Hawaii - Which Island ? ? ? ? ?

[darchibald]

Hello,

I am thinking about taking my girlfriend to Hawaii for a week vacation but it won't be till 2006, so I have some time to think about this. She has been to Hawaii before but when she was a little kid (She is now a 40 year old kid). It seems a bit overwhelming when trying to decided which island to visit. I don't want to ask my girlfriend because I want this to be a suprise and I am thinking about asking her to marry me. How do you decide which island to stay on? Where would you stay? Are there any hotels that on on the beach? (dumb question) What should you see and not miss? I hear that the luaus are not to be missed and there is a ton of food.

Thanks in advance.

[scapel]

I'd vote for Maui. Not sure about the Hotel. Go to Hana and stay there.

[Suebee]

It all depends on what you want to do while here.....but I would vote Maui too. If you wanted to see Pearl Harbor or other sites like that, you should be on Oahu....but for romance, water sports and just relaxing....I vote Maui....especially if it were a honeymoon!!! ;)

[darchibald]

Thanks for the information. I will look into it. I am wondering how far in advance you can book airfare. I am looking at August of 2006 which will be my birthday month and would be special if she said "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

Suebee....

Your nickname caught my eye. I work with a lady who's name is Sue but she goes by SUEBEEDOS. Small world.

Thanks for the information.....

:D

[darchibald]

I just looked up some prices for hotels, suites, cottages and they are $400.00 and up per night. I found some that were per person. I am getting a little bit discouraged here. I heard that all of Hawaii was pricey. Hmmmm..... One of the sites that I went to was for Hotel Hana Maui.

Suggestions on where I should try to stay and not worry about reading reviews of people who stayed there and felt that it wasn't worth it? I would expect to pay around $200 per night/per room. Am I dissolusioned here?

Grrrr.

:eek:

 

[spleen93]

Hana might be pricey. Check prices for Embassy Suites Maui, Maui Marriott, Wailea Marriott, or the Sheraton Maui (all properties in Kaanapali and Wailea). Might be more reasonable. Use any discounts that you have access - AAA for instance. Also, if you have Price Club/Costco membership, their travel program sometimes offers discounts on properties such as these which may make things more affordable. Unfortunately, 2006 rates will most likely not be out yet which will make pricing things somewhat difficult. Packages are sometimes available from wholesalers as well. HTH!

 

Spleen

[10X]

The Hawiians have a saying " Maui no ka oi", which means Maui is the best.

 

We rent a condo while in Hawaii in Kahana from a company called Sullivan Properties. http://www.kapalua.com/

 

They manage several condo properties so you should be able to find something to your liking. You can find everything from a studio to a three bedroom.

 

We stay at Kahana Sunset, an older (1970s), but very nice property. Earlier this year we paid about $1450 for 7 nights for a 2 bedroom, two bath, ocean view. In February we'll be staying there again but this time with an ocean front, two bedroom, two bath for about $2400 for 8 nights. They have a very nice beach, small pool, gas grills, and the condos are fully furnished, right down to free soap for the washing machine. It's about a 15 minute drive to Lahaina from where we stay, and less to Kaanapali.

[Splinter]

Personally I think Maui has gotten too commercial and too crowded. The traffic jams can be a nightmare. I much prefer Kauai for both scenery and privacy.

 

Don't just look at hotels. There are some lovely and very romantic bed and breakfasts in Hawaii. I would find this much preferable for a romantic get-away, and many are around the same price or cheaper than the big resort hotels or condos, with much more personal service.

[seabreezer]

I agree that Maui has become too commercial and crowded - the traffic is really annoying! Kauai is the most romantic and "tropical" but the Big Island has it's charms, too. I happen to like the diversity of activities, climate and landscape on the Big Island. You could also consider splitting your time between 2 islands if you're planning to stay a week or more altogether. If you like the hustle and bustle of Maui, you could spend a few days there and then move over to Kauai or Hawaii for more relaxation and wedding proposal! Check with a travel agent for packages - sometimes the most economical because they can sometimes get bulk rates on air/car/hotel. Good Luck!

[orcatek]

Of course you could do one of the many Island cruises too and see several islands.

 

My favorite Island is Kauai, fewer people - great scenery. Maui traffic probably won't be much of a problem unless you plan on driving alot. Then again it is bad traffic for Hawaii - if you've driven LA you know what really bad traffic is like. I've driven Maui and found the traffic heavy, but if you are not on a schedule, it is not too bad.

[Sammy]

I love the Big Island too for its diversity. But the Kona Coast is so expensive and there are only 2-star hotels on the Hilo side. So, you'd have to do a B&B there, and there are many. The best ones book far in advance though, like on any of the islands.

