Hawaii

[skalexander]

We’re thinking about finally going to Hawaii next year, preferably May. It’s something we’ve hoped to do for a long time, and the flights are finally at a level we’re happy to pay.

However, we have no idea how to divide our time! Realistically I think 17 nights would be our limit (and that’s getting home Sunday and back to work Monday).

We’d also want to spend at least 5 nights in Santa Monica with my husband’s cousin and wife. We’ve been promising to visit for years and never managed.

We’d like to do Pearl Harbor and we like the outdoors - kayaking, swimming, snorkelling, mountain biking, etc.

Can anyone suggest the best islands for us and how long in each, please? Any modest accommodation recommendations would also be great, as some islands look pricy!

Thanks!

[megaflyer]

First of all 2 warnings - its is very long trip so jet lag (and flying is tiring) is something to consider - maybe breaking off in Santa Monica on way home would be an idea ? Also It is a US tourist Mecca and as such is either cheap and tacky or you pay substantial more for a more authentic experience -if it is a one off trip then it really is worth staying in say Hilton (Hawaiian Hilton village is on a tonsuring strip but actually is very nice and views to die for) . I used to travel for work as we had a base there so only been to Honolulu . Pearl Harbour is amazing truly awesome. I could spend several days there (and have) then back to swim i the sea with the turtles and just volcanoes as vista - it draw dropping gorgeous. My rest days there were among the best anywhere in the world . Again jet lag was worse than Australia for me so really worth thinking about braking your flights out in say San Diego and return Santa Monica as both are beautiful yet different.

[Princess Alison]

We spent time on Kauai and big island and absolutely loved it there

[Aliloo]

Definitely agree with breaking the journey on the way back, I flew Kauai to Heathrow and it was brutal. Perhaps doing LA on your way home might work better. I was advised to see the islands rather than Honolulu but I regret that now. I’d definitely chose to split the time and try and fit in an island or two and Honolulu as they are all so different.

[Gryff]

We loved Honolulu and we are not beach people but would go back in a heart beat
Pearl Harbour is so well worth the visit we spent all day and still have more to see
Helicopter tour amazing views
We also did a volcano walk again fantastic and wonderful views
Whale watching tour the dole plantation all in a week
We stayed in a Airbnb after the first cottage we booked was sold
Do not hire a car parking is costly and a nightmare only hire one if you want to tour the Island
We will return I’m sure you will find loads to to
We did San Francisco first so it wasn’t as long a flight then Texas and Florida on the way home

[cornishfrogboy]

This may interest you. I posted it some weeks ago, but it would seem equally relevant when you come to actually researching and booking your flights.

I do DIY and I research in detail. I intend seeing most States in the USA and am researching trends for plans that stretch years into the future. I enjoy it.

This thread is about buying multi location flights. The example involves California and Hawaii.. but is generic in that it could apply to absolutely any multi destination vacation.

I was playing with a week in California and a week in Hawaii. I chose LAX for the example, but it could equally have been San Diego, SFO, Seattle or Vancouver. It is simply research.

Clearly there are different permutations to this example, California then Hawaii? Hawaii then California? Buy all tickets on one booking? Separate into 2 bookings for two elements(LHR-LAX and also LAX-HON). If you did the latter one, then you might look at 2 days LA and the other 5 on the way back in order to allow for flight delays on two separate bookings.

First example. Fly LHR -HON via LAX and then HON-LAX and then LAX-LHR, 7 days later.

Best price is £1511 with all flights other than the LHR being directs.

Second example.. reverse it and buy on one ticket, but with California first.

Best price is all but identical. All flights other than HON-LHR being direct.

Option 3. Buy LHR-LAX returns and also separately buy LAX-HON returns.

And then

That is £835 in total, a saving of £671 pp. Clearly in our case, a family of 4 would save £2684.

You can see that I have chosen identical dates throughout in order not to taint the research. I cannot emphasise enough that when taking example 3, you would look to breaks of a couple of days as you transfer from the first ticket purchase to the second purchase in order to allow for delays.

Moral (possibly). Consider splitting your flight purchases to save a lot of money (but always allow wriggle room for delays).

[KarenG]

Hi Kate

We went in 2017 and 2018.

Accommodation prices have got really silly after COVID. Renting a condo is a great idea both price and facilities wise on most of the islands.

Honolulu is the city where the airport is for the island of Oahu, and has some charming historical elements and great restaurants but it would be very very unusual to stay there as a tourist. Waikiki Beach is basically next to Honolulu and that’s where people stay generally when they mention staying in Honolulu.

Can I ask do you have 17 nights plus 5 for your relatives or is it 17 including the 5?

General consensus is that each island deserves a week, and to transfer between islands takes the best part of a day so you want to get the balance right of seeing as much as you can without spending too much time in airports

We’ve been to Oahu twice, Maui twice and Big Island once. We don’t have big accommodation budgets but stayed in some lovely places with a lot of research.

You don’t need a car in Oahu (if you’re happy to hang around Waikiki and take tours if you want to see stuff around the island). I would suggest strongly you need one in Maui, and very strongly for Big Island. Current car rental prices are outrageous due to the well documented problems due to the pandemic - hopefully that will have unwound by next May though!

[KarenG]

I echo CFB’s advice on flights and being flexible in terms of routings / splitting the trip.

HNL (Honolulu) tends to be the cheapest and is the main entry point to the Hawaiian islands but not always.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by megaflyer

First of all 2 warnings - its is very long trip so jet lag (and flying is tiring) is something to consider - maybe breaking off in Santa Monica on way home would be an idea ? Also It is a US tourist Mecca and as such is either cheap and tacky or you pay substantial more for a more authentic experience -if it is a one off trip then it really is worth staying in say Hilton (Hawaiian Hilton village is on a tonsuring strip but actually is very nice and views to die for) . I used to travel for work as we had a base there so only been to Honolulu . Pearl Harbour is amazing truly awesome. I could spend several days there (and have) then back to swim i the sea with the turtles and just volcanoes as vista - it draw dropping gorgeous. My rest days there were among the best anywhere in the world . Again jet lag was worse than Australia for me so really worth thinking about braking your flights out in say San Diego and return Santa Monica as both are beautiful yet different.

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Good advise from Megaflyer

If I could pick up on one thing - U.K. travel agents always seem to recommend the Hilton Hawaiian Village but I would suggest looking closer to the main part of Waikiki Beach rather than there. It’s not a far walk at all but it’s not in the main part, and the hotel is huge and can be full of business people. There are many other, better located, more ‘original’ properties that are in a similar price bracket.

If money was no object I’d be at the Royal Hawaiian

[megaflyer]

Originally Posted by KarenG

Good advise from Megaflyer

If I could pick up on one thing - U.K. travel agents always seem to recommend the Hilton Hawaiian Village but I would suggest looking closer to the main part of Waikiki Beach rather than there. It’s not a far walk at all but it’s not in the main part, and the hotel is huge and can be full of business people. There are many other, better located, more ‘original’ properties that are in a similar price bracket.

If money was no object I’d be at the Royal Hawaiian

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In fairness I stayed there on business a fair few times - not my choice per se as booked by my US hosts (who no doubt got a cheap rate) but I like the location as its quieter (and I was a work a holic as could quietly be on my lap top into the wee small hours not being disturbed ) also stayed at the officers club next door which is quaint