The Complete Maui Vacation Guide

So you are planning a vacation to Maui! This is the Complete Maui Vacation Guide, which is the online version of of my free ebook,
Plan Your Best Vacation to Maui Ever; Where to Stay and What to do on Maui.

Topics in this guide

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

Aloha!

So you’re planning a vacation to Maui –

Congratulations! You are going to have SUCH FUN! First, you’ll be flying in to Kahalui (OGG), 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 Kahalui. 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 Maui

My favorite areas:

Kaanapali, Lahaina and Wailea. Kaanapali is a three mile long golden sand beach north of Lahaina. And Lahaina is a main town on Maui – lots of fun shopping, dining, sights to see and nightlife. Wailea has beautiful white sand beaches in South Maui where it’s almost always sunny and less windy than northward

My favorite hotel:

Hands down, the Wailea Marriott is my top choice because it’s a wonderful place for children, especially with the kids’ pool playground structure and its small and large slides (and I always travel with my little boy and my big (45 year old) boy.

My favorite luau:

Maui has more than a few fantastic luau, but the best is possibly to the Old Lahaina Luau.The multiple award-winning production tells the story of the Hawaiians through chant, music and hula. The food is superb (Emeril hosts shows from here even) and includes traditional luau food as well as modern Hawaiian delights like mango chicken. This is a hands-down favorite luau of locals and visitors. Check out the photos and menu at their site.

My favorite activity:

Viewing and playing at the waterfalls we can hike into from the Road to Hana; A perfect vacation activity because it’s exciting and new and each waterfall is different from the last. The best guide to this drive (and all of Maui) is the Maui Revealed Book.

I also thoroughly enjoy most boating activities, especially big catamarans or cruising boats that will keep an eye out for whales and dolphins.

My favorite guidebook:

I live here, and yet I own a copy of the Hawaii Revealed books for every island. They are the best available guides to the islands in my opinion. The Maui Revealed Book is excellent.

Best Weather on Maui

Maui is an island that offers exceptionally good weather. While the weather changes dramatically depending on the area of the island, it is generally between 75 and 85 degrees F all year long. 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.

The South and West Maui are usually hot and dry, while greener East and North Maui gets more rain and cooling trade winds. In the winter months, you may see snow on the top of Haleakala (the volcanic mountain).

Maui’s coastal waters are inviting year round too. The water temperature averages 75°F, about 10 degrees warmer than Southern California coastal waters in the summer. During Hawaii’s summer, South and West Maui coastal waters often hover around 85°F, the temperature of a heated swimming-pool. Nice!

Best Hotels in Maui

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

If you consistently find higher prices than what I have found, maybe prices are up due to high season or some other reason. You find the best fares during the off-peak season, late September through the first week of June. And exception to this is fares go up around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, as well the days closely surrounding them and Spring Break.

You may find lower prices by bidding at Priceline and using Hotwire.com. This is all detailed below the tables. All listed prices are based on double occupancy. If you find lower prices than I’ve listed here, don’t question it, just book it!

Best Overall, Oceanfront, and Luxury Hotels on Maui

• Fairmont Kea Lani, $339 at Expedia

• Four Seasons Resort at Wailea, $445 at Expedia

• Hale Napili, $160 at the website

• Hyatt Regency Maui, $247 at Expedia, Priceline and website

• Kanapali Alii, $250 at Expedia and website

• Kaanapali Beach Hotel, $143 at Expedia and website (guarantees best rates)

• Napili Kai Beach Resort, $243 at website

• Ritz Carlton Kapalua Resort, $298 at Expedia

• Sheraton Maui Resort, $220 at Expedia (this is less than half than the price I got at the website!)

Best Family Hotels in Maui

• Fairmont Kea Lani, $339 at Expedia

• Four Seasons Resort at Wailea, $445 at Expedia

• Grand Wailea Resort & Spa, $323 Expedia

• Hololani Oceanfront Condos, $220 at website

• Hyatt Regency Maui, $247 at Expedia, Priceline and website

• Kaanapali Beach Hotel, $143 at Expedia and website (guarantees best rates)

• Mauian on Napili Bay, $185 at website

• Puamana Vacation Homes, $155 at Maui Vacation Rentals

• Wailea Marriott, $249 at Expedia

Best Budget-Priced Hotels on Maui

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.