 

For a proposal/honeymore/romance and some good prices (thinking B&B again), I'd pick Kauai. Think Bali Hai and South Pacific. Book a dinner cruise combo trip to the Na Pali coast. Anytime you get close to the beach, the price goes up. It can sure be expensive there too.

 

We choose a B&B called Lowe's Cottage which is very centrally located. Gorgeous big place, not on the beach but close to Lydgate Beach Park - a great beach for snorkeling.

 

I think a vacation rental is the ticket to have a great and affordable stay in Hawaii.

 

Don't ignore the windward side of Oahu for the most awesome beauty possibly not topped anywhere on any of the islands, IMO. It's much less expensive there, laid back, easy to get around. Again, it would have to be a vacation rental and there are some great ones. There's only 1 pricey resort on the east shore and that's way north.

 

Please keep us posted about your plans. It's so much fun to hear about others' trips when one can't go for awhile.

 

Sammy

[beachchick]

Kauai, quiet and romantic; Big Island, volcanoes and romantic; Maui, busier and romantic. Oahu is not our favorite, but there is much to do there. If you stay outside of Waikiki/Honolulu, it is not so "busy, busy" all the time. We like Kailua. It has one of the most beautiful swimming beaches in the world.

 

Maui is still our favorite. If you go to Hana, be aware that it is a long, winding drive. Go there if you want to just stop. If you want to tour Maui (and do snorkeling, wine tasting, Haleakala, etc.), then Ka'anapali/Lahaina or the Kihei area might be better for you.

 

I know there are many who say to stay away from Lahaina, but we actually enjoy it quite a bit. Yes it is more crowded than it used to be, but it's still fun and fairly central for quite a few activities. One of the most romantic places we've stayed is in Lahaina. The Plantation Inn is a small old-fashioned inn with a connected gourmet restaurant, pool, lanais, and includes a light breakfast. It seems secluded, but is only 2 blocks to Front St. (along the waterfront). Rooms are not cheap, but a deluxe (private lanai) is around $200. They have a romance package that includes deluxe room, large flower arrangement, basket with goodies, and dinner at the restaurant one night. It was a pretty good deal a couple of years ago.

 

Mostly, where you should stay depends upon what kind of activities you enjoy. If you give us more info on that, we might be able to give you more insight.

 

In any case, I'm sure she will love it.

 

beachchick

[Aloha_Jackie]

If you want to see and do lots of activities, Oahu - like NY with a beach and the Pearl Harbor memorial, etc - very crowded and even has a freeway - its very fun, fast, inexpensive, historic museums and good public transportation, a week in Waikiki can be cheap, cheap cheap - bont I dont recommend it - especially for your proposal - pay for a nice hotel or condo-its not every day that you have a romantic getaway to celebrate upcoming nuptials

 

Maui - they say Maui no ka oi and Hana is beautiful, but very remote and you may become bored in the beautiful surroundings, there's nothing cheap about staying there at the Hotel Hana Maui either - botanical gardens and black sand beaches are gorgeous in that area, Lahaina/Kaanapali is cheaper and Embassy was nice when we stayed there, Wailea is very nice - choose a large hotel and pay a higher price, but get the resort atmosphere you need for a trip like this

 

Molokai - is very remote, beautiful and not much to do there, typical beach activities and the Mule ride is killer - but I think you would be happier on another island

 

Lanai - very remote, beautiful, golf and 4wd jeep and thats about it unless you llike to skeet shoot, typical beach activities, expensive at the Manele Bay Hotel, but nice accommodations, The Lodge at Koele is good to stay at if you are golfers - they have horses too - only 17 miles of paved roads here - fun in a jeep, go to shipwreck beach, picnic, quiet times together

 

Kauai - lush and green and tropical visions of Bali Hai - lots of activities, and attractions - good bang for the buck. Someone mentioned an expensive hotel - I recommend Princeville Hotel up there - or a nice place in Poipu, choose the Hyatt with its lush scenery and great pools or Embassy nearby. I think this is the best choice for a romantic isle, do the fern grotto tour where they sing the Hawaiian Wedding song and propose there!

 

Big Island - my favorite - everything - very diverse, and volcanoes too! Waikoloa is nice, but a bit remote. Be prepared to do some driving on this island to see lots and lots

 

Dont try to save money on a trip like this by staying at a moderate hotel. IMHO its better to get the cheapest room in the nicest resort, than to stay in a bug infested rathole somewhere. You and your SO deserve it - go for it and have fun! Do your research, get a good price. Check out AAA and the Mahalo days offered by Pleasant Hawaiian in March (around there) - you will get a much better deal if you do the Air/Hotel/Car combo - be sure to check Hawaiian Airlines website for internet specials too

 

sorry to write a book - got carried away - and I was trying to be brief!:rolleyes:

[daWoods]

The preceding posters have covered most of the bases, but your choice should reflect how long you have and how much you want to spend. If you've got more than a week, you might want to stay on two islands. My choices would be the Big Island and Kauai, although I love Maui too. As for the money, you can pay alot or not alot. Our favourites are condos, and they range from $125 and night and up. I noted one recommendation for Sullivan Properties, but also check out Chase 'N Rainbows for lots of choice on Maui. I've booked with Kauai Vacation Rentals for our next trip in 2005, and with SunQuest Vacations on the Big Island. You've got some time, so check out lots of sites on the internet. I don't know if you can book that far ahead on airlines though. The earliest I could book for Feb. 2005 was in May of 2004. It depends on the airline.

