The Complete Kauai Vacation Guide

So, you’re planning a vacation to Kauai. This is the complete Kauai Vacation Guide based on my experiences, opinions, and preferences. I hope it helps you plan your trip. It is the online version of my ebook, Plan Your Best Vacation to Kauai Ever, Where to Stay and What to Do on Kauai. If you’d rather save it to your computer and read it there, right click on the link and download it.

Topics in this guide

• My Favorites on Kauai
• Best Weather on Kauai
• Best Hotels in Kauai
• Best Overall, Beach-Locations, or Luxury Hotels on Kauai
• Best Family Hotels in Kauai
• Best Budget-Priced Hotels on Kauai
• Best Romantic Hotels and Hotels for Weddings On Kauai
• Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline and Hotwire
• So How Should I Bid on Hawaii Travel?
• Most Fun, Must-Do, Activities and Things to Do on Kauai
• Inexpensive or Free Activities on Kauai
• Best Ways I like to Save Money on Kauai
• Best Kauai Beaches and Must-See Beaches on Kauai

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to Kauai –

Congratulations! You are going to have SUCH FUN! First, you’ll be flying in to Lihue (airport code LIH) and you may be able to find a direct flight from your city or at least the west coast of the U.S. Mainland into Lihue. A few airlines do this these days. If not, your airline will probably schedule your connecting flight from Honolulu for you. If you have to do it yourself, you’ll want to contact either Go! Airlines http://www.iflygo.com/ or Hawaiian Airlines http://www.hawaiianair.com/

My Favorites on Kauai

My Favorite area is either Poipu (or Koloa) or Princeville.

They both have their own charm. Princeville gets a bit more rain than Poipu, but not too much.

My favorite hotel:

Hands down, the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Koloa (near Poipu). This is one of those places that I just love. Lots to do, they’ll watch your kids or help you get married. The grounds are awesome. Nice place. $299 a night at expedia.

And, if you are military or GS and have access to them - I also *really* enjoyed the beach cabins on barking sands beach within the Navy’s Pacific missile range facility. This was in 1996 (on my honeymoon), and I haven’t stayed since, so I don’t know the current condition, but they were so fun and isolated and on the most awesome, empty beach you’ve ever seen.

Activities :

The hiking on Kauai is amazing, if you are into that kind of thing, and the Na Pali Coast boat trips are also a must-do in my opinion. Every time we have gone out on the rafts, we have seen dolphins. The rafts can’t leave from the North Shore anymore, so these days I mostly recommend so these days I mostly recommend Na Pali Catamaran.

Best Weather on Kauai

Kauai is an island full of great weather

Sure, there’s a bit more rain on Kauai than some of the other islands, but there’s never much on the south and west shores (so you can always find sun) and there’s still not a whole lot. Passing showers means 5 minutes of (warm!) rain and then 1 to 5 hours of Sun. We never give up on what we are doing for a passing shower.

Sunniest weather is in Waimea (20 rain inches per YEAR) and second sunniest is in Poipu or Koloa.

Kauai in the winter is still warmer than California much of the year, and the ocean is still 72 degrees. Oh yeah.

Best Hotels in Kauai

These are the best hotels in all of Kauai, in my opinion.

If you consistently find higher prices than what I have found, maybe prices are up due to season high season or some other reason. If you find lower, don’t question it, just book it!

Best Overall, Beach-Locations, or Luxury Hotels On Kauai

• Hanalei Colony Resort, $282.00 at expedia
• Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, $199.00 at expedia
• Lae Nani, $147.00 at website, $158 at priceline
• Wailua Bayview Condos, $856+/week at website http://www.wailuabayview.com
• Hyatt Regency Kauai, $299.00 at expedia
• Sheraton Kauai Resort, $189.00 at expedia

Best Family Hotels in Kauai

• Aloha Beach Resort Kauai, $84 at priceline
• Lae Nani, $147.00 at website, $158 at priceline
• Hyatt Regency Kauai, $299.00 at expedia
• Sheraton Kauai Resort, $189.00 at expedia
• Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club, $199.00 at expedia

Best Budget-Priced Hotels on Kauai

Many of these hotels don’t list with expedia and priceline. If you call them directly for reservations, be sure to ask “do you have any discounts that could bring my rate down?” You could get a yes and a better rate off the bat.

I also highly recommend bidding on priceline. Many of these smaller operations do not sell rooms to priceline, and so if you are bidding on Priceline you will normally get something like a resort or a 2 to 4 star hotel. Remember, you can’t pick your hotel if you bid, just your desired star level.

You’ll have the most luck with getting low bids accepted on priceline when the hotels are hurting for visitors, but try anytime. You could really get some good deals.

