HELP! Week in Kailua-Kona OR Honolulu???
May 21st, 2012, 10:31 PM
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HELP! Week in Kailua-Kona OR Honolulu???
Hi all,
New to the Fodors forum!
My Bf and I will be in Hawaii for the first time at the end of June and planning to stay a week. Can anyone please advise as to which island is better to stay at for the week? Looking for a relaxing vacation getaway. We want to do some site seeing, hiking, but looking to do a lot of beaching as a priority. We prefer less crowded beaches. We are planning to rent a car as well.
Where should home base be?
Thanks so much!
New to the Fodors forum!
My Bf and I will be in Hawaii for the first time at the end of June and planning to stay a week. Can anyone please advise as to which island is better to stay at for the week? Looking for a relaxing vacation getaway. We want to do some site seeing, hiking, but looking to do a lot of beaching as a priority. We prefer less crowded beaches. We are planning to rent a car as well.
Where should home base be?
Thanks so much!
May 22nd, 2012, 03:54 AM
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There are many posts in here on the beautiful islands of Hawaii.
You can enjoy getting away from it on Oahu - staying over at say Lanikai/Kailua - or up at the North Shore - and there is great snorkeling at Hanamalua Bay that should not be missed.
Go early to avoid the crowds, and finish driving around the south end of the island, even if you don't have enough time to drive up to the North Shore and the longer island circle.
However - I would also recommend you see an outer island if you can - maybe after say two days on Oahu (staying in Waikiki is fine for two days) - and the Big Island offers everything you would want to see in Paradise. if you do kick back on Kona - get up early one day and drive to the Volcano to explore that wonder.
You can enjoy getting away from it on Oahu - staying over at say Lanikai/Kailua - or up at the North Shore - and there is great snorkeling at Hanamalua Bay that should not be missed.
Go early to avoid the crowds, and finish driving around the south end of the island, even if you don't have enough time to drive up to the North Shore and the longer island circle.
However - I would also recommend you see an outer island if you can - maybe after say two days on Oahu (staying in Waikiki is fine for two days) - and the Big Island offers everything you would want to see in Paradise. if you do kick back on Kona - get up early one day and drive to the Volcano to explore that wonder.
May 22nd, 2012, 05:51 AM
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We have only been to Oahu once and so I will only talk about the Big Island.
First of all, here are a couple of websites that you may find helpful--www.konaweb.com for lots of information about the Big Island and www.wizardpub.com which has maps and pictures of hotels, resorts etc on the main islands showing, for one thing, how close they actually are to a beach.
Can't advise you on hotels on either island. We have never stayed in a hotel on our many, many trips to the Big Island (we rent cottages usually--like the extra room and having a kitchen)so I'll leave hotel recommendations to others.
Kailua-Kona, IMO, is a typical oceanside resort town--lots of restaurants, bars, shops and people. But the rest of the BI is quite uncrowded.
Unless you want to pay for a north Kohala resort hotel, there are few accomodations that are on a beach. For example, the Hapuna Prince is right on Hapuna Beach--sometimes ranked as one of the best beaches in the world http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/h...ince-hotel.php
However all the beaches in Hawaii are public--though parking is limited at some which makes access more difficult.
Anyway here are some of our favorite beaches
On the Kohala Coast—north of the Kona airport
* Hapuna- classic wide, white sand beach
*‘Anaeho’omalu Bay (aka A Bay)- lots of palm trees provide some shade at the south end of the beach
*Kakaha Kai (formerly Kona Coast) State Park)-closed on Wed. access is down a very bumpy but usually passable road across the lava—we’ve done it in rental car—just go slow—we’ve been there on weekday mornings when no one else was there and you can walk north to Makalawena Beach with its beautiful white sand crescent
*Kauna’oa Beach—it’s the beach at the Mauna Kea Resort—only ~30 parking passes are available so go early—pull up to the entrance and ask the guy in the little building for a parking pass for the beach—and if they are all gone, drive south to Hapuna Beach
* Kaloko-Honokohau--just north of Honokokau Harbor--which is south of the Kona airport--you can park on the north side of the harbor and a short walk to take you to the beach--there are the remains of an ancient Hawaiian fishtrap and ruins of a heiau--it is usually uncrowded--like maybe 10-15 people there the times that we've gone
In Kailua-Kona
Kahalu’u – right on Ali’i Drive south of the main part of Kailua-Kona—turtles and calm water for snorkeling—gets really crowded on weekends
If you want to snorkel, Kealakekua Bay and Honounou Bay are two good places in south Kona
for sight seeing, hiking etc a few suggestions
1. Hawi in North Kohala—take highway 19 to Kawaihae—you can visit Pu’ukohola Heiau—a structure built by Kamehameha the Great--it’s free. Continue up highway 270 to Hawi. If it’s clear you can see Maui with its dormant volcano-Haleakala looming to the west. Hawi is a charming little town with a few shops, one with Tropical Dreams ice cream-yum. We also like Bamboo Restaurant or Sushi Rock for lunch. Continue on highway 270 through Kapa’au (where the original King Kamehameha statue is located) to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley. http://tinyurl.com/l5ohh7 You can hike down into the valley—not really difficult—and go to the black sand beach that fronts the valley. I would not advise trying to swim there. The ocean is too dangerous. To return to Kona—go back to Hawi and turn left onto highway 250 which will take you up over the extinct Kohala volcano– great views of the ocean and of Mauna Kea as you come down to highway 19 just west of Waimea. Take 19 back to where you are staying.
