Any recommendations for a trip to Hawaii? What is the best island/hotel to stay in?

Question

How easy/cheap is it to island hop? How expensive is hotel accomm and food? Any comments gratefully received..

Answer 1

Like the 2nd guy who answer about Kauai geez I'd thought he would at least spell it right. Well if you live on the Island of Oahu and you sign up for Hawaiian Airlines or Aloha Airlines you save up on miles. Plus Island hopping is cheaper. If you are using Hawaiian Airlines you can get a great deal $29 to $79 one way or $109 for First Class. During Spring break I booked my trip to Kauai for $19 roundtrip cost me $49.80 plus you also get to pick your seat on the plane. Catching a plane back and forth to see my family on Kauai has gotten me free trips by saving up enough for a free ticket. Just join the Hawaiian Miles program you can get a temporary traveling card on by signing up then they send you the real plastic card in the mail. You redeem your miles for a free ticket to any of the destinations that Hawaiian Airlines travels to how cool is that. There are limited fast food chains on the island as well. You can try some of the local food we have out there, plate lunches are really great, bentos onolicious. Plus grocery shopping on Kauai it's best to shop at Big Save supermarkets around the island for food. Check out Hilo Hattie's & Wal-Mart if you ever want to bring anything back home to your friends & families.

Pick up a magazine called 101 things to do at baggage claim area. It will help you to decide what you want to do while you are on Kauai. I hope you have a great trip!

Aloha!

Answer 2

Island hopping isn't all that expensive (about $39 each way, per person on Go!, Aloha, and Hawaiian) but it is time-consuming. I wouldn't recommend island hopping unless you have at least two weeks to spend in Hawaii.

The "best" island would have to be determined by what you want to do. Do you want lots of dining and shopping options as well as beautiful scenery and plenty to do? Then Oahu might be your best choice. My top hotels in Honolulu are The Royal Hawaiian and the Ala Moana Hotel. There are also some great condos. Lots and lots of choices when it comes to hotels though! I would love to stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Kauai (where I live) is less crowded, beautiful, and slow-paced. There is still a lot to do here, but you kind of have to seek it out. If you want nightlife, fine dining, and great shopping, this isn't the island for you. We do, however, have tons of amazing beaches, great hiking, and fun activities like innertubing down an old sugar cane irrigation ditch, ziplining, kayaking up the state's only navigable river, and plenty of snorkeling excursions. The Sheraton Kauai in Poipu and the Grand Hyatt in Poipu are awesome hotels. Lots of great condos here too.

The Big Island (Hawai'i) has the only currently active volcano and it is amazing to see. The island itself is twice as large as all of the other Hawaiian islands put together, so it's very diverse in climate and topography. Fascinating and beautiful. Hilo side is the wetter, more tropical side and Kona side is the dry side with spectacular beaches (up north). You can't miss the volcano if you go there! If you go to the volcano, stay at a B&B down there and really enjoy the area.

Maui doesn't do much for me but lots of people love it.

I think your best bet is to buy the Revealed series of books (either at Border's or Barnes & Noble or on the website I've listed below) and decide from there where you want to go.

Aloha! :)

PS - "Lua" means bathroom. I think the other poster meant that you should go to a "luau," which is a Hawaiian feast that usually features hula.

Answer 3

Each of the Hawaiian Islands has its own personality and character. So, knowing what type of person you are and what you like to do will help you decide which of the islands you will like.

If you like tourists and fishing you should like the Kona area of the “Big Island” of Hawaii.
If you like solitude, a tropical feel, a rural atmosphere and you don’t mind rain, you should like the Hilo area of the Big Island. The west side of the Big Island has a few nice small beaches, including black sand beaches. Near Ka Lae, the southernmost point of the island you will find a green sand beach. Big beaches are not prevalent on the Big Island.

If you enjoy scenery, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking or surfing and don’t yearn for “night life”
then the oldest of the islands, Kauai is for you.

If you are the kind of person who keep a bathing suit, snorkel gear or a surfboard in your car, then Maui is for you, because it has 120 miles of easily accessible and swimmable coastline, more than any other island.

