A hibiscus flower identified as “Blue Bayou” (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) perks up in full bloom at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden on the Big Island of Hawaii.

This less common jewel brightens up our day and we hope it does yours as well.

Set on the eastern coast of Kaua’i is the small town of Kapa’a. It offers quaint small businesses, a small-town feel, and gorgeous golden sunrises like this one.

Taken from the shore directly behind Aston’s Islander on the Beach, this picture captures a lot about Kauai. Ocean breeze, bright sun, rain clouds on the horizon, near shore reef, and sandy beaches…it plays out like a holiday checklist.

We always enjoy a good silhouette, and this one does the job well. The fiery path atop the ocean drawing a swath from the sun to the camera seems to foreshadow a day filled with promise.

At nearly 1,450 feet tall, Hi’ilawe Falls in Waipio Valley on Hawaii’s Big Island is the tallest waterfall in Hawaii. Although not as powerful as it once was, it still holds beauty and shares a sacred space.

The Waipio Valley itself has a long history of Hawaiian populations living and farming taro. The valley is fed by ample amounts of rainfall and this waterfall helped focus much of that rain into an abundant resource.

More recently, the main flow of water feed Hi’ilawe was diverted by Hamakua Ditch effort, which uses the water for more populated areas. This has led to Hi’ilawe often being a trickle rather than its unimpeded gushing state.

From the Photographer:

“Read about this amazing hike [and see more photos] here. Mahalo for the LIKES and SHARES. Print this image up to 60″ on Aluminum www.jasonmatias.com“

The hike into the valley is beautiful, short, and rugged. It includes several stream crossings, steep hills, and occasionally, outspoken locals.

Orange sunset reflects off the wet, red sand of Makena Beach in South Maui, creating a contrasting transition from warm to cool.

In the distance the small, uninhabited island of Kaho’olawe is visible. The blue clouds hovering over the island appear to touch its summit.

Although red sand beaches are not uncommon on the island of Maui, most of South Maui is covered instead in yellow sands. Makena Beach and its surrounding area formed differently, causing more iron-rich minerals to be captured. The iron mixing with water and air create a beautiful red beach.

A baby nēnē makes its way through the grass, learning how to walk, run, and take care of itself. The nēnē is Hawaii’s State Bird and is endemic to Hawaii.

When it grows up, this nēnē will look a lot like a Canadian Goose, save alternating markings on its neck, a shorter wingspan, and feet that have less webbing. It is thought that the shorter wingspan developed over years of not migrating–and who can blame them for choosing to stick around? The webbing is thought to have developed so that the birds could more easily navigate walking on fields of ʻaʻā lava and other rocky terrain.

The nēnē is on the endangered species list and therefore protected by law. It is illegal to feed, touch, chase or otherwise harass them. Current estimates put the total population of nēnē at around 2,500 in the world. Their population has been growing since the last estimate in 2005.