Day trips (island hopping) to other islands from Honolulu

[James G]

I'm heading back to Ko Olina in early December. What is everyone's thoughts on taking a day or two and seeing another island. Basically I'm talking about flying to another island and back on the same day. I know! I know! A long day. Is there anything you would recommend? Volcanos National Park, Road to Hana, whatever really. What's feasible and has anyone tried it? How'd it work out?

 

[DeniseM]

On our first trip to Hawaii, we flew from Honolulu to the Big Island to visit the Volcano Park - it was very doable. Little did we know that we would be buying a timeshare on Maui (and then 4 more on Kauai), and going back to Hawaii nearly every year. I would not make a special trip to see the road to Hana.

 

[slip]

I recommend just staying on one island. You lose a lot of time in the airports and there is plenty to do on each island anyway. If you end out liking Hawaii, return and check out another island. Just my two cents.

 

[Ken555]

Don’t do it.

If you really want to visit another island, extend your trip a few days and stay there and fly home from that island instead.


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[letsgobobby]

I'm heading back to Ko Olina in early December. What is everyone's thoughts on taking a day or two and seeing another island. Basically I'm talking about flying to another island and back on the same day. I know! I know! A long day. Is there anything you would recommend? Volcanos National Park, Road to Hana, whatever really. What's feasible and has anyone tried it? How'd it work out?

why?

 

[dioxide45]

I wouldn't do it. This is why we always book two-week stays on two different islands. Much easier that way.

 

[marmite]

I like a week per island, but this past trip we did Maui, Kauai and Oahu in 2 weeks. It still felt like we spent too much time at the airport on travel days, and if you have groceries unfinished it's not so great to try to travel with them. If you want to be a bit splurgy with your timeshare weeks, book one week that overlaps with another. Spend 4 nights at one and 3 at the other. We found this more economical, even though we were wasting some days for our Maui and Kauai reservations.

 

[James G]

Just to clarify as to the why, I don't have the time to do two weeks. I'm still working and only get a limited amount of vacation. Also being a weeks owner at Ko Olina, I don't have any points, that might make island hopping slower.

 

[Red elephant]

Just to clarify as to the why, I don't have the time to do two weeks. I'm still working and only get a limited amount of vacation. Also being a weeks owner at Ko Olina, I don't have any points, that might make island hopping slower.

Then maybe you can get a cheap hotel and do an overnight at a different island. Leave first thing in the am and return the next night.

 

[DaveNV]

I've Island-Hopped in Hawaii many times, but I wouldn't consider your idea of doing it on the same day. By the time you get through the airport, get a rental car (which you will NEED to have), then drive to where you want to visit, your day is already seriously used. Visiting the location, then reversing the process to fly back to the other island takes the rest of the day. When you're done, you'll think, "I went through all that extra hassle, just to see THAT?" I'd never do that to myself.

Driving from Kona Airport to Volcano can be done in a few hours, but you'll miss seeing a LOT of cool stuff along the way. The route should not be rushed. Volcano National Park has a lot of other things to see than just the crater. So it takes time.

The Road to Hana down and back is easily much more than a half-day trip. I've driven it several times while staying on Maui, and it's an all-day thing, even on the best of days. The stops along the road are what makes it fun - if you're pushing the clock, you won't be able to enjoy yourself. Add traffic or an accident in front of you, and time stops. I'd never attempt that on a turn-around day like you're thinking.

My strong advice: If you have a Weeks timeshare, and you can't get additional time off to pad the vacation, leave the timeshare a few days early, fly to the other island and stay in a hotel (or wherever) for the remaining nights while you see the thing you want to see, then fly home directly from that second island. It's the only practical way to see and do a second island on your restricted schedule.

Ideally, tie your vacation at the timeshare with a few days on that second island before you get to your timesahre week. That way the other visit is done, and your timeshare week can still happen in a restful way. You're going to Hawaii for relaxation, not to add to your stress.

Dave

 

[pedro47]

What about The Pride of America cruise ship? Is this an option to visit the difference islands?

 

[klpca]

I am here to say don't do it. However, if I did consider it, the only side trip that I would consider would probably be a flight to Hilo, then rent a car to drive to Volcanoes NP. Google says that it's a 45 min drive. You will really be hustling though. We did stuff like that when we were younger (we hiked Diamond Head on a 4 hour layover once) but with all of the issues with TSA and security lines these days you never know if the timing will work. There is a ton to do on Oahu if you want to get away from Ko Olina for a bit.

To me it would play out like this:

Drive (uber?) from Ko Olina to HNL arriving 1.5 hours before your flight arriving at 6:30 for an 8am flight.
Fly to Hilo 8am flight - 1 hour 9:00
pick up rental car - 30 min 9:30
drive to VNP visitors center - 45 min 10:15
Hike? Drive to Chain of craters? Thurston Lava tube? 3 hours? 1:15
Eat at the lodge - 1 hour? 2:15
Drive back to Hilo & return car - 1 hour 3:15
Wait for flight - ~1.5 hour 4:40 flight
Fly to HNL - 1 hour 5:40 arrival
Uber back to Ko Olina

I think that an overnight would be better - stay somewhere in Volcano.

The wildcard will be the flights. My last flight on Hawaiian (Kona-Lihue) was delayed for 6 hours. Fun times.

 

[ncaahockeyfan]

We have been to the Big Island several times and love the drive from Kona across the island (passing Maunea Kea where the highway elevation gets to around 9000 feet) to the Hilo and Volcanoes area and then returning to Hilo around the south side of the island.

My recommendation would be to book an airBnB or VRBO for one night in Volcanoes park. The lava is best seen at night and both of the drives are best done during the day.

Fly into KOA early; road trip across the island and stay a night in Volcanoes; the following morning road trip around the south side of the island returning to KOA to fly out.

