ejcrowe

hi, folks. I'm an obsessive poster over on the Caribbean board but you don't hear from me much on this board. My husband has a speaking engagement in Honolulu in June 2008 that will coincide with our 5th wedding anniversary. Instead of going back to our beloved Caribbean, it seems to make sense for me to join him out in Hawaii. I imagine I would have one full week out there, plus a day on either end for travel time (would love to spare more time but I don't think that will happen).

From my limited reading so far, Kauai and the Big Island seem to offer most of what I"m looking for in terms of natural beauty and slightly more off the beaten path experiences. If it helps to give you an idea, my favorite islands in the Caribbean have been Grenada, Nevis, Jamaica, Virgin Gorda, and Bequia--small, friendly places with good mix of snorkeling, beaches, and West Indian culture.

I have no idea what our budget for accommodation would be. I get the feeling that Hawaii will be more expensive than our usual Caribbean jaunts. Is $300/night for accommodation only a realistic figure for a nice place? It's a special anniversary trip, and my husband's airfare is already paid for, so I'd be willing to splurge if the perfect match for us were more expensive.

Off hand, I'd say that spectacular scenery, a nice beach (sand color doesn't matter to me), very good snorkeling, and very good food are our top priorities. Romantic atmosphere is a plus. We don't need shopping or nightlife at all. Something that gives a nice local feel rather than a cookie cutter international resort chain is essential. Size of property is less important than overall value and abience. I generally prefer smaller places but would be willing to go for a more traditional style resort.

Does this give y'all enough to go on? Let me know if you need more specific info, and thanks in advance!

iamq

Hi ej.
I would point you in the direction of Kaua'i, particlarly the north shore. Take a look at Hanalei and see what you think about that. There are no resorts, but plenty of vacation rental cottages and homes.

Sarah

Hyatt on the south shore is a nice resort. Last I looked it was closer to $400. I only go to Kauai in July and August if I am taking people that want the best shot at avoiding rain.

But I personally never consider rain or no rain because its all a part of nature and enriches your experience. That is the hiking experience anyway.

Where are you staying on Oahu?

Sarah

I stay on North Shore on Kauai. Hyatt is on South Shore and that stay is good in all seasons, drier side of island but near a lot of beauty in Kokee and Polihale etc..

cawhite

Hi ej... nice to "see" you on the Hawaii forum!!

I say you'd like the North side of Kauai too. It's very lush and beautiful. It's great for hiking. The helicopter ride over Mt. Wai'ale'ale is spectacular, as is a boat ride on the Na Pali coast. Snorkeling (which I know you LOVE!) can be found on Ke'e and Makua (a.k.a. Tunnels) Beaches on the North Shore, and Poipu Beach on the South Shore.

The Big Island is beautiful too. In my opinion, the snorkeling is better, and in fact is fantastic, here. It's great fun to kayak across Kealakekua Bay and snorkel around the Captain Cook Monument area. Lots and lots of fish. But did I see a recommendation for people not to kayak to Kealakekua Bay on their own now?? That would be a shame, although there are other good places like Two Steps (Place of Refuge) for snorkeling. And of course, the Big Island has the Volcanoes National Park area.

Ah... decisions, decisions. Well, for a first time visit, and going for one week, I'd have to say I'd select Kauai.

Since your husband will be on Oahu, maybe you could squeeze in another day or two to see some of the sights there? Or go sightseeing while he is speaking! Also, good snorkeling can be found on Oahu at Hanauma Bay (but you have to go early) and Shark's Cove.

Can't wait to hear more of your planning ideas!!

Carole

cawhite

Oh, and here's a post from another Caribbean lover that's interested in Kauai....

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35058450

Odin

I also visit the Caribbean frequently and have visited HI twice. I personally didn't rate Kauai at all. I thought it was quite developed and busy, it only had a small area of tropical lushness that was easily accessible, the beaches although beautiful were mostly off limits for swimming. There is spectacular scenery at Waimea. The sea temperature is lower than that of the Caribbean.

I think Kauai is mostly for those who like trekking and not fussed about swimming/snorkeling. I thought Maui had much more to offer in terms of accessible natural beauty and snorkeling.
Hanauma Bay on Oahu was very interesting for snorkeling, although last visit was closed due to jellyfish.

iamq

ej,
Feel free to e-mail me off board.
[email protected]

dusty56438

Lots of info including sites with free brochures for all islands:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564

Debi

I LOVE Hawaii. I've been there about 6 times now, and all the islands are good, depending on what you want. I even like Oahu - there are tons of things to do there that are "away from the crowd" (we even saw the X-Box international surfing championship on the North Shore one year we were there - that is SO amazing). On Maui, I really like the quieter part of the island - the Wailea area. On the Big Island (which is very interesting), there are also lots of day trips. Does your husband travel alot, and does he have any hotel points for any of the big chains? Marriott, Starwoods and Hilton (and I'm sure others) have lots of good options. Don't discount Oahu - there are some really gorgeous parts that aren't like Honolulu (for crowds). While I'm a Grand Cayman fan in the Caribbean (been to alot of islands there), I would pick any island in Hawaii over even Grand Cayman. The vegetation is amazing. I now always fill my house with hibiscus... Every time I see them I think of Hawaii.... You are going to love it!! Well, maybe not the flight there, but you can even work around that (I just mean it's a long flight - not a bad one....)

volcanogirl

We've travelled in the Caribbean - St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, etc. and to us, Kauai had the most similar feel to the Caribbean. We liked Ke'e, Tunnels, and Poipu beaches - had excellent snorkeling at Tunnels. We went to Maui for our honeymoon, and if you decided to go there, I agree that the Wailea area is beautiful. On the Big Island, we liked the Hapuna Beach Prince - great beach there, and seeing the volcano was amazing.

