HONOLULU — If only it were that easy. If only we could hop from one Hawaiian island to the next by jumping on a ferry, like we do to go from, say, Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard. Or even drive over the crystalline blue waters like we do going from one Key to the next.
But it's not that easy, which is why we faced the dilemma of setting up a week's worth of hotels and flights or booking a cruise and sampling the best of the majestic islands.
That choice was easy.
With Norwegian offering a seven-day cruise exploring the four biggest islands we decided this would be the most convenient and efficient way to see Hawaii, crater to crustacean.
We've taken many cruises - to Alaska, Southern California to Mexico and several in the Caribbean - and this has become the favorite mode of transportation for two who prefer visiting several destinations without the hassle of packing and unpacking.
Our trip started and ended in Honolulu and included stops on Maui, Hawaii (the Big Island) and Kauai. We arrived two days early to spend time in Honolulu and Waikiki.
So much to see, so little time. Yet we came away with a true taste of the islands and its fascinating culture.
Here's our list of things not to miss on your next trip to the Aloha State.
Experience a luau
In Hawaii, luaus are a traditional way of celebrating first birthdays, graduations, weddings or any other event that calls for a party. They are held under tents with palm fronds woven together for protection against the wind. Ti leaves, ferns and heliconia provide decorations.
And a luau would not be complete without leis, ukuleles and hulas.
The Luau Kalamuku on the Kilohana Plantation in Kauai is a luau and theatrical production. This tent seats more than a thousand and the buffet dinner includes traditional luau foods such as pork, pineapple and papaya. It is here we sampled poi, a Hawaiian staple that even the natives will tell you tastes like "wallpaper paste.''
I've never tried wallpaper paste, but poi is definitely pasty and it's pretty tasteless.
Nothing else was tasteless about this luau, though. The show was far better than anything on board the ship. The production told the story of the Polynesian migration to Hawaii, using traditional Polynesian music and dance and featuring a Samoan fire knife dance and ancient and modern hula.
Visit Pearl Harbor
Very few attractions command the respect of Pearl Harbor, the most popular destination for tourists in the state.
The enormity of the events of Dec. 7, 1941, is evident by the silence as visitors look down upon the sunken USS Arizona Memorial and realize that 1,102 crewmen remain entombed in the battleship.
The tour, which is free, begins at a visitors' center on the eastern shoreline of Pearl Harbor. Typically, lines start forming at 6 a.m. as the 4,500 tickets available each day are gone by mid-morning.
The center is educational and provides a clear view of Battleship Row. A short film reminds us of the deteriorating relations between the United State and Japan that led to the attack, along with footage from that "day of infamy.'' A one-hour audio tour narrated by Ernest Borgnine is available for rent.
The boat ride across the harbor to the museum is somber. Workers constantly remind visitors that they are approaching a burial site. The memorial sits over the sunken 184-foot-long ship, whose rusted hull is visible through the water. Gun turrets rise above the water, and oil, which continues to leak from the vessel, can be seen just below the memorial.
A memorial wall includes the names of the 1,177 sailors and Marines on the USS Arizona who were killed in the attack.
A $52 million visitor center is being planned to replace the current center, which is sinking into the mud, according the National Park Service. The new center will be built in phases so the old center will continue to operate during construction.
The new visitor center's grand opening is scheduled for Dec. 7, 2010.
Climb Diamond Head
Sitting on the southeast tip of Oahu, the eastern end of Waikiki Beach, is Hawaii's signature shot for virtually every show from Hawaii Five-O to Magnum, P.I.
Diamond Head, a volcano that has been extinct for 150,000 years, actually has nothing to do with diamonds. The name came from British sailors in the 1800s, which mistakenly believed there were diamonds in the soil. The diamonds actually were calcite crystals embedded in the lava rock.
Cubic Zirconium Head just doesn't have the same ring.
The crater is 3,520 feet in diameter and has a 760-foot summit. The hike to the top is eight/tenths of a mile along the inside slope of Diamond Head and classified as easy to moderate. Still, bring plenty of water and sunscreen. The path is packed dirt, two sets of stairs and 225-foot unlit tunnel. The cost is a $1 donation.
At the top you find a World War II bunker and see why the climb was worth breaking a sweat. One of the finest panoramic views of Oahu can be seen from the bunker.
The dominant view is of Waikiki Beach and the vibrant blue water that surrounds the island. Just beyond Waikiki to the east is Honolulu where the airport and Pearl Harbor and the University of Hawaii can be spotted. Beyond Honolulu are the Waianae Mountains. To the northwest is the Koolau Mountain Range.
And considering it rains every day on the island, the odds are better you will see a rainbow than Tom Selleck.
Explore a crater on Maui
Maui was formed from two volcanoes. Haleakala or "House of the Sun'' is an active volcano - not to worry considering it last erupted in 1790 - that sits more 10,023 feet above sea level, which can make the trip along the winding roads a bit adventurous, especially on a tour bus.
Haleakala was our first excursion on the cruise. The volcano, on the east end of Maui, formed a crater 3,000 feet deep and seven and a half by two and a half miles wide. The crater is part of Haleakala National Park, which comprises about 75 percent of the island.
