Honeymoon - Where would you go???

ETweet

Hi Ladies! So FI and I are trying to finalize our travel arrangements with our agent, however we are stuck because we don't know which island to visit for our honeymoon. We're getting married on Maui and have not been to another island in Hawaii. We're torn between Kauai and the Big Island. I've read a little bit about the two of them and am leaning more towards the Big Island because of the active volcanoes but everyone tells me that Kauai is incredible. FI and I would like to go somewhere we can have many activities at our fingertips. Which one would you suggest? Where are you spending your honeymoon?

carrieoz_76

We're going to Kauai. We want to take a boat trip around the Na Pali coast, hike up on Waimea Canyon (which is often compared to the Grand Canyon), do a kayak trip up the Waimea River, and I want a couples massage somewhere. Plus, Kauai is the place where the helicopter trips are the most worth the big bucks they charge. I also really want to go somewhere less developed than Maui. We really like Maui, but the last time we were there we didn't feel like we got to spend a lot of time in the more remote areas (except our trip to Hana) or with locals (everyone we talked to was a transplant from the mainland!). After a week of wedding stuff with friends and family on Maui, I think we'll be ready for Kauai.

BoBride28

I've never been to the Big Island but I've been to Kauai twice and I think you should definitely go there. I looooove Kauai -- it truly is incredible. There are a ton of activities to do and its pretty easy to explore the majority of the entire island while you are there. I guarantee you will fall in love with the island. To date, its one of the best trips FI and I have ever had. We are going to Thailand for about 2 weeks for our honeymoon. We wanted to go somewhere where we have never been and may not have a chance to go again. We figured since we are traveling from the East Coast to Maui, it breaks up the trip nicely to then head over to Asia. I cannot wait!!

kaesha

I LOVE the Big Island. It's so laid back - the volcanoes are awesome, and I highly recommend doing a star gazing tour on the top of Mauna Kea.

maui2011

I've only been to the Big Island for a day trip when vacationing on Maui.  I was in Kauai this Febuary and loved loved loved it!!! It is sooooo beautiful!!! I am hoping to honeymoon in Kauai.  My only word of caution is if you want to do a lot of activity stay in a neutral location if you do not not like to drive a lot while on vacation or get up too early.  I like to scuba dive and the dive shops are in the south and i stayed up north...in Princeville...absoletly gorgeous...but about an hour or more to commute each way...in traffic even longer.  With all that being said we plan to stay at the westin princeville despite the commute albeit will probably not dive or maybe just once as FI is not a diver.  Either island you can't go wrong but i heart Kauai. HTH! J. :-)

aliblu

I went to Kauai over spring break, and it was amazing! There is not alot of people, its laid back, and gorgeous! We did so much activities too! We did Capt.Andys Napali Coast Cruise, Backcountry Adventures ziplining, Deep Sea Fishing, went Snorkeling alot, beaches!! It was awesome! It truely is a beautiful island, but I havent had any other islands to compare.

pbkmom

It all depends on what you are looking for. Kauai is what most people picture when they think of Hawaii. Very lush and tropical. The scenery is gorgeous. All the above mentioned activities are great. It is quiet with very little night life.  The Big island is BIG. It requires a lot of driving to get from one end to the other. The Kona side is dry and covered in volcanic rock, not lush except for the stunning landscaping of the resorts. The Hilo side is more tropical and rainy. The volcano can be a problem if its sending off vog which is like smog with volcanic gases. So at times you can not go down to the park because the air is difficult to breath. There are some lovely beaches along the Kona /Kahala coast but they are small and most of the shore is volcanic tidal pools. Each has their charm and lovely resorts but they are different experiences.

vanilla15

I vote for the Big Island....it is definitely my favorite!  We honeymooned on Kauai & loved it too.  I would also have to agree with Maui2011...we did  A LOT of driving while we were on Kauai.  We stayed in Princeville, but everytime we wanted to do something on the South or East side, it was quite a haul over there.  Honestly, I dont' think you can go wrong with any of the islands...the Big Island is just my personal fav!

mauidandy

Could you do both? 3 or 4 days on each island? I know it's kind of a hassle to pack everything up and move but inter-island flights are pretty cheap! I think that's what we're doing...a few days on Kauai and then a few days on Oahu....

diorgrl8

we are going to kauai because we'd already been to the Big Island...both are quite different... Especially in size obviously. Kauai is probably the more romantic of the two...what month are you going?Kauai is much rainier than the Kona side of the Big island any time of the year. But each island has something different and distinct to offer...just depends on what type of things you wanna do Can't really go wrong either way, we had a BLAST in the big island...and sooo excited to see Kauai.

peachmango

That is definitely a tough choice.  For our honeymoon, we went to Kauai but we had been to Big Island before.Kauai is much smaller than Big Island.  Both have they good points.  The active volcano is definitely lots of fun. Going from place to place on Big Island could take hours so account for that when you plan your travels. 

