Which Island should I visit in Hawaii?

Question

Money is no option

I'm looking for a very LAID BACK vacation on a BEAUTIFUL island with white sand beaches. No tourists and nightlife for me. I'd like to stay in a luxurious hotel where I can rest and relax. I'd also like to maybe spend time on a sailboat, maybe see a waterfall.

..what do you recommend??

thanks :)

Answer 1

Kaui, or as many as you can.

Answer 2

NOT OAHU! I live on Oahu and love it but the world famous Waikiki beach is not laid back and does not fit your description at all! It's packed with tourists and everything is geared towards spending more money/cramming your schedule full of activities.

If just want to chill on a beach with few people around then go for Lanai but it won't be cheap. There are only 3000 people on the island so its at low key as your going to get. There is a ferry between Lanai and Maui that takes like an hour so you can still go and do things on the more tourist oriented but not over populated Maui if you'd like. And there's plane of course. But I wouldn't consider it to be the most beautiful island and theres not much for waterfalls.

I'd say that the Big Island is your 2nd best option. There are more people on the island (150,000) but its a huge island so you don't realize it. The North side of Kona has several 5 star, isolated resorts that are simply breathtakingly beautiful and luxurious but once again its going to cost you. Most of the nice waterfalls are on the other side of the island (Hilo) but its only like a 2 hour drive across the island and a rental car is around $60/day. And if you're on the Big Island then you're gonna want to see the volcano and you'll need a rental for that as well. There are some amazing not crowded golf courses on the North Side of Kona too. The Big Island has everything from deserts to rainforests to snow capped mountains so its definitely a beautiful island.

Kauai is going to be your best bet for amazing waterfalls and is going to have the best combination of laid back vacation/still affordable! The resorts are very nice/new as well but its going to feel a little touristy around the resorts (not overwhelming though, so not like Oahu!). It's very tropical and mountainous so its more like what people expect of Hawaii. It's probably the most beautiful island. The beaches are really nice on Kauai as well and the island is simply stunning. But don't expect any of the beaches to be like California beaches! Hawaii beaches are just not that big.

Fourth best based on your desciption would be Maui. The island is big enough whereas the beaches aren't too crowded but there are a lot of tourists. Some of the 5 star resorts there would fit your description well but they are going to cost BIG time.

The only other island I haven't mentioned is Molokai but I wouldn't recommend that for you. Molokai is very country and kind of like taking a step back in time and they don't push tourism at all.

But no matter which island you chose, I recommend checking out more than 1 island. Half the charm of Hawaii is how unique each island is! Interisland fares are about $60/person and you can buy them the day before. You'll be amazed by the differences between the islands. Good luck and I hope you enjoy Hawaii!

Answer 3

I would definately recommend Maui. There are beautiful luxury hotels, small quiet beaches. The Road to Hana is a nice leisurely drive that will show you some great waterfalls and take you to some more beaches. The nightlife is there but not wild. There is a great downtown area called Lahiana with all the shops, great dining, bars, and clubs. There you will find a beautiful boardwalk too. Sailing is extremely popular in the area as well. This is by far one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Answer 4

first of all, i LIVE in hawaii.
i've been to the big island, maui, oahu, and kauai.
oahu DOES NOT FIT your description. at all. (well nice hotels.. if u go here try Ko'olina)
maui has tourists all right but like people have been saying, good shopping (probably the reason for all the tourists) it also has luxorious hotels.
big island is pretty laid back. i stayed kona-side but went up north and down south. luxorious hotel? Hilton waikaloa village. im pretty sure theres a water fall in the north side. great snorkling at kealakekua bay. (fair winds) there are tourists at the little aactivities (fair winds etc. etc.)
i think kauai is the best for you. i didnt see many tourists there. its very green. definately waterfalls (the only trouble is picking one). very relaxing. very cool.

Answer 5

We actually went to both Oahu and Maui on the same trip. We also took our five-year old daughter and two-year old son. I personally would not spend much time on Oahu. If you can, maybe one or two nights, just enough time to see Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, and maybe the North Shore. Then - head to Maui. Waikiki Beach is obviously an icon, but it is not even close the the beaches on Maui! Waikiki has very course, sharp sand. In Maui, we stayed between Kihei and Wailea. This is the best place on earth! If possible, I'd try to bump the vacation up a bit to go in January - February. The weather is always perfect, and then you can hit whale season (which would be fun for you and your daughter). Regardless - any time of the year is perfect for Hawaii. I highly recommend this vacation!

Answer 6

Hi there,

I was on the Big Island in August for the workshops on Matrix Energetics by Richard Bartlett. And I then noticed that there are beautiful resorts and one in particular near the Kona Pier. I am from Holland and I thought that it is great to stay there. I must try to find that info in some cruise info I found there. Sorry it's gone. I am going again now for 3 months on October 15 because...I found a lovely man.
But try the tourist info for that area, it must be lovely there all year.
Wish you luck and a good trip..........Angeline

Answer 7

Lanai is definitely a fantastic option. There is almost nothing there but the resort on the mountain and the resort on the beach.

Another option is Kauai - try south shore or north shore. Waterfalls are plentiful on Kauai and although more people live and visit, it's very mellow and laid back.

Answer 8

i would go to big island or maui, if you are thinking about shopping more go to oahu but maui is a perfect place for relaxation and shopping, big island is kind of a laid back place, there are a lot of great things like volcanoes and a couple of waterfall sights.

Answer 9

Hawaii has many secluded beaches. My favorite ones are on the North Shore on Oahu. SUNSET and LAIE beach comes to mind. You can spend the whole day there and not worry crowds. Close by to LAIE beach is the Polynesian Cultural Center....a must see If your on Oahu.

Answer 10

try Lanai - they have 2 luxurious hotels and not too many tourists

Answer 11

Maui hands down! Its beautiful, serene, quiet but still fun, and not too touristy!