My Sister’s Honeymoon in Paradise

I helped my sister and her new husband plan the perfect honeymoon to Hawaii. They spent 5 nights on Kauai and then went to Maui for 6 nights. On Kauai, they stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai resort where they had a package that included a free night and a daily buffet breakfast.

Their Kauai itinerary included the following:

• Kauai Couples Escape Package at Hyatt's Anara Spa
• Kauai Helicopter Tour through Blue Hawaiian Helicopters
• Zip N'Dip with Princeville Ranch Adventures
  

After leaving Kauai, the honeymooners traveled to Maui where they stayed in a privately owned beachfront condo.

Their Maui itinerary included the following:

• Molokini Snorkel Cruise with Trilogy
• Old Lahaina Luau
• Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show

Overall, Julia and Steve had a great honeymoon and really enjoyed all of their activities. They loved both Kauai and Maui so much that they hated to return home and hope to return again next year!

Planning for Hawaii

Whenever I travel, I usually prefer to plan in advance. I don't plan for something to do during every minute of the trip or even every day. However, I do like to book activities in advance and plan for something to do at least every other day. If I don't plan, then I waste too much precious vacation time trying to decide what to do.

Hawaii is so far from where I live that I wouldn't want to visit for less than 12 days. The time zone difference and flight time make a short trip to Hawaii undesirable to me. The last time I went to Hawaii, I was there for 15 nights. I usually like to visit two islands. Next year, I want to visit Kauai and Maui. Last time, I went to the Big Island and Maui. Before that, I went to Oahu and Maui.

For me, planning includes reading hotel, condo, restaurant, and activity reviews. My favorite web site for planning is Tripadvisor.com. In addition reviews, many people post trip reports on the discussion boards detailing everything they did during their Hawaii vacation. The trip reports are especially great for deciding how to spend your time.

My first decision is usually where I will stay during the trip. Then, I book activities. Booking activities in advance is good because some of the most popular activities and shows with the best vendors are sold out in advance or for your preferred date. By booking in advance, I am guaranteed that I will be able to do what I want when I want.

Which Hawaiian Island is Best for You?

I've been to several Hawaiian islands and I was amazed at how different they were. There's definitely something for everyone and the islands you should visit depend on your interests. My favorite island was Maui. To me, it had the best mix of nature, shopping, and activities. I really loved its beauty and hated leaving when it was time to go home. Maui seemed to have something for everyone: great beaches, art galleries, shows, golf courses, and a lot of scenic locations for hiking. Maui is very near the island Lanai.

Lanai has great snorkeling and can easily be accessed from Maui by taking a ferry or snorkel cruise. We enjoyed seeing spinner dolphins near the island. Lanai has a more rural environment and Lanai city is very small and has an old fashioned feel. Lanai is great for someone who wants a more secluded island experience. There are a couple of luxury resorts, but there's not as much to do on the island other than hiking, playing golf and relaxing on the beach.

I've also visited the island Oahu. Honolulu is located on Oahu and the island seemed very urban in many areas. It was like Hawaii's version of New York city. As we approached the island from the air, I was stunned that the island appeared to be cluttered with buildings and concrete. It seemed to lack Maui's overall beauty, but I'm sure shopaholics love the huge malls and sunbathers love the great beaches. As a major metropolitan area, Oahu has many cultural activities, restaurants, and entertainment venues. I especially enjoyed the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Hawaii's largest island is called Hawaii and is also known as the Big Island. I didn't really enjoy this island as much as the others. The Big Island is the only one with an active volcano and it doesn't real beaches. Although it does have a some pretty scenery, a large portion of the island has black lava and limited greenery. The volcano was interesting, but the air quality due to vog was questionable and I noticed a lot of dead flies floating on the water when I went snorkeling. The island is definitely large and there are wide open spaces. You will definitely need to do a lot of driving if you want to go anywhere. Some people love the Big Island for its diverse climates, great hiking, kona coffee and active volcano.

I still haven't been to Kauai, but I definitely plan to go there next. The island is probably the most scenic of the islands as it gets the most rain. For that reason, I'm convinced that Kauai will become my second favorite island. Many people consider it to be the best island for helecopter rides and ziplining. There's not as much shopping or other activities as there is on Maui or Oahu, but it still seems like a really nice island.

Molokai is another island I haven't visited. It's referred to as the most Hawaiian island due to it's rural environment, slow pace, lack of streetlights, and extra large white sand beach.