We’re going to Hawaii for two (!) weeks over the holidays, and I’m completely lost., it’s a lot more complicated than I thought. All I know is we’re flying into either Lihue or Kailua-Kona and flying out from the other. Any opinions as to whether it would be better try to stay on most (all?) of the islands for a few days each, or stay on one or two for a longer time? Also, what is not to be missed in terms of things to see, do, or eat? Are there any notable ripoffs to be avoided? Can you do much in the way of hiking? Any good websites or books for mostly clueless vacationers? Neither of us surf or golf, if that makes a difference. Thanks.
You may find these prior threads useful:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=240349&highlight=hawaii
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5731089&highlight=hawaii#post5731089
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355576&highlight=hawaii
The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook is absolutely vital for any trip to Kauai. It’s spectacular and will answer vitually ALL of your questions about hiking, ripoffs, good hotels / bad ones, restaurants / bad ones, beaches, snorkelling, etc. The maps are detailed and fantastic - it’s impossible to get lost using the book. Their Website is also fantastic, but you need a code from the book to see some of the stuff.
They have a book on the Big Island and one on Maui, but I’ve only used the Kauai one. I enjoyed the Big Island, but as a hiker myself there’s really nothing better IMO than the hikes in Kauai. Maui is of course fantastic but I prefer Kauai. I should warn you that there’s little to do in Kauai in the form of night life. I would not go back to Lanai - waaaaay too expensive and not much variety in what you can do.
As far as splitting islands up, my experience (having been to every island several times) is that it’s better not to. There’s plenty to do on just one island, even for two weeks.
I recall there being a few Hawaiian locals on the Board, who gave me some tips for my honeymoon in April. We spent 3 weeks there. We had a wonderful time.
This all depends upon what sort of things you like to do.
This is purely personal preference but, I would recommend you get yourself to a couple of the islands. We took in Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island.
A few things I would consider must do’s
- Go to a Luau - there are quite a few, so can be hard to pick - Germaine’s is good, pretty touristy but we still enjoyed it.
- Go to the Polynesian Cultural Centre - it’s on Oahu, and is a fair hike from Honolulu but well worth it. Yes it is run by the Mormon’s (? I think) so no alcohol, but that’s the extent of the influence of their religious beliefs at the touristy centre.
- Kilauea - On the Big Island - take a whole day, it’s very interesting, amazing stuff to see. Unless you’re really fit though, you won’t get to see the flowing lava. At the moment it takes a 3-4 hour hike over the lava fields to get to where it is flowing.
- Haleakala - On Maui - Ready for an early morning? Get up to the summit to watch the sunrise - it is spectacular. Quick warning - it is also bloody cold :eek: up at the summit before sunrise.
- Kua Loa ranch - on Oahu - It’s just down the road from the Polynesian Centre, well worth a tour if you like TV or movies. To be honest the bus tour is a bit blah, we signed up for a Hummer tour, which was a whole day thing, saw dozens of locations of various movies and TV series. It would be particulary interesting if you like Lost.
- Snorkelling - some good snorkelling sights, there is Hanauma bay on Oahu - I actually didn’t get time to get there myself but it was recommended - although gets crowded apparently. If you make it to Maui check out Molokini, it’s an offshore reef/island which a lot of tour boats go to.
Thats’ what I can recommend off the top of my head, and doesn’t include all the normal ‘touristy’ stuff, particularly in Honolulu, and Lahaina on Maui.
The thread I started is here here some more good ideas there as well.
Ok, first off you do know that you are leaving and arriving from two different islands right? Lihui is on Kauai and Kona is on the Big Island of Hawaii. Are you going on a tour? Do you have reservations?
On Kauai if you go south, Poipo, the weather is usually hot and dry. If you go North the weather is frequently rainy, think Jurassic Park. It will probably be rainy at this time of year. Good snorkeling at the north end of the road. Smith’s luau in Kapaa, I think, is good, but bring bug spray. You can kayak up the river nearby or take the boat tour there to the wedding grotto, way touristy but fun, once. Lot’s of hiking is available.
