Hawaii

With nearly 140 islands spread over 1,500 square miles of Pacific Ocean, Hawaii offers visitors a huge variety of things to see and do, from verdant jungles and active volcanos to marvelling at manta rays and surfing some of the world’s wildest waves.

Most visits to Hawaii start in Oahu, the ‘gathering place’. Hawaiian royalty first built their homes on Waikiki Beach and today, nearly 350,000 people call Honolulu home. The Pearl Harbor National Memorial offers a moving insight into a pivotal moment in US history, while a hike up Diamond Head delivers breathtaking Waikiki views. From November to March, the island’s North Shore sees monstrous waves break at Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay and the legendary Banzai Pipeline.

Maui, the second most populous island, offers whale-watching, stunning beaches and some of Hawaii’s swankiest resorts. Watching sunrise from the summit of Haleakala Volcano is unforgettable, as is driving the winding Hana Highway, which weaves past waterfalls, beaches and lush rainforest.

Though if it’s rainforests you want, you might prefer Kauai, the ‘Garden Isle’. The oldest Hawaiian island, it’s a lush, laidback paradise. Two-thirds are jungle-covered while the rest boasts dramatic landscapes, including the soaring Na Pali Coast and the breathtaking Waimea Canyon.

Then there’s Hawaii Island (Big Island), home to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and two of the world’s most active volcanoes, one still spewing lava today.