As an example, if you visit bidding for travel you’ll see the Kauai Marriott has accepted bids around $110 to $125 in the past. Compare this with the best price I could find at $199 a night, and the savings are substantial.

• SeaLodge condos, $95 at http://www.kauai-vacations-ahh.com/kauai-rentals-activities/sealodge-kauai.htm
• Garden Island Inn, $99 at website
• Hotel Coral Reef, $89 on the website
• Islander on the Beach, $108 at expedia
• Kapaa Sands Resort, $120 at website
• Plantation Hale (Best Western), $91 at expedia with a free night (automatically comes up when available), $107 otherwise and $106 at hotels.com
• Kauai Palms Hotel, $69 at expedia
• Wailua Bayview Condos, $856+/week at website
  http://www.wailuabayview.com

Best Romantic Hotels and Hotels for Weddings On Kauai

• Hyatt Regency Kauai, $299.00 at expedia
• Hanalei Colony Resort, $214 at expedia
• Aloha Beach Resort Kauai, $84 at Priceline
• Kauai Marriott, $199.00 at expedia

Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline and Hotwire

Bidding on Priceline and hotwire is a great way to save money on hotels and sometimes even flights to Hawaii. I have personally bid and gotten $55 at the Royal Kona Resort, and $120 at the Waikoloa Marriott. My friend got $110 at the Waikoloa Hilton, and $85 at the Hapuna Prince. All of these hotels are on the Big Island.

I know someone who bid and received a roundtrip flight from San Francisco to Honolulu for $250. These are good deals!

Oh, and don’t forget car rentals. You can get great deals on car rentals by bidding.

The only issue with bidding for hotels is that you won’t know what hotel you get until you are locked in to paying for it. You just specify a certain star level or class of hotel.

The only issue with bidding for flights is that you won’t be able to specify an exact time, but they do tell you it will be sometime between x morning hour and x evening hour, so not too bad.

So How Should I Bid on Hawaii Travel?

Hotels:

I like to decide on a hotel I like, then find out what its star level is. Then on Priceline, I go directly to naming my own price, and during the process priceline will tell you what the average price is for that star level. I then bid half of that.

The priceline website will have a ticker of recently accepted rates in the area you are searching for that is helpful.

An awesome resource is the bidding for travel forum. If you scroll down on the home page you’ll see three Hawaii forums, based on which islands you are planning to visit. People bid, and then come here and post their accepted and rejected rates.

I have heard that the posted ‘median retail prices’ at priceline are sometimes inaccurate. I don’t worry about this in Hawaii because I am so familiar with what the hotels cost here. You, however, may want to check prices on the website of a few hotels that are the same star level as you want. You can then try to bid 50% of that.

Rental Cars –

$15 a day is a good place to start, and check the recent winning bids on Priceline.

Flights –

I like to bid 50% of whatever the going rate is and then bid up in $50 increments if that is refused.

Most Fun, Must-Do, Activities and Things to Do on Kauai

This is my list of the most exciting and fun things to do on Kauai in my opinion.

• Na Pali Coast Boat tours – I recommend the ones that actually leave out of Hanalei like Na Pali Catamaran
• Hiking – the hiking on Kauai is the best in the state. If you are into hiking, you are in for a good time. http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/
• Kayak the rivers and some ocean areas. Stand up paddling is the new craze and very fun and easy if you get the right size board. (even on your knees it’s fun) http://www.kayakkauai.com/
• Hawaii Movie Tours – but only if you are in to that kind of thing http://www.hawaiimovietour.com/
• Queen’s bath – mostly cool because it looks so idyllic. Only good in the summer months when the surf is not high http://www.hawaiiweb.com/kauai/sites_to_see/QueensBath.htm
• Check out Waimea Canyon. Looks out of place in Hawaii but is pretty darn cool to look at.
• Take a helicopter ride. Kauai is an amazing island, and some of it you can only see by helicopter. I like Interisland helicopters http://interislandhelicopters.com/about.htm

Inexpensive or Free Activities on Kauai

• Queen’s bath – mostly cool because it looks so idyllic. Only good in the summer months when the surf is not high http://www.hawaiiweb.com/kauai/sites_to_see/QueensBath.htm
• Check out Waimea Canyon. Looks out of place in Hawaii but is pretty darn cool to look at.
• Hiking – the hiking on Kauai is the best in the state. If you are into hiking, you are in for a good time.

Best Ways I like to Save Money on Kauai

Bidding for travel

I like bidding at priceline for hotels and rental cars and airfare. This can save a lot of money right away.

