Land Trip ?? Which Island

[Roxxy]

Was originally going to do a Hawaiin cruise but I think I am going to reconsider and spend 14 days on one island. Only thing is there are so many options...... To all you experienced Hawaiin cruisers - which Island would you choose to spend two weeks at and why?

Thanks for your help :o

[sptrout]

If I was going to spend 14 days on one island I would pick "The Big Island" because....well it is big with a lot of things to see and a lot of land to cover. You can easily spend a lot of time sight seeing and still have plently of "down" time for relaxation. I think 14 days on any of the other islands would become boring unless you are really into the beach life, or the city life if you stay on Ohau.

 

If you do pick the BI, I would recommend that you split your hotel days between the greater Kona area and a couple days in Hilo. I know that this makes things more complicated, but it will reduce your time driving.

 

The last time we stayed on the BI we rented a condo for a week, but still "disappeared" for a one night stay in Hilo. Cost a little extra money, but sure saved on driving.

[boulders]

The islands are very different. Everyone has a favorite. For a 14 day vacation, I'd visit two islands. This questionnaire will help you choose.

[luvtravel38]

I agree with Boulder in 14 days I would visit 2 islands. Love Maui and Kauai

[chachi]

I would visit 2 islands with 14 days.

[sceptic]

First question - what interests you? Beaches? Night life? Nature? Serious hiking? History? Shopping? Glitz or mellowness? Doing as little as possible? Some huge combination of all of these?

 

Read up for a while, take out the Revealed books from your local library. Ask a few more detailed questions on this forum.

 

You'll get a lot of personal-taste responses here (my choices: Maui and BI), but they're based on our preferences. Here's why, because you asked for our reasons: Maui has a delightful combination of fun stuff like Ka'anapali at night, good Luaus, Lahaina at night (funky and fun!) GREAT beaches, and places you can just lay back and do absolutely nothing. It provides terrific options without the helter-skelter, traffic alert intensity of Oahu. You do Hana and be as laid back as Kauai. You can hike Haleakala, you are in the whale-sighting bullseye, you have tons of great hotel/condo/restaurant options. It's also neat looking out and seeing several other islands off-shore. It's the one "main" island that gives you the sense of being in an island chain. We like the Big Island because the geology of the place is always in your face. The volcanos aren't simply overwhelming - they are the island. And it is big - Hilo is incredibly different than Waikaloa, which is incredibly different from Waimea, etc. And there are parts of it that are simply not well-traveled, like the Puna area or the road up to Hawi. You want gorgeous resorts, none better. Gorgeous golf, none better. ultra greenery? None better. Volcanic eruptions? Man oh man... if you're lucky you'll see the coolest stuff you've ever seen.

 

Anyway, you asked...

[Jen1000]

The Big Island would be my choice as well. I would say that is up there on my list of favorite vacations ever. We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa and then down at the King Kam in Kona. If I were to do it again I would spend a night or two in Hilo and maybe a night at VNP. We did a huge variety of things. A day at a perfect white sand beach, hiking to a water fall and swimming, kids did dolphin experience, exploring VNP, hiking to see the lava flow at night, black sand beach, great snorkeling in Kona, amazing stay at the Hilton. We did not even get up to Hilo and see that area.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

If I was going to spend 14 days on one island I would pick "The Big Island" because....well it is big with a lot of things to see and a lot of land to cover. You can easily spend a lot of time sight seeing and still have plently of "down" time for relaxation. I think 14 days on any of the other islands would become boring unless you are really into the beach life, or the city life if you stay on Ohau.

 

If you do pick the BI, I would recommend that you split your hotel days between the greater Kona area and a couple days in Hilo. I know that this makes things more complicated, but it will reduce your time driving.

 

The last time we stayed on the BI we rented a condo for a week, but still "disappeared" for a one night stay in Hilo. Cost a little extra money, but sure saved on driving.

[Roxxy]

The islands are very different. Everyone has a favorite. For a 14 day vacation, I'd visit two islands. This questionnaire will help you choose.

