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I've never been to Hawaii and perhaps should pay it a pilgrimage some day. Should I decide to do it soon, I have some questions:
- Did the tsunami affect Hawaii's beaches? Did they get washed away and smaller? Is there visible damage that makes them not look what they normally look like?
- Is it true that the waves are smaller in summer? That’s an impulsive post and I haven’t done any research right now, but I remember reading in the past that the water is calm in some parts of each island? Is there any consistency across the board for all islands (like Northern, or Western side, etc.) or are these patterns individual? Could you recommend places with calm waters? I’m not a surfer and can’t even swim. That’s why Hawaii hasn’t been particularly attractive to me even though it’s so lush and beautiful. Speaking of lush, is it like that all the time or only after the rainy season as is the case in some places?
- Which islands would you recommend as best/must-see to somebody who’s never been to Hawaii?
- How hot does it get in summer? Being from Tucson, I don’t think any summer will phase me… The generally recommended months may even be cool for me…
These are my questions for now on prima vista. I realize they are quite a few. I’d imagine I may find answers to the last two in past discussions on this forum and in other sources, so if you have limited time, please focus on the rest. Of course, a lot can be found and read about Hawaii, but locals always know best!
Only a couple beaches were affected by the tsunami. Hawaii is unlike CA and other other beach areas you may have visited, as there are beaches everywhere. Literally surrounding all the islands.
Yes, the waves are smaller in the summer. Summer temps are usually in the 80's. Piece of cake compared to Tucson!
My favorite islands are the Big Island & Kauai. Both have a more rural flavor.
Only a couple beaches were affected by the tsunami. Hawaii is unlike CA and other other beach areas you may have visited, as there are beaches everywhere. Literally surrounding all the islands.
I'm asking because after the last few hurricanes some hotels around Cancun and Riviera Maya ended up almost beachless!
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Yes, the waves are smaller in the summer.
I wonder what you guys consider "smaller"... Ideally, I want pool-type waves!
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Summer temps are usually in the 80's. Piece of cake compared to Tucson!
Maybe upper 80's at least...? Hopefully, when we factor in the humidity, I won't freeze to death. I just read somewhere that the best months are April, May, September, and October, but they might be too cold for me. July or August may be good – I can escape our monsoons I hate. I also checked for hurricane season and it appears to be the same like in the Caribbean with the notable difference of not having any in almost 20 years, so that doesn’t appear to be of any concern.
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My favorite islands are the Big Island & Kauai. Both have a more rural flavor.
Come over, we need tourist!
Ha-ha, that I'm becoming aware of quickly. I didn't really think about the radiation at all because I avoid news like the plague. I already was about 900-1000 miles from Chernobyl in 1986... We'll never know what we got then...
What prompted me to post was an article I happened to read at lunch time. I'm trying to come up with some vacation idea and said to myself "why don't I drag my rear end to Hawaii after all." I'd rather be out of the country altogether, but Hawaii is still different enough, and even though I love the Mexican beaches and the flights are convenient, I'm getting increasingly tired of the culture as I almost live in it anyway.
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Originally Posted by AlohaHuey
No apparent damage at Hapuna on the BI.
Generally, the waves are choppier in the winter but YMMV.
There are beaches on every island that are protected. I recommend visiting at least two islands; each island is very different.
That's the thing... Unless I find such a beach for sure beforehand, I'll be a very unhappy camper because I don't plan on renting a car.
I've never been to Hawaii and perhaps should pay it a pilgrimage some day. Should I decide to do it soon, I have some questions:
Aloha. Come on down!
The first thing I'll say is that the answers to each of your questions differs somewhat depending on which island you are talking about. I think the hardest thing for people to understand about Hawai'i is how much variety of experience is available here. As the tour guides will tell you, the Big Island alone has 11 of the world's 13 climate zones, from tropic to arid desert to alpine meadow, and all within the space of an island you can drive all the way around in 5-6 hours.
And heat is relative... I've been in Phoenix when it was 120, and that's hot. If you spit, it never hits the sidewalk, and I saw a dog explode there one August. But it's dry heat, and the experience there is very different from being in Hilo when it's 95 deegrees and the humidity is 1,000 percent.
A good place to start would be... what do you like to do? Snorkel? Lay on the beach with a cool fruity drink? Ride horses? Hike through the rainforest? See how coffee and macadamia nuts get made? Watch fabulous sunsets and dance on the beach til morning? Active or passive, that's a key decision to make about your vacation right off the bat.
The first thing I'll say is that the answers to each of your questions differs somewhat depending on which island you are talking about. I think the hardest thing for people to understand about Hawai'i is how much variety of experience is available here. As the tour guides will tell you, the Big Island alone has 11 of the world's 13 climate zones, from tropic to arid desert to alpine meadow, and all within the space of an island you can drive all the way around in 5-6 hours.
Wow! I wasn't aware of that. I'll be honest - I don't know a whole lot about Hawaii.
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And heat is relative... I've been in Phoenix when it was 120, and that's hot. If you spit, it never hits the sidewalk, and I saw a dog explode there one August. But it's dry heat, and the experience there is very different from being in Hilo when it's 95 deegrees and the humidity is 1,000 percent.
I've been to enough humid places to know the difference. As a matter of fact, I grew up by a sea and never thought my hometown was humid. When I started going back there from Tucson, I could tell the difference. My hometown is still not nearly as humid as other places, though.
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A good place to start would be... what do you like to do? Snorkel? Lay on the beach with a cool fruity drink? Ride horses? Hike through the rainforest? See how coffee and macadamia nuts get made? Watch fabulous sunsets and dance on the beach til morning? Active or passive, that's a key decision to make about your vacation right off the bat.
I'd say mixed - more on the passive side. Say 2/3-1/2 of the time on the beach; 1/3-/1/2 on trips. I like the stuff I bolded above. Heck, I wouldn't mind dancing on the beach till the morning, either, but that idea is kind of in the air as I'd go alone. Naturally, I have to see a volcano! Love rainforests, too. Nature walks are great, but anything like hiking, biking, snorkeling, and whatever athletic -ing is not my forte.
The beach is important to me because I want to be on the beach and in the water, which has to be almost flat! If I wanted to hang out by the pool, I'd stay in AZ or go to freezing-ocean-water CA or Cabo... For comparison reasons, I love of the beaches of Riviera Maya. That’s where I usually go. In Cancun, I’d never stay on the longer side of the “7” where the water is rough.
The highest recorded temperature was 94°F in 1966.
Yeah, but Aunty Tutu said it FELT like 95!
Actually, I'm sure it felt much hotter. Hilo averages 65 percent humidity in late summer, with peaks that are higher, while Phoenix is lower overall, and has never exceeded 45 percent on its many 100+ days. As you can see on the linked Heat Index chart, 90 degrees at 65 percent feels like 102 degrees, while 90 degrees at 45 percent feels like 95. washingtonpost.com: Weather
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Originally Posted by mdand3boys
(If you can drive around the Big Island in 5-6 hours - you were really speeding)
Nahhhhh, not if you avoid rush hour. 225 miles in 6 hours is an average of 37.5 mph, and most of that drive is posted at 55mph speed limit. Besides, you have to remember, half of the drive is downhill!
(Disclaimer: this post contains humor, which is not to be taken too literally, as that ruins the joke. Capiche?)
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The generally recommended months may even be cool for me…
Ideally, I want pool-type waves!