Hawaii Entertainment Book

Normally here, I would recommend the Hawaii Entertainment book from Entertainment.com . However, if you will just be on Kauai, it won’t be much good for you. If you will be island hopping to Maui or Oahu, then think about it.

The book is typically best for Oahu, second best for Maui, and marginal for the Big Island and Kauai. I can’t recommend it for Kauai or the Big Island, really. Sigh. Wouldn’t it be nice if that changed in the near future.

Best Kauai Beaches and Must-See Beaches on Kauai

Don’t hit all of these unless you are really into beaches. Just pick a few and take your time.

Note:

In Hawaii, all beaches are public. Anywhere that there is water, there must be public access to the shoreline. If you are in a residential neighborhood and want to check out the beach, just look for the blue signs that say “shoreline access” and follow the path, even if it’s directly between two houses.

Sometimes, though, residential beaches do not have restrooms or showers.

Don’t worry about directions too much. Kauai is a small island and you can see the ocean from almost everywhere. If you can see the ocean, you can find your way.

• Kee Beach (north shore) - Calm with good snorkeling and swimming in the summer, a famous movie filming location
• Tunnels - Large beach with good snorkeling and deep water caverns for scuba, no facilities
• Hideways (north shore) - Amazing beach, 10 minute hike from parking area. Secluded but accessible. No facilities. Calm in summer.
• Anini Beach (north shore) - Huge, protective reef, easy to get there, great snorkeling and swimming
• Moloaa Beach - Protected, beautiful cove with good swimming
• Lydgate State Park (east shore) - Awesome for families, very protected area, nearby playground
• Poipu Beach Park - Excellent facilities, excellent swimming and snorkeling. Great beach
  Kauai really is an island of awesome beach after awesome beach and much of the shoreline is beach around the entire island. You can‟t go wrong, so I just listed some of my favorites here.

Maui and Kauai Areas and Driving Times

first, thanks for offering those free books which i promptly downloaded. my boyfriend and i are staying at a timeshare in lahaina, maui for 6 nights. i have put together a list of things to do, with as much free things to do as possible.

we will be renting a car, and it just seems like all the things to do are in the east (like the haleakala crater, and hana, and even the winery seem to take hours to get to). i have looked at previous answers you have given, but i guess my question is not so much as “things to do” but the order to do them in so we are not just spending this vacation driving back and forth, and passing the same things. for example, the road to hana. we want to drive that, and sites suggest that be the whole day, which is fine.

however, it seems i will be passing all these other attractions and should take advantage of being in the same proximity, you know what i mean? like a suggested beach or snorkling in the molokini crater.
what do you suggest taking advantage of while in that area? light walking around is fine for me, but nothing resembling strenuos hiking. snorkeling for free ourselves at a nice beach would be fine, too, but i guess to get to the crater we would need to get out there..hmm. of course we want to do a luau.

then, after 6 nights, we are flying nonstop to kauai (pupoi) for 4 nights. i guess we will need another rental car, so can you help me with the same strategy with driving? ie, doing things convenient to each other and knowing what can be done in one trip. it would be nice to be at a beach, and then actually shower before going on a dinner cruise, for example.

Well, here’s what I would do, I think. I would plan a whole day for the road to Hana. Hit whatever you want to on the way there - like Paia and some easy hike waterfalls and then once you get to Hana check out the Oheo gulch, it’s easy to get to and a main attraction there.

Then, do an upcountry day where you hit the winery and the Haleakala park.

then, do a beach and site-seeing day along the Lahaina and Kaanapali and maybe Wailea coasts and fit in any boat tours too - I think you are already on the absolute right track and all this will come together a bit more once you get there and see that the island is smaller than it seems to you now.

If you wanted to get a guidebook that would really spell this out for you, I really like the Maui Revealed book - it breaks up beaches and sights and adventures by areas of the island. Sometimes libraries have it too.

Now, once you get to Kauai, this really won’t be an issue, because Kauai is even smaller. No matter what you want to do it will probably be within 20 minutes of what you are doing, and wonderful sunset dinner cruises will be right there in poipu, so you can hit your hotel room to shower first.

heading all the way out to the farthest west side of the island can take a while but not to many people do that - and hitting the Na Pali coast from Poipu can take a while too, but everything else on the island is on the way to the Na Pali coast - so don’t worry, I don’t think you are going to have any problems.

Have a truly wonderful vacation! Lisa

Honeymoon Campervan Vacation on Kauai or Maui?

We are planning our honeymoon to hawaii for around april this year for around ten days. We fly into Oahu then were planning on staying just a couple days there before heading over to Maui or possibly kuaui? Have any suggestions on which one would best suit honeymooners? We love to explore and though it might be fun to rent a campervan for a few days…and travel around the island? How long do think it would take to drive around the entire island? Also do you think it is possible to do all these three islands in ten days or should we stick to just two?

