The Hawaii honeymoon guide – It’s the quintessential tropical holiday for many around the world and after over a decade of world travelling, it did not disappoint. From the swaying palm trees to those famous Maui sunsets, Hawaii is a bucket list destination for all sun lovers.
With four main islands, as well as many smaller islands to choose from, Hawaii has a spot to suit your travel needs. With glorious tropical weather all year round and warm water temperatures, it’s not hard to see why nine million tourists flock to this paradise every year.
WHY GO TO HAWAII?
Amazing weather and water temperature all year round, outlet shopping, that friendly Aloha welcome, mai Thais (or any cocktail really), water sports, amazing sunsets and green, rugged cliffs.
GETTING TO HAWAII
Hawaii is a group of islands off the south-west coast of the United States. The 50th State of America is situated in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean and was formed by undersea volcanic activity. It has a total land area of approximately 28,311 square km (10,931 square miles). It’s largest and capital city is Honolulu on the island of Oahu.
Direct flight times from:
| New York: 10 hours | New Delhi: 15 hours |
| L.A.: 5 hours | Beijing: 11 hours |
| London: 15 hours | Dubai: 18 hours |
| Sydney: 10 hours |
THINGS TO DO IN HAWAII HONEYMOON
Follow the above link for information and reviews on a selection of romantice, adventurous, relaxing and cultural activities on the islands of Oahu and Maui.
SOMETHING SPECIAL IN HAWAII FOR HONEYMOON NIGHT 1
Helicopter
For a bird’s eye view of Hawaii, take to the sky on a scenic helicopter flight. Zoom over an active volcano or just cruise up the beaches of Oahu and take in Hawaii’s breathtaking mountains, hidden valleys and dramatic waterfalls.
Star Gazing
For a unique and romantic first night, enjoy a glass of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries as you gaze at the universe above. There are a number of places that offer stargazing experiences but we recommend you try out the Hyatt Regency Maui’s Tour of the Stars, which was named the world’s top hotel for stargazing. This one-hour experience takes place on the hotel rooftop and ensures you will come away with some magnificent views of the Milky Way above. Don’t forget to take a camera and try to pick a full moon night for a mesmerising shot.
FESTIVALS IN HAWAII
Waikiki Spam Jam – April
You won’t be able to miss the love the locals have for Spam in Hawaii. Just visit the local supermarket to see shelves stocked with very flavour of Spam you can imagine and be sure to try Spam Musabi, a sushi style snack, which can be found year-round in most local supermarkets. During April, Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu is blocked off for this one-day celebration of Hawaii’s favourite lunch meat. Enjoy the huge street party which includes souvenirs and food, including some big-name restaurants cooking up some innovative Spam dishes.
Lantern Floating Hawaii – last Monday of May
This stunning ceremony held in Oahu every Memorial Day, sees thousands of floating lanterns placed into the water at Ala Moana Beach
Park. As the sun sets over the water, over 50,000 attendees remember and honour lost loved ones. The cultural event is marked with a Japanese taiko drum performance and Hawaiian chant and hula.
Aloha Festivals – Around September for Oahu
These month-long celebrations, which take place at various times on the Hawaiian Islands, are the largest Hawaiian celebration of culture and celebrate the huge variety of traditions and customs that each island has to offer. Enjoy food, games, live entertainment and don’t miss the floral parade which goes down Kalakaua Avenue in Honolulu.
Hawaii Food and Wine Festival – Around October to November
Featuring over 100 international chefs, tv personalities and alcohol producers, this month-long celebration, showcases the best locally sourced produce from around Hawaii and has events on all of the main islands. Take part in exclusive dining experiences, wine tasting, cooking demonstrations and more, all showing off produce from the state’s best fisherman, farmers and ranchers.
Billabong Pipeline Masters – December
The final event in the World Surfing League season, the Pipeline Masters is held on the Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore. Known as the deadliest wave in the word due to its massive swell and shallow reef, the Banzai Pipeline provides some amazing spectating for surf lovers and armatures alike to see the world’s best surfers in action.
GETTING AROUND HAWAII
Metred taxis, Uber, private drivers and car hire are the most popular ways to get around Hawaii. Most can be obtained from your accommodation or along the streets. Private drivers are great for longer excursions and are often included or available for a small fee for activities such as snorkelling. It’s worth hiring a car for a few days if you plan to do lots of driving or have a large group as it will work our cheaper and gives you freedom. Valet parking is available at most hotels and there are a few public parking lots for a similar fee around Waikiki.
