Maui vs. Kauai - Help!
 

Hello- I'd like some advice. I'm planing on going to Maui for my honeymoon next month. I'm booked to stay at the Kea Lani, but now after reading a lot about Kauai on this board I wonder if we are making a mistake and should go to Kauai b/c of the scenic beauty and lack of crowds on that island. We only have 1 week total for the honeymoon.

Fred, it's really a matter of what you want out of your vacation. They can be very different islands. We went to both back in '00 and preferred Kauai, but I'm sure there are others that would disagree. Research both islands and make a choice that's right for you and your future bride. You could always split the trip and spend time on both islands. Interisland isn't so terrible as to make this overly burdensome. Whatever you choose, you will have a great time.

Fred liked Kauai and I much preferred Maui. It is a matter of personal taste. Kauai is much quiter with no nightlife. I don't agree that Kauai is more beuatiful than Maui (unless you count the parst of Kauai that are accessible only by boat or air). There is much more to do in Maui. Kauai is much quiter and it seems hikers and nature lovers enjoy it. People who like beaches, dining out and night life will prefer Maui. To each his own.

Visited Kauai and Maui for the first time ever last November for my honeymoon.<BR><BR>This probably won't help but I liked Kauai better and my wife preferred Maui. Kaui is very quiet, very tropical and fairly secluded. There are some very nice hotels (we stayed at Princeville on the north shore and recommend it highly) but nothing was crowded or felt commercialized. There is certainly no night life. I thought that it was the perfect, quiet way to start my honeymoon.<BR><BR>Maui was somewhat of a culture shock after Kauai. After landing and getting our bags and car we were really surprised to see a Costco, McDonalds and other familiar places that we did not run into on Kauai. But then we got to see the beauty of the rest of the island as well as our hotel (4S, and Oh My God was it amazing) and it made us forget about the ugly commercialized areas which surround the airport. There was a lot more to do on Maui, but there were also a lot more hotels, people, kids, etc.<BR><BR>Basically, Kauai has a very authentic hawaiian feel. Maui is definately hawaiian, but with the level of commercialization, activities and night life, it felt more like West Palm Beach, Florida. Of course I loved both islands and would go back to either in a second.<BR><BR>You can't go wrong on either island. If you can, try to stay more than 1 week, up it to 10 days and spend 5 on each island!

went to Kauai and Maui for 5 days each in July on our honeymoon<BR>My husband and I both preferred Kauai hands down. We're from NY so did not need or want a lot of action or night life. We found Maui to be more crowded and also noticed a LOT of construction going on while we were there. (new buildings, revamping roads, etc) Our first night we got stuck in a traffic jam heading from Wailea to Lahaina & it took us 2 hours!!!! We also stayed at the Kea Lani there are loved the hotel. And we saw some beautiful things but none of them took our breath away like Kauai.<BR>Kauai is also a little less expensive if that is a consideration. At least we found it to be that way.<BR>A Maui local told us something and I think he said it well - he told us that Maui has a lot of mainlanders that have moved there and they take in the Aloha but don't always give it back.<BR>In Kauai we really felt the "Aloha."<BR><BR>Also, being from a different time zone, we were waking up early (6AM) and tired by 9PM so we couldn't have taken advantage of night life even if it was there. We would enjoy a nice dinner and then turn in.<BR><BR>The above posters are right though, it depends on what you like. If you prefer bigger cities, you may like Maui better.

My husband and I went to both Kauai and Maui for our honeymoon in June and definitely, it depends on the person. We thought that Kauai was much better for a honeymoon because it felt like our own private paradise. We found many beaches where we were the only people there and it was breathtakingly beautiful on the island. Not that Maui is not beautiful. It is, but so much more developed, and the Four Seasons, where we stayed, as well as the rest of Wailea felt like any other resort area in the world. Princeville, in Kauai, felt like heaven.

I just got back from these two islands. We stayed at the Hyatt in Kauai and The Kea Lani in Maui. Kauai is more scenic, but I liked The Kea Lani Hotel better than the Hyatt. There are more good resturents in Maui, and you can swim at the beach in front of the Kea Lani. The shopping is better in Maui. If you do go to Kauai, I would stay at the Princeville resort for the view and less crowds. I difinitely wouldn't trade in the Kea Lani for the Hyatt. The Hyatt is great,but the Kea Lani is even better.

