When most of us imagine our Hawaiian excursion, we picture lounging around on the beach, eating delicious shellfish or maybe carving some waves just off the coast of the Aloha State. While these natural attractions have inspired plenty of people to book Hawaiian villas over the years, the natural flora and fauna found throughout the area is nothing to be balked at. Travelers who are hoping to see what the untamed side of Oahu looks like can explore the natural wonders of the island at the Lyon Arboretum.

A research facility managed by the University of Hawaii, the Arboretum is a sizable retreat covering more than 194 acres of land in Oahu's Manoa Valley. This region is home to an impressive array of beautiful flowers and plants, and with more than 5,000 species of tropical agriculture on display, the arboretum is a natural attraction for eco-conscious travelers. Plants found on the grounds include heliconias, gingers, aroids, bromeliads and more.

Guests can even learn a thing or two about the natural world at the site's Beatrice H. Krauss Hawaiian Ethnobotanical Garden. Ethnobotnay is the study of how plants and people interact within an area, and this facility can shed some light on a few of the more amazing benefits of this relationship. Guests can stroll through the area to explore the site's ethnobotany garden, medicinal garden and the Kalo Conservatory, a facility designed to protect the staple crop of the Hawaiian people.

Of course, when planning a trip to an arboretum, what kind of flowers you may come across largely depends on the season that you decide to visit. While some plants will bloom year round, notable the heliconia magnifica and the clerodendrum splendens, others have considerably shorter blooms, making spotting one a game of hit or miss.

Spending a day exploring the wonders of Oahu's plant life may leave you in need of some rest and relaxation. Fortunately, there are a number of luxury rentals on the island that provide both a comfortable setting and a taste of the local agriculture. The Banyan Tree Beach Estate, for example is a sizable five-bedroom villa that offers not only the latest amenities and a beachfront property, but tons of shade provided by the titular banyan tree on site. The villa also boasts a small grotto area near the pool that features a bevy of local plants.