Jayneann

Thank you ALL for such great information! After researching all 4 islands for days now, I want to visit them all! But my heart is pulling me in the direction of Kauai's North Shore so I think we will postpone this trip until my next school vacation in April. It'll be the first time in years we aren't going anywhere in February but I'd rather wait for better weather, hopefully.

So now I'm thinking of flying into Hon, drive to the North Shore for 3 nights, then Waikiki Beach for 2, then fly to Kauai's North Shore for 5 more and fly out of Kauai.

Tomsd, I quickly looked at Outrigger, are you thinking for Oahu? I like the look of Ke Iki Beach Bungalows for the North shore of Oahu? What do you think?

Haven't researched Waikiki, but I think 2 nights will be enough to do Pearl Harbor and ???

karameli, I will check out the east side, thanks.

chepar, these condos say unavailable but maybe the April 2013 prices aren't out yet!

I'm looking at condos for Kauai, maybe Sea Lodge?

Sadly, Maui and the Big Island will have to wait.

Tomsd, St. Lucia is gorgeous, it's been compared to a mini Kauai. And, I'm hoping to get to Bora Bora within the next 5 years.

Thanks again, everyone! Please keep the information flowing!

voyager61

I don't have time to read all the responses to make sure I'm not duplicating, but if you are still looking for a place on Wailea for under $300 a night, try Ekahi Village or Ekolu Village condos on VRBO...you can find condos either place at that rate and less. They are both well located to get to all the Wailea beaches.

Tomsd

For Waikiki - also be sure to snorkel (or dive - but diving is really overkill there) at Hanauma Bay - http://tinyurl.com/8yh6srr my favorite snorkeling place of all in Hawaii. Go early to beat the rush, and personally - I would spend the first two nights in the busier Waikiki - and then go to Oahu's North Shore.

The Outrigger has good deals/places on some islands - but not sure about their strength on the North Shore of Kauai. Certainly at Waikik they are a great location - with usually pretty good deals.

Our Timeshare place in Princeville - the Cliffs Club - has some nice units, some with great views - but not sure what they are charging. The advantge of going in April is that it is offseason/shoulder month so you should have plenty of choices.

Tomsd

If this is what you are looking at - http://www.keikibeach.com/ SUPER location. Hey - to be between Sunset and Banzai Pipeline is it? - I would stay on a tent on the beach. We may have even stayed there way back in the late 70's. Or one nearby.

The beach is your biggest amenity - and buying some fresh fruit - and BBQing some fresh fish or even making sushi - and with a few libations - you can go native.

Have a little tan before you go.

Kappy

Hi
I am going to Maui next Feb. and I am staying in a studio at
Napili Beach ( the Mauian) mauian.com on the west coast. Maui is the sunny island in Feb. The west and south coast. We are going with friends who have stayed there before. I have heard good things about kihei and wailea from a friend who used to live in Maui.
We did pick Kauai as our first choice but it rains to much in Feb. I have been to Honnolulu which is beautiful but is too commercial unless you drive away from the city.

Tomsd

Good choice - like Napili a lot.

LindainOhio

No one has mentioned that a great advantage to travelling to Hawaii in February is seeing the humpback whales. Seeing these was one of my alltime great travel experiences.

We visited Maui and Kauai in February and stayed on the southshore of both islands where the weather is more favorable in Feb. I never mentioned to my husband that Feb. had more rain than other months or he would have never visited then. We watched whales everyday breach, jump, tail slap etc.. One of our sightings in Makena on Maui was actually written up in the Maui News. Humpback whales swam and performed for about 20 minutes around Turtle Town and then the female and her calf decided to get away from the 2 males and swam behind the boat next to the snorkelers. You never saw swimmers get out of the water faster. We watched all this right from the beach.

We had a condo with a lanai that hung over the water on Kauai and every morning I would see 10-15 whales while I drank my coffee. It was difficult to leave that lanai. It was truly amazing and I would love to return again in Feb.

I too love the northshore of Kauai but we stayed on the southshore and then watched the weather, heading north when the weather was clear. It's a beautiful drive. It was a shorter drive from the southshore to get to Waimea Canyon where there are some wonderful hikes. The Awa'awapuhi/Nualolo trail is the most beautiful hike we have ever done.

We also loved the peacefulness and shade of the Maha'ulepu beaches out beyond the Hyatt. We would park ourselves on a little cove beach beyond Gillens at Kawailoa Bay. When we tired of sitting, we would walk up on the sandstone cliffs--absolutely beautiful.

Jayneann

Once again, many thanks for the awesome suggestions!

Tomsd, yes, that's exactly where I'm looking..laid back, casual, right on the beach! I was thinking first the North Shore so we can unwind, then we'd be ready for the crowds at Waikiki, then Kauai for more R & R.

Kappy, looks nice, definitely a place I'd be interested in.

LindainOhio, ohhh, I can visual all of this, makes me rethink our new plans....Are the whales still around in mid April? Do you mind sharing the name of the condo you stayed in?

succulent

Generally, the whales have headed north by mid April, HOWEVER, we had numerous humpback sightings on the east side of Maui in early April one year. It probably varies from year to year. February seems to be peak time (on Maui anyway) for seeing them. What is really cool is to hear their "songs" when snorkeling. If one is still in the water, it is possible to hear them "singing".

Tomsd

Great report Lindain: Even if the whales are not around in April - if you take the Catamarin up the Napili Coast from Port Allen (down by Waimea) - you should see plenty of dolphins, turtles, and the like, not to mention of course, the stunning red cliffs. You can also srnokel when they drop anchor - or go diving as we did.

I don't remember the name of the one we took - but this should get you pointed in the right direction.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr...maran-20100418

Jayneann

Thank you again Tomsd and succulent! You have been so helpful, much appreciated! I'm still trying to decide, but what a dilemma to have!

sunbum1944

I just got back from Maui on Sat. We stayed in the Kahana which I really liked- short drive to Lahaina and Kaanapali. We had a beachfront condo where we could see the whales spouting and a few breaches. Also had turtles surfing the waves outside our condo. Beach never felt crowded where we were but weather was cooler than usual so maybe that explains. Also loved the Napili beaches.

Went on a whale watching trip with the Pacific Whale Foundation- saw mother and baby just playing around and we followed a group of 9 whales- 8 males in pursuit of 1 female. It was quite a show. We were told that this is close to end of whale season although they figured there were still about a 1000 in the area.

Also went on a snorkel trip. Were supposed to go to Molokini but it was too windy so snorkeled off the Lanai coast in one of the best snorkel spots I have ever been to - Shark Fin Cove and we were the only boat there.

I don't think there is a typically warmer island in Feb- when we arrived in Maui it was extremely windy and rain blowing sideways. Honolulu had hail and winds- just the luck of the draw as far as weather goes. In Maui though, if its windy and cool- you can always head over to Kehei where its almost always sunny.

Have not been to Kauai so can't compare. Used to live in Honolulu - love the beach at Kailua and Bellows is one of my favorites. Snorkeling at Haunama Bay used to be great but so crowded now I would rather go off a boat.

Good luck in your search- I love Hawaii so anywhere you chose will bot be bad ( in my opinion)

Jayneann

Thanks for the great information sunbum! Wish I could go to all the islands, but I know I need to narrow it down. We are leaning towards April now though, visiting both Oahu and Kauai.