Kauai = Tropical paradise, laid back, quiet scenic beauty. Great for hiking and outdoorsy activities. Great beaches.<BR><BR>Maui = More modern, built up... like Florida or Southern California. More active nightlife, more shopping. Still pretty and scenic but less of a feeling of seclusion. Great beaches.<BR><BR>My choice is Kauai.

There is a nightclub at the Kuaui Hyatt. The club is called Kuhio's. <BR>

How can Kauai have a more "authentic Hawaiian feel" than Maui? Both islands are 100% authentic Hawaiian islands !!!

Fred -<BR><BR>Again, all so very personal and depends on what your expectations are. Having been to both islands over a dozen times, we have pretty much crossed Maui off our list. I realize many will disagree, however, it's all what you're looking for. We loved Maui 15 years ago, but with its many high rises in hotels and condos, and its traffic jams, it doesn't truly represen the "Aloha spirit" we are looking for. Maui, IMHO, has developed much too fast for the roadways and last visit, we almost missed our flight with the traffic jam we encountered and we allowed over 2-1/2 hrs. to get to the airport. We think Kauai allows us to get away from it all the busy schedules we both have in our lives. We enjoy hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and all the lovely beaches Kauai offers as well as the magnificent North shore. I don't think the beauty of Maui compares to Kauai. I agree with the N.Y. respondent who said that with our early rising that by the time 10:00 p.m. rolls around, we are certainly not ready for night life. There are wonderful restaurants on Kauai, albeit not as many as Maui, and the limited night life at the hotels and places like Keoki's is sufficient for us. You must decide what you are looking for. Kauai is definitely more laidback and beautiful overall than Maui.

Wow! thank you for all of the thoughtful responses. I called my travel agent today and am not looking into spending either the entire 7 days or at least part of the honeymoon on Kauai. I wonder if 7 days is too short to split between Maui and Kauai. I originally chose the Kea Lani b/c it is supposedly just an amazing hotel with wonderful rooms (important on your honeymoon!) but now I'm thinking that the beauty and romance of Kauai is something I don't want to miss. I'm leaning towards the Princeville over Hyatt. What is the north shore rain factor in last week of September?

On my honeymoon, we did 5 nights Maui (Hyatt), 5 nights Kauai (Hyatt), and 2 nights Big Island (Hilton). Wouldn't change a thing.

They are both GREAT and you can't make a wrong decision, that being said, we prefer Maui and the reason is the weather. It rains WAY too much on Kauai(thats why its so lush), and we frankly don't like going all the way there to get rained on for an extended time. No matter what you choose---DO NOT split a 7 day trip and do both islands, its barely enough time for 1. Good Luck !!

I agree about the splitting - don't split 7 days. You'll lose an entire day in the airport and add stress to what should be a totally relaxing experience.<BR>We did 5 days Kauai and 5 days Maui - thought that was a good amount of time. But I wouldn't have wanted ANY less time - especially on Kauai.<BR>If anything, I might consider 3 nights at the Hyatt and 4 nights at the Princeville - but you might lose out on a free night that way - don't know what they're offering in Sept.

I agree about the splitting - don't split 7 days. You'll lose an entire day in the airport and add stress to what should be a totally relaxing experience.<BR>We did 5 days Kauai and 5 days Maui - thought that was a good amount of time. But I wouldn't have wanted ANY less time - especially on Kauai.<BR>If anything, I might consider 3 nights at the Hyatt and 4 nights at the Princeville - but you might lose out on a free night that way - don't know what they're offering in Sept.

We stayed at Anini Beach on the north shore of Kauai in the first week of October last year and the weather was fine. It rained one day over the whole island (including the Poipu area) and there were a couple of showers here and there on a few other days. The showers were usually brief and warm and the majority of the time the weather was sunny and nice. The only issue we had with the weather was that the surf was up so swimming at some north shore beaches was somewhat difficult at times. That was more of a matter of luck than anything else, I guess. We also spent 4 days on Maui and it rained there also, so hard in fact they had to cancel our horseback riding trip.<BR><BR>As far as splitting a week between two islands... if you can figure a way to get a couple more days available, do so... but if you have to split 7 days it would be ok. Inter-island flights aren't that big of a deal so you would really only lose a half of a day. I would advise doing Maui first... if you do Kauai first, coming back to Maui is something of a culture shock (and somewhat disappointing, I thought).