2. Hamakua Coast to Hilo-- take highway 19 - a beautiful drive. Sights along the way:
a. Waipio Valley west of Honokaa – you can hike down a short but very steep road to get into the Valley or take a tour (we did this one a few years ago http://www.waipiovalleywagontours.com ). If you do hike down and are too tired to hike up. Hold up a ten dollar bill and a local who’s going up will probably give you a ride in his/her four wheel drive.
b. Akaka Falls—440 ft waterfall—easy walk through the rain forest to get to the falls-I've heard that they are charging admission now
c. Hawaiian Tropical Botanic Gardens http://www.htbg.com/ admission is a little pricy – but it is beautiful.
d. World Botanical Gardens-- they have a zip line http://www.worldbotanicalgardens.com/
e. Hilo—the largest town on the Big Island—has a wonderful farmer’s market on Saturday and Wednesday (it’s better on Saturday)-- http://www.hilofarmersmarket.com/ It’s a great place to buy fresh fruits and veggies and souvenirs
3. Volcano—it tends to be rainier and cooler in Volcano than where you will be staying—so take a sweatshirt or sweater, just in case
A hike we’ve done several times in the park is the Kilauea Iki hike—take plenty of water if it’s sunny. From the Kilauea Iki overlook, take the trail to the right—it’s easier that way IMO. And an hour and a half later you will be back at the same spot. The trail takes you through the rain forest, down into and across the crater and up the other side. http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/volcano/kilaueaiki.html
4. South Kona
Tour Kona coffee farm—we like Greenwell but there are many others http://tinyurl.com/4y5323j
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau- http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm also called Place of Refuge—beautiful location on Honaunau Bay—ancient Hawaiian sanctuary—
Kealekakua Bay—snorkeling and kayaking—rent the kayak up on the highway before you drive down to the bay
Hope this is helpful--sorry it is so long.
First of all, here are a couple of websites that you may find helpful--www.konaweb.com for lots of information about the Big Island and www.wizardpub.com which has maps and pictures of hotels, resorts etc on the main islands showing, for one thing, how close they actually are to a beach.
Can't advise you on hotels on either island. We have never stayed in a hotel on our many, many trips to the Big Island (we rent cottages usually--like the extra room and having a kitchen)so I'll leave hotel recommendations to others.
Kailua-Kona, IMO, is a typical oceanside resort town--lots of restaurants, bars, shops and people. But the rest of the BI is quite uncrowded.
Unless you want to pay for a north Kohala resort hotel, there are few accomodations that are on a beach. For example, the Hapuna Prince is right on Hapuna Beach--sometimes ranked as one of the best beaches in the world http://www.princeresortshawaii.com/h...ince-hotel.php
However all the beaches in Hawaii are public--though parking is limited at some which makes access more difficult.
Anyway here are some of our favorite beaches
On the Kohala Coast—north of the Kona airport
* Hapuna- classic wide, white sand beach
*‘Anaeho’omalu Bay (aka A Bay)- lots of palm trees provide some shade at the south end of the beach
*Kakaha Kai (formerly Kona Coast) State Park)-closed on Wed. access is down a very bumpy but usually passable road across the lava—we’ve done it in rental car—just go slow—we’ve been there on weekday mornings when no one else was there and you can walk north to Makalawena Beach with its beautiful white sand crescent
*Kauna’oa Beach—it’s the beach at the Mauna Kea Resort—only ~30 parking passes are available so go early—pull up to the entrance and ask the guy in the little building for a parking pass for the beach—and if they are all gone, drive south to Hapuna Beach
* Kaloko-Honokohau--just north of Honokokau Harbor--which is south of the Kona airport--you can park on the north side of the harbor and a short walk to take you to the beach--there are the remains of an ancient Hawaiian fishtrap and ruins of a heiau--it is usually uncrowded--like maybe 10-15 people there the times that we've gone
In Kailua-Kona
Kahalu’u – right on Ali’i Drive south of the main part of Kailua-Kona—turtles and calm water for snorkeling—gets really crowded on weekends
If you want to snorkel, Kealakekua Bay and Honounou Bay are two good places in south Kona
for sight seeing, hiking etc a few suggestions
1. Hawi in North Kohala—take highway 19 to Kawaihae—you can visit Pu’ukohola Heiau—a structure built by Kamehameha the Great--it’s free. Continue up highway 270 to Hawi. If it’s clear you can see Maui with its dormant volcano-Haleakala looming to the west. Hawi is a charming little town with a few shops, one with Tropical Dreams ice cream-yum. We also like Bamboo Restaurant or Sushi Rock for lunch. Continue on highway 270 through Kapa’au (where the original King Kamehameha statue is located) to the end of the road at the Pololu Valley. http://tinyurl.com/l5ohh7 You can hike down into the valley—not really difficult—and go to the black sand beach that fronts the valley. I would not advise trying to swim there. The ocean is too dangerous. To return to Kona—go back to Hawi and turn left onto highway 250 which will take you up over the extinct Kohala volcano– great views of the ocean and of Mauna Kea as you come down to highway 19 just west of Waimea. Take 19 back to where you are staying.