Most of the following are condos and include full kitchens, private washer/dryer, pool and barbecue. The “Best Prices” are based on Expedia, Priceline (lowest prices without bidding) and the hotel’s site.

• Hololani, $140 at website

• Kaanapali Beach Hotel, $142.67 at Hotels.com

• Kihei Kai Nani, $103 at website

• Koa Lagoon, $170 at website

• Lokelani, $129 at website

• Mauian on Napili Bay, $140 at website

• Napili Village, $139 at website

• Noelani, $112.50 at Hotels.com

• Puamana Vacation Homes, $155 at MauiVacationRentals.net

• The Whaler, $177 at Expedia

Best Romantic Hotels and Hotels for Weddings On Maui

• Sheraton Maui Resort, $220 at Expedia

• Four Seasons Resort at Wailea, $445 at Expedia

• Westin Maui, $240 at Expedia (less than half the price available at website!)

• Hyatt Regency Maui, $247 at Expedia, Priceline and website

Bidding on Hawaii Travel at Priceline and Shopping at Deep Discount Sites, Expedia and Hotwire

Shopping for travel reservations through Expedia, Priceline, and Hotwire is a great way to save money on hotels and sometimes even flights to Hawaii. You can often get even better prices than ones in the charts. I have personally bid and got $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.) And I know someone who bid and received a round trip 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.

And 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. I have a friend who got a roundtrip flight Los Angeles to Honolulu for $179 through Hotwire.

At Hotwire you can get their regular low rates while specifying your hotel, airline/flight time and car model, but to give you the deep discounts Hotwire gets from their partners that they’re not allowed to publicize, you won’t know the names until after you reserve. As mentioned above though, you can choose general times, star rating on hotels, size of car, etc.

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 Maui

This is my personal favorites list of the most exciting and fun things to do on Maui:

• Atlantis Submarine Tours, This is the one featured on National Geographic. Maui’s tour takes you down to view a natural coral reef with fish galore, as well as a sunken replica of a 19th century supply vessel. Atlantis Submarine Tour.

• Haleakala Bike Ride Down a Volcano, Ride up in a van (maybe catch the sunrise too!) and coast down the western 13 slope of the world’s largest resting volcano. Ages 12 and up. I like Maui Downhill.

• Haleakala Horseback Riding, If you want to tour Haleakala Crater but not on foot and you’re into horseback riding, I recommend Pony Express Tours. They are the favorite Hawaiian stable of Maui Revealed Guide and a nice family business.

• Snorkel Tours of Molokini Crater and Turtle Towns (where turtles congregate at at a given time), I like Fair Winds II and Pacific Whale Foundation tours the best. Maui Kayak Tours are also good. Prices:

• Whale Watching, The humpbacks congregate around Maui from December through April, playing, mating and nursing their babies. For the most educational and whale-friendly tour, go with Pacific Whale Foundation They’re good fun too!

• Surf Lessons, Try the Goofy Foot Maui Surf School. You’re guaranteed to stand up and ride a wave or your money back. They also have good rental rates and are adding stand-up paddle lessons. Check out the fun video on their site.

• Take a Day Cruise to Molokai or Lanai, Take the Molokai Ferry to the “most Hawaiian island” or the Lanai Ferry to Hawaii’s 13-mile-wide “most secluded island.”

My Favorite Inexpensive or Free Activities on Maui

• Drive the Road to Hana, If you don’t mind narrow winding roads, this is a must-do. Allow plenty time to pull over at scenic view points (the entire road is scenic, but sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy). Hike to a waterfall or two or three…check out the charming old town of Hana and the famous Oheo Gulch Pools (aka Seven Sacred Pools). About.com has a lengthy photo tour of the Hana Hwy. Read Hawaii State’s guide on Hiking Safety.

• Haleakala National Park, Lots to see and do here – star gazing, hiking, watching the famous sunrise over the crater…

• Kayak the Coastline, Big Kahuna Adventures has kayak rentals in Kihei.

• Visit Lahaina Town, This is the coolest town on Maui in my opinion. Shops, cultural attractions, Banyan Tree Park, good restaraunts, fun nightlife – and of course, Lahaina Harbor sunsets. Check out my article on Lahaina at my site.

• Take a Sunset Stroll on Kaanapali Beach’s Boardwalk, Or take the beach walk anytime of the day. This is a gorgeous beach with pristine, golden sands and crystal clear waters. Check out my Kaanapali photos.

