Hawaii

The Best Oahu Activities: What’s Worth Your Money?

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You’re going to Oahu! You’re going to have the best vacation ever! But figuring out what to do once you get there can be a little overwhelming (you’ll literally be bombarded with things to do as soon as you get off the plane).

In my opinion, there are a few paid tours/excursions on Oahu that are absolutely worth doing. However, many tours and excursions are actually things you can do yourself or things that maybe aren’t worth doing. I’ll break down the activities on Oahu that I think are worth paying for, the ones you can do yourself, and the ones you should skip.

To clarify, this post is breaking down the best PAID activities/tours. For more ideas, check out the best FREE things to do in Hawaii and my favorite general things to do on Oahu.

Must Dos

I think Oahu has more “things to do/tour” than any other Hawaiian Island. And they’re mostly things you can do on your own, not things that require a tour or excursion. But here are a few paid activities worth doing:

Polynesian Cultural Center: If you’re interested in Polynesian culture/history this is one of the best places to go on the island. It opens around noon and you can spend the afternoon touring the villages that represent the different islands where you’ll take part in cultural demonstrations before heading to the luau at night.

Kualoa Ranch: Oahu’s famed Kualoa Ranch has been the backdrop to countless Hollywood films. The ranch offers several different movie tours as well as ATV tours, horseback riding, ziplining, and more. It’s definitely very touristy, but sooooo beautiful. Read more about it here.

Paradise Cove Luau: Paradise Cove is one of the best luaus on the island, however if I wouldn’t do this luau AND the Polynesian Cultural Center. It has so many cultural experiences you can take part in before the luau begins including hula lessons, lei making, and a hukilau ceremony and it’s a pretty good bang for your buck. Plus, it’s right on the beach! Read more about it here.

The Best Kauai Activities: What’s Worth Your Money

Yay! You’re going to Kauai! There is soooo many great things to see and do on the island that you’ll literally be bombarded with activities and excursion opportunities from the minute you arrive at the airport. So how do you know where to save and where to splurge? Listen up, here’s what you need to know:

In my opinion, there are a couple paid tours/excursions on Kauai that are absolutely worth doing. However, many tours and excursions are actually things you can do yourself or things that maybe aren’t worth doing. I’ll break down the activities on Kauai that I think are worth paying for, the ones you can do yourself, and the ones you should skip.

To clarify, this post is breaking down the best PAID activities/tours. For more ideas, check out the best FREE things to do in Hawaii and my favorite general things to do on Kauai.

UPDATE: In April 2018, Kauai experienced record setting flooding especially on its north shore. As a result, the road west of Hanalei town is currently closed cutting off access to the popular Kalalau Trail, Ke’e beach, and snorkeling at Tunnels. I encourage you to check local news coverage before your trip to obtain the most current conditions, and I will also update this as things reopen.

RELATED: Not very familiar with Kauai? Read up on the lay of the is(land) and where to stay plus my favorite beach resorts, budget hotels, Airbnbs, honeymoon resorts, family friendly resorts, luxury resorts, and boutique hotels.

Must Dos

Helicopter Tour: Don’t miss a helicopter tour of Kauai! If you can only afford to do one thing on the island, make it this. You won’t regret it. Read more about it here.

Napali Coast Boat Tour: The other must do experience is a boat ride down the Napali Coast. During the summer months (April to October) you HAVE to take a tour that leaves out of Hanalei on the north shore as you get to see the full coast this way (if you leave out of Port Allen in the south, you’ll spend much of your excursion time just journeying to get to the coast). Read more about it here.

The Best Maui Activities: What’s Worth Your Money

Once you’ve booked your airfare and accommodations, you might think you’ve got your vacation in the bag. But what about how you’re going to spend time once you get there? There is soooo much to do on Maui (you’ll literally be hit in the face with options the minute you get off the plane) that you can’t possibly do it all on one trip (and it would cost you an arm and a leg if you tried).

So in this post I’m going to break down the best Maui activities and my opinions of what’s worth it, what you should do on your own, and what you should skip.

To clarify, this post is breaking down the best PAID activities/tours. For more ideas, check out the best FREE things to do in Hawaii and my favorite general things to do on Maui.

Must Dos

Molokini Snorkel Trip: I think a snorkel trip that includes stops at Molokini Crater and Turtle Town is a don’t miss in Maui. While you can do a lot of snorkeling from shore, you’ll need to go by boat to reach these spots. Plus during whale season, this is a great way to get more bang for your buck. You’ll get a snorkel trip plus a whale-watching trip for the price of one. Book a snorkel tour with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Read more about the best snorkeling spots on Maui here.

