stevelyon

Thanks to Fodor’s Forums and my own reading, I think I have got most of what I can do with my limited time in Hawaii. Happy to receive feedback plus I pose a few questions.
Maui (two days): Trip to Haleakala at sunset
Hire a car and go on Road to Hana
Can rental cars be picked up at the Port (Kahalui)?

Big Island (Hilo – 1 day) Chain of Craters Road
Big Island (Kona – 1 day) Hire a car and do North beaches
Can rental cars be picked up at the Port (Kona)?
Should we do a helicopter trip here or wait until Kaui?

Kaui (two days) Hawaii Movie Tour
Helicopter trip here if this is better than doing it on Big Island?

Oahu (4 days) Various trips planned including Pearl Harbour
Would really like to do a round the Island Trip, but 300 dollars for two of us seems extortionate. In Europe a similar trip would be about 150 dollars including lunch, is there an alternative?

Thanks for any help.

suze

<Would really like to do a round the Island Trip, but 300 dollars for two of us seems extortionate.>

Where are you seeing the $300 price?

Is this trip on a cruiseship? Or how are you getting from island to island??

suze

Here is a Grand Circle tour on Oahu with Roger's Hawaii. It's $97 per person.

http://www.robertshawaii.com/oahu/to...le-island-tour

Kathie

Is this a cruise? Otherwise, I don't understand all of the moving around. And the tours sound, frankly, lame - Kauai Movie tour?

If you are traveling independently I have lots of ideas. If this is a cruise, then it is harder to customize, but still possible.

suze

OOps,that $97.00 with lunch. $78.50 pp without lunch

AustinTraveler

His previous post indicates cruise.

Underhill

I'd recommend skipping the Hana drive, which is long and would eliminate the possibility of beach time and visiting the old whaling town of Lahaina.

suze

OK, then I'm guessing that $300 for a circle tour, must be one of the cruiseship sponsored tours.

FaceInTheCrowd

Yes, from Steve's previous posts, they're on a cruise.

To answer some of your questions, yes you can pick up rental cars at/near the ports in Kailua-Kona and Kahului, but best make arrangements beforehand.

IMO, the best reason to take the heli flight on the Big Island is the volcano, especially if there are active flows when you're there. Otherwise, heli tours on Kaua'i are unforgettably spectacular (according to my wife anyway).

As for your specific plans, I think you've done pretty well identifying the best of what each island has to offer without much overlap one island to the next. Just be flexible.

suze

I see there are 50 replies to the limited time on Maui thread.

jamie99

If the heli tour on Kauai is too expensive, look into Wings Over Kauai, a fixed wing airplane tour for about half the price and it flies the same route. I would recommend a Na Pali coast boat tour but most of the morning boats leave before you could get off the ship. So instead drive to the North Shore. Skip the movie tour.

stevelyon

Thanks for all your advice, as always. Yes. it is a cruise and I don't want to get into another discussion on the pros and cons of that.

"Is this a cruise? Otherwise, I don't understand all of the moving around. And the tours sound, frankly, lame - Kauai Movie tour?"

The fact that it is a cruise should not block any recommendations, I am not fixed on going on cruise trips.

The Kaui movie trip (recommended by Michelin and not via the cruise) seemed to tick the boxes ie local knowledge targeting the main places to visit, and almost as important, its in a group. We both enjoy opportunities to meet people.

Thanks for the recommendation of Roger Hawaii (Oahu), I had missed that. It was the escorted road trip not the helicopter trip that was expensive, I am happy to pay the helicopter rates.

"I'd recommend skipping the Hana drive" - thanks for this Underhill, so what would you put in its place?

Can I thank you all for your inputs, and am re-thinking my plan based on this.

53MSM

My daughter took the cruise and loved it. Trust me she has traveled the world and thought this was a way to see HI at a glance and then know where she would love to return to. I am planning a trip in Oct and she has recommended the NaPali cruise on a catamaran. Also rent a car, she rented on every island. Recommend Waimea Canyon, Kauai, and on the drive there are overlooks and falls, hiking if you like that. Love this forum for lots of opinions of seasoned travelers. But look at trip advisor too. If you like to snorkel you might want to see if you can pick a beach to do that. For me (her rec) do some guided tours, but on the BI rent a car and do the volcanoes on your own. BTW, she was there when one erupted and by the end of the day where she was standing was closed and remains closed to the public. What an awesome experience that was. Just know, you are going to have a plan for each day, include some just sit on a beach, but it means getting up and off the ship. Get stuff from the ship for snacks and water and then go and have fun.

ChiSue

Maui: Road to Hana is a LONG day on a twisting road at 25 MPH -- and you will see similarly tropical scenery on Kauai. I'd plan Haleakala (walk-in volcano) and Upcountry; a luau; beach time. Maui has *easy access* beaches with good snorkeling. (Big Island has the manta dive and better sea life, but only the Kohala Coast has beaches -- and they are not as easily reached.)

Big Island: Yes to VNP from Hilo, whether DIY or a ship's tour. You can do a volcano fly-over out of KOA too. City of Refuge (south) is worth seeing. Kona is tacky and vog-y. Drive up Kohala Coast to Hawi and over to ranch town Waimea. Cross dry-side to wet-side to Waipio lookout; return.

Kauai: Skip the 'movie' tour. A beach is a beach is a beach. They are all beautiful, but...there's no filming going on now! You can drive up north yourself. Stop in Hanalei. Kauai is perfect for an air tour over the pali and the canyon.

Oahu: Rent a car to drive around the island. (Counterclockwise will put you against the fierce commuter traffic.) Take a taxi to Pearl -- you can spend a whole day there. Walk or taxi to Iolani Palace. Bishop Museum is interesting (not stuffy).

Where are you staying on Waikiki? I'd at least visit Royal Hawaiian.

sylvia3

Oh, here we go.
The beaches of Kohala are public and have ample public parking within steps of the sand (although you often have to pay now).
A great place to take a heli ride over the volcano is from Hilo airport (slightly cheaper, closer to the source, early a.m. is best).
If you go to the Waipio lookout from the west side, think about taking the Old Mamalahoa highway one way (best IMO is from Mud road toward the east in Waimea).
BTW, only one volcano of the 5 that form the BI is active currently ("she was there when one erupted"); if you are lucky, you might be able to see action from Kalapana.

sylvia3

Oh, here we go.
The beaches of Kohala are public and have ample public parking within steps of the sand (although you often have to pay now).
A great place to take a heli ride over the volcano is from Hilo airport (slightly cheaper, closer to the source, early a.m. is best).
If you go to the Waipio lookout from the west side, think about taking the Old Mamalahoa highway one way (best IMO is from Mud road toward the east in Waimea).
BTW, only one volcano of the 5 that form the BI is active currently ("she was there when one erupted"); if you are lucky, you might be able to see action from Kalapana.

RE: Maui: I agree that Hana (and Haleakala sunrise) are overrated and overdone. Go the back way to Hana for spectacular backside volcano/ocean views and terrain, and go up Haleakala in the late afternoon and stay for sunset.

sylvia3

Not sure why that posted twice, and clipped...

stevelyon

Thanks so much everyone. Need to sit down and cogitate. Is there anyone else that struggles like me with Hawaiian place names? Its like trying to catch water in a sieve, none of it sticks.

FaceInTheCrowd

Place names? How 'bout fish names: humuhumunukunukuapua'a. http://www.mauisnorkeltours.com/wp-c...awaii_fish.jpg

MichelleY

Steve- just break them down by syllables