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 485028 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #720 on: February 15, 2014, 09:21:27 PM »
Huh? Why LIH-HNL-OGG and not LIH-OGG?

Other airports need much less time than HNL.  HNL requires a shuttle or very long walk from overseas to interisland terminal.  If you interline you can take the shuttle within security.  To recheck you need to go through security again.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #721 on: February 15, 2014, 09:25:44 PM »
Huh? Why LIH-HNL-OGG and not LIH-OGG?

Last LIH-OGG of the day is 3:22. We land at 5:42.

Huh? Why LIH-HNL-OGG and not LIH-OGG?

Other airports need much less time than HNL.  HNL requires a shuttle or very long walk from overseas to interisland terminal.  If you interline you can take the shuttle within security.  To recheck you need to go through security again.

Sounds like an hour in LIH should be enough to cover me.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #722 on: February 15, 2014, 09:27:04 PM »
Kids or no kids?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #723 on: February 15, 2014, 09:28:37 PM »
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 #724 on: February 15, 2014, 09:28:59 PM »
was plenty of time for me.  Even got to hit up the dl lounge.
Open bar Btw  ;)

I think if u use Dan's Corp account, you get free luggage and free standby, so go with the later one maybe

Got it thanks. Im booking with united miles. Corporate acct is only for paid tickets right? And Im hoping to have star gold by that time (waiting on miles to post on A3) so I should be good.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #725 on: February 15, 2014, 09:29:34 PM »
Corporate acct is only for paid tickets right?

Correct.
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #726 on: February 16, 2014, 04:36:51 PM »
Ok so based on your recommendations, I am going to fly straight from HNL to the BI. I do want to see pearl harbor though so were thinking of flying back into HNL at 6am the day were going back to NY. Our flight is 1220. Will we have some time to do a quick tour of pearl harbor? What time should we be at the airport? Also, what would we do with our luggage? Can we check in that early for a 1220 flight? I guess we can try to ask if they would check it straight through but what if they dont? And even if they do, wed still have carry ons and you cant take any bags to pearl harbor.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #727 on: February 17, 2014, 07:44:34 PM »
Any thoughts?

Offline jaywhy

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #728 on: February 17, 2014, 11:49:04 PM »
My experience. HA offered to interline with DL on LIH-HNL-LAX.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #729 on: February 18, 2014, 09:28:46 AM »
My experience. HA offered to interline with DL on LIH-HNL-LAX.
Even if he's getting into HNL at 6am and leaving at 12pm?
Ok so based on your recommendations, I am going to fly straight from HNL to the BI. I do want to see pearl harbor though so were thinking of flying back into HNL at 6am the day were going back to NY. Our flight is 1220. Will we have some time to do a quick tour of pearl harbor? What time should we be at the airport? Also, what would we do with our luggage? Can we check in that early for a 1220 flight? I guess we can try to ask if they would check it straight through but what if they dont? And even if they do, wed still have carry ons and you cant take any bags to pearl harbor.
If you're willing to spend a few dollars, you might want to look into a baggage storage service like this one.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #730 on: February 18, 2014, 10:41:23 AM »
Even if he's getting into HNL at 6am and leaving at 12pm?If you're willing to spend a few dollars, you might want to look into a baggage storage service like this one.

Thanks, I was thinking about that but, if Im gonna spend money, I may as well rent a car and just put the bags in the car no? Id save on transportation to Pearl Harbor too. I guess I should probably do that anyway. Looks like itll only be about 40 bucks.

On another note, Dan suggests to be there before 8 so as not to wait. I saw online they open at 7, is that all year round? And how long before our flight should we be back at HNL assuming we have to recheck bags?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #731 on: February 18, 2014, 10:54:11 AM »
Just checked the site. It opens at 7 year round but timed programs to the memorial begin at 8.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #732 on: February 18, 2014, 06:45:33 PM »
arriving on Monday afternoon in July for 9 night to HNL (with 2 kids)..was thinking about just camping out at the GHK  the entire 9 nights, as I've been there before and loved it and figured it would be a beautiful nice long vaca.

Does anyone recommend that I do the Andaz Maui  :(with my family through Shabbos and then Sun/Mon/Tue go to the GHK? I've read on FT that the rooms that are given as "suites' are far smaller then those at the GHK.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #733 on: February 19, 2014, 03:03:36 PM »
Anyone? Split it into 2 or just stay in Kauai?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #734 on: February 19, 2014, 03:17:38 PM »
You've done the GHK.
Why not do OGG and ITO?
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #735 on: February 19, 2014, 06:33:43 PM »
You've done the GHK.
Why not do OGG and ITO?
I have also done OGG at the HRM and wasn't so crazy about the suites. How are the standard Andaz suites?

I think I'd like to spend some at least some time at GHK and just enjoy the resort. No resorts of the sort in ITO.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #736 on: February 19, 2014, 06:41:07 PM »
Andaz suites are very nice and service is tip top.
Not the most child friendly hotel out there but doable.
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #737 on: February 19, 2014, 07:41:19 PM »
Andaz suites are very nice and service is tip top.
Not the most child friendly hotel out there but doable.
Are the suites as large in the Andaz as in the GHK?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #738 on: February 19, 2014, 07:45:05 PM »
Are the suites as large in the Andaz as in the GHK?
Not quite, though the Andaz has 2 bathrooms and a larger dining table.
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #739 on: February 19, 2014, 08:47:08 PM »
Not quite, though the Andaz has 2 bathrooms and a larger dining table.
maybe post this in that wedding night hotel thread   ;)
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