nicolino

thinking about doing hawaii in july for 10 to 14 days. looking for some help and info concerning where to stay and if there are tours where we could island jump once we are there. we checked cruises and thewre is only one cruise that time of year. we'd like to stay central so we could book tours to different island etc. been trying to do some research but not coming up with much on expedia or travelocity. we like good accomodations but also would like to see as much as possible since we are coming from new york. HELP!

Placename

With two weeks, you have enough time to comfortably see two islands.

Your only transportation options between the major islands are by plane. The usual issues with security and arriving in generous time to allow for delays applies, so you really don't want to waste many days spent at different airports going between islands. There are ferries from Maui to Lanai, and Maui to Molokai, but neither of those are major islands, nor would I recommend them for first-time visitors.

There is no reason to "stay central" to get from one island to another.

It would help us give some recommendations if you would give us some idea of what you want to do, or maybe what you don't want to do, if you are going to be able to rent a car, and a general idea of your budget. Each island has much to offer, so it's impossible to be very helpful without some information.

nicolino

Ok the people I am treaveling with would like to see pearl harbor............after that we want beautiful beaches and 4 to 5 star accomodations. maybe even a 2 bedroom condo..... doesnt really matter what island we stay on as long as we can see pearl harbor and then drive to our destination. renting a car is not a problem. we like great clean accomodations on the beach. we were even interested in possibly doing all inclusive.

wbpiii

Nico, each island is different. Oahu has the most people but the best restaurants and cultural icons. If this is your first trip, I think Oahu is a must. Snorkeling is so-so.

The next question is which additional island you want to see.

Kauai is the garden island for good reason. The island is small but it generally looks like a tropical island. It has wonderful beaches, two great resorts, some incredible hikes, decent restaurants. Snorkeling is good. It is very laided back.

Maui, reminds be of a burd of Oahu. It has some incredible resorts. Foodwise it is the second best island. Maui has wonderful beaches. I find it a tad overbuilt. Snorkeling is not the best. Good hikes and Haleakala is beautiful.

Hawaii the big island. This is the biggest island in the chain. Hawaii and Kauai are the least developed. Restaurants are decent. It has an active volcano which is beyond words. It has a dry side and a wet side. It has the fewest great beaches because it is the newest.

The resorts are on the dry side. Wonderful resorts are on the kohala coast. Some people don't like the dry side because it does not reflect their dream of a tropical island. It has wonderful hikes. The island has the best national parks.

Last but not least, the Big Island has the best snorkeling of all the islands. So the question is: what do you want from and island activitywise and what is your idea of a great resort?

If you give us an idea of what a great resort is and what your really want to do, we can discuss your many options.

Bill

rpowell

When you set up your flight reservations you can fly into one island(say Oahu) and return from another island (say Maui). That way you will only have one inter island flight (Oahu to Maui).

Since Pearl Harbor is a must, you will be going to Oahu. Tons to see and do there. We rented a condo ( www.vrbo.com) in Kailua. It has one of the most beautiful beaches and is a quiet spot with easy access to Waikiki/Honolulu areas.

I wouldn't do an all inclusive on any island, you would miss some great eating opportunities and island culture.

Everyone has a favorite island. I think if you choose from Oahu, Maui, Kauai or the Big Island you will be happy.

wbpiii

rpowell, what are the "all inclusives" on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui? And please explain why a person would miss island culture by staying at an all inclusive?

Nico, though I didn't elaborate above, I think you should do two islands. One Oahu because of Pearl. So you have to choose another.


Thanks

sf7307

>>

Because what and where locals eat is part of their culture, and eating at a big hotel buffet probably isn't how or where locals eat (?)

wbpiii

Seriously, most of the time visitors to the islands do not eat where locals eat and may I speculate that not many locals eat at the roy's, alan wongs or merrimans of the world unless they are in the middle to upper middle class. Of course this assumes that I understand your definition of local. Now before I get flamed there are some restaurants that serve more traditional hawaiian meals.

While I do find culture in the food of the islands, I rarely find all that much culture in the restaurants of the island. I rarely sit down and eat at a restaurant and then say, wow this place is oozing with hawaiian culture.

