Anyone here ever been to Hawaii?

[ringmastery]

Which one of the islands are the nicest/most reasonable $$$ wise to vacation in?

[proud patriot]

1. Maui and Kauii

are the best IMHO

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. I love Kauai and the Big Island!

I'd stay away from Maui - so very many tourists.

But on the other hand, Maui is also very beautiful.

All islands are very beautiful, actually. Even Oahu. Also Molokai is gorgeous.

And you can do any island for cheap, or for mucho megamoney.

Just stay away from Niihau and Kohoolawe. :-)

I can't recommend Hawaii enough. It is truly paradise,and I miss it ever so much and can't wait to move back.

[MuseRider]

11. I did not know you used to live there!

We were on the Big Island for diving 2 years ago and decided to move there. We looked all over for land (I have 7 horses), I checked into shipping with the main vet on Oahu (he was from 30 miles from where I live here in Kansas). We were very serious, I even started to learn Hawaiian. We did not want to live in all the gated communities where they really wanted us to go, we wanted to live where it was tropical and more native and close to the diving. We were told in no uncertain terms that we were not welcome. Well, we looked into that and found out why, agreed with them and now we just sit here in the snow and long for Hawaii. It is a shame but I would rather stay here than move to paradise only to be in some damned gated community.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Who told you you were not welcome?

Sad.

I say, give it another shot!

[MuseRider]

16. We were really

unhappy about it but then again, we understood. It is getting crowded and they just did not want anyone else, particularly Haoles. Where did you live on the big island? I absolutely felt the best in my body I have ever felt when there. I have rheumatoid arthritis, not a bad case, but I felt so good there. I love it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. I was in Honolulu

But really fell in love with the Big Island.

I also felt great in Hawaii - and even though I have terrible allergies, they rarely bothered me, and my skin was SOOOOOOO soft and supple. Not like it was in WI or NY, where the winter winds and radiator heat dry the skin out something terrible.

If you were looking Big Island, I can understand the anti-haole attitude in some areas. But you can definitely find many wonderful places to live that aren't gated.

[fortyfeetunder]

3. Depends on what you want to do

Oahu is a tourist trap, do it just to say you've been there. Staying at Waikiki is more expensive than the outlying areas.

The Big Island, Hilo side is more reasonable than the Kona side.

Maui, in Kihei is affordable.

[RC]

4. This may help

http://rc.smugmug.com/

[supernova]

5. opihimoimoi and KamaAina

both live there. You might want to catch up with them.

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. also la_serpiente

[supernova]

7. knew there was somebody else

Thanks, Rabrrrrrr.

[Sapphocrat]

8. Kauai and the Big Island

Kauai -- expensive if you stay in/near Poipu (the sunny end of the island) -- but try Hanapepe, which is a few miles north of the beach, and really cheap (by Hawaii standards). Believe it or not, my home away from home is a Seventh-Day Adventist (!!!) school/camp where they'll rent you a fully self-contained cabin for very little $$$! Well worth it, and it's beautiful, right at the foot of the mountains, where you can watch waterfalls form after a night's rain. (Can't remember the name of the place now, but that should give you enough info to help you find it.)

Big Island: I like staying in Hilo best -- much more Hawaiian than the other side of the island (who wants to be around mainland tourists? I sure don't!), closer to the lava flows, and less expensive.

Maui is okay, but too touristy and expensive. Fantastic snorkeling, though. Rent a car and drive the Road to Hana -- beautiful, and a great driving experience. Stay in Hana; rent a house. Then go to the very end of the road and see Charles Lindbergh's grave.

Oahu: Forget it. Even the once-semi-secluded beaches are like a frigging Disneyland. The only reasons I would stay on Oahu now would be to see the U.S.S. Arizona memorial again, and go watch the surfers at Waimea.

Never been to any of the other islands, although Lanai and Molokai are next on my list.