If only going a short way, consider walking or grab a bicycle to get around. There are city bikes to hire in places like Waikiki and most of the beach strip is an easy, flat walk. There is also hotel shuttles and local trolleys that run past the main areas around every hour. These are a great cheap option and allow you to see the sites along the way in a traditional way.
ACCOMMODATION IN HAWAII
Budget: Under $50pn
Mid: $50-$300pn
Luxury: $300+pn
From 5 Star luxury hotels to self-contained condos, Hawaii has plenty of accommodation options. Be aware when looking at prices that hotels will charge a resort fee (usually around $30pp per day) on top of the accommodation.
This covers things like bottles of water and use of resort facilities. It doesn’t cover extras like water sport hire, breakfast etc unless stated so be prepared to pay extra for these items.
Waikiki, Oahu – If you like the hustle and bustle, shopping, restaurants and night life then this is the place for you. A huge beach strip lined with big-name hotels and a huge range of shopping, restaurants and water sports.
North Shore, Oahu – Known for its beautiful resorts such as Turtle Bay and famous Pipeline, the North Shore provides a quieter side of Oahu where you can take in quaint fishing towns, empty beaches and lush scenery.
Lahaina, Ka’anapali and Kapalua, Maui – These three towns on Maui’s west coast are the resort hotspot of Maui and provide white, sandy strips of water fronted by plenty of hotel choices. Lahaina itself hosts the harbor where many cruises depart and is worth a look around the old fishing town’s shops and restaurants. Ka’anapali covers 3 miles of beach and includes Whaler’s Village where you can shop and eat at a number of good restaurants on the water. Kapalua is arguably the most upmarket of the three and is set at the foot of the mountains. It too has many beautiful bays and beaches to choose from.
ALL INCLUSIVE PACKAGES HAWAII
Hawaii has a number of all-inclusive resorts including those below:
- Four Seasons Maui
- Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
- Fairmont Orchid
- Hanalei Bay Resort
- Grand Wailea
- Kaua’i Marriott Resort
- Royal Lahaina Resort
- Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki
- Hilton Waikoloa Village
- Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott Maui
- Turtle Bay Resort
ADULT ONLY RESORTS HAWAII
- Hotel Wailea
- The Modern Honolulu
Many resorts also offer an adult only pool and dining areas.
LOCAL CUISINES IN HAWAII
- Spam Musabi – This sushi like snack is found all over Hawaii and consist of a slice of Hawaii’s favourite deli meat, on a wedge of rice and wrapped with Japanese seaweed
- Masaladas – a Portuguese originating sweet, these donut like treats can be found with many types of filling and are said to be a favourite of former president and Hawaiian native Barack Obama. Locals will tell you to head to Leonard’s Bakery for the best in Honolulu.
- Shrimp – You will see shrimp trucks all over Hawaii and can enjoy a plate with a variety of flavours. For traditional fare, go the garlic and be sure to try world famous Giovanni’s. Trust us you will smell it before you see it.
- Shave ice –
Not to be mistaken for a snow cone, these frozen desserts come in a heap of different flavors and require a careful amount or preparation to be made well. A delicious treat for those hot, steamy days. - Poke – a raw, diced fish dish which is seen in many forms and made most commonly from ahi tuna. Poke bowls which are served on rice, poke salad, poke tacos and poke nachos are all common and an absolute must try for sashimi lovers.
- Fish tacos – Tacos are hugely popular in Hawaii and none more so then one filled with delicious fresh fish such as mahi mahi and lime in a fresh tortilla.
- Taro based treats – From poi which is a sticky pudding made from the Taro root to Laulau which is pork wrapped in taro leaves, taro is a huge staple in Hawaiian food. I personally could not get enough of taro chips which were used in nachos.
- Kalua pig – No Luau is complete without the ceremonious unveiling of the Kalua pig from the imu (underground oven). Similar to pulled pork but with a smoky wood flavour, this dish is usually served with a delicious fried rice.
- Tropical fruit – plantations can still be found all over Hawaii and although not as famous for tropical fruits as it once was, Hawaii still has an abundance of delicious pineapples, passionfruit, papaya and dragon fruit. Be sure to try Dole Whip – a pineapple-flavoured soft serve dessert.
