Which Hawaii Island for Honeymoon?

Maui!!

I would second Maui! I have been to the big island and Oahu but my family and I kept going back to Maui. I would say Maui for a honeymoon for a few reasons: (1) There is SO much to do, but you lose the touristy feel of the other islands (2) it's not as busy as Oahu/big island (3) things can be a little more affordable and (3) I feel like there is more privacy. But what I will say is that Hawaii in general is stunning and I don't think you can really go wrong with any island. If you do decide that you're only picking between the big island and Oahu go for the big island because it's not as touristy/busy!

We just went to the Big Island last month. We didn't want Maui because it's too touristy. We did the Big Island for 10 days and unless you are BIG into hiking miles and miles, there's not enough to keep you busy. We spent around $7k, which is more than we spent in Paris last year. I MUCH preferred the trip to Paris, since there is so much to do there. But we prefer vacations where we are learning (museums, local customs, local food, etc). The Big Island has the Volcano National Park and the Mauna Kea Observatory to stargaze at night, but that's about it. There are a few small things to do like various little parks with snorkeling. You definitely need to rent a 4x4 to get around. We rented a house on the oceanside, which was great and cheaper than a hotel.

We're getting married a week before you and we're going to Maui. We've never been there, but based on my research, it seems like the best mix of things to do and relaxing areas for a honeymoon.

Many of my Dad's family lives on the Big Island, so I have been there a lot. I agree with Pancakes -- much of the island is actually pretty rural. There are some beautiful beaches, hikes, and the Volcano National park, but other islands might have more attractions closer together or have more things of interest to honeymooners.

If you figure out where you're going, let me know! Our honeymoon will be a pre-wedding-moon, because my cousin's wedding will be on the big island like 3 weeks ahead of our wedding. We're going to go for his wedding and then stay an extra week (maybe on a different island) as our "honeymoon." I don't know that much about the other islands so I will be watching this thread

Aloha from Maui! If you can provide more info on what you're looking for, I'll steer you in the right direction. Every island is very different, so tell me more about what you're into and what you'd like to do. I love to help people enjoy this wonderful place, so please let me know if I can assist.

We did Hawaii for our HM ages ago. We did the Big Island for 5 days to *seriously* relax (there isn't much to do there besides lie in the sun, snorkel, and go on hikes or a bike ride, which we skipped ). Then we spent a few days on Maui, where we did the classic touristy stuff-- parasailing, dinner cruise, etc.

I'm born and raised on Maui and use to work for the airlines, a lot of people come here on their honeymoon. I occasionally visit the other islands and have to say that (in my opinion of course)...

Big Island: Depends which side you choose, Kona or Hilo....Hilo is more of the city side while Kona is very very laid back...a lot of driving to get where you want to go (resturants/markets/etc.)...me and my fiancé went to Kona side for my friends wedding and hated the fact that everything was so far away. But then again were from Hawaii so, might be different for you.

Kauai: Same thing but a little more laid back, a lot of places close early and a ton of driving.

Oahu: If you love the city, this is the place for you....in my opinion tho....I would never live there due to the traffic...and I mean A LOT of traffic.

Maui: (and I'm not saying this because I live on the island), you got just enough of everything...not to much traffic, not to far of driving, laid back but not to the point of boredom.

What I noticed too when I was working at the airlines, people travel to more than one island say for example...Maui, stay for a few days....then travel to Hilo/Kona, do some sight seeing and either come back to Maui or go to another island and finish vacation there.

Thanks for all the advice. Zoe asked for some details, here we go.

Well fly out Sunday June 19th and fly home either Friday or Saturday (depends on how long we can stay at the hotel). Outdoors stuff is good and pretty scenery like beaches and waterfalls would be great. No hikes that are too strenuous though. My fiance doesn't much care for history so visiting pearl harbor and USS Arizona and museums might not be high on the list. But things we could do together like snorkel or sail would be great. She's the ocean lover not me but I love her so I'm willing to get wet haha.

Sounds like Maui or Kauai would be your ideal island. You really can't go wrong with either, but there's definitely more to do on Maui. (Maybe I'm partial because I live here and not Kauai?) Lots of non-strenuous hiking and nature activities, lots of good dining, ok shopping, ok night life. May I ask which hotels you'll be staying at? A good location on Kauai beats a mediocre location on Maui.

