Help me choose which island to visit in Hawaii

Dustykitten

We would like to go to Hawaii this summer for the first time. Last big family holiday (possibly) with DS1 20, DS2 18 and DS3 12.

Plan is to fly to USA West Coast stop over for max 3 days (choosing between LA and Seatle as DH goes to San Fran a lot and we have all been) then fly on.

We are not bothered about doing Oahu (but not excluding it) but cannot choose which Island to go to. Whilst there we want to:

Bodyboard
Have a surf lesson
Go to the rainforest
Go to waterfalls you can swim in
Snorkel
Possibly dive
See the volcano larva

I've read lots and have confused myself further so I need help. Happy to book condos and car hire and also to visit 2 islands if that is best.

Thanks in advance.

claire16c

Definitely Maui.

The only thing you won't be able to do on your list is see lava. You need the big island for that. (But you can still go up Haleakala volcano on Maui).

But I've been there and didn't see it anyway as the weather/vog was wrong so half the park was closed off, it requires a long hike or expensive helicopter trip. And the big island is big! You spend a lot of time driving.

I've been to Maui a few times, love it there so much we got married there.

Would you like some condo recommendations/areas to stay?

Your kids will love it there is so much to do!

I've been to Oahu it's ok to see pearl harbour etc but then you would want to move on.

Kauai is beautiful but I prefer Maui. My parents took us there when I was 10 and we haven't stopped going back since! My dad was the same he visited San fran with work a fair bit but I think we did stop there on the way out the first time. On later visits we've just stopped in an airport hotel in LA or got a connecting flight to maximise the time in Hawaii! You can also go via Vancouver.

beluga

if you can fit two islands in, I'd reccomend Big Island and Maui. Big Island's my favourite, and a must if you want to see lava. Also great if you fancy snorkeling with manta rays (check out Hula Kai in Kona). We've done snorkeling and diving from both islands, and both are good.
You will need a car, we've found that a few days on Big Island to see Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Kea, mantas etc involved quite a bit of driving. The distances may not seem that big, but speed limits are very low and roads are windy etc, so it can take a while.
In Maui we stayed in Lahiana last time, so we could walk to loads of bars, restaurants and the harbour for boat trips etc.

We flew via LA both times, as visited Disneyland, and Las Vegas on the way home for a night or two.

Dustykitten

Thanks for your replies so far and yes please Claire for recommendation as to where to stay.

We can miss Lava, that is only for the 20 year old, if we need to.

Waterfalls to go in are a must for 12 year old and 20 year old so any recommendations for those would be great.

Vancouver is an option, we have been once for a few days but it was 11 years ago and earlier in the year. I'm sure kids would love Las Vegas (think I'd hate it).

For the trip home are we best to just do one night in an airport hotel to break the journey or take another couple of days in a different city?

Is Mauri more expensive than the other islands?

blindman

Another vote for Maui.

We booked a condo through VRBO. Have used them a few times with no problems.

Our epic MSE journey took us to Oahu for a couple of days then Maui for the last week.
We flew to Oahu from Denver
For a more "normal" choice I'd go from SEA or LAS if possible over LAX or SFO.

We flew back in one go :eek: with a 12 hr layover in LA where we took the bus to Santa Monica pier for the day.

Next time I think we'd go to Big Island for lava and maybe Kauai for idyllic peaceful countryside.

andygb

We went to Oahu years ago, and there was plenty to see and do - Pearl Harbour, Waimea Falls nature reserve, pineapple plantations, submarine trips, great restaurants in all the major hotels, Diamond Head extinct volcano (really good walk up to the top and back), pleanty of great beaches all around the island, along with lovely countryside. There is also Honolulu which has excellent shopping.

claire16c

Dustykitten wrote: »

Thanks for your replies so far and yes please Claire for recommendation as to where to stay.

We can miss Lava, that is only for the 20 year old, if we need to.

Waterfalls to go in are a must for 12 year old and 20 year old so any recommendations for those would be great.

Vancouver is an option, we have been once for a few days but it was 11 years ago and earlier in the year. I'm sure kids would love Las Vegas (think I'd hate it).

For the trip home are we best to just do one night in an airport hotel to break the journey or take another couple of days in a different city?

Is Mauri more expensive than the other islands?

