Hawaii is known for many things - pristine beaches and wonderful ocean vistas. Great people who welcome visitors with open arms. Fantastic food and a tourism industry that makes all who arrive on the islands welcome.
And this is a place where the water is part and parcel of an entire culture. The waves have long attracted the best surfers in the world and waves have attracted some of the best competitive surfers in the world.
But it is not only surfing that attracts those who want to enjoy the water to a place that boasts some of the most beautiful waters in the world.
There is also a widespread windsurfing culture in Hawaii. There are a number of beaches that have now become windsurfing havens. Kihei and Lahaina are only two of those.
These are beaches where the wind blows slightly more gently and the waves are a bit more forgiving than those on Hookipa Beach, where you really need to know your stuff - the currents and the sheer force of the wind and the wave strength will test even the most experienced of wave riders. That beach is not suitable for beginners.
But for those who are experienced Hookipa Beach which is home to some of the best and most outstanding of the windsurfing community is simply what has been called the 'Aspen of Windsurfing'. The aerial antics of those who call on the waves and wind in this place on Maui is a joy to behold. This is why Hawaii is not only home to some of the best surfers in the world - but also home to some of the most accomplished of windsurfers on the planet.
There are of course many other beaches that offer great windsurfing opportunities to those who visit Hawaii. The natural foundations of the Island with its volcanic peaks mean that the trade winds which blow over the ocean make it an ideal playground for those who want to catch the wind in their sails and take advantage of the fantastic surf and waves that made it such a fantastic place for those who want to keep the salt in their veins in perfect balance.
For those who want to explore the sport there is ample opportunity at Diamond Head Beach and Fort DeRussy Beach on Waikiki. But as is always the case in Hawaii there is always opportunity wherever you are on the islands - try out Anini Beach on Kauai.
Given the nature of the winds and the fact that wherever you go on any of the Hawaiian islands you will be greeted by wonderful scenery and fantastic people - as well as the opportunity to enjoy some of the most wonderful surf and scenery in the world there is no reason that you should not indulge yourself in simply enjoying the wind and the salt water. After all this is the pace that invented the Aloha mentality - and the place where you should enjoy the wind in your sails.
