Which Hawaiian island for our first visit to Hawaii?

[shootingstar]

Went to both Big Hawai'i Island and Kauai. I enjoyed both. Big Island offers a lot. Kauai has some stunning scenery, etc.

I actually don't mind if things look abit worn..it's ok if people live there and there is activity/commerce, etc. It's real.

I loved Hawai'i for what mainland U.S. is not: a very different (long) cultural and history base. We met people who had never visited mainland U.S. Probably either not interested or they couldn't afford it.

To appreciate Hawaii deeply in my opinion is to appreciate the South Pacific first and fusion of people/cultures there. It is most prominent there (yes, I know. But I come from Vancouver, Toronto where fusion happens, but it's quite different, um more bland..)

We went to Maui where on south shore in early January, the whales have their babies. Shortly thereafter are international outrigger boat races that draw upon competitors from South Pacific, etc. We missed the latter, which we didn't know until got there.