The Islands of Hawaii: Where to go?

Taken in Kona, Hawaii 

Choosing amongst the major Hawaiian Islands is one of the most difficult decisions you will make in the process of planning your Hawaiian Family Vacation, Hawaiian Honeymoon or Hawaii Destination Wedding. Each island is so uniquely different that to really understand Hawaii, you'd have to see them all! If you are like most people though, you can't fit all the islands into your itinerary! This post gives you a brief overview of four of the most popular islands to help you decide which ones should be on the top of your priority list.

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Oahu is the most populated of all the Hawaiian Islands with just over 900,000 residents. As such, it has the greatest amount of development and offers many modern luxuries and amenities in Honolulu to make you feel at home. The world famous Waikiki is lined with high rise hotels, restaurants, and shops. With this, however, comes the draw backs of a big city as well. Oahu has a great deal of traffic and you will have much more difficulty finding secluded spots than you would on some of the other islands. The North Shore is a much more quaint part of the island and does offer some nice beaches and excellent surfing in the winter months. Other noteworthy activities are a visit to the infamous Pearl Harbor and if you are up for the challenge, the hike Diamond Head which has a spectacular view of the island. If modern amenities, abundant night life, long sandy beaches, and world-class shopping are what you are looking for as part of your Hawaiian vacation than Oahu is probably the island for you!

Maui is called "The Magic Isle". As the second largest Hawaiian Island, it has a surprisingly small permanent population. It offers breathtaking views of Haleakala volcano and if you can handle the curvy and steep Road to Hana, you will be rewarded with lush tropical and waterfall views. Maui has many incredible beaches as well that are a major attraction amongst tourists.  It is also one of the best places in the world to view the whales during the winter months. However, Maui can be quite expensive and lodging here is generally high. Restaurant dining also seems to run a bit higher in Maui so be conscious of this if you are on a budget. Some people also complain that Maui feels a little too much like a "miniature Los Angeles" in terms of its culture because many young, wealthy Californian social lights often dominate the night life and resorts. Don't let this stop you though, Maui is a great choice, evident by its immense popularity and it offers so much natural beauty to outweigh the drawbacks.

Kauai, called "The Garden Isle",  doesn't disappoint with its emerald green cliffs and lush tropical canyons! Of all the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai is the most lush and perhaps the most dramatically beautiful. The Napali Coast is truly breathtaking and seeing it by air, boat, or foot gives a completely unique perspective of this natural wonder. In addition to its famous cliffs, Kauai also has the beautiful Waimea Canyon which is often called "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" because of its size and array of colors reminiscent of the Southwestern United States. And, Kauai's beaches won't disappoint either. Hanalei Bay is just one of these beauties where the green cliffs meet the white sands. However, as close as it does come, Kauai isn't perfect. As the smallest of the main Hawaiian Islands, there isn't quite as much to do in terms of night life, shopping, and modern amenities outside the resorts. Also, because the roads are narrow and haven't been adjusted to accommodate its growing population and visitors, traffic jams often occur making it slow going to just about anywhere at certain times of day.  It also can rain quite a bit on Kauai: how else would it get so green, right? But the beauty of Kauai is a sight to see and missing an opportunity to visit this island at least once in one's lifetime would be a tragedy.

The Island of Hawaii is commonly referred to as "The Big Island" so as not to be confused with reference to the entire state since they share the same name. Hawaii Island also gets its nickname because it is truly the biggest of all the Hawaiian Islands. In fact, all the other islands combined would fit inside the Big Island alone, with room to spare! And, the Big Island with its very active Kilauea Volcano is actually still growing! The Big Island is one of the few places on earth that you can view live lava flows, sometimes directly into the ocean via boat or helicopter. However, the Big Island is not all lava. In fact, the landscape of the Big Island is incredibly diverse as it offers incredible sandy beaches, beautiful waterfalls, and lush green valleys. The beaches of the Big Island tend to be tucked away; they aren't as long and expansive as those found on the older islands, but they are just as beautiful and much less crowded! Additionally, the waters of the Kona side of the Big Island are normally warm and gentle making it an ideal location for those that aren't extremely comfortable with swimming in the ocean. The North Eastern side of the island, near the cowboy town of Waimea, offers the waterfalls and lush rainforest of the Hamakua Coast. You can also find several black sand beaches and a green sand beach on the Big Island! In many ways, the Big Island is the adventurers island and the romantics island all at once because there are many interesting activities but it is also easy to find oneself alone on a beach at sunset. Additionally, though the Big Island is not heavily populated it does have some of the most luxurious resorts and communities found in the Hawaiian Islands and it offers some fantastic dining and fun night life options too. However, just like all the others, the Big Island isn't perfect either. Unfortunately, the power of the live volcano also causes "vog" aka volcanic-fog to hover over Kona from time to time giving the sky a slightly hazy look. Additionally, parts of the Big Island are not as lush and green as Kauai or Oahu and visitors are sometimes surprised by the lava fields that cover the Western Shores. However, there is no place quite like the Big Island, which is said to have the greatest spirit of Aloha of all the Hawaiian Islands. Its secluded beauty and unique natural wonders make for a truly powerful vacation experience.

The Hawaiian Islands also include the beautiful and mostly untouched Moloka'i and Lanai both of which are possible to visit and offer a true escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world. We didn't go into detail about these two gems here because they aren't visited as frequently as the others, but you can read more about them both at www.gohawaii.com.

If you are planning a honeymoon, any of the islands would be a great choice and it completely depends on your personality as a couple. For example, if you love to party and like to be around more of a crowd, then I would suggest Oahu. However, if you are looking for more tranquility, adventure, and romanic seclusion, I think the Big Island or Kauai would be the best option. If you want to sit in the lap of luxury and budget isn't a concern, than I might suggest Maui. So, it's up to you to decide based on your preferences and expectations for your honeymoon.

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Kona Sunset, Taken at Old A's, The Big Island

Hilo Hawaii Waterfall, The Big Island

When planning a Hawaii Destination Wedding, it is hard to go wrong! However, naturally I am a bit biased to the Big Island. Here's why: I chose the Big Island as my home and for my business because of its incredible beauty, which only becomes more inspiring as you discover her many hidden gems.  I also chose the Big Island because there is a huge amount of diversity of wedding venues - from top-of-the-line luxurious beach resorts to quaint Bed & Breakfasts and historic buildings to beautiful gardens and ocean front private homes to public beaches perfect for intimate beach ceremonies - the list goes on. (See our previous blog post on Big Island Wedding Venues for more details!). Additionally, the Big Island has two small, easily accessible airports for your wedding guests to travel in and out of and NONE of the traffic you'd find on other islands. It is also really easy to navigate so no one really ever gets lost and there are so many activities here that can accommodate large groups, an important consideration when planning a destination wedding. The Big Island's spirit of adventure also has a way of bringing people closer together and I really feel that families and friends leave here with stronger relationships because of their experiences and because of the strong Aloha found here. So, in my humble opinion, the Big Island is a perfect Destination Wedding spot, though you won't be disappointed with any of the Hawaiian Islands.

I hope you found this post helpful in planning your Hawaiian Destination Wedding, Hawaiian Honeymoon or Hawaiian Vacation. The good thing about having to decide between the many beautiful Hawaiian Islands is that any choice is a good one!

Aloha,

Rachael, Vintage&Lace Wedding Specialists

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