Hawaii - How to decide which islands?!

[blondie23]

Grand Hyatt

 

[blondie23]

Napali Coast....on our snorkel trip

 

[blondie23]

Spinner Dolphins...EVERYWHERE we went were Spinner Dolphins, Seals, and Sea Turtles...really cool

 

[blondie23]

.

 

[blondie23]

View from the Grand Hyatt

 

[blondie23]

Spouting Horn

 

[blondie23]

Seal

 

[blondie23]

Sunset...we ate dinner at The Beach House restaurant and this was our view.....So, clearly I am biased toward Kauai but you can''t go wrong with any island...

 

[coda72]

The first time I went to Hawaii I went to 3 islands, but it probably was a bit much. I was only there a week also and spent 3 days in Maui, 3 days in Kauai, and 1 night in Oahu. It was a rushed trip, but I got to see a lot. The second time I dragged my husband there, and we stayed on the Big Island the entire week. That was a more relaxed vacation, but there is still a lot to see on the Big Island. We were never bored the entire week. In fact we fell so in love with this island that we bought a vacation home there!

 

[wishful]

I saw earlier in the post that someone mentioned the ...Kauai Revealed and Maui Revealed (and there are a couple others) books by Andrew Doughty. I second this.
We used the Maui Revealed book for our trip and it was the perfect book. I just bought Kauai Revealed (just in case that ends up being one of our next destinations) and they are so informative.
Everything from the best to the worst on hotels, restaurants and things to do and see. (and what not to waste your time and money on!)
The author lives there and he does all his research anonymously.

Have fun!!!!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 6/25/2008 10:06:46 AM
Author: blondie23
Sunset...we ate dinner at The Beach House restaurant and this was our view.....So, clearly I am biased toward Kauai but you can't go wrong with any island...

Holy moly, Blondie! Looks like an amazing honeymoon!

Off topic, but did you ever post wedding pics, chica?!?!? I'm also trying to plan another DFW GTG with iwannaprettyone and some other folks. When are you least busy?

 

[bebe]

First time I went to Maui - I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

But then I went to Kauai - that was heaven.

We''ve been back a few times. Kauai is my personal heaven.
I just zone out there.

Wherever you go, it will be fantastic. But IMHO, I would do 1 island at a time.
Just chill and veg out.

 

[blondie23]

Lauren, so I never posted wedding pics (mostly because I never posted ANYTHING about my wedding before so I felt kind of silly posting my pics now but maybe I''ll start a thread with my pics...also, look for my wedding in an upcoming edition of D Weddings because we were asked to submit our photos which was exciting)...also, I''m planning on starting a thread with our new house (which we moved into in JANUARY...as opposed to August...which I know you should appreciate)

ANYWAY, I would love to do a GTG...now that the wedding is over I''m not busy (I have a few weddings this summer, but other than that I am around), so let me know and maybe we can meet at Northpark and have a fun shopping day? YAY

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Just wanted to say thanks this is a great thread!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 6/25/2008 11:27:33 PM
Author: blondie23
Lauren, so I never posted wedding pics (mostly because I never posted ANYTHING about my wedding before so I felt kind of silly posting my pics now but maybe I'll start a thread with my pics...also, look for my wedding in an upcoming edition of D Weddings because we were asked to submit our photos which was exciting)...also, I'm planning on starting a thread with our new house (which we moved into in JANUARY...as opposed to August...which I know you should appreciate)

ANYWAY, I would love to do a GTG...now that the wedding is over I'm not busy (I have a few weddings this summer, but other than that I am around), so let me know and maybe we can meet at Northpark and have a fun shopping day? YAY

Yay! I can't wait to see pics of both the wedding AND the house! I was driving around over there and saw how well the development had filled in! Looks like you guys are getting kind of close to done!

Also, so COOL about the D Weddings issue - you have to page me and let me know when it hits the stands! I will have to buy a copy!

Katie, Kathy (NeverEndingUpgrade) and I are meeting for lunch at the Grand Luxe at the Galleria on Wednesday, July 2nd, and 12:30, if you're interested.

Kind of short notice, but Katie and I try to do lunch about once a month or so.

 

[AGSHF]

Hi JCrow,

I didn''t read through the posts thoroughly, having just gotten back from 2 weeks in Hawaii but I thought I''d share some of our experiences and my thoughts about the activities you are considering. We went to Oahu (4 nights), then Kauai (4 nights) and then the Big Island (5 nights).


OAHU:

The Polynesian Cultural Center: If you are a big fan of Polynesia and the various different islands and indigenous cultures, this is a good place to visit. Plan on a full day if that applies to you.