[Laura4cruise]

I've visited Maui and the Big Island on my honeymoon. My husband visited Kauai with his family before that. He likes Kauai the best because it's so laid-back and relaxing. I liked the Big Island best because of the unique scenery and Kilauea. Maui is a good all-around island. It has the touristy stuff but there are also smaller out-of-the way places to visit. Our next trip to Hawaii will definitely be Kauai.

 

You might also look at renting a condo or vacation home. There are lots of condos in Maui. We happened to stay in one on the Big Island in South Kona (Holua Resort at Mauna Loa Village); we liked it a lot--our 2-bedroom condo was bigger than our apartment! In Maui we stayed at the Lahaina Inn--also very nice but it does not have many amenities. We visited the Hotel Hana Maui; it's beautiful but remote. Kaanapali Beach has tons of resorts to choose from.

 

I found the website http://www.gohawaii.com/ very helpful in planning our honeymoon. It mainly depends on how relaxed you want to be. :)

 

Have a great trip! Hawaii is fantastic and really, no matter which island you pick, you will have made a great choice!

[Aloha_Jackie]

We also have been to Holua resort in Keauhou (Big Island) - we traded our timeshare to stay there and absolutely loved it - we invited some friends we met on the Tahitian Princess last year to join us this time - we had a wonderful time - I want to retire in Keauhou area of Kona - a great choice! Aug/Sep 2004 -was ur week there and one week in Waikoloa - couldnt have been better, unless it was longer!

[Aloha_Jackie]

pronounced kay ah ho

 

 

you dont need to own a timeshare - they have other rental rates

 

lots of great things nearby in the Keauhou shopping center - grocery etc

[maunakealady]

in my opinion, maui is the most commercial and like los angeles, kauai is lush and jungle-like (as in Bali-Hai), and the Big Island is primeaval with lava fields, volcanoes, & black sand beaches. there are tons of choices, you might want to check out www.tripadvisor.com and look at the Hawaii forums.

[beachchick]

maunakealady: Do you really think Maui is more commercial and LA-like than Oahu? (I'm not saying you aren't entitled to your opinion, it's just that Honolulu and Waikiki are far more "big city" like--crowds, traffic, commercial properties--than Kahului or any other city on Maui.)

 

Just wondering.

beachchick

[spleen93]

I'd probably agree with beachchick ... and I live on Oahu! :) Though Maui is probably 2nd. And judging by what Emi says these days, sounds like Kona is pretty bad these days too.

 

Spleen

[maunakealady]

yes, true, right. Waikiki/Oahu is the most city-like and commercial. next is Maui/Kaanapali/Lahaina. I likewise advise against Kona - it's becoming (or already is) a tourist strip with nonstop T-shirt shoppes, fast food, etc. there are still lots of gorgeous unspoiled places on all the islands, and you can still have a great time anywhere - but it's good to be forewarned. :)

[daWoods]

This topic is interesting because the first time we visited Hawaii, in the mid '70's, we thought of Honolulu as New York with palm trees, but the other places we visited (Maui & Kauai) were very quiet and beautiful. We've been back three times and last year I'd have to say Lihue was even busier than Kona. However, the Lahaina/Kaanapali strip and Kahului made them look quiet by comparison. As for Honolulu... :eek:

[maunakealady]

Waikiki/Honolulu is really quite lovely for a city, but it's a city - lots of concrete and crowds on the sidewalks. but it's a fun place for a few days; shopping, excursions, restaurants, some great hotels, etc. kanapaali/lahaina can be fun, too, especially for teens or families, or people who need more stimulation than just beach, a hammock & a rum drink. quieter are the Kapalua (napili usually) and Wailea areas. Kona's a bit of a disapointment, but you can still have fun there, too. better on the big island are the south kohala hotels & condos, or places outside the town of Kona itself. Hilo's a wonderful, authentic Hawaiian city, a little bit funky but charming nonetheless. the hotels in Hilo are generally terrible, but there are some really nice B&B's. likewise, I'd avoid spending time in Lihue in Kauai - better to head out of the town. just my opinion, there are tons of people who think otherwise..

[Laura4cruise]

Well, I live in a city, so even rush hour in Kona or Lahaina seemed laid-back to me! :D It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose.