How to decide which island to visit in Hawaii

Want to fly to Hawaii but not sure which islands you should visit? Here you'll find a summary of practical tips so you can decide for yourself which one is perfect for you:

Kauai, Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island.

One of them has everything you need to make your dream trip a reality. Ready to find out the winner?

Overview of each island

Oahu

• It welcomes the highest number of visitors in the archipelago.
• The range of direct domestic and international flights is huge and varied.
• Accommodations are a bit more affordable than on the other islands.
• The weather is great year-round.
• It's perfect for lovers of big cities, nightlife, or shopping.
• The main tourist hotspots are Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and Waikiki Beach.
• It's home to plenty of fascinating cultural and historical spots.
• The North Shore is a surfer's paradise, especially in winter.
• The east is a natural oasis for anyone looking to escape its urban capital.

Maui

• It's the second most visited island in Hawaii.
• Accommodations come with a higher price tag than on Oahu.
• The height of Haleakala keeps clear skies over the western beaches and creates a semi-tropical rainforest on the east side.
• It's the ultimate crowd-pleaser, sitting right between cosmopolitan Oahu and the untouched wilderness of Kauai or the Big Island.
• The perfect spot for a honeymoon.
• Star highlights include the famous Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park, and beaches with unforgettable sunsets.
• It boasts great snorkeling spots.
• The best humpback whale watching in Hawaii happens right off Maui.

Big Island

• It's the third most visited island, right behind Oahu and Maui.
• Its real name is Hawaii, but it's called the Big Island to tell it apart from the archipelago.
• It has 2 airports, one in Hilo and the other in Kona.
• It's the biggest and youngest of all the islands.
• The only option if you want to see lava with your own eyes.
• It features two distinct areas with totally different vibes:
  • Kailua-Kona/Kohala (west coast): a resort area with great weather, tons of hotel options, awesome snorkeling, and golden beaches.
  • Hilo/Puna/Volcano (east coast): rural, with fewer visitors (and lodging), surrounded by tropical rainforest, and the ideal base camp to explore Hawaii's only active volcanic area.
• If you want to visit a glowing crater, soak in nature, and spend a few days on paradise beaches without hopping islands, the Big Island is for you.

Alert: Right now (mid-May 2018), Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island is temporarily closed due to several ground fissures opened by Kilauea's activity and the forecast of possible magma explosions. Before planning your route, check the official park website.

Kauai

• Of the 4 main islands, Kauai gets the fewest visitors.
• It's the oldest in the archipelago.
• Lodging in the north has steep prices compared to the east coast and parts of the south.
• Even though the south enjoys plenty of sunny days, it's the wettest and rainiest island in Hawaii.
• Much of it is inaccessible by road; you can only reach certain spots on foot, by boat, or by air.
• Ideal for adventurers, hikers, and nature lovers.
• Among its gems are Waimea Canyon, the Napali Coast, and the highest concentration of dreamy beaches in Hawaii for sunbathing, surfing, and snorkeling.
• If you avoid the crowds, are a hiking lover, and want to witness the most fascinating landscapes you can imagine, welcome to Kauai. 😉

Why we chose Kauai and Maui

Now that you know a few general details about the character of each island, you can tailor your decision depending on how they match your hobbies, tastes, and travel style. In our case, there are 3 main rules that guide every single one of our adventures:

1. We love nature, rural landscapes, going on treks, and watching wild animals in the wild.
2. We steer clear of crowds, noise, and the urban frenzy whenever we can.
3. We prefer traveling at a relaxed pace, without rushing or overly tight schedules, so we can savor every moment.

Kauai, hands down

Therefore, the first island we picked was Kauai, which more than ticked all the boxes we look for in a trip: pure nature, hiking, and tranquility. Plus, it had been on my photographer's wish list for years. 😉 With the second one, we did have our doubts:

Maui, by process of elimination

Oahu, being the most cosmopolitan and crowded, didn't really appeal to us.

Big Island gave us the chance to see active volcanic magma, but we knew that the chances of catching this experience are pretty unpredictable. In other words, it depends a lot on the day and how lucky you get at that moment. So, to boost your odds of witnessing that kind of show, you need to spend enough days on Big Island. Especially if you also want to explore the rest of the island the way it deserves.

In our case, we had limited time that didn't allow us to stay as long as we would've liked on Big Island. And Kauai, our top pick, was already going to take up a good chunk of our days. So we set our sights on Maui. Even though it's the second most visited, Maui has hidden spots where you can escape the world, like the Road to Hana in reverse or the summit of Haleakala several hours after sunrise.

Besides, at the end of every adventure, we always love lounging on a beach for a few days to relax and snorkel among coral reefs, and Maui offers endless options for that. The hard part, really, was choosing.

