Waikki, Maui, Kauai Questions? For my Honeymoon.?

Question

I'm going to Waikki, Maui, Kauai for 3, 4 and 4 nights respectably in late April, any tips of what to expect?

Staying at the Sheraton Princess (W), Sheraton (M) and Sheraton Kauai (K). Any thoughts on those?

What are the best ways to get from the airports to the hotels, are cabs easy to get round there? Or are there better options.

Hotel rooms are all room only, so how much money am I going to need for my 11 nights there for food and drink and entertainment.

I'd appreciate answers from anyone who has been there recently or lives out there. Thanks,

Wow lots of good answers there it might take me a while to decide on the best answer!
I'm not sure what activities we'll be doing, because at the moment the the wife to be doesn't know where we are going, it's a surprise. So we'll decide what to do when we get there.
I hadn't thought much about getting a car to hire, so maybe I should look into that. Maybe I'll just hire one when I get out there for a day or two.
Thanks everyone so far.

Answer 1

Can I first of all say I HATE YOU... there I feel better now,

You have picked 3 incredible hotels, the Sheraton on Kauai is fantastic, such a beautiful location, Maui again wonderful and the Waikiki one altho a lot busier and more impersonal is again wonderful.

In Waikiki, as soon as you come out of the airport you are on a big taxi rank its about 25 dollars to your hotel or if you still feel human after the flight you can get a shuttle bus for about 8 dollars these are great but do go round all the other hotels so you could be in for a trip. You really dont need a car in Oahu, however you are right on the main drag across the road from the beach. There are a loads of good value restaurants close by, Chillis, Cheeseburger in Paradise to name a few both of these give good grills and salads etc for about 8 dollars a head, if you want something a bit more special go to Dukes over the road at the Outrigger, very historical beautiful setting on the beach and food to die for. You can get anywhere you want to go on The Bus, they are famous over there, clean cheap and reliable, we have gone right round the island on one for 2 dollars.

You will need a car for Maui and Kauai, the hotels are a distance away from the airports. Again on both Islands altho further from the towns there are similar restaurants, however treat yourself to breakfast in the mornings at least once, the Sheraton at Kauai in particular is amazing, Your Kauai hotel is certainly the most isolated but there is a shopping complex within walking distance that has restaurants and shops, it also has a fantastic pupu bar. In Maui you are a cab ride from Lahaina and again you have all the usual, hard rock and Chilli's kind of restaurants.

In all three of the islands you will find that all retaurants do what they call sundowner menus, which is really just a smaller menu usually at about half the price if you are happy to eat before 7pm.

Generally things are more expensive, but like anywhere you have all the usual range from McD to 5 star mega expensive, drinks in your hotel will not be cheap, but there are always local bars, if you're happy with Bud you will be fine but expect to pay more for Imported beers which are usually just heineken or Grolsch.

The one thing I guarantee is you will go back, There is no where near enuf time to see everything, Oahu is massive and all the best bits are out of Waikiki, Kauai is not so bad if you hire a car you can cover all of it in a couple of days, in Maui Haleakala and the Hana Highway and the treats.

If you are flying United make sure you sign up for their airmiles programme its well worth it and better than any other.

Next time I would spend at least 2 weeks on Oahu and take in the Big Island its incredible, you walk all the way to the lava flow - and I do mean the red hot smelly stuff.

Have a wonderful time - oh and my source 12 annual visits of 3 weeks each, thats what Hawaii does to you... and I'm from the UK 29 hours each way...

Answer 2

You have some really good answers here! I just stayed at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani on Oahu last week and it was fine. Our room was clean and decent and we had a nice view of Waikiki. The Sheraton on Kauai is quite nice. Great pool area but I'm not crazy about the restaurants. They're pricey and the way they're set up is kind of weird. You will need a car on Kauai so there are plenty of other dining options. Haven't stayed at the Sheraton on Maui, sorry.

Your best bet in getting from the airport to your hotel on Oahu is to call a service when you arrive at the airport. They're usually about $14 per person, round trip. You will need cars on Kauai and Maui, so just take the car rental shuttle bus to your rental agency's counter. Cabs are plentiful on Oahu but not on the outer islands.

Entertainment is variable. Do you want to snorkel and enjoy the beaches or take helicopter tours and things like that? It's your honeymoon, so I hope you slow down enough to just enjoy the beauty of the islands and relax. That's pretty inexpensive. Go to an ABC store and grab a couple of sandwiches, a soft sided cooler, and some drinks and hit the beach! Gas is about $3/gallon right now, so budget for that if you plan to drive around the islands at all (and you should). Going swimming in a waterfall is a lot of fun and very refreshing...not to mention free!

