# Honululu and Kawai



## tonytogo (May 27, 2016)

Will be traveling with my wife to these islands in  October. Have booked a week at the  Royal aloha Waikiki for a week but also the Pono Kai in Kauai five days later. Time share exchanges. Both are booked and paid for seven nights. Total of 12 days on two islands. My question is on how long to stay in Oahu before flying to Kauai. Should we stay the full seven days in  Waikiki?  Never been to either island and we plan to explore both in a rental car. Night life is not important.


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## DeniseM (May 27, 2016)

Honolulu (where the Royal Aloha is located) is on the island of Oahu.  It is a large crowded city with sky scrapers and miles of pavement and lots of people.  Lots to do and see, but it is a very urban environment.

The island of Kauai is very rural, and much more laid back.  Lots of things to do outdoors, uncrowded beaches, beautiful scenery.  No huge cities, but major grocery and discount stores, so they have everything you need.

I vastly prefer Kauai, but some people prefer Honolulu - so it depends on what you prefer.

For a first trip, I'd spend 3-4 days on Oahu to see the historical sites, and then spend the rest of the trip on Kauai.

Honolulu:






Kapa'a - the largest city on Kauai:  [If you are familiar with Kauai, the large parking lot right in the middle is the Safeway Supermarket.]


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## artringwald (May 28, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> Honolulu (where your hotel is located) is a large crowded city with sky scrapers and miles of pavement and lots of people.  Lots to do and see, but it is a very urban environment.
> 
> Kauai is very rural, and much more laid back.  Lots of things to do outdoors, uncrowded beaches, beautiful scenery.  No huge cities, but major grocery and discount stores, so they have everything you need.
> 
> ...



Two pictures are worth 2,000 words. Thanks, Denise


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## happymum (May 28, 2016)

Denise, thanks for the giggle. I totally agree with your sentiment, and love the visual.


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## taffy19 (May 28, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Will be traveling with my wife to these islands in  October. Have booked a week at the  Royal aloha Waikiki for a week but also the Pono Kai in Kauai five days later. Time share exchanges. Both are booked and paid for seven nights. Total of 12 days on two islands. My question is on how long to stay in Oahu before flying to Kauai. Should we stay the full seven days in  Waikiki?  Never been to either island and we plan to explore both in a rental car. Night life is not important.


If night life isn't important to you, then you may prefer staying longer in Kauai as it is much more Hawaiian than a big city in Honolulu.

We like Honolulu because the city is alive at night but never a whole week unless we would stay at other parts of the Island.  Oahu is a beautiful island too but Waikiki Beach is famous because of all the movies that were made by Hollywood in the past.  All island are beautiful but different.  Hawaii is Paradise, IMO, and you will enjoy it too.


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## PDXGolfer (May 28, 2016)

Nice pics!  Was curious, what is the resort in the bottom center of the Kapa'a picture, with the greenish rooftops and the large pool in the center?


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## artringwald (May 28, 2016)

PDXGolfer said:


> Nice pics!  Was curious, what is the resort in the bottom center of the Kapa'a picture, with the greenish rooftops and the large pool in the center?



Waipouli Beach Resort


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## tonytogo (May 28, 2016)

Great pictures, Denise. On the days we will get in our car and travel around the islands, which island has more things to see? Does Kauai have famous landmarks like Diamondhead?


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## canesfan (May 28, 2016)

Kauai has the Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. There's lots of hiking opportunities on Kauai. It's an gorgeous island.


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## DeniseM (May 28, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Great pictures, Denise. On the days we will get in our car and travel around the islands, which island has more things to see? Does Kauai have famous landmarks like Diamondhead?



ALL the islands have a lot of things to see and do - it just depends on whether you like the urban environment, or more rural environment, better.  

I recommend the you pick up a couple of travel guides ASAP, and that will help you get ready for your trip.


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## rickandcindy23 (May 28, 2016)

Denise, those pictures are astounding.  Such a vast difference between the green of Kapaa and the concrete of Honolulu. The downtown Honolulu/Waikiki Beach area is huge, especially when viewing it from those pics.  Downtown Denver is small in comparison.  Seriously small.


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## DeniseM (May 28, 2016)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Denise, those pictures are astounding.  Such a vast difference between the green of Kapaa and the concrete of Honolulu. The downtown Honolulu/Waikiki Beach area is huge, especially when viewing it from those pics.  Downtown Denver is small in comparison.  Seriously small.



Agreed - If I want to vacation in a city, I can go to San Francisco, or another mainland city for a lot less money and time.  

I enjoyed the seeing the historical and cultural sites in Honolulu once, but don't see myself going back.


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## Luanne (May 28, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> Agreed - If I want to vacation in a city, I can go to San Francisco, or another mainland city for a lot less money and time.
> 
> I enjoyed the seeing the historical and cultural sites in Honolulu once, but don't see myself going back.



I agree.  However if you get out of Honolulu and to the other side of Oahu it can be breathtakingly gorgeous.  Camped on the North Shore for a night when I was in college.  Amazing.


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## DeniseM (May 28, 2016)

Luanne said:


> I agree.  However if you get out of Honolulu and to the other side of Oahu it can be breathtakingly gorgeous.  Camped on the North Shore for a night when I was in college.  Amazing.



Yes - but the OP is staying in Honolulu - if they were staying at Aulani or KoOlina that would be different.  

Since they have two 7 night timeshare reservations, and only 10 nights of vacation, I'd do 3 night Oahu and 7 nights Kauai.


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## BocaBoy (May 28, 2016)

OP has 12 nights on those two islands, so I would recommend 5 nights in Waikiki and 7 nights on Kauai. It is good that Honolulu is the first stop.  There is more to do and see on Oahu, but five days is enough time there.


