Honeymooning Maui/Kauai, recommendations?
Nov 4th, 2004, 09:43 AM
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Honeymooning Maui/Kauai, recommendations?
My fiance and I are hoping to honeymoon in Maui and Kauai mid March of
'05. Each for 4 to 5 days. We're looking to stay in a hotel while on
Maui and a
condo while on Kauai. On Maui we're hoping to have some sort of
civilization where she can browse, shop (a little), but still enjoy
the beaches. In Kauai, we're hoping to bring it down a notch and have
less civilization and just enjoy the beaches and scenery.
What areas would you recommend in Maui and Kauai? I'm concerned about
Lahaina being too much of a tourist trap. Others have recommended
Wailea, or areas north of Lahaina. As for Kauai, we have heard that
Poipu is pretty good. Or is there a better area on Kauai where we can
enjoy stretches of beach? LIkes/Dislikes?
My travel agent seemed to come off a bit snobby and just told me to
goto lahaina and poipu w/out telling me much more. Any other travel
agency suggestions?
We're looking for something nice, but not something that's going to
break the bank. Our focus is to just relax, remember, and enjoy our
honeymoon.
'05. Each for 4 to 5 days. We're looking to stay in a hotel while on
Maui and a
condo while on Kauai. On Maui we're hoping to have some sort of
civilization where she can browse, shop (a little), but still enjoy
the beaches. In Kauai, we're hoping to bring it down a notch and have
less civilization and just enjoy the beaches and scenery.
What areas would you recommend in Maui and Kauai? I'm concerned about
Lahaina being too much of a tourist trap. Others have recommended
Wailea, or areas north of Lahaina. As for Kauai, we have heard that
Poipu is pretty good. Or is there a better area on Kauai where we can
enjoy stretches of beach? LIkes/Dislikes?
My travel agent seemed to come off a bit snobby and just told me to
goto lahaina and poipu w/out telling me much more. Any other travel
agency suggestions?
We're looking for something nice, but not something that's going to
break the bank. Our focus is to just relax, remember, and enjoy our
honeymoon.
Nov 4th, 2004, 09:46 AM
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My fiance and I are staying at Secret Beach Hideaway cottages in June 2005 for our honeymoon. They look extremely nice and we are really excited. www.secretbeachkauai.com
Nov 4th, 2004, 10:18 AM
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Wow, those places look reeeally nice. How long are you staying and did you make reservations directly or with a travel agent?
I like the privacy of the cottages and how nicely designed and adorned each one is. Very nice. If you dont mind me asking, what are they charging you per night?
I like the privacy of the cottages and how nicely designed and adorned each one is. Very nice. If you dont mind me asking, what are they charging you per night?
Nov 4th, 2004, 11:09 AM
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If your travel agent wants to send you to Lahaina send her/him packing. Interesting day excursion: t-shirts, tatoos, restaurants, art, kitsch. No beaches or honeymoon accommodations worth a visit. Wailea is wonderful: dry, small, crescent shaped beaches and toney digs.
Poipu is dry most times. Princeville is far prettier and wetter, though the beaches may be unswimmable in March.
Poipu is dry most times. Princeville is far prettier and wetter, though the beaches may be unswimmable in March.
Nov 4th, 2004, 12:59 PM
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I was on Maui (to get married and for my honeymoom) for 17 days and stayed in Wailea, Kaanapali and Kapalua. Of those, I would suggest Kaanapali for a beautiful beach and being able to walk to some shops and for lunch/dinner (at Whaler's Village). There are some really nice hotels right on Kaanapali beach, and you can do some great snorkeling right off the beach too (most of the hotels rent snorkeling equipment). I would NOT suggest staying in Lahina - it is fun to go there for the day - shop, eat, etc. but not to stay in. Have a wonderful honeymoon. (I did not get to Kauai so I have no suggestions there!)
Nov 4th, 2004, 05:41 PM
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Hello,
We booked directly through the number on the website. I believe the woman's name was Amy. She was really helpful. We haven't found many reviews of the cottages, but the responses that we have heard have all been positive. We are doing Kauai for the first 5 nights of our honeymoon and Maui resort life for the second part.
We booked directly through the number on the website. I believe the woman's name was Amy. She was really helpful. We haven't found many reviews of the cottages, but the responses that we have heard have all been positive. We are doing Kauai for the first 5 nights of our honeymoon and Maui resort life for the second part.
Nov 4th, 2004, 10:01 PM
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In my short time on this blue sphere we call Earth, I've learned that often, when people are snobbish, they are concealing a lack of knowledge. We've hit a bull's eye here, folks.