I think you should plan on a minimum of $100-150/day for the two of you to eat. Waikiki has plenty of fast food options, which will keep costs down, but on the outer islands food isn't cheap. (It's not really cheap on Oahu either.) Even a McDonald's value meal is a buck or two more than they are on the mainland. Be sure to get the pineapple side order if you go to McDonald's in Waikiki though -- it's really good! :)

If you have any specific questions, please email me. I live on Kauai and travel to Oahu often.

Answer 3

What to expect...A whole lot of jaw dropping beauty and the best vacation you will ever have.
It is a little hard to fully answer your question because it depends on what your ideas of vacation are. You are also going to 3 islands in a relatively short amount of time. If you are going to sit on the beach and take in that type of atmosphere you could just take a cab from the hotel. If you want to really get out and experience the islands you need a rental car. Rental cars in Hawaii are more economical (not counting the price of gas of course) than other places and you are not waiting on cabs or shuttles, etc. You can only answer that for yourself.
You are going to need a lot of money for food and entertainment. Restaraunts are more expensive than the mainland. I am not overly impressed by the restaraunts. Our favorite in Waikiki is Bubba Gump. Resonably priced and the service is usally very good. It is at the Ala Moana Hotel near Macys. Our favorite Luau is Paradise cove on Oahu. However, I have heard there is a good one on Maui called the Old Lahaina Luau.
I have been to all 3 islands. I actually honeymooned on Kauai almost 12 years ago so remembering all the details is a bit sketchy. We stayed in the North shore and it is a beautiful Island very lush and tropical with lots of fun adventure things to do. Hiking and Kayaking, etc.
Maui was my least favorite of all of them but it is small enough to get around the whole thing. If you aren't doing a lot of sight seeing I would recommend kicking back on the beach here and enjoying some down time. Just my opinon and for many this is their favorite island.
Oahu I lived on for almost 3 years and there is a lot to see. The North Shore is fun and again IMO a must see. You have to stop in Haleiwa and have shave ice and pizza at Spagentinis for some people watching. Great beaches and the Sea basking turtles a fun stop just outside of Haleiwa on your way towards Waimea. Sharks cove is a great place for snorkeling just make sure you have water shoes very rocky and no sharks that we have seen.
Hanuma bay is another hot spot for snorkeling and again breathtaking scenery.
Well, I love the place and you will too. Most of all enjoy your trip and don't get caught up in doing so much that you don't take in the wonderful beaches and scenery of the Islands.
Here is my favorite website when I travel. The forums are wonderful and insightful.
www.tripadvisor.com

Answer 4

I dont like Hawai'i, I like Maui and Oahu better. [I live in Maui]
I suggest Maui and Oahu instead.

Hawai'i does have volcanoes that you can look at, but over all it is not that exciting.

Oahu is my favorite, it is the big vity type, it's very crowded though-lots of sky-scrapper, but the four story mall is the best!! [Ala Moana Center], there is also a zoo there, and the Palace, that Queen Liliokalani lived it! That is cool! There is also a waterpark.
[the Iolani Palace:http://www.iolanipalace.org/ ]
[Ala Moana Center: http://www.alamoanacenter.com/ ]
[the waterpark: http://www.hawaiianwaters.com/ ]
[the zoo: http://www.honoluluzoo.org/]

Maui is very beautiful, Wailea and Lahina are the nicest places, if you are looking for a hotel. The Grand Wailea, is a nice, over-priced hotel, but the pool is awesome! They have a water elevator there. [The Grand, is the only place i the world that has a water elevator. -it's not that exiting though.]
here is their website:
http://www.grandwailea.com/
You cannot see the sunrise except for on [Mount] Haleakala. I heard we have a zip-line going over the crater. We also have lots of waterfalls in Hana.




I live in Maui, and I have to say I think you will like it much more. It is very small, but there is a lot more to see than on Hawai'i a.k.a."the big island".

•HAWAI'I has controlled erupting volcanoes. It isn't good to breathe all the vog though. It is the biggest island, but it doesn't have much. You are lucky that there is a Walmart there! It is mostly dried up lava taking up all of the area.