• Explore `Iao Needle Area, First stop at the Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens. Picnic by a stream and learn about Hawaiian plants and culture. Follow the paved path to the `Iao Needle State Monument.

• Walk Wailea’s Beachside Path, The sunsets here are awesome. This is one of my favorite beaches. Crescent shaped, pristine and almost always sunny.

• Hike to the Olowalu Petroglyphs, If you’re into this sort of thing, this is an interesting site. You’ll find the trail at Olowalu Beach (next to the private campground of the same name), just south of Lahaina.

And here’s a list on my site of free things to do on Maui.

Best Ways I like to Save Money on Maui

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

For Maui, I always recommend the Hawaii Entertainment book from Entertainment.com.

The book is typically best for Oahu, second best for Maui, and marginal for the Big Island and Kauai.

I review it every year: here’s my review.

Best Maui Beaches and Must-See Beaches on Maui

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. You can see the ocean from almost everywhere, and there are signs designating the beaches. Here’s a link to Google’s Maui Map. And here’s the Hawaii Ocean Safety Map.

The surf conditions in Hawaii somewhat follow the seasons. During Hawaii’s summer (May - October), surf from the south occasionally has high surf conditions. During Hawaii’s winter, surf from the north has higher surf.

Kapalua Beach (West Maui) - Year-round calm swimming thanks to the reef and the rock outcroppings. On a clear day, you can see Molokai. Often found on U.S. and world “best beaches” lists.

Napili Bay Beach (West Maui) - Very pretty white sand beach partially shaded by palm trees. Swimming and snorkeling are good when its calm, most summer days.

Kama`ole Beach Park (South Maui) - This is divided by rock outcroppings into three separate beaches. Kama`ole l has nice picnic areas and good swimming. Kama`ole ll is smaller but also has good swimming. Kama`ole lll is better for body boarding and popular with locals. All have lots of fun family activities – volleyball, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, more.

Makena Beach (South Maui) - Makena Beach – Soft, white sand and amazing blue-green waters make this an incredibly beautiful. When it’s calm, snorkeling and swimming are as fantastic as the view. It’s 2/3 of a mile long but can get crowded. Makena is also called “Big Beach” because just over a small hill (there’s a trail) rests a smaller section of the beach, which is calld “Little Beach.” Watch out for strong currents and high surf. Molokini Crater is just 3 miles off shore.

Honokalani Black Sand Beach (East Maui) - Not save for swimming, but if you are driving the Road to Hana and want to see a beautiful black sand, do stop here. Located in the Wai’anapanapa State Park, this is a gorgeous area with sea caves and arches, blue-green water that has inspired many an artist, and there are fresh water caves to explore. Watch your footing on the trails if you hike around.

Kaanapali (Upper West Maui) - Resorts and hotels line this beach, and it is very popular with locals as well. A long stretch of golden sands with crystal clear waters and just about every ocean activiity you can think of make it worth a visit. Beautiful sunsets too.

Wailea Beach (South Maui) - Very pretty, this almost always sunny white sand beach has a paved path that meanders by the resorts, restaurants and sandy coves. Fun activities here like snorkeling, swimming, kayaking, etc. but can be crowded.

Maui’s beaches are one of the reasons this island is so often voted among or as the best in the world. It has more swimmer-friendly beaches than any other Hawaiian island and many of its beaches have made the national and world “best beach” lists. In all, Maui has 81 accessible beaches and 40 of these have public facilities. The beaches above are just a short list of my favorites, but you may find many more that strike your fancy as you drive along Maui’s coastline.

In Conclusion

So that’s it – have a wonderful, wonderful vacation! Maui is an awesome place, and you really can’t go wrong here.

Aloha!

Military or MWR hotel on Maui?

I am in the military based in Oahu and traveling to Maui this weekend. Is there a military-friendly hotel there you would recommend?

Well, there’s no military hotels and no MWR facilities on Maui - it’s the only major Hawaii island that doesn’t have at least something.

I like the Kaanapali Beach Hotel as a military-friendly hotel. In the past, I know, they have given some decent military service discounts. They appreciate the military. The hotel is in a great spot and is definitely an authentic Hawaiian hotel.

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

Best Price for Inexpensive Maui Surfing Lessons

We want to learn to surf in maui. Can you turn us on to the cheapest lessons available. Anywhere on the island is fine

Generally, the best prices are going to be for group lessons. I have found group lessons as low as $60. Rates may be better for larger groups. You’ll get a free board rental with your lesson - and you could ride a wave on your first ty

One good company is maui waveriders.