Well, I can answer this one easily because as far as I know Kauai doesn’t have any campervan rentals available on the island. So you should go to Maui. And Maui is lovely, you will love it.

How long it will take you will depend on how often you stop and play. You could do it in a day if you just drove - of course you can’t completely circle either of these islands. On Maui, the road ends in Hana, and on Kauai, the road ends at the Na Pali Coast.

Honestly, I always recommend no more than two islands on any vacation around a week in length - otherwise there is just too much standing in airports and packing and unpacking and renting and returning for me. However, you’ll need to decide if you will kick yourself or not for just doing two islands. That’s a very personal decision.

Congrats, and have a great vacation - and check out my digital guide books to the islands
- no cost!

Where to Rent Camping Equipment In Hawaii; Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Kauai, or Big Island

I am coming to Hawaii in Feb 2010 and would like to do some camping. Can you tell me if there are places on Molokai, Maui or the Big Island that rent camping equipment?

Sorry, but there really is no where to rent camping equipment on any of the islands. You’ll need to bring it or buy it when you get here - on Maui or the Big Island - molokai and Kauai will have the least buying options. Oahu will have the most buying options.

You may be able to rent camping stoves or larger things of that nature, but you will be limited on where you can use such a thing. No one rents tents or sleeping bags that I know of.

New rental places and stores do open up all the time though, so if anyone knows of anything or has a rental company website, please leave a comment. thanks!

8 Free Hawaii Guide Books

I have written a Hawaii Guide Book as a gift to you! Actually, I’ve written 8 Hawaii guide books and they are all free to help you plan your trips. There’s one for each major island and then 4 special topics.

Available Now

Download the Oahu book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer, or read it at the online version, The Complete Oahu Vacation Guide. They are a little different but not too much.

This guide book describes Oahu areas, what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels. I also talk about the best beaches I like and my favorite activities.

Download the Kauai book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about Kauai, plus what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels.

Download the Maui book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about Maui, plus what hotels are best for budget trips, romantic trips, best overall beach locations, and best family hotels.

Download the Big Island book here - right click the link and download the book to your computer.

This guide book outlines all my favorite things about the Big Island, plus my favorite family, beach-front, and budget hotels.

Get the Hawaii Hopping For Fun; Visiting More than One Island In Hawaii The Smart Way Book here to discover all the ways there are to get around between the Hawaii Islands. Inter-Island Hawaii Travel explained in depth!

Get the First Time Hawaii Vacations Ebook Here Right click and choose save target as. So, if you’ve never been to Hawaii before, get out your pen and take notes. This book will give you a basic overview of Hawaii, and tell you the popular and best places to stay and what to do on each island, where to fly into, and where to look for packages. Get an idea of what sounds good to you and then follow it up.

Save Thousands on a Hawaii Vacation! right click and choose save target as. Dozens of strategies and website recommendations to save you money. Spend less on the flight and have more for the fun stuff!

How to Get Married in Hawaii on a Dime - I recount my experiences with getting married in Hawaii and coordinating a wedding in Hawaii, plus I talk about what you need to get married in Hawaii, and cool places to do it. Congratulations, by the way!

Is Camping Safe in Hawaii? Is Campground Safety an Issue?

We are seriously considering coming to Hawaii in late Oct/Early Nov and would like to camp to stretch our money, but are reading alot of contradictory info on forums etc about campgrounds being unsafe and unwelcoming to tourists. The islands we are planning to visit are Kauai and Maui and, only if money allows, the Big Island.

We would really love the experience of enjoying the staying amidst the natural beauty of Hawaii, but want to feel safe and have at least basic amenities. We are a mature couple who enjoy occasional, seasonal camping, so not interested in a grotty backpacker experience.

Could you let me know your opinion on whether we should pursue camping on these islands, or stick with budget accom options.

You know, this really has not ever been my experience. I am not a tourist but myself and my whole family are caucasian (so we are frequently mistaken as tourists) and we travel a lot and I have NEVER, ever been accosted or even really given ’stink-eye’. I know it happens, and I know there are occasional bad experiences, but I think that may have more to do with the behavior of the visitors.

I did witness an event once where a group of teenage girls and their teachers or mothers were surrounding a sea turtle and touching it in a shallow beach area. Not a good thing - turtles should not be touched.

Well, a family of native hawaiians went off on them in a big way. Lots of yelling. Bad experience. But nothing they weren’t almost asking for with their treatment of this animal the Hawaiians consider sacred.

