I love hiking, and I'd say I only do it for the gorgeous Island vistas and the connection to nature, but it's also to help me stay in shape. This becomes especially important through the holiday season when the calories start to pile on and then, quite out of nowhere, something else starts to pile on. Boo.
I did a post a few weeks ago about the easier hikes to do around Oahu. They're actually some of my favorites because they deliver on the views without working you over. But when it comes to hiking, honestly, I dearly love getting worked.
Hiking is one of the best ways to see Hawaii without the many filters of the "visitor" experience. Just a strikingly gorgeous chain of islands, perfectly isolated and unique in its geography, from unforgiving lava terrain to lush, tropical jungles.