I'm starting to plan a family trip to Hawaii, either for spring break or early June. I know absolutely nothing about the different islands, so I thought I'd start here. We took a trip to Italy in July, and this site was invaluable as I was planning. Now, I need the SlowTrav readers' expert advice on Hawaii! We will be taking my 18-year old son, college aged daughter, older daughter and her husband. Scuba diving opportunities would be a plus, but not a requirement. Mainly, we just want to experience the beautiful beaches and scenery. Thanks for your advice!

In 6 hours, I will be leaving for Maui.First time here but have been to Italy 12+ times.This is a new experience for me. We will be snorkeling. I'll let you know, when we get back, all the details.

Hi,
I live on Oahu and could help but am not sure exactly what information you are looking for. As far as scuba diving goes, there are boats that you can go out on for a daytrip to scuba dive off of Waikiki. I am sure there are probably other opportunities on the islands also.

If you do come to Oahu, I would definitely recommend making sure to see more than Waikiki. Most of us that live here rarely go into Waikiki. It is extremely touristy and doesn't really represent the rest of the island. The beaches in Waikiki are nice, although they are crowded. There are many other beaches around the island that are nicer. Each part of the island has it's own unique qualities. The north shore is fun and there are fine white sand beaches on the windward side. There are also great places to hike.

Oahu is much more crowded than the other islands. Each island is very different but all are wonderful!

Right now there are great fare wars going on so the price to fly interisland is pretty cheap. There are 3 main airlines that fly interisland - Go, Aloha, Hawaiian. There is another airline that also flies to Molokai...not sure of the name at the moment but it is a tiny plane.

Let me know what other info you are looking for.
aloha, susan

ps...bianco casa, have a fun time on Maui...weather has been very hot & humid lately but the trades are supposed to return soon!

I leave for a week on Kauai in three weeks. It'll be my first time in Hawaii... and I'm so excited!!

We (our group of 10) chose Kauai because its so green and calm. "The Garden Island" Two of our group are getting married there, so we just wanted a place to have a nice beach wedding and then chill out and do some hiking and snorkling.
Oh, there will be trip reports.

Thus far, our research has found that scuba diving centers are everywhere. They do shore dives as well as boat dives. Certification can be done there - full or partial (just to get ya in the water). Surf lessons abound, too - which your 18yr old may be interested in.

Pauline recommended a book in her Kauai trip report: The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook. I understand there are others of these same guides for all of Hawaii. So far I love it... but until I get there & use it, its hard to say for sure.

Susan,
How different is the weather from island to island?

I understand the best & least expensive fish is that which is in season (naturally) - but I'm having a hard time finding what will be in season in late September. Any insight?

good luck planning, St!

I went to Hawaii last year in May and visited 3 of the islands. They all have their own appeals and charms, so it really depends on what you are looking for. I didn't visit Kuaui, but I've heard it is the most beautiful, although not much in the way of night life. Oahu seemed to have the most in way of outdoor activities. Waikiki (on Oahu) is very crowded, so I would think it would be better to stay outside of the city if you choose to go there. Maui is nice as well. We stayed near Lahaina, which is a fun city to walk around. There's plenty of outdoor activities, but prices seem to be jacked up versus Oahu. The Big Island is great for seeing the volcanoes, although I personally didn't find it as beautiful as the other two islands I visited, although the miles and miles of dried up lava is very interesting.

When we were trying to decide which islands to visit, I read "Hawaii for Dummies." It was a great book for an overview on the various islands. For the specific islands, the "Revealed" books ("Maui Revealed," "Oahu Revealed", etc.) give great insights on places to see and things to do.

How many days do you plan to spend? Any ideas on what kind of things you want to do or see there?

The hottest months of the year in Hawaii are August and September. When the winds die, we call them Kona winds. That means HOT, Muggy, humid weather. I guess it would be similar to the weather in Sicily with the winds from Africa (forget what they are called). Also sometimes we get a lot of VOG with the Kona winds. But we are lucky to also have some nice trade wind days during this time. It is hard to predict. Generally there is not as much rain as in the winter months.

The weather is not that different from island to island. The differences are more noticeable on different parts of each island. Generally, there is more wind, clouds, and rain on the windward side (side closest to the mainland) and it is hotter, drier, sunnier on the leeward sides (side closest to Asia) of each island. Also towns nearer to the mountains will have a little more clouds and some rain showers as the clouds tend to hug the mountains (unless it is a real rainy day and then it rains all over) and the south part of each island is usually sunnier and drier. We sometimes joke that you can drive to find the sun.