For some reason this decision is driving me crazy! Unfortunately we can't extend the honeymoon past 7 nights. Basically it seems to come down to this: hotel and rooms are nicer at Kea Lani (Maui) but scenery and isolation is better at Princeville (kauai).

My wife and I stayed at the Kea Lani (Kilohana Suite) for our honeymoon for 9 days! Never got bored. Went to Kauai two years later and stayed at both Princeville and Hyatt. I like Kauai more and I love the Princeville hotel and the area but you just could not beat our room at the Kea Lani and the grounds, also the the conveniences (better restaurants both high and low end). In retrospect I made the righe decision. It's was both romantic and spectacular. If you've never been to either island it won't matter what you choose- you will have an awesome time and be thoroughly impressed wherever you choose. Don't fret this is the least of your worries if you're getting married soon!

Fred, stop fretting over this as it isn't worth it. Actually, it's only the NORTH SHORE of Kauai that's really very nice, but quite frankly, it can't hold a candle to Glacier National Park, so it isn't really that big a deal anyway. Maui, on the other hand, is gorgeous from one end to the other (but I would NOT stay in Kaanapali!), and the Kea Lani is a VERY SPECIAL resort, especially for a Honeymoon, with huge rooms! Remember, you're right next door to The Four Seasons and Grand Wailea, so it's a very upscale area! However, if it's really eating at you that much and you just can't stand it, you CAN split your time between the two, despite what some people have said, because most people do this all the time, staying at least a minimum of 3 days. So, if you're so inclined and just can't live without it, I would opt for 4 days on Maui and 3 days on Kauai. If not, I would definitely go with all 7 on Maui (and when you return to that huge, beautiful room everyday, you'll be glad you did)! Please post a trip report upon your return!

I also suggest that you split your time between Maui and Kauai, especially if you plan on returning to Hawaii in the future. If you see both islands this time, you will know for future reference which island you prefer. And yes you can go wrong by choosing just one island. For example I much prefer Maui and would not go back to Kauai. However, many others feel just the opposite. Find out for yourself about BOTH islands !!

Well, here comes what seems to be a rare thought............but I ENJOY my interisland flights, and would split the time 4/Maui - 3/Kauai, and look at the II flight as part of the adventure. The islands are so beautiful from up above, and I wouldn't want to miss that. By the way, Fred, the rainy season on the North shore of Kauai is November through April.......when you can have days of rains. The rest of the year you might have some rain here and there, but nothing that's ever bothered me!! You'll have a wonderful time at the Kea Lani in Wailea.........I LOVE the Wailea resort, though we stay at the Renaissance. Have a great trip, and don't forget that trip report!<BR><BR>Aloha,<BR>Lani

Once you see your room at the Kea Lani, you won't want to change hotels! The Waliea area of Maui is very pretty. There is a walkway that goes around this cliff to the Four Seasons. Also, the Kea Lani is just a wonderful resort with good food and service. I would relax and enjoy your 7 days at one island. Our interisland flight did not leave until 2:00 and we had to land at Honolulu to get from Kauai to Maui. We finally arrvied at the Kea Lani around 5:00. So that took up a whole day in paradise. Whatever you decide have a great honeymoon!

How does Kea Lani compare to Princeville as far as hotels] quality?<BR><BR>

If you stay on the north shore you should definitely stay at the Princeville and just visit the Hyatt. Also, if staying at the Princeville, be sure to reserve the Jr. Suite, not the regular room which is not that great. The Jr. Suite is not really that expensive comparatively speaking, but do keep in mind that there is NO BALCONY in the room (they might not tell you that), just floor to ceiling windows (great view, though)! (I know--it seems rather bazarre to build a hotel in Hawaii without a lanai!!)

ttt

Fred, don't second guess yourself. You will have a great honeymoon at the Kea Lani for 7 nights. You surely can return for another visit to Kauai in the future! I agree with above poster about the importance of a balcony--especially in Hawaii!! Relax, enjoy, congrats!!

