Get To Know Hawaii’s Most Popular Islands
Which Hawaiian Island Is Right for You?
Tropical, multicultural and isolated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii can feel like a foreign country, especially to first-time visitors. Although each of the main islands is within sight of at least one other, they’re all distinct. While each has a wet (windward) and dry (leeward) side and is blessed with gentle trade winds and dazzling beaches, they’re vastly dissimilar in geological time. As a result, the newer islands look and feel different from the older ones.
Whether planning a first visit or returning for a second or third time, visitors are often unsure which island to choose for a vacation. That decision depends largely on what you’re looking for in an island experience. Here are some of the qualities that make each of the four main islands unique. It’s these differences that entice visitors back year after year.
Hawaii: Geography
Twice the size of the other islands combined, Hawaii Island is the newest member of the archipelago. Like the other islands, Hawaii Island offers beaches, golf and resort life. But just outside the resort gates sprawls 4,000 square miles of geography unlike any other on the planet. Nature is the star attraction here, combining volcanoes, rainforests, snow-capped mountains and some of the best stargazing on Earth. Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park reflects over 400 years of Hawaiian history and is home to some of the most significant ancestral Hawaiian sites in all the islands.
Hawaii: The Newest Island
Hawaii is the youngest of the Hawaiian islands, and some of the newest land on the planet is being created at Volcanoes National Park. Mud pots, steam vents, hot lava pouring into the ocean and the occasional earthquake make this one of the most exciting destinations on the islands. Halema’uma’u Crater inside Kilauea Caldera is currently active, and fumes and glow from the lava lake within the crater are easily visible, especially at night under a starry sky. Numerous trails traverse stark volcanic landscapes and lush rain forests for a closer encounter with this dramatic landscape.
Hawaii: Snorkeling
Snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay at Captain Cook National Monument offers clear water and a wide variety of fish. A monument marks the approximate spot where Captain Cook was killed in 1779. Today the bay is one of the more popular snorkeling spots on Hawaii island. Access is by a steep two-mile hike, kayaking or aboard one of the commercial snorkeling tours that visit daily.
Hawaii: Kailua-Kona
Ali’i Drive in central Kailua-Kona has a range of ocean view restaurants and cafes perfect for watching the sunset. The town of Kailua-Kona is a convenient base for exploring the white sand beaches and renowned golf courses to the north and the excellent snorkeling and coffee plantations to the south. This side of Hawaii Island has the most beaches and best snorkeling.
Hawaii: Hiking
Hawaii Island contains 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones, and a walk through the lush foliage at Akaka Falls State Park reveals the island’s tropical side. Reached by a short meander through a bamboo rainforest, Akaka Falls drops 442 feet into a deep, fern-lined gorge. Located 11 miles from Hilo in Akaka Falls State Park, the waterfall path is an easy stroll through a serene landscape.
Kauai: The Garden Isle
Kauai is named the “Garden Isle” because 97 percent of its land is undeveloped. Rugged, roadless and accessible only by hiking trail or boat, the 17-mile Napali Coast is the most famous feature of the island. No other island has such isolated beaches as those tucked into this remote coast. Deep valleys and jagged cliffs created by waterfalls and streams end at the sea, where the ocean sculpts and shapes the coastal seascape. A small number of campsites are available by reservation only.
Kauai: Wailua River
Hawaii’s only navigable river, the Wailua River, is located along Kauai’s east side. This 20-mile long river can be explored by kayak, stand-up paddleboard or boat. Some of the landscapes along the way were location settings for the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies.
Kauai: Wildlife
Kilauea Point Lighthouse and National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places in the main Hawaiian Islands to view wildlife. Home to some of Hawaii’s largest nesting seabird populations, it’s also frequented by spinner dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals and Hawaii’s state bird, the endangered nene, or Hawaiian goose. The view overlooking the Pacific and the north shore mountain range is among the best in the islands.
Kauai: Serenity
Located away from the other islands at the northern end of the Hawaiian Island chain, tranquil Kauai is known as the island for relaxing and rejuvenating. Lacking nightlife comparable to Oahu or a resort zone such as those found on Maui and Hawaii, Kauai appeals to people who want to unplug, find a quiet beach and drop into island time.