So, I wouldn’t worry about it. Honestly. Maui and Kauai are great, safe islands. Just be respectful of the land and the animals and you should be fine in my opinion.

Have fun! Lisa

Cheapest Budget Way to Travel Between Hawaii Islands - Interisland Hopping, Flights, and Ferries

What are the cheapest ways to island hop from Oahu? I heard of a hydrofoil boat that takes you to the other islands. Do you know about this and what the cost is? Thanks

I think the boat you have heard of is the Superferry, and it seems rates are about $49 one way now - compared with $69 one way which is the lowest you’ll occasionally find at Hawaiian Airlines and Go Airlines, it is indeed the cheapest. However, it only goes to Maui and back right now. It won’t come to the Big Island till sometime in 2009 and Kauai is having a legal battle about it right now - so who knows when it will go there.

Sometimes prices are higher, and sometimes they are lower. During high travel seasons things sell out quickly and what you can get goes at a premium, so maybe $104 each way is the best you’ll get at the airlines. Sometimes the airlines get into pricing wars for various reasons and their prices drop drastically. When Go! first entered the scene prices were dropping as low as $19 one way, but then one airline went bankrupt and all those deals disappeared.

The superferry hasn’t been around long enough for me to draw any conclusions about what it will or won’t do, but their prices have mostly held steady since they started.

Kauai Vacation Planning Made Easy - Kauai Revealed Review

The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook - Kauai Revealed is truly a work of art when it comes to appreciating and revealing the beauty and joy awaiting you on your vacation to Kauai. There is an ultimate guidebook for each of the major islands, written by the same authors, and they are all fabulous. I have lived here for over a decade and I have each one. I don’t even go to the other side of my island without bringing my book.

Here’s some quotes from the book that will give you some idea of what kind of a guide and planner this is:

In a sense, this is not a guidebook, it’s more of a love story. We first came to Kauai as tourists and were immeidately smitten. We had no idea that a place like this could exist anywhere in the world. Now as residents, we marvel at its beauty every day.

Our objective in writing this book is to assist you in finding the bliss that can accompany a Kauai visit. We recognize the effort people go through to visit here, and our goal is to expose you to every option imaginable so you can decide what you want to see and do.

So, the book begins, after an introduction and ‘the basics’, with sights - North Shore sights: in Anahola, Kilauea, Kalihiwai, Princeville, Hanalei, and Ha’ena. Then, East Shore Sights - Wailua-Kapa’a, and Lihue. South Shore sights: Koloa, Poipu, and Kalaheo. West Shore Sights: Hanapepe, Waimea, Kekaha, Polihale, and Waimea Canyon.

The next section is Beaches, then Activities, Adventures, Island dining, and Where to Stay. This book truly encompasses virtually everything you would want to know about Kauai.

Here’s an example of the stellar - and completely unique - advice available on every single attraction they talk about:

The dunes of Polihale are famous throughout the islands. The beach averages 300 feet wide, and the dunes can get up to 100 feet hight. Walking down a dune like that can be fun; walking up is a monster. Better to walk around unless you are training for the Ironman Triathlon. Locals drive their 4WD vehicles right on to the beach. If you try it, be aware that there is no AAA on the island, and you are a LONG way from Lihue. …

So get the book: The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook - Kauai Revealed - It may be the best thing you do for your vacation!

Fly or take a Ferry in Hawaii - Maui, Lanai, and Kauai.

My husband, sister, and I will be in Hawaii to attend a wedding in mid-October. The wedding takes place on Lanai. We thought we would stay there 3 days, then travel to Kauai for a few days. Is ferry travel the most affordable way to go? Are there direct routes, or would we travel through Maui?

Would you suggest flying to Maui then taking the ferry to Lanai for the first stage?

There is no ferry from Lanai to Kauai. You’ll have to fly. You may have to go through Maui or Oahu, depending on which carrier you fly on - Hawaiian, Go!, or Island air. To get to Lanai in the first place, I would do whichever is most convenient to your flight in from the mainland. If they offer a connection to Lanai, I would take it. If you tried to fly into Maui and then take the ferry to Lanai you could end up having to spend the night on Maui first, plus, you won’t have to struggle with your bags - the airline will send them all the way through.

Suggested Hawaii Itinerary - Plan my Trip for Me!

If you had to recommend a two week itinerary in Hawaii, what would you recommend and why (13 full days)? Don’t give me some cop out answer like “every island has something to offer for each person”. We were thinking of visiting 2-3 islands. Which islands should I visit and for how many days.

