amber

I have gotten so many varied opinions lately. We are definitely doing Oahu but
When telling people including travel agents that we are spending 5 days in Kauai they have reported we will be sooo bored- we should do Maui or Big Island instead??? We don't want to spend all our time on a beach- we do want to see some historic places, drives, hikes, etc.. In general what are your opinions of an itinerary for a 10 night trip to the islands for a first timer?

Jane

I know someone who spent two weeks in Kauai and loved it. Quiet but loved the beauty. If you want to explore lots of nature the Big Island is a good choice. I know that Maui and the Big Island have great places to hike and drive. I am sure Kauai does too. If you like to read check out the Maverick Guide to Hawaii. It has a lot of activity options for all the different islands. Most visitors to Hawaii go to Maui because there is the most variety of activities there. But if nature is key Big Island and Kauai are good choices too. www.gosmartravel.com

travelingal

To really get the feel of Hawaii I would skip Oahu and go to Kauai and Maui. Oahu is just like any other big city - lots and lots of people and traffic. Those 2 islands will have just what you're looking for. Maui is more touristy with attractions and yet there are places to drive and hike. Kauai is to this day one of the most beautiful places I've ever been - it is so lush and tropical. Hope this helps!

scott

We stayed 12 days in Kauai and loved it, so did our kids. It's not like going to Maui or Orlando as far as activity, but it is a great place to gear down, go snorkeling, go hiking.

Molly

Amber, The Big Island is amazing, and could easily take up your 10 days and then some - it's the biggest, and in terms of environment, the most diverse. As someone pointed out, if you love nature and the outdoors, you'll enjoy the BI.
I agree - aside from Pearl Harbor, I would skip Oahu, and concentrate on 1 or 2 of the other islands. If it was me, I'd do either beautiful Kauai and Maui, or concentrate on the Big Island.

Daria

Hello.

If you want outdoor activities, the Big Island is awesome. It has a lot of great beaches, hikes, snorkeling, waterfalls and the volcano too! There is also a nice historic home in Kona, petroglyphs, temples, etc. I was there last September for 9 nights and we were not able to do everything we wanted to do.

Kaui is quite small compared to the Big Island, but it is beautiful. I have heard that once you are there for a week you run out of things to do. It has been 10 years since I was there, so I can't quite remember if we ran out of things to do. Also, I do remember that I mostly wanted to lay on the beach during that trip.

Maui also has a lot to do in terms of hikes, snorkeling, etc. I can't remember if there are historic places.

Although I dislike Waikiki as much as the next person, I must respond to the people above who made negative comments about Oahu. Once you get out the Waikiki, the island is beautiful and there are plenty of things to do that are not as crowded as the city.

I highly recommending looking at a series of books pulbished by a couple who live on Kaui, Maui and the Big Island: "The Big Island Revealed", "Maui Revealed" and "The Ultimate Kaui Guide Book." They are by Andre Doughty and Harriett Friedman and are fabulous. They will give you a great idea of what the islands have to offer and are the very best tour books you can buy for these islands. None of the other books are written by people who live there.

Good luck and have fun!

Laura

Got back Sunday from a 12 day trip to Kauai and Maui. Although we were on our honeymoon and wanted to relax, we also wanted to see the islands and do some excursions. Kauai was THE BEST! It is the Garden Isle for a good reason...absolutely gorgeous! I felt down and out when we had to leave and go to Maui, then when we got to Maui, I was really bummed. Maui is like Cancun. High-rise hotels, one right next to each other. Although there was Lahaina, which has more night life and restaurants, it was too commercial. There are almost as many activities in Kauai than Maui. Kauai - MUST take a helicopter ride. We rode with Jack Harter in Lihue. They were good...90 min's ran us $430 and change for two...but do the 90 minute, they spend more time hovering over the waterfalls, etc. We also took Captain Andy's sunset snorkel cruise up the Napali Coast! That was great...the staff was friendly and the boat was nice. They supplied a dinner, which was great! Disappointed in the snorkel area....not too many fish. - We are sorry we never got to do the ATV tour in Kauai.
In Maui we only did the bike-ride down the Haleakala volcano. THAT WAS ALSO A MUST DO!! It was 38 miles...but all downhill. We went thru Mountain Riders...muffins, coffee, and juice were supplied at the top on the sunrise tour & breakfast in Paia. THE TRIP WAS FANTASTIC...you will enjoy! Depending on what "atmosphere" you are looking for, I think no matter what island you go to you'll have a good time! I miss Kauai!!!!!!!

Reagan

The Big island is really cool. I went there about 2 years ago and it is not as crowded as the other main islands. The Volcano National Park is a must see, beautiful; don't go if you have small children (1-6), long walks. There are even small markets (Saturdays I think?) that are filled with true Hawaiian culture. The Big Island is also home to a lot of native Hawaiians so it is a lot more ethnic and unmodernized (is that a word??) than Maui. GO BIG ISLAND!!!

Ken

The answers that you will get will be of little help as it depends on personal preferences and also age. A 65 year old couple that want to go to luaus and museums will not like the same island as a 25 year old couple that like himing and night life.

If you give some information about yourself such as age and preferences (beaches, golf, nightlife, fine dining, history, seclusion, lots of activity, etc.) then people of similar age and interests can respond. For example, the travel agent who told you that you would be bored in Kauai - is he she / about your age with similar interests ?

I am in my early 50's and have been going to Hawaii for 23 years. Beaches are my priority during the day, and then I head for the night life after dark. When I am not on the beach I just like to roam around and explore to see what I can find that is off the beaten track. Kauai and the Big Island are far too quiet for me. Maui is just right !! Oahu is a distant second.

Ken

To the person who said Oahu is just like any other city: Oahu is NOT a city. On Oahu there is Honolulu/Waikiki and then there is the rest of Oahu, but they are two different worlds.