MAUI
Who knows? You might find something in Lahaina you enjoy. We liked the Ulalena theatre show which is produced by the same company as Cirque du Soleil. While many of the shops there are derivative of one another, you will find a few that stand out. Shopping at (upscale)Wailea, (mid to upscale)Whaler's, (mid)Kihei, etc. can be fun for anyone. There's also two indoor/outdoor markets in Kihei that are easy to locate...
Whaler's is more or less "at the beach" and a couple could park and walk to both.
It may be stretching the budget a little, but you might consider a spa service / massage. You'll find the spa at Grand Wailea Resort on par with a honeymoon - and is a great treat for the ladies. Men enjoy, also. I had one of the best massages ever while there. Not because of the price or the status, but she really was educated in her field and liked her profession. Anyway, there are lesser cost alternatives...I was keying on the word "relax" in your OP.
MAUI
Who knows? You might find something in Lahaina you enjoy. We liked the Ulalena theatre show which is produced by the same company as Cirque du Soleil. While many of the shops there are derivative of one another, you will find a few that stand out. Shopping at (upscale)Wailea, (mid to upscale)Whaler's, (mid)Kihei, etc. can be fun for anyone. There's also two indoor/outdoor markets in Kihei that are easy to locate...
Whaler's is more or less "at the beach" and a couple could park and walk to both.
It may be stretching the budget a little, but you might consider a spa service / massage. You'll find the spa at Grand Wailea Resort on par with a honeymoon - and is a great treat for the ladies. Men enjoy, also. I had one of the best massages ever while there. Not because of the price or the status, but she really was educated in her field and liked her profession. Anyway, there are lesser cost alternatives...I was keying on the word "relax" in your OP.
Nov 5th, 2004, 05:52 PM
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March is a great time to visit the islands. Its Humpback Whale season, the flowers are in bloom, weather is in the 80's, the ocean is a bit calmer for swimming. I would say the only con would be you might get some on and off rain showers which is pretty common during that time of year. But it shouldn?t put too much of a damper on your vacation activities.
Personally I don't care for Poipu on Kauai unless you like to be around lots of people fighting for a sandy spot on the beach. It's very touristy, pricy etc... Resorts and condos side by side, they hog the entire coastline. Most travel agents will send you there because that is how they make their commission. To experience the true island lifestyle and I would recommend looking into finding a private, romantic vacation rental or cottage. I like the North & East sides of Kauai just because it is more lush and green. Plus you really get a feel of the island life. The terrain of the South and the Western sides of the island are a bit dryer and desert like. A conveyant place to stay if you are limited on time would be to stay in the Kapaa area just because it is about center of the island. It is a good starting point for getting to either side of the island. I had some friends that Honeymooned at a place called, The House of Leaping Waterfalls about a year ago and they highly recommended it because they had complete privacy, plus they had a Jacuzzi and pool all to themselves. www.leapingwaterfalls.com You might also want to check out http://kauai.gohawaii.com website they also have a large listing of vacation accommodations.
As for Maui your best and safest bet is to stay at a nice resort. Maui has many great sights to see and things to do there. A great place to get a closer look at the Whales spouting. However they do not have many good beaches like Kauai does. Lahaina is a charming town. You should try and find a place to stay close to that area. Fun local bars with live music, awesome restaurants, great little shops and the town is right on the ocean like a beach walk so it has a nice atmosphere. For more information about the islands visit the Hawaii Visitors Bureau at http://gohawaii.com They have a lot of helpful information about each island.
GOOD LUCK! & Happy Honeymooning!
Personally I don't care for Poipu on Kauai unless you like to be around lots of people fighting for a sandy spot on the beach. It's very touristy, pricy etc... Resorts and condos side by side, they hog the entire coastline. Most travel agents will send you there because that is how they make their commission. To experience the true island lifestyle and I would recommend looking into finding a private, romantic vacation rental or cottage. I like the North & East sides of Kauai just because it is more lush and green. Plus you really get a feel of the island life. The terrain of the South and the Western sides of the island are a bit dryer and desert like. A conveyant place to stay if you are limited on time would be to stay in the Kapaa area just because it is about center of the island. It is a good starting point for getting to either side of the island. I had some friends that Honeymooned at a place called, The House of Leaping Waterfalls about a year ago and they highly recommended it because they had complete privacy, plus they had a Jacuzzi and pool all to themselves. www.leapingwaterfalls.com You might also want to check out http://kauai.gohawaii.com website they also have a large listing of vacation accommodations.
As for Maui your best and safest bet is to stay at a nice resort. Maui has many great sights to see and things to do there. A great place to get a closer look at the Whales spouting. However they do not have many good beaches like Kauai does. Lahaina is a charming town. You should try and find a place to stay close to that area. Fun local bars with live music, awesome restaurants, great little shops and the town is right on the ocean like a beach walk so it has a nice atmosphere. For more information about the islands visit the Hawaii Visitors Bureau at http://gohawaii.com They have a lot of helpful information about each island.
