Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
First and foremost, yes, it's possible to have a fabulous vacation in Hawaii and not have to
take out a second mortgage. The next most common question readers ask is: “What should I
do in Hawaii?”
Our response: How much time do you have, and what do you like to do?
The purpose of this chapter is to give you expert advice on the best things to see and do, and
how to do them in an orderly fashion so you're not driving madly from one end of the island
to the other.
Here's the best advice we can give you:
Donotplantoseemorethanoneislandperweek.
This isn't the Caribbean, where islands are so close to each other that you can island-hop. With
the exception of the ferry between Maui and Lanai, getting from one island to another is an
all-day affair that consists of: packing and checking out of your hotel, driving to the airport
(most island airports are a 30- to 60-minute drive from resort areas), dropping off your rental
car, checking in (and standing in long lines) 90 minutes before your scheduled flight, flying
from one island to the next, waiting for your luggage (sometimes the wait for the luggage is
just as long or longer than your interisland flight), getting yet another rental car, driving 30 to
60 minutes to your hotel, checking in, and so on. Don't waste a day of your vacation seeing
our interisland air terminals.
Also,
don't max out your days.
You're in Hawaii—which means you should allow some
time to do nothing but relax. Ease into your vacation. Due to jet lag, you'll probably be tired
your first day, and hitting the pillow at 8 or 9pm might sound good. Don't be surprised if you
wake up your first morning in Hawaii before the sun comes up. Your internal clock might still
be set 2 to 6 hours earlier than Hawaii's.
Finally, think of your first trip to Hawaii as a “scouting” trip. Hawaii is too beautiful, too
sensual, too enticing to see just once in a lifetime. You'll be back. You don't need to see and
do everything on this trip. In fact, if you fall in love with something in the itinerary below, go
back again.
One last thing—you'll need a car to get around the islands, so remember to plan for that
expense, and with recent cut backs in the rental fleet, book your car as soon as you book your
airline. Oahu has an adequate public transportation service, TheBus, but it's set up for Hawaii-
an residents, not tourists carrying coolers, towels, toys, and other things to the beach (all carry
ons must it under the bus seat). So plan to rent a car, but also to get out of it as much as
possible. Hawaii is not a place to see from your car window. You have to get out to smell the
sweet perfume of plumeria, to feel the warm rain on your face, to hear the sound of the wind
through a bamboo forest, and to plunge into the gentle waters of the Pacific.