We chose to visit it for the “Twilight” package only – which allows you to enter to Park at approx. 2:00 p.m. (?), visit a few “villages” where cultural activities are on display (crafts and such), look around the replica buildings and attend the “Origins” show.

Now, I have a history in parts of Polynesia and I was concerned that the Park would be “cheesy.” We visited largely for our 11-year-old and I thought that the Park was well done for what it is. The luau offered at the Park is supposed to be the most “authentic” and I can believe that, though we didn’t attend, because the staff is large and diverse. The center is run by the Brigham Young University on Oahu. The “Origins” show was well done and provided a great display of the different dances from each Polynesian culture.

Malasadas: Leonard’s, north of Waikiki.

Malasadas are basically fried bread buns, sprinkled with sugar. Not to my taste, but worth trying. Leonard’s is a small shop, like most you’ll find.

Hiking Diamondhead Crater: fabulous views of the South shore. Easily done in a couple of hours. I suggest bringing along a flashlight for the two steep and completely dark tunnels in the really steep part. There’s an intermediate stop if you choose not to go further. When we were there in the late p.m. and the light was great. There was also a shaved ice truck in the parking lot and my daughter thought it was the best treat after the hike!

Suggest checking out:

The U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor if you are interested. A long line will form early and you will be assigned a number for the boat ride to the Memorial. Lock your backpacks and purses in the trunk or you’ll have to check them. It’s possible that if you wait until about 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. to get there, the early long lines that form (because everyone is told to go early to stand in line) will have dissipated, as we learned. The visitor’s center and film takes up your time until your number is called.

Walk along the entire Waikiki Beach, especially if you’re not staying there. Start either at the Waikiki Aquarium (great collection of corals) and end up at the Hilton Hawaiian Village—lots of local flavor among the crowds and window shopping.

Best public beaches on Oahu, in my opinion: Hanauma Bay for the snorkeling and Sandy Beach for the biggish surf, especially after sunset. These are in east Honolulu. Coconuts in East Honolulu nearby has great shaved ice also!

There are no opportunities for whale watching except between December and May when the humpbacks are around.

If you are adventurous on a drive in north Oahu – stop at one of the shrimp trucks near Kahuku for lunch. We did and we were surrounded by busloads of Japanese tourists. The food was excellent – my daughter said it was the best tempura shrimp she’d had.

http://www.hawaiitravelnewsletter.com/oahu/kahuku-shrimp-trucks.htm

KAUAI:

We stayed at the Princeville.

We saw the Na Pali coast by catamaran sunset cruise and by helicopter. We didn’t find it repetitive and both had different charms. You can also elect to do a snorkeling catamaran cruise. Bring the right gear and a light jacket if you’re going to be out after sunset.

The helicopter flight we chose lasted approx. 45 minutes (advertised to be one hour) and was well worth it. You’ll see the Waimea Canyon, Mount Wai’ale’ale (the wettest spot on earth and many waterfalls), and the Na Pali coast as the main highlights. They suggested we go early to get the best light.

Shaved ice: we became shaved ice “experts” by the end of our two weeks. Matsumoto’s was great, but remember that it’s on the north shore of Kauai. We went there and to its main “competitor” (can’t remember the name) just down the street and tried both.

The Spouting Horn was on the drive around Kauai. We found that the drives ended up taking longer than the distances might suggest; all the main roads are two-lane highways and traffic can be slow. We saw some Hawaiian green sea turtles floating in the bay near the Spouting Horn. But, if you wish, you can allow time to explore the tidal pools in the area. Just make sure you have the right protective footgear.

Waimea Canyon was lovely. There’s a nice drive up to a good lookout of Kalalua Valley. We didn’t do any significant hiking there—more like walks. The hikes are significant – be prepared to have gear and spend hours for hikes.

We had a convertible on Kauai but not on Oahu. In retrospect, we would have preferred the convertible on Oahu and chose the SUV or four-wheel drive on Kauai.

If you are adventurous—try the saimin at Hamura’s – reportedly the best on the island according to the National Geographic guidebook we were reading. It’s in a little “industrial” looking section in Lihue but don’t let that deter you.

THE BIG ISLAND:
It’s BIG and the traffic was slow. Again, you’re dealing with 2-lane highways. Give yourself plenty of time to get from one place to another, especially if you are staying at the resorts on the Kohala Coast, which is where the Four Seasons and resorts at Mauna Kea are located. It is hot and dry in that area and then quickly becomes wet and cooler as you climb to higher elevations around the island.

Problem with that is then you''ll spend little time at the resort relaxing. We wanted to get out and about and ended up getting back pretty late each evening. Non-hotel restaurants and local spots close very early in Hawaii, in general, even on Oahu. Don''t be surprised if the local restaurant you''re planning to visit is closed at 8:00 or earlier.

