Hawaii Help
 

Been reading almost EVERYTHING on here about Hawaii. I need help on what Islands to see/and what to do!....I would not be opposed to going to a couple islands...or just staying on one. I am going from 12-27/1-10! It is my first time. I definetly like the sun. I do not want to be "doing things" everyday. Laying on the beach about 1/2 the vacation is fine with me. Now dnt get me wrong I want to see"hawaii"...just not one of those that must be sightseeing every moment.
Thanks for your comments!

I like Kauai the best and especially the NOrth SHore. However, if you really want laid back try Molokai - there isn't much to do there but there are miles and miles of deserted beaches.

aloha....every island is different. in december, kauai is probably going to be quite wet...wettest mountain on earth Mt.
Waielele...is there. Maui is the most fun island with so many things to do and the humpback whales are worth seeing. the big island (hawaii) has the active volcano and is very laidback. oahu...shopping, pearl harbor, shopping, shopping shopping.
i think maui has the best winter weather
and the most things to do. p.s. i live on maui so i am slightly prejudiced.

Rinkman: You didn't provide enough details for anyone to give you a customized recommendation. All of the Hawaiian islands have beaches. And as for sun, the west (leeward) side of most Hawaiian islands generally get less rain than the east (windward) side. Beyond that, it's just a matter of what activities etc. you're looking for, or not looking for.

FDE...Guess I didnt. And the others thanks for the responses..... I really dont know though what I want to do... I really enjoy the Carribean. Been there several times. There are many times I enjoy just laying around on the beaches there soaking up the sun, the scenery,and the water. I also do enjoy sightseeing to a point. However I see a lot of people on here have like every minute planned. That is not me. I want to enjoy myself by relaxing and then sightseeing when I feel like it! I really dont want to be around rain all the time no matter how beautiful it may be. So I am scared of Kauai. Also being there for new years eve....it seems like Oahu or Maui for that period of time may be best. So in a nutshell I guess this isn't a lot more info. Iam SO CONFUSED!!!!!!!!

Rinkman:
I did the same as you -- read EVERYTHING I could on these boards on Hawaii and was still torn on where to go! We are leaving for our first trip to Hawaii (honeymoon) one month from tomorrow, so I will post a trip report when I return, but for now can only tell you why we chose what we did! I am like you, I love laying on the beach and can do that all the time, but like some other things to venture off to as well!

We are headed to Oahu for 2 nights because we really wanted to see Waikiki Beach and Pearl Harbor, but didn't want to spend all of our time in a city like Honolulu. Then we will be going to the Big Island for 4 nights. We chose this because it seemed to be the island that incorporated things we can't see at home (Massachusetts) like an active volcano with flowing lava, Waipaio Valley, and moon-like landscapes. Then we will be spending 7 nights on Maui because it seems to blend everything together. I also wanted to relax for the second week, lay on the beach and veg a bit, but also have the option to go on scenic drives, eat at great restaurants, snorkel, etc...

Hope this helped! I found Frommers.com helpful, too, in my research.

I've been to all the islands. I like Maui the best, nicest beaches. If you go stay south of Lahiana, it is much drier with the Waliea area probably being the driest. Waliea has some beautiful resorts which can be pricey (but wonderful) while Kehie isn't as expensive - just depends what you're budget is and your needs. I love Maui but you do take a chance of getting rain.

The driest of the Hawaiin Islands is the Big Island, Kona and North of Kona. I have several freinds who will only go to that area just for the fact of the lack of rain. Your chances of getting rained on are pretty slim in this area. The only problem there is that you don't get the nice beaches. The BI is a volcanic island and is interesting just for that fact.

Kaui, particularly the North Coast is rainy. I don't think you'll want to take your chances - not for your first trip.

If you are at all into watching the surf scene that time of year is ideal for north shore Oahu. There are some great house rentals right on the sand that don't rent for more than you would pay at a good resort (especially if you can split the cost with one or more friends.) Check out the house we are staying at in August:
http://www.hawaiivac.com/hawaiirenta...ront/index.htm
For nightlife you can go about 20 minutes to Haleiwa, or go right into Honolulu or Waikiki for tons of activity.

Aloha rinkman!

For a chilled out, laid back account of our time on O'ahu read my (long) trip report from March... http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34492836

Dec/Jan would be a great time on the north shore w/ monster swells all along Sunset Beach... food for thought... ((R))

ps. gotta check them all out at one time or another, but I wouldn't miss O'ahu in winter!

Thanks so much for all of you who responded!

Oahu is so much more than "shopping, shopping, shopping" or "being in the city all the time." You can be in Honolulu and in 20 minutes you can be laying out on Waikiki Beach, or the windward beaches. Add 10 more minutes and you can be on the North Shore. You can get EVERYTHING on Oahu and you'll never be bored, as I frequently was on the other islands.