Hi...Looking for help on a Hawaii trip...we are visiting Hawaii for two weeks...we have decided on Maui for the bulk of the trip and planned to add on Oahu and the Big Island (3-4 days each) because we want to see Pearl Harbour and see the volcano on the Big Island.
At this point, we are not sure if we are spreading our selves too thin...we are thinking two islands (i.e. Maui and Big Island) and then take an inter-island flight to Oahu for a day to do pearl harbour. Any ideas

If you do recommend three islands, which island would you start with first...

thanks

I think two weeks two islands. You could do three if all you want to do on Oahu is see Pearl Harbor.

Please be aware that the lava currently is not flowing at VNP. It is still a great park and well worth a visit but if you had in your mind that you were going to be hiking to flowing lava, you will be disappointed.

Are you going to be on Oahu at all for your international flight?

Where is home? What are your flight options getting to and from Hawaii? If you're coming in or out of HNL, you could spend a little time on Oahu, although there's much more to this island than just Honolulu or just Pearl and Punchbowl.

One can enjoy three of the smaller islands in two weeks -- if you don't mind losing half a day on each interisland transit. I would not include Big Island unless VNP is the sole thing you want to see/do. (A shame to waste time and money for only that though.)

Think about your goal in visiting Hawaii. Most people come, and come back, to get on Island Time and soak up the Aloha. The 'one time visitors' are soon making plans to return. You may miss *Hawaii* if you try to glimpse too much. Also, Hawaii doesn't run on Mainland time; you can become frustrated if you think it should.

When is the trip, and why did you pick Maui over Kaua'i and the Big Island?

Two weeks is enough for three islands if that's what you really want to do. I wouldn't do any island only as a day trip, rather just split your time... 4-5 days each island.

Is seeing the volcano really that important?

If you were willing to skip that (or do THAT as the day trip from Oahu), I think 1 week each Oahu & Maui would be the perfect trip.

I would spend two/three days on Oahu (assuming you are flying into there) - then say four/five days on another island and kick back on the third island for a week.

I agree, two islands is plenty. If you have your heart set on the volcano (which has not been active for months now) then you could do an overnight there from Oahu (recommended over a day trip because the only thing you will see lava related is the glow from the crater at the Jagger Museum).

And to me - seeing the Volcano is huge - even if it's not kicking up a lot.

Thanks everyone for your replies...we are flying from Ottawa so we are able to fly into all three islands without having to connect through Oahu...we are planning to travel late September/early October. Are plan was to fly into Oahu and spend 3-4 days, then on to Big Island for the volcano activity and hiking and the on to Maui for the remainder. I understand that there are some small fires and plumes of smoke that you can see by helicopter (which we planned to do in addition to hiking the park). Why these Islands? Well, we wanted some volcano sight seeing and we wanted to do Pearl Harbour but we also wanted to visit one of the islands that we not so busy with lots of hiking, beaches, cultural activities, etc....so we asked a few people who had visited all the Islands and they recommended Maui as the Third Island ....

Our best flight options (to Maui from Chicago) are nonstops on wide body aircraft for at the longest leg. I avoid narrow body 757's and lots of connections. We can fly a 767 nonstop into HNL or OGG. If we go via HNL we stay within airport security for two hours before departing for Maui. Can you fly into HNL and home from Maui on good aircraft?

I agree with Suze about splitting between only Oahu and Maui. Come back again and do all of Big Island and Kauai.

We enjoy condos in Hawaii. These are better buys for bookings of a week or more. Same with rental cars.

The Ironman is Oct 11th so just make sure all your Big Island, especially Kona side, stuff is done before then as it will be a bit of a zoo and hard to get lodging and rental cars. The week leading up to the Ironman is a little nutty so anything you can do to avoid that will make your trip more enjoyable.

Happy Planning.

If you want to do that split, make sure you fly in/out of Hilo and focus your 3-4 day visit there. Do the VNP, see other sites on that side of the island...
Here's a List I had collected of Hilo/VNP things to do: Akaka Falls, Boiling Pots, Rainbow Falls, Steam Vents Thurston Lava Tube, Chain of Craters Road, Evening Jaggar Museum, VNP [tour w/rangers or volcano discovery], Tide Pools Botanical Gardens, Bay view Farms, Painted Church, Place of Refuge, Punaluu Bakery, Punaluu Black Sand, Kilauea Crater Hike counter clockwise, Puako Petroglyphs, Hilo Farmers Market, Omomea Scenic Drive, Coconut Island

Have fun.

note I have not been. Just researched a bunch. We are going for 16 days and thought about doing that split...decided on Oahu, Kauai, Maui.