Haleakala Bike Ride: The other excursion I would pay for is a bike ride down Haleakala (Maui’s dormant volcano). There are half a dozen companies that will take you in a van up the mountain and then let you bike back down (my favorite is Maui Sunriders though). While you can drive the route in a car, cruising down on a bike while feeling the wind in your hair is an experience you shouldn’t miss. You can read more about it here.

The Best Big Island Activities: What’s Worth Your Money

It would seem like the bulk of your trip expenses are paid for before you show up (accommodations and airfare), but you’d be surprised how quickly the other stuff adds up. You’ll be bombarded with activities and excursion opportunities from the minute you arrive at the airport so how do you know where to save and where to splurge? Listen up, here’s what you need to know:

In my opinion, there are a few paid tours/excursions on the Big Island that are absolutely worth doing. However, many tours and excursions are actually things you can do yourself or things that maybe aren’t worth doing. I’ll break down the activities on the Big Island that I think are worth paying for, the ones you can do yourself, and the ones you should skip.

To clarify, this post is breaking down the best PAID activities/tours. For more ideas, check out the best FREE things to do in Hawaii and my favorite general things to do on the Big Island.

Must Dos

Night Snorkeling/Diving with Manta Rays: This is also the only island where you can do a night dive with manta rays, which is an incredible experience. Most companies will guarantee manta sightings or they’ll let you come again, so be sure to schedule this early on in your trip.

Sunset & Stargazing at Mauna Kea: If you only have room in the budget to do one paid tour/excursion on the Big Island, make it a tour to Mauna Kea summit! You can read all about my experience here. It’s not cheap (it’ll run you about $200/adult), but it’s unlike anything you’ll experience anywhere else in the world. It’s also not something that’s easily done on your own. You have to have 4WD to make it all the way to the summit (and there’s only a couple of rental car companies who will allow their vehicles up there). Also, in terms of value, by the time you’re picked up and dropped off, you’ll get 6-7 hours of activity.

Helicopter Tour: If there’s an active lava flow on the island, there’s nothing like seeing it from the air. Tours that leave out of Hilo (which is most of them) are MUCH cheaper than those that leave out of Kona.

Lava Boat Tour: Conditions have to be just right for one of these tours to work out, but when they do there’s nothing like it. All of these tours leave out of Hilo.

Waipio Valley Tour: I’ll preface this recommendation by saying that I wouldn’t put an excursion down into Waipio Valley on my short “must do” list, BUT if you’re set on going down into the valley then I think a tour is a must do. I would probably opt for a horseback riding one. The valley is largely private property and there’s not a lot to see if you’re not with a tour.

Oceanrider Seahorse Farm: This quick one hour tour through the seahorse farm is one of my favorite things on the Big Island. It’s ~$40/person, but I consider it mostly a donation towards the farm’s conservation work. You’ll learn so much about seahorses in the wild as well as the farm’s breeding programs but the real highlight is when you get to hold a seahorse at the end!

How to Save $1000 on Your Trip to Hawaii

Best FREE Things to Do in Hawaii

You probably think you’ve paid for the bulk of your trip before you even show up with your airfare and accommodations already paid for, but you’d be surprised how quickly the other stuff adds up. You’ll be bombarded with activities and excursion opportunities from the minute you arrive at the airport. So once you’ve go the big stuff paid for, how do you save money once you get there?

There really is a lot you can do for free in Hawaii and thankfully, the free stuff is some of the best stuff!

Beach bumming: Everybody comes to Hawaii for the beaches right? Well get out there and see them! If you’re staying at a beachfront hotel or condo, the temptation is to just hang out on “your” beach, but the awesome thing about Hawaii beaches is that each one looks a little different, especially on different parts of the island. One of my favorite things to do is go “beach hopping.” Plan to visit a different beach each day (or a couple each day) until you find your favorite. You’ll soon realize that different beaches are good for different things. Some are great for swimming and boogie boarding, some for snorkeling, and some for beach combing. Do some research before you get there and make a list of all the beaches you want to check out. Here’s a tip: You’ll have a much more comfortable day at the beach if you have the right gear. Many surf or gear shops will rent chairs, umbrellas, coolers, boogie boards, etc. to you for the week. Trust me, you’ll have so much more fun if you have the right gear instead of just sitting on a towel in the sand the whole time. But if you are going to rent, I would price check it first as it may be cheaper to buy your own gear at Costco and leave it behind at the end of your trip. Read about my favorite Maui and Kauai beaches as well as my favorite beach town on Oahu.

