WELCOME TO THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Few places in the world will give you a warmer, more gracious welcome than Hawaii, the Aloha State. Nearly 140 islands, islets, and shoals make up the Hawaiian Island chain at the northern tip of the Polynesian Triangle. However, only six of those islands have been fully developed as livable communities. Distinguished as one of the most geographically isolated and continuously populated places on the earth, Hawaii is a land of many enchanting and delightful contrasts. Each one of the Hawaiian Islands draws newcomers to a distinctive environment, a unique personality, a measured pace of living, and dominant employment markets. Hawaii is distinguished as the only state with no official municipalities. Governments are organized under county jurisdictions, each one with its own major and council. The City & County of Honolulu governs the island of Oahu and the northern chain of islands up to the island of Midway. The County of Maui governs Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe, and Lanai. The Big Island of Hawaii is under the jurisdiction of the County of Hawaii; while the County of Kauai encompasses the island of Kauai and the nearby tiny, privately owned Niihau Island.

Services

The state of Hawaii offers public and private schools statewide on every academic level, including some of the finest universities in the Pacific region. Youngsters receive a strong foundation for post-secondary and higher learning with proven core curriculums that are enhanced by rich extra-curricular activities and special programs. Vocation and career opportunities are abundant, serving students of all ages with hands-on experiences that prepare them for exciting new fields. The expansive University of Hawaii System offers community college campuses in Honolulu, Kapiolani, Windward, and Leeward on Oahu; in Lihue on Kauai; in Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii; and a tri-island campus on Maui as well as education centers on Lanai and Molokai. The University of Hawaii maintains its flagship campus in Manoa on Oahu in a quiet residential valley above Waikiki. West Oahu is an upper-division campus that caters to transfer students, while the campus in Hilo on the Big Island takes advantage of a unique living laboratory of active volcanoes, deep oceans, rich landscape, and the world's finest equipment to offer exceptional research opportunities. Other options for higher education include the Hawaii Pacific University, the University of Phoenix, Chaminade University, Brigham Young University-Hawaii, Wayland Baptist University-Hawaii, and Argosy University.

State-of-the-art healthcare is never far from home, regardless of where you choose to settle in the Hawaiian Islands. The largest private hospital in Hawaii is the Queens Medical Center, licensed for more than 500 acute-care beds and nearly 30 sub-acute beds. More than 3,000 employees and 1,200 skilled physicians ensure the hospital's leading position as the top medical referral center in the Pacific Basin. Each one of Hawaii's major hospitals and medical centers is dedicated to delivering the finest in compassionate, patient-centered care within an environment of advanced technology. While the Island of Oahu is home to the lion's share of major healthcare centers and specialized services, each island is well-served with 24-hour emergency services and acute-care facilities. Even the quiet, rural islands of Lanai and Molokai are home to Lanai Community Hospital and Molokai General Hospital, respectively. Long-term care, home health, skilled nursing, centers of excellence, specialty units, hospice, rehabilitation, various therapies, and every imaginable modality of alternative medicine are available in Hawaii.

Lifestyle

Newcomers to the Hawaiian Islands can choose from bustling urban neighborhoods to quiet villages or secluded rural properties where the rest of the world seems to disappear. The Island of Oahu is home to the densely populated state capital of Honolulu and its equally famous tourist destination of Waikiki Beach. Nearly 70 percent of Hawaii's residents call this "gathering place" their home. Those who are interested in suburban living can choose from several districts, including Hawaii Kai in southeast Honolulu, Kailua or Kaneohe on the windward side, Kapolei or Waikele on the leeward coast, or Mililani in central Oahu. While Maui is less populated and less developed than Oahu, it has often been dubbed the "honeymoon capital" of the islands and remains a highly favored destination for visitors. Many Maui residents are employed in the adjoining cities of Kahului and Wailuku or the resort area of Kaanapali, frequently commuting from the more serene outer areas like Kihei.

Shifting toward the quiet side, Kauai is known for diverse and spectacular scenery. The dramatic Napali Coast has made the island a choice site for Hollywood filmmakers, but Kauai is favored by vacationers and visitors as well. Most Kauai residents live and work in the districts of Hanalei, Lihue, Koloa, Wailua, or Waimea. The Big Island of Hawaii covers more than 4,000 square miles with rain forests, lava fields, world-famous beaches, and one of the earth's most active volcanoes. Residential development is primarily clustered in Kailua-Kona on the leeward side or Hilo on the windward side. The smallest of the populated islands are Molokai and Lanai, where rush-hour traffic and crowds are replaced by swaying palm trees, rich agricultural land, and quiet beaches.

Each island has a "wet" or windward side to the east and a "dry" or leeward side to the west, creating remarkable differences in topography. With such a varied landscape, the opportunities for outdoor adventure, sports activities, and recreation are virtually unlimited. Water-sports including world-class surfing, sailing, boating, and riding personal watercraft are shared passions for many islanders. Others prefer the passive recreation of long walks on tranquil beaches. Cultural attractions and amenities are abundant, from ethnic celebrations to the Honolulu Symphony or intimate community theater. The housing choices are varied and attractive, from cozy bungalows and cottages to elegant estates, waterfront manors, and vibrant suburban developments. For a vacation lifestyle that spans 365 days of every year, the breathtakingly beautiful Hawaiian Islands provide the finest of urban, suburban, rural, and recreational settings.