Where to stay in Hawaii? Last minute trip (Honolulu, Lahaina: car rental, rental)

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Where to stay in Hawaii? I am making a last trip decision. I only going to be there for five nights. I like to just hang out on the beach, snorkel, try some local foods. What about that famous volcano? Is it easy to book trips to that, or do you need several months advance notice?

Is there one area I can enjoy all that? Is there a resort area like in Puerto Rico? Do I need a car? Am I going to have to fly from Island to Island? Is that a common occurrence to have to fly from island to lsland for tourists to enjoy themselves?

Also what is the budget going to have to look like? And how many hours of flying from California, and how many hours behind.

[whtviper1]

Nobody uses Google anymore?

[hotzcatz]

Usually the first thing folks do is choose which islands they are most interested in visiting.

The volcano is on the Island of Hawaii, which is frequently referred to as 'the Big Island' since it's confusing to be the Island of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii Island doesn't have as many nice beaches as some of the older islands. We have fresh new land, the volcano is still making the island bigger, but it takes awhile for the sand to show up on the beaches.

The volcano is a National Park, so anyone can go there at any time. If you're visiting the Island of Hawaii, a car rental would be a good thing since it's quite aways between places and the bus service is very marginal.

If you want a resort area, there's some of those on pretty much each island, although they can be the more expensive options.

Basically Waikiki on Oahu is a huge tourist Mecca. All kinds of touristy things, a big white beach, loads of tour buses going every where from there. If you're staying on Oahu, you could get around without a car.

It's about a five hour flight to the West Coast and I think we're either one or two hours behind? They keep changing the time over on the mainland so it's hard to keep track.

[terracore]

Sounds like you want to go to Waikiki. They do have "see the volcano" day trips you can take from Waikiki, it will involve buses, airplane rides, and a helicopter tour. I think it includes a meal or two. I don't remember how $ much it was but when I looked at it in 2011 I thought the price was reasonable and I'm frugal.

[peta2013]

Don’t discount the ease of visiting Maui. Great food, beaches, people but less traffic and urban chaos. There’s a volcano too but it’s dormant unless you’re willing to wait around a millennia or two.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Originally Posted by terracore

Sounds like you want to go to Waikiki. They do have "see the volcano" day trips you can take from Waikiki, it will involve buses, airplane rides, and a helicopter tour. I think it includes a meal or two. I don't remember how $ much it was but when I looked at it in 2011 I thought the price was reasonable and I'm frugal.

Waikiki is in Honolulu though right? Are there hotels right on the shore? What is range of prices? Is there anywhere to go snorkeling nearby?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by terracore

Sounds like you want to go to Waikiki. They do have "see the volcano" day trips you can take from Waikiki, it will involve buses, airplane rides, and a helicopter tour. I think it includes a meal or two. I don't remember how $ much it was but when I looked at it in 2011 I thought the price was reasonable and I'm frugal.

The cheaper ones start around $400/person for day tours

[hotzcatz]

Waikiki is a dense urban city directly on a white sand beach, but there's not a lot of good snorkeling nearby. Lots of thirty story hotels and condos along with loads of tourists and touristy shops.

Maybe someone on the Maui forum will chime in on snorkeling near Lahaina? That's another touristy town on the beach although not as urban as Waikiki. What's that old hotel right in the middle of Lahaina? Pioneer Inn? That's waterfront, not sure if they have much beach along there, though.

If you're military, you could look into the Hale Koa hotel, it's directly beachfront Waikiki and is probably the least expensive hotel on the beach. In any case, Waikiki isn't that wide that you can't walk to the beach from just about any hotel there. The Ala Moana Hotel is just outside of Waikiki kinda at the end of the parking lot for Ala Moana shopping center with Ala Moana beach park at the other side of the shopping center's parking. Not such good snorkeling there, I don't think, but the water is calm inside the outer reef.

If you can rent a room at Hale Koa, then you'd also be able to rent a room at Kilauea Military Camp up at Volcano National Park. That'd be Hawaii Island and you'd want to rent a car. No snorkeling nearby, it's up around 4,000 foot elevation. Although there's snorkeling over near Kealakekua bay about a forty five minute to an hour's drive from there? Big Island doesn't have anywhere near the traffic the other islands have, but there's much longer distances to go to get to places.

Folks go to Haunama Bay for snorkeling, although that would be a day trip with a bus ride and all.

[mr.magoo]

footnote to Hotcatz's post; Haunama Bay is open 6:am-7:00 pm every day except Tuesday.

You said you have been to Puerto Rico... you probably stayed at Isla Verde / Condado...

yup, Waikiki is very similiar to that area.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

I booked a hotel called Castle something waikiki beach. Their page said they are half a block from beach. I hope so. Is there any good snorkeling on Oahu where I can rent snorkel, and locker?