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Is Hawaii Overrated As a Vacation Spot?
- Thread starter Sampson
- Start date
If you're just looking for a chill place with nice beaches and good restaurants it's fine. It's just really fucking far away. Most people could save a ton of money going someplace similar that's a lot closer.
Though there are similar experiences elsewhere (went to St. Lucia in April '18) I've got to go specifically to Hawaii to get the fiftieth state for my entire family (well, the kids technically don't have Alabama yet but we're doing that in April). Was a goal I set when they were born and it has been a long time coming. =)
My wife and I stayed out of the hotels and found air BnB or holiday apartments we hired for a couple of nights. We did Maui, The Big Island west and east, oahu. We visited all the volcanoes, the solar observatory, saw wales, did the Hannah highway, pearl harbor, north beach etc. We partied and sun bathed on big and little beach. Plus visited many others. We explored and hired cars and came from England.
If am honest it didn't feel all that expensive and we took time to find cheep places to stay eg $20 to $50 dollars a night.
For a big trip we felt we got value money and will definitely come back. It's almost as far away from the UK as you can get but well worth it.
Woah, you found AirBnB for 20-50 bucks a night in Hawaii? That's a steal.
Glad to hear you had a good time.
Hi, should qualify it as 20 to 50 bucks each. However yes. We had a great time. We will be back and shall bring the kids when they grow up. Now that we have some.
West and South both have great weather relative to the North - the North is more rugged. Hana is tall and gorgeous and rugged too. Honestly any of the forest preserve/parks are amazing and the desert in Maui is spectacular. If the weather forecast is good (AT ALTITUDE and altitide is no joke and neither is the saddle road although it's all paved) then night time at the top of Mauna Kea is obviously SPECTACULAR with a clear sky but if you can't overnight (campervan or similar arrangement) it's a LONG drive down at night. But if you can do it, it's a once in a lifetime way to see the sunset, the Milky Way, likely meteors galore and then sunrise over the clouds. South is where you want to be for gentle beaches and sunshine. Kihei is a sweet day at the beach. Oh and whale watching in season.
We went to Kauai and Maui in 2017. Did a week on both but Kauai is the only one I'd go back to. Kauai felt like an exotic island with like one road and half the island isn't even accessible by car. On Maui you land, get in a rental car and hit a highway with a Walmart at the first exit.
I didn't find it outrageously expensive (NYC and parts of SoCal top that list). We AirBnB'd on both islands, on Kauai we had a condo at a resort and on Maui we had an entire house on the side of Haleakala for a week with views of both coasts and it was cheaper than a hotel. Touristy stuff like helicopter tours and a Road to Hana tour were what you expect to pay but for the money it was absolutely worth the experience.
I tell anyone who asks about Hawaii to go to Kauai though, it's like another world. And my reasoning is "You will drive 10 minutes and find the most beautiful beach you've ever seen, and nobody will be on it. Then you will drive another 10 minutes and find an even MORE beautiful beach and again, there will be nobody there". When I say "nobody" I just mean barely anyone to the point you can set up on a spot and nobody will be within shouting distance. There's always people milling around and hanging out at every beach but it's just so relaxing to have space and privacy, nothing compares.
I didn't find it outrageously expensive (NYC and parts of SoCal top that list). We AirBnB'd on both islands, on Kauai we had a condo at a resort and on Maui we had an entire house on the side of Haleakala for a week with views of both coasts and it was cheaper than a hotel. Touristy stuff like helicopter tours and a Road to Hana tour were what you expect to pay but for the money it was absolutely worth the experience.
I tell anyone who asks about Hawaii to go to Kauai though, it's like another world. And my reasoning is "You will drive 10 minutes and find the most beautiful beach you've ever seen, and nobody will be on it. Then you will drive another 10 minutes and find an even MORE beautiful beach and again, there will be nobody there". When I say "nobody" I just mean barely anyone to the point you can set up on a spot and nobody will be within shouting distance. There's always people milling around and hanging out at every beach but it's just so relaxing to have space and privacy, nothing compares.
