How to Choose Which Hawaiian Island to Visit
What’s the best island to visit when you take a Hawaii vacation?
Chances are good you don’t have weeks and weeks to explore the islands, so you’ll probably spend most of your time on one of them.
Choosing can be hard, but here are a few tips to help make the decision easier.
Hawaii Activities Come in Many Flavors…What’s Yours?
Okay, it’s true that most islands have more than enough vacation activities to keep you busy for weeks – or months – on end. And if you just want to relax on a beach, then any island will do.
You probably have more specific ideas in mind, though, like:
- Snorkeling
- Surfing
- Scuba diving
- Other water sports
- Watching whales, dolphins, or other sea life
- Taking cruises
- Hiking or camping
- Enjoying the island nightlife
And so forth.
This list could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Make a list of your top activities. Once you have that list, you can start to narrow down your choice of islands.
Here are some of the top Hawaii activities that each island has to offer…
Oahu Activities
Oahu is one of the top Hawaii vacation destinations for you if you…
- Love to surf. Oahu’s north shore is one of the world’s most famous surf spots. The waves at Waimea Bay, Pipeline, and Sunset beach can reach 30 feet or more during the winter months.
- Want a bit of bustle with your beaches. Waikiki, Honolulu’s beach and top tourist district, is busy. But that’s great if you want a taste of the urban life, such as bars, restaurants, bustling markets, high-end shopping, and lots of people.
- Want to cruise the night away. You can find cruises on the other islands as well, but Honolulu has the most to offer. You’ll find everything from sunset dinner cruises to daytime marine life-watching cruises.
Naturally, this is just a taste of Oahu vacation activities, but if you’re a fan of any of these three activities, Oahu should be one of your top choices.
Maui Activities
Maui is the second-largest Hawaiian island, but it isn’t nearly as busy as Oahu. This island is a good choice if you…
- Want a variety of vacation activities without the urban bustle. As the second-largest Hawaiian island, you’ll find plenty of things to do, but you won’t face the crowds of Waikiki or Honolulu.
- Have a hankering for some big fish. Maui is a great island for deep sea fishing, dolphin watching, and whale watching, since whales breed in the shallow waters between Maui and Lanai.
- Want to explore the land a little bit more. As mentioned, Maui is the second-largest Hawaiian island, which means you’ll have that much more land to explore. The Haleakala National Park, for instance, is over 30,000 acres and has everything from hiking trails to horseback riding.
Kauai Activities
Like other islands, Kauai has every type of vacation activity you could ask for, from surfing to hiking and everything in between.
This island has more greenery and fewer tourists than most of the other islands, so it’s great if you…
- Want to get away from it all. There are only 66,000 people living on the island, so you’ll have more of this island’s wondrous beauty all to yourself.
- Want a really “wild” vacation. From surreal sunsets to unparalleled natural beauty, there’s a reason this is called the “Garden Island.” It’s the perfect place to enjoy more nature, more wildlife, and world-class scenery.
- Want a really romantic vacation. This is the wedding capital of the Hawaiian Islands, probably because of the reasons mentioned above…with gorgeous sunsets, secluded beaches, and unique natural beauty, how can you go wrong?
Hawaii Island Activities
The Big Island is, of course, larger than all the other Hawaiian Islands. So you’ll certainly have plenty of vacation activities to choose from on this island.
The Big Island is a great destination if you…
- Love volcanos. The volcanos are the very reason Hawaii exists…and these otherworldly landscapes are perhaps the biggest attractions on the Big Island.
- Love stars. Stargazers will love it here. From the summit of Mauna Kea, which is also home to the Mauna Kea Observatories, you’ll be able to see more stars than you ever dreamed possible.
- Love Big. There’s a lot to do on this island, and more room to do it in. Whether you’re looking for water sports or land adventures, you’ll find plenty of activities on the Big Island.
Are you planning a Hawaii vacation?
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