Hawaii

[rossb]

<p> We have decided to spend our 30th Anniversary in Hawaii. I have never been there actually and was wondering if anyone had a recomendation for which Island to visit and a recomendation on a place to stay while there.. I will of course take a camera but it is not primarily a photo adventure. We will do the usual stuff, explore, hike, some kind of a boat adventure, snorkling maybe. We are 54 and 63y/o and in good health so we can be pretty active while there. My wife thinks Maui or Kauai would be the likely spot. Any suggestions from the travelers in the group. Thanks.</p>

[steven_sullivan]

<p>I've never been to Maui - but I've heard great things about it. I've heard that there's a little more of a "night life" there than Kauai (one former co worker told me she was bored to death on Kauai). I've been to Kauai a couple of times and my wife, daughter and I are actually going there in April for our 15 year anniversary. We love it. I don't think you could go wrong with either choice! Enjoy and congrats on the big 3-O!</p>

[rossb]

<p> We do not know one place from the other but we decided on Kauai as it should be more rural. Outside of going out to dinner I do not care about the night life or shopping. We want to do the outdoor thing, swim in clear water, maybe do some kayaking, ride on a boat, hike, see some waterfalls and take a bunch of photos. I suppose that is easy to do on any island. I just need to figure out a place to stay that would be nice and convienent to different activities.</p>

[frank_b._baiamonte]

<p>If you like the outdoor stuff you'll really like Kauai. There is a river on the east side of the island (just south of Kapaa) that you can kayak up to a point where you can tie off the boat and then hike to a pond at the base of a waterfall. It's a lot of fun. If it's still around we used a guidebook called the Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, from Wizard Publications. There is also a website that has aerial photos of all of the hotels, so you can see what they really look like.</p>

[philgoble]

<p>If you only visit one island I would suggest Maui. It has a nice combination of activities, beauty and photo opportunities. Rooms in general can be expensive so that would impact your lodging opportunities. If you can afford it, I suggest the Wailea area. Of those hotels, the Marriott is usually the most affordable. There is a series of travel books named Maui Revealed, Oahu Revealed, etc. I would recommend you purchase. They have a lot of great information in them.</p>

<p>Specific locations I would recommend include:</p>

<p>Haleakala NP summit. It's great at dawn but can be very cold and windy, especially during winter. If I recall it's a 2-2.5 hour drive to the summit from Wailea.</p>

<p>The drive to Hana is very scenic but there are a zillion hairpin curves (about 2.5 hours one way pre sunrise from Wailea if I remember correctly). I usually drive it before dawn to insure I'm at decent photographic spots at dawn. There is also little traffic then. You can check out the sights on the drive back. Stop at the Keanae Peninsula at some point on the drive. Drive beyond Hana all the way to Oheo Gulch (Haleakala NP along the Hana highway). Take the Pipwai trail back to Waimoku Falls.</p>

<p>There are several beaches in the Wailea area that are nice. Drive south to Secret Beach from Wailea.</p>

<p>Iao Valley is an option.</p>

<p>Visit Lahaina and do a luau (I recommend Old Lahaina Luau).</p>

[danny_low]

<p>Maui is a well developed resort island while Kauai is still rather undeveloped. Which is better depends on whether you like to rough it or not. What struck me most about Maui is the number and sizes of the golf courses I saw there. Yet it is a fairly short drive to very undeveloped wilderness areas.</p>

<p>You can drive to the top of Haleakala. Depending on whether the top is clouded in or not, you can get some spectacular sunset or sunrise views. Beware that even during the summer, the overnight lows on top will drop below freezing and it is 10,000 ft.</p>

<p>Danny</p>

 

[stemked]

<p>I have spent time on Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. To say which is best is sort of like saying which is your favorite child. I think Phil covered Maui pretty well. I will add that there is excellent snorkeling in Maui and that Ioa Valley and the drive up is spectacular. Maui is also the most expensive island generally. As a birder there is a really nice native bird habitat up on Haleakala<br>

Kauai is a dream island, the north and south side offer very different encounters.The north side at the very end of the road you can view the spectacular coastline (Na Pali) , Botanical gardens, and when it rains long waterfalls from the cliffs. There is a little snorkeling on the north side. The south side has the Waimea (spelling) Canyon (the Grand Cayon of the Pacific) and Ko'ke State Park, a wonderland in ferns, a spectacular view of the Na Pali coast (when you can see it), great native bird life and a lot of rain (only here in the park though). There is also a shop here again I can't recall the name , but they have the famous genuine shell necklaces from 'the forbidden island' Niihau (Hawaiian Trading Post at the corner of Koloa Road). There are also some wonderful waterfalls and a number of historical places like the fish ponds.<br>