2. Hamakua Coast to Hilo-- take highway 19 - a beautiful drive. Sights along the way:
a. Waipio Valley west of Honokaa – you can hike down a short but very steep road to get into the Valley or take a tour (we did this one a few years ago http://www.waipiovalleywagontours.com ). If you do hike down and are too tired to hike up. Hold up a ten dollar bill and a local who’s going up will probably give you a ride in his/her four wheel drive.
b. Akaka Falls—440 ft waterfall—easy walk through the rain forest to get to the falls-I've heard that they are charging admission now
c. Hawaiian Tropical Botanic Gardens http://www.htbg.com/ admission is a little pricy – but it is beautiful.
d. World Botanical Gardens-- they have a zip line http://www.worldbotanicalgardens.com/
e. Hilo—the largest town on the Big Island—has a wonderful farmer’s market on Saturday and Wednesday (it’s better on Saturday)-- http://www.hilofarmersmarket.com/ It’s a great place to buy fresh fruits and veggies and souvenirs
3. Volcano—it tends to be rainier and cooler in Volcano than where you will be staying—so take a sweatshirt or sweater, just in case
A hike we’ve done several times in the park is the Kilauea Iki hike—take plenty of water if it’s sunny. From the Kilauea Iki overlook, take the trail to the right—it’s easier that way IMO. And an hour and a half later you will be back at the same spot. The trail takes you through the rain forest, down into and across the crater and up the other side. http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/volcano/kilaueaiki.html
4. South Kona
Tour Kona coffee farm—we like Greenwell but there are many others http://tinyurl.com/4y5323j
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau- http://www.nps.gov/puho/index.htm also called Place of Refuge—beautiful location on Honaunau Bay—ancient Hawaiian sanctuary—
Kealekakua Bay—snorkeling and kayaking—rent the kayak up on the highway before you drive down to the bay
Hope this is helpful--sorry it is so long.
May 22nd, 2012, 03:28 PM
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Big Island has so many things to do - and you are in a tropical rain forest up by the Volcano - and further - over by Hilo - it's as lush as it gets. 
pics of Akaka Falls State Park/Botanical Gardens. http://tinyurl.com/d45j9u6
pics of Akaka Falls State Park/Botanical Gardens. http://tinyurl.com/d45j9u6
May 24th, 2012, 12:21 AM
#11
Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Hertz, Thrifty. All regular car rental companies. You may run into a lousy employee, or a reservation screw-up, but no more than in any other American city. What kind of nightmares are you expecting?
May 24th, 2012, 02:44 AM
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Have never really had a problem with rental car companies all the many times we have rented cars in Paradise - on 5 of the 6 islands (was picked up on Lanai) from just about every major rental car agency.
In fact - they are usually very helpful. On Maui a few years ago - I did have a problem with one of the dumb - low tire pressure lights coming on (and have had that problem elsewhere) - and normally - if you just put some air in it - it's fine.
But that time I took it back to a satellite location north of Lahaina - and changed cars and they didn't even charge me for the quarter tank of gas I had used, driving over from the airport and around for a couple of days.
Another time - years ago - lost the dang key (buried it in the sand under my beach towel - which my wife moved when I was out snorkeling - hey - shxx happens) - and while we eventually found it - the rental car company was going to drive another key up from mid-island at the airport (by Lihue) - to Ke'e beach - all the way past Hanalei/Princeville.
I think it's like anywhere else. If you are nice to the front desk when checking out the car - they will be nice to you later if you have a problem.
In fact - they are usually very helpful. On Maui a few years ago - I did have a problem with one of the dumb - low tire pressure lights coming on (and have had that problem elsewhere) - and normally - if you just put some air in it - it's fine.
But that time I took it back to a satellite location north of Lahaina - and changed cars and they didn't even charge me for the quarter tank of gas I had used, driving over from the airport and around for a couple of days.
Another time - years ago - lost the dang key (buried it in the sand under my beach towel - which my wife moved when I was out snorkeling - hey - shxx happens) - and while we eventually found it - the rental car company was going to drive another key up from mid-island at the airport (by Lihue) - to Ke'e beach - all the way past Hanalei/Princeville.
I think it's like anywhere else. If you are nice to the front desk when checking out the car - they will be nice to you later if you have a problem.
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