Hawaii is one of the world’s most remarkable island destinations, formed by a chain of volcanic islands stretching over 2,400 kilometres across the central Pacific. The main visitor islands — Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island — each offer a distinct character and set of experiences. Oahu is Hawaii’s most visited island, home to Honolulu, Waikiki’s famous crescent beach and the profoundly moving Pearl Harbor memorial. The North Shore is the world’s surfing capital in winter, when monster waves at Banzai Pipeline attract the planet’s best surfers. Diamond Head volcanic crater offers an excellent hike above the city with panoramic Pacific views. Maui is widely considered the most beautiful of the main islands — the Road to Hana, a 52-mile coastal highway of waterfalls, black sand beaches and lush tropical vegetation, is one of America’s great drives. Haleakala’s 10,000-foot volcanic crater offers an otherworldly sunrise experience, and the town of Lahaina on the west coast is a charming former whaling port with excellent restaurants and easy access to world-class snorkelling at Molokini crater. Kauai, the oldest and most verdant of the main islands, is frequently described as the most beautiful place on earth. The Na Pali Coast — 16 miles of fluted sea cliffs accessible only by boat, helicopter or strenuous hiking trail — is extraordinary. Waimea Canyon, known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and the lush Hanalei Valley rice paddies are further highlights. The Big Island is Hawaii at its most raw: active volcanoes, black lava flows reaching the sea, snow-capped Mauna Kea (the world’s tallest mountain from base to summit) and manta ray night dives off the Kona coast create a uniquely dramatic experience. Hawaii is warm year-round with little seasonal variation.