On top of that, we officially called that getaway “Our pre-wedding honeymoon” (we're a very atypical couple, I know), so wrapping it up in Maui was the perfect final touch, don't you think?

The Maui PDF guide

Want to download all the info from this blog on what to see in Maui and, even better, how to do it in a PDF?

54 pages to help you organize your custom route and enjoy Maui at your own pace.

Interested? Then click here and grab the guide for just €1.95.

How much time to spend on each island

It depends a lot on your travel pace. But don't worry, I'll take a stand: If you want to explore stress-free, discover the best spots, and make sure that unexpected setbacks (whether weather-related or health-related) don't ruin your experience, I recommend spending at least 1 week on each island.

7 days

At least 5 days if you're the type who rushes everywhere. We split our time into 9 days on Kauai (the big favorite) and 7 days on Maui.

Travel insurance is a must… If you want to travel around Hawaii with total peace of mind knowing that, no matter what happens, you're protected and supported by a company where your well-being comes first, get your travel insurance with IATI and take advantage of a 5% discount on the final price through this link. I never leave without my IATI policy, especially after what happened to us in Brazil.

What order to visit the Hawaiian islands in

Here you should keep 3 main factors in mind:

1. What's your budget?
2. How many flights are you willing to take?
3. How do you prefer to start and end your trip?

If you don't have a budget limit and don't care how many flights you take, you can focus on the third point and ask yourself:

When I picture myself in Hawaii, where do I see myself a few hours after landing, and how do I picture myself saying goodbye to the islands?

Close your eyes, feel it, and choose: lying on a beach, hiking a jungle trail, taking a road trip, standing atop a mountain, marveling at a scenic viewpoint, snorkeling among colorful fish… However, if you want to save time, money, and even reduce your carbon footprint, you should also give weight to the first 2 factors. In fact, they're closely linked since the more flights you book, the higher your total vacation cost will be. My recommendation in this case:

• Look for inbound flights to Hawaii that take you to your first chosen destination without layovers within the archipelago.
• Take 1 internal flight between the islands you want to explore, one-way only.
• Book a return flight home (or to your next stop) from the last island you visit, once again, without layovers in the others.

To find flights with different departure and arrival cities, select the 'multi-city' option you'll find on your favorite flight search engine or on each airline's official website.

Our flights in detail

In our case, we took advantage of a work trip to the United States to visit Hawaii. So, I had to book flights from the San Diego International Airport.

Since we didn't plan on visiting Oahu, I had to look for alternatives to the standard routes. With a little research, I found out that Alaska Airlines offered direct round-trip flights to Kauai and Maui from San Diego, skipping layovers in Oahu, and at reasonable prices (San Diego-Kauai + Maui-San Diego for €1,536, €384 per person each way).

If you go with this airline, make sure to pack some snacks in your backpack. It's a long flight and they only offer complimentary drinks.

To hop between islands, we took one of the many Kauai-Maui flights offered by Hawaiian Airlines. In our case, it cost €212.72, €106.36 per person.

Still don't have flights to Hawaii?

If you want to find competitive prices for international routes, it's worth searching and booking well in advance: about 6-8 months.

However, for domestic flights (for example, between San Diego and Hawaii), I recommend waiting about 2-4 months before your travel date (unless you spot a deal that's too good to pass up).

Personally, I recommend starting your search on Trabber because the price it shows is final (it includes card fees and other taxes). That said, I always compare the results with eDreams and Momondo.

You never know who will have the best deals. 😉

Useful Links

• Official website of the Volcanoes National Park on Big Island.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams and Momondo.
• Alaska Airlines.
• Hawaiian Airlines.
• 5% discount when booking your travel insurance with IATI.
• Hotel deals in Hawaii.

And now, here's everything I can share about our experience in Kauai and Maui to help you plan your own trip: About Kauai:

• 9-day Kauai road trip, step by step.
• Practical guide to organizing your own trip to Kauai.
• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most demanding trek.
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter… with no doors!
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what are you in the mood for today?
• Discover the Napali Coast on a luxury boat.
• Queen’s Bath, forbidden beauty in the Garden of Eden.
• Mahaulepu Trail, hiking, temples, and pristine beaches in Kauai.

About Maui:

• 7-day Maui road trip, fall in love with Hawaii.
• Guide to planning a DIY trip to Maui.
• The best snorkeling beaches in South Maui.
• Humpback whale watching off the coast of Maui.
• A nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• The full description of our experience at O’hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• 3 days and 2 nights exploring the Road to Hana.

Do you have any questions about how to decide which Hawaiian island is perfect for you? Leave me a comment down below and I'll be thrilled to share my thoughts with you!