A handy cheat sheet to the Hawaiian Islands

Want to know what each Island in Hawaii is known for? Here’s a “cheat sheet” we created to help you out:

Big Island

Nickname: The Orchid Isle
Size: 4,038 square miles, largest island in Hawaii

Good to know:

• Really big — as in you-can-fit-all-the-other-islands-in-the-Big-Island and it-takes-more-than-a-few-hours-to-circle big!
• Home to an active volcano Kilauea, aka “Madame Pele”
• Rough and rugged coastline, lots of black sand beaches, short on white-sand beaches
• Mauna Kea (13,796 ft.) is the highest point in the Hawaiian Islands, and one of the most sacred sites in all of Hawaii
• Exporter of coffee, macadamia nuts, vanilla, chocolate and orchids
• Home to the Merrie Monarch annual hula festival and competition

Oahu

Nickname: The Gathering Place
Size: 596.7 sq mi, 3rd largest

Good to know:

• Home to Waikiki, Duke Kahanamoku, and the world-famous view of Diamond Head
• Some of the best and most dangerous surfing on the planet (North Shore)
• All of Hawaii’s city life on one island (Honolulu)
• Center of government, military, universities, commerce and yes — awesome shopping
• Pearl Harbor, site of 1941 attack from Japanese forces
• Most populous island by far (953,207 vs. 467,284 for the rest of the state)
• Split into cardinal regions: West Side, East Side, North Shore and Town

Maui

Nickname: The Valley Isle
Size: 727.2 square miles, 2nd largest

Good to know:

• Geographic center of Hawaii with most views of 5 of the neighbor islands (Oahu, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Lanai and Big Island)
• “No Ka Oi” which means “the best,” … because it has the best of everything Hawaii has to offer without the ridiculous crowds or long drives
• The highest number of accessible beaches in all of Hawaii — 120 miles over 81 beaches, including 33 miles of swimming beaches!
• Hana – the remote and charming town where old Hawaii still exists
• Haleakala — drive and hang out at the top of an extinct volcano

Lanai

Nickname: The Pineapple Isle (formerly)
Size: 140.5 sq. mi, 6th largest

Good to know:

• The smallest habitable island in Hawaii
• 98% “owned” by Oracle founder Larry Ellison
• No traffic lights or buildings above X stories
• Not just 1 but 2 Four Seasons resorts
• Formerly “The Pineapple Island,” now an emerging model for 21st century sustainability

Kahoolawe

Nickname: The Target Isle
Size: 44.59 square miles, 8th largest

Good to know:

• Tiny, dry and uninhabited except for rodents and goats
• Once used as bombing practice for the US military 🙁
• Now being restored by workers and volunteers

Molokai

Nickname: The Friendly Isle
Size: 260 square miles, 5th largest

Good to know:

• aka “The Friendly Isle,” lives up to its name
• Once home to a leper colony (Kalaupapa) and Saint Damien
• Site of culturally-rich Halawa Valley
• Peaceful, quiet and remote, with no major resorts
• Start of the 41 mile international Molokai Hoe outrigger canoe race to Oahu

Kauai

Nickname: The Garden Isle
Size: 552 sq. mi, 4th largest

Good to know:

• Ultra lush, green and jungle-y
• Set of films such as Jurassic Park, The Descendants and Avatar
• The 2nd wettest spot on Earth (Mt. Waialeale)
• Stunning Na Pali coast — only accessible by foot or water craft
• Interesting fact: one of the islands not conquered by King Kamehameha

Niihau

Nickname: The Forbidden Isle
Size: 69.46 sq. mi., 7th largest

Good to know:

• “The Forbidden Island,” which means invitation only
• No telephone services, no paved roads, no plumbing, no running water, no power lines (there is solar)…and horses are the main form of transportation!
• Owned by the Robinson Family, inhabited by Native Hawaiians
• Hawaiian is first spoken language
• Origin of renowned Niihau shell necklaces

 

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Photo credits: AussieActive, Julien Millet, Pascal Debrunner, ornellas, 29198100@N00, 75348994@N00, Wikipedia