What is the best island to visit in Hawaii?
Editor's Note
No matter where you go in America's 50th state, Hawaii offers a wide variety of topographies, accommodations, activities and experiences.
Related: The best ways to get to Hawaii using points and miles
Each Hawaiian island has its own distinctive vibe. Six major islands in Hawaii are open to visitors, including Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii Island. (The other two major Hawaiian islands aren't open to visitors: Niihau is privately owned, and the U.S. military used Kahoolawe during the decades following World War II for bombing exercises and remains off-limits to the public.)
How do you choose between so many different versions of paradise? Here's a guide to finding the best island to visit in Hawaii for your next vacation.
Oahu
Good for:
- First-time visitors to Hawaii
- Solo travelers
- Large groups
- Budget travelers
Oahu is Hawaii's most bustling and urban island. It's home to the state's largest city and commercial center, Honolulu. Its airport, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), has the most air service of any location on the islands, making it the cheapest destination for travelers from the mainland. It also offers the most nonstop flights.
Related: Best ways to redeem points and miles on Hawaiian Airlines
Within Honolulu city limits, Waikiki Beach is the place to see and be seen, with plenty of shopping, dining and amenities to enjoy at high-rise resorts.
Oahu's offerings are more diverse than just Honolulu, though. The growing resort area of Ko Olina has several upscale accommodations, including Disney's Aulani Resort and the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina. On the way to Ko Olina from Honolulu, stop at Pearl Harbor, one of the most visited historic sites anywhere on the islands.
Related: The best time to visit Hawaii this year
Oahu's North Shore provides another vibe that's downright chill with its beach-hopping, food-truck-loving, small-town surfer scene. In 2024, Marriott reflagged the iconic North Shore resort — Turtle Bay Resort — into a Ritz-Carlton resort bookable from 88,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
Hikers will find plenty of trails all over Oahu, from the peaks of Diamond Head to less-traveled spots like Makiki Valley and Waimea Valley. Some popular spots do require advance reservations.
Maui
Good for:
- Travelers with kids
- Multigenerational travel
- Anyone looking for resort-based condo properties
The second-most-visited island in the state and also the second largest, Maui is home to the famed Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park and the best whale watching anywhere in Hawaii during the winter months.
For many travelers, a vacation to Maui is the best of both worlds. The island offers some of the same infrastructure, conveniences and activities of Oahu without the traffic and urban sprawl. It's possible to visit a lot of attractions here and have an active vacation or just enjoy some island rest and relaxation at a resort.
Though much of Lahaina remains off limits to tourism following devastating fires in 2023, the rest of Maui is open for business and is encouraging tourists to return.
Related: Maui is still recovering from the devastating wildfires: Here's why you should go and how to help
Maui is a great pick for families with school-age kids because of its many activities. It works well for multigenerational groups because it has experiences that grandparents and grandkids can enjoy, such as the Maui Ocean Center or sunrise at Haleakala National Park.
The island of Maui also has many amazing hotels and resorts at a wide variety of price points. Most are clustered in two major areas: on the Ka'anapali-Kapalua corridor on the northwest side of the island and in Kihei-Wailea farther south.
Related: 29 hotels in Maui, Hawaii, you can book with points
For its size, Maui offers an impressive variety of hotels for travelers to book with points. Most major chains have outposts here, and many properties offer condo accommodations that work for families or larger groups. The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, the Wailea Beach Resort by Marriott, the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, and the Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort have all scored well with TPG contributors and readers. Set jetters can check into the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, which portrayed "The White Lotus" resort in the first season of the hit HBO show.
Hawaii (the Big Island)
Good for:
- Romantic couples getaways
- Luxury travelers
- Adventure seekers
The island of Hawaii, often referred to as the Big Island, is the largest and newest island in the chain. Because it's so big, you need close to a week to see everything. But, it offers many different travel experiences from day to day.
Related: Delta Air Lines announces new Hawaii route from its Salt Lake City hub and more flights next winter
The vast majority of Big Island visitors stick to the western side of the island near the city of Kailua-Kona and the Kohala Coast, where the large resorts are. Luxury seekers can enjoy high-end properties like the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai; Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort; the Mauna Lani, an Auberge Resort; and the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection.
Families on a moderate budget can find ample hotel offerings, too. The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa and the Hilton Waikoloa Village particularly cater to travelers with kids. Pool complexes are a big draw.
Related: Top hotels on the Big Island, Hawaii, for your next vacation
Although it's entirely possible to spend a week on the Big Island relaxing on a resort beach, the island can also be an adventure traveler's paradise. On the northern part of the island, travelers can zip line, take tours on all-terrain vehicles, jump into waterfalls, scuba dive or snorkel with giant manta rays, or flume down historic sugar cane irrigation channels.
Related: American Airlines adds long-haul Hawaii route once again
On the southern part of the island, you can visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — but before you go, check which areas are closed due to active eruptions. The town of Hilo on the eastern side of the island has its own local vibe that can be a great getaway for travelers looking for an authentic Hawaiian experience.
Kauai
Good for:
- Romantic getaways and babymoons
- Adventure junkies
- Relaxation seekers
Kauai's lush greenery makes it, in my opinion, the most beautiful of all the Hawaiian islands. It is home to waterfalls, hiking trails and a variety of eco-adventures. Most travelers seek out Kauai to avoid the hustle and bustle of Oahu and Maui and have a more unplugged vacation experience.
Unfortunately, Kauai's natural beauty also makes it less reliable as a vacation destination. The island's greenery comes from the substantial rainfall it gets, which makes it possible that your vacation in paradise is a damp one. For that reason, it's probably best to plan for a longer trip just in case the weather doesn't cooperate all the time.
There are ample hotel offerings on Kauai. For families, the hands-down winner is the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Poipu, known for having one of the best waterslides and pools anywhere on the island. The Grand Club lounge is quite special, too, with easy access to breakfast, drinks, snacks and more.
Poipu to the south is home to quite a few other major resorts, including the Sheraton Kauai Resort. Princeville to the north has many others, such as the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay and The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.
Related: True aloha spirit at the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort
Smaller islands: Lanai and Molokai
Good for:
- Returning Hawaii visitors looking for new experiences
Although the vast majority of travelers to Hawaii visit Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai, there are two smaller islands that tourists can visit as well. Getting to both of them requires a little extra effort, as neither has air service from the mainland.
Lanai, the island owned by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, is accessible by a ferry ride from Maui that takes just over an hour. You can also take a 50-minute flight from HNL or a 35-minute flight from Maui's Kahului Airport (OGG) to Lanai Airport (LNY) on regional carrier Mokulele Airlines. Lanai has two luxurious and pricey Four Seasons resorts on the island — the adults-only Sensai Lenai and the Four Seasons Resort Lanai.
Molokai, by contrast, has no name-brand accommodations, making it a place of refuge for local residents and travelers looking for authentic Hawaii travel experiences. Mokulele Airlines also serves Molokai Airport (MKK) from HNL (45 minutes) and OGG (35 minutes).
I wouldn't recommend that travelers head to either of these places until they've visited several of the larger Hawaiian islands first. You'll likely get more out of them (and know which one is the right fit for you) once you have more context to appreciate them.
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