we are thinking about honeymooning on either Kauai or Maui next September and we were wondering which island would be better for us. We would like to spend part of our time there doing water sports and other activities. Does one island favor activities over the other? Also, which hotels are great to honeymoon at. Thanks in advance for the info.

This is probably the #1 question asked at this website, so you might check the archives for the wealth of opinions about this.
The best Maui hotels are the Four Seasons, Grand Wailea, Ritz, Kea Lani and Renaissance.
On Kauai the Hyatt and Princeville are tops.
Your personality and vacation style will be better suited to some of these better than others.
Simply put, Kauai is much quieter, less touristy, more lush and Maui has more activities/restaurants/shopping/variety, but is busier. Also more hotel choices.

There are lots of luxury condos/timeshares available as well on both islands. You might consider these as you'd have more room for less money.

If you want to have consistently good snorkeling at your hotel beach, check out the Kapalua Bay Hotel in Maui. It is casually elegant in one of the finest settings in the islands.We just returned. You can read my full trip report at www.wheretostay.com on the boards for Hawaii. Their website is
www.kapaluabayhotel.com.......Ken

Been to both islands twice. My favorite is Maui. Although Kauai is beautiful, there's not as much to do as there is on Maui. Activities on Maui not to miss: sunrise and bike ride down the volcano, road to Hana, snorkeling at Molokini, surfing lessons, golf in Kapalua, shopping in Lahaina. We honeymooned at the Embassy Suites, which was nice, but not on the "strip" at Kaanapali Beach. I would recommend the Marriot on Kaanapali Beach, as well as on Kauai. I've heard that the Hyatt on Kauai is beautiful too.

We were just in Maui in May. It was awesome! Most of the people we talked to there that had done both like Maui better. We stayed at the Four Seasons. It was outstanding. The property is beautiful and the service couldn't have been better. It is expensive, but definitely worth it! I agree...don't miss the snorkeling at Molokini and the bike down the mountain was just breath-taking! Have a great time!

Just returned from Maui. Cannot say enough good things about the Four Seasons. It would be perfect for a honeymoon. We debated Maui & Kaui as well and decided on Maui for the activities. Personally, I was not impress with the sunrise trip--wasn't worth getting up in the middle of the night for it.

I visited Kauai and Maui in June & July of this year. We visited Kauai first and Maui second. I have to say I was very disappointed with Maui. It is quite touristy, especially the Kaanapali area. We stayed in Wailea. Wailea has very nice hotels, however there is little traditional hawaiian culture. If you are going to Hawaii to experience the feeling of the islands, a feeling different than you could get in another tropical environment such as Florida or Key West, I would advise going to Kauai. The atmosphere in Maui is very much like you find in a touristy area of Florida or Key West. Lahaina would be very close to the Key West atmosphere. There are a lot of things to do on Maui but very few of them are cultural experiences. they have tons of tshirt shops and bars and so so restraunts, but nothing that compares to the entertainment the beautiful scenery and exciting adventures the Kauai offers. I am city guy who travels quite a bit and I think Kauai is the most beautiful place on earth, especially the Napali Coast. Definitely worth the Helicopter Ride. We stayed at the Hyatt and I would also say it is one of the top 2 resorts I have been to. It's beauty will exceed all expectations you might have from reading posts on this site. Good luck with your decision.

Just got back on Monday from 2 weeks on BI, Kauai and Maui. We liked BI the best but since we aren't talking about that here...

We definately liked Kauai better. We stayed at Anini Beach in a small cottage on the north shore. It was great... quiet beach, lush beautiful scenery and beautiful starry nights. Kauai is less developed and great if you want to see beautiful sights, go on great hikes and find mostly deserted beaches. Maui seemed to be more organized... more development, condo buildings, gift shops. Not to say Maui was bad... we enjoyed it... horseback riding at Mendez Ranch was the highlight... but Kauai just had a more comfortable feel for us. Plus, I doubt that you could find comparable hiking on Maui to Kauai's NaPali coast.

Never been to Maui but I've been to Kauai and I would definitely say Maui. Or better yet, honeymoon in Maui and take a day (or 2) trip to Kauai, go to the north shore, the canyon and the Napali coast, buy an authentic Hawaiian souvenir at Hilo Hatties (made in China) and that should do it. Unless you love scenery or hiking, Kauai is about is exciting as watching paint dry.

Just my opinion, folks.

