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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Hawaii - where, exactly?!

38 replies

BIWI · 06/01/2023 22:11

DH has expressed an interest in going to Hawaii (the golf is currently on there), so I was idly Googling - but if you were going to go to Hawaii, which island would you go to?

Anyone been/would recommend a specific island/location?

TIA

OP posts:
MissCherryCakeyBun · 06/01/2023 22:18

We loved Big Island and the area near Kona. Some fab wildlife and beaches.
It's got a chilled feel too.
Oahu and Honolulu were nice enough but very touristy and also large amounts of homeless and visible poverty and drug use. We mainly stayed there to visit Pearl Harbour as it was something we both wanted to do. We got a good hire car on both islands and it was easy driving.
Food is expensive ( as is everything ) as it's a long distance for everything to be shipped by air and sea to the island so expect it to be that bit more than the mainland US.

Original poster
BIWI · 06/01/2023 22:20

Thank you @MissCherryCakeyBun that's really helpful. I have to confess that my own geography/understanding is woeful, so anything like your comment about Pearl Harbour is a genuine insight for me Blush

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MissCherryCakeyBun · 06/01/2023 22:27

There are some good guide books and the Hawaii Tourist Office is very helpful www.hawaiitourismauthority.org
Have a think about what you would like to do and see and then look at which island match. You really need to fly between islands and when you do think about luggage allowance as it's less than international.
We flew there from Sydney and then went onto Seattle and can say that Honolulu ( in 2018) was a not very user friendly airport with long walks and not a lot of places to eat etc.
feel free to PM me if you like.

catinboots123 · 06/01/2023 22:31

I have no idea but I'm jealous so will be googling all of the coming suggestions and drooling

MrsPatrickDempsey · 06/01/2023 22:35

I have been to Oahu, Maui and Hawaii (Hilo and Kona).
I think the former two were my favourites.

Original poster
BIWI · 06/01/2023 22:39

My only impressions of Hawaii stem from watching Hawaii 5-0 as a child, so I have a lot to learn! Blush Grin

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MrsPatrickDempsey · 06/01/2023 22:40

Sorry posted too soon.
We stayed in Waikiki which was a great base. Pearl Harbour is a must as is the North Shore of Oahu.
We stayed in Lahaina in Maui which is nice. The Road to Hana on Maui was very memorable for me:- the scenery was breathtaking.
Whilst I wasn't fond of Hilo (Kona is nicer) the volcano national park was incredible and the flora on the island was beautiful.
I would return in a heartbeat.

oswego · 06/01/2023 22:41

We went to Maui and it was stunning, sea turtles on the beach every day, can go up to the top of Haleakala and learn about the volcano, drive the road to Hana with its rainforests and black sand beaches. But, I would not go again, we felt very unwelcome almost everywhere we went and people were downright hostile at times. The airport is also awful. I'd save on the flight time and go to the Caribbean and somewhere Mediterranean.

Original poster
BIWI · 06/01/2023 22:42

Wow! That's not good about hostility. Why was that, do you think? Is it a particularly anti-British thing, or just anti-tourist generally?

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Tunnocks2022 · 06/01/2023 22:44

Maui, just gorgeous. Big Island also lovely. We went in 2019 and didn’t experience any hostility at all, very friendly

GoneToday · 06/01/2023 22:46

BIWI · 06/01/2023 22:42

Wow! That's not good about hostility. Why was that, do you think? Is it a particularly anti-British thing, or just anti-tourist generally?

www.euronews.com/travel/amp/2022/05/03/hawaiian-overtourism-residents-beg-tourists-to-stop-visiting-amid-post-pandemic-boom

Locals are begging people to not visit. Water shortages and overcrowding are just some of the issues. I looked to go but have decided against for the time being. Such a shame such a paradise is struggling.

BotterMon · 06/01/2023 22:48

Honolulu is fine for a couple of days - see Pearl Harbour and surf on Waikiki beach but it's a bit soulless other than that. I actually preferred the small US military museum at Fort Derussy beach park to Pearl Habour.

For me, nothing beats Maui. The volcano is stunning either at dawn or sunset; the road to Hana, the beaches etc. We stay at Paia as find the west coast, especially Lahaina, very Americanised with manicured lawns. I love going up into the back country. Windsurfing at Spreckelsville and Hookipa - or just watching others surf and Mama's Fish Restaurant is amazing.

JamSandle · 06/01/2023 22:51

Heard great things about Maui

bestbefore · 06/01/2023 23:13

It's a very long way! We flew to LA, had a night there and then flew on. It's another 5 hours from LA. It's - I think - one of the the furthest places you can go before the international date line. Very influenced by Japan.
The inter island flights with Hawaiian air are v cute - open air airports! We stayed in Waikiki and went to pearl harbour and hung out a bit there. We went to Kauai and did some adventure activities - on and off water. And we went to big island for the volcanos. It was all stunning. The volcanic stuff is proper amazing, huge lava fields and if you're lucky live lava. Steam coming out of the rim of a volcano! The coast line is amazing - very varied and beautiful. Great food. We went pre Covid so I can't comment on what it's like now. I'm glad we went.