Semi private lessons - for couples or groups of three are good too, maybe $85 to $90 is the best price available.

Do you have a business with rates around here or better than this? Add it in the comments. Or, have you had an experience with surfing on Maui? I’d love to hear from you. 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

Remote and Secret Waterfalls on Maui, Hawaii - Waterfalls off the Beaten Path

I’m planning a trip to Maui in March and was wondering if you could suggest some waterfalls to visit? We were hoping to find some with swimmable pools and maybe (if we’re really lucky) somewhere off the beaten path - remote!?

Well - Maui is a GREAT island to see waterfalls on. Many of them have swimmable pools - most *were* off the beaten path and then the guide book Maui Revealed revealed them all and gave great directions how to find them … because before noone could find them. I would suggest getting the book. You also can check out these pages for some fantastic descriptions.
Adventure Maui Waterfall Descriptions
Hawaiiweb waterfall pictures

Personally, I would stick with Oheo Gulch (aka the seven sacred pools) or the ones on the Hana Highway. They are remote, even if they are no longer secret. Many of them have swimmable pools. They won’t be that private but they’ll still be cool. Plus, there are short hikes out to most of them that are just really fun.

Honestly, many locals have gotten a bit peeved that some of their favorite spots have been overrun by visitors and that’s why I would suggest Hana Highway and Hana. You are less likely to run into that.

Have a GREAT time! 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.

Maui Vacation Planning Can Be Easy - Maui Revealed Review

The Maui Revealed Book is truly the ultimate guide to Maui. I have the Revealed Guidebook for every island, and I’ve lived here for well over a decade. The two authors must do nothing but circle the islands over and over again, staying at every hotel, doing every activity, and visiting every beach, waterfall, and hiking trail. They even have aerial pictures of hotels and condos so you can see exactly how close they are to the ocean (or how far they are).

The book explains and has maps and directions to practically every single thing on the island that you might want to do or see. It actually was quite controversial a few years back becuase it told the truth about when land was state land or otherwise open to the public and some locals took exception to some things being shared with visitors.

The book opens with sights: West Maui Sights: stuff to see in Maalaea, Lahaina, Kaanapali, and Kapalua. Central Maui Sights: things to do and see in Wailuku, Kahului, the valley of sugar, and Pa’ia, plus shopping and ‘best bets’. Then Hana Highway Sights: answering questions like ‘can a rental car go all the way?’, where are the waterfalls? where is the red sand beach, and where to eat in Hana.

Then there are the southeast Maui Sights: like Kipahulu, Oheo Gulch (7 sacred pools), pipiwai trail, and past the park. Then is Haleakala and upcountry, then South Maui: Maalaea, Kihei, Wailea, Makena, Molokini, and La Perouse Bay.

Then the book talks about Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokai.

The next sections are Beaches, Activities, Adventures, Island dining, and Where to Stay. This is one book that truly has everything.

Here’s a particularly telling quote from the book introduction:

We hike the trails, ride the boats, eat in the restaurants, explore the reefs, and do the things we write about.It takes us one to two YEARS, full time, to do a first edition book, and we visit places anonymously.

We recognize the effort people go through to visit Maui, and our goal is to expose you to as many options as possible so you can decide what you want to see and do. We took great pains to structure this book in such a way that it will be fun, easy reading and loaded with useful information.

So, that’s the kind of attitude I want in MY guidebook writers! Buy the book here: Maui Revealed - The Ultimate Maui Guidebook if you agree

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.

Maui Scheduled Itinerary - What should we do in Maui?

I made a tentative schedule for our Maui Trip. Can you look it over to see if we have included all of the “must sees” and if the timing looks ok?

