Shall we get on this Hawaii trip at all?

August 12, 2007 8:41 AM

My wife and I are thinking to spend Thanksgiving (7 days total) in Hawaii. The little problem here is that we both are not "beach / water" persons (i.e., yes, we can stroll on beach, but sun-bathing / kayaking / snorkeling are not really our cup of tea). We don't even know how to swim!! (Maybe watched too many re-runs of "Jaw"??)

Any suggestions on activities for "dry folks"? Also I understand we probably should do some island hopping. So which island is the better one to start, how long to stay?

Thanks in advance for all feedbacks!!! You guys are absolutely the most helpful folks out there!!!

posted by kingfish to travel & transportation (20 comments total)

If you don't like doing the things that people do when they go to islands, why go to an island? Why not try going to a city stateside that has nice weather but other things to do?
posted by schroedinger at 8:51 AM on August 12, 2007

Kauai, Maui and the big island all have amazing hiking. IF you're really into backpacking, Kauai is more set up for it. The big island has some amazing dayhikes, but a lot of the nicer, longer ones involve bushwhacking.

On the big island, the Kona coast is pretty bare - you can hike along the water, but that's hot and rather unpleasant (parts are beyond beautiful, though). The valleys coming off of the Kohalas are your best bet for serious hiking, but there aren't that many trails between valleys (as opposed to Kauai, i think). Poloulou & Waipio are two very traditionally cool hikes, but neither is that long (Poloulou can be an afternoon hike. Well worth it, though). The Hilo side is very, very wet. Hawaii Volcanoes is a great park, with some great hikes, but may be a bit crowded around thanksgiving.

The Kohalas also have great horseback riding and mountain biking. If you go, there's a terrific town called Hawi (pronounced Ha-vi) with a great icecream/coffee shop right as you come in from the Kona coast. The road from Hawi to Waimea is one of the best roads I've ever been on. You get views of Maui, the rest of the big island, go through light rainforest, then ranchland, and then drop back into the dry stuff. Let me know if you have more questions about the big island.
posted by devilsbrigade at 8:52 AM on August 12, 2007

Go to a resort where there will be stuff like spas, shopping, entertainment, and you don't have to go to the beach. Or go to St. Marteen instead of Hawaii and enjoy the gambling :)
posted by jesirose at 8:55 AM on August 12, 2007

Like other said, there are tons of things to do on the islands that don't involve spending all your time in the water or laying on the sand. Just to add to the above, consider Volcanoes National Park which is pretty astounding. In addition to that, there are waterfalls and botanical gardens and good food and coffee to keep you occupied. Lastly, if you go to Oahu, there is all of the amenities of a large city (culture, museums, shopping) along with all of the rich powerful history of Pearl Harbor.

I would recommend taking a look at one of the XXX Island Revealed books from Wizard Publications. They are top notch and will give you a good handle on all of the non-water related things you can do on your trip.
posted by mmascolino at 9:05 AM on August 12, 2007

My wife hates water and cannot swim (I suspect she is part cat). We've been to Hawaii twice, the Big Island and Maui. She says the Big Island was more fun for her.

On the Big Island there is tons of outdoor activity - Kiluaea is really something to see if you can still get to the lava flows. We camped and backpacked all over the island. Many people bicycle the circumference of the island. Totally agree about Hawi, you can eat fantastic seafood with locals. See if you can check out the observatory on Mauna Kea. Finally, even if you don't like the beach, the green sand and black sand beaches are worth checking out and you're guaranteed to see some sea turtles.

I like Maui better. Off the beach, you have Haleakala, horseback riding, hiking in the Io canyon, and the town of Hana is really pretty cool, despite the tourism (and only a couple of small beaches). Oh, and tons of whales if you're into that.

