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 485016 times)

Offline Ergel

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #600 on: January 02, 2014, 08:45:52 PM »
Am I the only crazy person that takes enjoyment in cooking my own food fresh on vacation?
I like to BBQ on vacation. But cook my own shabbos food: no thanks. Either take out, bring from home or chabad
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline Mocha

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #601 on: January 02, 2014, 08:55:18 PM »
I like to BBQ on vacation. But cook my own shabbos food: no thanks. Either take out, bring from home or chabad
I bbq'd right before shabbos delicious fresh salmon on the grill wrapped in aluminum foil with some olive oil and spices. Heated up the challah on it too. Brought a flieshig pot to heat up my frozen soup like we do every shabbos (and used it to make other suppers as well). Chala fish soup with veg and chicken is all I can eat friday night anyways.


Again it may be me. But part of my vacation fun is coming up with creative ways to eat just as well as if I were home, if not better. If your telling me I can eat in a kosher restaurant where I am then ok. But to stam pickup meals that I can make 5x better myself and for far less then no thank you.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2014, 09:02:25 PM by Mocha »

Offline Mocha

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #602 on: January 02, 2014, 09:05:59 PM »
Not specifically for this thread but anyone here fly with Go! Mesa airlines?

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #603 on: January 02, 2014, 10:54:51 PM »
Oahu/Waikiki shabbos minyan: 100%.
Big Island/Kona shabbos minyan: 90%
Kauai/Princeville shabbos minyan: Rarely, but been getting close thanks to tourists of late. 
Maui has no shabbos minyan but has a Mon/Thurs minyan in upcountry/Kula.
Oahu shabbos meals: $70/adult, $54/kid.
Big Island shabbos meals: $54/$45 kid.
Kauai shabbos meals: Call in advance to check.
Maui sells complete shabbos food for a $180 suggested donation.
Thanks, great info! My brother is planning his honeymoon for February. He's currently booked at the Sheraton Kauai Tues/Wed and the GHK Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun. Is it even worth calling to find out the minyan/meals situation in Princeville for the shabbos he'll be there, and then switching to something like GHK Tue/Wed/Thu, Westin Princeville Fri/Sat, back to GHK for Sun. What did you do for food when you were at the GHK for Shabbos?

Offline daganster

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #604 on: January 02, 2014, 11:24:46 PM »
I'm travelling to Hawaii in August with 3 kids for 10 days. I'm sure this question has been asked before "Which islands to go to"? I'm landing and departing in HNL, so my thoughts are to fly to either LIH/KOA/OGG for a week, and then spend a few days in HNL. So if anyone has any suggestions as to which island to hit up for a week it'll be greatly appreciated.

Offline E-MAN

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #605 on: January 03, 2014, 10:07:46 AM »
I like to BBQ on vacation. But cook my own shabbos food: no thanks. Either take out, bring from home or chabad
+1

Offline Mocha

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #606 on: January 03, 2014, 10:13:50 AM »
I'm travelling to Hawaii in August with 3 kids for 10 days. I'm sure this question has been asked before "Which islands to go to"? I'm landing and departing in HNL, so my thoughts are to fly to either LIH/KOA/OGG for a week, and then spend a few days in HNL. So if anyone has any suggestions as to which island to hit up for a week it'll be greatly appreciated.
Disney resort really looks great for kids. Look into it. 

Offline daganster

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #607 on: January 03, 2014, 10:21:32 AM »
Disney resort really looks great for kids. Look into it. 
Thats in HNL, right?

Offline Mocha

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Offline daganster

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #609 on: January 03, 2014, 10:24:17 AM »
Disney resort really looks great for kids. Look into it. 
I'ts $10k for 3 nights for 3 adults ::)

Offline Mocha

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #610 on: January 03, 2014, 10:25:56 AM »
I'ts $10k for 3 nights for 3 adults ::)
Im gonna be on the lookout for a nice sale. Reviews look stellar. And I have quite a few months to go.

Offline skyguy918

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Re: Maui Master Thread
« Reply #611 on: January 03, 2014, 02:05:36 PM »
Anyone in Maui or kauai shabbos 2/15  or 2/22 Looking to make a minyan and can bring a torah
My brother will be at the GHK (wrong thread for that though) on one of those 2 shabbosim. Not sure which, but I can find out.

Offline Elgnt

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #612 on: January 03, 2014, 02:23:35 PM »
Anyone in big island, Maui or kauai shabbos 2/15  or 2/22 Looking to make a minyan and can bring a torah

Offline Dan

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #613 on: January 03, 2014, 02:25:23 PM »
Anyone in big island, Maui or kauai shabbos 2/15  or 2/22 Looking to make a minyan and can bring a torah
Kauai has a shul.
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 Elgnt

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #614 on: January 03, 2014, 02:34:32 PM »
has anyone ever gone to hawaii with a 2 month old?  I know Dan you have gone with a 5 month old you think I'll be able to do anything? Kinda nervous about the flight but how can I pass up on $110 first class tix to hnl from jfk

Offline Ergel

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #615 on: January 03, 2014, 02:36:12 PM »
has anyone ever gone to hawaii with a 2 month old?  I know Dan you have gone with a 5 month old you think I'll be able to do anything? Kinda nervous about the flight but how can I pass up on $110 first class tix to hnl from jfk
No babysitter to leave him home with? Nursing?
Easier with a two month old than a five month old.
Life isn't about checking the boxes. Nobody cares.

Offline Elgnt

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #616 on: January 03, 2014, 02:46:01 PM »
Nursing.  Actually booked 2 extra tix to take the baby's grandparents too. I figured for another $220 i'd get free babysitting while there. But anything I can actually do with the baby?

Offline daganster

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #617 on: January 04, 2014, 11:11:06 PM »
Im gonna be on the lookout for a nice sale. Reviews look stellar. And I have quite a few months to go.
Please let me know if you find a good deal. When are you flying? Are you visiting other islands?

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #618 on: January 05, 2014, 01:10:31 AM »
Has anyone ever been to molokai or lanai? Any advice?

Offline Hawaii

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Re: Hawaii Master Thread: General Questions And Which Island To Visit?
« Reply #619 on: January 05, 2014, 08:51:29 PM »
I'm a 25 year old Chabad guy going to Hawaii by myself from 21-26 January. Just wondering if there is anyone else out there going around the same dates that would be interested in touring together.