Hi all,

First off, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this forum. It has been such a great help to me in planning my first trip to Oahu and Kauai.

I was just wondering if I could get some advice from those who have been to both Oahu and Kauai on about how long I should stay in Oahu before moving on to the Kauai part of the vacation.

Here's my situation:

I'm traveling solo to Hawaii for seven days and will be arriving in Honolulu around 1 p.m. on Thurs., April 24 and leaving Honolulu around 9 p.m. on Thurs., May 1. I'll be staying with an acquaintance while in Oahu.

I’m really looking forward to the Kauai party of the vacation, since I’m the type of person who likes to get out on the water in a kayak, go horseback riding, hiking, etc. and while it would be nice to have a little taste of nightlife and city life, I’m looking at this vacation as more relaxing and exploring nature. Therefore, I’m just looking to get a sample of Oahu (the things that are solely specific to Oahu that I can’t do on Kauai) since I have to fly in and out of there and might as well see something while I’m there, but it’s not necessary that I see everything because hopefully I’ll be back.

So, so far I’m looking at checking out the major beaches – Waikiki and N. Shore beaches, hiking Diamond Head crater, visiting Chinatown, hiking Manoa Falls trail, checking out as many great low to moderately priced restaurants as I can squeeze in, and possibly the USS Arizona memorial, although I could probably see that some other time, and any other must do activities that I won’t be able to do on Kauai. I’m currently looking at leaving in the early morning on Sunday to fly to Kauai, but I’m wondering if it would be possible to do everything I would want to do in Oahu by Saturday afternoon and just leave then – giving me two whole days – or if I should stay through Saturday night and leave in the morning.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks!

Hi Steph.....

It will depend on your definition of "checking out" those destinations. If you mean just a drive by with a quick stop for a few pictures, you could definitely do all of that Thursday afternoon, Friday and leave Saturday afternoon, though it will still be a packed itinerary.

However, if you plan on STAYING at those beaches and Chinatown....admire the view up at Diamond Head or the falls for a prolonged period of time, well, that changes everything. You could spend one entire day just on the various north shore beaches alone.

Where are you staying, how long do you want to spend at these destinations, and are you a fairly active person (as in not minding a full packed day of activities)?

When I traveled to Hawaii, Steph11, I stayed 4 nights on Oahu and then 3 nights on Kauai (and 3 nights in Hilo).

There is an awful lot to do and see on Oahu; there is a whole lot less on Kauai.

Will you have a rental car on Oahu?

If yes, and if you skip the USS Arizona memorial, I think you can do these things in 3 days:

Waikiki
hiking Diamond Head crater
visiting Chinatown
N. Shore
hiking Manoa Falls trail

restaurants...well a person's gotta eat (these don't take any extra time -lol!)

"There is an awful lot to do and see on Oahu; there is a whole lot less on Kauai."

My thoughts exactly!

You have 7 nights. Spend 4 on Oahu & 3 on Kauai.

Lots of info:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564

Forget Oahu. The only time I'd spend there would be at the airport, changing planes. The island of Oahu, although beautiful in and of itself, is difficult to see underneath all the roadways, over-development and commercialism. It's a tropical New York City.

What little of the essence of Hawai'i that remains on Oahu is on the North Shore. The rest is on the outer islands.

One week is an extremely short period of time to be in paradise. Kaua'i is apt to be the absolute best part of your trip. If you want "city life," go to Los Angeles. If you want to experience Hawai'i, go to the outer islands. I'd focus on Kaua'i.

There is only a small part of Kauai that is paradise. The coast is built up with lots of traffic, roadworks and development, there aren't many beaches which are swimmable. Poipu is a strange place, not a town exactly but a collection of hotels/condos/restaurants. Napali is lovely but only accessible by boat/helicopter. Lots of flat dry dusty landscape, bit like Western Australia without the emus and kangaroos. It's a nice enough island though, good restaurants and scuba.

<It's a tropical New York City.>

That is absolute nonsense. While you might say that about Honolulu, you most certainly can't say that (truthfully) about the entire island of Oahu.

Kauai has lotsof flat, dry, dusty landscape? Like Australia??

Ummmmm......you sure you didn't end up on Koolawe?

Kauai is the most lush and tropical of all the islands. Maybe you're referring to some of the scenery on the west side, maybe the Waimea Canyon, but other than that, you're way off base IMO.

Completely agree with travelin (about Kauai) and suze (about Oahu). And even if Honolulu is "like a tropical NYC", NYC doesn't have a 3 mile long sandy beach in its midst!

Sounds more like west Hawaii.