Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands: Which One Is Actually Right for You

Hawaii is not a single place. The main islands have genuinely different characters, and the choice of where to go determines most of the experience. Spending a week on Oahu versus a week on Kauai are not interchangeable trips.

Oahu

Oahu is where the infrastructure is. Honolulu has the international airport that most people fly into, Waikiki is the hotel strip, and the island as a whole has the most restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and tourist facilities. The North Shore in winter (November–February) has the biggest surf in the world — the Eddie Aikau invitational runs at 20+ foot faces on a select few days when the waves are large enough, and Waimea Bay and Pipeline are accessible to spectators. Pearl Harbor is sobering and well done, with the USS Arizona memorial requiring a reservation.

Oahu is the island that people recommend skipping in favour of somewhere “more authentic.” This is partly fair and partly snobbery. Waikiki is genuinely touristy, but Chinatown Honolulu has great food, the Museum of Art is underrated, and driving around the eastern and northern coasts is genuinely beautiful.

Maui

Maui has the best beaches for swimming and general relaxation — Kaanapali, Kapalua, and Makena are all excellent. The Road to Hana is a half-day drive along the north coast: 64km of winding road with waterfalls, rainforest, black sand beaches, and (at the end) the Oheo Gulch pools. It’s worth doing once and not twice. Haleakala, a dormant shield volcano, has a summit at 3,055 metres where you can watch the sunrise above the clouds. Reservations for the sunrise entry are required (book weeks ahead).

Whale season (December to April) brings humpbacks that breed offshore — whale watching tours run from Ma’alaea Harbor.

Big Island

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the reason to go to the Big Island. Kilauea has been erupting intermittently since 1983, and the park changes significantly depending on current activity. The Chain of Craters Road runs down to the coast where old lava flows have hardened into extraordinary formations. The lava tube at Thurston Lava Tube (Nāhuku) is open and easily walkable.

The manta ray night snorkel off Kona is frequently described as a top ocean experience worldwide — mantas up to 4 metres gather to feed on plankton attracted to dive lights, and you float face-down watching them circle below you.

Kauai

Kauai is the least developed of the main islands and has no buildings over four stories (local ordinance). The Na Pali Coast runs along the northwest — accessible by boat, by the 18km Kalalau Trail (permit required), or by helicopter. It’s the most dramatic coastal scenery in Hawaii. The Waimea Canyon on the western side of the island is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, which is overstating it, but it is genuinely impressive at 1,600 metres deep.

Rain is a factor on Kauai’s north shore (Princeville and Hanalei), which gets more precipitation than almost anywhere in the US. The south shore (Poipu) is significantly drier and sunnier.

Food

Poke is the obvious Hawaiian food — raw fish (usually ahi/yellowfin tuna) marinated in soy, sesame, and various additions, eaten from a bowl with rice. The poke counter at Foodland supermarkets is a reliable and cheap option on any island. Plate lunch (rice, macaroni salad, protein) is the proper local working lunch. Shave ice from Matsumoto’s in Haleiwa (Oahu) is the best version.