It depends on what you are looking for guys. Kauai is definitely the more beautiful of the two islands. It offers incredible scenery, hiking, kayaking, lush landscape and much more quiet than Maui. We've crossed Maui off our list - loved it 20 years ago, but it has become so commercialized, it just does not offer what we are looking for - a chance to get away from it all and to still discover the true Hawaiian spirit. Opt for Kauai or the Big Island for your honeymoon, IMHO.

You really DO hate Kauai, don't you "not a fan"?

Your girlfriend leave you for a Kauaian hippie in a Chinese Hawaiian shirt or something while you were over there or ARE you "just too hip for the room"?

I have been to both islands. Personally i preferred Kaui BUT it really is a matter of personal taste and what is important to you.
Kaui
-Fantastic scenery
-great beaches
-good snorkeling
-great hiking
-quiet and peaceful
Maui
-good scenery and in the case of Haleakala - great scenery
-good beaches (but I found surf there quite rough)
-Busy,lots of traffic
-Many activities to choose from
In summary, if you want lots of activites and nightlife - Maui;if you want relaxation in beautiful surroundings - Kaui.

MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! MAUI! KAUAI! KAUAI!

MAUI GETS 14 VOTES - BEEN THERE 14 TIMES!
KAUAI GETS 2 VOTES - BEEN THERE TWICE...COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT RETURNING BUT WILL BE RETURNING TO MAUI NEXT MONTH!

My wife and I had the same question when we honeymooned. We solved it by splitting our time and going to both islands. Kauai is much quieter and peaceful with vegitation and nice restaurants(many roosters)and a beautiful ocean where boat tours are a must. We took a helicopter tour which was a little nerve racking. Maui is more commercial but just as fun. You have to ride down the volcano on a bike, Mount Haleakala. Lahaina is a nice town. I am glad we split the time cuz both were nice.

Hopefully, you are going go spend more than a week in HI, and if you are, split your time between the two and you decide. The opinions of these two islands are as different as the individuals making them. Hands down, Kauai is our favorite, Maui being too commercial for us. As for a honeymoon choice, I would recommend Kauai for its lush beauty and quiet, romantic spots. You can still find your own "secret beach" you don't have to share with others. However, if you are looking for lots of night life, there is a limited supply on Kauai, however, it does exist in limited qualities. No doubt, Kauai is the more beautiful of the two islands you are contemplating. I agree with the majority of the posters on hotels; on the South shore of Kauai, the Hyatt Regency is premier and on the North Shore, the Princeville is recommended. On Maui, I would recommend you either stay in the Wailea area or Kapalua and avoid Kaanapali and Lahaina.

I think it is extremely important to know what your likes and dislikes are because these two islands really are quite different in many ways.

I think Kitty's message helped me decide on which island where I would spend more relaxing time. Kauai.
Thank you Kitty.

Spend 1 week in Maui/1week in Kaui im April. Loved Kaui beautiful, peaceful and truly tropical paradise. Traveled with our 13 and 18 year old daughters. They also loved it. We snorkled, horseback road, golfed, golfed and golfed, Jack Harter Helicopter(fabulous)drove up Waimia Canyon loved it. Great resturants. Napali coast is the most breath taking sight I have ever seen and we have traveled extensively. Maui was ok very very busy and touristy. Beach was beautiful, however I will never go back to Maui, would go to Kaui or BI have been to Oahu also. Maui is catching up to Oahu for tourism (but I choose Oahu because Pearl Harbor is a do not miss)

We love both islands for unique reasons. Some people on the board are focused on resorts, and there are more resorts by far on Maui, yet it is a big enough island that you can easily escape the crowds. Maui also has a lush upcountry area with cool temperatures and an idyllic pastoral atmosphere. Comparing Maui, with its 10,000 volcano and winter snows, to Florida is wrong...its obvious some people never leave the resort areas.
Kauai is less touristy and commercial, with fewer roads...this makes a big difference during busy times as traffic can get just as bad as Maui. The Kalalau Trail is the Holy Grail to many hikers for its majesty and difficulty. On the west end, Polihale Beach is a wondrous 15 mile long deserted strand, heaven for those seeking solitude. Kauai's north shore has wonderful little roads hiding isolated communities in paradise, and are great fun to explore.
Researching is really the only way you'll find what features attract you more. Considering the money you'll invest in this trip, your research may make or break your experience.

Driving & Discovering Hawaii Books
www.discoveringhawaii.com

Aloooohaaaaa,
JMM has hit the nail on the head with his breakdown of the islands.
72 more days until I return to, let's seeeeeee, oh yeah...Kauai.
Mucho mahalos,
Kal