Hawaii
When it comes to Hawaii, most people think of Honolulu: surfers, big beaches, and tall buildings along those beaches. However, Hawaii has much more to offer and it is just a 5-hour trip by plane!
First, The state of Hawaii is made up of 8 islands: Ni’ihau, Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’i, Koho’olawe, Maui and Hawai’i (the Big Island). It is possible to fly from the Bay to six of these eight islands: Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Lana’I, Maui and the Big Island. Each island is very different, so you can choose your destination depending on what you are looking for.
Lanai and Molokai are the two islands that are difficult to access. Indeed, in Molokai the residents don’t really like tourists, and in Lanai you need a four-wheel drive to explore most parts of the island, and this island is now mostly private.
Oahu is the island with the most tourists, and is where you can find the famous Honolulu. This island offers great surf spots and city activities, as well as nice hikes in the rainforest. You can also visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
Maui is the best island if you want to relax and enjoy the beach.
Here, I will detail the Big Island and Kauai because they are the two islands I have visited. If you would like to write information about the other islands, you are more than welcome.
Kauai
Kauai is called the “garden island”, and when you start driving around the island, you understand why quite quickly! The island’s adorned by dense, rich vegetation – it is absolutely wonderful.
What is incredible about this island is that its incredible beauty is not only due to the well-known coast, but also the inland.
In other words, be prepared to be amazed everywhere!
Kauai needs a minimum of a week if you want to see most of the island. To make the most of your time, it is best to book a hotel or camp at different places on the island; for example, a few nights around the Waimea canyon, a few nights around Poipu or Wailua, and a few nights around Kilauea. Something important to know is that it is impossible to drive all around Kauai because you cannot cross the Napali coast by car.
One of the most breathtakingly beautiful sights of Kauai is the Napali Coast. There are multiple ways to enjoy its beauty: by land (hiking), sea (boating), and air (helicopter or plane). These three ways of seeing the coast complement each other as each view highlights different aspects of the landscape. Yes, it is pricey, but well worth it. It should be noted that it is possible to arrive at the coast and not be able to see virtually anything due to immense fog. If this is the case, just wait a little bit – the weather can change very fast, so you may be able to see the spectacular views sooner than you think.
For the air and sea, Wings over Kauai offers a combo of air + sea tours for “only” $280/person. Otherwise, you can always take a helicopter/plane and a boat tour separately. The morning tour with the Blue Dolphin is really good because you can almost be certain to see dolphins on your way to the Napali Coast, and turtles during the snorkeling portion of the tour. The flight above Kauai is absolutely wonderful. You will see parts of the island that are not accessible by foot.
Regarding hiking in the Napali Coast, there is a nice hike starting at Pu’u O Kila Lookout that goes to either Pihea Vista junction (1mi/1.6km, elevation: 197ft/60m) or the Kilohana Lookout (3.8mi/6.1km, 505ft/153m). You can also go down the valley where there are campgrounds. What is nice about this hike is that you are hiking along the coast, so the spectacular views are plentiful.
Most of the trails in Kauai are very muddy with exposed roots, so the hikes are not easy. Therefore, you really need to have good shoes (a pair that might not make it home with you) and take into consideration the additional time required to complete the hikes in these difficult conditions.
There are also other hikes that end with the Napali coast view, such as the Awa'awapuhi Trail.
Another possible way to hike in the Napali coast is from the other side, Wainiha, through the famous Kalalau Trail. This is a long trail that is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. If you want to hike this trail, you need to research it beforehand so that you are well-prepared. You can find all the information here.
Waimea Canyon is another great hiking spot in Kauai. If you take the air tour, you will also see it from the sky – the canyon is absolutely beautiful. The wettest point in the world is located there!
The Cabins at Koke’e offers a nice experience that is close to the Napali Coast and Waimea Canyon.
One of the best hikes in Waimea Canyon is the trail to Waipoo Falls (3.2mi/5.1km, 840ft/256m).
The wildlife is incredible in Kauai. You have a great chance to see dolphins, seals, turtles or even whales. Poipu beach is the home of sea turtles and seals during the sunset for example.
If you like plants and nature, the Limahuli Garden & Preserve, National Tropical Botanical Garden, is definitely a place you should visit. It is $25/person.
Another nice activity is to rent a kayak or canoe to explore the Wailua River. You can also do a boat tour here.
Hanalei is a must-see town in Kauai, and is a place where you will have a good chance to see rainbows.
Other than the aforementioned activities and spots, the island has some really great beaches and beautiful scenery essentially everywhere. You can also snorkel at most beaches, and you may even find yourself in the middle of a crowd of colorful fish.
Big Island
The Big Island is the island of contrast, as it has numerous landscapes: volcanic, tropical forest, a green sand beach…
This island needs a minimum of a week if you really want to explore it. To make the most of your trip, it is best to book hotels or camp at different places on the island.
One of the incredible activities on the Big island is to go see the manta rays. There is a boat tour that will bring you to a specific spot where, thanks to lights, you can observe the manta rays coming to eat the plankton that are attracted to the light. It is an amazing experience to see the manta ray “dance” – coming from the bottom of the water, going up towards you, and then turning around only a few centimeters from you to go back down to the bottom. It is a memory you will not forget.
The Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is located in the southeast portion of the island. It is one of the few places in the world where you can see an active volcano, as it is currently erupting. The show is fantastic at night!
The Chain of Craters Road allows you to go down to the sea while crossing different lava beds from past eruptions. This unusual landscape is really nice. At the ocean, you will see the junction where lava meets the water.
In the Northern part of the Island, the Pololu and Waipio valleys are absolutely stunning. The Waipio Valley is a protected area so you cannot hike there, but it is possible to go down the Pololu Valley where you will find a beautiful black sand beach (1mi/1.6km, elevation: 420ft/128m).
If you are craving a jungle experience, book a night close to Pahoa – you will spend the night in the middle of a frog concert.
To be above the clouds, take a road trip to the Mauna Kea reserve, but before going, double check that the road is not closed.
At the very, very southern region of the island, you can go to the Papakōlea Beach and enjoy its beautiful green sand.
No matter what you choose to do, you will be surrounded by picturesque landscapes and have access to really nice beaches. You cannot go wrong with visiting the Big Island!
