The center of the National Park is the 2.5-mile wide and 7.5-mile long Haleakala Crater, the largest dormant volcanic crater in the world. It last erupted in 1790. Haleakala has enjoyed national park status since 1916, but it has only been a National Park in its own right since 1961. It has now been added to the United Nations directory of international biosphere reserves. This National Park in the southeast of Maui presents a volcanic lunar landscape, with its own ecosystem of rare plants and birds, some of them found only on Maui.

The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, stretches from the coast to the summit of the highest shield volcano on earth, 13,700-foot Mauna Loa. Lava fields, volcanic craters and cinder cones make up the picture; in many places, steam emerges, giving the impression that an eruption could be imminent. The National Park, recognized as an international biosphere reserve, is the result of 70 million years of volcanic activity and evolution.

The Na Pali Coast is the most photographed coastline in the Pacific – the embodiment of everyone's holiday dream in the cold winter months. This is where the highest waves in all Hawaii crash into the land. In winter, they can reach 30 feet, in summer only 3-6 feet. Along the Na Pali Coast is the famous Kalalau Trail, running high up into the cliffs and offering spectacular views.

Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park is a temple complex built by Polynesians in the 17th century – the only more or less complete shrine in Hawaii. The name Pu'uhonua o Honaunau means 'Place of rescue and refuge of Honaunau'. Until the early 19th century, it was a place of escape for Hawaiians who had broken the laws of the time. If a condemned man could escape to this sacred place, he would be blessed by the priests. Wounded and defeated warriors were also safe from their enemies in this place of asylum.

A large number of tourists visit the Polynesian Cultural Center – a mixture of open-air museum and pleasure park – each year. The cultures of the Polynesians are brought alive in seven replica South Sea villages. The 42-acre exhibition site is covered by richly adorned New Zealand Maori houses or Hawaiian grass huts. The villages are mainly occupied by inhabitants of the respective islands who display their traditional crafts, cultivation methods and dances.

Watching dancing dolphins and performing penguins and listening to the barking of seals in the Sea Life Park – the only oceanarium in Hawaii – are all possible. Here, the underwater world of the Pacific comes alive. Visitors can also wonder at the marine life of the archipelago in several aquariums. The park, approximately 18 miles from Waikiki, is surrounded by the impressive Koolau Mountain Range and the breathtaking Makapuu beach.

Lahaina is not known as the 'jewel in the Maui crown” for nothing. This lively yet quaint town is best enjoyed on a leisurely stroll past the colonial-style façades and the colorfully decorated shops. Many whale-watching tours start in Lahaina Harbor – the last testimony to the former whaling industry. Historic museums, cafés and galleries entice you in to while away the time.

The Hana Road between Kahului and Hana on the Maui northeast coast is the most scenic road in the whole of Hawaii. The 37-mile long road appears to be deceptively short, but you need to allow three to four hours. It winds through evergreen forests, small villages and taro fields, then snakes along the coast over countless one-way bridges, under which valleys and gorges are deeply carved. Each bend in the Hana Road conceals a view of solitary bays and steep crags in the rugged coastline.

It is true that the 'protected bay' of Honolulu has, since the 18th century, developed into a commercial and cultural center for the Hawaiian islands. The people have, however, remained true to their motto 'Take it easy'. In addition to the University of Hawaii, numerous museums and galleries, the State Capitol is well worth seeing. The Aloha Tower is Honolulu’s best known landmark and offers stunning views over the harbor. The most magnificent building in the town is the Iolani Palace in which the last Hawaiian Queen also resided. Last but not least, the odor of smokehouses and spices in Chinatown gives the former slum district a nostalgic flair.

In the west, the garden island of Kauai spreads from north to south towards to Waimea Canyon, which Mark Twain described, with some exaggeration, as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific". The red-brown mountains, with their jagged rocks and steep valleys, span over 12 miles. Numerous waterfalls cascade thousands of feet down over the surrounding rock faces. The Waimea Canyon is the heart of the State Park of the same name (Phone: 808-274-3444, http://www.hawai.gov/dlnr/dsp/kauai.html), a protected area covering 1,865 acres.