To suggest that all inclusives serve only big hotel buffets is inaccurate. To suggest that an all inclusive is somehow deviod of hawaiian culture shows a complete lack of understanding of the subject matter, IMO.

Next, why can't you do both?

So I don't find the argument too persuasive. Reasonably informed people will differ and more importantly we are not the OP.

suze

<doesnt really matter what island we stay on as long as we can see pearl harbor and then drive to our destination>

Pearl Harbor is ON the island of Oahu. The only place you can drive to from there, is around the rest of the island of Oahu. To get to another island, you'll need to take a flight or a tour.

suze

The thing about all-inclusives on Hawaii is there are simply not all that many of them to choose from. It's just not all that common a set-up (like it is say in the Caribbean or some parts of Mexico).

wbpiii

>

To my knowledge there is only one.

suze

Well if there's only one (why didn't you say so in the first place?) then I'm correct that they are not as common as in the Caribbean and parts of Mexico, right?

wbpiii

Suze you are absolutely correct. Why I didn't say so, I wasn't asked. The reason I posted the 10:24 to rpowell is to see if he had additional information that I didn't and what he what facts he based his statement upon.

suze

Sorry but it just seemed silly to me that you were arguing about All Inclusive buffets, the quality of the food, and if they do or don't include traditional Hawaiian foods... if there AREN'T even any AI's in Hawaii to choose from! (or only one)

mumpsimus

OK, OK, I'll jump in here. There is only one inclusive in Hawai'i, and they call themselves "almost inclusive" because while all the food, most of the water gear (snorkel, small sailboats, kayaks, et al.), are included, the drinks are not. Kona Village Resort on the Big Island is unique among resorts, and worth knowing about at least. I'm a big and long time fan, and because I love it so, I put up a website to describe it in detail: www.davidskvr.net. Lots of pictures, some video clips, and very direct and accurate commentary will help you decide if it's the place for you or not. -- David

wbpiii

Suze, it's not silly because when rpowell says don't go to any all inclusive in Hawaii, he is actually saying don't go to kona village by default. I take umbrage with the statement. It is a fine resort, very culturally aware, and historically interesting. It also has exquiste food, both hawaiian traditional and Hawaiian Fusion. By staying at the resort, one does not miss fine food or culture. Nor do they prevent you for touring the island.

BTW, Hale Samoa was awarded the highest rating for any dining establishment on the Big Island by Zagat in 2009.

I don't believe that the only hawaiian food is found in the back streets of Honolulu.

rpowell

Wow, I obviously hit a nerve. My comment about AI resorts is because there are so many eating options in the islands. We discovered a wonderful little saimin restaurant on Kauai. On Maui we happened on a mountainside restaurant on our way down from Haleakala and saw an amazing sunset while we ate. On Molokai we ate outside with the locals and the impromptu wash tub "band" members joined us during their breaks. Also on Molokai several Aunties had a jam session at an oceanside restaurant. We just love discovering restaurants and visiting various locations around the islands as opposed to having all our meals in our resort. I didn't know of any AIs in Hawaii when I wrote. I wasn't attacking any one resort. My comments were strictly my preferences about AIs in general.

wbpiii

I understand your love of the small local restaurants. I too share that joy of discovering a great hole-in-the-wall place. However, I took your AI statement poorly. Since there are no AIs on Kauai,Maui,Molkai or Oahu, I felt you were attacking a place that I hold dear. I guess my mistake was assuming that everybody who has been to the Islands more than once understands that there is only one place in the Islands that is an AI.

I might add, your comment about AIs in general must be based on Mexican and Carribean AIs. I think there is an appreciable difference with those and Kona Village.

Pax

suze

I had to Google "All Inclusives in Hawaii" to find out that yes in fact there is only 1 listed on any of the islands. I had the impression they were not common (hence my post above) but I admit I did not know they were non-existant... except for the 1.

Placename

It has been my experience that people from the eastern US are used to AI's in the Caribbean and Mexico. They are certainly more numerous there, for a variety of reasons, mostly because the economic standards of the countries involved are substantially lower than the US.