Which Hawaiian Island Should You Visit?
When thinking of the Hawaiian Islands, most first time visitor's first impression of what the islands look like is far from accurate. The Sandwich Islands, now commonly known as the Hawaiian Islands, form an archipelago of 19 islands and atolls which encompass 1500 miles. This enormous under sea mountain range is called the Hawaiian - Emperor seamount range and is still being formed by a volcanic hot spot in the earth's mantle as we speak. In fact, the newest island is named Loihi and is located southeast of the Big Island of Hawaii.
Hawaii (the island) is three times larger than the state of Delaware and two times larger than the state of Rhode Island. It is important to know that the Big Island, or Hawaii, is two times larger than any of the other main islands. So, you see, when planning a trip to the islands it is important to know what you want to see and do as the islands are very large and typically require a seven night stay to experience a majority of the sights.
The eight main Hawaiian Islands are:
- Hawaii (Big Island)
- Maui
- Kahoolawe (uninhabited, once used as a bombing target by the Navy)
- Lanai
- Molokai
- Oahu
- Kauai
- Niihau (the Forbidden Island)
So, now that you have an idea of the vastness of these islands, and the names of the islands, it is important to know that no two islands are the same The micro climates on each island vary tremendously in a short distance of space, and the weather patterns will play an important role in where you should stay and at what time of year you will travel to Hawaii, the most isolated spot on earth (the closest continent is a mere 1860 miles away).
I have categorized the islands below with a variety of important attributes that we, at Incredible Journey focus on when choosing what islands are best suited for a client. Now this chart does not completely account for the climate changes according to season. Rather this chart will be a guide as to what islands offer the best of what we consider to be important factors when planning your Hawaiian getaway.
Below is a sliding scale 1 is less, and most favorable is 5.
| What's Important | Big Island | Maui | Lanai | Molokai | Oahu | Kauai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visit an active volcano | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| See waterfalls | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Beaches | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Bird watching | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Hiking | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Lush vegetation | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Nature photography | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Artistic media | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Wellness | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Golfing | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Historic/cultural sites | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Nightlife | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Shopping | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Privacy/seclusion | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Surfing/windsurfing | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Kayaking | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Deep Sea fishing | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Snorkeling | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Diving | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Whale watching | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Jet skiing | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Romantic getaway | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Family vacation | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Destination weddings | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Private accommodations | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Resorts | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
I hope this chart will be a useful tool when you start to plan your next vacation. Remember we are always here to help!
See you in paradise,
Joyce Craddock
jc@incrediblejourney.net
888-729-6899
