We are going to Hawaii and have planned on 4 days at either the Big Island or Kauai.

We like to explore, fine restaurants and relax. Whihc would you recommend?

Thanks for the help.

Big Island is great for exploring. Lots to do. Four days on Kauai would be a cruel tease. Go back when you have more time.

Four days sure isn't much time. Either would work. Fine restaurants might be a challenge on Kauai.

I haven't been the Big Island in many years. Are there more "fine restaurants" on the BI than on Kauai (where there are precious few)?

If you stayed in the Kohala area, you would have a bigger choice of nicer restaurants than on Kauai.

Anyplace has better restaurants than Kauai!

That reason tops the ever growing list of reasons NOT to go to that god-forsaken hell-hole.

1. Lousy eats
2. It's boring
3. Nothing to do
4. No nightlife
5. Everyone's a meth head.
6. Bugs, bugs, bugs
7. It rains all the time.
8. Everything is sooooo expensive.
9. Lousy beaches
10 It's boring

5. Everyone's a meth head.

I'll bet you added this one to your growing list just this week!

11. Massive numbers of aggressive chickens

Thank you placename! How could I have left that one off?

Yes sf7307, I did!

Don't be fooled by negative posts re: Kauai. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It's perfect for nature lovers, not the party crowd. Maui is better for the latter.

Agree with montereybob. It truly is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I visit every other year and just returned from a 2 week stay. It is paradise. So many beautiful beaches,
hiking trails, waterfalls and the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen. Don't understand all the negative posts. A great book I recommend is "The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook" by Andrew Doughty. I have just recently posted 500 photographs on my facebook if interested.

For those of you who haven't figured it out, iamq and placename are being sarcastic in their remarks about Kauai. If you click on iamq's name and read his prior posts, you'll see how much he adores Kauai. He's probably mad at me for "outing" him LOL!

Who adores Kauai?

According to other honest fodorites there is apparently a cat problem there now on top of everything else.

problem on Big Island Kona coast as well.
BTW, most of the Hawaiian Isles fit your criteria offering exploration, relaxation, and fine restaurants, though if you meant $-)"fine dining", agree Big Island has more choices.

Does it have to be one of those? Maui seemed more sophisticated to us in terms of elegant dining and had so much to do.

We loved the natural beauty of Kauai and the Na Pali Coast, and the volcano on the BI. If between only those two, and you really want fine dining, I'd go with BI.