best/easiest way to visit other islands?

[babyruth]

We'd like to stay at Aulani but still get to see at least one of the other islands. Does anyone have experience or recommendations on the best way to do this? Is it worth a day trip or not really?

 

[iheartglaciers]

The other islands are definitely worth seeing, but I’d recommend staying at least a few days. There’s so much to do and each island is so different.

I really like the Big Island, there’s a national park there and night snorkeling with manta rays is an amazing experience!

 

[SteveH]

IMHO a day trips really are not worth the expense and time except for something like Pearl Harbor or going from Maui to Lānaʻi. It's not just the money on flights but the time, which just like time at Disney = Money.

For our first trip we stayed 4 nights on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi then 4 nights in Maui gave us time to really drive around the Islands and get to know the resorts we stayed at and decided if we'd want to vacation longer. For our second trip we spent 4 night on Oʻahu staying in Waikīkī then 6 nights in Kauaʻi.

We're now looking to return, for 10-12 nights. While Waikīkī was fun and the food options are great - doubt we'd go back any time soon unless it's a great deal. Seeing the rest of O'ahu though is something we'd consider. But we'll probably go to Maui and Kauaʻi - but that is based on our experiences from being there.

I will echo what @iheartglaciers said about the Big Island though, the Nation Parks are great. I would say the Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park or City of Refuge was wonderful and educational, the swim with the mata rayes really made that trip for us. But right now with the activity of Hawaii's Mauna Loa I'm unsure if I'd book a trip there right now.

 

[Cheesehead13]

We did this in March. Stayed 2 nights on the Big Island and did basically a circle tour of the island, staying one night in the Waikoloa area then the second night at volcanoes national park. It was a busy two days but incredibly beautiful. Then a short hop of a flight (relatively cheap on Hawaiian airlines) to Oahu to relax at Aulani. So we did most of our hiking, waterfall viewing, etc in the first two days, then relaxed for a few days. It was definitely worthwhile to do.

 

[Cheesehead13]

I should add that it might be hard to do a day trip, but if you do then I would highly recommend renting a car through Turo rather than a car rental company. It took us about an hour and a half to get a rental car when we arrived in Kona because it is a small airport and you had to take a shuttle. When we did Turo on the next leg, the car was simply waiting for us in the airport parking lot. So that time savings could make a day trip more workable.

 

[CamColt]

I don't know if you are looking to spend this much time, but we did NCL's Pride of America Cruise and it was perfect! We got 2 days in Maui, 2 days on the Big island (Hilo, and Kona), a day and a half on Kauai, and then sailed by the Napali Coast on our last afternoon. We did this in addition to our arrival afternoon/night on Waikiki, and 4 nights at Aulani.

 

[Twohsieh]

We like to island hop on our Hawaiian vacations but we spend more than a day on the other island. We fly into one island then fly back home from the other island. We usually like to spend at least one week on one island then spend about 4-5 days on the other. Last June, we flew into KOA and stayed in Waikoloa for one week then we flew into HNL to stay in KoOlina for five nights. The interisland flights are inexpensive and a short 50 minute flight between islands.

Keep in mind that the travel day to the other island is almost all used up at the airport, car rental agency and getting situated in and out of your hotel.

 

[Anal Annie]

We've done both. I have done about 3 trips that were Oahu & Maui, 1 trip where we stayed on 3 islands and a couple of trips where we just did day trips to the Big Island and Kauai. If you're going to try day trips make sure you still allow enough time on your home base island to relax. Maybe only schedule 1 day trip if you're there for 10 days or so. There's a lot to see & do in Hawai'i and each island has its own personality - it's also a long way to go not to explore as much as you can afford to see. The ideal way is to spend a few nights on each island. Maybe 5 and 5 nights or 4 and 3 if you can't go for 10. I've been enough times now that I finally don't feel the compulsion to go to Pearl Harbor on our next trip (have been at least 5 x). Now we like to plan a resort day alternating with an excursion day. We're going for 8 nights in April and I'm starting to look for things to do that we haven't done before. I specifically didn't want to have a lot of extra out-of-pocket expenses so we've booked 8 n @ Aulani and nothing on any other islands which is a FIRST for us not to island hop. May end up doing a day trip tho. We'll see. That's easy enough to plan at the last minute if I find the flight prices acceptable.

 

[JC1984]

It’s so cheap (around $100 one way) to fly inter-island I would do as others suggest fly to another island and stay and visit and fly home from there or vice versa. Too much to try to squeeze into a day IMO.