Ok, 13 full days - never been to Hawaii before - I would do Oahu for 4 to 5 days. On Oahu I would visit Waikiki beach, because it really is the beach that started it all even if it is completely packed with people and commercialized these days.. I would visit Pearl Harbor and maybe hike to some waterfalls. I would consider Hanauma Bay. I would check out Kailua and Lanikai beaches and the North Shore. For the rest of the trip *I* would decide which out of the following was my favorite must-see and choose my island(s) around that:

an active volcano (big island)
black sand beaches (big island)
the Na Pali Coast (Kauai)
tons of waterfalls (Kauai or Maui)
zip line (maui and kauai)
downhill bike adventure (maui)
ferries to smaller islands (maui)
rivers (kauai)
hana and the road to hana (maui)
mauna kea (big island)
green sand beach (big island)
waimea canyon (kauai)
sport fishing (all islands, but big island - kona side is considered best)
waipio valley (big island)

Anything else you would want to do in Hawaii could be done on any island - so figure out what appeals to you and focus your activities around that. That is the most specific advice I will offer. I hope you have a wonderful time! Lisa

…. BIG TRIP for us all. Most of us do not like tons of crowds for a long time. average crowds are fine. we have planned 11 days or more. Quoted 4,500 for all inclusive flight hopper to 3 islands. Does this allow you to see the greatest of hawaii by moving about?

Three islands is a personal choice - if you guys want to move around that much, great! Of course staying in one place is good too. The only island I sometimes really advise people to not stay on for a long time is Oahu - sometimes visitors get disenchanted with the amount of traffic and people there. Lisa

Latest on planning is … talked to an agent that suggested a cruise to the three islands instead of flights. After thinking about it, we think it sounds easier than packing and unpacking. We would fly to Honolulu and get on a cruise ship that moves about three different islands. At least there are stay overs for more than one day.

We have been on cruises… the frustrating part for us has been we find a place we really like however, we can’t stay any longer than the time they allow. :

If you had say 11 days to see hawaii, knowing this could be your 1st and last trip, what would YOU do? Teens will need activity. Parents and grandma like activities such as hiking, snorkeling, ATV rides, beaches, FOOD of course. Any suggestions??

I have a really hard time when people ask ne what would YOU do becaue I have been here for so long and have seen so much and I can’t seem to get myself back to a place of being a fresh newbie to Hawaii.

The cool thing about a cruise is all the people are right there when you get off the boat trying to talk you into their activity - but the not so cool thing is you are stuck in this one geographical area for this finite period of time.

I won’t say - do the cruise or don’t do the cruise. I’m sure it could be awesome, and I’m sure it could be awful

What’s Up With Hawaii’s Wet Side and Dry Side Weather?

Also I read that there is a dry side and wet side. That sounds real weird but is it that different on the sides of the island, and why?

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There is a dry side and a wet side of every island - generally east and north shores tend to be wet while south and west tend to be dry. It has to do with the way the wind comes in off the ocean (trade winds, usually comes in from the east). The clouds blow in, get pushed up the mountains that are in the center of every island, and dump all their rain before getting light enough to head to the other side of the island - something like that. If you are really interested read more here at wikipedia.

Generally the more popular destination spots like Waikiki, Kailua-Kona, Poipu, and Kaanapali get very little rain because they are on the dry sides. Puako on the Big Island can get 7 inches or less rain a YEAR - that’s like desert. Great for vacationers cuz they are not looking for rain usually Compare that with Hilo (where I live) where it seems like sometimes we can get 7 inches in a day and still not cancel soccer practice. lol.

I Know Nothing about Hawaii and Want to Plan a Vacation - Tell Me Everything

Our family is considering taking a vacation in Hawaii. Maybe in the next year or so. Being pretty clueless when it comes to Hawaii, what would you suggest? It would be for 6 adult and 1 child. Is one place cheaper to fly into than another? What about hotels and such?

Many people start with Oahu on their first trip, and it is generally the easiest to fly into and cheapest because it is the most popular - of course being the most popular it has really gotten developed and a lot of people complain there are more buildings than trees, but it’s still a beautiful island and has fantastic, easy-to-get-to beaches (that you’ll be sharing with a million other people ) but that’s ok, they are big. You might want to look into Oahu and see if it’s what you want.

