1st time to Hawaii

My husband and I are travelling to Hawaii for the first time in April 09 for about 12/13 days. We%26#39;ve done a bit of reading but still cant decide where to go.

Ideally, we want to spend some time on the Big Island to see the volcano and go whale watching and then spend some time on Oahu but cant decide whether to stay on Waikiki Beach or Turtle bay (?? - how far apart are they?) and then spend some time on Maui. Is this do-able?

we are in our mid 20%26#39;s and want to experience everything Hawaii has to offer.

Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

1st time to Hawaii

This past July we spent 14 nights/15 days in Hawaii, including travel days at each end. We spent 5 nights on Oahu, 5 on Kauai and 4 on Maui. We are happy that we did this much island hopping for our first visit as it gave us a chance to experience three different islands. However, next time we would not do more than two islands in two weeks, although we would likely move from one side of an island to the other.

Waikiki beach and Turtle bay are on opposite sides of Oahu - maybe a 1 1/2 hour drive (we made stops when we drove, so I%26#39;m guessing a bit). Where you%26#39;d stay is all personal preference. We stayed in Waikiki this trip as it was a good location to get to all the things we wanted to do. When we make it back to Oahu someday, we would stay on the north shore. I think you just need to think about how ';quiet'; you%26#39;d like your resort to be, how much in the way of restaurants/shopping you%26#39;d like close by, and what else you%26#39;ll be doing on Oahu, and then choose. I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll have a wonderful time either way.

Have fun planning!

1st time to Hawaii

April is getting pretty late in whale season. mid-February is peak.

I wouldn%26#39;t plan on Big Island unless you want to spend at least a week there. It%26#39;s larger than all the other islands together and you%26#39;ll do a lot of driving to get around it. To go only for the volcano seems quite a waste; you%26#39;d miss seeing all the other wonders there!

I%26#39;d stay Waikiki and visit the east and north shores of Oahu. Turtle Bay is isolated; no choice of restaurants, bars, nightlife, shopping. Honolulu is %26#39;Big City%26#39; with lots to do and see. You can do without a car in the city, but rent one to tour the more rural and beautiful east and north shores.

Oahu plus Maui is a good first trip. Maui has the widest choice of lodgings and restaurants outside of Honolulu, but except for the Lahaina/Kaanapali area is pretty quiet.

If you wanted to add a third island, make it a small one, like Kauai. Remember each %26#39;hop%26#39; will run about $100 pp one way and eat up as much as half a day.

You%26#39;ll also need to see how you can schedule your flights. Ideally you%26#39;d fly to a mainland city and then on to your Island #1, then fly from your last island to the mainland and then home.

Sorry, London ... but you won%26#39;t see everything that Hawaii has to offer.

I would recommend splitting your nights between Oahu (where you will probably fly into) and Maui. Both offer a variety of landscape and things to do, excellent accomodations, restaurants, water sports, natural wonders...

As mentioned earlier, April is a tad late for whales. Crowd-wise, remember that April 12 is Easter, so you will have lots of families visiting the week before and after. With the economy in the dump, you may still get some reduced prices ... but if (and many travelers do) want to avoid kids, Easter is not the time to do it.

Waikiki to Turtle Bay -- the timing depends totally on traffic through Honolulu. But, it is easily doable. I agree that for a first visit, staying on Waikiki is ideal ... and rent a car for a few days to explore the island. FYI -- you will need a car on all the islands, with the exception of Oahu. Waikiki/Honolulu/Oahu has a good bus system and you can take excursions to other parts of the island. Having a car is handy, though.

The Big Island, as a general rule, I personally don%26#39;t recommend for first timers. The active volcano is a bit fickle ... but active. If you want, you could take a couple nights in Hilo and focus on the volcano part of the island only.

Keep in mind that island hopping will consume at least 1/2 a day for each hop.

Pick up a copy of Hawaii for Dummies or another travel guide that focuses on all the islands ... and doesn%26#39;t have alot of hotel/restaurant filler. And get a good map. Enjoy ...getting there is half the fun!

to see all the key places I d allow about 90 to 120 days...... 6 main islands, all totaly diifferent

What I would suggest the a combo like this,

Arrive in Honolulu on friday. stay till saturday, take the great 7 day 4 island tour... see Kauai, Big Island , Maui, .... see the grand canuon to the pacific, Napali coast, Prnceville, Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Road to Hana, maui beaches, the volcano lava flowind, Tropical rainforests, plantatons, mountains,waterfalls, tropcal villages of Kauai and Big Island, The coral reefs of Kona and crystal waters, dolphins and whales galore.. Seeing the sun rise each mornng over a new island... as you cruise in...rested and well fed. Sailing out at sunset seeing the islands bathee in red hue... the romabce of of the ocean.... and all at a huge savings in interisland fares which will cost you days of travel and $600 in additonal fares....

....When you arrive in Honolulu at the end you will have 4 more days.... You can then, after having experienced them first hand... decide where you would like to go back to... Things you saw on the cruise you loved.... not our opinion....your experience

Some say Oh, you will be on a schedule...you cant get the feel, etc.......and they will be mistaken..

most of the critics have never take this cruise.

I have 3 times...it s that good and I live here.

unpack once...great dindng, entertanment and cultural programs every day.... You can in fact do more in 0ne day with the ship than you could on your own in 3 days.............consider it as a great option... if you want to see the most, with the least stress and cost.

Dan has a good idea. You%26#39;d also be out on the water to see what whales there are to be seen without taking a whale watch excursion!

I totally disagree. I don%26#39;t think that interisland cruises are a good way to experience Hawaii. Dan LIVES in Hawaii, so he experiences it every day. But for those of us who visit and then go home to other places, cruises are very stiffling. Lots of watching the clock ... visiting places with large groups of people ... eating in the dining room instead of a restaurant at the water%26#39;s edge. No moonlight on your own time at the beach.

I think that cruises are great for folks who need extra help traveling or perhaps don%26#39;t speak English. For the rest of us ... get a hotel or condo and settle in ...

I want to respond to the idea that on a first visit you should stay at Waikiki. I think we should say; if you like a beautiful, clean, busteling city by the beach Waikiki is for you. If you want laid back tropical quiet, you should go to the North Shore.

Had I stayed at Waikiki on my first visit, I probably would have never returned to Hawaii or certainly not Oahu.I don%26#39;t much like the city. Fortunately my SIL drove me all over the island and we stayed on the east shore.

As people are different, it depends on what YOU like for where you should stay.

BTW - as Oahu is fairly small, you can stay anywhere on the island and still see everything.