Snorkeling: Another great Hawaii pastime is snorkeling and many of the best snorkeling spots in Hawaii can be accessed right off the beach. If you have your own gear at home, bring it along. If not, there are plenty of places where you can rent by the day or the week (always rent from a gear/surf shop and not your resort as they’ll really gouge you!), but I would suggest picking up a set at Costco when you arrive. You’ll get a nice set for close to the weekly rental price at a gear shop plus you know you’re the first person who’s used it. FYI: Many gear rental places advertise snorkeling gear for $1.99/day but once you get to the shop you realize it’s for kind of a crappy snorkel set and they end up “upselling” you on a more expensive rental. You usually come out ahead just renting your own. Check out my favorite snorkeling spots on Maui and the Big Island.

Maui vs. Kauai: Which Hawaiian Island?

If there’s one question I get asked more often than any other, it’s which Hawaiian Island is best?

I’ve done a pretty extensive blog post on that topic here, but I still get a lot of variations on this question.

After reading up on the different Hawaiian Islands, most people can pretty quickly narrow it down to two choices. That’s when I start getting the this island vs. that island questions.

Say you’re going to Hawaii for a week and you want a laid back vacation without a lot of people around. It’s easy enough to cross Oahu off the list. And after doing a bit of research, maybe the sheer size of the Big Island overwhelms you. So that leaves you with Maui or Kauai. So you start asking around. Guess what? All the people who have been to Maui loved it. And all the people who have been to Kauai will say it’s definitely the best. The people who have been to both will either suggest splitting your trip between the two because who could possibly choose, or they’ll have a definite favorite. Bless those people who can make a decisive recommendation!

Now I’ll tell you what I think ; ) There’s no “best” island. People’s “favorite” or “best” islands depends largely on their personality types and what kind of a vibe they like on vacation. Now unless you match that person 100%, your opinions are likely to differ.

So for the first post in this island vs. island series, I’m going to tackle Maui vs. Kauai. But I’m not going to just tell you which I think is best, because that’s not really going to help YOU decide. I’m going to do my best to break down the pros and cons of each island so you can decide for yourself which will be best. I will let you know my personal favorite at the end though.

Nature

I’m going to start out by making a bold statement. You can’t narrow any Hawaiian Islands out of your search by asking “which ones has the best/most ‘nature’?” I’ve heard so many people say, “if you want nature, Kauai is definitely the best island.” Bull. If you want “nature,” you’ll be happy on any of the islands-even on Oahu with its population of one million. These are some of the most spectacular islands in the world and they haven’t gotten that reputation because of their modern architectural marvels. Each Hawaiian Island features STUNNING natural landscapes. The discussion about which is more “natural” or features better nature is a bit more nuanced.

Kauai’s Highlights

Let’s start with Kauai. If I was forced to name the most beautiful Hawaiian Island, I would probably say Kauai. Most of the island (but especially the north shore) is made up of those jagged, green peaks that movies like Jurassic Park have made so famous. It is lush, it is tropical, and it is stunning. However, I have to admit that 75% of the most spectacular sites I’ve seen on Kauai either involved a helicopter tour, a boat tour, or an extensive hike. So while it might be the most beautiful, most of that beauty isn’t highly accessible.

The Napali Coast is by far what makes Kauai the most beautiful island, but like I mentioned above, it’s so remote that you’ll only see it via helicopter, boat, or strenuous hike. Actually, I would say the Napali Coast is trumped in beauty by Wai’ale’ale Crater (the birthplace of Kauai), but since you’ll only see it for a couple of minutes on a helicopter tour (and because of weather conditions only a percentage of helicopter flights are actually able to enter into the crater), it’s not a major factor for most visitors.

However, I will make another bold statement here. I would almost say if you’re not going to do a helicopter tour, skip Kauai because you’ll be missing its most magical parts.

The other major natural site on Kauai is Waimea Canyon, often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It is truly unique, and it’s easily seen by car or via hiking if you’re more adventurous. However, once again, it’s most impressive when seen from a helicopter.

The north shore of Kauai is its true gem. It’s so lush, green, and gorgeous, however it’s that way because of all the rain. It is a rainforest after all. I cannot emphasize how much it rains on the north shore of Kauai, especially during the winter months.

Overall, Kauai does lush and tropical very well, but now on to Maui.