The view from atop the clouds is considered the best in Hawaii. With temperatures ranging from 40 to 60 degrees, the red-orange crater makes for a stark contrast with the blue sky. The entire island - including the valley and Mauna Kahalawai, the West Maui volcano - is visible from the summit. One regret is not rising early enough to see the sunrise from the top of the volcano.
For the daredevils, bike tours are available. The tours start near the top and reach speeds of 20 miles per hour coming down the two-lane road.
Snorkel the Molokini crater
Molokini, the remains of an extinct volcano that sits two and a half miles off Maui's south coast, is a recognized wildlife sanctuary. The crater rises out of the ocean, its crescent shape providing protection from the waves and strong currents and serving as a sanctuary for about 250 species of fish.
When we decided to take the excursion, it marked, for me, the first of its kind on any cruise or vacation, so I can't offer any comparisons. But I can say that Molokini is considered one of the top 10 snorkeling sites in the world.
After wearing flippers for the first time in my life and figuring out how to breathe through a small tube, I began to explore. (I will not elaborate on the flotation noodle attached to me, for risk of complete embarrassment).
My first thought: What took me so long to try this snorkeling thing?
The pristine water offered a clear view to the ocean's floor, about 50 feet down. Some of the most colorful species of fish were within arm's length, including triggerfish, surgeonfish, angelfish, parrot fish and more than 30 species of butterfly fish. The coral makes for a neat backdrop.
The only thing missing were the 400-pound sea turtles that inhabit the bay. Those were found a few miles from Molokini, closer to shore, our final stop on the excursion.
There, in much colder, rough and murkier waters - being experts, after all, with that one-hour dip at Molokini under our belts - we jumped in (with noodles). Within minutes a huge sea turtle brushed by, seemingly oblivious to the company. Then, turtles started appearing all around and could be seen either sticking their pointed heads out of the water or diving deeper into the cloudy waters.
Walk on a lava flow
Hawaii, or the Big Island, is home to Volcanoes National Park where Kilauea, the most active volcano on earth, has been spewing lava since January 1983, constantly changing the island's coastline. None of the excursions offered a clear view of flowing lava, but we got to see the bright orange glow as we sailed from Hilo to Kona.
Just as awe-inspiring, though, was our journey to a recent lava flow that buried the village of Kalapana in 1990.
Although no one was killed, the lava from Kilauea destroyed more than 180 homes. Some areas are not accessible - places, for instance, where the tops of stop signs or a school bus stick out of the lava. But we were able to walk on the lava that wiped out miles of beach and added hundreds of acres of coastline to Kalapana.
The long walk along the slick, shiny lava known as pahoehoe lava - distinguished by its smooth, ropy surface - ended at the newly created black sand beach. The area is dotted with baby coconut palms, courtesy of the natives who started dropping coconuts on the lava after it hardened.
Drink Kona coffee
For those whose day starts with a trip to Starbucks, Kona is the place for you.
Kona, on the western shore of The Big Island, directly west of Hilo and Volcanoes National Park, is where those who live in Hilo go to vacation. But Kona has become synonymous with coffee much like Georgia is with peaches.
We stopped at a local coffee house to enjoy the samples and more. Kona coffee is cultivated on the mountains north and south of the city. It is one of the most expensive and desired coffees in the world, with prices ranging from $30 to $40 a pound. The secret is the weather, a combination of sunny mornings, humid, rainy afternoons and mild evenings - the perfect combination for the perfect coffee.
If you go
Booking your cruise: Norwegian Cruise Line is the only cruise line that offers seven-day, round-trip cruises out of Honolulu. Ports of call include Honolulu; Kahului, Maui; Hilo, Hawaii; Kona, Hawaii; and Nawiliwili, Kauai. Early booking discount prices start at $949 for an inside cabin to $1,449 for an outside balcony. Prices vary with season. Airfare from West Palm Beach to Honolulu starts at $918 during the offseason to $1,426 next spring. Call your travel agent for packages including air fare and discounted cruises.
Planning yor cruise: The cruise offers more than 100 excursions. Most excursions can be booked on board the ship. Some of the more popular excursions that should be booked in advance include helicopter rides to the craters or the volcanoes ranging from $235 to $334 per person, and the zipline ($154). Other excursions can cost from $34 for a glass bottom boat ride in Kona to $184 for Mudbugs & Waterfall Safari in Kauai. This cruise is best experienced by taking advantage of one excursion each day. Expect to average around $100 per day per person for the excursions.
Arrive early or leave late: We are a long way from Hawaii and many of you will not have many chances to visit the island. Take advance of this. Spend at least a couple of extra days in Honolulu either before or after your cruise to spend a day on Waikiki Beach, hike Diamond Head, tour Pearl Harbor or take a drive to Oahu's North Shore and possibly catch a wave. The best part is they are all free and, with the exception of driving to the North Shore, there is plenty of cheap transportation to take advantage of the sites in and around Honolulu without renting a car.
Tom D'Angelo writes for The Palm Beach Post. E-mail: tdangelo AT pbpost.com