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## DaveNV (May 29, 2016)

Note that OP says he is exploring both islands with a rental car. So making it sound like Oahu is ONLY Honolulu, and that he'll be trapped in an urban concrete jungle, is doing a huge disservice to the island.  The windward side and north shore are very NON-urban, very uncrowded, have incredible beaches, and some very iconic Hawaiian scenery. Both islands have things worth seeing, for different reasons. And we all know it's impossible to see one island and think you've seen Hawaii.  It'd be like going to the northern California giant redwoods and then to Disneyland, and thinking you've seen California.  Not even close - there are thousands of other things to see, which requires more than one trip to see them.  Same with Hawaii.  Seeing only one island won't scratch the surface of the amazing experience of Hawaii.

OP, stay on Oahu for the five days, see the entire island, then go to Kauai and stay for the week, seeing that island.  There is no shortage of things to see and do both places. Royal Aloha puts you in a high-rise building in Waikiki, long blocks from the beach, and surrounded by other tall buildings.  Pono Kai puts you in a low-rise building right on the beach.  They are very different places to stay.

I'm going back to Hawaii again this Fall - to stay another week in Waikiki exploring Oahu again, followed by a week in my oceanfront condo on Kauai.  To me, both islands are great, but for very different reasons. One isn't better than the other, just more of what makes Hawaii great.

Dave


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## VacationForever (May 29, 2016)

Kauai was my favorite island for the longest time.... then I discovered Ko Olina in Oahu.  My new favorite place to visit in Hawaii is Ko Olina in Oahu.  It is uncrowded and beautiful.  If offers a balance of rural and urban, lots of open space. The view of the lagoon and the ocean, coupled with (Marriott) resort is breathtaking.   Each island has something to offer.  For me, I have no interest in going back to Maui - a favorite for most people.


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## artringwald (May 29, 2016)

BocaBoy said:


> OP has 12 nights on those two islands, so I would recommend 5 nights in Waikiki and 7 nights on Kauai. It is good that Honolulu is the first stop.  There is more to do and see on Oahu, but five days is enough time there.



I also would vote for 5 nights in Waikiki and 7 nights on Kauai. We like staying in Waikiki, but not for more than 4-5 days. We've been to 5 islands and love them all, but Kauai is our favorite. Kauai has plenty of shopping and dining, but is less hurried, less crowded, and quieter than Oahu.


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## tonytogo (May 30, 2016)

Thanks for all of the info. Will plan on the five days in Oahu and a week in Kauai. Will rent a car in Kauai, is it necessary in Oahu? Use über in so Cal. Is that an option, staying in Waikiki?


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## Luanne (May 30, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Thanks for all of the info. Will plan on the five days in Oahu and a week in Kauai. Will rent a car in Kauai, is it necessary in Oahu? Use über in so Cal. Is that an option, staying in Waikiki?



Unless you want to get out of the Honolulu area a car is not necessary.  I think Uber is active there, but hopefully someone who has visited recently and has experience will post.


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## vacationtime1 (May 30, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Thanks for all of the info. Will plan on the five days in Oahu and a week in Kauai. Will rent a car in Kauai, is it necessary in Oahu? Use über in so Cal. Is that an option, staying in Waikiki?



You could rent a car for just a day or two (or two one day rentals) to see the north and east shores.  The big surf on the north shore is amazing and the beaches are quintessentially Hawaiian.

I agree with your five day / seven day time allocation.


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## DeniseM (May 30, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Thanks for all of the info. Will plan on the five days in Oahu and a week in Kauai. Will rent a car in Kauai, is it necessary in Oahu? Use über in so Cal. Is that an option, staying in Waikiki?





Sight seeing with uber and tours will be more expensive than renting a car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Luanne (May 30, 2016)

DeniseM said:


> Sight seeing with uber and tours will be more expensive than renting a car.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I think you have to look at the purpose of wanting the car.  If it's to use for sight-seeing, getting to the other side of the island, etc., then a car would be handy.  But, you need to factor in the cost of parking, unless you're just going to rent for a day, pick up and return the same day.

I was thinking the OP was asking about Uber for short distances, instead of using a cab.


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## taterhed (May 31, 2016)

tonytogo said:


> Thanks for all of the info. Will plan on the five days in Oahu and a week in Kauai. Will rent a car in Kauai, is it necessary in Oahu? Use über in so Cal. Is that an option, staying in Waikiki?



Don't forget:  I didn't see where you are coming from, but you do loose a few time zones regardless.  So, your first 24 hours of 'vacation' might be a bit hectic with the drive/airport/fly/airport/drive/check-in  (whew!) routine.  Many people forget they loose at least 1/2 day on check-in/check-out--especially with the inter-island flight (airport/fly/airport/rental car etc...)

When you get to Kauai, you'll want to hit Costco/Safeway when you arrive to stock up.  They are right in Lihue next to each other.  Beer/liquor/groceries are all right there.  There can be some traffic at rush hour headed north out of Lihue, but it's usually pretty minor.  You should really see the south shore while you're there:  Waimea Canyon, Poipu, the heritage trail, the start of the Napali cliffs....  So much to do.  But, the drive to the S Shore is a good 45 mins depending on traffic and construction (almost done I think?).  Leave plenty of time.  Pack lunches (safeway sandwiches?  noodles?) to take to the canyon--and gallons of water!).   Also, if you're reasonably healthy and like hiking, you must hike the Kalalau trail; at least to Hanakapi`ai beach.  Tiring, but wonderful.  Again, lots of water and a good sense of knowing 'when to say when.'

Have fun...you'll love it.


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