Marvel at the thunderous spectacle of 12,000-year-old Niagara Falls in northern New York, or seek an antidote to urban chaos amidst the flat farmland of the Midwest. Then there are the black hills of South Dakota, the dramatic mountain and ocean landscape of California’s Pacific Coast Highway and the world-famous Grand Canyon.

The third-largest country in the world (after the Russian Federation and Canada), the USA has an enormous diversity of geographical features, including mountains, plains, and coastal zones. Though there are many cities that are densely populated with more manmade features than natural ones, there are also vast rural areas that are far more sparsely populated. The climate ranges from subtropical to arctic, with a corresponding breadth of flora and fauna.

Electricity

120 volts AC, 60Hz. Plugs have two flat pins with or without a third round grounding pin.

General business opening hours

Business hours are officially Mon-Fri 0900-1730, although an extended working day is very common in certain sectors and it is not unusual for people to be working well into the night or over the weekend.

2018

New Year’s Day: 1 January 2018
Martin Luther King Day: 15 January 2018
President’s Day: 19 February 2018
Memorial Day: 29 March 2018
Independence Day: 4 Juyi 2018
Labor Day: 3 September 2018
Columbus Day: 8 October 2018
Veterans Day: 12 November 2018
Thanksgiving Day: 22 November 2018
Christmas: 25 December 2018

All information subject to change.

Celebrates Chinese culture.

Honolulu’s Cherry Blossom Festival was first held in 1949 and has been celebrating Japanese culture and heritage on Hawaii each year ever since. Events take place in various locations over a two-month period leading up to the festival finale: the grand Festival Ball where the Cherry Blossom Festival Queen will be crowned. Other events include heritage displays, fashion shows, a golf tournament, traditional Japanese musical performances and numerous cultural displays and exhibitions which celebrate Japanese culture, customs and heritage.

With an eclectic programme of cultural events, the Honolulu Festival is a weekend of entertainment and educational activities aimed at promoting understanding and integration between the people of Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region. During the festival visitors can take their pick from live music, dancing, art exhibitions, film screenings, lectures, school visits and a colourful street parade. This is arguably Hawaii’s biggest and best-loved cultural festival.

Hawaii’s most emblematic symbol is without doubt the lei – a garland of flowers, given as an expression of welcome and hospitality. May Day is dedicated to the lei and the traditions associated with it. The first Lei Day was held in 1927. From small beginnings it has grown into an event celebrated across the islands, but especially in Honolulu on Oahu. Events on this day include pageants and competitions for both lei queen and the making of the lei itself.

A fusion of Pan-Pacific cultures, this popular festival is a weekend of events ranging from a block party to a fun half marathon. But the main event is the colourful parade that starts at Fort DeRussy and then heads through town down Kalakaua Avenue, through the heart of Waikiki and ends at Kapiolani Park. Over 1,000 marchers, floats and bands participate in the parade and the streets are lined with cheering spectators. Another popular event that attracts big crowds is the Hula Festival, which is held in the Ala Moana Shopping Center and offers visitors a great introduction to this traditional Hawaiian dance.

The Aloha Festivals take place across six of the islands, celebrating Hawaii’s music, dance and history. More than 300 events make up the festivals and help to preserve the unique island traditions. On each island, celebrations commence with “Oahu”, where a king, queen, prince, princess and attendants are chosen, all of them of Hawaiian descent. The investitures are wonderfully evocative occasions of much colour and ceremony including the blowing of conch shells and waving of feather standards. Aloha Festivals incorporate the strong Pacific, Asian and Western cultural influences on the islands, epitomised by everything from Japanese Bon Dance to the traditional hula. Music, song, dance, traditional rituals and pageantry in native costume, floral parades, sports and competitions are among the many events.

The annual Hawaii International Film Festival presents an excellent programme of films ranging from mainstream Hollywood blockbusters to low-budget, independent releases. Established in 1981, the festival is dedicated to the advancement of understanding and cultural exchange among the peoples of Asia, the Pacific and North America through the medium of film. The festival proved so popular that a ‘Spring Showcase’ was added to the programme in 1998 which is held each March/April.