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 484989 times)

Offline marko

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2480 on: December 08, 2020, 05:43:19 PM »
Anyone know if Maui is open for tourist? Are all the main sites open for tourist in the Covid pandemic?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2481 on: December 08, 2020, 06:04:15 PM »
United recently made a bunch of changes to their departing flights starting January 2021.

Biggest noticeable change is that are no flights leaving the Hawaiian Islands (OGG, LIH, KOA, ITO) to NYC or Chicago between approx 2:00 - 11pm.

For me that means either you lose most of the day touring (2pm flights) or sit around HI with limited options after dark and cranky over-tired kids (11pm flights).

OGG-ORD 7pm
HNL-ORD 7:10pm
HNL-IAH 9pm
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2482 on: December 08, 2020, 06:04:44 PM »
Anyone know if Maui is open for tourist? Are all the main sites open for tourist in the Covid pandemic?
Yes.
Yes.
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Offline nirc

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2483 on: December 08, 2020, 11:53:33 PM »
OGG-ORD 7pm
HNL-ORD 7:10pm
HNL-IAH 9pm

Did not quote HNL in my post.
Did not mention the OGG-ORD because it’s only available on Friday-Sunday, but I guess for some maybe that’s doable.

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2484 on: December 08, 2020, 11:58:36 PM »
Did not quote HNL in my post.
Did not mention the OGG-ORD because it’s only available on Friday-Sunday, but I guess for some maybe that’s doable.
Lol, never heard of the Hawaiian Islands as a phrase excluding HNL.
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2485 on: December 09, 2020, 12:00:34 AM »
Lol, never heard of the Hawaiian Islands as a phrase excluding HNL.

Think I’ve been reading too many TR on DDF :)

p.s. never even thought to check Oahu

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Hawaii
« Reply #2487 on: December 29, 2020, 04:14:40 PM »
Hi,
Has anyone traveled to Hawaii during Covid 19?
If yes, how was your experience with the Covid 19 regulations?
Thank you

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2489 on: April 26, 2021, 09:54:50 PM »
Hi ,
Does anyone know what's the best option to book 5 tickets to OGG  ?
I have plenty of UR,Amex,City points and  ,Delta,united ,Alaska about 600k miles combined
Would love to go Business however not sure what's the best option to book
Thanks in advance  ;D ;D
Levi

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2491 on: April 28, 2021, 02:42:37 PM »
for not a lot of hiking,

just a relaxed vacation and sight seeing with car. which island would be best?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2492 on: April 28, 2021, 10:03:24 PM »
for not a lot of hiking,

just a relaxed vacation and sight seeing with car. which island would be best?

Maui
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2493 on: May 16, 2021, 12:43:44 PM »
Anyone have a good resource listing the halachic practical differences to adhere to when in HI if you are following the half-Shabbos Friday? If I understand correctly, you only have to avoid the negative d'oreisas?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2494 on: May 16, 2021, 01:13:57 PM »
Anyone have a good resource listing the halachic practical differences to adhere to when in HI if you are following the half-Shabbos Friday? If I understand correctly, you only have to avoid the negative d'oreisas?
AYLOR
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2495 on: May 16, 2021, 02:01:37 PM »
AYLOR

I have/will, but figured there might be a book or online resource listing the various things (I assume it matches what Israeli's have to do when here in the US for a 2-day yom tov [of Thursday Friday], but could be wrong, and probably includes things that wouldn't usually be relevant, like swimming, playing with sand, electric doors, etc).

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2496 on: May 16, 2021, 02:28:18 PM »
Anyone have a good resource listing the halachic practical differences to adhere to when in HI if you are following the half-Shabbos Friday? If I understand correctly, you only have to avoid the negative d'oreisas?

AYLOR

That being said....:


I’ve done it twice already. Of course it raises some issues, but I got my psak from one of the most well-known and respected dayanim alive today (I don’t know if it’s a good idea to post his name here; feel free to PM if you want to know).
 
Here’s what he said (obviously for informational purposes only; everyone should ask their own LOR):
 
- Keep Shabbos on Saturday, plus keep d’oreisas on Friday (meaning from sundown Thursday). (This is also paskened in Shevet HaLevy as well as other sources)
- D’rabonons could be done, but only if there’s a “need” – not just for the heck of it (for example amira l’akum is fine, but touching muktza just because is not).
- Light >25-hour yartzeit candles at the zman on Thursday without a brocha, but say “l’kovod Shabbos kodesh” on them.
- By the zman Friday cover your eyes and then make the regular brocha on the candles.
- Tefillin, davening, bentching, Kiddush, havdala, etc. should all be done as on a normal Friday and Shabbos.
 
Based on this here are some more data points, all discussed and confirmed with a different (read: easier to access) dayan:
 
- Carrying on the grounds/yard on Friday is allowed, since it’s considered a karmelis.
- Amira l’akum is allowed.
- Dry food (chicken, kugel) could be put onto a blech or hotplate Friday afternoon, as long as the flame or hot plate was already on (either since Thursday or on a timer).
- Wet foods (soup) should be put up Thursday afternoon only.
 
   
Very highly recommended. Both times the long Shabbos was one of the top highlights of our trips. After a week of running around all day seeing and doing amazing things being forced to relax and do nothing for two days is absolute heaven. Take long walks (and even longer naps), read under trees dripping avocados, just let yourself melt into the Hawaiian air.
Finding the right place to stay over Shabbos is vital; a small hotel room isn’t a very good place to klutz around in for two days. This is where a great vacation rental really shines – look hard enough and you could find amazing gems at amazing prices.
I think in your case this would be a great itinerary – run around all week, do some hardcore relaxing for two days, than have a jam-packed Sunday (Road to Hana, BI volcano, Kauai north shore… you get the drift).
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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2497 on: May 16, 2021, 04:10:37 PM »
AYLOR

That being said....:

Thanks for the info post! Hopefully get some clarification from my LOR over the next week

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2498 on: May 26, 2021, 10:54:24 AM »
i am  in the very early stages of planning a 4 week trip to Hawaii.

I want to visit all the islands.  What is the best order of islands to visit? I will probably flying in to Honolulu as that is the only direct option from NYC.

Also it seems the only direct flight is on Hawaiin Air. What is the best way to book these flights with points?

thank you

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #2499 on: May 26, 2021, 10:56:59 AM »
I want to visit all the islands.  What is the best order of islands to visit?
Define all?
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