DATE TIME ACTIVITY
25-Aug
2:23 p.m. Arrive at OGG
4:30 p.m. Arrive at Westin Resort and Spa in Maui
6:00 p.m. Dinner at Lahaina Grill
8:00 p.m. Explore area around hotel
26-Aug
11:00 a.m. Brunch at Longhi’s
1:00 p.m . Surfing at Kapalua Beach
7:00 p.m. Old Lahaina Luau/Dinner
27-Aug
3:00 a.m. Sunrise Haleakala Bike Tour
7:00 a.m. Complete Bike Tour
Rest/Relax all morning
11:00 p.m. Massage at the Westin Spa
12:00 p.m. Lunch at
2:00 p.m. Snorkeling at the Black Rock
7:00 p.m. Warren & Annabelle’s Magic Show
28-Aug Road to Hana Day Trip
29-Aug
9:00 a.m. Breakfast at
10:00 a.m. Water Activity: parasailing, windsurfing
2:00 p.m. Check out of The Westin
3:20 p.m. Get to OGG airport
4:20 p.m. Depart from OGG to Hilo
5:00 p.m. Arrive in Hilo

It looks really good - you are not trying to cram too much into one short trip. Obviously there’s much more to do on Maui but you wouldn’t be happy trying to do all of it. It looks good to me - you have a great time! Lisa

Thank you for looking over our itinerary. I’m glad it looks relaxing Can you suggest 3-5 more activities we should consider doing while we are in Maui?

Sure, there is a nice aquarium on Maui , you could take surfing lessons or windsailing lessons. You could jet ski, you could rent a kayak, you could snorkel or learn to boogie board, you could go on a sunset or dinner cruise or a dolphin watching cruise, you could go to a luau, you could do the submarine tour or a glass bottom boat tour, you could do a zip line. I guess that’s more than 3-5 … well, something has to call to you more than the others, right?

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

Tour the Volcano From Maui - How to Get to the Big Island

If I spend 10 nights in Maui is it easy to do a day trip to the big island to see the volcano or would you recommend something different. I am traveling with a 15 and 12 year old boys.

Well, you have four options, really. The first three will take *all day*. The last one will not but will be the most expensive. If you really want to see the volcano then go for it - just realize it could be doing *nothing* when you come (it could be in a pause or all the lava could be flowing underground)

1. arrange your own flight to hilo, rent your own car, and drive up to the national park, see as much as you can in one day, drive back and fly back to maui. Not a bad choice - probably your cheapest option. I would say it is possible to do this for $100 per person for the flight (if you book early enough to get the lowest rates on the flight) plus $35 to $60 for the rental car. Drive to the national park from Hilo will take 30 minutes. (Do NOT fly to Kona- that will take you over two hours to drive to the Volcano.) Bad thing is, the lava flow is currently (nov 07) viewable only by air so you may not get to see active lava - but you will get to see all the other stuff.
2. Arrange your own flight to Hilo, then take a tour bus to the National Park. http://www.hawaiiactive.com/activities/bigisland-volcano-tour.html or arrange your own flight to Hilo or Kona, then take a small plane or helicopter flyover tour of the volcano: http://www.hilowings.com/ , http://www.bluehawaiian.com/bigisland/tours/, http://www.safarihelicopters.com/bigislandtours.html (web booking price is $151 per person when I wrote this)
3. Arrange a bus tour to the volcano, starting from Maui - http://www.hawaiiactive.com/activities/maui-volcano-adventure.html - have all the legwork done for you by the tour company
4. Do a flyover of the volcano from Maui: http://www.volcanoairtours.com/index.html, http://www.hawaiiactivities.com/us/hawaii/maui/sg/1258/ag/6382/

have a great time!

Should we Visit more than One Island in Hawaii?

My husband and i are planning a mini-vacation to Maui this december for 6 days. We are being advised to extend our vacation for a few more days and add another island to our itinerary. Do you have any recommendations?

advised by who? this is your vacation - you do what you want! I don’t think a ‘few days’ will do another island much justice and I don’t see any need for you to do another island unless there is something *you* want to see. Hawaii is Hawaii, and although all the islands are different, the general idea of nice beaches, local culture, warm weather, and a vacation atmosphere within the United states are still the same on all the islands. Do you really want to go to another island and have the stress of packing, checking out, turning in your car, flying, getting another car, unpacking etc on your mini-vacation? If so, what do you want in another island - more laid back? more people? different climates? more hiking? more shopping? different color beaches? If you could answer some of these questions I could maybe help you pick another island. Maybe this article can help you decide if you feel you need help.

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

Best Molokai Day Trip from Maui or Oahu

Brian of Alexandria, Virginia asks

What is the best way to visit Molokai Island as a day trip? I will be in Oahu for a week, then touring Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island as part of a cruise. I am especially interested in the history of the island, including its role as the location of the colony for those with Hanson’s disease (leprosy).

Would it be best to do this as a day trip from Maui?