Fred, don't second guess yourself. You will have a great honeymoon at the Kea Lani for 7 nights. You surely can return for another visit to Kauai in the future! I agree with above poster about the importance of a balcony--especially in Hawaii!! Relax, enjoy, congrats!!

I just did both the Kauai and Naui thing. Resorts? Stayed at the Princeville, Rennaisance and four Seasons (maui). The rec.? Go to Kauai.<BR>Maui has nothing Kauai doesn't have except more Mcdonalds, Burger Kings, Pizza Huts and crowds-the type that are all from NYC and LA complete with cell phones and arrogance. Kea Lani did look neat though so I'd stay there if you must do Maui.<BR>Kauai does have the surreal feel, in its right in your face-not a 3 to 4 hour drive away.<BR>Mark

Well- after a lot of deliberation I think I'm going to likely stay with the Kea Lani. It just seems like for our honeymoon it is the best hotel on either of the two islands. I agree with several of the posts that having a balcony and suite will should a big difference for those 7 nights.

Fred you made a great choice. This is a very beautiful part of Maui. All of the resorts are beautiful and there are a great choice of restaurants. Make sure you check out all of the resorts. The Grand Wailea has great artwork that will probable bring smiles to your faces. Also try to do one luau for fun. God Bless your marriage.

Walk up to the Renaissance, and have lunch at the Maui Onion one day - the BEST onion rings! Ask at their desk if the guy who sings JUST LIKE JAMES TAYLOR is still playing at night in the lounge there. He is amazing, and has been there for years, a couple nights a week! You'll love Wailea .....don't forget the trip report!

I agree on the Maui Onion-great onion rings, good hamburger.<BR>I'm not sure why so many people think Wailea is so beautiful. Yes-the trendy resorts are there with great facilities, restaurants, sunsets, and nice little quaint beaches-Ranaissance's beach-Mokapu-is better than Wailea beach, but the area is somewhat flat. How can you compare that with the North Shore of Kauai?<BR>I guess that if you live in a landlocked part of the country, those beachfront resorts score high. But to me, they only resembled nice beachfront resorts on the California or Florida coasts. <BR>So they didn't appear so SPECIAL. Hence, go to those continental-US spots and spare yourselves the miles, extensive jet-lag, etc.

I think the north shore of Kauai is the most beautiful thing I've seen in four trips to the Islands (stayed on four majors), but I still LOVE Wailea, particularly the gardens at Renaissance, and think the resort area is beautiful in it's own way! JMHO!

Kea Lani is an amazing resort, but there were a lot of families with small kids there too which was great for us with 2 toddlers. However they do have an adult's only pool and the resort is very romantic at night. We loved the ocean front walk. I think if I was going on my honeymoon (again), I would choose the Four Seasons, Maui (next door to the Kea Lani). I have never been to Kauai but I hear that it is a honeymooner's paradise.

How easy is it to find secluded beaches near the Kea Lani.. or anywhere else on Maui? By the way.. saw pictures of Kauai and Maui on those "revealed" books tonight at Borders. Both looked really nice. Also, how long of a drive is it from North shore on Kauai to the East side of island?

North Shore to East side fo Kauai about a 45 minute to an hour drive.

Fred, I'll throw out even one more suggestion to you: Split your time on Maui, i.e., stay for 3 nights in an ocean front suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua (beautiful property, more private and secluded than Wailea, etc.), and then just drive over to Wailea for the remainder of your stay (no planes, no hassles)!

Thanks again everyone for all of your thoughtful responses! I appreciate it so much! My fiance does not yet.. but she will soon (the honeymoon location is a surprise to her). I'm pretty much planing to go to the Kea Lani for the 7 days at this point. I'd love to see Kauai, but we'll have to come back for that- or maybe if we get really adventurous we'll fly there for a day trip. Also- has anyone gone on day trips to Molokai from Maui? Is it worth it?

Molokai is certainly worth while if you want to see a completely different aspect of Hawaii. You can get to Molokai by air or by ferry. I feel that flying is too expensive for one day. The fare is the same as flying to Oahu (about 100 miles) as it is to Molokai (10 miles off the coast of Maui). If you go by boat you only have about five or six hours on Molokai because of the ferry schedule. This is not enough time to even drive the length of the island.