It is a 2-1/2 to 3-hour drive from the Kohala Coast to Volcanoes National Park. Kilauea is not erupting within the Park at this time – be sure to check with the Park’s visitor center and the rangers will tell you exactly where to go and how to get there. We elected to do the hikes within the Park on our first day and come back on another day, nearer to sunset and drive to the area – Kalapana – where the lava is actually flowing into the ocean. Good shoes are a must at all times and flashlights for the ocean lava viewing. You can hike the Kilauea Iliki crater in 4 hours. The drive to Kalapana took about 1-1/4 hour from the Park and there were large crowds. Pack a picnic dinner if you plan to wait for sunset.

Mauna Kea: despite what the excursion ads say, there is no star-gazing at the peak at Mauna Kea. There is, however, the Onizuka visitor center at 9000 feet where volunteers set up telescopes for viewing and give a constellation talk. It is very cold (40 degrees or colder) after sundown and the star-gazing doesn’t start until approx. 8:00 p.m. The guided tours will take you up to the peak for sunset and come back down to the visitor’s center for viewing through telescopes.

We went to the visitor’s center only – children under 16 aren’t allowed on the peak for due to the thin air. There is a little trail nearby where you can walk and see the rare Hawaiian silversword plant where they are trying to re-establish it. There''s also a shrine to Poliahu, the Hawaiian snow goddess where visitors to the peak can ask for permission. The constellation talk was not particularly informative unless one’s a complete novice and the deep-space objects viewed through the telescopes were only somewhat interesting. Dress for winter if you go. The drive up is long and takes 1-1/2 hours on Saddle Road, depending on where you start. The road conditions are bad. If you want to drive yourself up to the peak, you will need a 4 x 4 and there are ranger guided caravans that are scheduled for that.

The night sky at 9000 feet was incredible, though, and we could see satellites as they orbited overhead among the starfield. Personally, I could have done my star-gazing from the dark clear skies on the coast and we did on a couple of nights. We had a convertible again, though rarely had the top down – it was either too hot, rainy or freezing, depending on where we were. In Volcanoes National Park, you are required to keep windows closed due to sulfuric gases. Star-gazing was the best use for the convertible.

The Big Island is the location of some of pre-contact Hawaii’s most significant historical sites. We visited Pu’uhonua o Honaunau (the City of Refuge) and walked around the area. The area is actually where we saw the greatest number of green sea turtle just basking on the beach. We also visited Kamehameha’s Puukohalo Heaiu (temple).

The Big Island also has several water falls – Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls – and botanical gardens you can check out along the long island drives.

The best beach on Kauai, other than our hotel’s beach, is Hapuna Bay.

I don’t recommend the Kona Coffee plantation tours unless it’s harvest time. It was raining in those elevations and there’s not much to see. Just enjoy the coffee, buy it and bring it home. If you’re a connoisseur, the Peaberry Kona coffee is worth a try.

Anyway, wheww! I hope this is helpful to you.

 

[jcrow]

AGSHF - thanks for the thorough overview! it will be very helpful as we make our plans.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

JCrow- DH and I are also headed to Hawaii for our 2nd Anniversary! We''re going a month early, to take advantage of the Labor Day weekend.

We''ll be spending 5 days on Kauai up in the Princeville area. The pics in this thread have certainly whet my travel appetite! THANKS to all who shared.

I''ve visited Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii. Maui is my favorite island so far...

 

[jcrow]

blushingbride ---- i have a Q for you. you mention the road to hana... the four season''s website says that hana is 3 hours away. does that mean 3 hours + the time doing the hana road? or is the 3 hours THE road to hana??

does that make any sense?!

 

[blushingbride]

Date: 8/5/2008 11:57:23 AM
Author: jcrow
blushingbride ---- i have a Q for you. you mention the road to hana... the four season's website says that hana is 3 hours away. does that mean 3 hours + the time doing the hana road? or is the 3 hours THE road to hana??

does that make any sense?!

Hi Jcrow - no, they mean that the town Hana itself is a 3 hour drive from the hotel. The road which takes you to Hana (aka. the road to Hana) is about a 20 min. drive from the Four Seasons.

They suggest you leave early in the morning because if you stop along the way like we did, it will take you at least 3 hours or more just to get there. To give you an idea, we left the hotel at 7:00AM, reached the beginning of the road around 7:30 (after stopping for gas and quick bite, etc) and then got to Hana around lunchtime after making numerous stops along the way. We drove an hour past Hana before turning around and going back...and again made numerous stops on the way back...so, we finally returned to the hotel around 4:00PM.