FH and I are planning on Hawaii for out honeymoon also. We aren't taking our honeymoon right after the wedding because it's FH's busy time at work and I would rather go somewhere warm in the winter. What wintery months are best?

Maui!

Thank you for this post! Fh and I are planning on hawaii for our honeymoon and we're talking about Oahu because of pearl harbor, but now I'm looking into multi island packages because maui seems more our speed over all.

For inter-island travel, I suggest flying with Mokulele Airlines. They fly out of commuter terminals, so there's far less hassle and no security lines. The planes fly low so you get a wonderful aerial tour while you fly.

Hi Zoe,

We are also planning on a 14 day honeymoon July18- August 1st. We love the outdoors activities like biking and hiking, We also love to relax on the beach too. We like to relax and have nice dinners too. Not too big into late night partying but will enjoy a nice drink at the bar before going home. We are up in the air about which islands to go to. We are definitely going to go to Maui. We thought since we fly into Oahu we could do pearl harbor the next day and then fly out to another island. What are your thoughts and what is travel like?

~We aren't really into the city life~

We've been to Kauai and Maui. We loved both islands but I think Kauai is more romantic. It does not have nearly the 'touristy' feel that Maui does... but both islands are wonderful.

We're going to the Big Island for our honeymoon. :-)

I say Maui. I've been to Kauai and Maui, both on group trips. Maui was easier to get around and schedule tours and things. Yes, it's more touristy, but I still loved it.

A lot of folks plan their main flights in and out of Oahu, spend a day or two there on each end and island hop. There are a decent number of mainland cities that fly direct to Maui though, so Oahu isn't always in the equation. Since you have 2 weeks, I definitely suggest trying to get in at least 2 islands. Mokulele doesn't fly to Kauai, but they do service Molokai and Lanai of you really want to get off the beaten path. Regardless of which island you go to, be sure to rent a car.

We are going on our Honeymoon, too. Haven't figured out itinerary. BUT...I think we want to stay at Aulani for a few nights so we will be in Oahu for some of it. Plus - my FH would get bored just laying in the sun all the time- so I think the different activities around Oahu fits our personalities (Jurassic Park filiming area, Pearl Harbor, Dole Factory, Waikiki Beach, etc). Thanks for all the tips ladies.

A lot of great advice here, Zoe has added a lot of great info for people.

I live on Oahu and there is plenty to do, you can hike and see pretty places, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay is amazing, you can take boats out you can go to waterfalls (Though I like Big Island better for waterfalls), you can do fun things like the Polynesian Cultural Center or the Dole Plantation, you can go to amazing beaches like Lani Kai or the North Shore, you can get an overpriced mai tai in Waikiki...we really have it all. However, it's not super quiet (unless you stay at like Turtle Bay or Ko'olina) and the traffic is actually quite awful. And the drivers are so bad, my DH runs a camera every time we go somewhere to catch the bad drivers on film, we get something bad about 8 out of 10 times driving. It can be a little stressful.

Personally my favorite island for beauty is Kauai. They have like a Grand Canyon, superb cliffs, amazing bay views, and botanical gardens, it's just so relaxing and stunning. If you want pictures, my DH is a photographer (mostly landscapes but we also do weddings, couples on their honeymoon, engagements, etc) so if you would like to get a feel for how the different islands look I'd love to send you some of his albums.

Oh and if you're interested in star gazing at all Big Island or Maui are great (I prefer the big island) but as Pancakes said, it is a lot more about hiking and exploring not sitting on a beach. We literally saw like 9 waterfalls in one trip when we went there.

Maui is the most popular for honeymoons. It is really pretty and probably the most stereotypical look for a honeymoon. I didn't find there was a whole lot to do there other than the road to hana and haleakala...however Zoe may be able to recommend a lot more, so I am not the best to ask.

@Susan, Aulani is AWESOME! We photographed a bride and groom getting ready there and it was so beautiful. I want to stay there for a staycation one of these days! It is in a really nice part of Oahu too, not in the super crazy busy area of Waikiki. If you have any questions about Oahu or where to eat, etc. let me know!