This thread was enlightening.
I hate tourist Traps and people.
I would go to where many of you recommended
I hate tourist Traps and people.
I would go to where many of you recommended
Nah. I love Hawaii. Went to Oahu twice and loved every second of it.
So much nature, so many great hikes. Great food and super chill people.
Yeah, it's expensive but in my opinion it's worth it. Other places might come close to replicating the feeling but it won't be the same.
Next time we'll add a second island to our trip.
So much nature, so many great hikes. Great food and super chill people.
Yeah, it's expensive but in my opinion it's worth it. Other places might come close to replicating the feeling but it won't be the same.
Next time we'll add a second island to our trip.
Done and done. I did the Pipiwai trail and went through the bamboo forest. I just don't think my photos turned out great. Videos were good though.
Visited Kaui and the Napali coast in 2017. Photos are from a doors off helicopter on my Galaxy S6 (prior posted photos are from S8 and GX85)
I stayed in South Maui (Wailua). This meant I was ever so slightly closer to Haleakala and Road to Hana. However, west Maui is much closer to the Nakalele Blowhole, Olivine Pools, and Waihe'e Ridge Trail which are all must sees in my opinion. I liked South Maui and I feel like there are more not so crowded beaches and also the best beach on the island (Big Beach) but if I had to do it again West Maui is better located to the must sees.
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I'd rather go to Hawaii. At least I'd still be in the United States so it wouldn't be as terrifying.
My family lives in Maui. I prefer South Maui. West Maui can be a bit touristy and ritzy. You get a bit more local flavor in South Maui too.
Interesting—never would've thought the deserts could be a destination in Maui, but man that sounds really awesome. We are an adventurous bunch so will definitely bring up overnight idea.
Good to know! I figure I'll start creating a list/map of what I want to tackle and put those places on there. Your pics = exactly the kinds of things I wanted to see.
I see. As a group, our goal is more adventure than relaxation so it sounds like South may be a better fit. Will have to balance out against the destinations on the West side. Doesn't seem like it's make or break either way.
And hey just wanted to give thanks to everyone who posted their experiences. Aside from rebutting the thread title :P, it's been a good resource as there's just a deluge of info to sort through online. It's been helpful to have Era as a starting point. Really comes across how much beloved Maui is in some posts and I can't wait to go to there.
I certainly hope it isnt. I'm going out there for my honeymoon in October. We're staying at Waikiki Beach for a few days then jumping on a 7 night cruise that hits up a bunch of islands. Granted, it's expensive as hell but we thought this will be our only chance to go there for a very long time.
I don't think it's overrated per say, it's just that Riviera Maya and CR are very similar even from a nature perspective and vastly cheaper. All the cenotes, beaches, and chichen itza are amazing. Just don't do the whole all inclusive thing. Find a few different spots, rent a car, and actually check things out. PR is also amazing but I have not been post hurricane Maria. Before the hurricane culebra was fucking paradise. Kayaking the bioluminescent bay on vieques is still probably hands down the coolest thing I've ever done. Had perfect conditions and it was fucking magical.
It mostly comes down to cost but the Hawaiian culture is quite special as well.
I think people are willing to pay more for people speaking english, general feeling of safety due to it being within US, and less likely chance of getting the shits on your vacation.
I think people are willing to pay more for people speaking english, general feeling of safety due to it being within US, and less likely chance of getting the shits on your vacation.
Lived on Oahu these past 3 years.
If it wasn't for work I would love it here.
My first 18 or so months here were heaven. I felt like I was doing a new thing almost every day.
DONT do a short trip here.
Some of my family came for about 3 days and there just wasn't enough time to do a lot.
Also, TRAFFFFFFFFFFFFIC.
Honolulu is a major city, and there are almost 800,000 people on this island i think.
It's crazy.
If it wasn't for work I would love it here.
My first 18 or so months here were heaven. I felt like I was doing a new thing almost every day.
DONT do a short trip here.
Some of my family came for about 3 days and there just wasn't enough time to do a lot.
Also, TRAFFFFFFFFFFFFIC.
