Hawaii. The ultimate domestic destination that is both exotic and mysterious. 1500 years ago, when the Polynesians arrived by ocean and navigating only by the stars, the islands of Hawaii were discovered! Since then, the evolution has been mystifying and magical. Modern day Hawaii has all of the amenities of a top flight tourist destination but also a harkening of the past. So how do you enjoy a Hawaiian vacation and see the sites of multiple-islands in one stay?
With the post-pandemic boom in travel to Hawaii, it’s been a challenge for most travelers. As travel restrictions have been rescinded, it’s of even greater importance to know the latest to ensure the smoothest possible movement of travel. Hotels accommodations are in short supply, rental cars are scarce and airline staffing and scheduling issues are creating more challenges in planning a dream vacation. This has continued for much of 2023 and projects to be so in 2024. With the tragic fires on Maui and the long-term implications for both the local community and visitors to the area, travel to Maui requires the assistance of a seasoned Hawaii expert. It can be a daunting task to make all the pieces fit for a multi-island Hawaii stay. And this is exactly why seasoned travel agent professionals exist to make your vacation planning as simple as a phone call, email, text or Zoom call. Or you can certainly meet in person with a consultant for a Hawaii travel planning session. Multi-island stays are best since many people will only get to experience the islands once in a lifetime. On the other hand, exploring all of one island can be very fulfilling. Getting to know one island intimately can create a sense of a home away from home.
Let’s explore the potential of a multi-island stay! There are many combinations but it is travel date dependent. To explore the 4 major islands, Oahu, Maui, Big Island and Kauai, you’ll need a minimum of 14 days in Hawaii. 10-13 days is better suited to 3 of the islands and 7-9 days will almost assuredly mean a two-island split. Any less and we recommend staying with one major island like Maui. During a week stay on Maui, you could do a day trip to Lanai Island off the coast of Maui for a diversion and to see the less traveled of Hawaii.
Since most of you will want to make a visit to see Pearl Harbor, it’s necessary to add Oahu into any multi-island stay. With a wide range of accommodations in Honolulu and options on the North Shore, Oahu is a great first stop on your journey. It’s easiest to get to by air and has the best city life among the islands.
Our favorite two-island combo is Oahu and Maui and our agents will package everything for you from airfare to rental cars to accommodations that fit your budget and style. And first-hand agent advice is complimentary! We will recommend the best tours and pre-book any that appeal to you, provide dinner recommendations, show you ways to save while on island and arrange any amenities desired for your special occasion. We just request that you book your Hawaii vacation package with our agency. It’s how we are compensated with no cost to you.
Maui is open and much of the island is unaffected by the wildires that so tragically altered the town of Lahaina. Islanders and government officials have repeatedly reached out to welcome tourists back to the island. We can help by patronizing the resorts and businesses of Maui. Tourism accounts for the overwhelming majority of revenue for the entire area and we can do our part in helping to rebuild the community through our vacation purchases. I encourage you to speak with an experienced travel agent to find the best options for including Maui in your multi-island stay.
When deciding on a three-island Hawaii vacation, Kauai is our favorite addition. While Big Island is a preference of many, the major draw we hear from our past clients is seeing an active volcano. On 11/27/22 the Mauna Loa volcano erupted for the first time in 38 years! Mauna Loa is showing no activity as of today, December 5, 2023. The Kilauea volcano is the other one to watch at the Volcanoes National Park. As of today, December 5th, 2023 Kilauea is not erupting. The most recent eruption was from September 2023. From the USGS “The eruption that began on September 10, 2023 has ended. No lava fountains, flows, or glow are visible at this time.“
Kilauea experiences dormant periods where there isn’t even a glow of lava for quite some time. The volcano has been active on a sporadic basis for years. There can be long periods with zero activity. The same applies to Mauna Loa. Monitoring the US Geological Survey website is the best way to gauge the activity levels of both volcanos. We prefer to opt for Kauai on the 3-island stays because of it’s lush, untouched nature. Much of Kauai is inaccessible by car, which makes the helicopter and boat tours something to behold! Kauai is less developed and more of what people envision Hawaii to be.
If you have the time, the ultimate Hawaii trip is a four major island stay! It entails being mobile and moving from place to place throughout the vacation, but you’ll have the opportunity to see Hawaii like few ever get to experience! See Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, Kona coffee plantations, an active volcano, drive The Road To Hana and experience hidden waterfalls and black sand beaches, visit the Waimea Canyon (The Grand Canyon of the Pacific), land in a helicopter at Jurassic Falls, hike the adventurous trails of the Na Pali Coast, dine on fresh poké bowls, experience the museums of Hawaii and Polynesian culture. It’s all available on the ultimate four island tour!
As you can see, there is a ton of planning to do for a multi-island Hawaii vacation. We take the work out of that planning. Our professional, experienced Hawaii travel agents will create a custom Hawaii package the same day you inquire.
Schedule your appointment with one of our Hawaii specialists here: https://preferredvacations.as.me/
Or request a quote via our website:
https://www.preferredvacations.com/explore/
Or you can reach us at 1-859-229-3222