• MOLOKAI is very small, not much to do. It is dangerous to go into some of the oceans because they have stronger tide that can "drag you all the way to Oahu" and you won't make it all the way to Oahu. It is very friendly there, but there is only one super market. When I visited there, the only super market was closed by the time we arrived, and the next day was a holiday, so they weren't open. We had to find snacks from a Wine and Spirits store.

• OAHU is very nice, it is my favorite island, it is smaller than Maui, but busier than Maui. There are bunches of stores, and a 4 story mall! [Ala Moana Center] It is very nice if you love the city. ..but once again, it is very busy.

• Maui is very beautiful, it is not to small, and not to big. The only place you can see the sunrise is on Haleakala [House of the Sun] -which is a mountain. Our three biggest stores are Walmart and K-mart, and Costco. We have a Safeway an Starmarket also. Costco and K-mart are right next to the Kahului airport, which is quite convenient. We also have waterfalls, in Hana. But make sure you get up early, it's a long drive.



I am sorry, I went to Kaui when I was 7, I don't remember it, but it is small.

Answer 5

I am getting married in Maui this July so i am reading some advice you have gotten, however..i have been to Ohau and stayed at the Sharaton Prince. It was really nice, very nice people and service was very good. its about 20 min or so from the airport, i would def. rent car, i dont like depending on others. Def. drive around Ohua and dont just stay in Waikiki. You should go to Norh Shore. Be careful of the waves though. you should also go to the dole plantation. its by north shore. Fresh Pinnapple, what more could you want! When we went we took about 2000 to spend that week and we came back with some. We were there for 2 weeks. You should also go to Germains Luau, It was lots of fun. not expensive either! you should also go snorkling at Hunauma Bay. Its amazing. we did the sunrise snorkling. cold but amazing.!! When are you going? Maybe you can help me out with my maui trip. My email (not sure if your supposed to put this on here or not) is [e-mail]
Have a wonderful time!

Answer 6

I've been to all three and go to Hawaii almost every year. You need a rental car to get around each island. Cabs would work but then you are stuck getting to anything you want to see. Hawaii is an expensive place to visit, expect everything to cost at least 25-50% more than at home. The Sheraton Princess isn't anything special but it is in a great location, however the other two hotels are everything you could want.

Expect rain as that is hurricane season in that part of the world. Of course they almost never hit the islands because of their location, but you can have more rain than is normal.

Answer 7

I would have recommended the hilton hawaiian village and the grand wailea on Maui but you have already reserved. I've been 3 times (including my honeymoon). Food is high there so be smart. Some establishmients have specials which can save you a bundle. It is better to eat several smaller meals if you're on a budget rather than 2-3 larger meals. I hope on Maui you attend the Old lahaina Luau at about $85 per head. It is really amazing. rent a car and drive around. You will want to go to hana on Maui, Giovanni's shrimp truck on the north shore of Oahu for $12, matsumoto for shave ice. If you have a fridge take advantage of it and buy some snacks at a local store. ABC stores are all over the islands. Liquor in restraunts is very high so buy a bottle and drink it in the room. One more thing...to save money in the future buy a timeshare. they are relatively cheap for what you get and they are good for a lifetime. My wife and I bought one with Hilton and we love it. Buy one affiliated with a hotel chain as they will give you more options of places to travel. We are going to hawaii in '09 for 2 weeks and our accomodations are covered. Aloha!

Answer 8

You are going to have a really great time.

Please do one thing, though. Make sure you do go around the island of Oahu one day. Do NOT just stay in Waikiki. You will be doing yourself a disservice if you don't. Best thing is to rent a car for the day.

That way you can go around and stop at any beaches you see on the side of the road. Almost all have lavatories available for you and once you are on the windward side, you will find deserted beaches everywhere during the week. On weekends, the beaches will have lots of families on them, bar-b-quing and picnicing.

Make sure to come back over the Pali and stop at the Pali lookout. Do not leave any valuables in the car - don't try to hide them either. (I usually leave the car unlocked to prevent the lock from being broken).

Just take your valuables with you and go up to the lookout. Lean into the strong wind (it will hold you up from falling) and view the incredible view of where you had just been visting beaches. Absolutely amazing.

Answer 9

To get around on maui and kauai , rent a car, waikiki you can catch the bus.
You will need lots of money,unfortunately Hawaii is very expensive.

Answer 10

Hi sorry not been there. Just wanted to say thought that the Sheraton hotel chain is fantastic. Lucky you. Have a wonderful time. Try Trip Advisor they have loads of info.