Original poster
BIWI · 06/01/2023 23:27

Thank you so much everyone. A lot to think about/explore, obviously!

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Spookywhale · 06/01/2023 23:41

We got married there and spent 3 weeks travelling around, it was amazing. We didn’t experience any hostility but would recommend getting in and out of Waikiki.

it’s crazy busy, full of tourists and pretty chaotic. We went to the north shore, then stayed a week in Lahaina in Maui and then to the Big Island splitting a week between Kona and Hilo.

We got some solid advice from an aged hippy on a beach in Maui that the less people, and more chickens on the island… the better it was! Turned out to be good advice!

The road to Hana was amazing, also fluming north of Kona stands out. Its a breath taking place with a fascinating history and culture. I would stay out of big resorts that can be soulless. Rent a jeep and explore.

Also research where you spend your money, spend locally and in small restaurants/businesses. Lots of people expect the the islands to be one big, pristine resort which obviously isn’t the case and I can absolutely see why some locals are sick of tourists. There was a lot of entitlement from some people in bars/restaurants and I think some people expect it to “Disney-like”.

MrsHamlet · 08/01/2023 07:34

I did a trip which started on Kauai, ended on Oahu, and included the Maui and Molokai. Each island had its own personality.
Pearl Harbour was interesting but I really didn't like Honolulu much - I didn't have a car for that part of the trip so I didn't travel round Oahu.
The road to Hana was rammed - I drove the back road back and that was much less busy (and also completely against the terms of my car rental)

Original poster
BIWI · 08/01/2023 08:17

The road to Hana was rammed - I drove the back road back and that was much less busy (and also completely against the terms of my car rental). How come, @MrsHamlet?!

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MrsHamlet · 08/01/2023 08:20

You're not meant to take rental cars on the back road (it does round the other side of the island) but I've never been good at doing as I'm told!
Lindberg's grave is on that side of the island.

AngelKitty · 08/01/2023 08:24

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ as it's the work of a previously banned poster.

Original poster
BIWI · 08/01/2023 08:29

Not really @AngelKitty - as I say, Hawaii is really just an idle thought at the moment, but prompted by a specific 'wish' from DH!

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ManchesterBees · 08/01/2023 08:48

Oahu- just like previous posters have said, go to pearl harbour it opens at 7/8am so we went first thing. We climbed diamond head which gave stunning fees of wikiki.
Big island- some amazing beaches with manta rays, and going up the volcano was memorable but I know that may have changed recently
Maui- drive to Hana is beautiful and stopped at nature parks which we loved. We drove the other north side (can't remember its name) it was stunning but the road is lethal! The amount of accidents and some drivers were not expecting the narrow roads!
But the best island is Kauai- less tourists but that's changing. Great walks, beaches, shave ice

LionsandLambs · 08/01/2023 08:54

Maui is beautiful. The nicest and most expensive tourist area to stay in is Wailea. The beaches between the Four Seasons and Wailea Beach are the nicest. There is an upmarket shopping centre with restaurants. The Road to Hana is amazing, twisty with waterfalls and tropical vegetation. You can also drive to La Perouse bay which has a lava flow moonscape and is eerie at night with amazing star gazing. Locals go to Kihei at night, reasonable restaurants, cafes, supermarket. They had a market and town party on the 4th Friday of every month, with music. Was great fun. Sadly, snorkelling has really gone downhill, the coral became bleached from warming seas. The crater still has some good opportunities though and you’ll probably swim with sea turtles and spinner dolphins. The people were friendly, the hotel resorts are quite separate but if you travel out you’ll meet local people. There is a homeless issue like most US states and it was sad to see tents along the main road along the island.

princesssparklepants · 08/01/2023 09:54

We did Waikiki and Maui for our honeymoon.
Only did 2 nights in Waikiki, stayed at the Hilton but my word everything was so expensive... I think the breakfast buffet was $20 a person and this was 12 years ago! Hiring a sun bed on the beach with an umbrella was over $50

We loved it though, we did loads of excursions. Hiked diamond head, and one other hike in Waikiki but can't remember where it was too.

Then we flew to Maui and stayed in Lahaina. Loved it. Did an excursion for the road to Hana.... it was fab although DH got seriously travel sick but the hike into the bamboo forest and to see the waterfalls was beautiful. We did a boat tour and surfing lessons and zip lining too
Best holiday even been on and would love to go back again some day.

HyggeTygge · 08/01/2023 10:02

Hawaii is probably the best holiday I've had! (Didn't fly from the UK tho). Big Island was good to nerd out about volcanos, but Oahu was fantastic - rented a vacation rental in Kailua near Lanikai. You don't really need to go to Waikiki which is far more built up - Kailua is unspoilt and lovely (apparently the Obamas have a home there).
Didn't go to Maui but would next time!