Personal question: Which Hawaiian island is best?

Answer 1

My personal fav. is Maui.

O'ahu is one big city. Lived there 4 years and I'm NOT a fan of rush hour or large concentrations of people so that was NOT the island for me.
Other islands had the opposite problem. Like when I was on Kauai I was sharing a rental car... *someone* didn't get back in time with it and I had to skip dinner because nothing's open past 6:00pm! :(

Maui seemed to have the right combination of convenience and that laid-back vacation feeling. Lots to do there, and it's easy to escape the cities for some small-town island relaxation. Good shopping variety, good activity variety, and good scenery variety.

Answer 2

That's a very subjective question. Best could mean different things to different people. All the Hawaiian islands have their own character and flavor and what may be best for some may not be best for others. For instance, most people like Maui and Conde Naste magazine has rated it one of the top islands in the world for many years, but it is my least favorite island. It is crowded, there are better beaches elsewhere and the local people are less friendly than other islands. But people still go there because of the Conde Naste rating and then go home and tell their friends what a great island it was. Kauai is the most physically beautiful island but is very wet. It rains a lot. There are beautiful beaches and great hiking, diving and snorkeling and quaint little towns. For all around diversity the Big Island of Hawaii is outstanding. You can go from snow covered peaks to ocean in an afternoon. The beaches there are outstanding and if you are adventurous you can find some beaches that very few people have ever been to. At South Point there is a green sand beach that few have ever seen. The Big Island is bigger than all the other Islands combined so you will need a car. Drive to the Kohala coast and visit Lapakahi State Park. It is an ancient fishing village and has the best snorkeling anywhere. Drive to Kamuela and visit Parker Ranch and a little further on Waipio Valley and Akaka falls. Of course there is always Volcanos National Park where you can go watch the lava flowing into the sea. Lanai and Molokai are really laid back and would be a place to go to just get away from it all. Less conveniences but worth the visit. Do some research on the internet. If you want to party and shop Oahu and Maui. If you want nature and activities Big Island and Kauai.

Answer 3

It Depends on what you define as best and what you like. The island of Oahu is the most populated of all the other islands and has more people, cars and buildings. Maui and Kauai are the other 2 popular islands with nice beaches and nature. The Big Island is the only island where you can see volcanoes and the views there are spectacular and beautiful. As for the rest of the islands, they are not very popular and not many people go there...

Answer 4

I've been to almost all of the islands more than once. My suggestion: get off the beaten track and go to Molokai.

Molokai is considered the "real Hawaii", meaning old culture that has not been corrupted and over-commercialized by too much tourism. It is definitely friendlier and much more laid back than the other islands. The economy of that island is very depressed right now, so prices tend to be lower. This is not the island for partiers who like the night life, but if what you want is affordability, lots of natural beauty, warm friendly people, and peace and quiet, this is your island.

I stayed on the spectacularly lush east end, which is the "wet" side of the island. The northern coast of Molokai resembles the Na Pali coastline of Kauai, with deep river valleys you can only access with some rough hiking, that open onto breathtakingly beautiful near-deserted beaches. The most inaccessable of them all became the infamous leper colony at Kalaupapa, reachable only by boat or mule. At the northeastern corner of Molokai the Puu O Hoku Ranch occupies a huge space including a natural preserve for the Hawaiian geese, and I stayed on the ranch in a small and relatively isolated guest house above the Halawa River Valley. Most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. I could go down to Halawa beach early mornings to do my yoga on the sand, and there would be no one there but me and the sand crabs.

All along the east coast there are plenty of very nice large private houses for rent in the tropical forest right on the beaches, at really affordable rental rates. Not a lot of restaurants out there so you have to shop and cook, but I loved cooking "native" with local ingredients, especially since good fresh fish is plentiful in the markets, and the ranch manager kept me well-supplied with sweet fresh mangoes and papayas and bananas right off the trees!

The Molokai Ranch area on the dry, red-earth west side of the island is more touristy, and provides some distractions (restaurants, clubs, golf, tennis, touristy retail) if you want to get out exploring. Personally, I was happy just hanging out on the east end on the beaches and walking trails with a stack of good books most of the time.

Answer 5

Personally, I would prefer to live on Maui & fly to Oahu or Kauai, or Big Island when u need to, (if u live on Maui, u get to Lanai & Molokai frequently whether by boat or plane) I did this for 16 years but am on Oahu now because of my Parents & 100 yr. old Grandmother, Things may Change though, in the future.

Answer 6

Basically what are you looking for?
Are you lookin for R&R ? Then its any of the outer islands (Big Island, Maui, Kaui) If you are wondering where is the party at then it is Oahu.
Like everyone has touched on. Each island has its own flavor and points of interest to see and do. I'd do a pros and cons list and which ever comes out a winner I say go for it!

Answer 7

Whichever One you On are At the Moment - - - they all have their charms. O'ahu if you need to get around by bus or taxi and do not mind the hustle of the big city. MAUI if you love to drive and wish to have vibrant night life that you can run away from (sorta follows you on O'ahu). Kauai if you want small town with big city amenities. Molokai & Lanai if you simply want to lay back and relax. The Big Island of Hawai'i if you want nature at its most primordial.

Answer 8

maui- has lots of tourists but is my favorite island, not as busy as oahu, but from the cliff diving and ezcellent snorkeling theres bassically something fro everyone. kaanapali is rated one of the top beaches in the world
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kaui- very jungle like and not as many tourists my second favorite island
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oahu- very busy and city like, but the north shore is pretty calm
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molokai- moslty locals, great scenery, not much to do if you like action packedr things, more laid back, good snorkleing at 20mile beach
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hawaii- lots of lava, black sand beaches, a few towns but mostly unpopulated in some areas thats all i remeber

Answer 9

Oahu! i need the diverse busy life that goes on here. the other islands are too laid back and country like. there's always something going on in oahu!

Answer 10

Maui No Ka Oi