On the Big Island, Hilo is known for lots of rain. There sometimes is snow on Mauna Kea and many of the houses up north near Kamuela and Waimea have fireplaces for winter time when the wind blows off the snow on Mauna Kea. There are also parts of Kauai that are known for more rain (but would have to get specifics for you as I am not sure just where besides Mt. Waialeale which is the rainiest spot on earth). Poipu is usually pretty nice and Princeville can be rainier but more so in the winter.

Yesterday evening we had a mild earthquake!! Only the second time I have felt one in 23 years here!

Let me know if you have any more questions.

I have been going to Maui since 1976 ( been there at least 20x's)and have stayed at the same condo resort on the beach in Kihei. We along with our 19 yr old son will be going this Christmas for 2 weeks and once again will be staying at the same condo resort.I have been to Oahu ,Kauai and Lanai and love Maui the best. Maui in May or June is great. No rain and the trade winds blow evry afternoon to cool it down. Lots to do and see plus good restaurants.
Our son has been begging us to take him back because the skimming, surfing and snorkeling is fantastic. If I were going as a large family I think I'd get a condo or two and locate myself centrally to explore. We stay at Hale Pau Hana.

Thanks for all the great insight! I think we would want to stay away from the crowds, some place that has nice beaches, small towns, a little bit of night life, and maybe some diving and hiking. I'd like to find a condo or vacation home for the six (maybe seven) of us that would be comfortable, convenient and not too expensive. Sounds like I'm looking for that "perfect spot!" I definitely was thinking Maui would be a good choice. Looking forward to reading the trip reports on those who lucky enough to be going to Hawaii in the coming days! In the meantime, I'll check out the books that have been recommended. Thanks again to everyone for your input!

In short, here is my perspective of Hawaii from several trips there over the years:

Oahu is crowded, has freeways and traffic and very crowded beaches and high-rise hotels on the sand. I personally hated it (but that's just me). It may have good parts that I missed.

Parts of Maui are crowded (the town of Lahaina) but it is more beautiful and more laid back than Oahu in my opinion, especially if you are not in Lahaina (although the town is very pretty and has good shopping and galleries and lots of night life). Maui is an incredibly diverse island with Haleakala crater you can hike into (lots of people like to bike ride down the road from the crater), amazing snorkeling all around the island, stunning black lava on the south end, and the Road to Hana and the town of Hana itself, which when I was there several years ago, was still undeveloped/unspoiled. I LOVE Maui.

The Big Island is also quite diverse, with two volcanoes, hiking across volcanoes and in rain forest, excellent snorkeling off Kona and it is also beautiful. Loved it there, too.

Kauai I know least but it is suppossed to be best for couples and romantics as there is not as much to do there, expecially with regards to night life. It is the wettest of all the islands, very lush, very beautiful.

quote:

not too expensive

Maui tends to be pricier than Kauai.

My favorite island is Kauai. The island is pretty diverse with Waimea Canyon, some great hiking, different types of beaches, etc.

On Oahu, you can find some pretty cool things to do but it is definitely more "city like" if you spend most of your time in the Honolulu area. There are some wonderful uncrowded beaches and a few interesting museums (not anything like Italy though). Also a lot of good hiking trails.

Maui is also wonderful but is a little more touristy than Kauai and the Big Island and the traffic I hear is getting worse (but it could never be as bad as Oahu!). Again, lots of things to do there.

The Big Island is also very diverse - from the Kona sunny dry area, Waimea, the volcanoes, etc. There are not as many great beaches on this island but there are still a few. I have never stayed in Kona but the rest of the island has a pretty dead night life similar to Kauai if that is what you are looking for.

This is the state website. It has some good info that may be helpful.

whoops! I forgot Molokai!! Another very laid back island. Definitely not much nightlife there. This is the place to go if you want to experience SLOW life.

And Lanai...just 2 huge ritzy resorts and one little town in the center of the island. This is the one island I have not visited yet, although have snorkeled off the coast by the shipwreck on a friends boat.

We just got back 2 weeks ago from our first trip to Hawaii. Since we had never been, and we didn't want to Island Hop from Honolulu (we were coming back to the US from New Zealand with our two young'uns) so we decided to stay at Waikiki.
Yes, it was busy and very touristy. We stayed at the Park Shore Waikiki, and while not fancy, it was fine for sleeping. It is across the road from the beach, and has nothing obscuring the view. Open air restaurant was kind of like a Dennys, but again, with 2 small kids, that's what we needed. We climbed Diamond Head,(our 2 year old almost walked the entire way herself!), went to Pearl Harbor, went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay (where you can rent prescription goggles!), and on our last day, rented a convertible and drove around the island. We spent quite a lot of time just enjoying the beach with the kids. Evenings we walked around, watched the people, and sat on our Lanai with a bottle of wine, enjoying the view.
I'm definitely going back.

