Lauren1979

Hi. My finace needs to do a physical therapy internship for 10 weeks and we are considering hawaii because we have never been and when else will we get an excuse to live in hawaii for 10 weeks?
Since we have never been does anyone have suggestions for which islands/towns are best? here is a list of things we want:

nice beaches (white sand, not too much wind..we aren't surfers)
not too overwhelmingly touristy
some shops, restaurants and grocery stores
easy to get around on foot since we won't have a car
warm weather, not too rainy
laid-back ambiance

thanks!!

DebitNM

Uh, there are several islands. Doesn't it depend on where he can get an internship??

No car for 10 weeks; you are going to need to be in a fairly good size city to use public transit.

Rainy -depends on season

not overwhelmingly touristy - really?

You do realize it is very expensive to live in Hawaii, don't you? I am guessing internship means no pay?? Think milk $5 a gallon.

janisj

I agree w/ everything DebitNM posted -- wouldn't you be limited to where your DH's internship opportunities are??

Lauren1979

Actually he can set one up at any willing PT clinic. That is why I am trying to research this before he applies to clinics.


Just wondering if anyone has any useful advice about whether there are any towns that fit the description above.


Thanks!

azzure

A friend of mine works as a physical therapist at the Kaiser Clinic in Kona. I would take a look at the Kona-Kailua area on the Big Island as it seems to meet most of your requirements.

Lauren1979

thanks, Azzure. I will check it out!

janisj

If you won't have a car, IMO you'll have a much easier time of it on Oahu . . .

taitai

If you do not have a car, your only real option is Honolulu on Oahu. Absolutely do not attempt the Big Island without a car.

indyhiker

Beyond the obvious issues others have pointed out (transportation and cost of living) I'd want to get some clarity as to how difficult it is to find a "willing PT clinic." That may be harder to find than it sounds if he will be competing against students from local programs. Has he talked to the career placement office of his PT program to determine just how difficult/easy it is to find a willing PT clinic outside the school's area?

jamie99

Without a car, only Oahu would work. The other islands have poor public transit that is not geared to tourists but locals.
Good point by indyhiker

DebitNM

Living there for 10 weeks, the OP would be a bit more "like" a local, but still...

azzure

Well, you can easily get around KONA without a car. My friend does, and I did while I was there. There are in-town public transit buses also.

As for the entire island, there are plenty of tour companies based in Kona that will provide transport.

Lauren1979

Thanks all for your input! Well, i figure that we would either have to be in honolulu or in a small town that is walkable between PT clinic, home, beach. Can rent a car on days we want to explore island. From my research, the places that are options for now are Lihue (Kauai), Kailua (Oahu), honolulu, or Kailua-kona (hawaii)

cd

Lauren, we lived in Kona the month of Feb this year. We rented a condo close to the small quaint town of Kona and would walk into town often. But, it did not have a grocery store within walking distance. The condo that we rented had a small beach but the beaches we wanted to visit for snorkeling and just plain walking had to be driven to. Although our condo was ocean view the water line was rocky as so many in Kona are so you cannot just walk the beach in many areas. We used our car rental everyday and would have been lost without it. Exploring the Big Island was so much fun but we found a car to be necessary.

Tomsd

We think all the islands are great - and it would be a special treat to spend 10 weeks there. Keep on checking the places you have noted - and even though Kauai and Big Island are our favorites - Oahu does offer the most options/with transportation - and I would also not rule out Mauai - and possibly living in/around Lahaina - or just north of there at Kaanapali, Napili, and the like.

Once you are there - you can better figure out the transportation options - much like the locals do.

ChiSue

Maui has bus routes. The hospital is sort of between Kahului and Wailuku, but there are lots of clinics all over the island. Best beaches are in South Maui and West Maui. Kihei (South Maui) is a 'real town' as opposed to many other places that are geared to tourists.

It's very expensive to live in Hawaii. Many people need three jobs. Even very small apartments are expensive. Almost everything is imported, including the oil to run the generators that supply America's most expensive electricity.

It might work out fine for you two, but you would be neither fish nor fowl -- not a tourist and not a local. So many people come to Hawaii 'to stay', but can't make a living or get 'rock fever. Locals don't have any incentive to befriend them these transients. It is also tiresome to be a worker bee in a tourist destination.

There's a book "So You Want to Move to Hawaii" (or similar title) that might be useful.

suze

The only island that is at all practical in my opinion to live on without a car is Oahu, staying right in Honolulu or Waikiki.

I'd move there for 10 weeks in a heartbeat myself (I've vacationed their already many times so know I'd like it).

suze

I agree, maaaybe right in Lahaina on Maui if you lived right in town. That town's walkable and really sweet. And I believe even has a teeny bit of public transportation.