to everyone over 18 years of age) with vaccinations more than 14 days old may enter the US. The US accepts all vaccines except the Sputnik vaccine.

What to see and experience in Hawaii? Here are our editorial team’s tips

Get to know Oahu

Hawaii’s third largest island is also the center of the Hawaiian Islands – economically, culturally, and as a tourist destination. Oahu is a paradise for tourists who want to enjoy a relaxing beach holiday at an exotic place or try out various water sports. Practically the entire coastline of Oahu includes beautiful sandy beaches. Surfing in Hawaii is a must-do!

On the island of Oahu lies the capital and largest city of Hawaii – Honolulu. This popular modern metropolis is famous for its sandy Waikiki beach to the southeast of downtown. While the beach will be packed with tourists, it’s definitely worth the trip just for the extinct Diamond Head volcano, which is super viewable from the beach. Diamond Head is also considered one of Oahu’s most beautiful hiking trails. You can run up it in 45 minutes and have a perfect view of the whole town.

The island of Oahu also hides a bit of history – on the west side of Honolulu is Pearl Harbor with the USS Arizona Memorial dedicated to the victims of the Japanese attack during World War II.

How about that rooster island?

Kauai is the northernmost and oldest of the Hawaiian islands and the fourth largest island by area. It is on this island that you will also see the phenomenon of free-roaming roosters and chickens. They run everywhere on Kauai, from the beaches to the local shops.

However, this is not the only attraction of the island. Waimea Canyon, also called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is definitely worth a visit because of its resemblance to Arizona’s Grand Canyon. There are also many hiking trails here, but they are a bit challenging due to the elevation and steep sections.

For water lovers, there’s the opportunity to raft the Wailua River. If you’re not up for that adrenaline rush, you can take a leisurely boat trip to the 25-metre-high Wailua Falls. The south of the island is also covered with coffee and sugar plantations that can be visited.

Paradise Big Island

The biggest island of all is also the most diverse. The Big Island is home to jungles, beautiful beaches, volcanoes, beautiful valleys and scenery. Nature lovers will be in for a treat! Thanks to the size of the island, it’s also possible that you won’t encounter extreme crowds of tourists here.

Seeing a volcano up close may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But on the Big Island you have a great opportunity to do just that. In addition to active volcanoes, there are thousands of dormant or inactive craters and lava fields on the island. You will also find one of the most active volcanoes in the world – Kilauea. The last eruption of the volcano was in May 2018, after the island was hit by an earthquake.

The island is an ideal place for hiking enthusiasts. Lovers of shorter trails as well as long, challenging hikes will find it to their liking. The Volcanoes National Park is great for hiking, offering a variety of accessible trails.

There are also two more challenging routes for the enthusiasts – you can climb the mountain and the still active volcano Mauna Loa, or take the plunge and climb the world’s highest mountain in relation to the ocean floor, Mauna Kea (4,207 metres). There are also astronomical observatories at the summit.

Go diving in Maui!

Maui is Hawaii’s second largest island and one of the most popular. Even if you want to avoid the crowds of tourists, you’ll have a hard time. After all, Maui isn’t popular for no reason.

One of the island’s most popular spots is the “Road to Hana“, an 83-kilometre long coastal highway that runs from Kahului to Hana on the eastern part of the island. The entire route takes two hours by car, but is more than certain to take longer. Why? We guarantee you’ll stop several times along the way to enjoy all the beautiful views!

Haleakala National Park is also worth a visit, with the largest inactive crater of the same name. This place offers spectacular views and is ideal for watching the sunrise.

Originally a fishing town, Lahaina is also a popular tourist destination on Maui. You can take a trip from the town and try your luck – you might just see some whales!

Maui is considered the best island for diving and snorkeling because of its coral reefs and colorful underwater life. A popular spot is Turtle Town, an area of coastline between Maluaka and Makena beaches. Here you can enjoy complete peace from the busy world and at the same time enjoy a moment without the huge crowds of tourists.

Weather in Hawaii: summer lasts from May to October

The weather in the Hawaiian Islands is very favourable and stable throughout the year. There are practically only two seasons – summer and winter. Summer lasts from May to October, winter from November to April. The average daily temperature in summer is almost 30 degrees Celsius, in winter it is 25 degrees Celsius. The average water temperature throughout the year is 23.3 degrees Celsius, but in summer it usually climbs three to four degrees higher. The winter season is favourable for all surfers, with big waves forming especially on the northern beaches of the islands.

Transportation in Hawaii: rent a car through Pelican

The Hawaiian Islands have a very well established infrastructure for reaching all the places of interest. There is a nice road with parking to the viewpoints, there is always a place for a car along the beaches and the gasoline, which you have to fill up yourself, costs about 0,90 € per liter (which is first and last thing cheaper than here). A car renting with full insurance will cost you about 300€ per week, with Maui and Kauai again being a bit more expensive. Otherwise it doesn’t matter what company you choose. They are all at airports with a very good shuttle bus system.

If you want to use another type of transport, such as a bus, you will only be happy in Honolulu. Otherwise, bus lines run sporadically and not to all interesting locations. You can get a lot done in Hawaii with a car. The advantage of the islands is that they are relatively small. From one beautiful beach to the next, which is on the other side of the island, it takes an hour – two at the most, and from the beach to the volcano (3500 mnm) it’s about 2.5 hours. Thanks to the car you can also save on food and groceries (we recommend supermarkets “Foodland”, “Safeway”, “Costco”, etc.), the trunk of the car can still hold more.

Between the islands is flying. Hawaiian Air operates practically all the tourist islands and a ticket costs 60-80 US dollars. There is an additional $25 per flight for baggage. Flights are on small Boeing 717s and there are plenty of connections every day.