On the big Island, definately go to see the volcano if it’s still running. Walk out on the lava at night with a flash-light, water, and good walking shoes, leave the slippas home brah. It’s awesome. Again lots of good snorkeling about. Definately go up to Ala Moana and peep thru the telescopes and get a lesson in the night life from the free guides up there. One of the cheapest (free) things you can do on the big island. Dress warm, if you don’t have cold weather gear bring socks to wear on your hands. Walk thru the lava tube.
A helicopter tour on either island is great!! Also a whale whatching tour is awesome. If you are going to Maui you can see the whales from shore all day long. Or you can take the Ferry to Lanai and see them on the way.
If you are not adverse to getting in the water I totally recommend snorkeling. You can rent gear but I recommend buying your own. YMMV.
But be careful, the Hawaiian surf is not the Caribbean calm many are used to. I have seen many, many people injured by the Hawaiian surf. I’m pretty used to it and still have an eight stich scar over my right eye, DOH 
Ahem…I feel rather stupid now. I will (improbably) blame the late hour for my inability to use the Search button. And slink off to read these helpfully linked threads.
sinjin: Yes, I realize we are coming and going through two different islands, it seemed to be a good idea to start at one end and go to the other.
Thanks to all.
“Bloody cold” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Low 40’s and a near-gale wind was my experience (but the sunrise was still worth it). Bring a knit cap and wear every stitch you brought from the mainland.
Can’t give much advice on the big island. The only thing I will recommend is killer snorkelling at Kealakekua Bay (near Capt. Cook), south of Kona. I believe you need to take a boat (snorkelling tour) to get there, though (no drive up access).
As to Kauai, there’s a lot to recommend:
- a bit pricey, but of all the islands I would recommend a helicopter tour of the island. You’ll get great views of Waimea canyon (the “grand canyon of Hawaii”) and the Napali coast.
- Good snorkelling at Poipu beach and Haena up by Hanalei.
- Lappert’s Kona Coffee ice cream. You can find Lappert’s all over Kauai
- You can take a kayak tour on the river where the opening scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was filmed - where Indy swings on the vine into the river.
- There are various Menehune (mythical early inhabitants of the island…some say they still live up by the peak) artifacts on Kauai: the fishpond, an aqueduct (pieces of).
- Key to Kauai: if it is raining where you are, drive to the other side of the island. Took me a couple days to figure this out. Only about a 40 minute drive depending on where you are.
- I think the whale watching is best on Maui, but I do recall seeing a couple from the beach at Poipu
- Definitely hiking on Kauai: Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast. But the Napali coast trail can be treacherous (narrow trail traversing a steep wall).
- Take the drive up the one side of Waimea Canyon to the overlook of the Kalalau valley. You may recognize this valley from “Jurassic Park” and “Lost” (and others).
- Last and most important: do NOT waste your time and money seeing the Fern Grotto. Real throwback to old-time Hawaii tourism.
Hope this helps
Nahh, no worries. It would have been a difficult search for you to do (without picking through a lot of irrelevant stuff).
I was able to do it efficiently only because I remembered all 3 threads, as I had replied to all of them.
My Hawaii experience is limited to three days back in 1999, but here’s what we did:
Big Island - we based ourselves in Hilo rather than Kona, but the island isn’t so big that you can’t come to the other side. We toured Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the Mauna Loa macadamia nut farm/plant, the “lava trees” in Pahoa, Rainbow Falls, and the Lyman House Museum.
Oahu - Went to a hula show, the Waikiki aquarium, the Bishop Museum and Peal Harbor.
I’d definitely recommend island-hopping, especially if Aloha Airlines still has their inter-island coupon booklets.
I gave some advice about the Big Island in the first link supplied by Random. All still valid.
Along with several friends I did the volcano vent hike again in February of this year and it was a great success. The crater seems to have mostly filled up with congealed lava - it’s now not nearly as deep. (Perhaps this means the eruption site is getting ready to shift, as it has done in the past.) If you’re crazy enough, you can actually walk down into the crater to get a look into a small hole (80’ across, 70’ deep) with boiling lava at the bottom. Note that this landscape is subject to quick change - moreso than about any place on earth.
I encountered another Big Island “must-see” during that trip: The Hawaii Tropical Botanic Gardens. I’m not big into that sort of thing, and it was rather pricey ($15 per person) so I was a bit skeptical. But this place is stunning - worth 5 times the price. I wouldn’t think of missing this on any Hawaii visit.