Hi Brian,

It may be best and easiest to schedule your trip as a day trip from Maui, but I am concerned that you will find it hard to coincide your shore leave times from the cruise ship and the tour times so we’ll look into options from Oahu and from Maui.

Pacific Wings and Molokai Air Shuttle (808-567-6847) and Island Air offer flights from Oahu (Honolulu) to Molokai.

Molokai Outdoors looks to be an outfit that will set up all your flights or transportation from Oahu or Maui and get you started on a tour or with a rental - whichever you want.

The so-called ‘leper colony’ is located on the Kalaupapa peninsula and hard to get to, plus you must either take a tour or be invited by a resident - you can’t just wander wround the area. Here are some options:

Molokai Mule Ride
A ride down the mountain on a mule plus tour.

Molokai Ferry offers ferry-car packages, guided day tour excursions, and a hike and tour, all from Maui.

Maui and the Big Island Day Tours from Oahu

I have seen that I can get cheap inter-island flights via “I flygo Airlines”. I will be staying in Oahu and want to visit a few islands for a day each.

I want to know if I visit Maui, or another island, how easy is it to get from the airport to a day tour. Is there somewhere that I can book a day tour that will pick us up from Maui airport and take us on the island ‘tour’.

I am mainly interested in Maui and the best island to see volcanos (which island would that be?)

Thanks, Vicki (Australia)

Hi Vicki,

The active volcano is on the Big Island, so it appears you would most like to visit Maui and the Big Island and you would like to use Go! airlines to defray some of the cost of this.

Several companies offer big and small bus and shuttle tours on these islands. If you are going to see a specific attraction, such as Kilauea Volcano, you will probably be able to find a company that will also shuttle you to and from the airport or just pick you up there if you book your own flight. If, however, you are going to do a “circle island tour” or just a general sightseeing tour, you may find it easiest to book your airfare through the tour company, and they may or may not (most likely not) use Go! airlines. I, by the way, have flown on all three inter-island carriers and Go! is my definite favorite at this time for the great prices and the short lines.

So, here’s some places to look for tour booking for island and volcano tours on Maui and the Big Island:

• Hawaii Active - general booking of several tours
• Paradise Excursions a 5 hour tour that does the up-mountain volcano stuff (no lava flow walk)
• Viator booking of a tour This appears to also be through Paradise excursions, but I can’t find it on their site, and it includes a trip down to the lava flow area
• Lava Tours - pretty complete volcano tour.
• Guides of Maui Land Tours
• Roberts of Hawaii Magnificent Maui Tour
• Roberts of Hawaii Maui Tour from Oahu

I hope you find one or two that you like Vicki! Have a great time! Come back and tell us how it went - I’d love to hear which ones you did and how you liked them. Aloha, Lisa

See also: Hawaii Island Hopping

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

Maui Kayak Rentals and Kayak Companies that Will Deliver and Hana

My wife and I will be staying at a condo in Napili (west Maui) the end of January for a week and would like to rent kayaks (two singles) for the week. The place we’re staying at is right on the ocean and it would be fun to be able to kayak around whenever we want right from our place.

Is there anywhere in Maui that will rent for a week, deliver and pickup at the condo?

I made some phone calls and found one company who currently says will deliver for a $50 charge: South Pacific Kayaks. (Call to confirm this as things change).

They indicated they might not charge if you were closer to their location, so maybe call around or inquire when you get to your hotel or rental and see if there is anything closer.

As a last resort, consider getting a two seater single kayak and strapping it on to the roof of your rental if you have one. They aren’t any harder to steer, and one person can easily paddle it by themselves. I have one and I take it out alone all the time. It can be heavier but that doesn’t matter once you get it in the water.

Have a great time!!

We are visiting Maui in late July. We will stay near the airport for one night and the following morning depart for Hana for seven nights. We want to have a kayak for Hana Bay. However, there is only one kayak tour operator in Hana, and he doesn’t rent kayaks for the week. We would like to just get a rental car with surf racks and strap the kayak to the top. Can you suggest a good kayak rental place? I haven’t had much luck looking online. Thanks.

Well, I didn’t have much luck either. South Pacific Kayaks will rent you a kayak but they are in Makena: It sounds like you will be in Kahului and Makena is a good 40 minutes from there. Here’s a place in Kihei which is closer: http://www.bigkahunaadventures.com/kayaks.html but I couldn’t find anything in Kahului. Good luck!

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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