This Popular, Eye-Catching Island State Rich With Stunning Views Is Considered 'The Rainbow Capital Of The World'

Growing up, you may have thought the perfect recipe for a rainbow was a leprechaun with a pot of gold. In reality, rainbows in the sky are the result of a serendipitous mix of sunshine, misty rain, and exceptionally clean air. And one place in America is primed for these conditions better than just about anywhere else in the world. Way out in the Pacific, Hawaii is practically bursting with these colorful bands of light from October to April. The uniquely well-timed trade winds these islands experience during the rainy season provide a consistent streak of ideally balanced sunshine and moisture.

Maybe Steven Businger, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Hawaii, was a bit biased when he claimed that Hawaii has "the best rainbows on Earth," but there's little denying that the 50th state is one of the most visually stunning places on the planet. It's full of iconic sights like the Diamond Head crater overlooking Waikiki Beach, known for being the best spot in America to watch the sunset. There's even a Rainbow Tower, standing nearly 300 feet tall nearby, serving as yet another postcard-perfect backdrop. The archipelago's eight major islands provide a mix of volcanic mountains, cascading waterfalls, lush valleys, and turquoise coastlines. You can see it all for yourself on this outrageously gorgeous island-hopping route.

Spend some time in what Businger considered the "Rainbow Capital of the World," and you'll realize there are rainbows everywhere, from the sides of buses and license plates to rainbow shaved ice and public murals. The University of Hawaii sports teams even call themselves the Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine, a tradition honoring how rainbows have appeared during home games — a very good omen to the players. But to Hawaiians, rainbows are more than just simple superstitions.

Over the course of the past decade, the trend of celebrating National Days has led to the inception of Find a Rainbow Day, observed on April 3 each year. And for folks wondering how in the world they're meant to find a rainbow in the wild, there's an application for that. Professor Steven Businger created RainbowChase Weather, an app with inbuilt software that connects users to weather radar, satellite data, and fellow rainbow miners, helping the practiced prospector and casual observer alike predict where their next lode might appear. But even without the app, each Hawaiian island has places rainbows seem to frequent.

On the Big Island, it's Wailuku River State Park, where bands of color can be seen in the mist of Rainbow Falls. Waikiki Beach's frequent showers and bright sunlight make it a prime spot on Oahu, as well as Koko Crater, whose elevation makes viewing a doubly lucky Piʻo Ānuenue Pālua double rainbow more likely. The pier in Hanalei Bay off Kauai often has rainbows arching over it, and it's sometimes possible to see a Pōʻai Ānuenue Piha full ring rainbow at Waimea Canyon if flying in a helicopter overhead. Hana's magical eucalyptus trees on Maui have rainbow-colored bark along with rain in their canopies, making sightings of the Uakoko low-lying rainbow that appears when an ancestor is watching over you more likely.

No matter which isle you're on, sightings are most likely in the early morning or late afternoon, when the sun's angle is low. This will help the light refract at a more visible angle to you. Then try to position yourself between the sun and the rainbow — so look to the west in the morning and east when nearing sunset.

Much like the lore of leprechauns and potted gold spun by bards in that other utterly charming island of Ireland (with its own bounty of both rain and rainbows), Hawaiians also have legacies and legends about these colorful ribbons of light. Rather than a road to riches and mischievous fairies, Hawaiians believe rainbows connect the Earth to heavenly realms, where both the deceased and the Gods await. Traditionally, they are seen as a "Rainbow Connection" (a la Kermit's vision in "The Muppet Movie") by which higher beings carry their messages to humanity. Thereby, rainbows have evolved to be symbolic of blessings, peace, and a reason for hope.

However, it's important to note that not every rainbow is the same and that, in fact, historically different types were seen as having their own unique attributes. As explained by Professor Steven Businger, "the cultural importance of rainbows is reflected in the Hawaiian language, which has many words and phrases to describe the variety of manifestations in Hawaiʻi."

Unfortunately, as climate change and pollution affect rainfall and air quality, the future of Hawaiian rainbows may be at stake. Rainbows require clean air to refract off the misty water droplets suspended in the air after a rain shower, something that pollution can diminish. And as planetary temperatures rise, it's predicted that the islands will experience more dry spells, meaning fewer misty days in general. In future years, rainbows could become more common in higher latitude places like Alaska, the result of increased rain showers where dry air and snow were once the norm. Even so, as their numbers decrease locally, Hawaii is still expected to continue to have more rainbows than anywhere else in the world.