Fodors - Fodors Hawaii 2013

Oahu. Honolulu and Waikiki are hereand its a great big luau. Its got hot restaurants and lively nightlife as well as gorgeous white-sand beaches, knife-edged mountain ranges, and cultural sites including Pearl Harbor.

Maui. The phrase Maui no ka oi means Maui is the best, the most, the tops. Theres good reason for the superlatives. Its got a little of everything, perfect for families with divergent interests.

Big Island of Hawaii. It has two faces, watched over by snowcapped Mauna Kea and steaming Mauna Loa. The Kona side has parched, lava-strewn lowlands, and eastern Hilo is characterized by lush flower farms and waterfalls.

Kauai. This is the Garden Isle, and its where youll find the lush, green folding sea cliffs of Napali Coast, the colorful and awesome Waimea Canyon, and more beaches per mile of coastline than any other Hawaiian island.

Molokai. Its the least changed, most laid-back of the Islands. Come here to ride a mule down a cliff to Kalaupapa Peninsula; experience the Kamakou Preserve, a 2,774-acre wildlife refuge; and for plenty of peace and quiet.

Lanai. For years there was nothing here except for pineapples and red-dirt roads. Today it attracts the well-heeled in search of privacy, with a few upscale resorts, archery and shooting, four-wheel-drive excursions, and superb scuba diving.

Honolulus International Airport is the main stopover for most domestic and international flights, but all of Hawaiis major Islands have their own airports. Flights to the Neighbor Islands leave from Honolulu almost every half hour daily.

Visitor Information

Oahu Visitors Bureau.
808/5240722, 877/5256248 | www.visit-oahu.com .

Maui Visitors Bureau.
808/2443530, 800/5256284 | www.visitmaui.com .

Big Island Visitors Bureau.
808/9615797, 800/6482441 | www.gohawaii.com/big-island .

Kauai Visitors Bureau.
808/2453971, 800/2621400 | www.kauaidiscovery.com .

Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce.
808/9357178 | www.hicc.biz .

Hawaii Beach Safety.
www.hawaiibeachsafety.org .

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.
808/5870400 | www.hawaii.gov/dlnr .

Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.
808/9231811, 800/4642924 | www.gohawaii.com .

Oahu: Honolulu International Airport is 20 minutes (40 during rush hour) from Waikiki. Car rental is across the street from baggage claim. An inefficient airport taxi system requires you to line up to a taxi wrangler who radios for cars (about $30 to Waikiki). Other options: TheBus ($2.50, one lap-size bag allowed), SpeediShuttle ($14.55), and the Roberts Hawaii Express Shuttle ($12).

Maui: Most visitors arrive at Kahului Airport in Central Maui. For trips to Molokai or Lanai, ferries are available to both islands and have room for your golf clubs and mountain bike. If you prefer to travel to Molokai or Lanai by air, and youre not averse to flying on four- to 12-seaters, your best bet is a small air taxi.

Big Island: The Big Islands two airports are directly across the island from each other. Kona International Airport on the west side is about a 10-minute drive from Kailua-Kona and 30 to 45 minutes from the Kohala Coast. On the east side, Hilo International Airport, 2 miles from downtown Hilo, is about 40 minutes from Volcanoes National Park.

Kauai: All commercial flights use the Lihue Airport, 2 miles east of the town of the same name. It has just two baggage-claim areas, each with a visitor information center.

Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures, and nowhere is this more apparent than in its cuisine. From luau and plate lunch to sushi and steak, theres no shortage of interesting flavors and presentations. As for lodging, there are many top-notch resorts in Hawaii, as well as a wide variety of condos and vacation rentals to choose from.

Oahu: If you want to travel around the island on your own schedule, renting a car is a must. Heavy traffic toward downtown Honolulu begins as early as 6:30 am and lasts until 9 am. In the afternoon, expect traffic departing downtown to back up beginning around 3 pm until approximately 7 pm.

Maui: Driving from one point on Maui to another can take longer than the mileage indicates. Its 52 miles from Kahului Airport to Hana, but the drive can take three hours. As for driving to Haleakala, the 38-mile drive from sea level to the summit will take you about two hours. Traffic on Mauis roads can be heavy, especially during the rush hours of 6 am to 8:30 am and 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Big Island: Its a good idea to rent a car with four-wheel drive, such as a Jeep, on the Big Island. Some of the islands best sights (and most beautiful beaches) are at the end of rough or unpaved roads. Most agencies make you sign an agreement that you wont drive on the path to Mauna Kea and its observatories. Keep in mind that, while a good portion of the Saddle Road is smoothly paved, it is also remote, winding, and bumpy in certain areas,unlighted, and bereft of gas stations.

Kauai: A rental car is the best way to get to your hotel, though taxis and some hotel shuttles are available. From the airport it will take you about 15 to 25 minutes to drive to Wailua or Kapaa, 30 to 40 minutes to reach Poipu, and 45 minutes to an hour to get to Princeville or Hanalei. Kauai roads are subject to some pretty heavy traffic, especially going through Kapaa and Lihue.