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With adrenaline-pumping activities like parasailing over Maui and diving off Oahu, there's never a dull moment in the islands of aloha.

A romantic moment under one of Hawaii's many waterfalls. Photography: mauimediacenter.com.

Endless tropical gardens, verdant mountains and uninterrupted stretches of beaches—yes, Hawaii is paradise on earth. And while such a setting is conducive to sitting back in the sand and sipping a piña colada, Hawaii’s varied terrain is ripe for active adventures. My husband and I tested out the options across six of the islands. Here are our favorites.

Maui

On this geographically diverse island you can explore lavender farms, trek up soaring mountains, cycle down a dormant volcano, horseback ride along the beach or see it all from above. The best part is there are activities suitable for every fitness level.

Hike We took the daylong rain forest hike with Maui Eco-Adventures, an experience made all the more authentic by a brief afternoon tropical downpour. Our adventure began with a Continental breakfast and delicious local coffee. Then our guide led us through the thick jungle foliage and pointed out banana and kukui nut trees and taro fields. We passed by gnarly banyan trees, deep green ferns and fragrant ti and ginger plants, and stopped for a refreshing dip in clear pools at the base of flowing waterfalls (ecomaui.com).

A parasailing adventure in Maui. Photography: Courtesy of UFO Parasail/Ray Mains Photography.

Parasail Although it only lasted 10 minutes, our adventure with UFO Parasailing above Maui’s western coast was truly an uplifting experience. After a short motorboat ride from Kaanapali Beach out into the ocean, we were strapped into our lifejackets and harnesses. We had decided to soar tandem, and clung to each other as the boat sped away and left us to gently ascend into air. We steadily rose to about 800 feet above the water. (My husband Bill stole a kiss as the folks in the boat clicked some photos.) The view was breathtaking: endless turquoise-blue ocean and towering mountains dotted with deep green foliage (ufoparasailing.com).

Oahu

Oahu offers the best of both worlds: big-city life and remote natural settings. By day, you can hike up the famous Diamond Head, shop at high-end boutiques and splash around at Waikiki Beach. Later, dance the night away at hip open-air clubs.

Paddle Riding in an outrigger canoe is the ultimate active Hawaiian experience. The long narrow boats feature an extended hull and an oversize side rudder on the port (left) side for more stability. We hopped into a canoe with four other people and then paddled as hard as we could to get past the breaking waves. Then we spun the boat around and “surfed” the waves. After an exhilarating half hour, we decided to head back to shore and toast our accomplishments at Duke’s Barefoot Bar, in the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach Hotel. We sipped our cocktails and examined all of the memorabilia and wall hangings dedicated to the bar’s namesake, Duke Kahanamoku, a legendary gold medalist in swimming, who is usually considered the father of modern surfing (outrigger.com).

Deep in the sea, off the coast of Oahu. Photography: Courtesy of Oahu Visitors Bureau.

Dive The most popular scuba excursion off Oahu is the ship dive with Breeze Hawaii Diving Adventures to the sunken Mahi, a converted World War II military boat. We descended nearly 90 feet below the surface and were treated to an unbeatable view of eagle rays and puffer fish, among other exotica. Some people in our group even spotted a shark and a lone sea turtle. And we all kept our eyes peeled for the spectacular multicolored humuhumunukunukuapua’a (yes, that is the longest word in the Hawaiian language), but these flashy fish were nowhere to be seen. Breeze Hawaii Diving Adventures also accommodates snorkelers, based on availability (breezehawaii.com).

Kauai

Since only 10 percent of the “Garden Isle” is accessible via Kauai’s lone road, hiking is the best way to explore its landscape. There are also perfect conditions for surfing one of the island’s beaches.

A kayak excursion is a unique (and active) way to see the islands. Photography: Courtesy of Kauai Visitors Bureau/kauaidiscovery.com.

