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 484949 times)

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1820 on: April 26, 2016, 10:07:48 PM »
Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline 3yummyboys

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1821 on: April 26, 2016, 10:09:44 PM »
Congrats!! Start in the Hawaii threads.
Personally, I think Hawaii has a ton to offer a frum couple and is a great destination. How many days is a few? If you are traveling from the east coast and only have a few days, Hawaii might not be the best trip for this time.

Offline A3

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1822 on: April 26, 2016, 10:31:52 PM »
Pretty Rusty at what?

Offline shmoe joe

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1823 on: April 26, 2016, 11:08:50 PM »
Depends which level of frum you score, if beach's is a no no then stay out of Hawaii.
give some love (likes) to a brother!

Offline Something Fishy

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1824 on: April 26, 2016, 11:11:27 PM »
Depends which level of frum you score, if beach's is a no no then stay out of Hawaii.

Fun night.

Check out my site for epic kosher adventures: Kosher Horizons

Offline shmoe joe

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1825 on: April 26, 2016, 11:17:24 PM »
give some love (likes) to a brother!

Offline mordechain

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1826 on: April 27, 2016, 12:25:41 AM »
Depends which level of frum you score, if beach's is a no no then stay out of Hawaii.
Not necessarily at all. Plenty of deserted beaches. Go at Crack of dawn , and besides for being beautiful, it's all yours.

Offline Emkay

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1827 on: April 27, 2016, 04:56:23 AM »
I'm thinking of taking my wife to Hawaii for our anniversary in December and I would love some help please!
  • What can a frum couple do and see in Hawaii?
  • We will only be able to get away from the kids for a few days, where should we go?
  • Which miles should I be working on for flights and hotels?
  • What deals should I be looking out for?
  • Any other ideas?
This will be our first big trip together so I'm pretty rusty.

Thank you
1) Almost everything
2) One island thats not called Honolulu
3) coach? biz? direct?- and hotels depends on the islands
4) Very vague
5) A great idea is in the future to try starting here.

Offline chucksterace

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1828 on: April 27, 2016, 05:02:31 AM »


Sweet pic. Def getting saved for future use
You may not hold me responsible for any actions taken that were recommended from my account or username.

Offline yuguy

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1829 on: April 27, 2016, 09:33:23 AM »
Sweet pic. Def getting saved for future use

The ultimate facepalm

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1830 on: April 27, 2016, 09:49:38 AM »
1) Almost everything
2) One island thats not called Honolulu
3) coach? biz? direct?- and hotels depends on the islands
4) Very vague
5) A great idea is in the future to try starting here.
;D to the point!
#TYH

Offline shmoe joe

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1831 on: April 27, 2016, 10:43:59 AM »
Not necessarily at all. Plenty of deserted beaches. Go at Crack of dawn , and besides for being beautiful, it's all yours.
I don't think anyone will fly all the way to Hawaii if he could only go to the beaches at dawn.
give some love (likes) to a brother!

Offline Buruch

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1832 on: April 27, 2016, 10:50:10 AM »
I went to the beach in Kauai for maybe an hour, and I had a blast.

Offline shmoe joe

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1833 on: April 27, 2016, 11:01:17 AM »
I went to the beach in Kauai for maybe an hour, and I had a blast.
I believe you, but does it pay the shlep all the way to Hawaii just for an hour? I don't think so
give some love (likes) to a brother!

Offline Emkay

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1834 on: April 27, 2016, 11:06:12 AM »
I believe you, but does it pay the shlep all the way to Hawaii just for an hour? I don't think so
For an hour every morning? I would. Plenty to do besides that. I'm not spending more then an hour on the beach a day either way.

Offline Buruch

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1835 on: April 27, 2016, 11:11:52 AM »
I was in Kauai for a week. I spent one hour total at the beach. I had a great time overall because of everything else there is to do.

Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1836 on: April 27, 2016, 11:12:10 AM »
Wait, you wake up at 5 AM on vacation?
No thanks

Offline Emkay

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1837 on: April 27, 2016, 11:18:14 AM »
Wait, you wake up at 5 AM on vacation?
No thanks
I personally wouldn't before 8 but there are plenty that get up then either way and it's not that bad.

Offline Buruch

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Re: Frum couple in Hawaii
« Reply #1838 on: April 27, 2016, 11:27:08 AM »
In Hawaii I always wake up super early, because there's nothing to do at night, so I like to maximize the daylight hours. Jet lag helps too.

Offline Joe4007

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #1839 on: April 27, 2016, 12:42:43 PM »
Wait, you wake up at 5 AM on vacation?
No thanks
I hate getting up early, trust me. Though in Hawaii I got up at 5-6 every morning due to jet lag so it was easy (for the same reason I had to go to sleep early as well).