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 484914 times)

Offline puddles

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2340 on: June 16, 2019, 09:24:50 PM »
Looking for opinions. I have a Sunday to Friday available for vacation. Worth going to Hawaii for what is in essence three fulls days and two half days?

Offline Dan

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2341 on: June 16, 2019, 09:50:16 PM »
Looking for opinions. I have a Sunday to Friday available for vacation. Worth going to Hawaii for what is in essence three fulls days and two half days?
Depends what you're looking to do and if that can be done in the Caribbean/Mexico.
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.

Offline puddles

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2342 on: June 16, 2019, 10:06:02 PM »
Thanks so much for the reply. I would like to see a part of the world I have never seen. I have been to Cancun, Rosewood in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico...

Offline 12HRS

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2343 on: June 16, 2019, 10:16:35 PM »
Thanks so much for the reply. I would like to see a part of the world I have never seen. I have been to Cancun, Rosewood in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico...

we did it twice. no regrets.

Offline puddles

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2344 on: June 16, 2019, 10:26:07 PM »
Thanks so much for the reply. I would like to see a part of the world I have never seen. I have been to Cancun, Rosewood in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico...
What did you do twice?

Offline 12HRS

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2345 on: June 16, 2019, 11:42:41 PM »
Hawaii, (Maui+TBI one each trip)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2346 on: June 17, 2019, 12:59:54 AM »
Depends what you're looking to do and if that can be done in the Caribbean/Mexico.

...and on your LOR re. Shabbos
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Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2347 on: June 17, 2019, 09:19:14 AM »
...and on your LOR re. Shabbos

If need to do RT Sun-Fri, then 1 vs 2 days of shabbos doesn't really come into play, as leaving before Shkia on Thursday is almost a given...

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2348 on: June 17, 2019, 09:21:23 AM »
Personally, I would only do HI from the east coast if I have a full 7 days for travel, even if it meant doing shabbos on the West Coast. To spend 24 hours flying to HI for essentially 3 days on the ground wouldn't be worth it.


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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2349 on: June 17, 2019, 09:41:55 AM »
Thanks so much for the reply. I would like to see a part of the world I have never seen. I have been to Cancun, Rosewood in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico...
If that's the most you can go for then it will be worth it.
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.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2350 on: June 17, 2019, 09:51:24 AM »
Looking for opinions. I have a Sunday to Friday available for vacation. Worth going to Hawaii for what is in essence three fulls days and two half days?
Done it several times, leaving Thursday afternoon/evening. Sometimes landing earlyish Sunday because I spent the prior Shabbos in Denver. You can definitely have a great time in 3 full + 2 half days.

Offline puddles

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2351 on: June 17, 2019, 09:54:51 AM »
Done it several times, leaving Thursday afternoon/evening. Sometimes landing earlyish Sunday because I spent the prior Shabbos in Denver. You can definitely have a great time in 3 full + 2 half days.
Thank you! And Thanks @Dan and other, I appreciate it!

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2352 on: June 17, 2019, 12:30:08 PM »
If need to do RT Sun-Fri, then 1 vs 2 days of shabbos doesn't really come into play, as leaving before Shkia on Thursday is almost a given...

No necessarily: you may need to be a certain distance from Hawaii by the shkia, according to some - which means a morning/early afternoon flight. AYLOR.
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Offline 12HRS

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2353 on: June 17, 2019, 02:13:17 PM »
No necessarily: you may need to be a certain distance from Hawaii by the shkia, according to some - which means a morning/early afternoon flight. AYLOR.

I looked into this. Never found a valid source for it. its only 1 dateline opinion which makes HI a potential issue. And that dateline is close to HI. Plus once you are on the plane if you entered a Safek shabbos you would just have to avoid D'oriatas for a period of time

Offline shaulyaakov

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2354 on: June 17, 2019, 02:21:45 PM »
I looked into this. Never found a valid source for it. its only 1 dateline opinion which makes HI a potential issue. And that dateline is close to HI. Plus once you are on the plane if you entered a Safek shabbos you would just have to avoid D'oriatas for a period of time

Yes - if you are avoiding Deorisa's only, you can probably take an Uber to the airport and pass through security and board, assuming you don't need to be careful about techum. At a minimum, once you board, you're essentially in the clear.

However, there are those poskim who would geneally Assur going to HI over shabbos as it's a non-ideal situation.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2355 on: June 17, 2019, 02:58:53 PM »
Yes - if you are avoiding Deorisa's only, you can probably take an Uber to the airport and pass through security and board, assuming you don't need to be careful about techum. At a minimum, once you board, you're essentially in the clear.

However, there are those poskim who would geneally Assur going to HI over shabbos as it's a non-ideal situation.

did you read the post I was responding to?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2356 on: June 20, 2019, 10:57:41 AM »
Looking for opinions. I have a Sunday to Friday available for vacation. Worth going to Hawaii for what is in essence three fulls days and two half days?
I booked flights this morning and looking for some insight. Please do not hate... I booked Economy with Chase points. The flight best for me had a stop in ORD and I have 41 minutes to connect to the other United flight (same Terminal) to OGG. I have never had such a short window. I will be checking a bag. Can I make this? Should I cancel? I am only going to be in Hawaii for 3 full days so missing a flight would kill the vacation.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2357 on: June 20, 2019, 11:06:20 AM »
I looked into this. Never found a valid source for it. its only 1 dateline opinion which makes HI a potential issue. And that dateline is close to HI. Plus once you are on the plane if you entered a Safek shabbos you would just have to avoid D'oriatas for a period of time
Why would getting onto a plane change the Shabbos question?

Offline 12HRS

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2358 on: June 20, 2019, 11:34:25 AM »
Why would getting onto a plane change the Shabbos question?

Like being on a boat?

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2359 on: June 20, 2019, 11:36:53 AM »
Like being on a boat?
Interesting, so approximately how long until that closer dateline is reached?