GOOD LUCK! & Happy Honeymooning!
Nov 5th, 2004, 06:07 PM
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Now that I think about it. The other posting is correct. Lahaina is a great town to eat, shop and spend time. But you won't find many upscale resorts in that area. If you stay at one of Maui's Best Hotels expect to pay alot of $$$$$ for the a luxury resort suite. However for a once in a life time stay and Honeymoon getaway it many be well worth the price! www.fourseasons.com/maui and www.grandwailea.com are the best Maui has to offer.
Nov 6th, 2004, 06:46 AM
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"Personally I don't care for Poipu on Kauai unless you like to be around lots of people fighting for a sandy spot on the beach. It's very touristy, pricy etc... Resorts and condos side by side, they hog the entire coastline"
Sky blue makes Poipu sound like Miami Beach which it is surely not.
-Bill
Sky blue makes Poipu sound like Miami Beach which it is surely not.
-Bill
Nov 6th, 2004, 01:17 PM
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"However they [Maui] do not have many good beaches like Kauai does."
I find this to be an odd statement, since the poster has not qualified this, I have idea of the poster's intent. But I can counter by saying that Maui does indeed have many excellent beaches. Maui has 42 miles of beaches, more than any of the other Hawaiian islands. Maui's beaches offer great variety, from windsurfing to calm baby beaches, white, red and balck sand and combinations thereof, and even three of Dr. Beaches "Top Beach" list winners: Kapalua, Ka`anapali and Wailea.
I find this to be an odd statement, since the poster has not qualified this, I have idea of the poster's intent. But I can counter by saying that Maui does indeed have many excellent beaches. Maui has 42 miles of beaches, more than any of the other Hawaiian islands. Maui's beaches offer great variety, from windsurfing to calm baby beaches, white, red and balck sand and combinations thereof, and even three of Dr. Beaches "Top Beach" list winners: Kapalua, Ka`anapali and Wailea.
Nov 7th, 2004, 01:04 PM
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Ditch the travel agent - she sounds lazy. Either book everything yourself (which is very easy) or find a travel agent who knows Maui. Ka'anapali is close enough to Lahaina that you can easily go there for dinner or shopping but Ka'anapali has a better beach and feels more like a resort. Wailea is beautiful, peaceful and great for a honeymoon but has minimal shops and not many restaurants compared to Lahaina/Kaanapali.
Nov 7th, 2004, 02:19 PM
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Personally I don't care for Poipu on Kauai unless you like to be around lots of people fighting for a sandy spot on the beach. It's very touristy, pricy etc.
Maui has many great sights to see and things to do there. A great place to get a closer look at the Whales spouting. However they do not have many good beaches like Kauai does.
WHAT DA HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Anyway, Dfung, your plan of going Maui and then bringing it down a notch to Kauai sounds great! As far as someplace nice to stay but not breaking the bank (on Maui).....check out the Hyatt, Sheraton, Westin -all resorts on Ka'anapali Beach. You' won't be smack in the middle of Lahaina town but close enough for fun. The resorts in Wailea may break the bank as they're more expensive than the ones in Ka'anapali.
And I second Secret Beach Hideaways on Kauai. B/f and I go any time we can get away from work.
Maui has many great sights to see and things to do there. A great place to get a closer look at the Whales spouting. However they do not have many good beaches like Kauai does.
WHAT DA HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Anyway, Dfung, your plan of going Maui and then bringing it down a notch to Kauai sounds great! As far as someplace nice to stay but not breaking the bank (on Maui).....check out the Hyatt, Sheraton, Westin -all resorts on Ka'anapali Beach. You' won't be smack in the middle of Lahaina town but close enough for fun. The resorts in Wailea may break the bank as they're more expensive than the ones in Ka'anapali.
And I second Secret Beach Hideaways on Kauai. B/f and I go any time we can get away from work.
Nov 10th, 2004, 12:14 PM
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Hey guys, wow, thanks for all the replies! I'm going to look into all these suggestions.
Considering this is my honeymoon, i'd like to see if i can stay at nicer facilities versus grungy locales. Due to budget constraints, I may just stay 7 nights at one island instead of the 5 on maui and 5 on kauai.
It all depends on what I can find. Flights out of San Diego(where we're at) will be interesting. I find air prices to be cheaper when packaged with hotels and cars.
I'll look at all the suggested links and let you guys know what I end up doing!
Considering this is my honeymoon, i'd like to see if i can stay at nicer facilities versus grungy locales. Due to budget constraints, I may just stay 7 nights at one island instead of the 5 on maui and 5 on kauai.
It all depends on what I can find. Flights out of San Diego(where we're at) will be interesting. I find air prices to be cheaper when packaged with hotels and cars.
I'll look at all the suggested links and let you guys know what I end up doing!
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