You can spend a week on the big island, easy, as long as you’re somewhat adventurous.
I’d recommend NOT going to a Luau, but that’s a matter of preference. Are you a person who would go on a trip to New York City, and eat at “The Hard Rock Cafe”? Then, a Luau might be right for you.
If you’re adventurous at all, get “The Big Island Revealed”. It is especially useful around Kona. We used it to find beaches that you had to hike to (perhaps up to a mile), but we were essentially the only people on the whole beach.
Then, there’s the Waimea Valley on the Big Island, Volcanoes Natl. Park (yes, do that).
Most of all, I’d recommend going to places to eat and shop that look like they’re primarily for the locals. There’s an awesome barbeque place on the “upper” road leaving Kona.
There are big Kona coffee farms that seem more interested in selling t-shirts than coffee. Find a coffee place called “Lion’s Gate”. Some other doper knows them personally.
I think Kona is very interesting, especially when you get beyond the strip that caters to the cruise ships.
On Maui, let’s start off with the basic thing: beach-hopping. Along the SW coast, there are a whole bunch of beaches with different charms, just a few miles apart from one another. Big, beautiful beaches. Charming little pocket beaches. Red sand beaches. Black sand beaches. Even a nude beach. 
For my wife and I, trying different beaches was half the fun. We’d go to one beach in the morning, come back to the apartment, wash off, find some lunch, take a long nap, go to another beach in the afternoon, come back and wash off again, find some dinner, come back, go to bed.
Rough life.
Good restaurant selection in Maui, btw. Buy Maui Revealed if you go there; they’re pretty on-target about the restaurants, as well as many other things.
Splurge and do one meal at Mama’s Fish House.
Our one comment about Maui that may go against the guidebooks is that, IOHO, the Hana Highway was extremely overrated. A waterfall here and there, but having to drive miles and miles of twisty turny highway to get to them. It just wasn’t worth it.
One thing * not to do* is take the road south around the big island. The first few minutes of seeing just lumpy lava are cool, then they wear on you, and by the time you reach the other side you never want to see another volcanic plain.
Don’t know if you care much for horseback riding, but I enjoyed the ride into Waipio Valley on the Big Island. There are several outfits, but I went with Naalapa Stables. You’ll have fun riding down into the valley. The last picture here shows the somewhat steep grade.
Food: Loco Moco. How could something so simple be so heavenly!
If you make it into Volcano Village, say “Hi” to the person working the visitor’s center, which is about the size of an old-timey phone booth. One of the people who works there looks like Uncle Fester with a Boston-area accent.
Yeah, I meant “Waipio Valley”.
If you’re fit, you can hike down the hill, and back up it, and hike around in the valley. It’s a pretty cool spot. We actually wish we had made more of a trip of it because you can hike up the other side if you have the time.
Disagree. Kileaua was awsome, definitely the high point of my trip to the Big Island. But I am nuts about the geology and science aspects, and it’s just cool to stand on land that’s younger than you are.
It is a very long drive, though, from Kona-Kailua, about 90 miles. It’s hard to get your head around the Big Island being about the size of Connecticut.
I was in Hawaii about six weeks ago.
Yes, it IS a bit confusing for first-timers. It’s not hard to see why. It’s one of the ‘United States’ but in many ways it’s very much its own place. It’s also impossible to regard it as one destination. There are six islands, each with their own character, and most people would find plenty to enjoy on at least three of them (Oahu, Big Island, Maui). The islands have a lot to offer people with specific interests, and this tends to colour the advice you get given - the surfer dudes have their preferences, the camping/trekking fans tell it another way, the photographers seeking stunning landscapes make their recommendations, and some people just want to go and see where they film ‘Lost’ ! What’s more, some of the ‘attractions’ are seasonal or depend on variable factors that no-one can control or guarantee.
Here’s the good news: I found that once I was actually there, it seemed a lot less confusing. So let’s see if I can shed some light.
