Morning_Giggle

We've been to beautiful Kauai and interesting Oahu -- now I'd like to take DH for a quiet week in October, watching the ocean and snorkeling -- and am vacilating between Maui and the Big Island.

We don't want to drive a lot, just swim in the ocean, swim in a nice pool, snorkel. (As much as we loved Kauai, we could never find good snorkeling there; the seas were too rough.)

Maui sounds like a dream -- but then I read posts describing it as busy and crowded. I'm mystified. As far as the Big Island goes, we're not keen on long car trips or volcanos -- just tropical relaxing.

We were thinking of a self-contained condo by the ocean, away from crowds and noise -- but with a fine pool. I love pools; he loves the ocean.

Frankly, I think I have read too much -- too many books and web sites, and my mind is about to explode with contradictory information. Some feedback from Hawaii experts would be very welcome! Thank you!

Leitnermk

Mahana, just a little north of Kaanapali, is very nice and quiet. The views are amazing. It's like being on a cruise ship. The pool is very nice, but not like the super pools at some of the very expensive resorts. It's a condo, so you can do as little or as much cooking as you want. There are some nice units available on VRBO. We checked out a few units when we were there last month. We reserved one for next year that is very nice. Have fun with your planning.

dfr4848

I think you can find what you're looking for on either island. You might want to avoid the more developed areas like Lahania, Kaanapali or Wailea on Maui, and Kailua-Kona on the BI.

Having said that, we thoroughly enjoyed the Four Seasons on Maui and Mauna Lani on the BI. Both were very quiet and relaxing with wonderful accommodations and staff. Can't speak to the snorkeling though.

BI is our favorite island for its geographic diversity, and more relaxing pace. In a relatively short period you can go from warm lush tropics to quite cool semi-arid mountain climates. But if you're not interested in volcanoes, or potentially long drives to enjoy the diversity you may not prefer it.

garyt22

Maui can be busy if you're looking for that, but I would go there anyway and pick a quieter place... BI is way more spread out but packs its resorts into tighter areas along the coasts... I would vote Maui for better snorkeling, dining choices and activities if you get bored...

Weadles

There are lots of condos on Kaanapali and in Wailea for you to check out. I like Kaanapali because it encompasses Black Rock, which has some really amazing snorkeling. We saw tons of sea turtles and giant fish every day. I also prefer Kaanapali because of its proximity to Lahaina for restaurant options, activities, etc. However, there's no doubt it can be crowded in the summer months. But I bet October isn't that bad.

Anyway, in a few weeks, we're staying at Kaanapali Alii, a condo complex right on the beach. You might want to check it out. Also look at the Marriot villas. Good luck!

Marginal

Hapuna Prince Beach Hotel on The Big Island has a lovely pool and one of the premier beaches on the island. Lovely place.

Morning_Giggle

Thank you so much! This is very helpful! Sounds like I can find what I like on Maui....I will get tickets and then report back.

Barbara5353

October is a wonderful time to visit the islands. It should be fairly quiet and relaxed everywhere. My choice would be Maui if you want easy access to great beaches and snorkeling right by (or close to) your condo. You can find "busy and crowded" on any island...just as you can find "quiet" on any island. Personally, I avoid the large condo complexes in the Kaanapali area and only visit Lahaina in the morning, before it gets hot (and crowded). There will be trade-offs, however,
Small, quiet condo complexes will not have large, fancy pools.
Do you like the actual pool, or just lounging around and dipping to get wet every now and then? I like complexes with a large lawn area, ocean view, and easy beach access. My favorite on Maui is Hale Pau Hana: www.hphresort.com.
If you want something more deluxe, there are good choices in Wailea.

GBC

In addition to Hale Pau Hana mentioned above, consider Koa Lagoon, a small condo complex, which is also directly on the beach although you may beel that the pool may be a bit too small. We had a great visit there in March.

volcanogirl

We loved the Hapuna Beach Prince on the BI too. On Maui, we thought the Wailea area was gorgeous.

welch

You might also consider Napili Kai in Maui. The condos are serviced, which is nice, views are gorgeous as is the beach.
Good snorkeling there. They have a couple of small pools over looking the ocean.
http://www.napilikai.com/
I love to peek in at their webcam.

JC98

We've beenn to both Maui and BI, and we've snorkeled pretty much many of the top snorkeling places. We thought the snorkeling on Maui was a bit better than BI. Maybe because we kept on seeing turtles, very close up and clearly at every single beach we snorkeled in Maui.

BarbSG

Never been to the Big Island but Maui was great. Peace and quiet you can be sure. The snorkeling was really fabulous. We took a day trip on a catamaran to watch the whales.....right beside you. Incredible.