The Big Island is big. There is some great snorkeling on the west side of the island (turtles galore). Some of the best sandy beaches and little rain. A number of cool historical locations on the coast. Hana on the East side can be pretty wet, an absolutely wonderful market not to be missed, Botanical gardens, a few nice waterfalls. The south side is where you will see (possibly) active volcanic activity, fantastic native birding.</p>

[klsphoto]

<p>Here's another vote for Kauai for all the reasons stated above. Depending upon how long you'll be there, you might consider a "fly-drive" package to Oahu for one day. I found them to be very reasonable--less than $100. By taking the 1st flight over and the last flight back, you get about 12 hours on Oahu. That's time enough for the Pearl Harbor memorial and a trip around the island, with a stop at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Both must-see's IMHO. Unlike the flights to/from the islands, these inter-island flights require a minimal amount of time to be spent at the airport--which means more time for sight-seeing. Check out used tour guide books and even coffee-table type photo books. They are also reasonable ($3-5) and offer great suggestions for photo locations. Have a great trip. </p>

[julieroggow]

<ul>

<li>Kauai is my favorite island for rugged beauty, uncrowed beaches, snorkeling, hiking, and photo opportunities. Ke'e beach is great as is Turtle's Beach! The hiking along the Na'pali coast can't be beat!</li>

<li>Hawaii is my second favorite island because of Volcanoes National Park, Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, the Bamboo Forrest, and the picturesque town of Kona.</li>

<li>Oahu offers a variety of opportunity for the photographer from the view at the top of Diamond Head, Punc Bowl Cemetery, Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and Hanauma Bay. You can also watch surfing competitiions and practice on the North shore.</li>

<li>Maui would be the last island I would choose, if I had to eliminate one. Although, Haleakala Crater at sunrise is amazingly serene and beautiful and the Iao Needle area is beautiful. I did the Hana drive once, and never again. I'm not prone to motion sickness but after the first thousand hairpin turns.... :)</li>

</ul>

<p>Julie Roggow</p>

[rossb]

<p> Thanks for the responses. Much appreciated. We have decided on Maui. We kind of figured Maui would have more things to consider and maybe easier to find them. There is a CostCo in Maui which would be nice to stock up on supplies for our room. KInd of a dumb thing to consider but I like to have bread and cheese and something to drink without spending a bunch on a restaurant every time. Anyway now to book the trip. We thought we would go to AAA as they have free travel agents for members. Thanks again. Next June is the time. Usually I shoot film but it's a hassle in airports so I will take my D200 for the trip. It's a good camera and works very well. I will take a small water proof point and shoot to carry on a Kayak adventure or other water things we may do.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>On our first trip to the Hawaiian Islands we spent a week on Maui and a week on the Big Island. Second trip was to Oahu. Third one a week on Kauai and a week again on Maui.<br>

Now the favorite is Kauai - followed by Maui and the Big Island; each one is different. We likely won't go back to Maui (after being there twice) but definitely need another stay on Kauai and on the Big Island.<br>

In any case, my suggestion is to look for a Bed & Breakfast to stay - we did on our last trip and it was definitely worth the expense. On Maui we stayed for a few days in a vacation rental in Hana so that we could explore the region in leisure - that's what we missed on our first trip.<br>

Second the suggestion to get the travel guides Kauai Revealed and Maui Revealed (they are available for each island).</p>

[philgoble]

<p>I can certainly understand recommendations for Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii. They all have something to offer. If you could, visiting all of them would be nice although it would be tough to do that on a single trip and do them all justice. Since you've chosen Maui some more advice.</p>

<p>If you fly through Honolulu, which is certainly a possibility, you may have time to see some of the attractions there without laying over. Someone already mentioned this. Another possibility is to plan your stay so you lay over a day or two on the way in or way out depending on your flight times.</p>