If you go to Maui, you can do the drive that is the Road to Hana, and thats where the waterfalls are that you can swim in. I will warm you though, Ive been there a few times and never done it as its blo0dy freezing My sisters boyfriend got in though! And I can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to cold water - just don't expect it to be like the sea!

For the trip home you nearly always need to spend one day in a day room at an airport hotel because the flights from Maui normally leave in the evening, land on the east coast of the US early morning, and then the flights to London leave early evening.

Maui is more expensive than say Oahu, everything is imported and there is less demand/population so higher prices. But we find eating out there is no more expensive than eating at home. But when we were supermarket shopping we did notice a difference between the two.

We prefer to stay on the south of the island, in Kihei, but have also stayed in Lahaina. But the South has the best beaches.

Weve stayed in the Maui Vista condos, Hale Pau Hana and my parents I think stayed at Kihei Akahi or Kihei Alii Kai? It was somewhere on the non ocean side of the road anyway, the names are so similar I forget! We stayed at the Hale Pau Hana last time which is on the ocean side. Its amazing but a bit pricey but we treated ourselves as our flights were airmiles. The view is amazing though.

The Maui Vista is pretty cheap and when we got married we recommended it to our guests and most of them stayed there, it would be good in that your kids could just cross the road and be right at the beach. There are a few 2 bed condo units, or you could rent 2.

My parents shared a condo with my sister and boyfriend and definitely had a 2 bed one. To be honest there are so many to look at you can spend hours looking! Weve always used VRBO to book, and try to just look for a person who accepts credit cards to make it easier. Sometimes the owner has taken payment directly, because they own their own business - like one guy we have rented from is an artist so can take payments like that, or other time they use agents on the island to do it for them. Hale Pau Hana you book direct on their website.

The good thing about Kihei is that your children could also go walking to the shops and stuff themselves if you didnt want to always be with them.

When we stayed in Lahaina we stayed at Lahaina Shores. You can book direct but we booked through the artist owner who owns one of the Maui Vista condos we have stayed at, as it was cheaper doing it that way. If youd like his details just PM me.

What time of year are you going? If you can go October to March the whales are there which are truly amazing to see but appreciate with a 12 year old you are probably not. You can still see dolphins on boat trips though and plenty of fish

Oh years back we stayed at a condo in Maalaea, but I wouldnt stay in that area again, its way too windy!

blindman

claire16c wrote: »

If you go to Maui, you can do the drive that is the Road to Hana, and thats where the waterfalls are that you can swim in.

I bought the book Maui Revealed and did the road to Hanah:D getting to the waterfalls, plus other trips from that guide.

Dustykitten

Thanks again everybody. We have booked our flights! Have taken your advice and gone for Maui flying out via Vancouver for a few days which will be fun as it is one of my favourite cities.

Slightly worried about the flying home, but I did not know about airport day rooms, I guess you can leave the airport too if you want to, we have about 12 hours between the flights.

Only other worry is we arrive in Maui late at night, how easy will it be to get a car and travel to our accommodation at that time - I guess lots must due to the times of the arrivals.

Next job is to book accommodation. We were thinking 7 days in a house/condo and then 3 days in a different area at a hotel resort as the kids fancied using the pools, sports etc. Does that sound a good idea or not?

Thanks again.

blindman

Dustykitten wrote: »

Thanks again everybody. We have booked our flights! Have taken your advice and gone for Maui flying out via Vancouver for a few days which will be fun as it is one of my favourite cities.

Slightly worried about the flying home, but I did not know about airport day rooms, I guess you can leave the airport too if you want to, we have about 12 hours between the flights.

Only other worry is we arrive in Maui late at night, how easy will it be to get a car and travel to our accommodation at that time - I guess lots must due to the times of the arrivals.

Next job is to book accommodation. We were thinking 7 days in a house/condo and then 3 days in a different area at a hotel resort as the kids fancied using the pools, sports etc. Does that sound a good idea or not?

Thanks again.

Who are you flying with and is it Vancouver stop over both ways?
May be worth looking into lounge access on the way back.


Accomodation:
When I looked (2006 :eek:) hotels\resorts were expensive anywhere.
We stayed in a Priceline hotel on Oahu (3 nights) and then the condo for the last 7 as it was more cost effective.

Car hire places usually stay open untitl after the last flight unless it's early AM.

JoseChungsDoomsday

I suggest Oahu and Maui - Oahu is the tourist island, loads to do and always active. Maui is a more hippyish island, great art and scenery.