Hawaii Cruise - from San Francisco - 116881

Probably the most beautiful city in America lies on a peninsula bordered on the West by the Pacific and in the North by the Golden Gate Strait and in the East by the San Francisco Bay. Two famous bridges span the bay: the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge. The city is built over 40 hills, so that almost every street has wonderful views of the bay. One of San Francisco's main attractions is the 130-year-old cable cars, which are still a popular means of transport even today. Other sights include the Fisherman's Wharf with its restaurants and views of the bay; the former high security prison of Alcatraz, which lies on an island before the city and is open to visitors; Chinatown, the largest Asian settlement outside Asia; the pagoda-topped Japan Centre; as well as Ocean Beach and North Beach. The main shopping area is located around Union Square in the town centre.

Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii. With a population of 1.24 million it is the largest city between America and Asia. The most important sights on Hawaii include the memorial at Pearl Harbour and Punchbowl National Cemetery, the King's Palace (the only one ever to be built on US territory) and the extinct volcanoes "Diamond Head" and "Koko Head".

Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii. With a population of 1.24 million it is the largest city between America and Asia. The most important sights on Hawaii include the memorial at Pearl Harbour and Punchbowl National Cemetery, the King's Palace (the only one ever to be built on US territory) and the extinct volcanoes "Diamond Head" and "Koko Head".

The green island of Kauai is a tropical paradise. The island is famous for its steep cliffs, purple-green valleys, untouched rainforests and breathtaking waterfalls.

The counterpart to Hilo is Kailua-Kona, the secret capital of the Big Island. The notable difference is that everything is considerably more modern in Kailua-Kona than in the small sleepy town of Hilo. Hotels, shops and restaurants can be found on Alii Drive. The reconstructed Ahuéna Heiau (a temple of King Kamehameha I.), Hulihe'e Palace and Moku´aiku Church, built of blocks of lava and one of the oldest mission churches on Hawaii are all worth seeing. Kailua-Kona is also world-famous for the spectacle held each October - the Ironman Triathlon.

Moorea, the pineapple island, was formed from the remains of an extinct volcano. The island has excellent tourist facilities and a large range of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Moorea can be explored in just a few hours - a bike tour is highly recommended. Several diving schools also offer interesting underwater tours.

The volcanic island of Bora Bora is home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, "the pearl of Polynesia". It is surrounded by several small islands. The region's airport is on one of these islands, the other has hotel resorts. There are also orchids growing in the wild, making this a wonderful area to take a long walk. Thanks to the lagoon, there is also a wide range of water sports on offer, such as sailing, glass-bottomed boat-trips, snorkelling, diving ... The main atttraction is the 100 metre-high mountain "Muto Toopua" with "Hiro's bell" - uniquely shaped basalt rocks that sound like a bell when struck.

Papeete is the capital of Tahiti. The island is a mixture of beautiful coves, white sandy beaches, tropical plants and French vanity.