Santa Catalina Island has a laid back Mediterranean feel, and it’s a popular destination for hiking, snorkelling and kayaking. The island was purchased in 1919 by the chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., and the Wrigley family later established the Santa Catalina Conservancy to preserve the island’s natural habitats.

Hilo is located on the east coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, a lush region of verdant rainforests, botanical gardens and gushing waterfalls. In the 1800s this was an important centre for the sugar industry, and the surviving plantation-era architecture gives downtown Hilo its uniquely quaint appearance.

Lanai is known as the ‘pineapple island’ thanks to its history producing fruit for the Dole fruit company, and was once home to the world’s largest pineapple plantation. In 2012 the billionaire Larry Ellison bought 98% of the island, with plans to turn it into an economically viable green community.

If the word Honolulu makes you think of deserted beaches and dusky maidens, think again! Despite its remote location in the North Pacific, Honolulu is busy busy, in particular the boisterous, touristy Waikiki beach.

Kaua’i, nicknamed the 'Garden Island', is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands. This lush landscape of spectacular waterfalls and jungle-clad mountains is criss-crossed by the only navigable rivers in Hawaii, and has been used as a backdrop in films including ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ and ‘Jurassic Park’.

The former whaling town of Lahaina is one of Maui’s biggest tourist draws, with its lively harbour, souvenir shops and plenty of restaurants and bars. It’s also an excellent spot for whale watching between January and March, and a base for exploring Maui's beaches and verdant volcanic hills.