Anything else you'd like to know? :)

[greatauntoftriplets]

9. Hawaii is absolutely beautiful.

I have retired cousins who live in Michigan in the warm weather and on the Kailua-Kona coast of the Big Island most of the year. They have found it the best in terms of living costs and ambience. Every year, they stay longer and longer -- usually from late September to May.

[MuseRider]

10. Kauai is beautiful.

We have been to Hawaii, the big island twice. It is possible to find affordable housing but food and especially gas are expensive. There is so much to do on that particular island. I can't talk about the others, I have not been to Kauai in 20 years so it has changed a lot. I love the Big Island specifically because there is so much to do and you can be in any climate, just drive a little way. We mostly loved the diving there, spent more than half our time under water. If you go be sure to check into the trips up to the observatory on Mona Kea. Amazing place. That is just my little plug for the big island, IMO you can't go wrong on any of them. We do have several members of DU who live there so they would probably be your best source.

[Leilani]

12. I Live in Hawaii

Of the major islands:

Oahu is busiest & has most attractions; Waikiki is overrun with tourists but the North Shore is wonderful. Honolulu has the most hotels, so you can usually get a good discount/bargain on room.

My favorite island is Maui.. also most expensive...

Kuaui is beautiful, but quietest. If you like night life, forget it.

Hawaii, the Big Island, is probably the most interesting. Volcanoes, ranches, black beaches, very luxurious resorts; also very reasonable
prices.

In summary: they are all very different. Depends if you like sports, what kind, shopping, night life, best beaches, etc.

[Leilani]

13. Forgot to add:

Depends on how much time you have; try to do a couple of islands.

If you need specific info, let me know.

Also prices depend very much on what time of year. Most expensive: Winter, Summer 2nd, cheapest is spring or fall.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

15. My favorite is Kauai

If you've scene those magnificent green cliffs that plunge straight into the sea, that's the Na Pali coast of Kauai.

On that one island you get the wettest spot in the U.S. (over 300" of rain per year) in the central part of the island, and a town just a few miles south that gets 25" of rain and has dusty streets. You have taro patches and dairy cows. You have sugar cane fields and stands of Norfolk pine. You can get out on the beach at the southwest "corner" of the island and look across to Niihau, which is privately owned, allows no visitors, and is full of people who still speak Hawaiian in their everyday life. Wherever you go, the scenery is so beautiful that it doesn't seem real.

The Big Island is the most varied: black lava fields, volcanos, snow-capped mountains, high country with cattle that looks like Wyoming, tropical rainforest, you name it.

As a city person, I also like Honolulu for its smorgasbord of Asian and Polynesian cultures. Waikiki is so bad that it's good, and the two oldest hotels, the Moana and the Royal Hawaiian, are gems that make you think of white suits and straw hats. If you go there and are interested in Hawaiian culture and natural history, be sure to visit the Bishop Museum and its planetarium. Climbing Diamond Head on paths that lead you up the inside and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay are two other fun things.

Just a few notes, based on experiences during two summer sessions at the University of Hawaii-Manoa (in Honolulu).

[roguevalley]

18. I've been to Maui, Oahu and Hawaii. Can go cheap or expensive as

you want. It depends upon what you like to do. Maui:
very low key and helps to be able to do things like
swim, surf and scuba. Hawaii is the same way. Nice to
have a car and drive around it. Visit the volcano.

Oahu is fun, Honolulu is a hoot. Can be expensive but
inexpensive can be had. Plan ahead.

[Beaker]

19. The Big Island & Kauai are my favorites.

My wife and I have been there several times, and got married on a beach on Kauai. If you go there, pop for a helicopter ride that takes you inside the old volcano, and along the NaPali coast.

our hands down favourite is Hawaii- The Big island, especially if you like to dive. LOTS to see and do, and it's also the only one with an active volcano- if you go to see where the lava meets the ocean, try to get there a little before sunset, but take a flashlight- for the walk back to the car.

Also- no matter which island you go to, try to spend a day or two in honolulu too, and take the trip to pearl harbor & the Arizona Memorial...you'll be glad you did.