Honolulu is a major city, and there are almost 800,000 people on this island i think.
It's crazy.
It's a magical land that I can go to and no one there questions whether or not I'm an American. I sometimes can't commute to work without being called into question.
Curious why Big Island is mentioned so infrequently compared to the others? I'm contemplating a trip with some friends (all reasonably fit and in our late 20s/early 30s) and I feel like 90% of the vacation posts I see online are from trips to all of the other major islands. Can anyone provide some insight?
Mauna Kea and the volcano are def worth visiting. It's a really big island and there's not much to do besides those tho.
It's a lot of long drives.
Parts of it feel like you're on a different planet. I joked with the friend I went with, it was like a video game with multiple elemental realms, we had the snowy mountain, the barren wastelands, the tropical jungles, the sandy beaches, the molten volcanoes.. it's definitely unique.
If you do go, start your Mauna Kea ascent around 1 hour before sunset, that way you will see some AMAZING star views.
Depends on where you stay and what you do. Took my honeymoon there this past November. If you only stay in Honolulu, that's a bad idea. North shore was very nice. I enjoyed Dole Plantation and Pearl Harbor.
I've also heard that Oahu is the worst island to visit too, I've heard only good things about Maui and the other islands.
It is very expensive though. I think it's worth going to once at least, but otherwise I would rather go to a new place than back again, but I feel the same about everywhere. I'd rather travel to different places on vacation than go to the same spot over and over.
I've also heard that Oahu is the worst island to visit too, I've heard only good things about Maui and the other islands.
It is very expensive though. I think it's worth going to once at least, but otherwise I would rather go to a new place than back again, but I feel the same about everywhere. I'd rather travel to different places on vacation than go to the same spot over and over.
Caveat: I keep mixing up Big Island and Maui in my head in terms of mountain ascents, saddle road, Keck telescope etc
1. It's really big and the good stuff is spread out. You have to consider a car rental to get the most out of it. Bus isn't gonna hack it.
2. VOG - it can be smoky and hazy and if you have allergies it can get brutal. Volcanic activity is great when it means seeing lava flows (you can get VERY close legally and safely) but it can also be a hazard/emergency situation.
3. It has EVERYTHING - jungle, mountains, beaches, hikes, you name it - but except for the Volcanoes themselves - you can find a version of those things everywhere else and sometimes on more manageable islands.
4. From some angles it can look sort of ugly - especially on the landing approach - of course once you're there, the "ugly" black lava fields are actually gorgeous and most of the island is not black lava fields.
5. A lot of it is GIANT RESORT AND MALL - then miles of barren road then GIANT RESORT AND MALL. But honestly so is Maui and Oahu in chunks. But the sheer size of the Big Island exacerbates that feeling.
If the volcano "weather" is good though - it can in fact be the most rewarding island.
Lack of beaches basically. It's a "new" Island geologically speaking so it has a lot of rocky shores compared to other islands. Of course there are some beaches but the other islands have more of the white, sugar-like sands and huge stretches of beach that tourists crave.
Maui and the Big Island are both amazing places.
There are also tons of great spots in Mexico and the Caribbean, but have you ever stopped to think why those trips cost half as much? Venture outside the tourist areas and you will see what life is like for a lot of the hotel and restaurant staff.
There are also tons of great spots in Mexico and the Caribbean, but have you ever stopped to think why those trips cost half as much? Venture outside the tourist areas and you will see what life is like for a lot of the hotel and restaurant staff.
Just got back from Hawaii again. Second time in two years. Maui this time. If you think Hawaii is overrated you are doing it wrong.
Nice pics.
If you only go for the beaches then its ofcourse overacted, everywhere in the world has Trivago hotels and beaches.
I've been wanting to go to Hawaii ever since the running machines at the gym have got these virtual running track videos, a few of which go across the forests and volcano in Hawaii. That's the sort of thing nowhere else in the world has. I can get beaches anywhere
Completely agree. I tell people a rental car is a must and if you are going to stay at a resort and not leave the beach the entire time then it's not worth it you can do that in Florida.