Don’t think about hotels till you decide on an island - do you have rewards with anybody like Hilton or Marriott? That might also be a good way to decide where you want to go - you could find the hotel that would get you the best deal and then see what you think of the island it’s on.

my husband and l had some interest some day of traveling to hawaii, he has been reading the lonely planet book about and sounds very beautiful. just wondering if you had any suggestions for me not sure what time of year we would go, but we were thinking of three weeks. we do know someone that lives in kihei - how would we go about setting up an itinerary, where would we start and where would we end? is it best to stay in b&b’s any suggestions for hotels, renting vehicles, what would you suggest to budget yourself per day, any suggestions would be great

Wow, this is a huge question and I’m just not sure I can do it justice - it’s huge and broad and usually I do best with very specific questions, but I’ll try to point you in the right direction here:

1. Decide what island you will visit - if you know someone in Kihei and want to go to that island then start looking into Maui.
2. Decide what area - if, for your first trip, you stick to the very touristy areas you will be ’safe’ meaning you will find great beaches and great weather typically - so on Maui that would be Wailea, Lahaina/Kaanapali, and Kihei.
3. Decide what hotel you will stay at - alternatively, this could be your second item on your list, because if you prefer say, Hilton hotels because you like them or have rewards with them and there is only one Hilton on the island, well then what area choice is pretty much made for you. easy
4. As for should you stay in a hotel, vacation rental, condo, or bed and breadkfast — this is all personal preference. Do YOU prefer hotels or bed and breakfasts. Do you want to eat out every meal or cook your own food? Do you want to have your vacation in a place that feels like home or do you prefer a hotel where everything is done and provided for you? see what I’m getting at here? Me, I like condos because you can save money and eat healthier stuff but I like hotels because you can forget about all that cooking and cleaning cr– and concentrate on playing. I like vacation rentals because you are hanging out by yourself away from all the other visitors but I like hotels because there are lots of other people around
5. As for budgeting yourself per day - well, what is your budget? Do you have $10,000+ to spend on this trip, or only $4500? This will make a big difference. There are books that will show you how to make the most of a budget - Frommer’s Hawaii on $80 a Day is one of them. I don’t know how relevant it is to today since it was written in 2005, but it will get you started I think.
6. As for what to do - you could out your daily itinerary before you go down to the very last activity (this is what my husband does) by doing a google search for Maui activities (if that’s the island you’ll be staying on) and seeing what comes up or you could just fly to Maui and see what looks fun to you (this is what I do)

I hope this helps get you started, write me again if you have more questions. Aloha, Lisa

Nature Hikes on Oahu and Kauai for a Short Vacation

We will be going to Kauai for 2 days and Oahu for 5 days beginning 10/13. We’d like to focus on flora–the beautiful flowers, mountains, etc. What would you recommend as the best use of limited time? We have considered a hike through Manoa Valley. We’re not adventurous hikers, but can handle a couple miles of walking. Appreciate any insights you have.

Hi! Manoa Valley is a nice place to hike. Have you seen this page on the Manoa Falls hike? There is also the Oahu Hiking Trails main page that will give you more information than you can handle on available hiking trails, along with what to expect, plus how easy and long they are.

As for limited time, I would look on the afore-mentioned page for all the hikes that are near where you will be staying. You can waste a lot of time on Oahu sitting in traffic but if you stay in one area most of that can be alleviated. Other than that, I don’t have any major recommendations.

As for Kauai, you don’t have a lot of time there. I like Waimea Canyon - a really unique place, especially in Hawaii. there’s nowhere else like it in the islands as far as I know. It’s beautiful.

Hawaii Travel Companions

Ok, I posted a question here from a young woman looking to stay in Hawaii for a few months - I got some great advice for her in comments, but now people keep e-mailing me wanting me to give her their e-mail address or get hers because they want to go with her or are thinking the same thing as her - so here is your OWN page to look for companions to go to Hawaii with.

I will not be able to remove e-mail addresses in the future, so only post it if you don’t mind it up here for everyone to see forever. Please, be safe - I am not responsible in any way if you meet up with someone dangerous or give them your personal information. If you are under 18, you are not allowed to post comments here.

Here’s the first post - taken from a comment I didn’t post on the other page - it was intendended for the original question asker.

My name is Mat and im 24 from Ontario and I am also travelling to Hawaii at that same time. I am also looking for the same opportunity so if you want to figure out maybe a plan together or are looking for someone to travel with email me back. matscully@hotmail.com
Cheers

Should I Rent a Surfboard in Hawaii or Bring my Own?

Vicki from Australia asks

My friend is visiting Oahu in March. Would it be cheap enough for him to hire surfboards there or would it be better to bring his own?

Hi Vicky,

Well, before we explore prices and availability of surfboard rentals in Hawaii, let’s talk about whether it’s even a good idea to bring your own surfboard to Hawaii for use on your vacation. The How to Pack Your Shortboard for an Airplane Trip article at eHow.com reveals that surfboard noses are commonly broken in baggage holds and that airlines can charge big bucks for handling surfboards - so that’s a pretty big strike against bringing your own surfboard.