All of that said, the ocean, beaches, and water sports are the best things about the islands. Why on Earth are you going if you're not interested in that?
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:06 AM on August 12, 2007

Oh, you also asked how many days to spend. The answer is: you won't have enough. A week was not enough for either the Big Island or Maui, both islands lend themselves to exploration. I totally recommend a jeep, motorcycle, or bringing your bikes.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 9:10 AM on August 12, 2007

Oh, forgot to mention. If you're in very good shape, you can climb Mauna Loa, too. Its a ~20 mile trail, you sleep in their cabins (there's two), so its not too too bad. It is high elevation though (summit is close to 14k), so you do need to be in shape.

The observatory is great, though. There's actually an observatory at the top, and a visitor's center about 3/4s of the way up Mauna Kea. As far as I know, the actual observatory is closed unless you know someone working there, but the visitor's center has star-watching a couple nights a week, and is generally a very cool place.
posted by devilsbrigade at 9:16 AM on August 12, 2007

We were in Maui a few years ago for a wedding, and we're not beach people either. On our days without wedding obligations, we had a nice time driving the "road to Hana" and visiting the Seven Sacred Pools. That was a nice day trip - we took it slow and stopped and took pictures almost everywhere. Go with a full tank of gas and maybe some snacks - make a picnic of it.

Another day we drove upland and visited a lavender farm, which actually had a lot of other beautiful plants. While up there, I believe that there are a few other places to tour, such as a goat cheese farm and a winery.

We went to a flea market, which had been billed for having local crafts and were dissapointed. The aquarium was quite nice, I wish we had spent more time there. (We also went and had ice cream cookie sandwiches at a place close by. I still occasionally crave their coconut ice cream.)

We ate most of our meals, and spent several evenings roaming around in Lahaina. Check out the banyan tree - you can't miss it. It's touristy, but some of the little boutiques were interesting. I believe there is also a whaling museum there.

In all - not being a beach person I can say that it was absolutely beautiful, relaxing, and amazing. However, I can't say that we'll be going back anytime soon. If you do go, have a fantastic time and just relax.
posted by librarianamy at 10:07 AM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

Surely Hawaii will be crowded at Thanksgiving? Beaches can hold an awful lot of people, but most other attractions can't, I would go to a less obvious destination and save Hawaii for when you can get there off-season.


"The day after thanksgiving is one of the busiest shopping days of the year for the entire country and Hawaii is no different, however the crowds and the traffic will be horrific."
posted by Idcoytco at 10:57 AM on August 12, 2007

Sorry, link to webpage doesn't seem to have worked. That quote was from Hawaii Travel News
posted by Idcoytco at 11:01 AM on August 12, 2007

Thank you all for the valuable advices!!

So thanksgiving is not really the prime season to go, right?
posted by kingfish at 12:21 PM on August 12, 2007

I'm not a beach/water person either, but that didn't get me down (I spent my childhood in Hawaii and have been back since). Maui and the Big Island (and possibly the others) are incredibly beautiful places to drive around--probably the most beautiful places I've ever been. I'm sure you could fill up a few days just driving around an island having picnics if that's your bag.
posted by blisterpack at 12:27 PM on August 12, 2007

Just one example of things to do in Hawai'i: Botanical gardens. Many of the specimens in the gardens are also to be found here and there in private parks or suburbs.

Hiking as pointed out elsewhere is quite good.

Having grown up on Maui, I have to say it is far too crowded for my taste now. The Big Island is more relaxing and less densely packed with crowds, O'ahu is the most crowded but it has some urban features, and Kaua'i is the most relaxing of all but it is small enough to feel confining, especially if you don't want to be in the water. Recreation, apart from oceanic recreation, is probably worst on Oahu and best on the Big Island.

Wherever you go, you will be exposed to tropical sun and even at Thanksgiving it is enough to give you a burn in less than a day.
posted by jet_silver at 12:32 PM on August 12, 2007

I found the big island to be the most pretty, and had some of the coolest things to do. However, I also felt like I spent all day (figuratively) in the car going places rather than doing the things. It is in fact a big island.

The botanical gardens on Oahu were amazing - I enjoyed them immensely even though I didn't think I would. It sounds boring (looking at plants?) but it was a good time.

Also on Oahu, the Bishop Museum is pretty awesome.

