Topic Wiki

Please post your questions in the correct thread. This thread, as the title clearly states, is for general Hawaii questions only.

If you have any questions that pertains to a particular island, post it in the appropriate island thread. See below for links to all island threads.

You'd get far better answers there, and chances are that your issue was already discussed at length too.

DansMeals: Hawaii For The Kosher Traveler:
-Part 1: General Info And The Island Of Oahu
-Part 2: The Big Island of Hawaii
-Part 3: Maui
-Part 4: Kauai

Related DD Posts:
-Ultimate Hawaii Mileage Chart and Everything You Need to Know About the Hawaiian Islands (2015)
-Trip Notes: Maui No Ka ‘Oi (2014)
-Trip Notes Kauai: Heaven On Earth (2014)
-The Hawaiian Islands. (2011)
-Traveling To Hawaii…With A 5 Month Old (2011)
-View From The Room (2011)
-Pearl Harbor…70 Years (2011)
-Shaloha! (2011)
-Hawaii Trip Notes: Kauai (2009)
-Hawaii Trip Notes: Oahu (2009)
-Which Miles To Use To Fly To Hawaii?

Related DDF Destination Threads:
-Big Island Of Hawaii Master Thread
-Kauai Master Thread
-Maui Master Thread
-Oahu Master Thread
-Lanai, Molokai, and Niihau, Hawaii Master Thread

Background on Hawaiian Islands
You've probably heard of Honolulu. That's the state capital and is located on island of Oahu, the main island with the largest airport. Honolulu hosts the famous Waikiki Beach and if you look at pictures, it looks like Miami. One long beach with a strip of hotels. Most DDFers say to go to one of the other 3 main islands which are less touristy and the hotels are more spread out. In no particular order, the other islands are Maui, Kauai and Hawaii (yes, that's the name of one of the islands. It's also known as The Big Island - confusing because Big Island sounds like it's the "Main Island", but Oahu is the main island). Direct flights from NYC only go to HNL. You can get direct flights from other cities (LAX, SFO, OAK, SJC, SAN, DEN, DFW, PHX, SEA, ORD as examples) to the other islands. Hawaii is amazing - have fun! The main airport codes are:
Oahu: HNL
Maui: OGG
Kauai: LIH
The Big Island: KOA, ITO (2 airports on 2 different sides of the island)

Interisland flights:
Hawaiian is the main interisland carrier and flies HNL, LIH, OGG, KOA, and ITO. They have countless flights each day and are nearly always on time - often even early. Never book a tight connection hoping that the interisland flight will be delayed.

Go and Island Air fly from HNL. Mokulele flies from HNL and KOA, as well as to Kapalua (JHM), Hana (HNM), Molokai (MKK), Lanai (LNY), and Waimea-Kohala (MUE) on the Big Island. Hawaiian's subsidiary Ohana flies HNL to MKK and LNY.

You can also use 5k AA, 6k UA or 7.5k HA miles each way to fly interisland. You can use 15k DL pesos for a RT interisland. United allows a free stopover on a round-trip, so for instance you can fly HNL-LIH-OGG-HNL for just 12K miles.
HA has several tiers, similar to DL, the lowest tier is the only one that's available using partner miles, but with HA miles you can purchase tickets that are otherwise unavailable for additional miles.

@Yehuda's thoughts on deciding between Kauai and Maui:
Here's a list of the main activities on both islands. Decide what interests you, and then you'll know where to go.

Kauai has what many say to be one of the best hikes in the world - Kalalau Trail. Most people will only do the first part, but it's still very highly regarded. The views atop Waimea Canyon are breathtaking, yet Maui also has breathtaking views at Haleakala. Kauai also has some supposedly awesome off-roading on Miloli'i Ridge Road. Sunset at the 12-mile long Polihale Beach is supposed to be quite the sunset. A helicopter tour of Kauai is generally said to be much better than a heli tour of Maui. If the water is calm, Queen's Bath, which is a natural pool in the ocean you can swim in that's protected from the ocean's force by hardened lava, is SICK, but Maui has the same thing by the Olivine Pools. Kayaking down the Wailua River to "Secret Falls" is supposed to be great as well. Of course, the luxurious, tropical amazingness of the Grand Hyatt Kauai is a huge boost for Kauai, except for its beach, but the great Po'ipu Beach is 5 minutes away.

Maui has the Road to Hana, which is an incredible drive through what feels like a rainforest with tons of opportunities to take small hikes to waterfalls and pools. It's just wow wow wow. Sunrise at the top Haleakala is not to be missed. A boat trip to snorkel by Molokini Crater offers what is supposedly some of the best snorkeling visibility in the world. Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show is supposed to be a great night out. The hotels are also magical, perhaps to a lesser degree than GHK, but the beaches by the main hotels are a big plus over GHK's beach. EDIT: The Grand Wailea in Maui is a gorgeous hotel that rivals the GHK (and its lazy river actually moves as opposed to GHK's ). Add in the fact that its beach (Wailea Beach) is swimmable and doesn't require the albeit short drive to Po'ipu Beach that the GHK does, I'm not sure that the GHK should be a reason enough to tip the scales in favor of Kauai over Maui anymore.