MrsNFB

Oops, the Hilo Farmer's Markets are Wednesdays and SATURDAYS. Sorry about that, typing too fast!

diorgrl8

just rewording my prev. post..... i didn't mean that Kauai is more romantic as in champagne and chocolates romantic...i meant "romantic" like a romanticized image of how people might think of what Hawaii is like if they've never been... Like how it gets depicted in movies and what not. But yeah...i think Hoboken, New Jersey can be romantic if you're with that special guy Either choice, you really can't go wrong..it's Hawaii.P.S. A few girls here have suggested the Ultimate Guidebooks (they have one for each island) , I think they're really handy to take on your first trip to any of the islands. GL!

akbride09

Last time I checked, this was a forum where folks get to state their opinion and are not required to report subjectively on anything! When I ask a question, I look forward to the myriad of responses and information I will get, and am certainly not trying to sort out the hard facts; I take much of it as opinion and appreciate it as such! I personally resent mini-smackdowns like the above and think it's unfair to make anyone feel that they need to ammend their stated opinions! With that said - ETweet, my FI and I will be headed to Kauai for our honeymoon. We'll be in Oahu for our wedding week, and we are looking forward to the slower pace of Kauai. We love exploring and hiking, and can't wait to see Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast. I've been to the Big Island also, to visit my sis when she lived there, and there are plenty of places to have a great honeymoon there too. Like others have said - I don't think you can go wrong here!

MrsNFB

Chill out akbride. Opinions are great, love opinions, nothing wrong with them. I just don't appreciate when opinions are stated as facts because for someone not familiar with a particular subject, it's not helpful and inaccurate. I also think you should look up what subjective means, it's not a bad thing to be subjective. Feel free to block me if you don't want to see my posts. Sorry, and I still disagree about about Kauai being the most romantic in any sense. All of the islands have that "thing" that people think of when they think "Hawaii" which is what makes Hawaii so great...and why all of the islands are worthwhile to visit. That's just my opinion.

akbride09

Woah, woah, woah! you just were not striking me as someone who loves opinions, and I didn't think it was fair to turn something as innocuous as a honeymoon destination into a debate over what can be considered subjective, nor to describe someone else's post as "ridiculous" and "silly". Moving on...ETweet, sorry for turning your post into this. I always enjoy coming on to the board because others have many of the same questions I do. I hope you're able to get the info you were looking for, and have a great and enjoyable honeymoon!!

MrsNFB

Okay, maybe you just don't know what subjective means. Subjective means it's your OPINION based on your preferences/experiences. Feel free to email me if you have anything more to add to this ridiculous rant you seem to be on, I'm very happy to hear from you: mrsnfb@ gmail.com

carrieoz_76

NFB - I don't think AK is the one on the ridiculous rant.

MrsNFB

Alrightie then. Well farewell Knotties. I've been at this for a really long time to try to help people out, especially Big Island brides since there are few of us on this board, but it's just not worth it. Good luck everyone.

caiandcullen

wow, what just happened? umm.. well, i think that it depends on what you and FI want. both islands are, of course, less urban than oahu. that being said, when i think big island, i think tons of expanses of lava rock and grassy hills (my father is from there). however, in the times that i've been to kauai, i saw... more greenery? i'm sure you could find many things to do on either island, though!! good luck.

eacerna

I haven't been to Kauai but from what I heard it's a beautiful island just like all the other major islands.  It's the next must visit island on our list ;-). I think each island has its own beauty to offer so you can never go wrong either way. DI & I spent our honeymoon in Lanai. We were tired after the wedding and did not want to do anything so at that time Lanai was perfect for us. We went to BI last July for our 1st year anniversary and we had tons of fun! MrsNFB, our BI expert on the board,  gave me GREAT suggestions as to the different places to go :-). I highly suggest getting the Revealed book (for BI or Kauai wherever you end up going). MrsNFB, ah don't leave the board! You've been here FOREVER. The knotties need you :-). Well, if you do, I'll just see you on TN ;-).

ETweet

Thank you all for your input! I appreciate all of the opinions, facts, and suggestions that you all shared. Each and every one of you is so extremely helpful no matter what you bring to the board and I appreciate it more than you could ever know. So many of us bride-to-be's could never make their dream weddings come true without the advice of others on this board. I know I couldn't! Out of all the boards I have visited, this has been the most supportive, fun, and helpful. Let's keep this amazing environment and support those around us even if we do or don't agree with what they suggest. Although it may not be helpful for you, perhaps it is exactly what someone else was looking for. That's why I love this board! MrsNFB - Your information was so helpful! I checked out your suggestions for places to stay and they were breathtaking! Please don't leave the board. You are a tramendous asset and we need you! akbride - Thank you as well for your suggestions and opinions. They, too, were extremely helpful! Love you all!!! XOXO

diorgrl8

well said ETweet love all the HI knotties.. this board makes a bride's life much easier!