The #1 question that people ask on the Yahoo/Travel/US/Honolulu forum is, which is the best island to visit? The answer to which is dependent upon the "asker". What activities interest you? All the islands offer you the island basics...beautiful beaches, surfing, snorkeling, fresh fish and fruits, and lots of scenic sights.
Beyond that, each island serves up things unique: Kauai...1300' NaPali sea-cliffs, Waimea Canyon (Grand Canyon of the Pacific), the only navigable rivers in the state (5) and, as you can imagine, some great kayaking opportunities, some great zip-lining, and limited commercialization.
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| Waimea Canyon |
Oahu...home to Honolulu, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head and 75% plus of the state's population. So, you will find tons of hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs to keep you entertained and the best chance at finding a "deal". However, the price is that it can get pretty crowded at times and may not resemble the ideal tropical getaway you may be imagining.
Maui...falls somewhere in between Kauai and Oahu, and the second most visited island in the chain. High points of Maui include; snorkeling at Molokini island, a very scenic drive on the road to Hana, Haleakala National Park (10,000+ elevation) where everyone talks about catching sunrises! Go during the winter season and you'll have easy access to whale watching cruises, although they are available on all the islands, Maui probably has the easiest access. While zip-lining can also be found on Oahu (1), and the Big Island (2), Maui is the only island that can rival Kauai with its zip-lining opportunities.
Interested in witnessing the power of a volcano? The Big Island of Hawaii is your only choice. Also home to Kailua-Kona, Hilo (wettest city in the US), and 13,000'+ Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. The Big Island offers all but two of the world's climate zones, landscapes that go from rainforest to dessert to alpine, all in a day's drive. The majority of resort development is confined to the Kailua-Kona side of the island and the rest of the island remains relatively untamed.
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| Kailua-Kona |
There are also the islands of Molokai and Lanai you could visit. Molokai is a very laid-back community and has the reputation for excluding many visitors. They are not necessarily rude, just not overly warm. Even those who live in Hawaii rarely visit Molokai and those that do, mainly go for the hunting and fishing. Molokai is most infamous for being the location of the Leper Colony and Father Damien, located on the north shores of the island. Also found on the north shore are the world's highest sea-cliffs, standing over 3,000' above the ocean.
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| Molokini island |
Lanai was known as the "Pineapple Isle" because it was almost entirely owned by the Dole Pineapple Company. About the only visits locals would make to Lanai was if they were one of the hundreds of high school students hired to pick pineapples during the summer break. Today, Lanai is reinventing itself as a resort destination with two resorts operating there. Not a lot to do, but if you're looking for "an escape", its a possibility worth looking into.
So, as you can see, there really is no one "best island". Everyone who visits leaves with their own personal favorite. To help you best pick your best destination, I have put a website together that points out things to do, places to go, and special events that might help.
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