I lived there, and I never found it to feel more crowded during the tourist season, more so than any other time. It might be tougher to get cheap hotel reservations. Other than that, the islands are more crowded than you're used to, all the time. Parking lots are too small, traffic is heavy in certain areas, people don't give you much "personal space." It takes some getting used to.
posted by ctmf at 1:29 PM on August 12, 2007

Kona Village on the Big Island may fit the bill. It has many activities--fewer than a cruise, more than a hotel. It is on the edge of a lava field with caves and petroglyphs. Until visiting Kona Village, I never associated Hawaii with caves ...

The resort is in a cove. The water is shallow and warm. Even non-swimmers can feel safe.

Meal plan is all-inclusive, except for drinks. Most activities are included in the price.

The resort is luxurious but rustic. The bungaloes have no phones, tvs, radios, or locks on the doors. Privacy is ensured by placing a coconut outside your door.

There are other fantastic places (e.g., Hana on Maui), but if I had one place to go, this would be it.
posted by GarageWine at 4:41 PM on August 12, 2007

A bit more of the same: I spent 12 days in Hawaii and I only recall going into the water four times. What I did do, on the Big Island and Kauai:
* sunset and stargazing on Mauna Kea
* explore each town (Kona, Hilo, etc.)
* hike the active volcano
* golf
* spa
* tennis
* a traditional luau
* explore mountains and canyons--we're not big hikers, but you could spend days outdoors on Kauai and never get near water, on foot or bicycle
* horseback riding (I forget if we got to it, but it's a great option on the big island)
* if you don't mind being *on* the water, go for a short boat ride; we saw the Napali Coast of Kauai on a manned, dry ride
We had a second trip planned to visit Maui and Lanai which would have been more of the same: some hiking, golf, cycling, driving the Road to Hana, etc.

You already realize that Hawaii is a beautiful place for a getaway. You'll have no trouble crafting a nice dry vacation there.
posted by werty at 7:15 PM on August 12, 2007

Well dang. I don't know shit about Hawaii. There are plenty of things to do on an island even if you don't like traditional island vacation activities!
posted by schroedinger at 7:33 PM on August 12, 2007

If you're into hiking, I can highly recommend this site for information.

Oh and while Kauai, the big island, and Maui are all amazing places don't let island snobs put you off Oahu. Once outside Honolulu and environs there are some way cool places to visit and explore. A few off the top of my head are the Byodo-In temple, Haiku Gardens (in Kaneohe), Sea Life Park and others.
posted by lazywhinerkid at 2:41 AM on August 13, 2007

I went to the Big Island last year, and had a great time. We are, in fact, into snorkeling and such, but there are plenty of other activities to fill a week. The absolute highlight was the hike out to see the lava entering the ocean--you go in the afternoon, see the lava in the twilight, then hike back in the dark. You'll need headlamps, water, food, boots, and a good state of health, but, WOW.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:15 AM on August 13, 2007

I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and dislike anything to do with the beach- surfing (looks too scary), snorkeling (I wear glasses), sunbathing (I don't like being tan). I've also recently spent time vacationing on Maui and the Big Island. That said, there's PLENTY to do without having to the beach:

Oahu- Hike Diamond Head (30-45 min one way), hike the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail (also 30-45ish minutes), drive around the island along the coast especially the east side, visit Byodo Inn Japanese Temple, Pali Lookout, walk around Chinatown, see Iolani Palace, Polynesian Cultural Center, Punchbowl, Dole Canery, North Shore is worth a visit to see the little shops and watching peopel surf.

Maui- Spent one day driving from Kahului Airport and doing the Road to Hana (black sand beach, red sand beach, dozens of waterfalls), then the second day was spent on Haleakala Volcano Crater, Iao Valley, then driving along the western side of the island with all the fancy resorts.

Big Island- drive around the whole island along the coast and stop at points along the way. We spent one day from the west (Kona airport) down and up to the east (Hilo side), the second day from the east back to the west from top. Heiaus, South Point, Volcano National Park, black sand beaches, and some waterfalls you can easily look up.
posted by Jimmie at 8:29 AM on August 13, 2007