 

 

Wow that questionnaire was amazing - answered all my questions. I have decided on The Big Island and Maui; but how do I get from one to the other?? Are there ferry boats to take you (and your luggage) ?

[sptrout]

Wow that questionnaire was amazing - answered all my questions. I have decided on The Big Island and Maui; but how do I get from one to the other?? Are there ferry boats to take you (and your luggage) ?

 

Airplanes.........there are many flights between islands all day. Just book as you would any other flights. Usually the biggest catch is getting back to the airport that has your return flight. Depending on its departure time, you may have to make some adjustments.

[beachchick]

Airplanes.........there are many flights between islands all day. Just book as you would any other flights. Usually the biggest catch is getting back to the airport that has your return flight. Depending on its departure time, you may have to make some adjustments.

 

I'm not sure what you mean. Of course, from Hilo, Kona, and Kahului there are usually fewer flights to the mainland than from HNL. But there's no problem getting to the airport, unless you mean (for example) flying into Kona then flying to Maui and then flying back to Kona for the return mainland flight. However, that simply isn't necessary. Every airline we've booked with (granted, only a few) allows you to book mainland to one island for the outbound and then another island back to the mainland for the return. Generally the cost is the same or nearly so as booking mainland to one airport and returning from that same airport. That's especially true if you are using an Hawaiian or an airline that partners with them and include the one-way inter-island flight.

 

For example, we have done: mainland-Honolulu (HNL), HNL-Maui (OGG), OGG-mainland. For that one, we booked our inter-island flight separately. The primary air carrier charged us the same fare for mainland-HNL combined with OGG-mainland as they would have for either mainland-HNL and return or mainland-OGG and return. We've also done mainland-Kona (KOA), Hilo (ITO), drove across the island and stopped at Volcano House for 4 days)-Kauai (LIH), LIH-OGG, OGG-mainland, as well as mainland-KOA, KOA-OGG, and OGG-mainland, OGG-HNL, HNL-mainland. In all cases, the airlines charged us close to the same fare for the "open" itinerary as they would have for straight mainland-island 1, island 1-mainland round-trip flights. (Come to the think of it, we've only done one straight round-trip in the past decade: mainland-OGG, OGG-mainland.)

 

There's no reason at all to return to the original island for the return flight to the mainland unless the fare is massively higher to fly into and out of different islands.

 

For the record, our choice for 14 days would be the Big Island (Kona-Kohala side because we have not spent as much time there) and Maui.

 

beachchick

[sptrout]

I'm not sure what you mean.

beachchick

 

I agree that this not much of an issue any more especially if one has no airline preferences or restrictions. It was for us several years ago when returning non-stop to Houston via Continental (the only airline we use for a number of reasons), and the only one offering non-stop flights from Hawaii to Houston. We were staying on the BI and our return flight was from HNL to IAH departing ~7AM. The only way we could make that fight was to stay overnight in Honolulu. (What a mess that was, my last night ever in Honolulu.) There were no other choices for us at the time. Now all of Continental's non-stop fights (2) to Houston from Honolulu return at night so it is no longer a problem. My comment was basically; just be careful.

[chipmaster]

Was originally going to do a Hawaiin cruise but I think I am going to reconsider and spend 14 days on one island. Only thing is there are so many options...... To all you experienced Hawaiin cruisers - which Island would you choose to spend two weeks at and why?

Thanks for your help :o

 

14 days, skip the cruise, smart thinking!

 

As many others said, consider a minimum of two islands if not possibly 3; 4, 5, 5. Traveling between islands once out of Oahua is easy and a short 30' flight at most so only figure 3 hours total trave tlime. Each island is unique with very unique attractions.

 

If you have never been to Hawaii Oahau is worth consideration: Diamond Head, Hanauman bay, waikki beach, pearl harbor are all special if a bit over the top as a too touristy

 

Big Island/ Hawaii: black sand beaches, volcanoes, and many more!

 

Maui: haleakala, road to hanna and many more!

 

Kaua: Waimeai Canyon, Napli coast/trail and many more!

 

 

BTW Maui has many direct flights back to the US now so you can avoid having to return to Maui.

