How many days to spend in Kauai and Big Island?
CJS asked:
I will be flying from New York to Hawaii. I was planning on spending 4 nights on the Big Island and 5 nights in Kauai.
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I will be flying from New York to Hawaii. I was planning on spending 4 nights on the Big Island and 5 nights in Kauai.
Are 4 nights enough for the Big Island and 5 for Kauai, or is some other combination better? I am more interesting in nature and relaxation, not shopping and tourist stuff.
Also, would it be better to go to the Big Island first or to Kauai first?
Thanks.
September 12th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I lived on Oahu for a year and went to the Big Island over Thanksgiving. Except for the volcano, I found it a rather dreadful island. Kauai is supposed to be very beautiful from what I hear.
September 12th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I would spend about 5 days on the Big Island first and then 4 days on Kauai. Just because it takes longer to get anywhere on the Big Island because it is so big.
I would the like to comment on the previous poster who was very negative about the Big Island. The Big Island has the most diverse ecosystem around. When you first land, you will notice lava fields everywhere. Feels like you are on the moon. Then you will notice Savannah type ecosystems everywhere. You will also have jungle type ecosystems on the Hilo Side. You can play in the snow if you go up to Mauna Kea. You always have the beaches.
The best beach on the Big Island belong to Hapuna Prince and Mauna Kea hotels. They are sister hotels. Dont go to any other beach on the island, its just too rocky because of the lava. They are located on the dry side of island. Do not stay on the Hilo side because its humid and rains alot.
The best guided nature tours on the Big Island are run by Hawaii Forest and Trails. They have many different nature tours to take.
Go to Kauai for relaxation after the Big Island, because you will need it! There is so much to do on the Big Island, but everything is far apart. Be sure to rent a car on the Big Island.
If need to know more about the Big Island, let me know…I spent 10 days there and the nature lover in me loved it!
September 13th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Having visited both island I would say 6 nites on the Big Island and 3 on Kauai. They’re both worth visiting, but the Hawaii is difficult to see enough of because of the size. Kauai is very small and quiet. Someday if you want to see what Hawaii used to be like go to Molokai, especially the leper colony at Kalaupapa. It is truly under-developed and has much natural beauty to appreciate! Aloha!
September 17th, 2009 at 2:55 am
I think your schedule sounds good. When we went last year, we spent 4 nights in Oahu and 3 nights in Kauai. If I could do it again, I would have rather spent more time in Kauai. It is very low key and relaxing. If you like nature stuff, you should check out doing a catamaran cruise along the Napali Coast while in Kauai. It’s absolutely breathtaking and taking pictures won’t do it justice. They let you snorkel right off the coast with the beautiful Napali cliffs as your backdrop. We booked our cruise with Kauai Sea Tours. It was a pretty good deal and they give you a nice lunch too. Have a great time!!
September 17th, 2009 at 4:30 am
I recently spent 7 nights on the Big Island and then 2 weeks on Kauai. In someways I wish I had spread it out a little longer n the Big Island. I strongly suggest going to the Big Island first. I was told by a healer that the Big Island heals you for the beginning and Kauai finishes it. That was certainly true.
On the Big Island I suggest at least renting a car and not spending all your time in one place. The whole island can be driven in one day but you will miss alot. Spend some time at Volcano National Park…..and I highly recommend a tour to Mauna Kea to see the sunset and stars. It amazed me that I could practically experience seasons of winter and summer and tropics to farmland all in a 300 mile radius.
You can see most of Kauai in 4 days…but there is alot of nature to see. There is a trail right before you get to the river at the Arborteum that is about a 1 1/4 mile hike. At the top the view is incredible. There is also a catamarran tour of the Napali Coast that shouldn’t be missed. Unfortunately I was there in March when they had heavy flooding most of the time but that didnt’ stop me from driving around. Also, you must see Waiamea Canyon, it is truly the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
If you can at all extend your vacation try for a few more nights on the Big Island. Have a great trip. You will love it.
September 19th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Big Island has a bad reputation. I am not sure why.
It is a beautiful island. It is more of island than Oahu is. Oahu is too commercialized.
I stayed at Mauna Lani. It is beautiful. It was well worth the money! Visit the area by Mauna Lani, it is awesome. I heard the Hilton nearby was really nice. I never got a chance to see it for myself.
I stayed at the Sheraton towards the end of my stay and I have to stay I was truly spoiled by Mauna Lani. It was a total 180 difference between the 2 hotels. Mauna Lani, you can walk out to the beach in a few steps. You can’t do that with Sheraton!
Be sure to take a raincoat and/or umbrella. The rain in Big Island is unpredictable. You can be in 1 part of Kona, and the other part is raining. We were shocked when our friends told us they were in downpour, but we believed it when we got stuck in one ourselves!
I stayed in Big Island for 4 days (2 days for a wedding) and I felt I did not have a chance to go everywhere I wanted to go. Visit the macadamia nut factory.
Have fun!
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Don’t torture yourself – - – stick with schedule – - – you could try to jiggle it eight millions ways but why? One could spend a month on either island and not exhaust the trails and off beaten path places to explore and both have the stuff you said you don’t like like malls BUT everything is tourist stuff in a sense because that is why people come here. And they do that to – - – But, the ratio sounds fine – - – because Kauai is smaller than The Big Island it can be easier to explore in a small amount of time. Have Fun.