Hike, Kayak and Zip Line “You’re gonna get wet. You’re gonna get dirty. And you’re gonna get over it,” said our instructor Ben as we embarked on a Kipu Falls safari excursion with Outfitters Kauai. And he was right! We had a blast trekking, paddling and zip lining throughout the island’s Huleia National Wildlife Refuge area, which just so happens to be the opening setting for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Our daylong adventure started with a two-mile kayak ride along the Huleia River. We paddled through crystalline water, then we tied up our boats and trekked over some waterfalls, splashed through pools of water, and hiked through lush tropical foliage before reaching a deep ravine where we zip lined across its 275 feet. It was a little scary at first, but once you realize how securely you’re tethered, you can fully enjoy the rush. (Some of our fellow adventurers even did somersaults as they passed overhead at 35 miles per hour!) Our outing also included a delicious picnic lunch, which we ate in a Swiss Family Robinson-type treehouse perched in the branches of an enormous Banyan tree (outfitterskauai.com).

Surf We donned long-sleeved, yellow rash-guards (surf shirts) and took a lesson from Hawaiian Surfing Adventures. The outfitter offers a money-back guarantee that you’ll stand on your board. “We’ve never had anyone not get up,” claims owner Mitchell Alapa Sr. The first half hour of our session was dedicated to land lessons on water safety, proper form and pop-up drills. Then we hit the ocean for lots of paddling and the opportunity to surf. During the final hour of the class we tried to stand on our heavy foam boards as the waves passed beneath us. And, yes, we did rise to the occasion and felt the rush of gliding over the water, albeit for a brief moment (hawaiiansurfingadventures.com).

Big Island

Here, you can enjoy black-sand beaches, lush interior forests and snow-topped mountains and get the blood pumping with adventures like hiking, cycling and skiing. Less strenuous, but equally enjoyable activities include stargazing and volcano viewing.

View a Volcano “How often can you fly over an active volcano?” asks Jan Lovejoy of Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. This once-in-a-lifetime, two-hour tour soars over the island’s rain forests and mountains, but the most thrilling experience is the view of the Kilauea volcano. During the flight, we watched from above as the scarlet and tar-like molten lava slowly snaked its way toward the ocean (bluehawaiian.com).

On top of the Big Island's Mauna Kea's snowy summit. Photography: Courtesy of the Big Island Vistors Bureau.

Stargaze For an unforgettable sunset and stargazing experience, we signed up for the Mauna Kea Summit Adventures night excursion, which entailed piling into the tour guide’s van and climbing 9,000 feet up the mountain. At the top we found it was downright arctic, so we were grateful to be dressed in winter clothing. After dinner, we were treated to the evening show—the sunset—watching in awe as the fiery sun slipped beneath the ocean horizon. Then we watched the night sky and listened to an astronomy lecture given by our guide (maunakea.com).

Lanai

On this small, lesser-known island, golf lovers score big with more than 20 championship holes spread across two courses, and offshore reefs offer visitors an unbeatable (and colorful) underwater spectacular.

Snorkel We decided to head to Hulopoe Bay, a marine life conservation area on the island’s south coast, which is said to be among the best sites to snorkel in Hawaii.?We were treated to some awesome sightings of colorful parrot fish, rudder fish, delicate starfish and more vibrant sea creatures. A large pod of spinner dolphins often visits here, and in the winter you can spot a humpback whale or two (visitlanai.com).

Molokai

Known as the “most Hawaiian” of the isles, Molokai is truly lost in time. Locals still practice ancient fishing and hunting techniques; nearly deserted beaches lure visitors who are looking for a laid-back day excursion.

Mule Ride Riding a mule through the former leper village, Kalaupapa, may seem like an odd way to spend your honeymoon, but trust us, it is well worth the trek. During the daylong guided tour, we rode down 1,700 feet of mountain terrain along 2.9 miles and were treated to views of majestic sea cliffs. We lunched in the colony’s Judd Park on the scenic Kalawao side, which overlooks waterfalls, towering rock formations and the ocean below. And the site’s peacefulness lets us remember the special offerings we enjoyed throughout Hawaii (muleride.com).