Kauai: Kauai’s Waimea Canyon
Aptly nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Kauai’s Waimea Canyon is around 14 miles long, a mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep. No other geological formation in Hawaii offers so many panoramic vistas of buttes, craigs and deep gorges in such vibrant hues. Drive along the rim, stopping at numerous vantage points, or explore one of the numerous hiking trails.
Maui: The Road to Hana
Compared to Kauai, Maui’s coastlines are more developed. But the Hana Highway, also known as the Road to Hana, takes visitors to a more natural setting, following the Maui coast for around 52 miles as it winds through 620 curves and crosses 59 bridges on the way from Kahului to Hana. Depending on traffic and driving skills, the drive can take anywhere from two to four hours. Stopping to explore rainforests waterfalls, pools and dramatic seascapes will add hours more to the drive.
Maui: Windsurfing
Ho’okipa Beach Park on the central Maui coast is considered by many the best windsurfing spot in the world, and the bluff above the beach is the perfect spot for watching experts race across huge waves while making it look easy. This is where the professionals come to practice their sport.
Maui: Perfect for Sunrises
Haleakala means “house of the sun” in Hawaiian, and when it comes to watching the sunrise, few places in the world surpass the sunrise view from the rim of Haleakala Crater. Towering 10,023 feet above sea level, this dormant volcano in Maui’s Haleakala National Park offers a front-row seat as the day’s first light streams across an otherworldly landscape. Local companies offer tour vans that bring guests up for sunrise, then provide bicycles for the 24-mile downhill ride to the coast.
Maui: Hiking
Some of Maui’s waterfalls along the Hana Highway are off the beaten path and require a hike. Since many are reached by following unsigned, undeveloped paths, it’s helpful to go with a local guide or have a good map.
Maui: Fewer Crowds
The windward side of Maui is often rainy. But when the clouds clear, several beaches here are stunningly beautiful. Most visitors pass through Hana on a long day drive, so in the morning and afternoon, this is often one of the quieter beach areas in the islands. Book a room at one of the few lodging options in Hana and enjoy sunrise or sunset without the crowds found elsewhere in Hawaii.
Maui: Waterfalls
Upper Waikani Falls is one of the more scenic waterfalls found along the road to Hana. Find a parking place along the road just past the falls and scramble down a steep, slippery path for a dip in the refreshingly cool water.
Oahu: The Gathering Place
Oahu is the island many people choose for their first visit to Hawaii. With the largest population of any Hawaiian island, Oahu is known as “The Gathering Place,” and popular Waikiki Beach embodies this nickname. One of the world’s best-known beaches, this two-mile, often crowded stretch of sand offers something for everyone: gentle waves for surfing, resort hotels, excellent restaurants and bars and good family fun. Oahu’s urban cultural pleasures far surpass those of all the other islands combined.
Oahu: Surfing
If Honolulu with its culture is town, then Oahu’s North Shore is country. Stretching for seventeen miles and containing 51 beaches within 11 miles, the North Shore is the world’s most famous stretch of surfing coastline. Of the numerous surf breaks here, the Banzai Pipeline is the most famous one. The surf culture along this coastline is like no other in Hawaii.
Oahu: Waikiki
Once a playground for Hawaiian royalty, Waikiki Beach in Honolulu lures visitors from around the world, with many of Hawaii’s top hotels and restaurants located along its two-mile sweep of sand. Learn to surf, take an outrigger canoe ride on a wave, or stroll the beachside walk for some of the best people-watching in Hawaii. Looming just beyond Waikiki is Diamond Head, Hawaii’s most recognizable landmark.
Oahu: Kualoa Regional Park
Approximately 45 minutes from Honolulu, Kualoa Regional Park at Kaneohe Bay is a peaceful beach far removed from the bustle of Waikiki. Just offshore is Chinaman’s Hat, a familiar windward side landmark. Also known as Mokolii Island, it’s a popular kayaking destination.