JiteshRathod

Hi

Me and my wife are going to Hawaii to Honolulu for the first time next year and we are trying to find out a few things, so any help would be very much appreciated,
we are landing at Honolulu International Airport next May 2015 (i know ages away but trying to plans) and we would like to know what would the best way and the cheapest way to go see the volcanoes from Honolulu , also would it be worth me hiring a car to get around the island. i have been reading very mixed reviews, so any info would be good
we are going to be staying at Waikiki Beach.

any advice would be very helpful,

Cheers
Jit

simpsonc510

Volcanoes National Park is not on the island of Oahu (where you will be staying). It is located on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a short flight from Honolulu. If you really want to see this park you might consider taking a couple of days in the middle of your stay on Oahu and flying over, renting a car, and seeing the park on your own.

dwooddon

As far as renting a car on Oahu, my practice is to rent one for one or two days during a trip to tour areas outside of Honolulu but to rely on the island's very useful bus system otherwise. Having a car at a Waikiki Hotel is both a pain and expensive.

jamie99

The volcano is on the Big Island and it has not been active (no flowing lava, no lava into the ocean, cannot even hike to it now) for 9 months or so, who knows what it will be like in May?

MichelleY

Be sure to go to Duke's at the Outrigger on Waikiki Beach for drinks, pupus and music. Fun time. We loved hanging out on their beachside deck.

curiousgeo

Also Olomana, an award winning group of Hawaiian musicians, play Friday and Saturday nights at the Tapa Bar in the Hilton Hawaiian Village, located at the Ewa end of Waikiki.

carolyn

Yes, be sure to rent a car for a day to drive around the island. There is a ton of beautiful scenery and not many people outside the Waikiki area. Stop to see Hanauma Bay, the Blowhole, Kailua Beach, Chinaman's Hat, and the town of Haliewa where you can get the best shave ice (sno cones with ice cream in the bottom). We like to get it at the General Store, but others prefer Matsumoto or Aoki's. We usually eat lunch at Jameson's By the Sea. Then you can stop at the Dole Plantation on the way back to Honolulu for a cone of Dole Whip.

You can go to the Big Island and see Volcano National Park on a day trip by local air service.

simpsonc510

I also like to have a rental car on Oahu so that I can drive to the north shore and have lunch at one of the numerous shrimp trucks. A stop at Dole Plantation on the way back into Waikiki is a good idea. Take a bathroom break, have a snack, pick up souvenirs in the large store. A very convenient stop.

I did a day trip to Volcanoes National Park some years ago. It is do-able. Fly to the big island very early, rent a car, and then get an evening flight back to Oahu. There are organized day tours for doing this but that isn't necessarily the cheapest way to do the trip. It is nice though to have someone else do the driving. Someone who knows the way and can take care of entrance fees.

goldie13

Aloha, Jit! We go to the islands every year for at least a couple weeks. In Waikiki, we only rent a car on a daily basis which is very easy to do and then overnight parking isn't paid to our hotel. From Waikiki, we have found that we can walk to Diamondhead (from Hilton Hawaiian Village) and we are 65 and don't workout. We like to walk to the Ala moana shopping mall where they have several mid-range fish restaurants on the top floor. We also like the Waikiki Restaurant that goes around in an hour. Rezzies are a must there. Hard to miss, ez to find, on main drag.
However, my point in writing is to tell you that if you do plan to go to the Big Island, get your flight before you go, its cheaper from the mainland. Cab to airport $20-30 or maybe a shuttle from your hotel.
Also, there are the typical grocery stores you may like like Whole Foods and on every corner is the local ABC store that carries fresh and packaged food and alcohol if you want to leave the bars behind and save some money. Also plenty of high-end shopping on the main drag, so beware ENJOY my favorite islands!

suze

As others have clarified the volcano is on Big Island, not Oahu. So there is no "cheap" way to see it. You'd either have to book a flight there and back, or join an organized tour.
You don't need a rental car on Oahu and can get around by public transportation. But some people like to have the car to more easily get outside the city (Honolulu/Waikiki) and see other parts of the island.

vivandvin

I lived on Oahu for a while and love that island - so much to do, but much depends on your interests. How long will you be there and what are you most interested in doing? Do you know where you are staying yet? I would recommend one of the hotels on the beach as the main drag in Waikiki can be noisy all night. Both Outriggers are lovely. They do fireworks on Waikiki Beach every Friday night - a great spot to see them is at Mariposa restaurant at the Ala Moana Shopping Center - ask for outside table. My favorite breakfast on the island is at the Haleiwa Café on the North Shore. Also some of the best mai tais at Haleiwa Joe's (and you get a souvenir glass to boot). Waimea Bay is a great beach but you have to get there early to get a parking spot. If you can share a bit more about your interests and time on the island I'd be happy to share more.

nelsonian

The lava is certainly flowing now, don't know what it will be like in May though. One of the Fodor members is preparing a survival pack in case they lose power which is looking likely.

We hired a car for one day to first the North Shore of Oahu. You don't need it for anything else. We took a bus to Diamond Head. We also hired cycles and did a bike tour. We booked our flight to the Big Island about six months in advance and paid $ 100 each one way.

ChiSue

Do you have more than a week in Hawaii? If not, just stay on Oahu and enjoy the city and north shore.

IMO, it's more worth the time and expense to stay at least one night within Volcanoes National Park on Big Island of Hawaii. A daytrip is a very long day, and you won't see any of the 'red glow' visible at night. You'd fly HNL-ITO and back.

SuMu

I've been to the island about 8 times. I always rent a car. You can get one fairly cheaply if you rent ahead of time. My last rental was made with carrentals.com for $239 for ten days. If I reserved the same car (through Thrifty) but waited until 3 weeks before, it came up as $359. For the $239 you get a heck of a lot of freedom, can do your own "Circle Island Tour", and see some of the really cool and free things that Oahu has to offer. Sign up to rent your car now, and you can always cancel if you find a better deal!