Which Hawaiian island for our first visit to Hawaii?

[indysteel]

One other thing to emphasize: You're never guaranteed to see active lava flow. Right now, you can see it at the Jagger Museum overlook and by doing a 10-mile roundtrip hike from The End of Craters Road in the park. Outside the park, you can sometimes see active flow at the Kalapana Viewing Area in Puna, but you have no guarantee that Civil Defense will let you get close enough to actually see it. They have a hotline you can call for current reports/statuts. It's 808.961.8093. Of course, all this could change in an instant; you just never know.

Alas, we did not see active flow. We had plans to hike in the park one afternoon and then stay long enough to see the flow from the museum, but it was raining so hard as we passed by the park (after hiking to/from the Green Sand Beach at the southern tip of the island) that we just kept driving. We were spent as it was. Another reason to go back.....

[indysteel]

See, I think we'd really enjoy the kayaking and hiking is one of the tops on my list of priorities. But again, I need to see what my DH has in mind. He may want to snorkel, see active volcanos and such. I wouldn't dislike that stuff, so I can be flexible.

Snorkeling in Tahiti/Bora Bora blows Key West out of the water, too. It was spectacular - like a mind-blowing, multi-color 3D painting that you could swim in! We saw sharks, touched an octopus, got bitten by a big gorgeous rainbow colored fish and were flat out in over-stimulation mode/awe the entire time. It was my first snorkeling experience and it's kind of ruined me for all other destinations. I'd like to do the Great Barrier Reef someday, but other than that, I've not been inspired.

I also snorkeled in Cabo, but that was only OK. Without a reef, there just wasn't the variety and concentration of sea life like there was in Bora Bora.

I can see where Bora Bora and Tahiti might ruin you when it comes to snorkeling. Sounds amazing (and now I want to go). I will say that the kayaking on Kauai excites me. I imagine it's just a matter of time before we head there.

If it helps, I'm not sure you can really go wrong in your choice. That was one bit of comfort I took in trying to decide on which island. I mean it's all pretty cool, right?

[Veronica]

Just torment you - pictures from hiking on Kauai.






You can't go wrong either choice.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

OMG - I need to go there!

[Veronica]

Kauai - good snorkeling, hiking and kayaking. The helicopter tour is pretty cool too!

It didn't seem like a good place to road bike - part of why we keep going back to the Big Island.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

We chose Kauai.

We are booking now, but it looks like we will use miles on Alaska to discount our flights and then use the savings to partially upgrade our lodgings. I *think* we will be saying in a BnB for most of our stay and possibly in a resort for a couple of nights (only if we can secure an ocean view).

I can't wait!!

[indysteel]

Not that I've been there, but the more I thought about what you're interested in doing, the more I thought Kauai was the right choice (again, not that you could go wrong) for you. And, frankly, it's quickly moving up on my own to-do list. I so wish 2014 wasn't such an up-in-the-air year for me professionally; I'd love to start putting together our next big trip. We really want to do a self-guided walking tour in the UK with a few days in London tacked on. I've been to London; DH hasn't. After that, maybe Kauai. But I like to get way ahead of myself when it comes to vacation planning!

Have a great time, GLC. I'm really excited for you!!! Be sure to give a trip report when you return.

[GLC1968]

I totally will!

I've already got a helicopter tour, a sea kayaking tour to the Na'pali cliffs and a zipline tour on my radar for events. All three actually scare me, so I think it'll be a great adventure! I also expect that we'll do lots of hiking and snorkeling on our own. And maybe even just rent kayaks and do a river tour on our own as well (if we can). So, so many things to do and see!

We went budget-friendly on the hotel but made sure it was in a good location (with an ocean view) and we used miles on Alaska to save money on the flight so that we can afford to do more stuff when we are actually on the island. I'm so freaking excited!!

[jobob]

I would stay as far away as you can from Oahu.

It's been many many years since I lived there, but even then I would have said avoid Oahu.

LOL, the first thing that sprung to my mind when I read the original post was "Avoid Oahu like the plague!" Not that I've been on any other island in HI. Maybe someday.


Meanwhile, I hope you have a fan-tabulous trip, GLC!