 

[Hubie]

I should add that it might be hard to do a day trip, but if you do then I would highly recommend renting a car through Turo rather than a car rental company. It took us about an hour and a half to get a rental car when we arrived in Kona because it is a small airport and you had to take a shuttle. When we did Turo on the next leg, the car was simply waiting for us in the airport parking lot. So that time savings could make a day trip more workable.

I take it you're from WI. Your tip to avoid renting from Turo sounds like a plan. When we were on the Big Island, the time it took to get our car didn't matter because we arrived around 5 PM from Madison, WI. And after finally getting our car, we just drove to the condo we rented at the Houla Resort.

 

[jliehr]

It’s so cheap (around $100 one way) to fly inter-island I would do as others suggest fly to another island and stay and visit and fly home from there or vice versa. Too much to try to squeeze into a day IMO.

Was $39 one way for us last week on Southwest, fantastic deal.

 

[JC1984]

Was $39 one way for us last week on Southwest, fantastic deal.

That is fantastic!

 

[WillGan]

Hawaiian Airlines

 

[jliehr]

Hawaiian Airlines

Southwest equals their prices, flies larger planes, has 3 more inches of seat pitch, and gives you 2 free checked bags. I see no reason to use Hawaiian for inter-island other than the disaster that was their holiday season.

 

[WillGan]

Southwest equals their prices, flies larger planes, has 3 more inches of seat pitch, and gives you 2 free checked bags. I see no reason to use Hawaiian for inter-island other than the disaster that was their holiday seservice

 

[WillGan]

Hawaiian Airlines’ service will never be equaled by Southwest. It may be a bold statement but this is one I stand by. The numerous posts about the beauty, the quality of service from staff, and even the warmth of other guests while here is a detriment to those who make that difference. Sure like how you say, prices can be beat or matched. Planes may be bigger. But never will their “Spirit of Aloha” or their sense of making each passenger feel like “Ohana” ever be matched! What LUV did last week to their thousands of passengers speaks for itself. HAL uses different sized planes for different routes. Smaller planes for flights to Lihue and Kahului. When they flew to Kaunakakai, it was their propeller fleet of Ohana Air. To both Hilo and Kailua-Kona it’s a little larger plane and then of course the routes to and from various cities abroad, the airbuses. When you talk about inter island options, yes there are two main players but only one stands out! Many of our guests are familiar with LUV and it’s understandable to be biased but to say there is “no reason” to use them for inter island travel, I completely disagree with. Hawaiian Airlines represents everything that Hawai’i is about, and sometimes yes the cost but if it’s matched by LUV, I’d have a lean towards one specific airline. Mahalo!

 

[jliehr]

Hawaiian Airlines’ service will never be equaled by Southwest. It may be a bold statement but this is one I stand by. The numerous posts about the beauty, the quality of service from staff, and even the warmth of other guests while here is a detriment to those who make that difference. Sure like how you say, prices can be beat or matched. Planes may be bigger. But never will their “Spirit of Aloha” or their sense of making each passenger feel like “Ohana” ever be matched! What LUV did last week to their thousands of passengers speaks for itself. HAL uses different sized planes for different routes. Smaller planes for flights to Lihue and Kahului. When they flew to Kaunakakai, it was their propeller fleet of Ohana Air. To both Hilo and Kailua-Kona it’s a little larger plane and then of course the routes to and from various cities abroad, the airbuses. When you talk about inter island options, yes there are two main players but only one stands out! Many of our guests are familiar with LUV and it’s understandable to be biased but to say there is “no reason” to use them for inter island travel, I completely disagree with. Hawaiian Airlines represents everything that Hawai’i is about, and sometimes yes the cost but if it’s matched by LUV, I’d have a lean towards one specific airline. Mahalo!

Must have been a while since you did the trips, all of Hawaiian inter island is on Boeing 717 today, These have, in economy, only 29 inches of pitch. most flights have about 20 minutes in air time, so the service is being handed a cup of water or juice.

Hawaiian’s 717’s have an average fleet age of 21 years and look and act their age.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I am staying 8 nights at Aulani in July (I feel the first arrival night is just going to be recouping from flight on east coast and getting grocery supplies). Curious about island-hopping because I agree with statement it's a long way to fly and not see another island. But then I am reading how your day will be all airports and car rentals?

In the opinion of those that have island-hopped, what is the easiest island to hop to from Oahu (Honolulu)? Would we just be wasting a day?

thank you!

 

[Anal Annie]

Just got an email from Hawaiian Airlines - they have a one-way $39 fare sale thru tomorrow, Jan 20th on inter-island flights for some flights thru the end of March....

 

[pjacobi]

Hawaiian Airline bonus: in-flight POG juice!


-Paul