The warm summer sun. The caressing tropical breeze. Lively luaus. Large colorful flowers. The cool and relaxing sound of the ocean. Barbecue parties. White sands. Fresh fruits. Powerful waves good for surfing. A place filled with culture. These are just a few of the descriptions of Hawaii.

Hawaii has often been referred to as the haven of vacations and as the place closest to paradise. This state is located in an archipelago in the North Pacific Ocean, thus the paradise-like environment and culture.

If California is known as the “Sunshine State” and Chicago as the “Windy City”, Hawaii is dubbed as the “Aloha State.” If you notice, Hawaiian people greet each other with “Aloha”. Even when they talk on the phone, instead of “Hello?”, “Aloha” is used.

Eight main islands compose this state. They included Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe. Hawaii is also called the Big Island. This island has generally a rugged coastline, lava deserts, deep valleys, and hollow gulches.

The island of Maui is dubbed as the Valley Island. The largest crater in the whole world is found on this Hawaiian island. Oahu is occasionally called the Capital Island, for this is where the state’s capital, Honolulu, is located. The Garden Island, or Kauai, is mostly composed of mountains and mountain ranges. Molokai is known as the Friendly Island. The reason behind this is that the people who live here are very friendly and hospital to its visitors. Known as the Pineapple Island, most of the island of Lanai is owned by a pineapple company. In the island of Niihau, tourism is prohibited. The last of the main islands, Kahoolawe, holds the nickname Target Island. The U.S. military forces actually used Kahoolawe as a target during practice. However, most of the native Hawaiians regard this island as a sacred place.