• Hawaiian monarch King David Kalakaua (reign 1874 to 1891), was the first reigning monarch to circumnavigate the globe and the first foreign head of state to speak before a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
• Hawaii has no snakes in the wild.
• Hawaii has two official languages — English and Hawaiian. More >>
• Hawaii is home to the longest continuously erupting volcano in recorded history: Kilauea Caldera on the Big Island of Hawaii has been producing a lava flow since January 1983. More >>
• Hawaii is home to the tallest mountain on the planet: Mauna Kea on the Big Island — measured from the seafloor — tops out at 33,476 feet. From sea level it measures 13,796 feet high. More >>
• 'Iolani Palace in Honolulu's Capitol District featured electricity before even the White House in Washington, D.C. More about the Palace >>
• Hawaii is the most geographically isolated population center on earth. The Hawaiian Islands are 2,000 miles from the Marshall Islands; 2,390 miles from California; 2,500 miles from Tahiti; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
Keeping with the Big Island's great variations in geography and climate, the island offers many accommodation choices, all well matched to their coastal, upcountry, volcano or quiet seaside surroundings.
Hilo is the state's second-largest city. Settled along picturesque Hilo Bay at the southeast end of the lush Hamakua Coast, this historic town features a mix of bed & breakfasts, hotels and rental homes ... Read more
