The annual Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index was released earlier this year and for the fourth year in a row, Hawaii was ranked the highest — and happiest — of all the U.S. states. It’s not hard to see why residents of Hawaii have reason to be joyful. The state’s residents enjoy plentiful sunshine, warm breezes, beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and amazing scenery. If you’d like to find a little dose of that same happiness on your next trip to the region, then book a holiday to Hawaii and get ready to follow your bliss! Read on for five fascinating things to do in Hawaii to have a happy, healthy holiday and return home refreshed and energised.
Diamond Head Massage and Day Spa
Hawaii is famous for the creation of its traditional lomi lomi massage style, so tourists heading to this beautiful state wouldn’t want to go home without trying one. For those staying in popular Waikiki, the Diamond Head Massage and Day Spa is a convenient salon to head to for a morning or afternoon of pure relaxation. The spa is furnished with an eclectic combination of Asian, Pacific and Eastern art and features cool, tropical breezes flowing through its rooms. While Diamond Head has a range of service options available, such as Swedish, Thai, sports, pregnancy and deep tissue massage, visitors to Hawaii are sure to especially love the lomi lomi style. With a name that translates to “loving touch”, this particular type of massage is based around the idea of flow. Therapists seek to find congested areas of stress in the recipient’s body and break these up by using a combination of techniques involving palms, knuckles, forearms and thumbs. The style is rhythmic and relaxing and revolves around the ideas of tolerance, compassion, respect, forgiveness and acceptance.
Volcano Art Center
An educational organisation funded by members, visitors, donors and the community, the Volcano Art Center was set up in 1974 to develop and perpetuate the arts in Hawaii. The center, which welcomes visitors all year-round, is located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at an elevation of nearly 4,000 metres. The gallery at the centre represents local artists (more than 340 at a time) and provides them with the perfect place to showcase their handmade works to Hawaiian residents and international tourists. In 2010, a new space called Hale Ho’omana opened at the Center, creating a location for cultural activities, environmental education and art classes. Visitors to the Volcano Art Center can also enjoy guided tours of the area and a rainforest education and reforestation program.
The Maui Horse Whisperer Experience
A unique Hawaiian activity that allows visitors to understand the basics of equine communication, the Maui Horse Whisperer programs run for half or full days. Located on a scenic, private ranch in Maui that overlooks the beautiful Pacific Ocean, the company is run by professional horseman, Franklin Levinson. Having been in this line of work for half a century, Franklin now introduces guests to the many benefits of working with horses. Clinical studies have shown that humans find their stress levels reduced significantly by being around these magnificent animals. Program participants are also likely to experience mindfulness (a technique they can go on to use in everyday life) as they bring their attention to the present moment and communicate with the horses.
Hawaiian EDventure
Created in 1990 by the University of Hawaii, the Hawaiian EDventure organisation hosts more than 75 programs that are designed to show tourists the “real” paradise of the pacific. The organisation’s mission is to provide educational travel programs that help support Hawaiian culture as well as sustainable tourism; this is done by showcasing authentic cultural activities and Hawaii’s many natural and architectural wonders.
Sunset Yoga Hawaii
If you’re keen to try a yoga class while in Hawaii, Sunset Yoga Hawaii has the classes for you. Classes run on the beachfront of popular Waikiki, as well as in surrounding areas and even in island jungles. Participants can stretch and relax in the great outdoors and connect to nature in a way that’s just not possible in traditional classes. You can listen to the sound of waves crashing and watch the sun set over the ocean as you clear your mind and embrace the beauty of this tropical paradise.
Yoga in Hawaii By Loveobx23 (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Author’s Bio:
Candice Anniston is a travel writer and blogger with a passion for the great outdoors and holistic medicine. She loves to keep both her mind and body in top condition through a range of activities and can often be found online researching her next potential adventure.