kerikeri

i would encourage you to try to get extra days off of work and really see more of hawaii, as you will certainly love a lot of it, based on what you like in the caribbean.

with 10 days or more you could experience a lot.

i agree that you will really enjoy the northshore of kauai and the north shore of oahu. .

the big island's lush parts and touristy and i do not even like the beach there.

kerikeri

whoa nellie! that last sentence was supposed to read i do not like the beaches in maui, but do think the big island's volcano area and other lush parts are really appealing, but with little time i would send you to kauai.

the nice thing about maui and the hilo part of the big island are the gorgeous flowers that you can't find elsewhere, but with only a week plus the obligatory work thing, you will really get a lot out of kauai.

kerikeri

kerikeri

(i was trying to say that i found the wailea resorts very compressed and touristy)

Maggi

EJ, you contribute so much to this board, I'm sure many will be happy to help you. We have been to Kauai twice, twice to Oahu and once to Maui. I'd love to give you my take, but it's probably more than people want to read here. Feel free to email me direct:
[email protected]

MaliaBrody

Thats it...I'm going to Hawaii I live in Los Angeles so I'm right there. Been in LA for 5 years. I should have been atleast once. Planned a trip to New York in April. Now I'm planning a trip to go to Hawaii in May or June.

ejcrowe

Wow, thanks for all of the responses, y'all. Firstly, Bill and Maggi, I will definitely be emailing you, so thanks for making that an option!

Secondly, is there a single guide book that you would recommend that encompasses all of the islands? And if not, which guide books would you recommend for the islands I'm most seriously considering?

Odin, I'm a little confused that you said that Kauai was very developed and mostly of interest to hikers--I thought it was one of the lesser developed islands? Maybe I'm confused. I like mild hiking but I'm not a hiker by inclination. I much prefer hiking if I know there's a beach with great snorkeling on the other end of the trail! So you're saying that Maui is actually better than Kauai in terms of natural beauty and good snorkeling and accessibility? On what island is "Waimeia?"

Okay, so I've narrowed it down to Kauai, BI, and Maui it seems.

For those of you who recommend the Hyatt: what kind of feel does that big resort have? We generally stay away from hotel chains on vacation but I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. Country-club resort posh I can easily do without, but if it has a fantastic local flair to it or a je nais sais quois that you really like, please elaborate. (i loved the location and feel of the Jalousie Hilton on St. Lucia for example, but I wouldn't generally stay at a Hilton). (And no, Debi, we don't collect points from any of the hotels--we just get frequent flyer miles from them--neither one of us travels frequently for work.)

I don't know yet where we'll be on Oahu. I don't know where my husband is getting put up by the conference, other than somewhere in Honolulu. I would definitely like to see the Pearl Harbor/USS Arizona on my first day there while recovering from jet lag and before we journey on to whichever island we'll be spending our week on.

I saw a place called Kona Village on the BI that looked incredible--its rates include all meals, but even so it's a little more than I was hoping to spend, even with an anniversary splurge. Are there any other hotels/resorts with a similar feel (the individual hales for rooms, Polynesian atmosphere) in one price bracket lower? Is the Kona Village located in a part of the BI that is fun & easy to drive around? Do you know if there's good snorkeling right there from the beach? If not, how far would one have to drive from there to get to good snorkeling?

Thanks again for all ofo the input--I look forward to reading more suggestions!

kerikeri

kona village is truly unique. like all big island resorts, it is isolated and once you are "in" it is very hard to want to leave.

the kauai hyatt is more like a traditional big-shouldered luxury resort, but with very beautiful hawaiian feeling to it and very easy in and out access (like you can take a ten minute walk and be in the little town and the public beach). their beach is not swimmable so they've built a man-made lagoon. the spa is great, but it sounds like it's not for you.

the big island has a lot of smaller eco-type properties sprinkled around it that might be more to your liking. i'll bet an easy way to find them would be to google like "yoga retreat" and then these smaller things come up.

the blue guide books (one for each island) are the best, imho, i forget the brand name.

waimea canyon is on kauai: hiking and waterfall opportunities and views of the pali from the other side.

if you like the idea of individual cottages, then on kauai the waimea plantation cottages might work for you. they have that old-school feeling to them. waimea is just a bit isolated. they do look like the pics of the jalousie cottages- little older style houses. but the beach is not swimmable and the pool is a bit small. but as a base for touring that might be just right for you- very low key and independent.

Odin

"Odin, I'm a little confused that you said that Kauai was very developed and mostly of interest to hikers--I thought it was one of the lesser developed islands?"

I thought Kauai was quite developed around the coastal areas, more than I had expected. The interior of the island is not developed. I wondered why I didn't like Kauai as much as I wanted to and could only conclude that the people that visit Kauai might be mostly interested in hiking (for which Kauai is a great destination) rather than being in the sea. The north shore is definitely beautiful, there's no doubt about that, it's just that it's a small area and can be crowded. The Waimea canyon is also spectacular.

ejcrowe

Are not all beaches in Hawaii for public use? (Kerikeri, you mentioned that one could walk ten minutes from the Hyatt to the public beach.)

Odin, thanks for the clarification. Now that I've done a little more reading I think I understand what you mean.

Okay, another question: where do most of you fall on the issue of air conditioning during the summer months. Is it a necessity? A nicety? Does it depend on the location and whether the architecture makes the most of the breezes? In the Caribbean I prefer to have it as an option but in some places I never missed it.