Where should we go in Hawaii?

March 20, 2008 9:50 PM

Trying to plan a trip to Hawaii before our first child arrives. Where shall we go? (More inside.)

My partner and I want to go to Hawaii in April, but we can't decide where. Some background:

- We've been to the Big Island and Maui, and one of us has been to Kauai. We do not want to go back to the Big Island; we probably want to go to Kauai or Maui.
- We'd like to stay in a resort that isn't super-touristy and built up. No Waikiki, please.
- We've stayed in Wailea, Maui, and loved it.
- We've considered and rejected going to Kailua on Oahu because we want to stay in a hotel as opposed to a B&B. We also don't want to be too isolated -- prefer to stay somewhere with a variety of restaurant options where you don't have to eat in some resort dining room every day.
- We like to laze on the beach, snorkel, eat, and explore. One of us will be 7 months pregnant.
- We want to stay on a nice beach with good swimming.
- We'll rent a car.

Thank you!

posted by stonefruit to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

You might try the north part of Kauai, near Hanalei, which has a nice mix of resorts and small town stuff, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world (check Flickr for Na Pali coast shots). (Did I mention, when I last saw you, my envy for your trip?)
posted by judith at 10:55 PM on March 20

I was just coming here from my RSS reader to suggest exactly what judith already has -- the north part of Kauai sounds perfect and Flickr is awesome for searching for beaches and places to stay. You can drop all the little town names into flickr's search (like say "Princeville") and get shots of everything you might want to see. I just spent a week on the west side of Kauai which was great and relaxing, but pretty far from everything. The north had a lot more resorts and beaches worth snorkeling at.

Other than that, the south part of Maui is nice but it sounds like you guys have stayed near there before so you'll know what the expect. Personally I loved Kauai because it seemed so rustic and uncrowded compared to Oahu and Maui. It felt like the rest of Hawaii must have felt like 30-40 years ago, especially on the west side where there is almost no resort development.
posted by mathowie at 11:16 PM on March 20

Waimea Plantation Cottages on Kauai covers most of what you've specified, but you may have to drive/walk a bit for a swimmable beach.
posted by iamabot at 11:42 PM on March 20

Sorry I can't help much, I just dropped in to mention that I'll be at the Sheraton on Poipu Beachfrom the 9th - 26th of April. MeMail me if you're nearby & maybe we can have a mini meetup and swap tips on what we've found!
posted by goshling at 1:56 AM on March 21

I spent a few days at Poipu in the southern part of Kauai (in a rented condo) a while back. It didn't impress me as being very touristy at all. Just very deeply chilled out. Reasonably close to Waimea Canyon. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
posted by dzot at 6:32 AM on March 21

When I went to Kauai in the mid-90s, I stayed in Poipu. If you have recommendations on places to stay that are adjacent to swimmable beaches (I was at the Hyatt, and the beach was too rough), we'd love to hear it.

Thanks!
posted by stonefruit at 6:41 AM on March 21

If you have a car, Kauai isn't a real big place so its not hard to be that far away restaurant choices. We stayed at the Princeville on the north side of the island and it wasn't far to get to the east side of the island or closer to the village where all the boat excursions to the Na Pali coast leave. Even more reasonable if you combine dinner with some other activity that would take you to that other part of the island (e.g. helicopter ride, botanical garden, shopping, etc.). The only place the north shore isn't close to is the extreme west side of the island and the canyons over there.
posted by mmascolino at 7:59 AM on March 21

I was able to swim and snorkle right in Poipu Beach Park, but perhaps I had especially calm weather. I doubt anything on the south shore can match Anini in the north for swimming and snorkling.
posted by dzot at 9:41 AM on March 21

I would check with your babydoc before you make any reservations. My friend had a flight from California to Hawaii booked, then figured out she'd be 5 months pregnant during the trip. Her doc nixed the whole thing.
posted by killy willy at 9:49 AM on March 21

North Shore of Kauai - a rental house west of Hanalei is your best bet given what you've seen/done before and what you want to do. Yes, it can be a little rainy up here, but it's the prettiest part of the island IMO and tremendously UN-touristy. Just don't stay at Princeville.

Easy to get to via car - maybe 35/40 mins from the airport, a beautiful drive. And the beaches up here - Tunnels and Ke'e - are fantastic. Actually, they're all fantastic, I just remember those two specifically. Great snorkeling, sunbathing, etc. and the food in Hanalei is fine and not too expensive.

You can buy produce at the 2x a week farmers market and cook at your rental, which we found really doable - the market in Hanalei has all the staples, and the Dolphin fish market (behind the restaurant) has great prices on fresh tuna, octopus, and everything else that's local and good.
posted by luriete at 9:53 AM on March 21

Nth-ing Kauai. If close beaches are more important than restaurants, stay in Poipu. If restaurants are more important than beaches, stay near Hanalei. And get the Ultimate Kauai Guide. I'm not affiliated with the book; it's just that awesome.

I don't know which coast will have better water conditions in April. Generally the north shore is calmer in the summer and the south shore is calmer in the winter, but April is a mystery to me.
posted by billtron at 11:19 AM on March 21

The Hawaii Beach Safety site has maps indicating where the currents are strong, beach descriptions and all advisories. Right now it looks like the south side of Kauai has the best areas for swimming. It'd be a good site to check right before you go. Have a great trip!
posted by Craig at 1:24 PM on March 21

You might consider the Kahala Mandarin on Oahu if it's in your budget. Nothing against the neighbor islands, but there really is more to see and do on Oahu, and it's the only major Hawaiian island neither of you has ever explored. The Mandarin is located well-outside Waikiki yet close enough for good access to a variety of restaurants and is a good base for exploring Oahu. Turtle Bay and the Ihilani are nice too, but far from town and lend themselves more to a stay-at-resort vacation (i.e. less exploring).
posted by zanni at 5:53 PM on March 26