So, pick the types of activities you'd want to do and then you'll have your island. I personally liked Maui better mostly because of the Road to Hana, but to be fair, I did miss out on the Kalalau Trail in Kauai due to weather.
« Last edited by jj1000 on December 25, 2023, 10:30:33 AM »

Author Topic: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?  (Read 485278 times)

Offline AJK

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1201 on: February 03, 2015, 10:55:36 PM »
Just came back from another awesome BI trip.  UA forgot our kosher meals on the F return.  What is the best way to approach them to get a partial refund?  TIA.
hey welcome back to slushy Brooklyn, had the same story on our return!

Offline myb821

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1202 on: February 04, 2015, 09:16:34 AM »
So at least for right now I am booked to OGG from june 21-29. That could change but at least we have something booked.

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1203 on: February 04, 2015, 09:58:58 AM »
Just came back from another awesome BI trip.  UA forgot our kosher meals on the F return.  What is the best way to approach them to get a partial refund?  TIA.

Where's the TR

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1204 on: February 04, 2015, 10:29:11 AM »
Where's the TR

Dude let the guy unpack :P
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1205 on: February 04, 2015, 10:52:41 AM »
I meant that I would love to see his TR not that he has to do it now

Offline Emkay

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1206 on: February 04, 2015, 11:03:50 AM »


not that he has to do it now

Though it would be nice

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1207 on: February 04, 2015, 11:04:43 AM »
I meant that I would love to see his TR not that he has to do it now

I'll do a trip report soon BH.  First I have to compile and edit my gopro videos - I have videos of our helicopter charter over the volcano, snorkeling by Capt' Cook Monument, and snorkeling with Manta Rays.  Everytime I think I can't beat the past years BI trip I somehow manage to make it better.   :)  In the meantime you can see last years BI trip report here:

http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=1646.195

What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline Emkay

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1209 on: February 04, 2015, 11:06:53 AM »

What's BI?

Big Island.  Despite what some others say, its the only Hawaiian Island that really matters.   ;D ;D ;D
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline Emkay

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1210 on: February 04, 2015, 11:19:23 AM »
Big Island.  Despite what some others say, its the only Hawaiian Island that really matters.   ;D ;D ;D
Assuming you have been on the others?

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1211 on: February 04, 2015, 11:23:52 AM »
Assuming you have been on the others?

I've been to Kauai.  DW has been to Maui and Kauai.  Whenever I think about going to another island the BI just keeps pulling me back.
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline sky121

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1212 on: February 04, 2015, 11:42:35 AM »
I've been to Kauai.  DW has been to Maui and Kauai.  Whenever I think about going to another island the BI just keeps pulling me back.
Any more details as to why?
"Not all who wander are lost"

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1213 on: February 04, 2015, 11:48:30 AM »
Any more details as to why?

I just found a place that I love more than any other place on this planet.  There are many reasons why I love the BI.  It has tremendous variety - active lava flows and the volcano - when there is surface flow you can walk right up to it - which I was able to do a few years back (there are other amazing lava viewing opportunities which I can't discuss in an open forum), amazing black/green/white sand beaches with awesome snorkeling opportunities, and rain forests. 
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1214 on: February 04, 2015, 11:52:03 AM »
Hmmmmm I have been waiting for someone to create a wiki for BI and it seems you are an excellent candidate ...... Specifically want to see details of things to do. I have the revealed book but it's so much information.

Offline PBaruch

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1215 on: February 04, 2015, 11:53:47 AM »
Hmmmmm I have been waiting for someone to create a wiki for BI and it seems you are an excellent candidate ...... Specifically want to see details of things to do. I have the revealed book but it's so much information.

The revealed book is great but you won't find some of the things I do in it for a variety of reasons.   ;D
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1216 on: February 04, 2015, 11:54:14 AM »
This is getting interesting ....

Offline AJK

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1217 on: February 04, 2015, 12:03:59 PM »
Not sure what harm there is in posting that there are people (without naming names) that will take you up close and personal to see the volcanoes, among other things.
2015: 116K bkd | 1.6M brnd | F: OZ,NH,AA,EK | J: UA,CA,TK,DL,TN,AF,VA | LIH,NRT,ROR,PEK,CNS,BOB,MEL,TLV & Pacific Hopper

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1218 on: February 04, 2015, 12:06:08 PM »
Not sure what harm there is in posting that there are people (without naming names) that will take you up close and personal to see the volcanoes, among other things.

If you manage to find such people and decide to post that information in a public forum, go ahead.  You won't get that info from me.
What do you do after your dreams come true?

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1219 on: February 04, 2015, 12:07:18 PM »
I would imagine that those people do not want to be easily found