After spending many, many weeks in Hawaii over the last number of years, I'll share with you a few things that I've learned:
1. Waikiki is a small part of Honolulu, a smaller part of Oahu, and an even smaller part of what Hawaii really is...a chain of islands with an incredibly rich heritage and history. Waikiki is a tourist resort area with a man-made beach, in the city of Honolulu...so go there, by all means but make sure you go elsewhere, as well. Personally, I've stayed twice in Waikiki and prefer to stay in Kailua, a small city on the opposite side of Oahu.

2. Waikiki has some stunning places to sit and soak up the ambience... Halekulani Beach Hotel has a great seaside lounge, House Without a Key. The evening entertainment is vintage Hawaiian, the drinks are splendid and the atmosphere is so lovely! Eat, drink and enjoy!

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has a fantastic afternoon tea...drive up in front of the hotel, get valet parking and walk onto the verandah for a few hours of delish food, great service, the ocean at your feet and the warm fragrant sea breezes touching your face...heavenly! Oh, yes...call ahead and make a reservation for the afternoon tea...it's usually booked solid.

3. Kailua is a gorgeous smaller-than-Honolulu city about 20 minutes across the island from Honolulu and Waikiki Beach. I have stayed there many times, renting a small cottage from a friend of mine, and going to the beach every single day. It is peaceful, quiet and lusciously un-touristy!

Lanikai Beach, Kailua Beach and the sandy stretch of beach along Kailua Bay are among the finest and most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. During the week, there are very few people walking along the beach, but come the weekend, they fill up with tourists, tour buses and local families. Still, in spite of the tour buses, these beaches are not over-crowded when compared to Waikiki Beach.

Rent a vacation rental or guest house in Kailua ...it's such a beautiful part of the island.
Eat at Cinnamon's Restaurant in Kailua...owned by friends of mine, Puna and Cricket Nam and Carsie Green, it is consistently one of the best places to eat in the area...the best Eggs Benedict in this Universe!

4.Jameson's By the Sea is the best restaurant on the North Shore. Their Grilled Crab Sandwich with Curly Fries (and Macadamia Nut Creme Pie for dessert) is stellar!
Go to the North Shore for the afternoon, eat lunch at Jameson's, then take a walk along Sunset Beach and stay for the sunset. Take your camera, a snack and a drink, a bag for seashells and a bamboo beach mat for your afternoon nap.

5. Go for at least 2 weeks. Anything less is not enough to soak up all of the fabulous scenery, food, weather, golf, walking, shopping, hiking...

6. It's addicting.
Be prepared to go back again...and again...and again...

Aloha!
"Beating the drums for Hawaii is not hard to do... the place just grows on you." James MacArthur, Dan-o on Hawaii 5-0
Brenda
PS...that's me in the pic below, boogie boarding in the wild surf along Kailua Beach! Truly, I actually did it!

We love Hawaii and go to Kauai everytime we go and another island as well. Kauai has gotten more crowded, and with the addition of two or three traffic lights in Kapaa, the drive to the North Shore may have a traffic jam in Kapaa coming and going. Having said that, I would still highly recommend Kauai. Very green, and never dissappoints - the Hawaii we dream about.
We also love Oahu and we stay in Waikiki in the middle of all the tourists, etc. The last few times we have rented a car that allows us more freedom and we can drive around the island and get more of the tropical island ambiance.We generally stay at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. This past August the rate was $146 a night (city view)for Starwood preferred members - easy and free to become a member - just go online to their website. Plus, everytime we have stayed there (4 times, I think) we have been upgraded to pool view or ocean view.
I heartily recommend the Ultimate guides - the website does a great job of rating hotels, restaurants, etc. My favorite guides!
No matter what you will love Hawaii.
Aloha,

I lived in Hawaii for three years (on Oahu, right near girasoli, but in Makakilo) and have visited several times since. For a long time my favorite island was Maui, but it's become a lot more crowded and I think now my favorite is Oahu. Yes, there are more people, but you can go from city life (and Honolulu, with its mountain backdrop, is beautiful!) to the country in less than 30 minutes. And when you're ready for some action, you're only 30 minutes away.

