My husband and I are planning our first trip to Hawaii. Which island is the best to visit?

We are hoping to find the least ';touristy'; island that offers the best activities such as snorkeling, whale watching etc...Low budget would be great, nothing fancy.My husband and I are planning our first trip to Hawaii. Which island is the best to visit?
I've visited three Hawaiian islands: Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island.





Oahu was my least favorite of the three. There are plenty of things to do and see in Oahu, especially if you're a shopper or enjoy the night life. However, I felt the beaches were crowded, and it was simply too urbanized for my tastes. It's not the kind of Hawaii that I picture in my mind.





The Big Island is my favorite! Since it is the largest of the islands, people are spread out over more land, so it never feels crowded. It's also the only island in the chain with active volcanos (do the night hike...with binoculars, you'll see the orange glowing lava--very cool!). It has tons of different eco-systems...from the dry, windy Kona side of the island, to the tropical, rain-foresty Hilo side of the island. Plus mountain pasture land, desert, snow (waaaaaaaay up high in the central mountains). The snorkeling is unbelievable at the Captain Cook monument--and very uncrowded, because the only ways in are to hike, kayak, or take a charter snorkel cruise (the boats come in with lots of people, but they just stay a short time, so if you hike or kayak in, there will be times when there are very few people around). The only downside to this island is that because it's the newest of the islands, a lot of the beaches are still lava rock or have very coarse sand. But there are enough good ones if you still want to lounge.





Kauai is my husband's favorite. He likes it because of the accessibility of many of the beaches. There are a lot more where you can drive right up and step onto the sand. And if you go during the right time of year, you can whale watch from the Kilauea Lighthouse, which is just gorgeous.





To economize on your trip, I would recommend renting a car and exploring the island on your own, rather than signing up for expensive, guided activities such as helicopter rides, whale watching excursions, etc. There are lots of great books out there that will help you get around. We particularly liked the Trailblazer series of books by Jerry Sprout...he has one for each of the major islands, and they list the best hiking trails, snorkeling spots, bike trails, surf spots, etc. Also, when you get to Hawaii and get checked into the hotel, I'd advise going to Walmart to stock up on bottled water; good (and cheaply priced!) Kona coffee for your hotel room coffeepot; postcards and souvenirs; cheap beach towels; sunblock; and munchies.





---%26gt;I hope you enjoy Hawaii as much as my husband and I enjoy it whenever we go! Have Fun!!!!My husband and I are planning our first trip to Hawaii. Which island is the best to visit?
You'll have to prioritize. Kauai is the least touristy but the Big Island has the best snorkeling. Kauai is great to learn to surf, do lots of hiking and avoiding the crowds. The Big Island is great for snorkeling, some touring of beautiful places, orchid farms, volcanoes, fishing, etc, while avoiding big crowds -- Kona is a cute touristy town not a big city. Maui is considered the most romantic and is the most popular for sunning, drinking, eating, 20s lifestyle. Oahu of course has Waikiki, historic sites and the big city.
definitely big island by far---if you want least touristy head to Hilo side, nothing but local towns/shops etc and waterfalls, rain forests, pounding surf and some snorkeling (the ocean is much rougher on hilo side)...


then you can make a trip to the Kona side(touristy but still loads of fun) where the water is warmer and calmer and the most amazing snorkeling on the planet....


in between you'll see volcanoes, flowing lava, different colored beaches(green sand, black sand, etc)





--big island has everything that is hawaii
The big island is probably the least touristy overall and less expensive. If you don't mind cooking some of your meals try to rent a condo and buy your food and beverages to stock the kitchen at the Costco on the island.


You can compare compare prices of different hotels and condos with TraVerus http://www.vgsims.traverustravelnetwork.鈥?/a>


or other online booking websites.





There is not as much opportunity to see whales as there is on Maui, but we did see a few off shore in the distance. There are whale watching trips available if you want a better chance to see some than you'll get from the beach.





There are some good snorkeling beaches and you're likely to see sea turtles especially if you go early in the morning before the crowds arrive.
The least touristy islands are certainly Molokai and Lanai. But there activities are rather limited. So I would suggest Maui. But you have to come in the winter months (November to March) to be able to do whale watching. That's when the whales come here. But you can snorkel year-round.


http://www.to-hawaii.com/
Well Maui is nice but exspensive...Kuai is romantic. Oahu is nice but touristy if you stay in Waikiki. Haunauma bay is beyond breath taking and great for snorkeling. Haunauma bay is on the island of Oahu. There are so many beaches on Oahu that you wont feel crowded.
Big Island...if anyone answers different, they want you over for a ';South Pacific'; ......


happy talk talk talk, happy taaaaaalk!!!





It to late :( you go talk somebody else!!!
I loved Kauai the most. It is absolutely beautiful w/o being built up....island ordinance does not allow any building to be higher than the trees.
kauai by far....trust me on this one
Ah man, come see me in Lahaina Maui :D