Travel destination reviews that highlight 'The Best of...' invariably refer to the Hawaiian Islands as the best place for sun, sand and natural attractions - the place to head for a fun holiday.

This is the location of some of the finest beaches in the United States, each unique in its dimensions, shapes and hues. These sandy stretches are fronted by crystal waters teeming with tropical fish darting through forests of coral. Some of the world's best surfing and watersport opportunities are offered here and for those intent on premium sightseeing it is hard to beat the thrill of watching lava flow from the world's longest erupting volcano.

Visitors who relish exploring different cultures and ancient civilisations will find the best of Polynesian relics in which to indulge their passions, as they soak up some of the 'Mana' (spiritual power) with which the islands were imbued by the legendary gods and goddesses.

Hawaii's nightlife is centred on traditional festivals which visitors are encouraged to experience as they don 'leis' (necklaces of flowers) and dance the famous 'hula' after sunset.

The state of Hawaii includes approximately 130 islands in the Pacific Ocean, many of which are uninhabited. The islands lie about 1,600 miles (2,600km) off the coast of mainland USA. The largest island, Hawaii, is known imaginatively as the Big Island, but the state capital, Honolulu, and most of the population is located on the smaller island of Oahu, which is also the main tourist destination. The other main islands are Maui, Molokai and Kauai. Between them the islands boast an amazingly diverse geography providing endless recreation opportunities, from snowboarding on mountain summits to hiking through rainforests. The possibilities offered by a Hawaiian holiday are limited only by the boundaries of the imagination.

Beaches

Polynesian Cultural Centre

Address: 55-370 Kamehameha Highway (83)

Admission: General admission, including IMAX, 'Horizons' and Canoe Pageant among others: $60 (adults), $45 (children 3-11). Visitors can select either a single component of the Polynesian Cultural Center experience, or a packaged combination of several options Open Monday to Saturday. The box office is open 9am to 8pm. Island tours and cultural presentations start at 12.30pm. The seven cultural villages close at 6.30pm, but the various shows, pageants, extravaganzas, shops, Imax theatre and restaurants are open later. 'Horizons' starts at 7.30pm

Telephone: (808) 293 3333

Bishop Museum

Address: 1525 Bernice Street, Honolulu

Admission: $17.95 (adults), $14.95 (children 4-12). Concessions available Daily 9am to 5pm, closed Christmas Day

Telephone: (808) 847 3511

Valley of the Temples

Admission: Byodo-In Temple grounds admission: $2 Daily 8.30am to 4.30pm

Telephone: (808) 239 8811

Iolani Palace

Address: 364 South King Street, Honolulu

Admission: Grand Tour: $20 (adults), $5 (children 5-17); no under 5s permitted Docent-guided tours are offered every 20 minutes Tuesday to Saturday between 9am and 11.15am. Audio tours and self-guided tours are also available

Telephone: (808) 522 0822

Arizona Memorial Museum

Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu

Admission: Free, tickets issued on a first-come-first-served basis Daily 7.30am to 5pm. Interpretive programs, including a documentary film about the attack on Pearl Harbour and the boat trip to the USS Arizona Memorial, begin at 8am (7.45am in summer). The last program each day begins at 3pm

Telephone: (808) 422 0561

Honolulu's Chinatown

Haleakala National Park

Admission: The admission fees of $10 per vehicle or $5 per individual, valid for seven days, provides access to both the Summit and Kipahulu areas of the park Headquarters Visitor Center: daily 8am to 4pm; Haleakala Visitor Center: daily from 6.30am to 3.30pm; Kipahulu Visitor Center: daily 9am to 5pm

Telephone: (808) 572 4400

Maui Ocean Centre

Address: 192 Ma'alaea Road, Wailuku

Admission: $25.50 (adults), $18.50 (children 3-12) Daily 9am to 5pm, and until 6pm in July and August

Telephone: (808) 270 7000

Whalers Village Museum

Address: Whalers Village Shopping Centre, 2435 Ka'anapali Parkway

Admission: Free Daily 9am to 10pm

Telephone: (808) 661 4567

Baldwin Home Museum

Address: Front and Dickenson Streets, Lahaina

Admission: Daily 10am to 4pm

Telephone: (808) 661 3262

Hana Highway

Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula

Address: Highway 37

Admission: Daily 9am to 5pm

Telephone: (808) 878 2531

Hulihe'e Palace

Address: Ali‘i Drive, Kailua-Kona

Admission: $6 (adults), $1 (children), concessions available Daily 9am to 4pm

Telephone: (808) 329 1877

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Admission: $10 per vehicle, valid for seven days, or $5 per pedestrian Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is open 24 hours a day all year. Kilauea Visitor Center is open daily from 7.45am to 5pm and Jaggar Museum is open daily from 8.30am to 8pm

Telephone: (808) 985 6000

Pacific Tsunami Museum

Address: 130 Kamehameha Avenue

Admission: $8 (adults), $4 (children 6-17) Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm

Telephone: (808) 935 0926

Parker Ranch

Address: 67-1435 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamuela

Admission: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm

Telephone: (808) 885 7655

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park

Admission: $5 per vehicle, or $3 per individual, valid for seven days Park: 7am to 8pm daily. Visitor centre: 8am to 5pm daily

Telephone: (808) 328 2288

Kona Coffee Museum and Farm

Admission: $20 for adults, $7.50 for children Living History Farm Tours Monday to Friday on the hour between 10am and 2pm

Telephone: (808) 323 3222

Ellison S Onizuka Space Centre

Address: Keahole-Kona International Airport

Admission: $3 (adults), $1 (children), concessions available Daily 8.30am to 4.30pm

Telephone: (808) 329 3441