I did all my scuba diving off Oahu, Maui, and Lanai. Some of the areas are over-dived and don't have a lot of fish, and some areas have strong currents. The time of year plays a big part in currents and safety.

For a first time visit, I would recommend Oahu and one other island. Don't forget the Big Island of Hawaii! It's completely different from all the others (IMO), and there's nothing like Kilauea volcano!

On Oahu our favorite place to stay is on the North Shore - Turtle Bay. VRBO has some great condos for rent and are pretty reasonable. Although it's a bit of a drive to downtown and Waikiki, it's very peaceful and relaxing. Haleiwa is a nice little town with some great shops and restaurants. Oh, and there's also the great shrimp wagons - Yum!

Here's a review that I did of the condo we stayed at in Turtle Bay.

this is a very hard subject--each of the islands are different, it's like there is one for each kind of traveler---but definitely the SLOW TRAVELER. We have been going to Hawaii since 1970's and there have been a lot of changes but climate never varies much. Kauai is the far away one, and get more tropical storms in that season.Oahu is the one most people start with because of air routes. Maui has become our second home because of air from San Diego is non-stop. Granted there are a lot of people on the way there,but we find our places that have beaches and no people. Molokai has the most beautiful beaches and not many people on them. My advice would be to try them out and see which one fits!! And maybe like us, you will go back and back,and to a different one each time, depending on what you feel like. But do remember to go back!! Aloha

I just returned from six days on Maui, and loved every minute! My friend Melody and I stayed at the picturesque and comfortable Pioneer Inn in Lahaina town. Our room had a small balcony overlooking the famous Banyan tree park. Lahaina was a great location for us, as we could hang out in the lively town center when we wanted, and easily access other parts of the island.

I promised Melody I'd write a trip report, but am in the middle of moving so it may be a few weeks. I'll be sure to upload some photos to http://www.SlowPhotos.com this week, though. In the meantime, here are some of my favorites:

• Snorkeling in "Turtle Town" and off Molokini. Seeing a Hawaiian green sea turtle was an almost magical experience for me. We went out on an early morning Boss Frog outing from Ma'alaea Harbor, but there are probably a dozen companies offering these tours.
• Paia - wonderful small town atmosphere with friendly people. Good local art and clothes shopping.
• Ahi tacos at Milagros Food Company in Paia. Oh, so good!
• Driving a Jeep! (But getting the cover and windows back on was a b*tch.)
• Noodles with Thai-style peanut sauce at Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina. Slow Traveler Sue M recommended this place - we liked it so much we went back a couple days later to try their Kahlua pig sandwich. Yum!
• Driving the gorgeous "road to Hana." Fabulous. (Note to Shannon: I did NOT drive too fast! )
• Mango Cream ice cream at the "Halfway to Hana" roadside stand. Decadent!
• Delicious appetizer dinner at the Hali'imaile General Store restaurant in Hali'imaile between Paia and Makawao. Very tasty brie and sliced grape "quesadilla" made with flat bread instead of a tortilla. Excellent Caesar salad with anchovies. Thanks to Palma and Ida for this suggestion!
• Morning walks in Lahaina town as it woke up. We enjoyed seeing parents dropping off their kids at school, and the surfers launching themselves from the rocks at the harbor.
• Kona coffee from Bad Ass Coffee in Lahaina town. We brought our own coffee and made it in our hotel room, until one morning we decided to try BAC. The BEST coffee I've had in forever! From then on, we'd have a cup while walking around town, then go back for a refill. We each bought a pound of their Kona coffee to take home. Expensive, but worth it!
• Breakfast at the ocean-front Sea House restaurant at Napili Kai Resport near Kapalua. Awesome views; good food and service.
• The beach at the D.T. Fleming state park north of Ka'anapali. Small and peaceful. (I accidentally shot a movie here with my digital camera! But it's lovely to watch it now that I'm home.)

Hope this helps!
Colleen

quote:

Paia - wonderful small town atmosphere with friendly people. Good local art and clothes shopping.

I totally dig Paia. Did you go to that little fish market restaurant that serves seared tuna? I've got a theory on why people were so friendly there, but I won't share it here.

you didn't help me, Colleen---now i am honesick! we have a condo in Kahana and will be there doing that stuff in October, along with Mama's Fish House food. Bring back some pancake mix with pineapple and coconut in it.

Oh, we really wanted to go to Mama's Fish House but ran out of time! We stopped by to make a reservation, but decided it just wasn't going to work on this trip ... next time!

Yah, Steve, we had that same theory about the friendly folks in Paia.