At Hawaii Surf Board Rentals.com on Oahu they state they offer free, island-wide delivery and pickup of quality surfboards for between $50 and $90 for the first two days and $10 each additional day. (Prices may change, check the website).

Also, anyone who wants to just try surfing in the Waikiki area can walk onto Waikiki Beach and rent a surfboard for about $20 for an hour or two. Just look for the rental booths and the racks and racks of surfboards. There are several spots along the beach.

So, Vicky, it appears to me that renting a surfboard once he gets here is your friend’s best option. I hope he has fun!

More rental websites:

Maui Fun Tours on Maui

Hanalei Surf Company on Kauai

Kona Boys on the Big Island

---

… Neal wrote and suggested this - thanks Neal!

I would like to make a suggestion to let visitors know that they can also buy a surfboard when visiting Oahu. While many may prefer to rent, there are other surfers who can buy a cheap used surfboard here and then take it home as surfboards back home cost way more than they do here. Hawaii, being the home of surfing also boasts a wide array surfboard shapes and types and lower end prices. Aloha, Neal

Which Island and Areas for Romantic Hawaii Vacation?

My husband and I would like to take a trip to Hawaii next summer. We’ve never been and there’s a good chance we might not go again. We are looking for a romantic trip (it’s our last vacation before we start having kids ) with a nice mix of beaches, being pampered at a resort, and activities like scuba diving (a must), hiking to waterfalls, and just getting out and enjoying the beauty of Hawaii.

We’ll most likely have 10 days and are flying from New York. Do you think we should do two islands? Which two would you recommend and which areas (not necessarily hotels) of those islands would you recommend we stay?

Well, congrats! on getting one more trip in before you have kids. I have a 3.5 year old and the trips are even better now because he is so incredibly enthusiastic and loving of everything - much more than we old people are anymore. It’s just magical to watch him on a waterslide or playing in the waves - it sometimes seems my heart will just burst from too much love but, of course there is that long period where it is hard to go anywhere and then when you do go somewhere YOU don’t get to do what YOU want to do - everything becomes for the child(ren). So, you have the right idea getting in a fabulous vacation for you while you still can!

Ok, in 10 days, lots of people do squeeze in two islands. Personally, I would be against this, but then I am more of a lover of getting settled in, relaxing, hanging out, reading, sitting still, etc. I find travel time to be a big drag. We live on the Big Island and last December we spent 7 days in Waikiki. We’ve been there dozens of times - my husband even lived there for several years, and we still found that we only had ONE day of relax on the beach and don’t do much of anything time. We had a bunch of things we wanted to do, and we found that 7 days just was not enough time — that’s another reason I wouldn’t want to do two islands. However, if you two are more like my husband - move, move, move, and move faster type of people, and you really want to see two islands, well, you’ll have to make that decision.

Ok, now onto WHICH island(s). The Big Island is probably out because there are only a few real waterfalls and they are all on the Hilo side (and you’d probably want to stay on the Kona side) and most of them aren’t really “hike to” types of waterfalls. We do have really fantastic scuba diving, but you can find that other islands too. Plus, the big drag about the Big Island is it’s just so BIG. You do a lot of driving here.

Well, there really is no one BEST island .. so this is pretty hard to tell someone. I’m getting an idea that you would like Maui best. If you decide on Maui I like the Wailea area for the best pamper-you resorts. Kaanapali and north of Kaanapali is also nice (napili, kahana). Maui has this fantastic “drive to Hana” where you can literally hike to a different fantastic waterfall every 20 miles or so. If you did Hana, staying overnight is good - then you can do the waterfalls in Hana too. For really good waterfall information, get the maui revealed book.

Oahu is nice too. A lot of people are really down on Oahu because Waikiki is soooo commercialized and the traffic sucks and there are literally a million people crammed onto this one little island. However, I like Waikiki, I like Waikiki beach, I like the North shore (which is NOT commercialized - very old Hawaii) and I like that Oahu is very big-city party all night kinda place. Not that I party all night, but Waikiki is literally the only place in Hawaii that is like this, so if that is what you want, there is your only option. Most of the rest of the state shuts down at 10pm and never even starts up on Sundays.

Kauai is also very nice. Much quieter than Oahu and Maui. Great hiking. The island is practically one humongous beach that just wraps around it with very sculpted and green mountains in the middle. Dry and hot in the south, wet and lush in the north. Windy and a bit more rainy on the east side, West side is uninhabitable - but the boat rides and hiking are great.

So, I don’t know how helpful this will really be for you. I don’t think you can go wrong with Maui, so maybe start thinking about it first unless something I said about Oahu and Kauai grabs you.

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