Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands: Which One to Pick and Why

The Hawaiian Islands are 70 million years old at their oldest (Kauai) and still being formed at their youngest (the Big Island, where Kilauea has been continuously erupting since 1983, and a new island called Loihi is currently building underwater south of the Big Island). This geological progression, a tectonic plate moving over a stationary hot spot, leaving a trail of increasingly old volcanic islands behind, means the islands are physically different from each other in ways that affect their landscapes, reefs, and what you can do on them. Choosing the right island matters more than most guidebooks acknowledge.

Hawaii has eight main islands. Six are accessible to visitors. They are not interchangeable.

Oahu: Most Accessible, Most Crowded

Waikiki Beach has been developed and resembles Miami more than the Hawaii of the imagination. The infrastructure is excellent, the swimming is safe, and the bars and restaurants serve a global visitor base. Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial (free; book timed entry at recreation.gov in advance) are significant and somberly presented. Diamond Head crater hike takes 1.5 hours and costs $5; the views of Honolulu from the summit justify the early alarm.

North Shore is Oahu’s other register: surf shops, shrimp trucks, and Banzai Pipeline, where professional surfers tackle 15-metre waves November through February. The Leonard’s Bakery malasadas at the end of that drive are worth the calories.

Maui: Middle Ground

Haleakala National Park requires either a 3am start for summit sunrise (entry $30 per vehicle, timed reservation required at recreation.gov) or a dawn start for the cycling descent down the volcano. The Road to Hana is the most overhyped and underdelivered drive in Hawaii unless you stop at the actual waterfalls, Twin Falls and Wailua Falls are the stops that justify the trip.

Ka’anapali Beach north of Lahaina consistently ranks among the best beaches in the United States. Lahaina itself was devastated by a wildfire in August 2023; rebuilding is ongoing and the cultural significance of the area deserves acknowledgement.

Kauai: Least Developed, Most Dramatic

The Na Pali Coast cannot be reached by road. You get there by boat, helicopter, or on foot via the Kalalau Trail (11 miles, permit required). The helicopter tour ($300-400 per person) provides views that are structurally impossible to see from the ground. Trail permits through Hawaii’s DLNR website sell out months ahead.

Big Island: Active Volcanoes

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park contains Kilauea. Entry is $35 per vehicle. Whether there is active lava visible depends on timing; check the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory before visiting. Mauna Kea at 4,205 metres has the world’s highest concentration of astronomical observatories and the clearest skies for stargazing in the Northern Hemisphere; ranger-led programmes run at the Visitor Information Station at 2,800m (summit access requires a 4WD and it is worth it).

Food

Poke (raw marinated tuna over rice) originated here as a working-class lunch before becoming global. The best version is from a supermarket counter or a market stall, not a restaurant. Matsumoto Shave Ice on Oahu’s North Shore has a permanent queue and earns it.