- Hula Pie – think macadamia ice-cream, hot fudge, whipped cream and nuts, on a chocolate cookie pie crust. Usually sized for sharing, you better bring your sweet tooth for this ice-cream treat.
LANGUAGE IN HAWAII
English is spoken everywhere in Hawaii; however, it is always nice to know a few native words when speaking with the locals and you will certainly hear many phrases widely used and most towns, streets and sites are in Hawaiian so it will help with correct pronunciation. You will notice that all Hawaiian words end in a vowel.
Useful Hawaiian phrases
- Love, affection, hello, goodbye = Aloha
- Thank you = Mahalo
- Thank you very much = Mahalo Nui Loa
- Excuse me – Kala mai ia’u
- Delicious = Ono
- Turtle = Honu
- Hawaiian feast = Lu’au
- The dance of Hawaii = Hula
- Man = Kane
- Woman = Wahine
- Child = Keiki
- Family = ‘Ohana
- Expert = Kahuna
- Necklace made of flowers and given as a symbol of affection = Lei
- heavenly flower = Leilani
- porch or balcony = Lanai
WEATHER IN HAWAII
Definitely the best thing about Hawaii is its amazing temperature all year round. Its proximity to the equator gives it a constituent, tropical climate year-round. Water temperatures are always amazing, generally hovering in the mid-twenties Celsius.
High season: December to April, June to August
Dry Season: May to October
Rainy Season: November to April
| Months | min. Temp. | max. Temp. | Average Sea temp. | Rain days | Rainfall | Season | |||
| January | 20°C | 68°F | 26°C | 79°F | 25°C | 77°F | 18 | 78mm | Wet |
| February | 20°C | 68°F | 26°C | 79°F | 24°C | 75°F | 16 | 90mm | Wet |
| March | 21°C | 70°F | 26°C | 79°F | 24°C | 75°F | 19 | 88mm | Wet |
| April | 21°C | 70°F | 26°C | 79°F | 25°C | 77°F | 19 | 52mm | Wet |
| May | 22°C | 72°F | 27°C | 81°F | 25°C | 77°F | 18 | 38mm | Dry |
| June | 23°C | 73°F | 28°C | 82°F | 26°C | 79°F | 20 | 43mm | Dry |
| July | 24°C | 75°F | 28°C | 82°F | 26°C | 79°F | 22 | 57mm | Dry |
| August | 24°C | 75°F | 29°C | 84°F | 27°C | 81°F | 19 | 34mm | Dry |
| September | 24°C | 75°F | 29°C | 84°F | 27°C | 81°F | 17 | 61mm | Dry |
| October | 24°C | 75°F | 29°C | 84°F | 27°C | 81°F | 18 | 80mm | Dry |
| November | 23°C | 73°F | 27°C | 81°F | 26°C | 79°F | 20 | 124mm | Wet |
| December | 21°C | 70°F | 26°C | 79°F | 25°C | 77°F | 19 | 87mm | Wet |
COST OF THINGS IN HAWAII
| McDonalds Combo Meal | $8.00 USD |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 litre draught) | $5.00 USD |
| Imported Beer (0.33 litre bottle) | $7.00 USD |
| Cappuccino (regular) | $4.65 USD |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33 litre bottle) | $2.01 USD |
| Water (0.33 litre bottle) | $1.52 USD |
HAWAII TIPS AND TRICKS
Timing – To avoid paying exorbitant rates for flights and hotel, avoid travelling during the school holidays, especially Christmas and New Year’s where the price of travel can increase by up to three times.
Stick to 1 or 2 islands – It can be tempting to try to cram everything into your trip to Hawaii and there are so many islands and sites to see. Do your research and pick your top spot or two to stay and just cover those places. If you’re like many others, it won’t be your last trip to Hawaii and you will have a more enjoyable time seeing the sites between relaxing, then running around from dawn to dusk trying to see everything.
Don’t book too much in advance – From the moment you arrive in Hawaii at the airport, you will see stands with dozens of brochures to cover sites and activities of every sort. There are also vendors along the streets and beaches selling activities and you will find that for many it’s cheaper to book once you get there and you may even be able to haggle a deal. Some of the cruises offer cheap last-minute seats as they are boarding people and there is so much competition that it’s easy to get a discount by shopping around. We travelled in September holidays and had a few things booked that we knew would sell out but found we waited to book other things including Pearl Harbour the night before so we could check the weather and how we were feeling.
I hope this Hawaii Honeymoon Guide helps you have a great time!!