 

[ABCTravels]

My aunt and uncle did a day tour to Volcanos Natl. Park when they visited us in Oahu. Similarly, they did not have a lot of time and did not anticipate being able to return to Hawaii due to mobility issues, so it was now-or-never. They took a flight that left HNL @ ~6 or 7am and got back very late that night, but they were happy because they saw the volcano. I *think* they used Roberts Hawaii as the tour operator, I know they did not get a rental car and used a guided tour for the day trip.

Only you can determine what is worth it for your goals. If you must see a volcano and have limited time then day trip it is. If I was going to day trip to another island from Oahu I would go to Kauai because it will look the most different from the Ko Olina area and offer different experiences than Oahu. I would also use a tour company for a day trip because it's more efficient overall (no car/parking/directions issues).

 

[b2bailey]

I agree with those who suggest you depart home a day early and fly to second island first. Book hotel for one night, and fly to Oahu the next day.
You didn't mention if there are children traveling with you.

 

[FunnyFarm]

I would not do it either. Too much transporet time just to see one sight/activity and jump back the same day. You won't have time to really take time to enjoy the activity.
Big Island: I was just there, you could make the Volcana trip work but you will miss stuff on the way, the flavor of the island, and the crater itself is a only 15 minute visit, lava tube an hour.
Kauai: Too much traffic, you may get there and miss your flight or curtail your day/event early.
Maui, Road to Hana: That's all day by itself let alone flight time/rental car, last time I did it we were driving back in the dark.

OTH, my sister and her DH took a day trip to Molokai (ferry, I think?) and rented a jeep for the afternoon and enjoyed that.

 

[Henry M.]

If you want to be adventuresome, maybe go to one of the local flight schools and schedule a long "discovery flight". You go up with an instructor and can fly wherever you want! Discovery flights are usually limited in time, but many schools let you schedule a longer flight or sometimes offer tours. You fly at the controls with a flight instructor besides you.

I am not familiar with the schools in Oahu, but you can google "Oahu flight training" and get a list. There's an airport in Kapolei near Ko'olina called Kalaeloa/John Rodgers Field. It has two flight schools:

Barbers Point Flight School: https://www.hawaiiflightschool.com/
Pacific Flight Academy: https://www.pacificflightacademy.com/

There are a few schools at the main airport too. In Maui the schools list several routes they take along all of Maui County. The two above mostly talk about training, but you should be able to rent a plane with an instructor to do whatever you want you talk to the school. It is only 95 nautical miles from Kapolei to Kahului in Maui. 55 nm from Kapolei to Molokai. You're flying well over 100 knots so not very long to go over and back.

 

[Passepartout]

Just to clarify as to the why, I don't have the time to do two weeks. I'm still working and only get a limited amount of vacation. Also being a weeks owner at Ko Olina, I don't have any points, that might make island hopping slower.

I strongly advise against this kind of 'fill my bucket list' travel. Recognize that you'll be returning to Hawaii. Next time choose a different island. There is more than enough to do on any of the 4- or 5- major islands to fill out a week, but not nearly enough time to do justice with more than one island in one week- especially when subtracting a day for travel.

I give the same advice to anyone going to Italy and wanting to see ALL the famous sights and sites. It just cannot be done in a week or 10 days or a month.

The difference between being a Tourist and being a Traveler. A tourist collects postcards and takes selfies. A traveler gets to know the people they meet in life's journeys. You'll get far more from asking a local woman about fruits and veggies at the farmer's market, or sharing a pew in the local church, than you'll get out of seeing your mugshot blocking the view of some river you won't remember the name of.

Jim

 

[SteveinHNL]

I recommend just staying on one island. You lose a lot of time in the airports and there is plenty to do on each island anyway. If you end out liking Hawaii, return and check out another island. Just my two cents.

I agree with Jeff. Doing multiple islands in 2 weeks or even 10 days would be fine, but a day trip (there and back on the same day) isn't worth the trouble. If there is something you HAVE to see on a different island, like Volcano National Park, for example, I would do a separate trip for a few days to the Big Island.

 

[SteveinHNL]

Driving from Kona Airport to Volcano can be done in a few hours, but you'll miss seeing a LOT of cool stuff along the way. The route should not be rushed. Volcano National Park has a lot of other things to see than just the crater. So it takes time.

If you are going to visit Volcano on an in/out trip, you would be much better off to fly into Hilo Airport instead of Kona.

 

[DaveNV]

If you are going to visit Volcano on an in/out trip, you would be much better off to fly into Hilo Airport instead of Kona.

Yes. Unless you want to also stop at places like the City of Refuge, Captain Cook, South Point, Na'alehu Bakery, and Punalu'u Black Sand Beach before arriving at VNP.

There is too much to see and do to *only* do VNP, I think.

Dave

 

[SteveinHNL]

Yes. Unless you want to also stop at places like the City of Refuge, Captain Cook, South Point, Na'alehu Bakery, and Punalu'u Black Sand Beach before arriving at VNP.

There is too much to see and do to *only* do VNP, I think.

Dave

I agree, but hard to do all of that on a there and back trip. Hard to do all of that on an overnight trip, even. And don't forget the Manago Hotel in Capt. Cook. The food there is awesome.

 

[DaveNV]

I agree, but hard to do all of that on a there and back trip. Hard to do all of that on an overnight trip, even. And don't forget the Manago Hotel in Capt. Cook. The food there is awesome.

Agreed. It isn't fair to try and do it in one day.

Dave

 

[Ianneyan]

Don’t do it.

If you really want to visit another island, extend your trip a few days and stay there and fly home from that island instead.


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I second this idea, which we have done ourselves.

 

[slip]

Also, The Big Island is big so there is a lot more driving than compared to the other islands.