If you have an artistic temperament or perhaps you like to get away and write, then seek out the island of Lanai.

If you love nature, hiking and solitude, then “the most Hawaiian” of the islands, Molokai is for you.

You’ll enjoy Oahu if you like beaches, shopping, tourists, high-rises, traffic and don’t mind a lot of other people. Honolulu is like a tropical version of NYC, or LA as it was in the smog-free 1950's.

As for hotels, I would visit the site Trip Advisor.
Hawaiian airlines was just voted as having the best on-time performance, 93.8%, but it is very difficult to "same day island hop" by air.

Answer 4

All the islands are unique in their own regard. Which islands you want to visit depends on what you want to do and see. It's an expensive place to visit, however there are plenty of deals to be had.

Maui is probably the best to start with as it's not completely over run with tourist and has the most to do outside of Oahu. Try Pleasant Hawaiians website for a good idea on costs of a trip. They are the top in both price and selection.

Message me if you want specific information, I've been to most of the islands several times. Fell in love with Hawaii long ago and it continues to this day.

Answer 5

I traveled to Oahu. In my opinion, the best place to stay is the Waikiki Sheraton, which is right on the world famous Waikiki Beach -part of the beach is private for the Sheraton!-
It is in a great area also: In the back of the hotel you have the beach and in the front (entrance) you have the boutiques (such a Coach, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Chanel...), the souverneir shops, and the great ABC stores, where you can buy food, liquor, beer, aloe vera/tanning oil, etc.
-A cheaper hotel would be the Aston Waikiki, which is about a three minute walk (+/- 2 blocks) from Waikiki Beach.
Where ever you stay, it will be beautiful!!!

Answer 6

Food cost is comprable to New York City - expensive. Check out Hotels.com - they can give you better rates and info on the hotels. 1-800-246-8357

Answer 7

Maui definitely the best island. Not sure which hotel. But make sure you see the volcanoes. They're awesome!

Answer 8

Kaui, my friend, only in Kaui. This is where YOU need to go - have fun, enjoy and be certain to do a lua.

See this: http://www.summitpacificinc.com/Kaui/kaui.html

Take pictures and enjoy when you go there! Maui is over used by tourists.

Answer 9

I have made a iternary for my friends who want to visit Oahu. Hope you find this useful for you too.

Avoid peck times (eg summer or 3 days weekends or major holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas) as hotel rates will be sky high.

Regarding food selling on Oahu, it can range from the Dollar item ($1 plus tax) on most McDonald to $6 or 7 dollar plate lunch on local restuarant. Drinks are additional charge.

As for hotels wise, below links are some more popular hotels chain with decent rate & cleanliness.

Inter-island airlines web-sites are also listed below for your research. Check them often as they do offer rate like $29 one way plus tax & fee per person. This is a GREAT deal.

If you are planing to come after July, there is a possibllity of catching Superferry (schedule to begin service in July of 2007) from Oahu to varies islands. You can drive your car on board to go to another island. However, you got to check with the rental car company on their policy on this.

Day 1 - Mon ~ Waikiki
Arrive this day, check into hotel and check out Waikiki beaches or areas (like the zoo, aquarimum, Kapiolani park) in the morning.
Then, go to Ala Moana Shopping Center (just outskirt of Waikiki) for lunch.
Opposite of Ala Moana Shopping Center is Ala Moana Beach Park.
Magic Island, part of Ala Moana Beach Park, is an enclosed area, great & safer for younger kids.
Be sure to take a great picture of Diamond Head view from the park.

Keep the first day around your hotel as you might be tired to go farther.

Check out Todai resturants for dinner. They have great seafood (mostly Japanese style) buffet.

Day 2 - Tue
Drive around the island. Visit North Shore, Dole Plantation (see the world largest maze), more beaches at Sunset Beach, Sandy beach, Bellow Beach. Ko O lina. Make this a drive day and visit as many places as you can.

Find a beach you like and come back another day.