 

Of all the Islands Kaua IMHO is the most special, but for single 14 day I'd make a go to hit three :D

[sceptic]

I wouldn't recommend island-hopping more than 2. Although the flights are in themselves short, each day you go from one island to another is basically a travel date, which starts the night before without packing. Then checking out, schlepping to the airport, dealing with the car rental, doing the security thing, waiting for the flight, flying, doing the reverse on the other island... I've found that 17-18 days is the minimum for me to comfortably do more than two islands. with just 2 islands you can really get in the mood of them - that usually takes me a couple of days anyway.

 

About the return flights to the mainland, yes - I've never had a problem with open jaw round trip flights: Example SFO-OGG, then ITO-SFO. But every now and then one of the islands is considerably cheaper than the others for the return flight, and when it's a family of four going it can add up. On one 2-week trip we flew into Maui for a week, then to Hilo for a week at the volcano. Our return was from Maui, so we had to do a RT back to Maui. So when we boarded the flight to the mainland, the plane took off and flew to... Kona, where it landed, took on passengers, and then flew to SFO. I was a little amused, and asked a flight attendant why nobody told me - it sure would have been easier just to enjoy a sightseeing day on the Big Island than deal with flying to Maui. It was because if I'd gotten on at Kona it would have been about $200 more than getting on at Maui!

 

Just seems odd, but happens all the time. On our last trip the RT from Colorado springs to Kauai was under $320 including taxes(!), but from Denver was $575... even though several of the flights took off from Co Sprgs, landed in Denver, and then flew on to the islands. And we couldn't get on at Denver without paying the higher price. Such are the ways of airline tickets.

 

Oh - always check the prices from both Kona and Hilo on one of the jaws. One airport is often much cheaper than the other, and there are several car rental companies that don't even have a drop-off fee if picking up on one side of the island and dropping off on the other side.

[jagoffee]

Wow that questionnaire was amazing - answered all my questions. I have decided on The Big Island and Maui; but how do I get from one to the other?? Are there ferry boats to take you (and your luggage) ?

 

Good choice. The first time we did three islands, the next two times two islands, and the next one will be just one. Maui and the Big Island are our favorites. I would recommend that you do the Big Island first and then Maui unless you have a good reason to do it the other way around. You can fly into one from the mainland and then back from the other. You might be able to do only one interisland flight. Maui is our favorite because of the flowers, birds, beaches, water, and whales.

 

Have a great time.

[beachchick]

I agree that this not much of an issue any more especially if one has no airline preferences or restrictions. It was for us several years ago when returning non-stop to Houston via Continental (the only airline we use for a number of reasons), and the only one offering non-stop flights from Hawaii to Houston. We were staying on the BI and our return flight was from HNL to IAH departing ~7AM. The only way we could make that fight was to stay overnight in Honolulu. (What a mess that was, my last night ever in Honolulu.) There were no other choices for us at the time. Now all of Continental's non-stop fights (2) to Houston from Honolulu return at night so it is no longer a problem. My comment was basically; just be careful.

 

Mahalo for the clarification. I understand what you meant now.

 

beachchick

[stuNYC]

We recently spent two nighs in HNL; boarded the cruise ship for 7 days; then went to Maui for 8 days. In hindsight, I wish that we spent two weeks on Maui instead. After the one week in Maui, I could have stayed for several weeks longer. The hotel was perfect (Kanaapali Beach Hotel) lanai 500ft from the beach and ocean with a room facing west so that we could enjoy the beautiful Maui sunsets. In one week, I put a 1000 miles on my rent a car. Believe it or not, I am still packed and would go back tomorrow in a hearbeat if I had the time available. Next January we intend to stay at least two weeks. In all fairness, we may move our hotel/condo to Kihei which is more central to all locations on the island. Kanapapalli is gorgeous but you always seems to have to drive 26 miles back to the airport almost back to the airport to get to a highway that leads to another part of the island other than West Maui.

 

Just one man's opinion; having stopped in HNL, Kauai, Kona and Hilo on the cruise ship