RELATED: Where to Stay on Kauai

Where to Stay on Maui

15 Things to Do on Kauai

15 Things to Do on Maui

Maui’s Highlights

Maui wins easily for the most diverse island. It has lush and tropical, curated resort areas, rainforests, valley, rolling ranchland, and an arid volcano summit. While Kauai excels in the green, jagged peaks department, Maui has it all.

Maui’s two most notable natural features are the Road to Hana which is a gorgeous winding road through the junglish side of Maui featuring countless waterfalls and colorful sandy beaches, and Haleakala, the 10,000 foot summit of Maui’s dormant volcano. Watching sunrise or sunset at the summit of Haleakala is a completely unique experience. You’ll feel more like you’re on Mars than earth due to the terrain. And driving the road to Hana is one of the best adventure day trips in Hawaii. Along this route is where you’ll find the famous black and red sand beaches. Here’s something to note: both of these drives (while not dangerous) feature a LOT of winding roads so if you’re seriously prone to motion/carsickness that may have just knocked those out for you.

Hawaii Trip Planning Timeline

You’re planning a trip to Hawaii…wahoo!! How exciting! But it can also be pretty overwhelming…I mean, how do you even know where to start? While you’ll find detailed posts on topics like choosing the best time to go, picking an island, booking accommodations and flights, etc., on my blog, this timeline will let you know exactly when you should be tackling each one of these tasks to insure that you have the most options available for the best prices.

12+ months

If you’re planning this trip over a year in advance, use this time to do preliminary research about when the best time to go will be (for your circumstances) and choosing an island (or two).

Best Reef Safe Sunscreen for Hawaii

Reef safe, organic, chemical free…there are a lot of buzzwords floating around when it comes to sunscreen.

And since the state of Hawaii passed a bill in May 2018 banning the sale of sunscreens containing chemicals harmful to coral reefs (it goes into effect January 1, 2021), I’ve gotten so many questions about which sunscreens are banned, what the best reef safe sunscreen are, and what this means for visitors.

Why the change?

The bill bans two ingredients/chemicals, oxybenzone and octinoxate, which help filter UV rays, but have also been found to cause bleaching, deformities, DNA damage, and death in coral when deposited in bodies of water.

One study has estimated that as much as 412 pounds of sunscreen is deposited daily at Hanauma Bay on Oahu which is one of the most popular snorkeling spots in Hawaii.

Obviously, there are supporters and critics of the bill/bad. Some critics say the limited options for sunscreen now available will result in less sunscreen being used while others say that the list of ingredients banned isn’t extensive enough.

What does reef safe mean?

The same implies that “reef safe” sunscreens are made of ingredients that are, well, safe for coral reefs. However, the phrase “reef safe” isn’t regulated and like the phrases “organic” or “clean” and is pretty open to interpretation.

For the purpose of this post, I’m defining reef safe sunscreen as sunscreen that doesn’t contain oxybenzone and octinoxate. While there’s a much longer list of chemicals that may be linked to being harmful to reefs, this is a starting point.

My favorite reef safe sunscreens

I’ve tested out quite a few reef safe sunscreens in the past few months, and here are my thoughts…

Coola: Coola is hands down my favorite sunscreen brand right now. It’s the perfect blend of an organic/natural sunscreen that keeps nasty chemicals to a minimum but is also convenient to apply. You know what they say…the best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear. And I LOVE Coola’s Eco-Luxe Spray (the guava mango scent is my favorite). It’s reef safe (does not contain oxybenzone or octinoxate) and it’s a CONTINUOUS, CLEAR spray. This is huge to me. There are a few cheaper, organic spray sunscreens (some that are reef safe), but they spray on white and you have to rub it in. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time for that at the beach. Yes, Coola products aren’t cheap, but I’ve found them to be a home run because of the ingredients/convenience factor.

Also, their face sunscreens are one of the few that doesn’t make me break out. I have pretty sensitive skin and anything with zinc oxide is not my friend.

SunBum: SunBum has become a bit controversial lately, but they’re still a favorite of mine. They used to call themselves “reef safe,” but they’ve been called out on that since they do contain some chemicals that may be harmful to reefs (however they don’t include oxybenzone or octinoxate). This is my favorite lotion sunscreen because it goes on so smooth and smells really nice. They also make a continuous spray version which is somewhat more convenient, but it sprays on white and you still have to rub it in.

Hawaii

Nature

Kauai’s Highlights

Maui’s Highlights

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