When friends of ours went on their honeymoon 6 years ago, they were able to drive the road to Hana and drive all the way around the island back to the Four Seasons without having to turn around and drive back. But, since then there have been some hurricanes which wiped out some of the bridges and now, drivers have to turn around and drive back.

This map should be able to give you some perspective on where Wailea is in comparison to Hana...again, it's unfortunate that you can't make that loop around the island anymore, but it's still soooooo very worth it! The drive is so spectacular...we had so much fun driving it!

 

[jcrow]

thanks BB. i got a little worried when i read 3 hours. i was hoping that didn''t mean 3 hours + the hours of the trip. if so, there and back would be an exhausting day!

EEEKSSSSSS!!!

i just BOOKED our hotel.


thanks again!!

 

[blushingbride]

Great! So, what''s your plan and where are you staying???

 

[jcrow]

FOUR SEASONS!!

we decided to stay in maui and take a day trip to the big island and one day trip to kauai.

i''m SOOO excited!

 

[blushingbride]

YAY!!! *SWOON* You are going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it there...you''ll never want to come home!

Let me know if you need advice on any restaurants or things to do. You must eat at Mama''s Fish House (DH and I loved the food there so much we went twice).

Definitely do a sunset sail, go to a luau, take a helicopter ride and as per my other posts watch the sunrise atop Haleakala and drive to Hana (the FS can arrange all of this for you when you arrive). If it rains one day (for us it rained once out of the 11 days we were there), take a drive out to the winery at at Ulupalakua Ranch.

Can''t wait to hear all about your trip when you return!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/5/2008 4:10:43 PM
Author: jcrow
FOUR SEASONS!!

we decided to stay in maui and take a day trip to the big island and one day trip to kauai.

i''m SOOO excited!

Yay!!! When do you go??

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/5/2008 5:47:16 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 8/5/2008 4:10:43 PM

Author: jcrow

FOUR SEASONS!!

we decided to stay in maui and take a day trip to the big island and one day trip to kauai.


i''m SOOO excited!

Yay!!! When do you go??

in a few months!

 

[jcrow]

Date: 8/5/2008 7:29:37 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady
The photos in this thread are incredible.. I can''t wait to travel.. its coming.. not soon enough but it IS coming. lol Do we have a post your travel photos thread?

i think so. the travel eye candy thread.

 

[diamondfan]

The Four Seasons in Wailea was our favorite spot for a while. It is lovely, but since we moved east Hawaii is too far (13 hours direct from Newark which is a two hour drive give or take) so we go to the Caribbean instead, but I miss Hawaii.

My friend stayed at the Hana Ranch for her honeymoon, 15 years ago! The road is quite windy so if you are prone to car sickness be aware.

I would skip the luau unless the hotel concierge gives you the nod for a very high end one. Mostly they are touristy and to me, once was enough, but I am sure the hotel sends you only to nice ones.

Lanai is a great island, there are two Four Season''s there, and it is very honeymoonish. You might be able to check it out, not sure how long you have on the honeymoon. Waikiki and Honolulu were not my faves, big city feeling with the beach, but a couple of good shopping malls I think...Ala Moana is one? Anyway, have a blast, I love and really miss Hawaii!

 

[jcrow]

we are interested in doing the polynesian cultural center in oahu. to do so, it looks like we''ll have to stay a night on oahu. so, i have a couple of questions.

1 - have you been to the PCCenter? did you enjoy it? is it a must see?
2 - do you have any recommendations for a hotel in oahu? should we stay by the northshore or by the airport?

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/13/2008 6:42:08 PM
Author: jcrow
we are interested in doing the polynesian cultural center in oahu. to do so, it looks like we'll have to stay a night on oahu. so, i have a couple of questions.

1 - have you been to the PCCenter? did you enjoy it? is it a must see?
2 - do you have any recommendations for a hotel in oahu? should we stay by the northshore or by the airport?

I liked it but I absolutely loved the Old Lahaina Luau better on Maui http://www.oldlahainaluau.com/index_main.html. The PCCenter is great for learning about the different natives that came to Hawaii and it is all put on by college students; you eat dinner at various locations depending how much you spent (I think we did the second level where were were there an hour before dinner). It was fun and beautiful out there but I loved the intimate feel of the Old Lahaina Luau and at the OLL, is right on the ocean (not the PCC), also, they serve unlimited cocktails (no cocktails at the OLL) and the food was very good and the dancers very professional. The PCC is done in a big pit, the grounds are beautiful but not on the ocean and the OLL is on a stage with the ocean in the background. A bus can pick you up at your hotel and drop you off on Oahu if you do the PCC.