Having being to Hawaii more than a handful of times, I have some tips for visiting the islands. As I continue to visit the islands, I'll continue to build on this entry.
I have visited three of the islands, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island (the Big Island) so far. Of the three I enjoy each of them for different reasons. I really enjoyed my time on Hawaii Island but I don't think it will be an island that I need to return to anytime soon so Maui and Oahu are my regular haunts. Hopefully Kauai will be in my future plans.
Brad and I were on this island in 2010. We stayed for two nights at The Fairmont Orchid. We only stayed for two nights but we felt that sated our appetite for this island. The hotel was stunning with beautiful properties. We even managed to fit in a massage at the spa, him at the beach and myself in a bed that was over a koi pond with a glass floor. We rented a convertible a drove the island up through the mountains and over to Hilo. In Hilo we took a dusk boat tour to see the lava from Mauna Loa bubble and steam into the ocean. Seeing the lava was very surreal. We were in a big metal boat and when we were close enough, we simply sat in the waves taking in the beauty of the lava. If you get sea sick easily, the gentle sway may cause some sickness. We thoroughly enjoyed the lava tour and the short time we had on the island.
Oahu is where Honolulu is. Honolulu is where Waikiki is. It is the shopping destination of the islands. The last time we were there was May 2015 and we found that tourism dollar from Asia are really driving the development in Waikiki. Old staples like the International Market are now being replaced by big American stores like Sak's Fifth Avenue. If you want to feel like you are in an American city, this is where you go. Macy's, Cheesecake Factory, Nobu, are among many other familiar mainland stores and restaurants.
For more information including hotels, restaurants, and more, click here.
I find Maui to be a sleepy island. Once the sun sets, the best thing to do is have a nice dinner and curl up in bed. We have stayed at some of the bigger resorts on the island including the Fairmont Kea Lani and the Waldorf Astoria. I always say that Maui is a paradise with just enough of the mainland familiarities... you land, go to Costco, pick up your liquor and then head out to paradise.
There a lots of nature activities to do in Maui too. To read about Maui, click here.
This article is in the category: Travel.