Oahu isn’t the biggest island, but it where you’ll find the state capital, Honolulu. Most tourists who visit Honolulu stay somewhere around the famous Waikiki Beach area. This is very much a tourist mecca - hundreds of hotels, 7.5 million tourists a year. I know this soudns like toursit hell, but it really isn’t. It’s really easy to enjoy the island and have a good time, and not get drowned in the crowds or made to feel like your just another anonymous tourist. The Waikiki Beach area is pretty vast, and even though myself and partner were there at peak season, we could always find a space on the sands to call our own. There are hotels to suit every budget, and frankly even the cheap hotels are good enough, given that they are just somewhere to crash at night. There is a chain of over 40 shops called ABC all along the beach front that sell everything you could possibly need while on holiday. Tons of restaurants and watering holes, as you’d expect, ranging from the quite classy to the cheap and cheerful.
Whatever you want to do on Oahu, you can do it for a price. There are people everywhere who will advise you about tours, facilities, surfing, trekking and anything else you want to do, and the place is well-served by tour/leisure companies just itching to take your dollars and provide whatever you want. You don’t need to plan or book anything in advance… just walk down the street or into any hotel, find a ‘touristy things to do’ franchise and start talking. In fact, they will find you. Quality is always going to be a bit hit and miss, just like anywhere else in the world. We went on two tours, one of them involving a lot of walking to see a waterfall. One tour turned out to be great, the other wasn’t all that good. It’s the risk you take.
Oahu is too big for any but the most fit and determined of walkers to get around on foot. There is a good bus system that the locals will tell you how to use, and it’s cheap. You can rely on tours and tour buses, or you can hire a car.
If you are going for any special interest, do check in advance whether you have the right time of year. For example, Oahu is paradise for the world’s surfer community, but only at certain times in the Spring - the rest of the time, the waves are nothing special, if still certainly serviceable.
You can fly from any island to any other using the relatively new cheap inter-island services operated under the ‘Go’ brand. Planning and booking ahead is useful, but not essential. Pretty much any flight you want can be booked within a day or two. Do have a look at a good map of where the islands lie in relation to one another, so that if you are planning on visiting several, you can do them in a logical order. The ‘in the air’ time between islands can be as little as 40 minutes, but as always with air travel there’s a lot of hanging around that means it always takes longer than you think.
Going to see Big Island is an absolute must. People tend to stay either on the West side (Kona) or the East side (Hilo). Kona is the more well-developed for tourists and nightlife, and tends to be where the hip, young people go. Hilo is much quieter, with a heck of lot less to do in the evening. This will suit some people! We stayed in Hilo, and found it more convenient for sight-seeing because most of the things we wanted to see were on that side. We stayed at the Dolphin Bay hotel in Hilo. Very small and self-contained, but a big reason to stay there is John, the guy that owns it. He will make you very welcome, and is happy to help you plan your trip so you get the most out of it. It’s very cheap and inexpensive.
Big Island is just full of amazing sights and experiences. I strongly recommend hiring a car at the airport. It’s much better to have your freedom than be committed to a tour bus. The Volcano National Park is absolutely essential. There are many stunning places to visit within it, and it will blow your mind.
A lot depends on what the active volcano has been up to and what the lava flow is like. The locals will advise you when you get there. You MAY be able to get near on foot and walk across the recently cooled lava beds, or you may not. Even if you can’t, you can take a helicopter ride over the volcano and the lava. We took the ‘doors off’ helicopter ride, which was absolutely thrilling, truly amazing. So many other grreat things to see: the Hawaii Botanical Gardens, the Scenic View, Akaka Falls and so on.
I don’t mean to mother you, but do take your hydration seriously, and your anti-bug repellent sprays and creams. Otherwise you could well get bitten alive.
I didn’t manage to get to any of the other islands, because we only had a week. Maui would have been my third choice. Some spectacular scenery, and lots of lush growth.
It’s a great place, Hawaii, but to get the most out of it it’s worth putting in plenty of ‘plan and prepare’ time, rather than just trying to ‘wing it’ and improvise. I was only able to spend a week, as I said, but two weeks is much better. I hope you enjoy it.
The guide book is very helpful. We used it for the first month or so we lived here to get around and see everything. After living here for a year I can say the book is pretty much spot on. I see people using it daily.
An embarrassment of riches, thanks everybody. We’re definitely going to hike up to the vent on Kilauea, we’re geologists. The road into Waipio Valley looks…exciting. Do people often drive off the edge?