Day 3 - Wed ~ Aloha Stadium/Pearl Harbor/Might Mo Battleship/Pearlridge Shopping Center
Go to Aloha Stadium Swap Meat/Flea market in the morning (like 7a.m is the best time). This Swap Meat is only available on Wed, Sat & Sun morning. Large selections of Hawaii gifts to take home for family & friends. Be sure to negiotiate when buying large quality.

A small fee required to enter the stadium (50 cent per head currently).

Spent about 1-2 hours in this place.

Then, process to Pearl Harbor/Arizona Memorial, which locate across from Aloha Stadium.

Free admission to watch the World War II documentary (about 20 min) on Pearl Harbor attack and a free boat ride to the Memorial after documentary., a donation will be helpful to the center. Surroundings are plates of history.

The documentary & boat ride is about 1 hours. However, on Wed/Sat/Sun, it is very crowded. You might have to wait a few hours before you can into the movie.

If you have a ticket for a late show, go & visit Might Mo Battleship (next door to Arizona Memorial) or do it after Pearl Harbor.

Fee required. A trolley will take you to the battle ship. Please join the guide tour as it is very informative. Went with a few friends and the history the guide told was very helpful.

Spent about 3-4 hours on the ship.

In the evening, proceed to Pearlridge Shopping Center. It is about 5 min drive from Pearl Harbor. Turn left at the traffic light at Pearl Harbor/Arizona Memorial exit. Right turn at Pali Momi road and into the Shopping Center. You can do great shopping there or just have dinner there before going back to hotels.


Day 4 - Thu
Take a hike to Diamond Head. Great city view. But fee required to go in. At the end of the paved path, there are a lots of stairs to climb.

Spent about 1-2 hours.

[If you want free hike and great view, proceed to the East for Makapuu. Also paved hike path, but mostly ocean view, not city view. Another free city view will be at Punchbowl National Cemetery (see Friday).]

For lunch, stop at Koko Marina. There is a Zippy Resturant which is a local delight.

After Diamond Head, go to Hamauma Bay. Closed on Tuesday. Great safe snorkeling place.
Fee required..

Spent whole afternoon.

Head back to Waikiki for dinner. There is a place called Palama Market, outskirt of Waikiki, is famous for great Korean food. Prices are very reasonable.


Day 5 - Fri
Visit Punchbowl National Cemetery in the morning. Varies wars history can be read on the wall displays. Also, take a short walk to open area. Great city view.

Free entrance. Please be respectful to the dead bury there.

Spent less than 1 hours.

Drive about 10 min down to Iolani Palace. This is the only Hawaiian Palace here. Take pictures outside the palace only. Join the Grand Tour for interesting Hawaiian history. You can watch a film too.

Fee required for touring inside the palace.

Spent about 1 - 1 ½ hour if joining tour.

Across from the palace is the famous King Kamehameha Status.

Next to the left of the palace is the Downtown Business District. Walk down Hotel Street (this street only allow Bus to drive thru, no cars allow) towards Chinatown.

Chinatown only 2-3 blocks away. Visit Little Village resturant for delicious Chinese food. Or go to Chinese Culture Plaza for good dim sum.

If you like art, visit Honolulu Art Museum which is outskirt of Downtown, towards Waikiki. Fee required.

Head down to Kakaoko Park for a great sun set view. This was once a dump site. But now a nice park area.

Find a L&L Plate Lunch for dinner. Local favorite eat out. There is one in Wal-Mart (near Ala Moana Shopping Center).
Then, head to Tantatus Mountain for a great city night view. Driving required to get up there. Free.


Day 6 - Sat
If you find a beach worth second visit (from Day 2), spend another day at this beach. If not, visit Waikele Shopping Outlet for some last minutes gifts. There are also places for Pali Lookout,

Note, Swap Meat at Aloha Stadium available in the morning.

Day 7 - Sun
Fly home.

If you have a longer stay at Hawaii, I would suggest that you visit other islands.

My favorite recommendation is Big Island (also known as Volcano Island or the island of Hawaii).

Big Island is worth at least one day trip to the Volcano. You can do a early morning flight & jump on the latest flight back to Oahu. Fly to Hilo if you want to visit Volcano Park.

Otherwise, spend another 3 day there is great.