<p>In terms of photography, Hana is my favorite part of the island. I have considered staying in the Hana area to avoid the long drives to some of the attractions in that area. There isn't much lodging there and dining options are limited, but it is something to consider. In terms of the drive I can see how someone could get sick or want to avoid it. I followed a local driving it in the dark two hours before sunrise and we made amazingly good time, but I felt like I was on an amusement park thrill ride.</p>

<p>If you are going to rent a car, there are 2 of you and you are in a position where you do not have to leave valuables in it, rent a Jeep Wrangler. You can put the top down and get a nice perspective on some of the drives.</p>

<p>If you were going November through March, going on a boat out to view Humpback whales is a neat experience.</p>

<p>Have a great time. I wish everyone had the opportunity to visit one of the Hawaiian islands during their lifetime. It has a vibe I enjoyed and provided great stress relief at a time I really needed it.</p>

[stemked]

<p>As previously mentioned ABSOLUTELY PICK UP MAUI REVEALED (or the same book for another island). It will not only tell you about the hotels, but what ROOMS to choose and gives a satellite image of the grounds. It will give you pointers on beaches and sights well beyond what we can offer here.</p>

[jaydesi]

<p>I went to Maui for my honeymoon, it was heaven on earth. There's plenty of development but plenty of rural areas, too. The geography is fairly diverse, with the northwest side lush and green, and the southwest side more or less desert. I highly recommend visiting the Maui Winery and trying their pineapple wine, if you choose that island. Going up to the crater is a neat trip, too.</p>

[el._rainey]

<p>Maui is fantastic! My husband and I spent 2 weeks there. Saw the sunrise from Mt. Haleakala...stunning! Dress warm though it's very cold at 10,000 feet! Drove to Hana, lots of beautiful waterfalls. Maui Ocean Center is great. We stayed at the Royal Lahaina Resort, very nice place would go again in a heartbeat! Cheeseburger in Paradise has fantastic burgers, Peggy Sue's is a great 50's style diner with great food. We also loved Bubba Gump's. I could go on and on, I loved it that much. I have been to Aruba and the Bahamas also, but Maui beats them all.</p><div></div>

[rossb]

<p>Thank you again for the tips. I will look for Maui revealed this weekend at Borders. Also I liked the idea of a Jeep Wrangler that you can put the top down. That would be a fun way to drive about. I am very excited about our first trip to Hawaii..I have wanted to go there for decades and just never seemed to be able to swing it. This is our time..</p>

[charles_wood]

<p>For all of the reasons noted in previous posts, Maui is wonderful but it also is convenient for taking a couple of days, or more, and hoping over to Molokai, just 27 minutes by air from Maui. If you want to laze in the sun and watch the surf, Molokai has the longest easily accessed sandy beach in Hawaii (about three miles), located on the west end. <br>

The Kamakou Nature Reserve/Rain Forest is also a great place to explore but you'd need to rent a 4WD vehicle. There are also other hiking options with waterfalls, beaches, etc., on the south and east end of the island. I recently spend five days on Molokai and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend you consider it as you'll be very conveniently close, if you time and budget allow.</p>

[rossb]

<p>Thanks again, I booked a trip using CostCo Travel for next June. We are going to Kauai for our first trip to Hawaii. Always wanted to go there but just never did. I went to Borders to buy the book Kauai Revealed but they had every island except Kauai. So I ordered it and we will take it along with us. As far as camera's go I have a F100 and a D200. I am thinking about the F100 and how to manage the film with the airlines but the D200 will go for sure. I will have to go to the airlines website and review what we can take or not as far as luggage, film, food and all that. I am mostly a film shooter so that is the camera I would most want with me in Hawaii. I guess the things I want to do is relax on the beach, try some snorkeling and look for waterfalls and landscapes to shoot. I am not going to do any shopping at all and have no interest in night life. Going out for dinner a couple times will be on the menu. Probably we will hit the CostCo in Kauai and stock up on food for our Condo. It's our 30th anniversary and what the trip is really about. We are very excited. </p>

[mas-alaska]

<p>We have been on all the islands except Lanai. All are wonderful. Kauai is a great choice for what it sounds like you are interested in. Great scenery, lots to do, but laid back too. Our idea of nightlife anymore is a nice dinner out and there are good places for that. Some pics <a href="http://www.mitchseaver.com/kauai">here</a>. Have a great trip.</p>

[rossb]

<p> Thanks Mitch. Great pictures for sure. I will show them to my wife when she gets home from her job. I think she will be excited to see how beautiful it is.</p>