Things to see and do in Hawaii

Take the full-day Circle Island Tour around Oahu. Attractions en route include Waimea Falls Park, Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Centre (www.polynesia.com), Sea Life Park (www.sealifeparkhawaii.com) (swim with the dolphins), the Waialua Coffee Visitors' Center (on a former plantation) and Sunset Beach.

Snorkel and feed the tropical fish in Hanauma Bay (www.hanaumabay-hawaii.com), 10 miles east of Waikiki. Or swim with green sea turtles off the coast of Maui.

Explore the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (www.nps.gov/havo), one of the world's natural wonders. At 4,103m (13,677ft), Mauna Loa is the largest single mountain mass in the world, while at 1,200m (4,000ft), the still-active Kilauea's steaming vents and frequent eruptions provide an unusual (and safe) spectator sport. The volcano is continuously erupting, and lava can be seen hissing into the ocean. 

Visit Hawaiian Waterways Adventure Park (www.hawaiianwaters.com) on the leeward coast of Oahu to enjoy fun for all the family. The 10-hectare (25-acre) water park has waterslides, a wave pool, river rafting pool, play area, food court, video game arcade plus a swimming pool, hot tub and bar for adults.

Visit the Honolulu Zoo (www.honoluluzoo.org), home to over 1,230 mammals, birds and reptiles. Meet Violet, the female orangutan. Nearby is Kapiolani Park, where the Honolulu Marathon is concluded annually. The park was created by King Kalakaua in the 1870s and is a beautiful 202-hectare (500-acre) park listed on the state's Historic Register.

Discover a weird and wonderful collection of rock forms in Maui's Ka'eleku Caverns (www.mauicave.com), located beneath the Hana Rainforest, and take a self-guided tour.

Hike the rugged and beautiful Na Pali Coast on Kauai, and explore secluded coves and idyllic sandy beaches.

Tour the National Cemetery of the Pacific or Punchbowl in Honolulu, a memorial and cemetery for US military veterans. Visit Pearl Harbor (www.pearlharbormemorial.com) and the USS Arizona Memorial (www.nps.gov/usar), the scene of Japan's surprise attack that brought the USA into WWII. Free boat tours take visitors to the memorial spanning the wreck of the Battleship Arizona where 1,177 men died.